A Full Life of Service Comes to an End: Willa Thompson Schuster Dies

Mystic is a great place to live and visit thanks in a large part to dedicated, creative and generous residents like Willa Thompson Schuster. Mystic is a better place because of Schuster, who passed away on June 27. 

According to an obituary on The Day, “She began her civic engagement as a member of the newly founded Mystic Junior Women's Club, where she later became president and an executive board member of the Connecticut State Federation of Women's Clubs. She and her sister-in-law, Lynda Schuster, became co-owners of Pennywise Consignment Shop in Mystic, one of the first independent consignment shops in the region. She was a trustee of the Mystic River Historical Society, as well as editor of their newsletter, co-chairman of the Mystic Bicentennial Committee, and member of the Groton Bicentennial Committee, publicity chairman for the Mystic Outdoor Arts Festival, chairman of fundraising and Brownie troop leader for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, member of the Mystic & Noank Library Book Selection Committee, and president of the Williams School Alumni Board.” 

Schuster was also closely associated with the Mystic Arts Center and in the planning of its 100th anniversary. Schuster was the editor of the organizations newsletter, she headed the Long Range Planning and Permanent Collection Committee and she chaired the public relations and was president of the Board of Directors among many other things.

A service will be held in Schuster’s memory on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Mystic Congregational Church. And in lieu of flowers, donations in Willa’s memory should be made to the Mystic Arts Center.

Click here to read the full obituary on The Day.