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George T. Moran Jr.,
WWII vet
BROOKLYN — George T. Moran Jr., 92, of Canterbury Street, died Nov. 11, 2012, in Pierce Memorial Baptist Home. He was the husband of the late Constance (Dee) Moran. Born in 1920 in Putnam, he was the son of the late George T. Moran Sr. and Lucy (Blair) Moran.
Mr. Moran was raised in Dayville and was an avid fly-fisherman, learning at a young age and continued all throughout his adult life. He was an altar boy at St. Joseph’s Church in Dayville. He attended the Killingly School system graduating from Killingly High, and Putnam Trade School with two diplomas. George also skipped over the third grade moving up to the fourth grade.
He was very active playing baseball. He played semi-pro as a left handed pitcher for a number of teams in eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island and also signed with the Boston Red Sox. In 1940 he went out to training camp in Ohio. His pitching arm gave out due to all the “unsupervised” hand pitching in his youth.
After his injury, not wanting to return home, he joined the U.S. Navy in August of 1940. George graduated from Navy boot camp with honors. Upon graduating, he was selected to take a company of recruits through boot camp as their leader. When his new company graduated, he paraded them past the reviewing stand. He did this in front of the then president Franklin D. Roosevelt who was the guest of honor. After graduation, he volunteered for duty out in the Pacific which was called “China Duty.” George did some pitching for Navy Teams at Pearl Harbor prior to the bombing on Dec. 7, 1941. The fleet that he was attached was bombed on Dec. 8, 1941. He served out in the Western Pacific on the USS Minneapolis, USS Black Hawk, and USS Secbec . His last ship was the UDD. Franklin D. Roosevelt New Construction at Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. He was honorably discharged on Aug. 1, 1946. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, American Area Victory Medal, and the Asiatic Pacific Three Stars. He attained the rank of SK1C, Storekeeper First Class.
After his honorable discharge in 1946, he enrolled in the G.I. Bill and started his management and supervisory skills. He was in management at: Belding Heminway, American Thread, General Instruments, Duracell, J.M. Huber Lumber Company, Capehart, and the Hartford Courant. He never wanted to retire, so he worked up until the age of 90.
He married Constance E. Dee in 1942. They were married for 62 years until she died in 2004.
He leaves his children, Retired Master Chief (USN) George T. Moran III (Faith) of Ashford, Linda Williams of Monson, Mass., Michele Ciavola of E. Longmeadow, Mass., Michael Moran of Danielson, and Rachel Caron (Terry) of Wytopitlock, Maine; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by his son, Timothy T. Moran.
Services with full military honors were private. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Lorraine Hayes,
worked at Knox
DANIELSON — Lorraine Hayes, 73, of Birchwood Terrace, died Nov. 17, 2012 ,after a two-year battle with heart disease. She was the wife of the late Lawrence “Jim” Hayes. She was born in 1939.
Lorraine worked for 40 years at Knox Glass and then several years at Foxwoods. She leaves her brother and caregiver Tom Garrett; lifelong friend Dorothy Taylor, dear friend Jessica Hawkins; many relatives and friends.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Dec. 1 in St. James Church, 12 Franklin St., Danielson. Donations: Please quit smoking or help someone quit. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.
Duane B. Race,
Navy vet
PUTNAM — Duane B. Race, 45, of Battey Street, died Nov. 12, 2012, in Worcester after injuries sustained in an accident caused by a drunk driver. He was the husband of Danielle (Wagher) Race and son-in-law to Al and Diane Wagher of N. Grosvenordale. Born in 1967 in Worcester, he was the son of Duane P. Race of Florida, and the late Marguerite (Ring) Race. Mr. Race was a 1985 graduate of David Hale Fanning Trade School and was a U.S. Navy veteran. At the time of his death, he worked as a delivery driver for Hostess Brands. He enjoyed horses and reading.
In addition to his wife and parents, he leaves sons, Trevor and Dakota Race of Putnam; daughter, Samantha Fisher (Zack) of Rhode Island; sisters, Di-Ann Ethier (Paul) of Cherry Valley, Mass., Kandi Cook (Steve) of Spencer, Mass., and Michelle Scott (Devin) of Chandler, Ariz.; granddaughter, Arabella Fisher. The Funeral was Nov. 17 in the Gilman Funeral Home, Putnam. Donations to Duane’s family
Theodore Messier Jr.,
Air Force vet
PUTNAM — Theodore Joseph Messier Jr. of Church Street died Nov. 8, 2012, at the Jewish Rehabilitation Center in Worcester.
Born in Putnam he was the son of Theodore J. Messier Sr. and the late Lillian M. (Briere) Messier. Theodore graduated from Putnam High School and obtained a bachelor’s degree from UConn. He worked as a commercial insurance auditor for 33 years and served in the U.S. Air Force. He was an Eagle Scout and served on the Connecticut Rivers Council Board of Commissioners with the Boy Scouts of America. He was a talented musician with a hit record at 18 years old.
He was the father of Marcia M. (Messier) Edwards of Charleston, S.C., Jason R. Messier of Danielson, and Jeremie J. Messier of Woodstock. In addition to his children he leaves his father Theodore J. Messier Sr. of Putnam; brother Robert R. Messier of Hebron; sister Carol A. Rodriguez of Ann Arbor, Mich.; two grandchildren Jonathan Ferland and Sarah Freundschuh of Buffalo, N.Y.; great-grandchildren. A Mass in his honor will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 24 at St. Mary’s Church of the Visitation, Providence St., Putnam, with burial at 10 a.m. Dec. 7 at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Mass. Donations: The Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.
Mark A. Nilo,
in TV industry
WOODSTOCK — Mark A. Nilo, 54, of Woodstock, died Oct. 24, 2012, at Massachusetts General Hospital. Mark was born April 12, 1958, in Concord, Mass., to Salvatore and Doris (Smith) Nilo. He grew up in Sudbury, Mass., and attended Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, graduating in 1976.
He was an executive in the broadcast TV industry for over 30 years. Mark had a great love for music and was a self-taught guitarist. He loved being outdoors and spending time with friends and family. Mark had the rare gift of lifting spirits, whether through his infectious sense of humor, or by his kindness and compassion.
He leaves his wife of 27 years, Deborah (Powell) Nilo; daughter, Samantha and son, Anthony of Woodstock; mother, Doris (Smith) Nilo of Sutton; sister, Sandra Boucini (Steven) of Sutton; brothers Terry Nilo of Union, and Robert Nilo (Renee) of Sutton; father-in-law, Stanley R. Powell of Laconia, N.H.; sisters-in-law Susan Church (Jon) of Groton, Mass., and Cheryl Carley (Joseph Jr.) of Harrington Park, N.J. He was predeceased by his father, Salvatore, mother-in-law, Doris Powell. A Memorial Service was Nov. 10 at Most Holy Trinity Church. Donations: The Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.