Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-12-08
DEATH OF MRS. HADLEY.

Mrs. Harry Clifton Hadley died De-
cember 6 at Bridgeport, Conn, after q
brief illness. She is survived by her
two sons, Clifton S. Hadey Of Fitch.
burg, Mass, and Egbert c. Hadley
with whom she was residing in Bridge
port The funeral is at Burlington, Ia,
December 8, where her husband is
buried
Mrs. Hadey was Carrie A. Starr,
daughter of William Henry and Eliza
Merrill Starr. She was born in Middle
bury at the old Congregational parson-
age, the home of her distinguished
grandfather, Dr. Thomas A Merrill.
Her parents resided at Burlington, la.
and there she spent her youth and mar
ried Harry Clifton Hadley, a lawyer in
that city. There her two sons were
born and she spent the happy years of
her short married life and the first
years of her widowhood. Having visit
ed Middlebury several times in her girl
hood she decided to make it her perma-
nent home, when on the death of her
aunt, Miss Emily Starr. she came into
possession of the Starr homestead on
South Pleasant street. There she re-
sided for ten years until in order to be
near her sons she spent several winters
in Boston, one in New York and for the
last year lived in Bridgeport, spending
only the summer months in Middlebury.
She loved Vermont and her Middebury
environment with the same deep at
tachment she felt for her friends.
Mrs. Hadley was a special student at
Vassar College for two years, and her
whole life, books were her constant
companions. The two trips she made
to Europe with her sons were keenly
enjoyed by her as opportunities for
study. Her culture was an integral
part of herself her clear judgment and
refined taste gave her unusual powers
of appreciation.
She read aloud with true interpre-
tation of prose or verse, and her letters
reveal the power of close observation
and discrimination of values. Appre-
ciative of the best in art, she was also
an ardent nature-lover, being happiest
out of doors. She loved the country,
its walks and drives and enjoyed making
the birds welcome TO her door-yard.
She was thorough student in whatever
she undertook.
She entered into the school and COL
lege life of her sons with whole-souled
interest. She was loyal friend of
Middlebury College, where Starr Hall
and Library bear witness to the benefi-
cence of her uncles, and she did her
share in keeping alive the family tradi-
ton of generosity to the college. The
first social room for men of the college
was fitted up in the south end of
Painter Hall as gift from Mrs. Hadley.
No worthy cause in the college, the
church or the village ever lacked her
support. Her home was a center of
hospitality to wide circle. She was
perfect hostess enjoying intensely the
society of her friends and contribut-
ing her part whether the theme of con-
versation was grave or gay. She was
so responsive, so appreciative that she
was an inspiration in drawing out the
best in every one. The many who
mourn her passing away in the prime
of her life feel they meier shall look
upon her like again" All praise her
unselfshness, her sincerity and the gen.
tie graces of her character, but her rare
nature was as strong as it was sweet.
To have known her is to have higher
ideal of womanhood of motherhood and
of what it means to be a friend.