Obituary of Jane Howard Wappler

Jane Howard Wappler, 79, of New Canaan, CT passed away March 17, 2019 peacefully surrounded by family, close friends, many flowers, and the music she loved. Jane was born on March 7, 1940 in Huntington, Long Island to the late Frances and Elizabeth (Kleiss) Howard. Many beloved friends visited her in the days and weeks prior to her death.

Jane attended St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in NYC and graduated in 1961. There she gained life-long friends and a spirit of laughter. She stayed at St. Luke’s for several years and went on to hold the position of Head Nurse.  She met her husband, Reinhold Wappler, at St. Luke’s in 1969; they married in NYC in January of 1970 and moved to New Canaan, CT a short while later. She gained two stepsons upon her marriage and had two daughters with Reinhold. They were married 49 years.

Some of Jane’s favorite loves and pastimes were her animals, going to the opera, listening to music, and gardening. She attended monthly Met operas and was a lifetime supporter of the organization. Gardening was her dearest and deepest love. As a life-long gardener, it gave her purpose, stimulation, solace, and as she said, it was her “time with God and reflection.” She created beautiful gardens from love, sweat, and joy in her nearly 45 years at her home on Carter Street in New Canaan and her few years at her home on Ludlowe Road. Her work with the New Canaan Garden Club was of special importance to her as she genuinely loved to share her extensive knowledge of horticulture, propagation, flower arranging, and, of course, her gardens with those who reciprocated her passion for plants, flowers and dirt. Over the years with the Garden Club, she competed in many flowers shows and won several awards on both the local and national level. Among the more noteworthy awards given to her by the Garden Club of America were the Catherine Beattie Medal for her horticulture entry distinguished by it’s vibrancy, prime condition, and perfection in grooming, the Catherine Willemsen Propagation Award, and two Club Horticulture Awards for “generously sharing her horticulture expertise and plants from her garden, her inspired propagation workshops, and joint leadership of the Zone II Gavel Challenge.” When Jane wasn’t in the garden, she was an avid watcher of NFL football, Women’s Basketball, Jeopardy, and the Westminster Dog Show.

Jane is survived by her husband, Reinhold Wappler, her stepson Peter Wappler and wife Barbara Chadwick (of Freeport, ME), her daughter-in-law Karen Wappler (of South Norwalk, CT), her daughter Sarah Wappler and husband Cary Vose (of Deerfield, NH), and daughter Amy Wappler and partner Sean Boyd (of Rockland, ME). Her six grandchildren Samuel, Ivy, and William Wappler, and Ella, Aurora, and Hazel Vose also survive her. She was predeceased by her brother Terry Howard and her stepson Shel Wappler.

The family would like to extend a very special note of gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Heather Sung of Norwalk who oversaw and coordinated Jane’s palliate care and to Shonah Drakos who was Jane’s advocate and caregiver and the family’s touchstone during these last many months. They would also like to thank the staff at Atria Darien and to the caring aides and hospice nurses who helped her during her last days.

A celebration of Jane’s life will be held among the flowers at the Waveny Walled Garden (a garden she was instrumental in regenerating and caring for) in New Canaan on Friday, June 21 at 11am with a reception to follow in the Waveny House. In the event of rain, the service will be held in the Waveny House. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jane’s name to the New Canaan Garden Club at P.O. Box 1553, New Canaan, CT 06840. For online condolences and directions please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com.