Obituaries pg 8 5-23-13

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Cressie Bardier
PUTNAM — Cressie Bardier, 73, of Centennial Street, died May 14, 2013, at home. She was the wife of the late Leonel Bardier.  Born in 1940 in Allegheny Township, Penn., she was the daughter of the late Clayton and Thelma (Briggs) Shaner.
Mrs. Bardier worked as a molding operator for PPM Manufacturing.  She enjoyed playing bingo at the VFW and building jigsaw puzzles. She was a member of the VFW Women’s Auxiliary.
She leaves  her sons; Brian Bardier (Tammy) of Putnam, Ernest Bardier of Putnam, Donald Platt of Indiana, Penn., and Joseph Platt of Indiana, Penn.; step daughter Sandra Hayward of Waterford; sisters, Shirley Richard of Leechburg, Penn., Dorothy Furlong of Putnam, Marylou Sabo of Leechburg,  and Mabel Desrosiers of Brooklyn; three grandchildren, Andrew, Alexandria and Austin Bardier. She was predeceased by her brother Clayton B. Shaner.
The Funeral was May 17 in St. Mary Cemetery, Putnam. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Gerald P. McCarthy
POMFRET CENTER — Gerald P. McCarthy of Pomfret Center, 77, died unexpectedly May 18, 2013. He was born Aug. 17, 1935, in NYC and made Pomfret his home for the last 39 years. He retired in 1998 after 35 years as a metallurgical engineer with United Technologies Research Center in E. Hartford.
Jerry was known for his infinite patience, his kind nature and for his selflessness. Quick to laugh, to help and to share, and a virtual stranger to anger, he was a truly good person. He was a nature lover in the truest sense and had a fondness for many creatures great and small, particularly the wildlife around his home. He was also an avid hiker, and loved travelling the U.S. and Canada with his wife in their RV.
He was a particularly devoted Opa to his granddaughter Anna B. He leaves Ilse, his wife of 48 years; daughter Deirdre A. Mendenhall; his son-in-law Kevin Mendenhall and his granddaughter Anna B. Mendenhall of Killingly; sisters Marie Morton (Donald) of Poughquag, N.Y., Patricia Ryan  (John) of Yonkers, N.Y., Kathleen Lahti (Richard) of Cottonwood, Ariz. Jerry was predeceased by his son, Brendan and his brother Joseph.
Jerry gave in death as he gave in life through tissue donation
Donations: Connecticut Audubon Society -Center at Pomfret- P.O. Box 11, Pomfret Ctr., Ct . 06259. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Douglas Mitchell
N. GROSVENORDALE — Douglas “Dougie” L. Mitchell, 66, of Main Street, died May 15, 2013, at home. Born in 1946 in Charlton, he was the son of the late Clyde King and Annabelle May Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell worked as a mason and carpenter for Union Local 107 in Worcester.  Douglas served in the Army during Vietnam.  He was a member of the American Legion Post #67 in N. Grosvenordale and volunteered at the Valley Springs Sportsman Club.  He enjoyed playing cards at the Knights of Columbus, playing softball on a men’s league in Thompson, reading the newspaper front to back, watching the Red Sox, Patriots, and westerns.  Douglas also enjoyed going to L.B’s Diner, as he was a regular for 11 years. He volunteered much of his time and put others before himself.
He leaves his sons, Donald Mitchell of Brooklyn, Richard Mitchell (Mary) of Norwich, and A.J Mitchell of Danielson; his daughters, Dawn Hippert (David) of Brooklyn, and Heather Mitchell of Saco, Maine; brother Carl King of Charlton; sisters, Cecile Gilbert of Worcester, Carol Bachand of Northbridge, Mass., Marie Smith of Southbridge, and Tammy King of Palmer, Mass.; seven grandchildren; and one great grand son.
The Graveside Service was May 22 in the West Ridge Cemetery, Charlton. Donations:  AMVETS P.O. Box 148 Quinebaug, CT 06262. Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.

Jeanette Baird
KEENE, N.H. — Jeanette E. Baird, 90, of Langdon Place, died March 15, 201,3 at Langdon Place hospice, her home since 2001.
She was born Nov. 4, 1922, in Keene, daughter of Charles H. Ballou and Mary Ethel Priest.  
She met her former husband, James L. Baird in New Hampshire and they married in May, 1942. They had four children, Thomas, Jayne, Stephen and David.  They settled in Winchester, Mass.
She divorced in 1983. She was a gifted singer and artist and was an active community member.
She leaves four children, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren:  Tom and Ann Baird of Keene, his son Andrew Baird of Keene, and their children:  Thomas Baird and husband, Bob of Holyoke, Mass., and their daughter, Eva, 3; and their daughter, Emily Baird and her husband, Steve Nardello, of Stoddard, N.H., and their daughter, Alexis, 2, and new baby due May 15.  Jayne Baird-Gilmore of Raymond, N.H., her children:  Lisa J. Gilmore and husband, Daniel Houle of Deerfield,  his three children, Ben, Emily, and Alex, and their daughter, Laura; and Brian Gilmore and fiancé, Cynthia Moh,  of Arlington, Va.;  Stephen Baird of Jamaica Plains, Mass.;  and David Baird, his three children:  Katie Baird and her two boys, Zachery Fucci, and Jaccob Fucci, Margaret Baird and Mathew Baird, all of Putnam.  she was predeceased by Tom and Ann Baird’s infant son, Daniel, in 1984.
A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. May 26 at Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Keene, with burial  at the Mountain View Cemetery in Swanzey.
Donations: Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian:   NMAI, P.O. Box 23473, Washington D.C. 20026-3473, 800-242-6624.

