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Carole A. Shaff of Branford died suddenly on March 14 at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was the wife of the late Gerald H. Shaff.

Carole was born in Fargo, North Dakota on April 20, 1946, a daughter of the late John and Elizabeth Stewart Pehkonen. She graduated summa cum laude from Albertus Magnus College and received her master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State University. She was an LMFT for the New Hope Center in Guilford until retiring.

As a teenager, she was crowned the Miss Wisconsin Spectacle Queen of Music. She loved music and enjoyed playing the piano and singing. Carole was also an avid reader and shared her love of books with friends and family.

Carole is survived by her children, Richard (Cheryl) Hansen of New York, Lawrence (Sonia) Hansen of Florida, Gabrielle Consolino (fiancé Doug Stepenosky) of Pennsylvania, and Nicole Sturgess (the late Paul Sturgess) of Branford; her stepchildren, Nancy (John) Burke of Wisconsin, Ronnie (Jeffrey) Quella of Wisconsin, Martin (Sandra) Shaff of Florida, Susan Puckhaber of Illinois, Jennifer (David) Jepsen of Manchester; 19 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; her sisters, Johanne Arla Block, Elizabeth Ann Schoessow, Karen Ann (Richard) Timian, and Mara (Philip) Pehkonen; and her brother Eric (Kori) Pehkonen. She was predeceased by brothers John, Karl, and William Pehkonen.

Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford, and are invited to a funeral service at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 19, in the funeral home. Burial will follow in Branford Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Smilow Cancer Hospital, 20 York Street, New Haven. For directions and her online memorial, see www.wsclancy.com.