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Corinne Thurston

Corinne Thurston of Branford passed away on April 2, 2024, at home in the presence of loved ones. She is the widow of Howard Thurston and is survived by brother Donald Lagasse and his wife Claudette, of Killingworth; sisters Barbara West of Skowhegan, Maine, and Janet Cassidy of Bingham, Maine; and daughter-in-law Constance Thurston of Rhode Island. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Patty Lagasse, Carolyn Lagasse, and Shirley Lagasse, as well as several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son Bryan and daughter Gwen; and by her parents, Armand and Evelyn (Lambert) Lagasse; sisters, Christine Lagasse, Brenda Malbon, Pauline Runnells, Judy Ellis, and Audrey Wentworth; and by brothers, Richard, Armand (Duffy), Eugene and Linwood Lagasse.

Corinne was born in Madison, Maine at the family farm. She was the second child born in the family and soon to be a big sister to more siblings. The family lived all over Maine, where Armand worked and where he could to support his family. He was a cook at a logging camp and passed on his skills to his daughter. Evelyn taught Corinne how to keep a nice home and how to tend to the children. The family finally settled in Skowhegan. Corinne left school at an early age to go to work to help provide for the family. She worked at the spinning mill, spinning wool woven into fabric to make uniforms for the Navy during World War II. After the war, she and Howard were married and started their own family. The Thurston’s moved to Portland and then to Madison, where they purchased a summer cottage and turned it into a lovely home. Always a worker, she took in ironing and sewing to help. Corinne was an accomplished seamstress and worked doing alterations at a local dry cleaner. She worked as an assistant cook in the Madison Public School System and then became the head cook at Island Avenue School, a position she loved and thoroughly enjoyed because of the children.

Curious and determined describes Corinne very well. She loved to learn and was interested in many things, sewing, cooking, needlework, gardening and traveling to name a few. She was determined to do and have things done her way and if she wanted to do something and didn’t know how, she would find a way to teach herself. Before the Internet! She was a powerful personality in a tiny package. She loved the Lord, her family and her friends. We will miss her dearly.

There will be a memorial service at noon on Saturday, May 4, at Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Road, Madison. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405.