Clarice Osiecki

A Dedicated And

Loyal Civil Servant

Clarice Osiecki, 73, died October 26. She was born in Bethel October 16, 1934, the youngest of seven children of Edward and Clarice (Clapp) Shanley.

 Mrs Osiecki is survived by a brother, Edward Shanley of Newtown; a son, Matthew of California; two daughters, Marcia of Salem, Mass., and Florence of New York and her two daughters, Rachel and Brynna; a sister, Ruth Hennessey of Florida; two cousins; dozens of nieces and nephews; and her former spouse, Raymond Osiecki of Salem, Mass. She was predeceased by four sisters, Catherine Cole, Margaret Wixted, Joan Oberg, and Dorothy McGurkin.

A graduate of Bethel High School, she earned a bachelor of science in business administration from Marymount College, a master’s degree in history from Western Connecticut State University, and a certificate in organizational management from the University of Delaware.

Mrs Osiecki moved to Danbury in 1959 and became active in Republican Party politics, serving as Town Committee First Ward Chairman, and delegate to Congressional and State Conventions. In 1972, as a fill-in candidate with just three weeks notice, she defeated the three-term incumbent for the 108th State Assembly seat, and remained in her role as State Representative for four terms, achieving reelection even in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. She served four terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing western Danbury, New Fairfield, and Sherman. During her tenure in the State Legislature, she sponsored legislation concerning prescription drug labeling, women’s rights, and juvenile justice. Mrs Osiecki served on several legislative committees, including judiciary, received numerous honors and awards for her legislative work, and was invited to testify before a congressional committee regarding oversight of federal agencies. In addition, she served as president of the Connecticut Order of Women Legislators, was a delegate to the Conference of State Legislators, and served as Assistant Minority Leader just prior to her retirement from elective office.

 In the early 1980s, she was appointed Director of Public Affairs for Perkin Elmer Corporation, but left this position in order to accept an opportunity as president of the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce, a position she held until her retirement in 1998. In this role, she developed partnerships with area businesses, government, and educators in order to facilitate and advocate job training, promote area business, and advocate for the general economic well-being of the city of Danbury. Mrs Osiecki is credited with the creation and success of the Leadership Danbury program, from which several hundred business people have graduated since its inception. Also while at the chamber, she helped organize and served as co-chairperson of the Housatonic Valley Economic Development Partnership, and was an organizing officer of the Housatonic Valley Tourism Commission, on which she served for 12 years.

Additional civic involvement included serving on the Charter Revision Commission, the Economic Task Force, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Danbury Housing Task Force, the committee appointed to review the Conservation and Development Plan for Danbury. She was an organizer, volunteer, and member of the Board of Directors for First Night Danbury for ten years.

She also devoted her time to Taste of Danbury, Literacy Volunteers, and served as a charter trustee of the Albert and Helen Meserve Foundation, was a member of the Connecticut Order of Women Legislators, and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. In addition, Mrs Osiecki was an active member of the Board of Trustees of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society.

She spent much of her spare time traveling domestically with her two beloved granddaughters, and she had a special love for the village of Eastham on Cape Cod as well as neighboring First Encounter Beach, where many happy memories were made. Most of all, however, she enjoyed living vicariously through her son Matt’s global adventures, laughing at Florence’s madcap schemes, and trips abroad with her daughter Marcia, especially to her ancestral home in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim, Ireland.

She will be fondly remembered for working in her beautiful English gardens, her passion for local history, and her work with various city committees and commissions. Throughout her life, she was a dedicated and loyal civil servant, proud of her adopted hometown of Danbury. She spent the last few years fulfilling her personal dream and professional commitment of writing a book on the history of Danbury. Her loving children will miss her dearly.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, November 2, at 10 am in St Peter Church, 104 Main Street, Danbury. Burial will follow in St Mary Cemetery, Bethel. There will be no calling hours.

Memorial contributions to the Danbury Hospital Development Fund for Pulmonary Medicine, 24 Hospital Avenue, Danbury CT 06810 would be greatly appreciated.

The Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, Danbury, is in charge of arrangements.

The Newtown Bee        November 2, 2007