Hilda Strait

Cardwell

Hilda Strait Cardwell, 97, of Riverside, Conn., died April 23. She was born in Yonkers, N.Y., to Josephine and Henry William Brandt.

She is survived by her sons and their wives, Donald P. and Cindy Strait of Newtown, Dr A. Vandiveer Strait and Julia of Stamford, and William H. and Diane Strait., of Mandeville, La. Seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a step-daughter, Janet Cardwell of Virginia, also survive Mrs Cardwell. Her first husband, Almuth Vandiveer Strait, and her second husband, Wallace Cardwell, preceded her in death.

Mrs Cardwell was a graduate of Traphagen School of Design in New York City and became a fashion designer. She studied with William Leigh, noted painter of Western scenes, and John McClelland, illustrator and portrait artist. She received many awards in both local and national art shows.

A past president of the Old Greenwich Art Society, her work has been displayed in national shows of the American Pen Women, at Lever House in New York City, the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, the Hudson River Museum, and the Bruce Museum. She painted numerous portraits, among them a child of the Bush family. Her work, described as having great depth and clarity with poetic realism, has been in many private and corporate collections, including IBM and Texasgulf. Her murals are in many hotels.

Throughout her entire lifetime, gardening and flowers were always Mrs Cardwell’s passions. She not only enjoyed the many varieties afforded her by her gardens, but she beautifully portrayed them in her paintings as well.

A memorial service was held in June.

In keeping with Mrs Cardwell’s love and concern for the conservation of wildflowers, memorial donations will be gratefully accepted to New England Wildflower Society, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham MA 01701.

The Newtown Bee        August 3, 2012