She was born on Easter Sunday and named after her mother, Mae Pollard. So, in order not to confuse mother and daughter, her family and friends gave her the nickname, "Bunny." Later in life, when Mae Johnson and I met and she became a founding member of the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA), I felt self-conscious about calling her "Bunny," so to me she was always "Mae."

We met when Mae bought a house in Westbrook, Connecticut, and was applying to the town for a permit to build an antique center on her property along Route 1 near the mouth of the Menunketesuck River. This was back in 1996, prior to the formation of FOSA. As the state archeologist, I reviewed the project area, which (as you can imagine) was extremely sensitive for Native American archaeological resources. In fact, Lyent Russell, a chartered member of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut, had excavated on the property in the 1940s and had recovered numerous stone artifacts. Usually, for these types of economic development reviews, either the municipality, or, the project engineer would have contacted our office but, in this case, I received a personal phone call from Mae herself, already well aware of her property's cultural sensitivity.

Mae Johnson was raised in South Windsor, Connecticut, one of seven children. She grew up with an interest in Native American cultures and curiosity about the numerous "arrowheads" being recovered from plowed agricultural fields along the Connecticut River. When she was young, Mae met and befriended June Cooke, an amateur archaeologist also from South Windsor who would later become the founder of FOSA. The two women maintained their friendship into adulthood, so when Mae planned to build an antique center in Westbrook, she was well aware of the need for an archaeological survey prior to construction. Understand that this was before the Town of Westbrook developed planning and zoning regulations, so that Mae's action was voluntary, not required by legislation. It was based on her appreciation of Native culture and her desire that no significant archaeological sites be affected by her undertaking. So, through June Cooke, Mae contacted me to take on an archaeological survey of her property. We conducted excavations throughout the summer of 1996, under the direction of Dave Cooke, June's husband, and with the assistance of the Arthur Basto Archaeological Society and anthropology students from UConn. This volunteer effort and the successful data recovery at Mae's "Menunketesuck Site" inspired June Cooke with the belief that a "Friends" group was indispensable for the Office of State Archaeology to support its preservation efforts.

Professionally, Mae owned and operated a successful secretarial business and when FOSA was formed a few years later, Mae became a chartered member and utilized her skills serving on the board of directors as FOSA's first Secretary. In addition, for a long time, Mae handled membership information and mailings. Needless to say, FOSA got off to a great start, in part, because of Mae's talented efforts.

Along with her interests in archaeology and Native culture, Mae Johnson loved antiques and other collectibles. She was particularly fond of seashells and had a wonderful compilation from around the world. And, importantly to me, Mae also collected sheet music. When she learned of my love for Frank Sinatra, she invited me to her home in South Windsor to view her personal collection, including many pieces of Sinatra sheet music! I was floored at what she showed me and after begging (only kidding!), Mae allowed me to purchase at cost over 30 pieces, which are currently part of my "renown" Sinatra Collection!

Her joy delving into archaeology and antiques was outshined by the love Mae had spending time with her family, who represented the true center of her life. Mae lost her husband, Fred Johnson, many years ago, but leaves behind her loving daughter, Clarissa, and three siblings, Joanne Corcoran of Mansfield, Joseph Pollard of Bolton, and Tammy Coffey in Florida. Mae also developed a lifelong friendship with FOSA member, Pam Silvestri, and they remained close up to her death. They all will miss her dearly and cherish her memory.

Mae Johnson gave her passion and expertise freely to many people. She certainly has left her mark on FOSA and we will be forever grateful for all she did for our budding organization throughout the years and for myself, personally. She was a true friend. So, if I "Mae", we wish you Godspeed, "Bunny!"