Sheila Frances (Halko) Scalzi, 73, of Whitefield, Maine, and former resident of Fairfield, Stratford and Naugatuck, Connecticut, passed away on January 12, 2017 at her daughter’s home with her loving family by her side, after a yearlong courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Sheila was born June 6, 1943, in Bridgeport, CT, the daughter of the late George and Dorothy (Tichy) Halko. She graduated from Andrew Warde High School, Fairfield, Class of 1961. She worked as a telephone operator, a stay-at-home mom, and at RAF Electronics and General Data Comm Industries, performing office work. In 2004, she retired and moved to Maine, and worked part-time here and there: at the local Country Farms Restaurant as a hostess, at her grandsons’ elementary school as a substitute teacher, and starting her own small business, “The Candy Lady”, where she created holiday confections that were sold in her local community. She was always very creative and loved to bake, make candies, knit, crochet and quilt. Sheila was also a free spirit who loved to travel to new places. Yet making memories with her loved ones came first, and she always had a camera in her hand to capture them. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren, teaching them how to cook & bake some of her favorite recipes, creating a new craft project or playing a new game she learned. She always made each one feel special. She was a loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend and she will be dearly missed. She is survived by her daughter, Terri (Scalzi) and husband Bob Soohey, of Whitefield, ME, sons, Frederick Jr. (Fritz) and wife Kristie (Lambert) Scalzi, of Berlin, CT, Mark and wife Stephanie (Piscitelli) Scalzi of Southington, CT; seven grandchildren Robert, Stephen, Anthony, Amanda, Alexander, Annabelle and Ava; brothers Robert and wife Linda Halko of Shelton CT, George and wife Irene Halko of Shelton CT, and sister Janice and husband Frank Autore of Naugatuck CT, and several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and dear friends. In honor of Sheila’s love of giving to others, especially kids, donations can be made in her name to The Toy Closet Program at Yale New Haven Hospital, 20 York St., New Haven, CT 06510. Family and friends are invited to call at Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home, 161 West Church Street, Seymour, CT on January 21. Visiting hours are 10am-12pm with a funeral service to follow at 12 noon.

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