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Warren H. Knight Sr.,
Navy veteran
ABINGTON — Warren H. Knight Sr., 81, of Abington, died Feb. 21, 2020, after a courageous battle with kidney disease.
Warren was born May 16, 1938, in Pomfret, the son of Clarence W. and Mary H. (Robbins) Knight. He grew up in Pomfret.
Warren graduated from Ellis Technical High School and shortly after enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was very proud to have served in the Navy. He received an honorable discharge in 1962 and was on inactive duty until 1967. He worked many different jobs using the skills he learned while in school and in the Navy. His longest position was held at International Paper in Putnam where he worked maintaining machines and as a safety specialist.
He leaves his wife Jeannette A. (White) Knight; children: Warren H. Knight Jr. (Sandra (Serben), Cindy (Knight) Klemola (Richard), and Brenda A. (Knight) LePage; grandchildren and nieces and nephews. Warren was the last surviving member of his immediate family. He is predeceased by both parents; a sister Charlotte (Knight) Gilman, who died March 9, 2007; and a brother Roy Knight who died Sept. 22, 2013.
A Graveside Service will be at 1 p.m. April 18, in Abington Cemetery, Pomfret Center, with Military Honors. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Lois Mary Siegmund
Lois Mary Siegmund (née Schramm), 95, died Feb. 18, 2020, surrounded by the family who delighted in the charm and intelligence of her company for so many years.
Born Jan. 13, 1925, in Irondequoit, N.Y., was the only daughter of Herbert and Edna Schramm. Lois, whose first word was “streetcar,” grew up loved and secure, a circumstance she often remarked brought her confidence and a sure sense of her place in the world. As a child, she loved to roller skate and cut out paper dolls, which she said helped with manual dexterity later in life. A studious individual, she was top of her class at Benjamin Franklin High School in Rochester, N.Y., where in 9th grade she met Walter P. Siegmund. After a prolonged courtship, he became her husband of 62 years until his death in 2012.
Unusual for the time, Lois studied chemistry at the University of Rochester, earning a master of science degree in organic chemistry in 1945. During that time, though Walter got lost going to pick her up for their first formal date, he nonetheless took her to the university Christmas dance and presented her with a box of chocolates, a tradition they maintained throughout their marriage on the same date every year. Before Lois and Walter married in 1950, Lois worked teaching chemistry at Genesee Junior College in Batavia, N.Y.
After her marriage, Lois went on to the Kodak Company in Rochester, working in the cellulose acetate development lab, a job she regarded as essential in providing her with rigorous laboratory experience. In the meantime, Walter earned his doctorate in optics and accepted a job with the American Optical Company in Southbridge. The couple moved to Southbridge in 1953. Their first son, Paul, was born there in 1955. Before their only daughter Lisa was born in 1957, Lois and Walter moved into their home in Woodstock. Several years later, after their second son, Kurt was born in 1961, Lois accepted, first, a part-time and, soon, a full-time job teaching science and math at the Woodstock Academy. She retired in 1995.
Sure of her ideas and values, an innate optimism and balanced pragmatism supported the strength and guidance she freely offered friends and family. She was passionate in her politics, courageous in her views, never timid in speaking her mind, yet always full of warmth and humor.
Lois enjoyed gardening, recipe hunting and cooking, playing bridge, reading across genres and international borders, watching and discussing films, traveling with her husband, deliberating politics, working on crossword puzzles, and engaging in conversation that ranged across broad topics from the domestic to the philosophical. Extraordinary in her breadth of interests and in her ready, full embrace of life, in her humanity and her straightforward and honest assessment of people and the world, in her determination to live abundantly and generously, Lois was an individual unparalleled and irreplaceable.
She leaves her New York family, Susan Siegmund, of Webster, N.Y., and Laurie Anderson, husband David, and their children Denise, Chelsea, and Kara of Ontario, N.Y.; her eldest son, Paul Siegmund, stepsons William and Glen Cook, and step-grandson Alexzander Cook of Falmouth, Mass.; her youngest son, Kurt Siegmund, daughter-in-law, Diane Eddy Siegmund, and granddaughter Clara Siegmund of Pomfret; her daughter Lisa Siegmund of Hampton, with whom she lived for the last six years.
A Celebration of Life service will be from 1 to 4 p.m. April 18 at the Inn at Woodstock Hill. Donations: Your local public library. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Daniel F. Greene
PUTNAM — Daniel F. Greene, 81, of Putnam died Feb. 28, 2020, in Putnam.
He was born July 3, 1938, in Putnam, son of the late Daniel and Theresa (Tetreault) Greene. Daniel was married 56 years to the love of his life Elaine (Barber) Greene. They were married April 19, 1958, in St. James Church in Danielson. She died Aug. 1, 2014.
Daniel enjoyed annual trips to Sebago Lake in Maine, where he enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. In his later years he was known as the old man on the porch, who loved feeding the birds. He also enjoyed his morning trips to Marika’s Place Restaurant where he was known as Grampa Dan.
