Obituary of Laurie Saggese

Laurie Saggese, beloved wife, mother and Grammy died at home of cancer on June 17th  surrounded by her family, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and love that touched everyone that knew her.

Laurie was a woman of extraordinary character - gentle, generous, thoughtful, intellectually gifted and full of compassion. She made the world a better place and her loss will be felt profoundly by all who knew and loved her.

She was born into a close-knit family where she was a cherished daughter of Herbert and Elizabeth Akelman.  Born on May 7,1953, Laurie grew up in Amenia, New York where she graduated from Webutuck High School in 1971. After graduating college in New York, Laurie pursued a career in dental hygiene, eventually splitting her career between New York and Connecticut. She was introduced by a friend to a Texaco attorney which blossomed into love and a lifelong husband and partner.

Settling in New Canaan in 1987 Laurie quickly became involved in the community while raising two daughters and co-parenting a stepson. In 1990 Laurie started a grass roots project she called “Kids for Fun” to build a playground at Kiwanis Park. The project was fully funded by donations without tax dollars. Laurie’s lead project was written up in the New York Times. With her ongoing efforts for the youth of New Canaan Laurie was awarded the New Canaan Commission award voted on by the town’s youth in honor of supporting New Canaan’s youth. Laurie then served on the Parks & Recreation Commission.

At a time when the Board of Finance and Town Council was deciding whether funds should be allocated for reconstruction improvements to the schools, Laurie started “Friends of the Schools”, an organized effort to gain community support for the school funding. The proposal to support the funding was with a public forum with the Town Council resulting in a successful referendum and Town Council support to fund the elementary schools in 1995. This led to a grass roots effort in 1995 for Laurie to run for the Town Council.  Laurie was elected to the Council in 1995, winning by the highest margin of any of the Town Council members for election. Eventually, Laurie’s duties as a mom, whose husband had a position of extended international travel elected to forego reelection to the Town Council.

Beyond her accomplishments, Laurie will be remembered most for who she was as a woman whose empathy and warmth made people feel truly seen and valued. Her absence leaves a hole that cannot be filled. Her memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her and the lives she enriched.                                     

While retaining a connection to the town she loved, her husband’s retirement led them to Longboat Key, Florida where Laurie extended her many friendships with people across the country who had similarly relocated to Florida’s west coast. Laurie’s many enjoyments included golf, both at the Country Club of New Canaan as well as the Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota, knitting, her Bible Study Group, Book Club, walks with Tony, social times with her many friends and, above all else, time with her grandchildren.

Laurie leaves behind her lifelong partner Tony and daughters Chelsea (Justin), Wanner, Courtney and step-son Christopher (Stefanie) Saggese along with five granddaughters Sadie, Ada, Sawyer, Faith and Emily.  

Laurie is also survived by three brothers: Doctor Edward (Vicki), Colonel Andrew (Sonya) and Rob (Donna) Akelman and her sister Lynne (Martyn) Redgrave, as well as numerous nephews, nieces and the many friends whose lives she touched while on this Earth.                                                                                          

A Funeral Service will be held at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, New Canaan, CT.  on Wednesday, June 25 at 10 A.M.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in Laurie’s name to either Waveny Lifecare or the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.                                                                 For online condolences please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com