obit pg 6 6-30-22
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PUTNAM — Richard Tremblay, 75, of Putnam died June 19, 2022, at home from natural causes. Richard was born in 1947, in Ware, Mass., the son of the late Edmond Joseph Tremblay and Marguerite Marie (Desaulniers) Tremblay. He was predeceased by his sister Dianne Louise Richard (Tremblay) and her husband William Richard.
Richard was a graduate of Putnam High School and Ellis Technical School for his electrical training. He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1967 to 1970 and was a self-employed E-1 electrical contractor for over 35 years. Richard was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church. He was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and friend to many.
He leaves his dearest wife of more than 51 years, Dianne; his daughters, Christine Parente (Lee) and Cheryl Passeri (Mark); grandchildren Olivia, Lauren and Nicholas Parente and Ryan and Juliet Burdick.
Richard and Dianne enjoyed traveling the world and the U.S., including many of the National Parks; his favorite was Waimea Canyon State Park in Hawaii. He equally enjoyed impromptu driving trips with Dianne to “nowhere”. Richard enjoyed fresh and saltwater fly fishing, hunting, metal detecting, prospecting for gold (he even found some), trap & skeet shooting, extreme camping in northern Canada, award-winning photography, Photoshop projects and dollar-bill origami that he adored giving to wait staff, strangers and children wherever he went. One of his greatest joys was playing Santa for more than 40 years for the St. Onge, Champany and Abt families and the St. Mary’s pre-school children. Richard was a member of the VFW Putnam Post 1523, The Backsliders, Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers (RISA), CONN/RI Coastal Fly Fishers, Pomfret Rod & Gun Club, Disabled American Veterans and the NRA and was a volunteer for Project Healing Waters in South Florida.
Visitation is from 5 to 9 p.m. June 30 in the Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. July 1 a gathering will begin at 9:45 a.m. in the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary Church, 218 Providence St., Putnam, at 11 a.m.
Donations: Mayotte-Viens American Legion Post #13, PO Box 123, Putnam, CT 06260 or The Marine Toys for Tots Program www.toysfortots.org.
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Claude pg 7 6-30-22
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Desmond Claude is looking ahead to where he wants to go, but knowing too that what’s behind him was pretty special.
And so when he talked recently about having been named the National Prep Basketball Player of the Year, the Putnam Science Academy product spoke of it like a double-edged sword.
“When I found out I had been honored with that award, I was super excited, obviously,” said Claude.
Claude led PSA to a third national championship and perfect 38-0 record by averaging 13.6 points, four rebounds, three assists, and more than one steal per game.
“It meant a lot because of everything that I had worked for, I actually got it. I always wanted to play on the national stage, play in the national tournament. And then when I did it, to do as well as I did and to be honored with that recognition…it was a big accomplishment for me. And the team success that we had of course brought it to another level and made it possible.”
Claude has been on campus of his new home, Xavier University, for a few weeks and getting acclimated to a future in the Big East. And it has understandably changed his perspective somewhat.
“Now that I’m out here, thinking about being the prep school Player of the Year does seem different,” he said.
“I don’t let that go behind me or anything like that, but this is a new level, a new situation, and an upgrade. But having that in the back of my mind still gives me that chip on my shoulder, that I can do these things. So I still hold it high.”
Despite the numbers and the recognition, it wasn’t an easy year for Claude at PSA.
He came off the bench at the start of the season, as he missed time for college visits, which kept him behind on adjusting to the way the Mustangs played defense.
“But he never complained,” said PSA coach Tom Espinosa. “He just worked harder and harder.”
By early December, he was in the starting lineup, and “by the end of the season, in the national championship run (when he averaged 20.5 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists, and nearly two steals per game), he was the best player on the court every single time.
“He was a special player on the court, a special kid off it. Xavier got a really good kid and an outstanding basketball player.”
Claude is hoping to carry that success over into his freshmen season.
He said the physicality and the pace of the game are noticeable at this new level, and he has set a handful of goals for himself.
But, as is his M.O., Claude will be patient.
“I want to be an all-conference freshman,” he said.
“But really, I just want to continue to play and get better. Of course you want the awards, but honestly, as long as I’m getting better, I’ll get there.
“Everything has been great so far. PSA helped get me prepared for this, and now we’re at the next level.”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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Woodstock pg 7 6-30-22
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caption:
College Bound
Back, from left: Ethan Davis (SCSU); Huck Flanagan (University of New Hampshire); Keenan LaMontagne (Bucknell); Linsey Arends (URI); Ian Hoffman (Southern Virginia University); Jon Smith (Eastern Nazarene College); Everett Michalski (SCSU); Collin Manuilow (Anna Maria College). Front: Jonah Libby (Messiah University); Mia Dang (Occidental College); Aurissa Boardman (Springfield College); Hamilton Barnes (Keene State); Evan Haskins (University of St. Joseph’s) (Photo by Madison Millar/Woodstock Academy)
In one of the final gatherings for Woodstock Academy senior athletes, 13 members of the Class of 2022 announced where they would be heading to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Woodstock cross-country and track standout Linsey Arends will be continuing her athletic endeavors at the Div. I level at the University of Rhode Island.
