Anita (Smith) Marine

Anita (Smith) Marine, born in New York City on May 11, 1919, and until fairly recently a life long resident of Torrington, CT, died in Nashua NH on April 21, 2015 after a brief illness.  After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, she embarked on a career in advertising.  In 1950, together with her husband, Mrs. Marine purchased the Quality Hat Store, a men's retail establishment in Torrington.  Through the decades the couple grew and transformed the business into the premier men's haberdashery in northwestern CT until their retirement in 2000, at which time they dedicated the winter months to their home in Boynton Beach, FL.  In her retirement, she continued to live life to the fullest, painting, studying violin and playing in weekly ensembles, and tutoring first and second graders at the Bicentennial Elementary School in Nashua, NH.

Mrs. Marine was an accomplished violinist and a founding member of the Torrington Symphony Orchestra, which recently celebrated its 50th season.  She was active in several civic and philanthropic organizations including the Downtown Torrington Business Association, the American Heart Association, the Growth Hormone Research Society, Hadassah and Beth El Synagogue.

The daughter of the late Robert and Florence (Belkin) Smith of Torrington, she is survived by her husband James Marine of Nashua, NH; her daughter Carol and her husband, Richard Smith of Lexington, MA; her grandchildren Lee Marine Smith of Brookline, MA and Kate Marine Smith of New York, NY; her sisters Adele Smith and Charlotte Shapiro of Nashua; her brothers-in-law Leonard Shapiro of Nashua, and Stanley Greene of Rydal, PA; her nieces Marjorie Drouin and her husband, David Drouin, and Barbara DeDousis and her husband, Nicholas DeDousis, all of Nashua, Laurie Shapiro of Sierra Vista, AZ, Susan Greene and her partner Wendy Berry of Wellesley, MA; several great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews and many loving care companions and friends.  She was predeceased by her beloved daughters, Nancy Jane Marine in 2001 and Wendy Kay Marine in 1955.

The funeral will be held Sunday April 26th at 10:30 at Beth El Synagogue at 124 Litchfield Street, Torrington with burial to follow at the Sons of Jacob Cemetery, 1700 Winsted Road, Torrington. Friends and relatives are invited to gather for a meal of consolation immediately following burial at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre Lobby at 82 Main Street in Torrington.

A Memorial Concert/Celebration of Anita’s life will be held later in the spring in Nashua, NH with details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Anita's memory to:

The Nancy Marine Studio Theatre at the Warner

(make check payable to Warner Theatre; Memo: Memory of Anita Marine)

68 Main Street, Torrington, CT. 06790 or online at www.warnertheatre.org/

select “donations”, and “in memory of” Anita Marine

The Torrington Symphony Orchestra

172 Wedgewood Road

Torrington, CT. 06790

Beth El Synagogue

124 Litchfield Street

Torrington, CT 06790