Margaret Lahey (Smith) Ducibella

Margaret Lahey Ducibella, 103 years old, of Danbury, CT passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2022. Depending on which generation you talk to she was either Mom, MaPeg or Mum. Margaret was born January 2, 1919 in Danbury, CT to Dr. Arthur Charles and Rena Smith. She was a graduate of Danbury High School, attended Mary Mount College and graduated from St. Francis School of Nursing. She worked for years as a floor nurse at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Hartford, CT and at Danbury Hospital. She was a nursing supervisor at Danbury Hospital and a Private Duty Nurse. She met her first husband, John Daniel Lahey, when he was a patient. After their marriage, they became parents of five daughters – try as they might, no son was coming their way. John and Margaret were married for 21 years when he passed away. Then there was a household of six women. She taught her daughters to be strong and independent. She often told us “go do it, how hard can it be?”  She raised us to be fierce, as was she. Five years later she married Charles (Charlie) Ducibella. Charlie had no children in his first marriage and instantly became father to five daughters – technically his stepdaughters, but to him we were just his girls. Margaret and Charlie were married for 22 years until he passed away in 1993. Margaret was involved in charitable work most of her life. She was a past board member for the Danbury Salvation Army, the Salvation Army Woman’s Auxiliary and a past member of the Women’s Club of Danbury. She was the primary baker and organizer of the coffee hour after Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Church. Many of you will remember her beautiful soprano voice as a member of the church choir at both St. Peter’s Church and St. Joseph’s church. She always turned heads at midnight mass on Christmas Eve when that beautiful voice was on full display with her annual solo of Oh Holy Night.

Margaret is pre-deceased by her parents, Dr. Arthur and Rena Smith, her sister, Marie Smith Murphy,  her brother Arthur Smith, her son-in-law Ray Conciatore, her husbands, John Daniel Lahey and Charles Ducibella and her nephew Jay Murphy. She is survived by her five daughters, Catherine (Kate) Conciatore of Danbury, Mary Lahey of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, Margaret (Maggie) Butler (David) of St. Augustine, FL, Sheila Pappas (Milton) of Danbury and Ann Nowak (Rich) of Stafford, VA. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Sean and Matthew Conciatore,  Katie Pappas and Maggie Pappas and fiancé Chris McNamara, Step Granddaughter Meaghan Bird (Justin) as well as five great grandchildren – Christian, Shane, Michael, Gavin and Abigail Conciatore, step great grandsons Jeremy and Timothy Bird, her sister-in-law Margaret (Peggy) Smith Gallagher and her nephew, Brian Smith. She also is survived by numerous cousins, friends and sons and daughters of friends who have gone before her.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff on 1 South at Hancock Hall for the kind and loving care they provided during her final days.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter Church, 121 Main St., Danbury. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.

The family will receive friends in the Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, 9 Granville Ave., Danbury on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Contributions in Mrs. Ducibella’s memory may be made to St. Peter Church, Restoration Fund, 104 Main St., Danbury, CT  06810 or Ann’s Place Inc., 80 Saw Mill Road, Danbury, CT 06810.

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