Lillian F. Mettendorf

Lillian Frances (Erickson) Mettendorf, who lived with her heart wide open in deeply

believing that angels walked the earth among us, peacefully took her place among them on August 7, 2026.

Born August 21, 1947, she died bravely battling a short illness, at the place she fought

to return — her home — among cherished family holding her hand.

Born in Fairfield, Connecticut, to Albert and Margaret Erickson, Lillian grew up with a

devoted nagymama (grandmother), who was there to always greet her with warm hugs and cook all of her favorite Hungarian meals and later Lillian took on the role of her watch woman when she aged.

She passed in 1976, but Lillian spoke of her daily and looked forward to

seeing her once again.

Lillian had a devoted sister, Sally, and the two shared childhood memories of the Lord’s bread with " plenty of jelly", bus adventures to dance and music as well

as wonderful holiday gatherings with their extended families.

Lillian (Lilly and Lil to close family and friends) attended St. Emery School and

graduated from Notre Dame Catholic High School in 1966 and Sherwood Beauty

School the following year.

She met the love of her life, Ronald, a dashing Navy sailor from rural Illinois, in May

1969 when their two universes collided while he was in port at Seaside Park. He quickly swept her off feet, a story that involved her giving up playing hard to get

when he brought her some watermelon, and the two had a 3 month whirlwind courtship before marrying on August 30, 1969.

A few years later in 1973, Ronald built what they both believed would be their starter

home along a cul-de-sac in Beacon Falls, Connecticut, but it became their forever

place, filled with family, neighbors, friends, love and laughter until the day she passed.

Lillian perfected her craft for good hair, flare and glamour first at Arthur’s and then

Dottie’s of Greenfield Hill before stepping away to raise her three children: Denise

Goyer (Robert) of Culpeper, Virginia; Cheryl Spreitzer (Tim) of Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania and Jeffrey Mettendorf (Maria) of Beacon Falls.

A devoted mother, she loved her children with a warmth and protection that lives within them.

She always was counted on to be a school room parent and chaperone for every

school trip. You could also see her working at the ball field at the Sugar Shack and most often, sitting out under her tree with cup of Maxwell House while keeping

a watchful eye as her kids rode bikes, swam and played with neighborhood friends.

After her kids grew up, she pivoted careers and took on a role at the Connecticut Post

using her gift of gab to sell newspapers and then helped bring literacy into classrooms

through their newspaper in education program for a few short years.

Her home still remained the place to gather, and soon her seven grandkids brought the energy back through the doors and Lillian took on the role of devoted grandmother. 

Never one to have nothing to say, she loved to gather with neighbors over a cup of

coffee and an Entenmann’s around her kitchen table, or chat for endless hours on the

phone with her childhood best friend Charlotte and cousin Theresa. She loved music

including her beloved Elvis, Pavarotti and Andre Bocelli. Lillian was known to always

overdo every occasion with decorations, and way too much food that always included a ham.

She is survived by those loving grandchildren Andrew Goyer (Amanda) and Nicholas

Goyer (Carrie) of Virginia, Ryan, Cody and Noah Mettendorf of Beacon Falls and Lucy

and Amelia Spreitzer of Philadelphia. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren.

She leaves behind a sister Sally Kulis (Peter) of Venice, Florida and her life long

childhood best friend Charlotte Harrison of Bridgeport as well as several cherished

nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is preceded by her parents Albert and Margaret as well as her loving shadow dog

Sage.

The family invites you to a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, August 14th at St.

Michael’s Roman Catholic Church at 11am in Beacon Falls. Interment will follow at

Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport. Floral tributes should be sent directly to the

church prior to the service on Friday.

Contributions in her name can also be made in lieu of flowers to St. Jude's

Children’s Hospital, the Saint she loved and cherished with devotion.

The family would also love those who are able to attend her services to honor Lillian

with leopard or sparkles because, as she would say, “you can never have too much

sparkles, glitter or leopard print in your life.”