Margaret Alice Hastedt Gillett, of Housatonic, passed at home on March 29, 2025, at the age of 94. Marge was born in Winsted, Conn., on August 24, 1930, to Frederick and Lena Ellis Hastedt. She grew up in the Southfield area with her 10 brothers and sisters. She graduated from a one-room school house in New Marlboro.
Margaret married William Gillett on April 2, 1950, in Hartsville. Her and Bill lived on the Gillett compound for just four days short of 75 years, where they raised their four children.
Marge worked at Ried Cleaners and, after 40 years, left to run hers and Bill’s swimming pool business. Two days a week you would find her traveling all over cleaning and servicing pools. The rest of the week she would be working in the store greeting customers and solving pool problems.
Her home always had an open door. Almost every Sunday she would host a slew of family and friends for pool parties, picnics, or card games. She always had a house full, whether they be friends, nieces and nephews, or friends that her children would drag home. Her motto was “There’s always room for one more.”
Margaret leaves behind her children—Barbara Bailly (Dick) of Maine, William of Utah, and Jeanne Bachetti of Sheffield—and her sister June Hastedt of Great Barrington. She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren, and many, many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband William; her daughter Sharon; her great-great grandson Calum; her brothers, Fred, William, Albert, Arthur, and Raymond; and four sisters, Anna Kindick, Alice Hess, Edna Finkle, and Dorothy Badurski.
A special thank you to HospiceCare in the Berkshires and all her caregivers who made her comfortable in her final years.
Visiting hours will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, at the Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, with the service to follow immediately. Burial will be at a later date. In lieu of flower, the family asks that those wishing to honor Margart make a donation to HospiceCare in the Berkshires. To leave a message of condolence or share stories, please visit the funeral home’s website.
