Wendy Gifford Obituary

Wendy T Gifford
June 22, 1936 - June 29, 2022
Wendy Thorsen Gifford, 86, of Madison, CT, died on June 29, 2022. She was born in New York City on June 22,1936, the daughter of the late Marie Louise Thorsen and J. Wallace Thorsen. She attended Smith College, and at age 55 proudly graduated with honors from Quinnipiac University. She first met her husband of 40 years, Richard C. "Dick" Gifford at the age of 14 on Nantucket. They married on the island in 1955 and enjoyed their lives together laughing, dancing, singing and sailing with their five children. Throughout her life she supported her community through her service to a variety of organizations and causes, including Planned Parenthood, The Junior League and the Scranton Library, to name a few. Additionally, she began her own needlepoint shop in Guilford, had a stencil business, was the Volunteer Coordinator at Yale New Haven Hospital and later pursued her voracious love of books at RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison. She was a gifted and creative published writer who loved to travel, yet if she were asked about her career she would mention first and foremost her role as a mother. Genuine, warm, wise, witty and generous Wendy loved to laugh and she loved a great joke. Later in life Wendy met her second husband, Gerald Degenhardt, in Madison and the two delighted in their shared love of books, travel, gardening, music, theatre, the NYT crossword puzzle and dining out regularly with their friends "The Usuals". Wendy was predeceased by Dick and is survived by her husband Gerald Degenhardt; her brother, Gwynne Thorsen; her sister, Karen Thorsen; her children, Linda Gifford Herrick, Mimi Gifford McFall (Dodge), Jennifer Gifford Satterfield, Richard Gifford (Rebeca Allessi), Tucker Gifford (Alix); her grandchildren, Tyler Herrick (Aly), Sam Herrick (Randi), Carter Satterfield (Caitlin), Colby Satterfield, Archer McFall (Brin Berge), Cammann McFall Harris (Colin) and Marley Gifford; her great-grandchildren, Ty, Hazel Jane, Cooper, Alyssa and Campbell; her nieces and nephews; and her stepdaughters, Jennifer Degenhardt and Krista Degenhardt Hendrickson (Michael). A celebration of Wendy's life will be held on Saturday, July 16th at 11:00 am at Christ Episcopal Church in Guilford, CT. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to E.C. Scranton Memorial Library in Madison, CT.