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Sally Phelps Waite was born 1928 in Ansonia, and passed away Feb. 5 at home in Chester. The youngest of three children of Howard Albert and Lillian Wilmot Phelps, Mrs. Waite was a proud descendant of many of Connecticut’s original settlers.

A 1946 graduate of The Day School in New Haven, Mrs. Waite spoke fondly of her time as a “Daisy.” She went on to graduate in 1951 from Wheelock College in Boston with a degree in education, a vocation that she pursued for many years. She was a longtime resident of Madison, where she developed and directed the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church preschool program, and where she taught for 27 years. For many of Madison’s young people, Mrs. Waite’s classroom was their introduction to school. It was a great joy for her when they returned years later to enroll their own children. A member of the First Congregational Church in Madison, she spent many Sunday mornings in the nursery helping to care for the babies.

A proud grandmother, Mrs. Waite loved to hear of the professional accomplishments of her six grandchildren. She was an avid gardener and voracious reader; enjoyed boating and watching the birds that visited her garden; and was a collector of Swanky Swigs.

Mrs. Waite was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 55 years, Robert S. Waite; her brother John H. Phelps; her sister Elizabeth Phelps Todd; and two sons-in-law, Edward D. Langley and Alton C. Slawson, Jr.

Mrs. Waite is survived by her daughters Susan Waite-Langley of Duncanville, Texas; Molly Waite (Theodore) Lund of Chester; and Amy Slawson (Michel) Fortin of Madison. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Amanda Lund (Boubacar) Traoré of Portland, Oregon; Abygale W. Lund and Garth B. Lund, both of Deep River; Alton C. Slawson III of Ipswich, Massachusetts; Chloé E. Langley of Grand Prairie, Texas; and Tessa C. Langley of Duncanville, Texas.

Private services are scheduled for April 4 and will be followed by interment in the Memorial Garden at the First Congregational Church, Madison. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made payable to The Hopkins School, 986 Forest Rd., New Haven, CT 06515, (203) 397-1001. Please include a note to indicate the gift should be directed to the Day Prospect Hill Scholarship Fund in memory of Sally Phelps Waite.