The Life of Mrs. Maria Nilson
Maria June Nilson, age 81, of Taylors, SC, passed away on Monday, January 8, 2024, peacefully at home after a long battle with Cortical Basal Syndrome, with her loving sons beside her.
Maria was born on September 8th, 1942, in Norwalk, CT, and raised in Norwalk, CT. She attended Norwalk Public Schools and graduated from Norwalk High School in 1960. She graduated from Claremont Secretarial School in NYC and was quickly employed by Litton Industries, where she excelled for two years. If not for meeting the love of her life, Peter Nilson, whom she married in 1962, it was clear she would have continued to advance. Maria and Peter were married for 56 years in a happy and devoted marriage.
Maria was a devoted stay-at-home mother. When her children were young, she was a Cub Scout Den mother for her two boys and a Girl Scout Troop Leader for her daughter, Kristine. Later, she served as a volunteer on a number of town boards in Westport, CT, where she wholeheartedly supported the Republican party and strongly supported many municipal efforts to improve town functions. By dint of her perseverance and hard work she then moved on to support statewide politics, enjoying every minute of it. After her family, civic engagement was her passion.
Maria was a wonderful, loving, and dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. We were very fortunate to have had her in our lives. She enjoyed nothing more than being surrounded by her family on holidays, special occasions, and picnics.
When Maria and Peter moved to Durham, CT, Maria had many interests, which included, once again, being on the Republican Committee, the Durham Gardening Club, hiking, and traveling with Peter. In addition, she, along with her mother, were members of the Red Hat Club.
Maria is survived by her sons Carl Nilson (Eleanor), their son, Oliver, of Middlebury, CT, and John Nilson (Michele), and their daughter, Hanah, of Taylors, SC; her brother Christos Schinell (Birgit) of Boston, MA. She is pre-deceased by her husband, Peter Nilson, her parents John and Edith Schinell of Norwalk, CT, and her adopted daughter, Kristine Nilson.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 18th, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Archangels Greek Orthodox Church, 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT. Interment will follow at Oak Lawn Cemetery, 1530 Bronson Road in Fairfield, CT. A luncheon for the family will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Maria Nilson to CurePSP (https://www.psp.org/iwanttolearn/corticobasal-degeneration/