Doris Schwanhausser Friend died peacefully in her sleep Thursday night. She had recently celebrated her 95th birthday with her family.
Mrs. Friend was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of the late Fredrick Schwanhausser Jr. and Eleanor Schmid Schwanhausser of Short Hills, New Jersey. She was a graduate of Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey and Wellesley College.
A longtime resident of Rowayton, South Norwalk and New Canaan, Mrs. Friend was very active in community affairs.
She was a member of the Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk, where she helped to start a volunteer art appreciation enrichment program in local public elementary schools.
Mrs. Friend was a member of a number of local garden clubs where she often lectured on flower arranging. She was one of the founding forces in the revitalization and restoration of Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, where she remained a trustee emeritus.
— an obituary from Hoyt Funeral Home, where online condolences may be left
Mrs. Friend was an avid golfer and happily counted her strokes at Wee Burn Country Club for over 50 years. She loved to play bridge and was a member of several bridge clubs including one with her Rowayton friends which played together for over 30 years.
Wee Burn was also a favorite where she participated in the duplicate bridge group. Flowers were a passion and nowhere more important to her than as a member of the flower guild at St. Luke’s Parish.
Family and friends joined her and her husband, Bill, on many of their excursions throughout the world. She felt that traveling to other countries opened up your eyes to the many cultures and beauties that the world offered.
Mrs. Friend is predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Walter W. Friend Jr. She is survived by her son, Walter W. Friend, III and his wife, Patricia of Dennis, Massachusetts; a daughter, Eleanor Friend Hickok of Atlanta; four grandchildren: Hilary DiFilippo, Timothy Friend, and Courtney and James Hickok; as well as three great-grandchildren: Violet and Edward DiFilippo and Paxton Friend.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7 at St. Luke’s Parish in Darien, with a reception to follow at the Wee Burn Country Club.
In lieu of flowers please make contributions to St. Luke’s Parish Flower Guild, 1864 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820, Planned Parenthood of Southern NE 345 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511, or the charity of your choice.