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Ernest F. Ouellet,
WWII vet
BROOKLYN — Ernest F. Ouellet, 90, of Vina Lane, died Nov. 22, 2010, at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home in Brooklyn. He was the husband of Katherine (Sullivan) Ouellet, she died in 2006.
He was born April 10, 1920, son of the late Ernest J. and Mary Ann (Valencourt) Ouellet. He attended St. Mary School and NFA. He worked as a printer for the Sheffield Co. in New London and for National Youth Association as a project officer in Norwich. In 1940 he joined SNET as a cable splicer.
On Oct. 18, 1941, he married Katherine Sullivan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Army, serving in WWII. After he was honorably discharged in 1946 he returned to SNET; he worked for 42 years as a splicer then went to Central Office as an equipment repairman, then as a supervisor’s assistant in New Haven. He was then made Central Office foreman in Saybrook, then was sent to Danielson as plant service supervisor. He then became a manager where he was responsible for central office equipment, installation, repair of inside, outside equipment. When he retired in 1982 he was responsible for Danielson, Willimantic and Norwich Service.
He was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America, VFW, Wauregan Post, AARP, past member of Danielson Rotary, Danielson Exchange Club and served as president, Middlesex Valley Industrial Management Club and served as president, first selectman in Brooklyn from 1984 to 1988. He was a communicant of Our Lady of LaSalette Church and was a member of Quinnatisset Country Club.
He leaves his son James Ouellet of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; two daughters Pamela LaJeunesse of Brunswick, Maine, Lori Patrylak of Brooklyn; sisters, Flora LaCroix of Vero Beach, Fla., Roberta Hartley of Daytona Beach, Fla., Jeannette Neilan of Waterford, Rachel Geissler of Waterford; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother William Ouellet and two sisters Theresa Brown and M. Rose McNamara.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Nov. 26 at Our Lady of LaSalette, Brooklyn, with burial with military honors in St. Joseph Cemetery, Norwich. Donations: American Heart Association, PO Box 5022, Wallingford, CT 06492. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Jean Lange,
established galleries
PUTNAM — Mrs. Jean (Black) Lange, 96, of Thurber Road, formerly of Chappaqua and Goldens Bridge, N.Y., died Nov. 15, 2010, in Matulaitis Nursing Home.
Born Dec. 8, 1913, in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Edward and Annie (Stryker) Black. Mrs. Lange was the wife of the late Bertram J. Lange, advertising executive and art dealer of Mt. Kisco, N.Y., and Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
Jean was a lady of classic mold, but an educated, modern woma,n too. Jean was quietly elegant and ever gracious. Always well dressed (with a scarf to complement every outfit), she never raised her voice, was patient and kind to even the youngest family members, threw wonderful parties, and was thoughtful and charming to all.
Her childhood was well ordered but far from ordinary. She was two when her family, in the service of the Methodist Church, decamped from Brooklyn, N.Y., to Fuzhou, China, where her father, a civil engineer, had responsibility for the care of church property. He also taught engineering at Fuzhou University where Jean’s mother Annie taught English. Returning from China in 1920, the family moved to Mechanicsburg, Penn.
Jean graduated from Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn., with a pre-med degree and was a member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She was working in Harrisburg, Penn., for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) when she met her husband, Bert Lange. She moved to Washington D.C. where they were married at the National Cathedral on March 4, 1939.
During WWII, while her husband served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe, she lived with her children at her parents’ home in New Cumberland, Penn.
Following the war, Jean and Bert lived in White Plains, N.Y., Barrington, R.I., and Roslyn, N.Y. The family eventually settled in Chappaqua in 1954. Jean worked as a medical secretary while helping her husband build the Pinchpenny Gallery art business, establishing galleries in Mt. Kisco, and Boothbay Harbor. Together, they built a house on the Maine coast. Jean especially loved the house in Maine, and the two spent each summer there until Bert’s death in 1991.
Jean had a lovely singing voice, and was a skilled piano player. She was an avid gardener and a serious collector of American antiques, with a special love for early American architecture. She was interested in genealogy and the many branches of her family. One of her great pleasures was to share family lore, from the early 19th century Hatfield Ironworks on the Brandywine Creek that manufactured steel beams used in the dome of the U.S. Capitol building, to ancestors who fought at the Battle of Hastings.
