Louise Berry, the long-serving Brooklyn faculty superintendent who helped lead the trouble to determine a group faculty in Danielson, died this month on the age of 94.

Berry, a Danielson resident who started her schooling profession as a college nurse on the Killingly Memorial Faculty in 1952 earlier than taking her abilities to the Brooklyn faculty system – the place she labored for the subsequent 58 years – is credited with creating the primary rural Head Begin program within the nation and beginning one of many first early preschool-for-all packages earlier than the idea was nationally embraced.

Berry, who died on July 5, had an extended and diversified profession path that included a time period because the state senator for the twenty ninth District from 1973-75 and a candidate for Secretary of State. Throughout her time within the state Senate, Berry was one in every of solely three lady girls serving in that 36-member physique.

Like many northeastern Connecticut residents, State Sen. Mae Flexer, the Democrat representing the 29^th District since 2015, received to know Berry via her work within the Brooklyn district. She stated whereas there are solely nonetheless a small quantity – 9 – feminine state senators presently serving, Berry entrance into the state’s political stage created lasting ripples.

“I think about it was a lot tougher again them, however Louise’s instance made it simpler for folks like me to run and be elected,” Flexer stated. “The remainder of us adopted her.”