By Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — Effie Jerrett enjoyed taking her two daughters shopping downtown when they were little.

“We didn’t have a second car in those days,” said her older child, June Roberts of North Haven. “So our mother would get all dressed up — she always wore a dress — and we’d take the bus downtown to shop at Shartenberg’s and have lunch.”

“I can remember waiting for the Lighthouse bus in front of the W.T. Grant store,” said Jerrett’s younger child, Linda Krasko of North Branford. “There were pigeons overhead on the store awning and one day they let go on my brand new patent leather shoes. I never wore those shoes again.”

Jerrett died June 21 at age 96.

Born Nov. 26, 1913, in Canada, a daughter of Joseph and Fannie Coveyduck, she moved to New Haven as an adult and worked for Horowitz Brothers in East Haven.

A parishioner of St. James Episcopal Church, Jerrett was involved with various fundraising committees. In her spare time, she liked to garden, sew, knit, crochet, play Chinese checkers, pinochle and board games and dance. She was a fan of boxing and pro wrestling.

Family vacations included trips to Canada, Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire. Jerrett and her husband, the late Charles Jerrett, also visited Illinois, California, Mexico, Bermuda, Monaco, the United Kingdom and parts of Europe.

A granddaughter, Karen Krasko of Middletown, said she was constantly at her grandparents’ house. “I remember many pot roast dinners and lots of food all the time,” she said. “My grandmother loved to play cards and Chinese checkers, and we would watch TV together and go for car rides. She was a very witty and funny person, always laughing. She attended all of my sporting events, even when she didn’t know the rules or what was going on.”

One of 10 children, Jerrett attended three major family reunions, the largest of which drew 80 attendees.

She liked to say, “Laugh, and you’ll feel better.” Continued...

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“She was always welcoming people and loved to have visitors,” said Roberts. “She would make these off-the-cuff remarks that would catch you off-guard and make everyone laugh. She loved to talk. And she never missed an event of any kind.”

Jerrett also leaves two sisters; four other grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

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