Colleen Durga

Colleen Augusta McPadden Durga began her next road trip on September 3, 2025, accepting a loving “so long” from the love of her life and husband of 59 years, Francis Durga. In addition to Francis, Colleen gave interim goodbyes to daughters Kelly Durga and Kathleen Kuvalanka & family, Dennis, Kaitlyn, Nicholas and Jade, siblings, Russell McPadden and Ann Favaro, and several nieces and nephews.

Colleen spent her childhood in Norwich with her parents, Vincent and Bonnie, grandmother, Mabel, and siblings Mabel Ann and Russell. Her father was an attorney and mother a nurse anesthetist. Education was extremely revered, as was the ideology that women are valuable contributors to society. Colleen whole-heartedly embraced both beliefs. She spent her younger years in church groups, scouts, and competitive acrobatics and artistic roller skating.

Colleen’s true-life path began when she and Francis met as fifth grade classmates. Francis was immediately smitten, showering Colleen with attention, protection, and trinkets of affection. Francis brags that 8th grade peers jokingly called Colleen “Mrs. Durga”, and Francis was determined to “make it stick.” As teens, Colleen and Fran enjoyed movies, cars, baseball, and many dance championships.

After graduating from Norwich Free Academy, Colleen attended American University for two years. Education took a hiatus when Colleen and Fran began a family, marrying and welcoming Kathleen in 1966. Colleen was fiercely determined and hardworking, qualities she fully embraced when Fran answered the call for the Vietnam Conflict by joining the U. S. Airforce, leaving Colleen and Kathleen on Christmas Day 1966. With the support of her parents, Colleen carried on, and thankfully Fran returned home safely. Colleen was a true feminist of the 70s: venturing on as a professional, wife, mother, grandmother, and volunteer. “Equality” for the pioneers of this decade meant even more responsibility, and Colleen never flinched.

Her professional life was an honorable dedication to others. As a life-long social worker, she mentored Spanish youth in Harlem, worked to combat hunger through Donated Foods, supported military families as the Director of the Navy Relief Society, championed infants and mothers as a Neonatal Intensive Care social worker at L & M Hospital, and passionately protected and advocated for children with the Dept of Children and Families.

Kelly arrived in 1971, and Colleen and Fran were an unwavering team at family life. As an eventual summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Connecticut College, Colleen held high expectations for her daughters, and she supported those expectations enthusiastically. Pre-internet days meant driving to college libraries for research, all-nighters to help type papers, and offering her perspective. When a teacher called to discuss the strong-willed behavior of her children, Colleen swiftly rebuked, ending the discussion with, “assertive girls are labeled bossy, whereas boys with the same behaviors are deemed leaders.” Colleen’s commitment to her children extended beyond academic endeavors. She and Fran faithfully traveled the east coast as leading fans of Kathleen’s Tufts Softball team, and proudly supported Kelly as she earned a Presidential Commission in the U. S. Army.

Colleen and Fran loved holidays– excuses to have a party, wear a costume, or don a coordinated outfit. There were famous haunted houses, toga parties, antique cars, sock hops, A & Ws, hiking, camping, and toboggan crashes. Roller skating skills resurfaced when she played roller hockey with her grandchildren.

Colleen, or Nonnie, took to grandparenthood like an Irish woman to ice cream (another love). Nicholas and Kaitlyn could do no wrong, and Colleen vehemently embraced their personalities, interests, and wants. Nonnie was the sponsor of many firsts: concerts, nail polish, limousine rides, and forbidden adventures and confidences that she faithfully kept for the two she immeasurably loved. Nonnie braved all weather (survival M & Ms in tote) to proudly cheer at countless games. She was an unwavering sponsor of Irish Step Dancing, traveling the US and Ireland to watch Kaitlyn compete. Nicholas was eventually roped in too.

Colleen’s sense of service expanded to free time. She was a professor of social work at Eastern CT State University & Three Rivers Community College, a Norwich Free Academy Trustee, taught multi-language learners, mentored at Habitat for Humanity, supported veterans’ families, led Girl Scout Troops, and taught an AARP driving course, humorously ironic as she was self-named “Drive by Durga.” During retirement, she and Fran continued to travel, always up for a new adventure.

Colleen loved a conundrum, concocting convoluted solutions, mostly for amusement. If a battle of wits involved righting a wrong, Colleen was your gladiator. “Function over form” and “consider the source and skip it”, were two of Colleen’s mantras. Colleen was extremely witty and had a wicked sense of humor. Kaitlyn fondly recalls Nonnie poking fun at math problems: “If a train leaves the station at 2:00 traveling 70 mph and a car leaves the parking lot at 9:00 traveling 40 mph, how long do you have to toast the bread?” Nicholas reminded us, “Nonnie loved wheels. First roller skates, then race cars, then her wheelchair.” As Francis said goodbye, however, he reminded his “darling”, “If you must leave me, don’t go too fast or too far. I am not as fast as I used to be, and I need to catch you.” Colleen is deeply loved and terribly missed, although we take comfort in knowing she is our new steadfast guardian angel. Love and kisses until we meet again.

Celebration of Life at United Methodist Church of Gales Ferry, October 29, 11:00 a.m.

Published in The Norwich Bulletin

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