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Litchfield - Irene Cheparak Lefferts died peacefully in her home on December 13th, 2016, surrounded by her four sons and three daughters-in-love. Our prayers for a graceful passage are fulfilled, and she is now in the loving company of her husband, Farnham Lefferts.

Irene was the second of five daughters, born on April 21, 1928 to Joseph and Margaret (Cooney) Cheperak of Maspeth Queens, NY. Her passion for singing began at a young age and continued into her adult years. Along with performing in many musicals in the CT/NY region, she presented solo concerts in the styles of Opera, Lieder, Secular and Folk music, singing in a wide range of languages including French, German, Japanese, Italian, Hungarian and English. She also sang as a soloist in numerous churches within Litchfield and Fairfield Counties.

After High School, Irene worked at Tiffany & Co. for five years, first as a page girl, and ultimately in the Silver Department under the guidance of her future father-in-law, Allen Lefferts. It was here that she fell in love with Farnham Lefferts, who held an esteemed career at Tiffany & Co., completing his tenure as President in 1974. Irene and Farnham were married in 1950 at the home of his parents, Allen and Helen (Pierce) Lefferts. They lived in NYC where their sons Hal and Seth were born, then in Darien, CT where sons Pieter and Marshall were born. In 1978 they moved to Litchfield, CT, residing in the village of Milton for the rest of their lives.

In 1974, Irene became the personal assistant for Anne Morrow Lindbergh, enjoying a lasting personal friendship for many years. She was also a longstanding member of the Milton Women’s Club, attending monthly meetings and serving on various committees.

In the early 1990’s, Farnham and Irene started one of the first website development companies in CT, creating and maintaining websites for many local businesses until 2015. They were likely two of the oldest webmasters in the world! They also shared a love for fly fishing and enjoying the deep beauty of nature at the family cabin in the Adirondack Mountains.

Irene is survived by her four sons, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, as well as her sisters Marilyn Doran and Barbara Rudzewick. A happy and optimistic person all her life, Irene was truly the embodiment of graciousness and was loved by all who knew her in Litchfield and beyond.

A memorial service will be held on May 13, 2016, 2:00pm at Rowe Funeral Home in Litchfield, CT, followed by a reception at Milton Hall.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Irene C. Lefferts, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.