Bessie Louise (Canfield) Yeager

Bessie Louise (Canfield) Yeager, 88, of East Haddam, widow of the late Robert "Bob" Yeager, Sr., passed away Tuesday (Jan. 2, 2018) at Aaron Manor in Chester.  Born May 26, 1929 in New London, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Lillian (Woodward) Canfield.  Mrs. Yeager had worked as a nurse’s aide for Chestelm and Deep River Convalescent Homes for many years before her retirement.  She loved the outdoors, especially birdwatching and gardening, but her greatest joy was found in her family, as she was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt who will be greatly missed.  She leaves two sons and their spouses, Robert, Jr. and Deborah of Simpsonville, SC and Steven and Diane of Moodus; four grandchildren, Kimberly, Jessica, Allison and Ryan; nine great grandchildren; a special niece, Susan Hyatt and her son, Austin; and numerous extended family members and friends.  In addition to her beloved husband of 64 years, who passed away July 7, 2014, and her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Helen Gates; and four brothers, Maurice, Harold and Walter Canfield and Ward Gorman.  In keeping with her wishes, services and burial will be private.  In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org).  Care of private arrangements has been entrusted to the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester.