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Charles Archambault,
Air Force vet
N. GROSVENORDALE — Charles E. Archambault, 87, of Riverside Dr. died July 11, 2020, at home. He was the husband of Alice (Simonzi) Archambault for 66 years. Born in 1932 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Joseph and Bernadette (Coderre) Archambault.
Charles attended St. Joseph’s High School in Thompson and graduated in 1950 with honors. He actively served in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal. After completing his military service, Charles signed a minor league baseball contract with the St. Louis Browns. In 1953, he joined his father’s general insurance agency and became a licensed agent a year later. In 1962 he incorporated the agency which became known as J.A. Archambault & Son, Inc. and was the president and CEO from 1986 until his retirement in December 1995. He served as a director of the Citizens National Bank from 1965 until 2014 when the bank was sold. He also served the Town of Thompson as a tax collector for three years, was a member of the Board of Finance for four years, the Zoning Board of Appeals for four years and the Building Committee for the high school addition. He served on the Board of Directors of Day Kimball Hospital for four years. He was the chairman of the Development Committee for two years and was a member of the Thompson Historical Society and Thompson Village Improvement Society. He was a dedicated friend of Bill W’s since 1984. Charles was a communicant of St. Joseph Church where he served as the Trustee for the church for 15 years, Choir Master for 27 years and four years on the Board of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Norwich. He was a past member of the Thompson Lions Club, Life Member and past Grand Knight of St. Bernard Council Knights of Columbus, Life Member of the Putnam Lodge of Elks, Life Member of the Community Fire Department and a member of the Oscar Swanson Post American Legion.
In addition to his wife, he leaves two sons, David R. Archambault and his life partner Cynthia Stringfellow of N. Grosvenordale, and Joseph C. Archambault (Rabeya) of New Bedford, Mass.; his daughter, Marianne Zwicklbauer (Dr. Michael Zwicklbauer) of Newport News, Va.; his brothers, Monsignor Henry Archambault of Taftville, and Dr. Paul Archambault of Mass.; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and brothers and sisters-in-law. He was predeceased by his brothers, Maurice Archambault, Dr. J. Bernard Archambault, A. Leon Archambault, and Rev. Richard L. Archambault and by his sisters, Jeanne Brodeaur and Denise Hutchinson.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 16 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Donations: TEEG, P.O. Box 664, N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255; or to Hospice & Palliative Care, P.O. Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Valade Funeral Home & Crematory, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
H. Van Nieuwenhuyze
N. GROSVENORDALE — Helen Van Nieuwenhuyze (nee Belhumeur) died July 19, 2020, at home. She was the wife of 64 years of William R. Van Nieuwenhuyze.
She was born Nov. 11, 1936, in Central Falls, R.I., the third child of Rhode Island band leader and State Senator Arthur (Artie Bell) Belhumeur and his wife Jeanne (St Pierre) Belhumeur. She attended high school at St Xavier’s Academy in Providence and became an accomplished pianist, earning a full scholarship at 17 to continue her music studies at Anna Maria College in Paxton, Mass.
After marrying the love of her life, she moved to Thompson and raised six children while finishing her studies, eventually establishing a successful teaching practice that included more than 400 students throughout northeastern Connecticut. As an organist she was sought after for weddings, masses and funerals, playing the organ for 43 years at Sacred Heart Church on West Thompson Rd and St. Joseph’s Church in N. Grosvenordale. She was a piano accompanist and music director for many plays, concerts and events throughout the Thompson school system, and participated chorally in the Diocesan Choir at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, performing at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. under the direction of the Los Angeles Master Chorale Director, Paul Salamunovich as one of only two singers from Connecticut — and by invitation in musicals at Pomfret School.
She leaves her husband, William R. Van Nieuwenhuyze of N. Grosvenordale; her daughters, Lynn Davis (Louis) of Scottsdale, Ariz./ N. Grosvenordale, Linda Van Nieuwenhuyze of Phoenix, Debra Petrick (Joe) of Henniker, N.H., Wendy Van Kirk of Shelton, Jennifer Gomes (Gary) of Dudley; and son William S. Van Nieuwenhuyze of Meriden; 15 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren: Hillary Davis of Scottsdale, Alex Davis of Pittsburgh, Beatrice DeSabatino of Bridgeport, Andrew DeSabatino of Phoenix, Chris and Courtney Petrick; and great-grandson Talis and great-granddaughter Nessa of Windham, Maine, William and Colleen Petrick and great-granddaughter Ryan of Randolph, N.J., Joe and Kim Petrick of Henniker, Charlie Petrick of Louisville, Lindsay Van Kirk and Nate Graham and great-granddaughter Flora Louise of Hastings on Hudson, N.Y., Aubrey Van Kirk of Shelton, Ronald and Taylor Kong of N. Haven, William Van Nieuwenhuyze of Meriden, Laratee Van Nieuwenhuyze of Meriden, Kaelin Andersen of N. Grosvenordale, and Quinn and Rebecca Andersen of Dover, Del.; sister Lorraine Belhumeur-Eramo (Richard Eramo) of N. Providence; brother Robert Belhumeur (Kathy) of Smithfield; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Robert and Marilyn Van Nieuwenhuyze of Smithfield; brother-in-law John Taupier of S. Yarmouth, Mass.; best friend Dottie and husband Merrill Seney. She was predeceased by her parents and older sister Georgette.
Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation for Helen from 10 a.m. to noon July 23 with a prayer service at 10:30 a.m. in the Valade Funeral Home & Crematory, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale. All Covid-19 social distancing precautions are to be observed during the visitation. Donations; Alzheimer’s Association of CT; or to the Anna Maria Fund at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA. Guestbook: www.GilmanandValade.com.
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