Category: Current Issue



Raymond W. Daigle,
WWII vet
PUTNAM — Raymond Wilfred Daigle, 89, was born Sept. 28, 1928, in Putnam to parents Wilfred and Rose Daigle.
He died May 24, 2018, at Matulaitis Nursing Home.
He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Jeanne “Jill” Anne Daigle (Deamer) of London, England.
Raymond joined the U.S. Army/Air Force in 1946 and worked as a cryptographic teletype operator handling highly classified information. He met his wife in 1951 while stationed in London and their adventures together began. His first child was born in London, his 2nd and 3rd in California, his 4th, 5th, and 6th in France, his 7th in Colorado, and his 8th in the Philippines.  He retired from the military in 1966 and drove his whole family from Shepard Air Force Base, in Texas, in a VW bus to settle in his hometown of Putnam, a story he often told with great pride and joy. Then, his 9th child was born on Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
He continued working, spending four years as a hardware store manager, eight years as a tree cutter, and finished his career with 13 years at Electric Boat as a shipfitter building nuclear submarines.
He retired in 1991. He loved to play golf and was very social with people from all walks of life. Ray would always look for the best in people. He would help people in any way he could, making them a meal on the holidays, giving them a ride to the bank or advice on how to fix things. He had faith in God.
Raymond is predeceased by his daughter Janice LaRose (Daigle). He leaves his sons and daughters Susan Brousseau (Daigle) and her husband Richard, Katherine Blake (Daigle), John Daigle (Pam), Michael Daigle (Meagan), Robert Daigle (Debbie), Linda Petricola (Daigle) and her husband Dennis, Tony Daigle (Julie), Brian Daigle (Wendy); his sons in-law Buzz, husband of Janice, and Kevin Blake; grandchildren Jeremy, Michelle, Chris, Monica, Kody, Kevin, Haley, Nick, Sasha, Hilary, Dillon, Mathew, Megan, Kayla, Anthony, Eliza, and Wyatt,  nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Visitation is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. June 2 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at noon in St. Mary Church of the Visitation. Burial with military honors in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Putnam. Donations:  Matulaitis Nursing Home, Events Dept., 10 Thurber Road, Putnam, CT 06260.

Linda A. Bellerive
PUTNAM — Linda A. Bellerive, 68, of Putnam died May 22, 2018, in Putnam. The wife of the late Edward A. Bellerive Jr., they were married April 26, 1969, at St. Mary Church in Putnam.
Linda loved to crochet, play video games, her trips to the casinos with her mother and friend Marie.
She leaves her children Edward A. Bellerive III (Rosemary) of Dudley,  Heidi Ann Dehenaut (Max) of Putnam, Kristina Bellerive of Putnam; grandchildren Jonathan Peterson, Caleb Champany, Alundra Hooper, Alex Bellerive; great-granddaughter Aria; nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. June 1 at St. Mary Cemetery in Putnam. Donations: PAWS Cat Shelter, PO Box 31, S. Woodstock, CT 06267. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Edward B. Bielik
PUTNAM —  Edward B. Bielik, 76, formerly of Laconia Ave., died May 24, 2018, in Matulaitis Nursing Home.  He was the husband of the late Gloria (Crotty) Bielik.  Born in 1941 in Dudley, he was the son of the late John M. and Mary (Pavuk) Bielik.
Mr. Bielik worked at Anchor Glass as a purchasing agent for many years.
Edward will be laid to rest next to his wife Gloria in Grove Street Cemetery at a later date.  Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Dora E. LaFlamme
PUTNAM —  Dora E. (Briere) LaFlamme, 85, of David Circle formerly of Lady Lake, Fla., died May 21, 2018, at Day Kimball Hospital.  She was the wife of 50 years to the late Richard LaFlamme.  Born in 1933 in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late Amedee and Lea (Therique) Briere.
Mrs. LaFlamme worked for 24 years as a dietary cook at Day Kimball Hospital after which she moved to Florida.
She enjoyed playing bingo, her cat “Baby,” and watching her grandsons play football and basketball at Putnam High School. She was well known to be seen cheering them on with her trusty cow bell.
She leaves two sons, Wayne LaFlamme (Audrey) of Putnam and Steven LaFlamme of Florida; a sister, Irene Russ of Hawaii; five grandchildren, Eric, Curtis, Luke, Kyle, and Chad LaFlamme; six great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a son, Gary LaFlamme, and her five brothers.
Dora will be laid to rest at a later date next to her husband Richard at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Fla. Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Paula LaFramboise
CANTERBURY — Paula Ann (Turkia) LaFramboise, 61, of Canterbury died May 18, 2018, after a short battle with cancer.
Paula was born Aug. 10, 1956, in Putnam, daughter of the late Allen William “Bill” and Rita Lucille (Antaya) Turkia.
Paula grew up in Brooklyn and  was a 1974 graduate of Killingly High School. Two years after graduating she married her high school sweetheart Wayne LaFramboise on May 15, 1976, at St. John Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. They lived in Danielson for a short time then headed to Canterbury to Wayne’s family property where she made her home for 41 years. Paula raised her children on their family farm at that time helping build her and her husband’s business, LaFramboise Sand and Stone. Paula co-owned and managed the business until retiring in 2008. After retiring Paula enjoyed her farmhouse and property, taking care of her family and pets, especially Olive, her precious poodle.
Paula started a new adventure in 2016 working at Walmart in Brooklyn, she devoted her heart and energy and took great pride in all she did at her job. She loved to be surrounded by people and shared her energy with everyone she encountered making a host of good friends.
She leaves her husband of 42 years, Wayne LaFramboise; sons Daniel LaFramboise and family of Canterbury, Duane LaFramboise (Trish) along with Nick and Phoebe which came into Paula’s life, immediately taking them in as her grandchildren as well as Nick’s friend Khrystina, brother Michael William Turkia his wife Sharon, nephews Joel “Joe Joe” Turkia of Brooklyn, Christian Baxter of Windham, one special niece Lee Ann “Lee Lee” Turkia Boxall (Andrew), grandnephews Kane and Jace Boxall, Richard (Ricki) Gagnon of Eastford; god mother Mai Tischofer of Lebanon. She was predeceased by her parents and grandmother Agnes Turkia.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. June 1 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson. The funeral will be at 9:15 a.m. June 2 from the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of LaSalette Church, Brooklyn. Donations; Whiskers Animal Shelter, Inc., 342 Lathrop Road, Plainfield, CT 06374.

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