She leaves her daughter, Patricia Flemma and her husband, John Borise, of Norwalk; son, Peter Lange (Donna) of Thompson; 11 grandchildren, one predeceased; and 15 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service was held Nov. 23 at Alexandria Presbyterian Cemetery in Alexandria, Penn. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
The Rev. Dr.
Wallace Matsen
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The Reverend Dr. Wallace Matsen, 80, died Nov. 20, 2010 after a long illness. He was born June 28, 1930, in Bridgeport.
He received a bachelor’s from Nyack College, Nyack, N.Y., and his master of divinity from Hartford Seminary. He was the first recipient of the doctoral degree conferred by Hartford Seminary, Hartford. He would later become vice president of Hartford Seminary and would serve in that role for three years.
He began his ministry in Bennington, Vt., and then in Norwich with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He served with the UCC as Senior Minister at Old Stone Church, in East Haven for 11 years and North Congregational Church in Woodbury for 17 years.
After retirement he was the interim minister at the United Congregational Church of Tryon, N.C., and taught at the Blue Ridge Community College, Hendersonville, N.C. He taught business psychology at UConn, Western Campus and was an accomplished writer. He wrote an extensive collection of essays called “Pulpit, Pen and Parish” and published a book entitled “Old is Not a Dirty Word.”
He leaves his wife of 45 years, Lorene; one son and two daughters and their spouses; Donald and Kimberly Matsen, Elysa and Robert Leonard and Dr. Krista Matsen and Robert Paterson; 10 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his mother Alexandra; father, Wallace; sister, Sandra Matsen Wentworth.
A Memorial Service in Celebration of his Life will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at North Congregational Church in Woodbury. Donations: St. Jude Cancer Research Hospital for Children. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
William R. Beausoleil,
Vietnam vet
PUTNAM — William R. Beausoleil, 77, of Woodstock Avenue, died Nov. 28, 2010, in Matulaitis Nursing Home. Born in 1933 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Rudolphe and Alma (Gagniere) Beausoleil.
Mr. Beausoleil was a Korean conflict and Vietnam Air Force veteran where he served as master sergeant. He went on to serve in the Air Force for 22 years. He was a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University and Quinebaug Valley Community College with high honors. After his retirement from the military, he worked various part time jobs. He was an avid golfer and chess player and enjoyed to read. He was a member of Albert J. Breault VFW Post 1523 and the Woodstock Chess Club.
William leaves his sister, Rita Giordano of Groton; nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his brother Jean Paul Beausoleil.
Services were private. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Peter Stahecki Jr.,
WWII vet
DANIELSON — Peter Stahecki Jr., 87, of Upper Maple Street, died unexpectedly Nov. 23, 2010, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. He was the husband of Arlene (Caron) Stahecki. She died June 24, 2009.
He was born Jan. 17, 1923, in Killingly, son of the late Peter and Anna Stahecki Sr. Peter worked at Rogers Corporation for over 35 years in the shipping department and also worked in masonry.
He was a veteran of WWII serving with the U.S. Navy. He was a communicant of St. James Church in Danielson. Peter was an avid walker, enjoyed working in his garden and family trips to York Beach.
He leaves his daughter, Deborah Tourangeau (Paul) of Brooklyn; two special grandchildren, Justin Tourangeau of Brooklyn and Holly Stahecki of Quinebaug; two sisters, Mildred Hebert of Dayville and Sophie Holbrook of Palmer, Mass.; sister-in-law, Anita Shippee of Maple Court and brother-in-law, Wilfred Caron Jr. (Lucy) of Danielson. He was predeceased by a sister Mary Kaminski.
A Mass of Christian Burial was Nov. 27 at St. James Church, Danielson, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery with military honors. Donations: St. James Church. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Robert J. Byrne,
WWII vet
BROOKLYN — Robert John Byrne, 85, died Nov. 24, 2010, in the home of his daughter, Robin Byrne.
He was born Nov. 26, 1924. He had been a 30-year resident of Naples, Fla., before moving back to Connecticut in September 2009 after his wife’s passing.
