- Details
- Category: Past Issues
Frank B. Gomes Sr.,
artist
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. --- Frank B. Gomes Sr., 79, of Port St. Lucie, formerly of Dedham, Needham and Natick, Mass., died Sept. 6, 2012, at his summer home on Swanzey Lake, N.H., following a long battle with cancer.
He was born Aug. 12, 1933, in Boston, son of the late Alfred E. and Sarah (Bishop) Gomes and had lived in Dedham, Needham, Natick, Port St. Lucie. He had summered on Swanzey Lake for the past 39 years.
Mr. Gomes graduated from Dedham High School, Class of 1952, and went on to Theological Seminary in New York and then realized that his talent was in the art world. He attended the School of Practical Art in Boston and then went to work for Raytheon Corporation and Data General. Prior to his retirement, he worked for Boston Coach for 12 years.
He was a veteran, having served in the U.S. Army.
He was a member of the Covenant Congregational Church in Jamaica Plain, Mass., where he had been a member of the church choir for more than 40 years and served as chairman many times. He was a member of the Mt. Lebanon Lodge AF & AM in Boston, and had been a member of the Board of Directors of Pilgrim Pines Conference Center in W. Swanzey, N.H.
He leaves his wife of 53 years, Phyllis R. Hallgren of Port St. Lucie and Swanzey; a son Frank (Buddy) Gomes Jr., (Lynn) of Reading, Mass.; two daughters: Debra Smith (Paul) of Medway, Mass., and Dee Ecklund (Mark) of Chicago; a brother Robert Gomes of Webster and Woodstock/Putnam; a sister Martha Kelleher (Robert) of Woburn, Mass.; three grandchildren, Kassandra Smith and her fiancé, Shaun Kilbride of Newport, R.I., Matthew Smith of Medway, and William Gomes of Reading. He was predeceased by his brother Alfred E. Gomes Jr.
Services are at 11 a.m. Sept. 15 at the Boston Covenant Congregational Church, 455 Arborway, Boston. Burial with full military honors and a Masonic funeral service will be at 2:15 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon, Mass.
Paul R. Belling,
WWII vet
WOODSTOCK — Paul R. Belling, 89, of English Neighborhood Road., died Sept. 4, 2012, in his home. He was the husband of Ann (Jedele) Belling. Born in 1923 in N. Tonawanda, N.Y., he was the son of the late George and Josephine (Knoell) Belling.
Mr. Belling was a WWII Army Air Corps fighter pilot attaining the rank of captain. He graduated from the University of Buffalo with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and held several patents. He also worked as a substitute teacher in Putnam and in Florida. He was a Cub Scout leader for several years during the 1960s and enjoyed building things, including several of his own homes. He was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church.
In addition to his wife, he leaves his sons, Robert Belling (Mia) of Columbia, Daniel Belling (Karee) of Chaplin, and David Belling (Diane) of Coventry; his daughter, Rebecca Belling of Chaplin; brothers, Theodore Belling of Pendleton, N.Y., and George Belling of W.V.; sister, Mary Grove of Genesso, N.Y.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services were private. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, P.O. Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260; or The Visiting Nurses Association of Southbridge, 29 Pine St., Southbridge, MA 01550. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Helene R. Brown
THOMPSON — Helene R. Brown, 69 of Church Street, Thompson, died Sept. 5, 2012, unexpectedly at home. She was the wife of the late Lloyd R. Brown. They were married in 1969. He died in 2004.
She was born March 14, 1943, in South Attleboro, Mass., daughter of the late Theodore and Jeanne (Vincent) Morin. She made her home in the Thompson and Putnam area most of her life. She was employed for many years at Acme Cotton and then at Colt’s Plastics. She enjoyed fishing, trips to the casino and playing bingo.
She leaves a son Lloyd H. Brown of Thompson; three daughters Susan T. Brown of Thompson, Hidy C. Gray (Richard) of Putnam, Nikki Burnett (William) of Ashford; four grandchildren, Nicholas Gray, Dakoda Rose Gray, Arieanna Burnett and Kathryn Burnett; sisters, brothers.
A Memorial Service was Sept. 9 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with burial in Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam.
John C. Bradford,
history buff
BROOKLYN — John Clarke Bradford, 91, of Canterbury Road, formerly of Woodstock, died May 18, 2012, in Day Kimball Hospital. Born Feb. 20, 1921, in Putnam, he was the son of the late Howard and Edna (Clarke) Bradford.
