Obituary for Antoinette Hourihan (Laksus)
On May 9, 2023, the World was diminished by the loss of one of the nicest people who ever walked the same. Antoinette Laskus Hourihan of Somers, died surrounded by her loved ones, after a courageous battle in which she recovered from a Whipple operation, but lost the fight from the effects which the chemotherapy regime had on her body. She was born in Hartford in 1943 to Anthony Laskus and Josephine Wilkus Laskus, and graduated from Bulkeley High School in 1962, received her Bachelor’s degree from University of Hartford in 1966 and Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin where she had qualified for a Fellowship program which included studying in Europe.
She was always proud of her South-Ender roots. She is survived by her loving husband Joe, who was the member of the same Class at Bulkeley though they never got together until their thirties. Yet they still had Forty years of true marital bliss as each other’s best friend and constant companion. Rather than spend money on herself or autos or redecorating, she and Joe traveled the world together, including 49 States, all Canadian provinces, Europe, Russia, Israel, Dubai, Suez Canal, Morocco, South America, Cape Horn, Panama Canal and Australia. She was very proud of her Home and the plaque on the front door which proclaimed, “Martha Stewart does not live here”.
She worked her entire adult life as Teacher, Administrative Assistant and the last 17 years at Companions and Homemakers, including the day before her hospitalization in 2022, always giving to others.
She leaves her son Garrett Hourihan of Wolcott, Conn and his fiancé, Caryn Ladd; her son Gavin Hourihan of Somerville, Mass and his wife Lily, three grandchildren, Mason, Riley and Indigo, she also leaves her unofficially adopted son Col (Ret) Ben Zweibelson and his wife Jill. She leaves her sister, Joanna Laskus Taschner Hamby and brother -in-law John Hamby of Cromwell, Connecticut; her brother Anthony Laskus and sister-in-law Lesia of Coventry, Connecticut. She was very fond of her nephew and godson, Craig Taschner and his wife Kati of Florida and her nephew Scott Taschner and his wife Lorraine of Glastonbury, Connecticut. She remained lifelong friends with her University of Hartford classmate Linda Sherrill and her husband Ed of North Carolina. She enjoyed her lunches with the merry widows Shirley Liss and Tina DiFabio. She will be missed by all. Despite the many places she had visited, here three favorite places were: her Home which she helped design; Mashapaug Lake in Union; and Mohegan Sun, where she, as a non-gambler, enjoyed countless hours and met many friends. She was always treated as Royalty there, particularly by the servers in the Players’ Lounges
The Family will receive friends at Farley Sullivan Funeral Home at 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield from 4:00 to 7 on TODAY May 11, 2023. There will be a Funeral Mass on Friday May 12, 2023 at 10:00 am in Holy Trinity Church 53 Capital Avenue, Hartford. Memorial donations in her name may be made to Holy Trinity Church or to the General Fund of the University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117. To extend condolences, please visit Farleysullivan.com.
She was always proud of her South-Ender roots. She is survived by her loving husband Joe, who was the member of the same Class at Bulkeley though they never got together until their thirties. Yet they still had Forty years of true marital bliss as each other’s best friend and constant companion. Rather than spend money on herself or autos or redecorating, she and Joe traveled the world together, including 49 States, all Canadian provinces, Europe, Russia, Israel, Dubai, Suez Canal, Morocco, South America, Cape Horn, Panama Canal and Australia. She was very proud of her Home and the plaque on the front door which proclaimed, “Martha Stewart does not live here”.
She worked her entire adult life as Teacher, Administrative Assistant and the last 17 years at Companions and Homemakers, including the day before her hospitalization in 2022, always giving to others.
She leaves her son Garrett Hourihan of Wolcott, Conn and his fiancé, Caryn Ladd; her son Gavin Hourihan of Somerville, Mass and his wife Lily, three grandchildren, Mason, Riley and Indigo, she also leaves her unofficially adopted son Col (Ret) Ben Zweibelson and his wife Jill. She leaves her sister, Joanna Laskus Taschner Hamby and brother -in-law John Hamby of Cromwell, Connecticut; her brother Anthony Laskus and sister-in-law Lesia of Coventry, Connecticut. She was very fond of her nephew and godson, Craig Taschner and his wife Kati of Florida and her nephew Scott Taschner and his wife Lorraine of Glastonbury, Connecticut. She remained lifelong friends with her University of Hartford classmate Linda Sherrill and her husband Ed of North Carolina. She enjoyed her lunches with the merry widows Shirley Liss and Tina DiFabio. She will be missed by all. Despite the many places she had visited, here three favorite places were: her Home which she helped design; Mashapaug Lake in Union; and Mohegan Sun, where she, as a non-gambler, enjoyed countless hours and met many friends. She was always treated as Royalty there, particularly by the servers in the Players’ Lounges
The Family will receive friends at Farley Sullivan Funeral Home at 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield from 4:00 to 7 on TODAY May 11, 2023. There will be a Funeral Mass on Friday May 12, 2023 at 10:00 am in Holy Trinity Church 53 Capital Avenue, Hartford. Memorial donations in her name may be made to Holy Trinity Church or to the General Fund of the University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117. To extend condolences, please visit Farleysullivan.com.