Stasia M. Ziobrowski,

WWII vet

DAYVILLE — Stasia M. Ziobrowski, 95, of Ware Rd. formerly of Coalpit Hill Rd., Danbury, died Oct. 12, 2016, in Westview Health Care Center. She was born in 1921, the daughter of the late parents Frank and Eva (Jankot) Ziobrowski. She was a graduate of Willimantic State Teacher’s College (now known as Eastern Connecticut State University) and went on to receive her doctorate degree from Columbia University in New York City.  She was a veteran of WWII serving with the U.S. Navy during which time she was a flight simulator instructor.

During a long career in higher education Ms. Ziobrowski was a professor at City College of New York, Queens College and the University of Montana, where she taught summer classes early in her career, all prior to retiring from an extended tenure at New York University where she had specialized in International Education and at one time served as Dean of Students.

She enjoyed photography, playing bridge with her friends and traveling abroad including being one of a group American Educators that were invited to be among the first visitors to tour Communist China after President Richard Nixon’s famous 1972 visit that led to the normalization of U.S. relations with that country.

She leaves her sister Blanche Mayo (Bernard) of Putnam; as well as three generations of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers Edwin and Edward Ziobrowski. 

Visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 12 in Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam, followed by a service in the funeral home at 11. Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery. 

 

Lucille A. Byrne

BROOKLYN — Lucille A. (Asselin) Byrne, 70, of Brickyard Rd., died Oct. 17, 2016, at home. 

She was the wife of the late Kenneth F. Byrne.  Born in 1946 in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Marguerite (Poudrette) Asselin.

Mrs. Byrne worked as a press operator for Delta Rubber Corporation for 26 years retiring in 2012.  She loved all types of music and was an avid reader.  She was an avid lover of all her pets, and enjoyed cooking, traveling.

She leaves her son, Sean P. Byrne of Brooklyn; her daughters, Cindy Texeira (Michael) of Brooklyn, Kimberly Byrne of Brooklyn; her stepson, Christopher Byrne (Holly) of Niantic; her stepdaughter, Jillmary Zane (Kenneth) of Cheshire; her brother, Gary Asselin of Maine; her sister, Bernadette Hill of Pomfret; her grandchildren, Kyle, Alicia, Chelsea, Jeremy, Jayden, and Halle; and her great-grandchildren, Jayce, Alexander, Alexis, and Tobias.  

A Graveside Service is at 11 a.m. Nov. 5 at Holy Cross Cemetery, Maple Street, Danielson. Donations: St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Tribute Program, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or to The America Cancer Society, 825 Brook St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067. Gilman-Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Melissa Leigh Peabody

EASTFORD — Melissa Leigh Peabody, 36, of Eastford died unexpectedly Oct. 20, 2016. She was born Dec. 15, 1979, in Putnam, daughter of Ed and Lori (LeClaire) Peabody. 

She attended Putnam High School and Woodstock Academy. Melissa loved cooking, crafting, singing in her father’s band, the outdoors and gardening. She loved to smile and laugh. She was going to school to be a hairstylist and she loved cutting hair.  

Besides her parents, Ed and Lori of Eastford, she leaves her two daughters Mackenzie Rae Livingston, 18, Ella Bluebird Brytowski, 7, both of Putnam; maternal grandparents Raymond and Lorraine (Poulin) LeClaire of Dayville; brother Jonathan Peabody of Eastford; her fiancé Eric Brown of Thompson. She was predeceased by paternal grandparents Albert and Margaret (Wilcox) Peabody. 

A Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. Oct. 28 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with burial in Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam. Visitation is from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27 at the funeral home. Donations: Melissa Peabody’s Daughters Education Fund In lieu of # 0411, Putnam Bank, 40 Main St. Putnam, CT 06260.

 

Dawn M. Chesbrough

DANIELSON — Dawn M. Chesbrough, 59, of Westcott Road, Danielson, died Oct. 16, 2016, at Davis Place in Danielson, after a brief illness. 

She was born May 24, 1957, in Woburn, Mass., daughter of Theodore Oscar and Jeanne Marie (Leblanc) Chesbrough. She was formerly of Woburn, and Salem, N.H., making her home in Danielson for the last two years. 

She enjoyed fishing and boating. 

