A lifelong resident of Ledyard, Arlene Shafer Dalton, died peacefully on June 8, 2020 at the Mystic Health Care Center. Arlene was born October 20, 1931 in Ledyard to Hazel and Harold Shafer. She graduated from Fitch High School and worked at Kellem’s Company in Stonington and at Electric Boat before becoming the secretary at Gallup Hill Elementary School for over thirty years.
Arlene married Herbert Dalton on December 23, 1950. They built their forever home in Ledyard and raised three sons.
Arlene was an avid gardener and enjoyed maintaining her beautiful flowerbeds. She enjoyed working in her yard and making flower arrangements for Grace Fellowship Evangelical Free Church in Stonington, where she was a long time member. Arlene enjoyed family and friends gathering at her pool for summer cookouts. She also enjoyed knitting for her family, showering them with mittens, hats, sweaters and Christmas stockings. She knit over 35 stockings, one for every member of the family.
In addition to many dear relatives and friends, Arlene is survived by her sister, Fay Blocker and her husband Robert of Brick, New Jersey, two sons, Gary and Susan Dalton of Wolf Creek, MT, Randy and Patricia Dalton of Ledyard, and a daughter-in-law, Birgit Dalton of Ledyard. She is also survived by her 9 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren whom she loved.
She will be dearly missed and we will all miss those bone-crushing hugs.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Dalton, a son, Wayne Dalton, and a grandson, Jeremy Dalton.
Due to COVID-19 there will be no calling hours or other gatherings at this time. A service in celebration of Arlene’s life will take place at a later date.
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