Fatal Crash In East Windsor Kills Recent Board Of Finance Electee

EAST WINDSOR, CT — A newly-elected member of the East Windsor Board of Finance was killed Saturday night in a two-car collision on Route 5, just days before she was to be sworn into office.

The crash occurred around 5:21 p.m. on South Main Street, near Phelps Road, and involved a Buick LeSabre and a Genesis G80. The operator of the Buick, Courtney Gaylor, 58, had to be extricated from the car by rescue personnel, but succumbed to her injuries, Police Chief Matthew Carl said.

The operator of the Genesis, an 83-year-old man, also needed extrication from his vehicle. He was treated for minor injuries at an area hospital, Carl said.

The accident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed at this time, Carl said.

Gaylor, a Republican and former member of the East Windsor Historic Preservation Commission, collected 1,300 votes in the recent Board of Finance election, not far behind the 1,414 votes for Democrat Thomas Lansner and the 1,453 for William Syme. She was elected to a four-year term, as was to have been sworn in Tuesday, according to Bob Leach, chairman of the East Windsor Republican Town Committee.

"Myself and many other members of the Republican Town Committee were going to attend," Leach told Patch. "Courtney will surely be missed by every one of the RTC members; she was a very caring person and she had a genuine passion to help others in any way she could."

Town records indicate Gaylor purchased her home on Fairway Drive in 2004. Prior to that, she had been a lifelong resident of Enfield, graduating from Enrico Fermi High School in 1983. She was a very spiritual person, frequently posting inspirational messages on her social media page.

"Courtney and I have been friends since our early childhood days," former Enfield mayor Scott Kaupin told Patch. "We first met in Sunday school at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Hazardville, and we were part of a small group of Hazardville kids that stuck together through our high school years. Our parents were good friends too, so that led to many opportunities through school, church and community activities to bring the Gaylor and Kaupin families together. I have always known Courtney as a very caring person, with a big smile, a very distinctive laugh and an even bigger heart. These personality traits made her an excellent caregiver to family, friends and the clients that she served. Her love of family, God and the Lady Huskies was strong. Courtney was a true friend to all."

Jane Zbikowski, who like Gaylor grew up on School Street and was her classmate for many years, told Patch, "My family grew up on the same street as Courtney and we’ve been friends since grammar school. Courtney always had a big smile and was always happy to see you and chat. Courtney valued her family above all else, and if you were lucky enough to be a friend of Courtney's, you felt like family."

Her brother, Mike Gaylor, wrote, "She will be so greatly missed. She always knew how to lighten the mood and make you smile."

Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed.