The matriarch of the van der Heyden family died early Wednesday morning, October 31, 2018, one day shy of her 99th birthday. Louise Ruth Margaret LiVolsi van der Heyden was born on November 1, 1919 in Stamford, CT. She attended Stamford schools and graduated with the class of 1937 from Stamford High School. Her early years were spent at Laddens Rock in Stamford where her grandfather (William Williams) of Welsh descent was horse groom for Mr. Marks who owned the property at the time. Mr. Marks collaborated with Mr. Ed Binney of Old Greenwich, CT in the invention of Crayola Crayons. Louise had many passions, and it was at Laddens Rock through her grandfather that she was introduced to her lifelong love of horses. She was a member of her high school equestrian club. As a teenager she and her girlfriends would ride out of the Den Road Stables, at that time owned by the Rennie family ,and bring sandwiches and cigarettes to the workers constructing the new Merritt Parkway. The annual Ox Ridge Horse Show in Darien, CT was one of her anticipated yearly destinations. Louise had a passion for entertainment. As a youth she and her girlfriends would sing on radio stations such as ABC in New York and WICC in Bridgeport, CT. After the war years, Laddens Rock was occupied by Frank Daly and his band and was renamed Laddens Terrace. This entertainment attracted people from the tristate area. Louise would return to her old home with her husband and friends and sing and dance the nights away to the music of the Big Band Era. In later years Louise was fortunate to enjoy traveling extensively with her husband and spent winters in their Ponte Vedra ,Florida home with their daughter Terry. For all those who knew her, Louise possessed an infectious sense of humor. She had an appreciation for the smaller and more meaningful things in life and was grateful for all that she was blessed with. She treated everyone as if they were special. But in reality she was the special one. She was the epitome of grace, never asked for a thing and spent her life giving. Mother will be remembered for her warmth, compassion and kindness to all. Louise was predeceased by her parents, brother, and husband of 71 years, Buddy van der Heyden. She is survived by her loving children, Robert, William, Michael, and especially her caregivers, son Brian, daughter Pamela and her loyal dedicated best friend and forever loving daughter Terry. Also surviving are many loving grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday Nov, 3, 2018 at 10:00Am in St Aloysius Church, New Canaan with interment to follow in Lakeview Cemetery .There will be no calling hours.