She leaves her children Jason (Brenda) Slosek of Plainfield, Kristy Slosek of Rochester, N.H., Leeann Roy (Mario) Salem, N.H.; 10 grandchildren Deven, Emily, Kaylee, Karissa, Logan, Preston; Riley; Elizabeth; Annabelle; Charlette; her siblings Kathy, Teddy, Glenn, Geno. She was predeceased by her father and her brother Billy. 

The Funeral was private.  

Donations: Davis Place, 111 Westcott Road, Danielson, CT 06239.

Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

 

William LeRoy III

PUTNAM — William J. LeRoy III, 37, of Putnam, died Oct. 5, 2016, in Hartford Hospital.  Born in 1979 in Putnam, he was the son of William J. LeRoy Jr. of Florida and Rhonda (Noe) Markowitz of Putnam.

Mr. LeRoy worked as a self-employed carpenter and was a self-taught computer programing “wiz.” 

In addition to his parents, he leaves his son, William J. LeRoy IV of Florida; his brother, Guillaume J. LeRoy of Putnam; and his sister, April R. Hudson of Florida.

Services were private. 

Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Douglas C. Jennings

BROOKLYN — Douglas C. Jennings, 68, died Oct. 21, 2016, at home.

He was born in Wilcoe, W.Va., son of the late Frank and Opal (Bailey) Jennings and lived in Brooklyn for the past four years, prior to that living in Dayville.  He was retired from the Anchor Glass in Dayville.  He enjoyed old cars. 

He leaves three brothers William Jennings and Garnet Jennings of West Virginia and Richard of Brooklyn; three sisters, Elizabeth Clark of W. Virginia, Emma Guevremont of Putnam, and Vicky Revet of Thompson. 

Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster. Donations: Charity of donor’s choice.

 

Donald W. Wilmot

LANDER, Wyo. — Don Wilmot, 77, of Lander, Wyoming, died on Oct. 15, 2016, at Westward Heights Care Center in Lander after a lengthy illness. 

Don was born in 1939 in Hartford and grew up in Putnam where he completed his secondary schooling. He married his high school sweetheart, Carol Hopkins, in 1960. Carol and Don laughingly described the early years of their marriage as destitute but fun. Carol put Don through school working at Montgomery Ward and Don also took late night shifts at a local diner to make ends meet. They joked about the 2nd floor porch falling off their rental apartment in the poorer section of Worcester. Despite these challenges, Don graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1961 with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering with Distinction.

In 1961 they moved to Long Island, where Don worked at Hazeltine and continued to study fiber optics, receiving his master’s in electrical engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1966. Their son Bruce was born in 1961, and son Gary followed in 1966. Don’s working career took them first to New Hampshire, where he worked for Sanders Associates and began his lifelong research on laser weapons and weapon detection systems. They moved their family to Virginia in 1972 where Don continued his laser weapons work with QuesTech and consulted with US Army and Navy intelligence to monitor Soviet weaponry and development. In 1988, Don and Carol moved to Georgia, where Don managed and led a 270-person laser and electro-optic lab for Georgia Tech. Don’s final job relocated them to Silver Springs, Md., where Don was the head of the Army Research Laboratory, managing a 120-person laser, infrared and electro-optic laboratory. Throughout his career, Don continued to do research, filed three patents, served as a government liaison with numerous foreign countries, educated other scientists at conferences and seminars, wrote a textbook and published extensively.

After retiring in 1999, Don and Carol moved West to Flagstaff, Ariz., to be nearer to their son, Gary and his wife, Aileen. They explored the Southwest and enjoyed discovering the Grand Canyon, southwest Utah and the southern deserts of Arizona. Don continued indulging his life-long love of computers and technology, and also began an in-depth study of Christianity. This led him to teach theology in adult Sunday School for the Flagstaff Federated Church.

In 2005, Don and Carol followed their family to Lander. They were active members of the Lander United Methodist Church.

He leaves his wife, Carol, of Lander; his sons, Bruce, of Atlanta, Gary (Aileen) of Lander; grandchildren; Taylor, Brendon, Kane, Kate and Annika.

Memorial services were Oct. 25 at Mountain Vista Retirement Residence in the community dining room. Donations: Organization of the donor’s choice.

 

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