Mr. Bradford graduated from Putnam High School and attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He was a local history buff and a member of the Woodstock Historical Society. He was a life-long enthusiast of auto racing and was an avid sailor, sailing J boats as a young man, then competing in the Block Island and the Newport-Bermuda races numerous times.
He leaves his son, John C. Bradford Jr. (Linda) of Woodstock; daughters, Janet L. Bradford of Norwich, and Susan B. Landon (Richard) of New Haven; grandchildren, Simon Bradford (Jamie) of Tunbridge, Vt., Paul Bradford of Woodstock, Katharine Landon of NY, NY, and Corinna Landon of Stamford; great-grandchildren, Jackson and Camden Bradford, and Ryan Bradford.
A Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 22 in Center Cemetery on the corner of County and Center Cemetery roads in Woodstock. Donations: Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeast CT or Woodstock Historical Society. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.
Joseph W. Fink,
Army veteran
POMFRET CENTER — Joseph W. “Bill” Fink, 84, of Pomfret Center, died Sept. 5, 2012, after a long illness, at St. Francis Hospital. He leaves his wife of 60 years, Betty (McGowan) Fink.
He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to the late Joseph and Catherine (Larkin) Fink. Bill raised his family in Huntington Station, N.Y., and retired to his beautiful home and gardens in Pomfret Center in 1988. He was a U.S. Army veteran and graduated from SUNY at Cortland in 1952 with a bachelor’s in physical education.
He retired from Bank of America after many years. He was a master gardener and loved woodworking. An avid golfer, he spent many happy hours playing Harrisville Golf Club in Woodstock.
He leaves his children, Catherine Bowen (Thomas) of Newington, Maj. James Fink, USMC Ret., of Jacksonville, Fla., Elizabeth Follett (William) of W. Hartford, Patricia Fink of Southington, and Mary Canty (James) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; grandchildren, Christopher, Michael, and Ryan Bowen, James and Daniel Follett; and his Boston Terrier, Mickey; sister Catherine Fink of Huntington Station; brother-in-law and sister-in-law John and Barbara McGowan of Endwell, N.Y.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 15, at St. Mary’s Church, 626 Willard Ave., Newington. He will be laid to rest with military honors in West Meadow Cemetery, Newington. Donations: Wounded Warrior Project, P. O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675; or to AmeriCares, 88 Hamilton Ave., Stamford, CT 06902. Newington Memorial Funeral Home.
Willoughby Lay,
WWII vet
Willoughby Lynde Lay, 92, son of Willoughby Lynde Lay Jr. and Mary Madeline Shea, died Sept. 4, 2012, at home.
He was born July 25, 1920, in Stamford, but lived for many years in Devon and Milford.
During WWII, Willoughby served in the U.S. Army, Battery E, 242nd Coast Artillery and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in January 1945.
For 35 years and until his retirement in 1982, he worked at the Milford Rivet and Machine Company as supervisor of inspection, quality control and, shipping and receiving. A man of many trades, he also worked part-time as a real estate agent in Milford and Woodstock, which he enjoyed immensely, a used car salesman, Special Detail police officer with the Milford Police Department and a volunteer firefighter for the Point Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade.
In retirement with his wife Josephine, they moved to their summer home in Woodstock. He served as the Service Officer for veterans in Woodstock and served on the board of the Roxbury Village Housing Authority. In his spare time, he enjoyed working in the yard, building fieldstone walls on their property, listening to music
He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Josephine Surgalis Lay; and his brother Frank Harrison Lay. He leaves his daughter and son-in-law; Laura Curley and Raymond Gravelin Jr. of Woodstock; his grandson Kevin Curley (Alana Garcia) of Spring Lake, Mich.
Graveside services were Sept. 8 at Woodstock Hill Cemetery, Woodstock. Donations: YMCA of Greater Hartford, Attn: Susan Joyse, Sr. Director of Development/Donor Relations, 241 Trumbull St. Hartford, CT 06103 (indicate gift is in memory of Willoughby L. Lay, for Regional Community YMCA Building Campaign in Putnam); or Bungay Fire Brigade, EMT Squad, 1256 Rt. 171, W Woodstock, CT 06281. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Roland L. Duquette,
worked for DPW
PUTNAM — Roland L. Duquette, 60, of Myers Street, died Sept. 7, 2012, in his home. He was the husband of Karen (Roy) Duquette for 33 years. Born in 1951 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Arsene and Florence (Mailloux) Duquette.
