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Richard W. Orzulak,
U.S. Marines vet
DANIELSON — Richard William “Rick” Orzulak, a proud Marine, ardent fan of the Packers and Yankees, passionate Elvis devotee, sports trivia innovator, genius of the one-liner, local softball legend, longtime coach, who marched to the beat of nobody’s drum but his own, died May 25, 2020, (Memorial Day – his favorite holiday) at home. He was 81.
The cause was cancer. There’s a good chance that Mickey Mantle, Vince Lombardi, and Elvis Presley haven’t gotten a second’s rest since he joined them.
Born in 1938 in New York, N.Y., he was the son of Edna Orszulak and a father he never knew. Speaking nothing but Polish and French until he was 9, he was raised by his doting grandmother, Polish immigrant Antonio Orszulak, and her husband, Albert. A pitcher with a terrific fastball, he attracted the attention of Major League scouts as a student at Putnam Technical School before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1957, where he was a member of the 8th Engineer Battalion.
After six years of distinguished service, he was honorably discharged. Not long after, on a warm summer night in Putnam, he saw Beverly Mayhew, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was dating a friend of his. If she should ever break up with the friend, he asked, would she mind if he called? Please do, she said, and he did. They were never apart after that. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in August. He loved her even more on their last day together than he did on their first, as did – does – she.
The ace of numerous local softball championship teams in the 1960s and ‘70s, he threw out the very first pitch at the new softball field – now named for his longtime friend, Foxy Fortin – at Owen Bell Park in Dayville. He was also a revered Little League coach – and eventually, Little League president – to a generation of young men in Danielson.
Long before Google and the Internet, he was also the go-to person for sports trivia. Almost every night, the phone would ring, with somebody asking about a pitcher from the 1940s or a quarterback from the 1950s, and he would provide the answer. His secret was that he had a photographic memory for sports, and he had collected and read every issue of Sport Magazine ever published. When asked a question, he would remember an article he had read years before, go to his stack of magazines, and find it. Across more than three decades, there was only one question that ever stumped him.
Along the way, he also earned a reputation as a singer, who was regularly asked to perform Elvis songs at parties and the weddings. A lifelong believer that athletes were better back in his day, he revered the Green Bay Packers teams of the 1960s and was known to have a Vince Lombardi story for every occasion. He also had a nickname for every friend and regularly peppered his conversations with memorable one-liners – known by his friends as “Rick-isms” – that left more than a few people laughing.
For 25 years until his retirement in 2002, he worked as a sheet metal mechanic at Kaman Aerospace in Moosup. As he got older, his service in the Marine Corps became even more important to him. He became active in the local Paul C. Houghton detachment of the Marine Corps League, and in the mid-1990s, he led a project that was near to his heart. Searching across all 50 states (pre-Internet), he collected five WWII-era combat uniforms, right down to the bayonets. On Feb. 19, 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, he and four fellow members of the Marine Corps League recreated the event and were later asked to re-stage it at a state-wide event. It led a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps to write that he walked away, “with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eyes,” which made him immensely proud.
In retirement, he walked 5 miles every day at the running track at Owen Bell Park, often with Beverly alongside him. His grandchildren remember him for his kindness, his endless jokes, and of him stopping in mid-conversation whenever he heard an Elvis song, aligning both hands with fingers pointed skyward in the style of back-up singers of the late ‘50s and ‘60s, and belting out the King.
He leaves his wife, Beverly, of Danielson; his son, Paul (Beneva Schulte), of Chevy Chase, Md.; his daughter, Karen Konow (Jim) of Lebanon; his brother, William McPadden of Great Falls, Vir.; granddaughters Ellie Orzulak, Anna Orzulak, and Emma Rose Orzulak, all of Chevy Chase, and Alison Konow, Kelsey Konow, and Julia Konow of Lebanon.
In remembrance: Tell your spouse you love them every day, hug your child or grandchild, and be thankful for all the small things in life – which, in the end, are everything. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St. Putnam.
Tiffany L. Duquette
MANCHESTER — Tiffany L. Duquette, 39, of Bidwell St., formerly of Danielson and Putnam, died May 25, 2020, at Hartford Hospital. Born in 1980 in Putnam, she was the daughter of Cheryl (Wild) Bowen and the late Donald Duquette.
Tiffany worked as a piece worker for N.E.P.S. She enjoyed watching TV and making puzzles. She loved all animals and people, especially her cat “Precious.” She will be remembered as a sweet and kind soul.
In addition to her mother, she leaves her step-father, Raymond Bowen of Putnam; step-sisters, Angel Dean of New York, and Kelly Bowen of Danielson; her grandparents, Susan and Raymond Soto of Thompson; Violet and Robert Bowen Sr. of Danielson; nieces; nephews; and cousins. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St, Putnam.
Robin Kyriakakis
PUTNAM — Robin A. (Woy) Kyriakakis, 57, died May 24, 2020, at home. She was the daughter of Eugene Woy and the late Lois (Gorr) Woy.
