Town Historian Kay Ables, who died on July 24, devoted countless
hours to the study and preservation of Ridgefield history, taking great
joy in discovering and saving materials that are now part of the
Ridgefield Historical Society’s archives.
At the 1714 David Scott house, which she was instrumental in saving,
her desk on the second floor was piled with files of research and notes,
testament to her many interests. The town historian’s space was first
occupied by Richard E. Venus, with whom Kay worked as assistant town
historian. In 2006, at his death, she took on the historian’s post.
Kay was originally a member of the Ridgefield Archives Committee, a
group dedicated to preserving and organizing important documents and
images that were part of the town’s history. She worked closely with her
good friend Jeanne Timpanelli, with a vision of someday creating a
secure repository for these archives. The preservation and reconstruction
of the Scott House as the home for the new Ridgefield Historical Society
included the climate-controlled secure vault they had envisioned.
Leading a team of history enthusiasts who convened weekly, Kay and
her volunteers spent countless hours correctly identifying and
categorizing the donated materials accumulated with the opening of the
new archive space. More than 10,000 items in the Ridgefield Historical
Society online archive are evidence of the efforts of Kay’s team and
other collections volunteers. In addition to the archiving work, Kay was
a welcoming presence at the Scott House, an organizer of exhibits in
Town Hall, a popular speaker on town history, and a resource for those
with historical questions.
Kay, one of the first officers of the Ridgefield Historical Society, was
active on its board for many years. Earlier, she had worked with a group
at the Keeler Tavern Museum to catalog the glass plate negatives of
Joseph Hartmann and had also helped turn the diaries of Anna Resseguie
into the book, A View from the Inn. She was a member of the Ridgefield
300th Anniversary Committee and the Museum in the Streets Project.
In her later years, Kay remained an active voice for historical studies and
preservation. She came to events as she was able, and was on hand in
August 2023 when U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal came to the Scott
House to announce a Phase 2 National Park Service grant of $117,714
for further study of the Battle of Ridgefield.
Kay Ables was a bridge to the early days of the Ridgefield Historical
Society and always a warm and wise presence; she will be missed by all
of us.
HERE’s THE FULL OBITUARY, edited to reflect that the funeral is
past.
KAY ABLES, 89, TOWN HISTORIAN;
LONG ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
Kay Lois Cornell Ables, 89 of Ridgefield, died peacefully in her home
on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Kay was born in Amityville, NY, the third child of the late William and
Myrtle Cornell. From New York, her parents moved to East Hartford,
CT where she met her husband, the late Lewis Jerry Ables. Together
they moved to New York City before settling in Ridgefield in 1968 to
raise their family.
Kay was extremely active in Ridgefield. Her career in community
service began in 1971 when she joined the Ridgefield Woman’s Club
and later became the president.
In the 1980’s Kay and her friend started the program R.U.O.K.? This
program brings peace of mind with daily phone calls to check on
homebound residents and those who simply live alone. It still operates
in Ridgefield today.
As a lifelong learner and avid reader, she turned her volunteer efforts
to The Keeler Tavern Museum, where she led two major projects: the
Hartman Collection of glass plate negatives and the 19th Century
diaries of Anna Resseguie, daughter of the Keeler Tavern’s Innkeeper.
The Anna Resseguie project turned Anna’s diaries into a book, A View
From the Inn.
Kay was involved with the Ridgefield Archives Committee, which later
became the Ridgefield Historical Society. She worked tirelessly in
preserving the 18th Century David Scott House, was a member of the
Ridgefield 300th Anniversary Committee and the Museum in the
Streets project, which provides a walking historic trail through
Ridgefield.
Kay received the Ridgefield Old Timers’ Community Service Award in
2003, was named Citizen of the Year in 2005 by the Ridgefield Rotary
Club and became the town’s second town historian in 2006.
In her spare time, Kay loved to travel. She explored the world with her
friends taking European riverboat trips, exploring castles and learning
about people, history (of course) and horticulture in other parts of the
world. When not in Europe she cherished visiting friends in other parts
of the country.
Kay was a member of Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church
in Ridgefield and part of the “Older Than Dirt” breakfast group.
Kay was a loving wife to her husband Jerry for over 30 years before
his death in 1993. Those who knew them knew that Jerry had been in
a life altering car accident in 1969, leaving him handicapped and
unable to operate a motor vehicle. Kay not only took care of her
husband who continued to work but raised her two children and
maintained their home.
Her love for gardening was recognized when she earned the title
“Master Gardener” through UConn. She planted beautiful gardens
around her home, was an avid bird watcher and thoroughly enjoyed
sharing her passion for the outdoors with her friends and family. With
birds chirping, flowers in bloom and probably a squirrel in her patio
feeder, she passed in exactly the place she wanted to be.
Kay leaves behind a daughter, Susan Ables Walker and her husband
Michael Walker of Duxbury, Massachusetts and a son David Ables of
Jericho, Vermont. Kay also leaves behind grandchildren Emily Walker
Partain and her husband Tristan of Duxbury, MA, Garrett Lewis Walker
and his wife Megan of Boston, MA, Sara Walker of Charlotte, NC and
Trent Walker of Nashville, TN. Kay’s ultimate pride was her great-
granddaughter and namesake, Lillian Kay Partain.
Funeral services took place on Aug. 4 at Jesse Lee Memorial United
Methodist Church, with interment in Saint Mary Cemetery, Ridgefield.
Donations in her honor may be made to either the Ridgefield Historical
Society or the Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center.