Phyllis Fournier
DUDLEY — Phyllis G. (Napierata) Fournier, 80, died May 11, 2013, after an illness.
Her Husband Raymond Fournier died in 1972.
She was born in Webster, the daughter of the late William and  Helen (Urbanowski) Napierata.
She leaves two sons: James Fournier, Thomas Fournier (Susan); two daughters: Sheryl Bernardo (Tony), all of Dudley, Jackie Vandam (Tim) of Putnam; one brother, Edward Napierata of Webster; one sister, Antoinette “Toni” Mrazik of Dudley; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by brother, William Napierata.
The graveside service was May 14 in St.Anthony Of Padua Cemetery, Webster.
Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, Dudley.

Putnam pg 9 5-23-13

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By Ron P. Coderre
The basketball recruiting season is heating up as the summer approaches.  With high school graduations taking place many young aspiring hoopsters are looking for schools where they can hone their athletic as well as their academic skills as they search for opportunities to move on to college.

Putnam Science Academy Director of Athletics and basketball coach Tom Espinosa, who last week announced the signing of Kyle Menard of Paramus, N.J., has added two more studs to his stable of Mustangs for the 2013-2014-season.  This week the Scientists added Dalique Mingo from Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y., and Jalen Terry from Anchorage, Alaska.  Combined, the pair has scored more than 3,300 points during their high school careers.

Mingo’s list of credentials are very impressive,  In addition to scoring more than 1300 career points, the 6-foot, 2-inch point guard was a 2013 All-New York State player.  He led Farmingdale High School to a 15-4 record, where he played for coach Jim Pastier.  Along with his All-NY selection Mingo was the Nassau County, Verizon Fios and conference Player-of-the-Year.  He’s a four-time All-County selection and a member of the 2013 All-Long Island team.
“It’s an understatement but Dalique had a great high school career.  He’s a combination guard who can shoot as well as handle the ball.  From what we’ve seen and heard of him, he’s a very hard worker.  He’s a tough and talented competitor, who is being looked at by Division I and II schools,” said Espinosa.

Last season Mingo averaged 23 points per game to go along with five assists, seven rebounds and five steals per contest.

Last season, Anchorage Christian School was 27-7 behind the play of Terry, who averaged 14 points per game, while corralling six rebounds and dishing out two assists per contest.  Terry garnered numerous awards as a senior including Regional and Regional Tournament first team honors as well as being named first team All-Alaska and All-Alaska State Tournament.  The talented Terry was also the Regional triple jump champion in track.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Jalen to Putnam.  He’s a great kid who brings along a wealth of basketball talent but we’re equally as proud of his record in the classroom.  We look forward to his rebounding and inside play to solidify front court,” said Espinosa of his newest Mustang.

Last season, Anchorage Christian School was 27-7 behind the play of Terry, who averaged 14 points per game, while corralling six rebounds and dishing out two assists per contest.  Terry garnered numerous awards as a senior including Regional and Regional Tournament first team honors as well as being named first team All-Alaska and All-Alaska State Tournament.  The talented Terry was also the Regional triple jump champion in track.

“The addition of Mingo and Terry brings our current recruiting class to three.  We’re looking to bring in three, possibly four more players in the next few weeks.  The trio we currently have are all players who understand the game and are solid young men, the type our international school looks for,” said Espinosa.

In addition to the trio of Mingo, Terry and Menard, the Mustangs return two juniors Emirhan Ozturk and Burak Eraslan and a pair of seniors, Sergen Kumas and Berkan Tuylu.

