Christine Marie Sayko

Christine M. Normandin Sayko, beloved wife of Jan L. Sayko and mother of Joshua and Rachel of the greater Boston area, died early Sunday, March 23, 2003 after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was the daughter of the late Peter and Ora Normandin of Holyoke, MA. Christine was born in Holyoke on July 17, 1948. She attended Holyoke parochial schools and graduated from Springfield Technical Community College in 1973 as a Dental Hygienist. She was a member of the Sigma Phi Alpha National Dental Hygiene Honor Society. She was employed for the past 15 years at the Dental Center in Newington. She was active in a holistic healing group in New Britain. Christine was a communicant of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Kensington. Besides her husband and her children she leaves behind, Joshua's wife, Sarah Szczepanik Sayko, her sister and brother-in-law Peggy and Richard Lacoste of South Hadley, MA, her brother and sister-in-law Leonard and Anna Normandin of Holyoke, her sister Betty Normandin of Watertown, MA, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Joyce and James Stone of Longmeadow, MA, and her sister-in-law Patricia Mercure of Chicopee, MA. She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews in western Massachusetts. Christine's life can be described by three words: perfection, beauty and love. She sought perfection in everything she did. From the day that she started school until the day she graduated first in her class from college, she never got anything but an '' A '' in any course. She applied the same quest for perfection to everything she did, from her chosen profession, dental hygiene, to her beloved flower gardening. She instilled the same drive for perfection in her children. She guided them to become successful, independent and caring adults. Everyone who met Christine was in awe of her beauty. As they got to know her they saw the depth of her spirit manifested in a smile that could light up any room. She was the ''Ivory Snow Girl'', the beautiful girl next door we all knew personally, and who always acted with humility and grace. But most of all Christine was love. She loved her work. She loved her dental patients. She loved her gardens and her friends. She loved her family as deeply and as selflessly as anyone could. Everyone she knew loved her in return. Her love will continue to live in the hearts of all whose lives she touched. Christine wished to express special thanks to her close friends and family for the love, support and care she received over the course of her illness. She was eternally grateful for the care she received from CT Hospice, especially from her original nurse and special friend Debra Oakes. Funeral serivces will be held Friday at 9:30 AM at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 S. Main St., New Britain followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. Paul's Church, Kensington. Calling hours are Thursday from 4-8 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CT Hospice of Farmington. 270 Farmington Ave., Suite 229, Farmington, CT 06032.