Eva Marie (Fanning) Gustafson

Eva Marie (Fanning) (LaFlair) Gustafson was born on August 26, 1936, in Potsdam, NY, to the late Myrtle (Coffey) and Lyle Fanning. She passed September 14, 2019, under the care of the wonderful folks at Middlesex Hospital Hospice. Despite having been a Colchester resident for more than 50 years, Eva always considered upstate New York home. Her fondest memories were of growing up on Munson St. in Potsdam, NY, where she was also a graduate of Potsdam High School, and the time spent on her grandparents’ farm. Eva made her way to Connecticut after marrying. She had six children, and is survived by four: Michael LaFlair of West Hartford, CT; Tim LaFlair of Fort Myers, FL; Tammy Barrett of Quinebaug, CT; and Kelly (Mike) Gorreck of Colchester, CT. She is also survived by ten grandchildren: Scott, Zachary, Breanna, Chaz, Kyle, Jenna, Grace, Nadia, Liam and Declan; and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two of her children: Susan LaFlair in 1962, and Alan LaFlair, who also passed on September 14, exactly 32 years earlier. She was also predeceased by her husband, Charlie Gustafson; a brother, Bruce Fanning; and a son-in-law, Webster Barrett. In her later years, Eva was active in the Colchester Senior Center, and loved nothing more than shopping, going to the movies, and to restaurants with friends, or playing cards and board games. She was also a great lover of animals, especially all the cats she cared for throughout the years. Besides her love for her family, Eva’s great passions in life were singing, especially singing with the Colchester Seniors at the Wadsworth Atheneum's Festival of Trees and Traditions at Christmas Time, country music  and cleaning. Anyone who knew Eva know she was a force to be reckoned with, and multiple doctors and nurses correctly identified her as “one tough cookie.” Though short in stature, she was large in spirit, and she kept her feistiness until the very end. She will be missed by all who knew her. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 21st at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Rd., Colchester, beginning at 1 pm with a calling hour, followed by a funeral service at 2 pm.  Burial will be private.  Donations in her memory may be made to the Colchester Senior Center, 95 Norwich Ave., Colchester 06415 or to a local animal shelter.  For online condolences, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com

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