Obit: Cecelia Astwood, 89, Of Hartford

Image and Obituary via Carmon Funeral Home

Cecelia T. (Lumpkin) Astwood, 89, of Hartford, beloved wife of the late Carl Astwood, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 5, 2018 at St. Francis Hospital. Born in Hartford on May 17, 1929 to the late James and Lovey (Wallace) Lumpkin, she was one of seven children. Her father helped build the Chapel at Trinity College in Hartford and her mother stayed home raising the children.

Cecelia graduated from Hartford Public High School and attended Greater Hartford Community College, earning an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. She met and married her late husband Carl Astwood in 1948. She was blessed with seven children.
Interacting with young people brought her great joy. She worked at Fox Middle School for many years and retired after 30 years of service. She was also a foster parent for more than 15 years and influenced many young people. Cecelia was a devoted Jehovah’s Witness and attended meetings regularly. Giving back to the community was of the utmost importance to Cecelia. She served as a volunteer at Community Health Services, St. Francis Hospital, Women’s League, and What’s Up Hartford. Her hobbies included knitting, reading, and word games.
Cecelia made her children her first priority and putting heart and soul into teaching them scriptures and songs and helping them with homework. Cecelia is survived by her sons, Karl Astwood (Roshell); Marshall Astwood (Pearl); Martin Astwood; and Peter Astwood (Janice); her daughters Valerie Astwood Claytor (Raymond) and Elaine Astwood Hargrove (Expher); her sister Grace Eastwood (Colville); and 8 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, she is predeceased by her son Mark Astwood, her brothers, Franky, Roosevelt and Milton Lumpkin, and her sisters, Lois Gore and Col. B. Catherine Noble.
Her family will receive friends on Thursday, October 11 from 10 AM to 11 AM at The Lodge, 130 Deerfield Rd, Windsor, CT. The funeral service will follow at 11 AM Thursday, October 11 at The Lodge. Burial will be at Mount St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield, CT.