TMHS pg 9 5-23-13

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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out is in honor of  all veterans from Putnam and our surrounding area.  As we celebrate Memorial Day, remember, this day isn’t only a day off from work for parades and cookouts.  Take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the day and the men and women who gave their lives for our country.  Have a great Memorial Day.  From a proud U.S.  veteran.
In the decade of the ‘80s a young man from N. Grosvenordale took the northeastern Connecticut basketball scene by surprise and dominated hoop headlines from 1985 through 1988.  Greg Guillot, then a fuzzy cheeked, towheaded good looking kid, unveiled a long range jump shot that would lead him to eventual All-State honors and his team to a CIAC Class S State Championship.
As a sophomore in 1986 Guillot got his shot at a starting position on the Tourtellotte Memorial High School varsity basketball team under coach Jim Naum and never relinquished his spot until his four-year career was over.  As a sophomore he led the team in scoring with  14.43 points per game average.  Proving his sophomore season wasn’t a fluke; Guillot increased his scoring output to 16.86 in his junior season and by his senior year was tickling the twine at a 23.47 pace.
In 1987 he was a starter on the “Turtle Wax” State Championship team.  This team became known as the “Impossible Dream” team, which drew similarities to the Indiana team from the famous movie Hoosiers.
During his high school career Guillot accumulated numerous honors, including All-State recognition in 1988 and All-State Honorable Mention in 1987.  He was a Quinebaug Valley Conference All-Star in 1986, 1987 and 1988.  He was also named to the Norwich Bulletin, Journal Transcript and All-Eastern Connecticut teams.
Guillot became a member of the Tourtellotte prestigious 1000-point club on Feb. 19, 1988, when he passed the 1000-point plateau against Woodstock Academy.  During his senior season he tallied 540 points with a single game high 37 points.  Currently he stands fourth on the Tigers all-time career scoring list with 1,247 points.
During his high school years, Guillot also played baseball for four seasons and ran cross-country in 1985 and 1986.  Today he is employed by the State of Connecticut Department of Corrections.
Julie Tashjian Remembered
The sudden and unexpected death two weeks ago of former Connecticut Secretary of the State Julie Tashjian brought back memories of the days when she was a frequent visitor to our fair town of Putnam.  When Tashjian was in office, her Deputy Secretary of the State was former Putnam resident and good sport Bernard “Benny” Auger.  The two state officials worked together for eight years.
Contacted recently Auger had the following to say about Tashjian.  “Julie loved getting up every day and coming to the office.  She always had a smile on her face.  Public service was made for her.  We worked together for eight years and in that time we never had a harsh word or bad day.  She was a lady and was proud of her Armenian-American heritage.”
Today, Auger is retired from State service.  His latest position was serving as a clerk in the Connecticut Senate Chamber.  He and his wife Anne live in the quiet suburban community of Marlborough.
Catching Up With Avery Point Baseball
The University of Connecticut at Avery Point under veteran coach Roger Bidwell is moving on to its fifth trip to the NJCAA Division II World Series thanks to a sweep of the Regional Tournament that was played in Rochester, N.Y. This is the team’s third trip in the last four years to the World Series.
Thanks to a potent offense, solid pitching and sound defense the Pointers rolled through the Region 21 Tournament.  They captured the title with a 12-7 victory over Monroe Community College a team they had shutout 5-0 earlier in the tourney.  The team’s other victory came by a 12-8 margin over Rockland Community College.  Entering the Division II World Series the Pointers are the proud owners of a 38-8 record on the season.
An integral member of the Avery Point squad is former Woodstock Academy standout Chris Mayhew.  The rugged, hard-hitting first baseman has played a vital role in numerous victories throughout this long and arduous spring season.  In the championship victory Mayhew contributed two hits and an RBI on the team’s road to the World Series.  The College World Series runs from May 25 through June 2 and is scheduled to be played in Enid, Okla.
From the Agate Page Transactions
If you read the Transactions column in the agate section of the sports pages every day as I do, you may have seen a name that sounded or looked familiar.  In the Can-Am League news, the Newark Bears announced the release of left-handed pitcher Brian Chaput.
That appears to be the same Brian Chaput who toiled on the mound at Tourtellotte Memorial High School for coach Tom Auclair.  He later had a brief stint at Eastern Connecticut State University.  Since then, Chaput has buckled down and concentrated on attempting to hook on as a hurler someplace.
Last fall, Chaput assisted with a fall baseball team made up of local players.  The feedback on his knowledge and coaching was extremely positive.

Fun Run
The West Thompson Lake Summer Fun Runs are back.  They occur every Wednesday evening at 6:15 p.m. sharp through Sept. 18.  Runners of all ages are encouraged to jog, walk, run or race either the 1.44 or 3.1 mile course options.  Spread the word.  Anyone completing three or more runs earns a “Dam Fun Runs” t-shirt, say organizers Bob Mayer and Jimi Gothreau.  Contact Mayer for information at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
From The Annals of Putnam Sports History
May 1906: On Memorial Day, May 30, C.A.C. of Putnam split a doubleheader with Jewett City.  Morse Field (located in 1906 across the street from the current Gilman Funeral Home) was covered with water, so the games were played at the Putnam Fair Grounds, on the corner of Park and Arch streets.  Approximately 500 fans witnessed the morning game, which Putnam won 7-1.  The afternoon game, witnessed by approximately 700 fans, was won by Jewett City, 10-6.  (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni.)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” President John F. Kennedy