Obituary: Marjorie Jane (Pooler) Stoddard, 88, of Branford

Information via W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home

Marjorie Jane (Pooler) Stoddard, age 88, of Branford, passed away peacefully with family by her side on March 31, 2018. Marjorie was the daughter of the late Bertha Voegtlin Pooler and James Eli Pooler, and the wife of the late Henry Lyman Stoddard.

Marjorie was a devoted mother to her four children, Mark Stoddard (Nora), Lisa Holland, Jane Bietz (Bill), and Paul Stoddard, and a loving grandmother to her eleven grandchildren, Hannah and Rebekah Stoddard, Brendon, Zachary, Bronson, Gavin and Zoe Holland, Spencer and Allie Bietz, and Paul Henry, Jr. and Jackie Stoddard. She was a member of the Stony Creek Congregational Church, which was very important to her. In her younger years, Marjorie was an accomplished fifer, winning many awards in state competitions in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

She met her husband while they were in a fife and drum corps. Marjorie helped her husband run a family business for many years. She also was active in the Branford Women’s Club in past years. However, her greatest joy in life was raising her family and spending time with her grandchildren. She was a kind and gentle person, and everyone who knew her understood just how proud she was of her children and grandchildren.

When any of her children had a game, concert, or any event, she was there, cheering proudly. More recently, she carried on the tradition, cheering on her grandchildren at their games. She also loved to watch birds and other wildlife and loved spending time gardening or just being outdoors. She had a lifetime love of sports, and over the years she enjoyed swimming, water skiing, ice skating, and backyard sports with her children. She was also a huge fan of UConn Huskies women’s basketball.

She loved watching them in person or on television, although she was never quite comfortable unless they had at least a twenty-point lead. Marjorie will be deeply missed.Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours Wednesday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford, and are invited to a funeral service Thursday afternoon at 1:00 PM in the Church of Christ Congregational, Stony Creek.

Burial will follow in Branford Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Stony Creek Congregational Church Historic Restoration Fund, 192 Thimble Islands Road, P. O. Box 3385, Stony Creek, CT 06405. To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Marjorie Stoddard, please visit our Tribute Store.