Esther P. (Sisti) Veley

Esther P. Veley, 91, of Kensington, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at home on Saturday, July 5, 2025.  She was wife of the late Philip J. Veley, whom she loved dearly.

Born in New Britain to Benjamin and Katherine (Coppola) Sisti, Esther was a 1952 graduate of Mary Immaculate Academy and earned her nursing degree from the Hospital of Saint Raphael School of Nursing in 1955.  She was a member of the first graduating class of New Britain General Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia (1966), where she later served as a clinical instructor.  She was a proud Nurse Anesthetist, providing anesthesia for well over 30 years at New Britain General Hospital, and was a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. After retiring from anesthesia, she continued to work as a nurse in the recovery room for many years.

Esther was an avid reader and enjoyed volunteering.  She gave her time to the Siena Learning Center in New Britain and the Hartford Healthcare Cancer Institute in Plainville.  She also enjoyed serving as a docent at the New Britain Museum of American Art.

Esther was fiercely independent and unapologetically herself.  She was a loyal friend and full of life.  Her strength and resilience left a lasting impression on everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her children, Brian Veley; Timothy Veley and his wife Dianne of Palm Bay, FL; and Katherine Muscatello and her husband Joseph of Berlin, CT; as well as her seven grandchildren. She leaves behind her brother, Benjamin Sisti of Plainville, CT; and was predeceased by her sister Victoria Marzec.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 at 11:30 AM at St. Paul Church, 461 Alling St., Berlin, CT.  Please go directly to the church.  Burial will be private in Maple Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the New Britain Museum of American Art or the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Arrangements are entrusted to Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home of Berlin.