Lucy Anne ReadJanuary 15, 2017Lucy Anne Read, daughter of the late Reverend Cannon Ralph D. Read and Helen Nothnagle, passed away January 15, 2017. She was born on November 3, 1938 in New York City and lived most of her life in West Hartford, Connecticut. Lucy graduated from Oxford School in 1956, and Centenary College for Women in 1958. She studied at the University of Madrid in Spain, from 1958 to 1959, and then at Alliance Française Paris Ile-de-France in 1959. She was married in Madrid, Spain to Francisco de Asis Pastor Masferrer and then lived in Seville, Spain until 1966. When she moved back to the United States Lucy lived with her father and mother at 39 Middlefield Drive in West Hartford. She was later married to Richard Eugene Platt (1971-1981), residing on 27 Montclair Drive in West Hartford.She graduated from the University of Hartford, majoring in Spanish and minoring in French, and received her Master's Degree in Linguistics at Central State University. She taught Spanish, French and English as-a-second-language, in elementary and middle schools, throughout the West Hartford Public School System, for 23 years, retiring in June 1997. She directed a successful Mexican Exchange Program with the ABC School in Ciudad Satellite Mexico, D.F. for six years and additionally created numerous, cultural trips for teachers. Lucy loved to travel extensively across the globe, and her other passions included, family, friends, gardening, music and helping others.Lucy is survived by two sons, Francisco Patxi Pastor of Miami Beach, FL and Ralph Anthony David Fermin Pastor of Boulder, CO, a daughter, Lucy Pastor, of Mesa, AZ, along with a stepson, Clayton E. Platt, and his wife Linda, of Concord, NH, and 7 grandchildren, Jeremy, Benjamin, Nicole, Michael, Cali, Emma and Cody. Additionally, she leaves a beloved friend of 30 years Richard Witherell.Lucy wintered in Ft. Myers Beach, FL, where she became an avid shell collector, winning numerous, blue ribbon awards for her hand made artwork that she created with shells. She was a member of the Shell Crafters organization in Sanibel, FL and volunteered her services there for many years. For almost two decades, all proceeds from the sales of her arts and crafts were donated to benefit her beloved St. Vincent's Centre for Handicapped Children in Haiti which provides critically needed food, medicine, clothing and schooling for disabled and blind children. Lucy's philanthropic work began in her early years, helping refugees from countries around the world and then continued throughout her life, focusing on helping children and those less fortunate.Contributions may be made in Lucy's memory to St. Vincent's Centre for Handicapped Children in Haiti, c/o St. James's Episcopal Church Offices, 19 Walden Street, West Hartford, CT 06107.
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