Rae Wickes Ackerly, age 87, of New Canaan died at her home on Wednesday, April 11 with her little dog, Petey at her side. She was born on December 15, 1930 in White Plains, NY. She was the daughter of the late Blanche Gilbert and William Wirt Wickes and wife of the late Dana C. Ackerly. She attended Northfield School for Girls and graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1952 after which she worked for Reader's Digest in their Chappaqua, NY headquarters. She married the late Peter J. Callahan and moved to New Canaan in 1963. During her 55 years in New Canaan she was a member of the New Canaan Field Club and the Country Club of New Canaan, and The First Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir for many years. Also active in The Town Players of New Canaan, she loved music and dance. She worked at The Whitney Shop where she enjoyed employing her love of fashion. After earning her master’s degree in social work, she became a family substance abuse counselor and served on the advisory board of New Canaan CARES from its earliest years, as well as the Silver Hill Hospital Board of Governors and the New Canaan Teen Center Community Advisory Council. Also predeceased by her younger sister, Deborah Wickes Jaeger, who died in 1992, and with whom she shared fond memories of summers on Charleston Lake in southeastern Ontario, Canada, she is survived by her children: Lyn Callahan Carroll and husband, John of Carlisle, MA; Peter J. Callahan, Jr. of Milford, CT; William W. Callahan of Bozeman, MT; six grandchildren (John E. Carroll, Jr. of New York, NY; Peter J. Carroll and Matthew G. Carroll, both of Boston, MA; Christina L. Callahan of Norwalk, CT; Michael W. Callahan of Stamford, CT; and Emily B. Callahan of Fairfield, CT); four stepchildren (Tod Ackerly and wife, Sophie of Washington, D.C., Molly Ackerly and husband, Mike Sconyers of Norfolk, CT; Rick Ackerly and wife, Victoria of San Francisco, CA; Jim Ackerly and wife, Susan of Rowayton, CT), and eight step-grandchildren. A service will be held at The First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan on Friday, May 18 at 10 AM. Please visit HoytFuneralHome.com for online condolences and directions. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to Staying Put of New Canaan or The Mount Holyoke Fund.