Larraine Santagata Vernal

Larraine Helen Santagata Vernal, 90, of Darien and formerly of Stamford and Guilford, ME., passed away peacefully on February 9, 2021 at Stamford Hospital from complications due to Covid-19. She was born in Stamford on October 14, 1930 to the late Joseph and Lucy Esposito Santagata. Larraine attended Weaver, Rice, Elm, Cloonan, and Burdick Schools; she graduated from Stamford High School, Class of 1949. She later attended Shorts Secretarial School from 1949 to 1951. Larraine was employed at G.C Murphy’s 5 and 10, Standard Brands & Fleishmen’s Lab in Stamford. She began her 15-year banking career in 1962 at Atlantic National Bank which became Connecticut National Bank in Stamford. In the evenings and weekends she worked part time as a waitress at Joe C’ Est Bon in Greenwich, CT and later at Manny’s Restaurant in Stamford. In 1973 she married Robert Vernal, a Stamford Firefighter, and belonged to the Stamford Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. In December 1978 they retired to Guilford, ME., where together they owned and operated the Trebor Inn for 20 +years until her loving husband Robert’s death in 1997. Over the many seasons of running the Inn, Larraine had many wonderful and longtime friends and neighbors, especially the hunters from RI. While in Maine she joined the Lady’s Club of Guilford and Lady’s Firefighters Club. There she enjoyed Sunday bingo, potluck suppers and snowmobiling in winters. The summer months were spent swimming, boating and attending local town fairs. Larraine loved playing poker and going to the casinos. She was also an avid crossword puzzle enthusiast. She had a love for her many Chihuahua’s over the years. Once Robert passed, she sold the Trebor Inn and moved back to her hometown of Stamford to be close to her family. She reconnected with her lifelong friends and made new friends at Darien Senior Housing where she recently lived. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends.
Larraine is survived by her devoted daughter Lucy “LuAnn” Stuart and her husband Michael of Darien, her stepdaughter Barbara Jacobs and her husband Tony of MI., and stepson Donald Vernal and his wife Wendy of Milford as well as her brother D.Daniel Santagata of Stamford. Larraine is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Jessica Stuart and David Stuart and step-grandchildren Trevor Vernal and Dana Filippakis along with great-grandchildren Louis Stuart and Remy Stuart , and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. Beside her parents, Larraine was predeceased by her beloved husband Robert Vernal and her former husband John Novakowski, her brothers Nicholas, John and Joseph Santagata, and her sisters Antoinette Pagliano, Pauline Belsito, and Linda Santagata. The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to her wonderful caregivers.
Due to Covid-19 there will be no services held and internment will be private.
The Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to assist the Stuart family with the arrangements.
To leave online condolences, visit www.cognetta.com