Martha Pierce Rafferty, a former West Hartford resident and the sister of former first lady Barbara Bush, died Saturday. She was 79.
Rafferty was one of the first presidents of the Junior Women's Republican Club of Hartford and later was active in the gubernatorial campaign of John Alsop. She also was a trustee of Renbrook School in West Hartford from 1967 to 1971.
She grew up in Rye, N.Y., and was a model in Vogue and other fashion magazines prior to her marriage to Walter G. Rafferty.
She lived in West Hartford for many years, but maintained residences in Bloomfield and Fishers Island, N.Y., at the time of her death.
Aside from her sister Barbara Bush, of Houston, who was first lady from 1989 to 1993, Rafferty is survived by a brother, Scott Pierce of Rye, N.Y. She is also survived by six children, Sharon Patterson of Dayton, Ohio, Kevin Rafferty of New York, Corrine Rafferty of Minneapolis, Pierce Rafferty of New York, Brian Rafferty of Arlington, Mass., and Gail Rafferty of Burlington, Vt. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Both her husband and her brother, James Pierce, died previously.
A memorial service for friends and family will be held Thursday, 2:30 p.m., at the Town & County Club, 22 Woodland St., Hartford. Molloy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements
Martha Pierce Rafferty, a former West Hartford resident and the sister of former first lady Barbara Bush, died Saturday. She was 79.
Rafferty was one of the first presidents of the Junior Women's Republican Club of Hartford and later was active in the gubernatorial campaign of John Alsop. She also was a trustee of Renbrook School in West Hartford from 1967 to 1971.
She grew up in Rye, N.Y., and was a model in Vogue and other fashion magazines prior to her marriage to Walter G. Rafferty.
She lived in West Hartford for many years, but maintained residences in Bloomfield and Fishers Island, N.Y., at the time of her death.
Aside from her sister Barbara Bush, of Houston, who was first lady from 1989 to 1993, Rafferty is survived by a brother, Scott Pierce of Rye, N.Y. She is also survived by six children, Sharon Patterson of Dayton, Ohio, Kevin Rafferty of New York, Corrine Rafferty of Minneapolis, Pierce Rafferty of New York, Brian Rafferty of Arlington, Mass., and Gail Rafferty of Burlington, Vt. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and a great-grandson.
Both her husband and her brother, James Pierce, died previously.
A memorial service for friends and family will be held Thursday, 2:30 p.m., at the Town & County Club, 22 Woodland St., Hartford. Molloy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements
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