He had lived in Abington and Woodstock Valley and taught in Hampton for many years and was active in the Pomfret Lion’s Club (past president), Pomfret Scout troop, a volunteer firefighter and a justice of the peace.
He held a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Hofstra University on Long Island and spent many years in procurement and sales of military electronics before entering the teaching profession.
Mr. Byrne served with the First Air Commando Group in Burma during WWII and received two Air Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.
In Naples he had been very active in the Moorings Presbyterian Church, school volunteering, and the Naples Community Hospital.
He leaves his daughter, Robin Byrne of Brooklyn; son and daughter-in-law, William and Shelagh Byrne of Ashville, N.C.; four grandsons; Derek and Ryan Joly of Brooklyn and Christopher and Sean Byrne of Ashville.
Entombment will be with his wife, Dorothy, Dec. 3 at Naples Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, P.O. Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
‘Bob’ Kollbeck III,
talented artist
DANIELSON — Arthur “Bob” R. Kollbeck III, 50, of Westcott Road, died Nov. 24, 2010, at Day Kimball Hospital, Putnam.
He was born in Providence, son of the late Arthur R. Jr. and Irene (Silva) Kollbeck and lived in Danielson all his life. In his youth, he raced dirt bikes on the New England Sports Committee. He graduated from Killingly High School. He was a talented tattoo artist.
He leaves a son, Jeremiah Kollbeck (Amy) of Woodstock; daughter, Alexa Kollbeck of Danielson; four brothers, Joseph Ruscito (Linda) Richard Kollbeck, Don Kollbeck, Kevin Kollbeck (companion Tracy Mather); three sisters, Jo-ann Freiberger (Bob), Maureen Mills (Mark), and Debie Kollbeck-Peixoto; five grandchildren. He was predeceased by a daughter, Amanda Realie.
The Service was Dec. 1 at Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Donations: To assist the family to Jeremiah Kollbeck, c/o Putnam Bank, 40 Main St., Putnam, CT 06260.
Lou Sanderson,
owned business
S. KILLINGLY – Lou Sanderson, 78, of Cook Hill Road, died Nov. 24, 2010, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
She was born April 7, 1932, in Boulder, Colo.
She was the wife of Alan T. Sanderson. They were married September 1981. Mrs. Sanderson along with her husband owned and operated Lou’s Old Time Sheet Music Shop in S. Killingly and was a property manager.
Besides her husband she leaves two daughters, Deborah E. Sanderson of S. Killingly and Keylenz Silva of Lajara, Colo.; her adopted daughter Monique Petrella of Pomfret. Graveside Services at 11 a.m. Dec. 1 at South Killingly Cemetery, Cook Hill Road, Danielson. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Marcia Laporte,
loved antiques
BROOKLYN — Marcia Louise Laporte, 68, of Brooklyn, died Nov. 26, 2010, at home, after a battle with cancer.
She leaves her sister, Anne Clausen; brother Craig Laporte and loving friend Lynda Hennigan. She was preceded in death by her father, Philip Laporte, mother, Marjorie Werme, and brother Philip Laporte Jr.
She had a passion for antiques and was the proprietor of Heirloom Antiques for more than 35 years. Marcia had a love for her community and enjoyed quietly coming to the assistance of others without self recognition.
Donations: Hospice of NE CT, c/o DKH, 320 Pomfret St., Putnam, CT 06260. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Cedric Robtoy,
painter
WOODSTOCK — Cedric Robtoy, 67, died on Nov. 25, 2010, after a long battle with cancer.
He was born June 7, 1943.
A painter by profession for the past 20 years, Cedric was well known in his community as a kind, funny and charming man of the highest integrity.
He leaves his wife of 20 years, Barbara; their four dogs, Stella, Loretta, Lola and Luigi; his children, Todd and Amy and their mother Barbara Gebo; nine of his 13 siblings, George, Reginald, Cordell, Phillip, Adelphis and Graydon Robtoy, Buelah King, Gloria Metayer and Virginia Riley.
It was Cedric’s expressed wish that there be no public service mourning his passing. He wanted instead for those who knew him to remember him in life with a smile in their hearts and memories of the pleasant and happy times of past encounters. Donations: Day Kimball Hospice. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson,