Linnea Gugel, 52, teacher and volunteer

Linnea Gugel of 349 Florida Hill Road, Ridgefield, a Wilton primary school teacher for 30 years, died on Tuesday afternoon, April 22, at Danbury Hospital. She was 52 years old and the wife of Frank M. Gugel.
Mrs. Gugel was born in Stamford on May 17, 1950, a daughter of Charlotte Hoyt Brown of Vero Beach, Fla., and the late Clinton Brown. She grew up in Stamford and came to Ridgefield in 1965 with her family. She graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1968.
Mrs. Gugel received her bachelor’s degree from Western Connecticut State University and her master’s and sixth year certificate from Fairfield University.
In 1972, she began teaching at the old Comstock School in Wilton. When that closed she moved to the Miller-Driscoll Schools, teaching second and third grade.
“When I sum up the essence of Linnea as a professional, she found something to love about every child, even those that were difficult to love,” said Dr. David Clune, Wilton’s superintendent of schools.
Mrs. Gugel had been an active community volunteer, usually with youth programs. For eight years, she served as a merit badge counselor for Boy Scouts Troop 125 in Wilton. She was a member of Hope Church of Wilton, where has had taught Sunday school for several years and had been a volunteer for vacation Bible school.
Two years ago, she was one of the chaperones on the Appalachia Service Project trip to Virginia, sponsored by Jesse Lee Methodist Church in Ridgefield.
Mrs. Gugel had also been involved in the production of spoken books for the blind, working some years ago at the studio at the Ridgefield Library.
Besides her husband of 31 years, Mrs. Gugel is survived by a son, Matthew F. Gugel and a daughter, Jaclyn R. Gugel, both of Ridgefield; and a brother, Clinton E. Brown of Darien.
Pastor Gerald Stigall will conduct services on Saturday at 11a.m. in Hope Church, 240 Wolfpit Road, Wilton.
Burial will be private.
Friends will be received in the Kane Funeral Home, 41 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association, 90 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT 06877; or the Hope Church, 240 Wolfpit Road, Wilton 06897.