“It’s an amazing school. It has everything I want academically and it can offer me what I want athletically to compete at that level,” Arends said. “Laurie-Feit Melnick is an amazing coach and coach (Woodstock Academy girls’ cross-country coach Joe) Banas recommended her from the beginning and said the two of us would get along. I owe a lot to (Banas) because we did hit it off and I’m so excited to run for her.”
Arends said it also meant she accomplished another personal goal of running for a Div. I school. Arends will have to get used to a longer distance.
Cross-Country in college is almost double that of the 3.2 miles in high school, going 10,000 meters (6.2 miles).
Arends said as far as track is concerned, she is happy to do whatever the Rams’ program needs whether it be the 800-meter which she ran for the Centaurs for the most part this outdoor season or something longer. Arends plans to major in ocean engineering at URI.
“I’ve been interested in the ocean all my life and to combine mathematics, which I really enjoyed these past two years at Woodstock Academy, and my passion for the season- it seems like a cool field,” Arends said.
Another track standout, Keenan LaMontagne, will head to Lewisburg, Penn., to compete for Bucknell University in the Patriot League.
Huck Flanagan will also compete at the Div. I level as he will go to his father’s alma mater and walk-on to the football team at the University of New Hampshire.
“My father was a big motivation for me. I want to follow in his footsteps but also make a name for myself,” Flanagan said.
Football teammates Ethan Davis and Everett Michalski will both play Div. II football for Southern Connecticut State University.
The remainder of the athletes who announced where they will continue their athletic careers will do so at the Div. III level.
Ian Hoffman, who recently set the Woodstock Academy school record in the 800-meter, will compete in outdoor track and cross-country at Southern Virginia University.
“It’s really bittersweet to end this season. I’m excited to go off to college and compete for a few years but it’s sad to leave the high school track team,” Hoffman said.
Jon Smith will continue his baseball career at Eastern Nazarene College while Hamilton Barnes will head to Keene State in New Hampshire.
“I really like the coach, Justin Blood, who just got there from a Div. I program. He’s a great guy. It feels like home up there,” Barnes said.
Barnes will get a chance to play close to home again as well as Keene State plays in the Little East Conference alongside Eastern Connecticut State University.
“It’s a tough conference. Eastern just won the Div. III championship so it will be tough but we will see what we have in a couple of years and see if we can compete,” Barnes said.
Jonah Libby will take his lacrosse acumen to Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, Penn. Libby finished with 93 points for the Centaurs this past spring.
Evan Haskins will stay close to home, playing tennis for the University of St. Joseph’s in Hartford.
Collin Manuilow will play soccer for Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass., and Aurissa Boardman plans to play volleyball for Springfield College.
Mia Dang, meanwhile, will jet across the country to Los Angeles to play golf for Occidental College.
“I chose Occidental because I want warm weather, I want to play golf there and I really like the coach,” Dang said.
Dang was the CIAC Div. II girls’ individual state champion in golf in her junior year.
But hip surgery, due to an injury suffered in hockey, denied her the chance to repeat or even play for the Centaurs in her senior season.
“Going through rehab taught me to be stronger and to fight through things, to just keep working,” Dang said. “I feel a lot stronger now.”
Dang does have family in Southern California which made the decision easier.
“That’s going to be my place to escape if I don’t want to stay in my dorm and for Thanksgiving, for example, because I won’t be coming home since it’s so far away and the break is short. I’m an independent person so being far away from home doesn’t matter to me,” Dang said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Club pg 8 6-30-22
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Club awards scholarships, honors
The Putnam Rotary Club’s Quinebaug Valley Regional Rotaract Club gave away multiple student scholarships to local students from NE CT who are going on to pursue a higher education.
The club also honored a number of community members and businesses for their continuous support of the QVR Rotaract Club’s mission.
Special Recognitions: Rotaract Rockstar: Adam Rondeau; Rotaract Alumni Award: Maria Thomas; Community Partnership Award: Byrnes Agency.
Scholarship Recipients: Morgan Bentley, Reagan Boledovic, Amayah Chavez, Alivia Dalpe, Zachary Roethlein.
In addition, the club presented a $2,250 donation to Tim Kettle at Northeast Placement Services, its 2022 Cornhole Tournament beneficiary.
Current president Elle-Jordyn Goslin passed the gavel to incoming 2022-2023 club President Tayler Shea.
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