Obituary of Holly Preble

R. Holly Preble, 60 of East Putnam, wife and best friend of Richard W. Preble, passed away Wednesday evening at the Day Kimball Hospital, after a long courageous battle with breast cancer. Holly was born December 11, 1946 in Putnam, daughter of Frances V. (James) Shaw of Putnam, and the late Clayton H. Shaw. Richard and Holly were married December 23, 1972 in Putnam United Methodist Church. As a mother, Holly was an angel in disguise to her son, Jon, of Putnam, her daughter Kristin Collins and her husband, Christopher, of Dayville. She was a devoted, loving grandmother to her two grandchildren, Dominic Preble, and Grace Holly Collins. When it came to her family she always put their needs first before her own. She also leaves her sisters, Ann Kathi Peterson, Robin Tracy and her husband, Daniel and her brother James Shaw and his wife Beverly, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She leaves some very special friends, Katie Bousquet, Pam Coderre, Ann Marie Gothreau, Kathy Feltz, among others too numerous to mention, and several special caregivers, Holly Gilbert, Regina Ackart-Barird, Robin Smith and Mickey Lajeunesse. Holly had a very gentle spirit which was used to care for many people during her life time. This includes the students who passed through her classrooms at Sterling Elementary and Killingly Intermediate Schools. She retired from her teaching career at KIS in 2001 after being an educator for over 30 years. She was a master gardener, with glorious gardens displayed at her East Putnam home from May through October, a skill she learned from her grandparents, Anna and Albert James. Holly inherited the James gift of music which she used to serve area churches as an organist. She was a life long, active member of the Putnam United Methodist Church. A Celebration of Holly's Life will be Sunday November 4, 2007, at 2:00 PM in the Putnam United Methodist Church, Grove Street, Putnam. Interment will follow at the Putnam Heights Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Day Kimball Hospital Hospice Program, 320 Pomfret Street, Putnam, CT 06260 or Putnam United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 53 Grove Street, Putnam, CT 06260. Arrangements by Smith & Walker Funeral Home, Putnam. To share a memory with her family "Light a Candle" at www.smithandwalkerfh.com