Obituary of Marie H. Cavalier

Marie Higgins Cavalier passed quietly in the Jewish Senior Services Home in Bridgeport on October 20, 2018 surrounded by family. Marie, known as Rusty to her friends, and Meema amongst her beloved grandchildren and great granddaughters.

She is survived by her daughter Sharon Leichsenring and her husband Hans of Trumbull and her son Gregg Cavalier and his wife Deborah of Trumbull. She will be missed by her grandchildren, Ryan Leichsenring, his wife Annie and great granddaughters Harper and Darcy of West Hartford, CT, and Rebecca Leichsenring and Matthew Cavalier, also of Trumbull. She is also survived by her brother James Higgins and his wife Mina of Bridgeport, and her sister-in-law Dorothy Cavaliere of Trumbull, and her brother-in-law Gerald Cavaliere and Merrilee Currier of Brookfield, CT, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

She is predeceased by her loving husband Vincent, her son Bruce, her brother Thomas Higgins and his wife Kaye, her sister Peggy Jordan and her husband Steve, her sister Helen Keegan and her husband John, her brother-in-law Ben Cavaliere and his wife Marge, her brother-in-law Tony Cavaliere and his wife Mel, and her brother-in-law, Louis Cavaliere.

She was born in 1927 in Bridgeport, CT. She regaled her children and grandchildren with stories about her humble start on Lindley Street, back in the day. Marie was employed by the Southern New England telephone company until she retired. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, especially ventures with his fellow Connecticut Navy veteran friends from the LST 461 and their wives.

She loved and took great pride in her grandchildren Ryan, Becky and Matthew. She replayed her memories of Trumbull High's Golden Eagle Marching Band performances, dance and clarinet recitals over and over, and became an avid fan of Alabama's Crimson Tide. She adored visits from her great granddaughters Harper and Darcy.

Marie's faith was paramount in her life. She truly was able to continue that practice with the constant support of her daughter-in-law Deb Cavalier. She was a member of St. Theresa Parish from the time of her marriage.

She fought a valiant fight with cancer the last eight years of her life and though she passed frail and quiet at the very end, her personality to anyone who knew her, will be remembered as a force of nature unto itself.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, October 27th at 10:30 a.m. directly at St. Theresa Church, 5301 Main Street, Trumbull. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 1056 Daniels Farm Road, Trumbull. Friends may greet the family on Friday, October 26th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, CT 06611.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 are greatly appreciated.