Daniel was employed at the Rogers Corp. for more than 30 years as a tour mechanic. After retirement he became a driver for the Hyde School in Woodstock until its closing.
He leaves his four sons Jeff Greene of Maine, Stephen Greene of Bonaire, Ga., Brian Greene (Michele) of Putnam and Daniel W. Greene of Worcester; daughter Jo-Ann and her husband Craig of Plainfield; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; brothers Byron Greene of Venice, Fla., and Michael Greene of Longmeadow, Mass.; sisters Rose Wojcik of Putnam and Donna Pelletier (Richard) of Quinebaug. He was predeceased by a brother George Greene, a sister Gloria Gilbert and a grandson Jeffery D.M. Greene.
Visitation is from 10 to 11:30 a.m. March 5 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, followed by a Funeral Service at 11:30 at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Putnam. Donations: Jeffery D.M. Greene Memorial Scholarship Fund, 62 Tourtellotte Road, Putnam, CT 06260.
Kenneth Stevens Jr.
THOMPSON — Kenneth W. Stevens Jr, 79, died Feb. 22, 2020, at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
Kenneth was born Aug. 13, 1940, in Athens, Maine, son of Kenneth W. Stevens Sr. and Ruth M. (James) Stevens. He was a faithful Christian man and was well known for being a spiritual man. In his younger years, Kenneth enjoyed scuba diving and playing the guitar. Later in life, he enjoyed fishing and riding his motorcycle as a member of the Tomahawk Motorcycle Club, of which he has been a member since 1987. Kenneth was also a 32nd degree Mason, joining in 1964.
He leaves his wife Elaine T. (Pelletier) Stevens; three sons: Kevin S. Stevens (Stephanie) of Douglas, Mass., Michael J. Stevens (Alexis) of Billerica, Mass., and Brian D. Stevens of Waltham, Mass.; daughter Brenda J. Johnston (Mark) of Waltham; mother Jacqueline M. Harrington of Waltham; stepson Joel Fleck of Putnam; stepdaughters: Krystle Lackey of Dudley and Katrina Fleck of Vermont; two brothers: Raymond J. Stevens of California and Gordon T. Stevens of Somerville, Mass.; his sister Kathleen R. Jones of Lunenburg, Mass.; grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life was Feb. 26 at Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster. Donations: American Heart Association.
Nancy Marlborough
WOODSTOCK — Nancy M Marlborough, 65, of Woodstock, died Feb. 22, 2020, at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester.
She was born Nov. 20, 1954, in Worcester, daughter of the late Joseph Thomas Ushinski and Hedwig Mary (Siemaszko) Ushinski of Charlton.
Nan loved all animals, to cook, bake, garden, and snuggle with her dog, Brody. She was a passionate believer that every individual had the right to a full and vibrant life. She was the residential director at Life-Skills in Webster and spent her 30-year career working tirelessly to provide the best quality life to her clients.
She leaves her mother Hedwig “Pat” (Siemaszko) Ushinski of Charlton; one sister, Elaine Kilroy of Woodstock; brother Joseph Ushinski of Delaware and her “daughter-at-heart” Charalee of Auburn; granddaughter Isabel; nieces and nephews; best friend Catherine Hurstack, and close friend Mary Milks.
A Celebration of Life was Feb. 28. Donations: Life-Skills, Inc. South Central Residential Program, 44 Morris St., Webster, MA 01570. Bartel Funeral Home, Dudley.
Thaddeus J. Nowacki
WEBSTER — Thaddeus J. “Ted” Nowacki, 70, died Feb. 14, 2020, in UMass/Memorial Healthcare, Worcester, after an illness.
He was born July 17, 1949, in Webster, the son of Bernard A. and Mary (Krawczyk) Nowacki and lived here all his life. He attended St. Joseph Grammar School.
Mr. Nowacki worked in the shipping and receiving department at Sanitary Dash in N. Grosvenordale, as an inspector at Schott’s Fiber Optics in Woodstock, at Anglo Fabrics Company and at Lelanite Corporation, both in Webster, before retiring several years ago.
He was a member of St. Joseph Basilica. His passion was music: he owned and operated “Ted’s Jockey Service” for many years. He liked the Beach Boys, Neal Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and karaoke music. He attended the annual parish festival and he danced to the music of Happy Louie and other polka bands. He was a sports fan, rooting for the Boston Reds Sox and the New England Patriots. For many years, he vacationed at Hampton Beach.
He leaves a daughter, Kristina M. Ndow of Putnam; a niece, Courtney Nowacki Davis (Cliff); a nephew, Christopher Nowacki (Karen); a sister-in-law, Geraldine Nowacki; his former wife, Constance (May) Nowacki; and his companion, Chris Wheeler. He was predeceased by his brother Bernard. He also leaves his poodle “Snowball.”
A Memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. March 7 in St. Joseph Basilica, Webster. Donations: Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue, PO Box 808, Hudson, MA 01749. Sitkowski, Malboeuf & Hickey Funeral Home, Webster.
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