Mr. Duquette worked for the Public Works Department for the Town of Putnam. He also worked for Grove St. Cemetery and Putnam Heights Cemetery for 19 years.
Roland enjoyed gardening, canning veggies, cooking.
In addition to his wife, Roland he leaves two daughters, Melissa Hulse of California and Dawn Chmura (Jeffrey) of Putnam; son, Tim Duquette and his girlfriend Ashley Lamondy of Putnam; brothers, Arsene Duquette of N. Grosvenordale, Roger H. Duquette of N. Grosvenordale, David Duquette of N. Grosvenordale, and Kenneth P. Duquette of N. Grosvenordale; sister, Elaine Akana of Thompson; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. Roland is predeceased by his brother Maurice Duquette; and his sisters, Lorraine Labonte, and Precille St. George.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Sept. 11 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in Munyan Cemetery. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, P.O. Box 632 Putnam, CT 06260. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Barbara (Lewis)
Roberts
POMFRET — Barbara (Lewis) Roberts, 75, of Pomfret, formerly of Sutton, Mass., died Sept. 3, 2012, after a battle with cancer. She was the wife of the late Samuel J. Roberts, a former mayor of Putnam. She was born Oct. 5, 1936, in Norwood, Mass., daughter of the late Rex and Esther (Skehan) Lewis.
Barbara grew up in Canton, Mass., and graduated from Sutton High School and Worcester Junior College. She was a licensed Realtor in Massachusetts and Connecticut, until retirement. While raising her children in Sutton, she was a leading member of the Sutton Players Group, the Post Road People singing group, and St. John’s Church in Sutton. Upon marrying Samuel Roberts in 1984 and moving to Connecticut, she became very active in the communities of Putnam, Woodstock and Pomfret. As a member of Christ Episcopal Church of Pomfret, she served on the Altar Guild and was director of the Community Kitchen. She was a member of the Woodstock Historical Society, the Performing Arts of Northeast CT, Opera New England of Northeast Connecticut and also volunteered in the gift shop at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. Barbara was a lifelong learner, avid writer, loved traveling, playing bridge, cooking and entertaining for family and friends.
She leaves five children Rebecca A. Augustus (William) of Sutton, Wendy B. Goodwin of Pittsfield, Mass., Mark D. Goodwin of Sutton, Todd F. Goodwin of Millbury, Mass., Cynthia L. Brown (Ronald) of Woodstock; their father Harlan C. Goodwin Jr.; and eight grandchildren; her brother, David F. Lewis of Brunswick, Maine; sister, Nancy L. Lewis of Sutton; step children, Joann (Roberts) Bierly of Tarpon Springs, Fla., Samuel J. Roberts Jr., of Great Barrington, Mass., Elaine J. Roberts of New Marlborough, Mass., three step-grandchildren, and two step great grandchildren. She was predeceased by a step son, Clifford Roberts.
The Funeral was Sept. 10 at Christ Episcopal Church of Pomfret. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
David P. Tetreault,
owned Dave’s Pizza
PUTNAM — David P. Tetreault, 66, of Phillips Street, died Sept. 2, 2012, in the Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford. Born in 1946 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Joseph and Beatrice (Cabana) Tetreault.
Mr. Tetreault owned and operated “Uncle Dave’s Pizza,” and previously worked for the American Optical in Southbridge. He enjoyed spending time at Foxwoods.
He leaves his daughters, Lisa Tetreault and her partner Danielle Corson of Putnam, Jeanna Sands of N. Grosvenordale, and Jessica Tetreault and her partner Stephen Lewis of Putnam; his brother, Joseph H. Tetreault of Putnam; his sisters Loretta Keagan of Pascoag, R.I., and Joan Harvey of N. Grosvenordale; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. David is predeceased by his sister, the late Gloria McKenzie.
A Celebration of his Life was Sept. 8. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.
Lois M. Tinker
WEBSTER — Lois M. (Taylor) Tinker, 96, formerly of Dover, N.H., died Sept. 1, 2012, at Lanessa Extended Care Facility, Webster.
Lois was born in Dover, daughter of the late Alfred L. and Mary (Mathis) Taylor. She lived in Dover most of her life.
Her husband, John F. Tinker, died in 1980. She leaves a son, Edward R. Tinker of Woodstock; a daughter, Karol Ann Tinker of Benton, Ark.; a brother, Alfred C. Taylor of Las Vegas; sister, Pearl Upton of Dover; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The Funeral was private. Donations: M.S.P.C.A., 350 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.