Robin was born in 1962 in Coraopolis, Penn., and lived in Bethel Park, Penn., where she graduated from Bethel Park High School. She attended The Pennsylvania State University and graduated with a degree in education. She spent her junior year abroad student teaching in London. Robin lived for several years in California, before moving to New Hampshire, where she worked as an elementary school teacher. In 2011 she moved to Putnam to be near her sister, Janet Blanchette, who helped care for her in her later years.
Robin enjoyed spending time at the beach, especially at Ocean City, N.J., with her aunts and cousins. She was a voracious reader and could read several books in one day. She also enjoyed arts and crafts projects, especially flower arranging. She loved attending Penn State football games, tailgating often with her family.
She leaves her son, Dylan Kyriakakis of Boston; her father Eugene Woy (Carol) of North Canton, Ohio; sister Janet Blanchette(Dennis) of Thompson and and their 3 children, Daniel, Ellen and Alison; brother David Woy(Amy) of Canal Fulton, Ohio and their 2 children, Caleb and Olivia; three aunts - Nicky, Carol and Kay. She was predeceased by her mother, Lois Woy.
Donations: Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, PO Box 664, N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255 or online at www.teegonline.org. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Mary A. Byrnes
WILSONVILLE — Mary A. Byrnes, 95, of Wilsonville, died May 19, 2020.
Daughter of the late Thomas F. and Anna (Welch) Collins, she was born on March 16, 1925, in Worcester. She was a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy and Syracuse University. Mary started her career as an operator with Bell Telephone-in Newburgh and retired 30-plus years later as a supervisor with Michigan Bell in Kalamazoo, Mich. Even at 95 years old Mary could still recite any 10 digit number given to her. After retiring Mary and her late husband of 60 years, Bill, settled on the Welch family farm in N. Grosvenordale. Mary had a passion for the arts, she loved sculpting, decoupage, knitting, cooking, refinishing furniture and tending her roses. She was a kind, generous, thoughtful soul who always surrounded herself with beauty. Mary was a parishioner of St. Louis Church, Webster, a member of the Altar Rosary Society, and a member of the Sierra Club Dioceses of Worcester. She also volunteered for Hospice and loved her Airedales. Mary is predeceased by her husband of 60 years, William F. Byrnes; two brothers Thomas and Robert Collins. She leaves nephews: Thomas Collins (NY), Randall Collins (VA), Michael Collins (VA) and Brandan Collins (VA); goddaughter Mary Mueller. Donations: New England Airedale Rescue (NEAR), 3 Carter Road, Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Newburgh, N.Y. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home.
Elaine N. Jeffrey
QUINEBAUG — Elaine N. Jeffrey, 80, died May 19, 2020. Elaine was born and grew up in Webster, daughter of the late Leo Jeffrey and Constance (Lamothe) Jeffrey. She lived in Quinebaug for several years, prior to that living in Thompson.
She leaves a brother Leonard Jeffrey (Sandra) of Forest Hill, Calif., a sister Jeanne Wunsch (Edward) of Webster; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Leona LaFountain.
Elaine was a graduate of Bartlett High School Class of 1958. She was a communicant of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Webster.
A Funeral Mass was May 29 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, with committal in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Donations: COPD Research C/O Worcester Medical Center, Worcester, MA attn. Dr. Rosiello. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Jean G. Desmarais
SPENCER, Mass. — Jean Goyette Desmarais, 85, of Spencer died May 30, 2020, at Baystate Health of Springfield after being stricken ill at physical therapy in Ludlow as she was recovering from recent surgery
Jean was born Oct. 20, 1934, in Uxbridge, Mass., daughter of Norman Goyette and Alma Croteau. Jean was a member of the Spencer Historical Commission, serving as chairwoman for many years. She and her husband toured historical sites. She volunteered for the Red Cross, food pantries and made personal birthday cakes for the residents of The Joshua House in Worcester. Jean was one of the first employees of Commerce Insurance Company, served as secretary for Pakachoag Church in Auburn.
She leaves two daughters: Lynn Skladzien (Joseph) of Dudley, and Leslie Sullivan (Steven) of Dudley; two sons: Joseph Bottasso (Margaret) of Putnam and James Bottasso (Deborah) of Fabyan; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; brother Robert Goyette (Rachel) of Chelmsford. She was predeceased by her husband, Denis P Desmarais on Jan. 11, 2011 and her brother Norman Goyette.
A Mass of Christian Burial was June 4 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Webster. After cremation she will be laid to rest in St. Anne Cemetery in Three Rivers. Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, Dudley.
Thomas H. Andrews,
Navy vet
DAYVILLE — Thomas H. Andrews, 81, died May 26, 2020, at home.
Thomas was born Jan. 16, 1939, in Warwick, R.I., son of the late Clarence and Agnes (Chagnon) Andrews.
After serving honorably in the U.S. Navy, he worked as an independent truck driver, retiring 15 years ago and moving to Dayville from Cranston, R.I. Thomas was a kind man with a terrific sense of humor.
He leaves three sons: Allen, John Henry, and Michael Joseph Andrews; two daughters: Tina Smith and Michelle Andrews; grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son Thomas, and by his brother and his seven sisters.
Donations: Charity of your choice to benefit our veterans in honor of Thomas. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
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