Obituary: Constance Weller Hayton
“Connie” Constance Weller Hayton, 88, of Montclair, died on Sunday, May 19, with family and friends at her side after a few months of declining health.
Mrs. Hayton was born in Liverpool, Nova Scotia on June 23, 1930 to Charles Leroy Wright and Edyth Constance (Andrews) Wright. She immigrated to the U.S. as a very young girl and was raised in Paterson. As a child, she took piano lessons and developed an interest in music. She was a 1947 graduate of Eastside High School in Paterson.
She decided to pursue a career in the sciences and attended Barnard College in Manhattan, the sister school to Columbia University. She obtained a bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1951. While at Barnard, she also studied piano and organ performance and music theory at The Juilliard School. She held a part time job as the organist and choirmaster of a small Episcopal church for several years during and after college.
Mrs. Hayton started her career as an analytical chemist at Hoffmann-La Roche where she met her husband, Boris A Weller. They married in 1957, while she was working as a cosmetic chemist at the Shulton Company, and moved to Montclair. In 1961, she decided to leave the workforce to stay home to raise her two children. She remained a resident of Montclair for the past 59 years.
Mrs. Hayton re-entered the workforce in 1970 as an applications chemist at Lautier Fils after having divorced from her husband. She later worked at the Mennen Company as a senior chemist and project manager in the R&D department where she was responsible for the formulations of Baby Magic and Speed Stick personal product lines.
Mrs. Hayton was a Cub Scout den mother, assisted the Girl Scout troop, and was an active member of the PTA. She joined St. James Episcopal Church in Montclair and became a member of the adult choir and ringer in the handbell choir. In 1983, she married Russell E. Hayton, the church organist.
She retired in 1992 at which time she increased her involvement at St. James and pursued additional musical endeavors. She loved to travel and joined the St. James “follow in the footsteps” trips to Israel, Greece, Turkey, Rome, Egypt, among other places. She also worked part-time as joint owner of The Travel Source in Montclair. At St. James, she was elected to the Vestry, served on rector and organist search committees, and joined the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) where she was recently honored with the World of Women award from the Diocese of Newark.
She remained active as a chorister with the St. James Adult Choir and performed as recently as Christmas Eve, as president of the St. James ECW, and a singer in The Concert Chorale of NJ and The Chorus of Communities.
Mrs. Hayton is survived by a son, Bruce Weller of San Jose, Calif, a daughter Erica Karakis (John) of Scotch Plains, and four grandchildren, Brian Weller of San Jose, Calif, Andrea Weller of Los Angeles Calif, Victoria Karakis of Raleigh, N.C. and Alexander Karakis of Scotch Plains.
A memorial service fo Constance Weller Hayton will be held at St. James Episcopal Church in Montclair at 2:30 p.m on Sunday, June 2.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association at donatenow.heart.org or to the St. James Memorial Fund, mail to St. James Episcopal Church, 581 Valley Road, Montclair, NJ 07043.