Former Owner Of Mystic Toy Store Passes Away At 81

Obituary via Mystic Funeral Home

Grace (Bell) Malloy, 81, of Mystic passed away Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at home surrounded by her family after a long illness. She is survived by her husband of twenty years, Daniel G. O’Connor.

Born in Havertown, PA she was the daughter to the late William and Mae ( Riley) Bell and lived in Mystic since 1962.

Grace had an entrepreneurial spirit and started a home-made fudge business, selling to the Mystic Seaport. When the Olde Mystic Village opened up, she opened the Toy Soldier. Through the years, she opened several successful stores in the village, however, the Toy Soldier remained her pride and joy for twenty-five years up until her retirement.

She was a communicant of St. Mary Church in Stonington and a Eucharistic Minister. An avid bridge and tennis player, she also enjoyed painting, traveling and a volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

In addition to her husband, she leaves her four children, James Malloy and his wife, Kathleen, of Mystic, Kevin Malloy and his wife, Kathy, of Ledyard, Mark Malloy and his wife, Debbie, of Kalamazoo, MI and Pamela Malloy of Mystic; five step-children, Daniel G. O’Connor Jr. and his wife, Heather, of Preston, Kathleen John and her husband, James, of Rindge, NH., Colleen O’Connor of Stonington, Patricia O’Connor and her husband, Tom Ange, of New London, NH and Rita Stewart and her husband, Lindsey Saunders of Westerly; three grandchildren, Samantha, Nicola and Mary; two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her first husband, James Malloy and three brothers and one sister.

The family would like to thank the Center for Hospice for the exceptional care given to Grace during her illness.

A funeral mass will be celebrated Saturday, September 22nd at 10:00 am at St. Mary Church in Stonington. Burial will follow the mass at St. Mary Cemetery, Stonington. There are no calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Center for Hospice SECT.

Photo credit: Shutterstock