Stanley Sheldon Jr.,

U.S. Army vet

POMFRET — Stanley S. Sheldon Jr., 84, of Pomfret died at his home as was his wish, June 6, 2014.

Stanley was born Jan. 11, 1930, in Pomfret, the first son of Stanley and Hazel Harman Sheldon. Stanley has one brother Edwin and two sisters, Janice (Copeland) and Virginia (Meehan). He was educated in the two-room Gilbert F. Pratt School and graduated from Putnam High School in 1948, where he played baseball, football and basketball. In 1952, he graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s in business administration and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

Stanley’s career in financial services took him across the country from Connecticut to Massachusetts and Maine, Ohio and California, and finally back to Connecticut where he settled down in the family’s little red cottage homestead in Pomfret.

Stanley’s record of community service is long and distinguished. He served on the Pomfret Board of Education and also as the town’s first selectman. He also was a director of Putnam Savings Bank and the treasurer/member of the Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church in Pomfret. He also served on the boards of the Northeast Council of Governments, Northeast District Dept. of Health, Connecticut Council of Municipalities, Council of Small Towns, Workforce One, and others.

A longtime member of the Connecticut Freemasons, Stanley was affiliated with Putnam Lodge #46 in Woodstock and served as Grand Master of Connecticut in 1998.

He is predeceased by his wife Mary, to whom he was married for 59 years. He leaves his daughters Mary Ann Bates (Ed), Kathleen Sheldon and her partner Arthur Andrade, Patricia Lutz (Russ), Diane Carson (Doug); granddaughters Kelli and Kady; feline companion, Rascal.

The funeral was June 11 at the Christ Church in Pomfret, with burial with military honors in Christ Church Cemetery. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.  

 

Nina Baillargeon

N. GROSVENORDALE — Nina A. Baillargeon, 77, of Pine View Courts, Riverside Drive, died June 12, 2014, at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. She was the wife of Edmond A. Baillargeon. He died in 2005. She was born May 5, 1937, in Worcester, daughter of Harry and Mildred (Brown) Townsend.  Nina had made her home at the Pine View Courts for the last eight years and was formerly of Putnam. She was a school bus drive for the town of Putnam for more than 21 years. She was a member of the E. Woodstock Congregational Church. She enjoyed eating out and spending time with her family and friends. Nina was an avid Red Sox fan and enjoyed playing Bingo and cards.  She leaves her children Bruce Baillargeon (Stacia) of Woodstock, Rita  Hopkins (David) of Brooklyn; Midge Green (Eric) of Lyman, Maine; sisters Joyce Collins of Dennis, Mass., Beatrice Townsend of Daytona, Fla.; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three sons  Larry Baillargeon, Ron Baillargeon, Michael Baillargeon; her siblings Bernice, Margaret, Jerry, Sylvia and Barbara.

Graveside Service will be at 11 a.m. June 21 in Center Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Woodstock. Donations: Diabetes Care, Day Kimball Hospital, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam. 

 

Roberta M. Haynes

DANIELSON — Roberta M. Haynes, 85, of Danielson, formerly of Ohio, died June 8, 2014, at Regency Heights in Danielson.

Born Oct. 4, 1928, in Union City, Ind., daughter of George and Ada (Hart) Wickersham. She has made her home in Danielson for the last 14 years. She leaves her son, Mark Haynes (Wendy) of Brooklyn; grandchildren Alex Page and Olivia Haynes of Brooklyn; sister Margaret Colwell of Ohio. She was predeceased by five siblings.  

A graveside service was June 17 at Westfield Cemetery, Danielson. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson. 

 

John W. Gilbert,

U.S. Marines vet

John W. Gilbert, 50,  passed away Dec.  28, 2013, after a very brief, but valiant battle with cancer.  John died peacefully at his sister’s home in Connecticut.

Born Sept. 17, 1963, in Warwick, R.I., he was the son of the late William and Barbara (Herzog) Gilbert.  He leaves  his two children, Jon Daniel Gilbert and Meagan Gilbert;  two grandchildren Cloe Harrison and Jace Canter; his sister Dianne Barrett and her husband Jack. 

He was a man that cherished family and friendship.  He was quiet and unassuming. He had a great sense of humor, which he maintained right to the very end.  He was kind and generous with his time, his talent, and anything else he had to give.  

John had many places he called home, and leaves friends in all of them. He lived in Scituate, R.I., Ft Lauderdale, Fla., and Pomfret  before joining the U.S. Marine Corps as a young man.  His tour of duty in the U.S. Marine Corps took him many places in the U.S. and around the world.  After proudly serving his country he settled in North Carolina to raise his family.  He moved back to Rhode Island for about eight years and then he moved to Houston last September to “try it out” as a possible new location to spend some time and live where it was warm.   

John was a true artisan and craftsman who took great pride in his work and he could do just about anything.  He used his natural artistic talent in his frame shop.  He used a combination of his artistic eye, his sense of taste and, his attention to detail, to prepare wonderful meals professionally and personally.  He could fix, build, or make anything you needed with incredible detail.   He worked at Duck and Dove Farm for eight years doing whatever was needed; and enjoyed the variety of tasks and working with his hands.  You could always tell when John did something because it was done right; it was neat and clean, and finished. 

His most recent artistic endeavor was writing.  He had a great following of his writings on QSMB; and he supported many people on their journey to freedom from smoking.  Once again, this time using the internet, he found friends around the world.

A Memorial Service with military honors, presided by Rev. Johnathan Scott, will be held at 10 a.m. June 28 at the home of his sister and brother–in-law; in Putnam.   Arrangements are being handled by Winfield & Sons Funeral Home, N. Scituate, R.I.

 

Johnny H. Grant,

U.S. Navy vet

BROOKLYN — Johnny Hoyt Grant, 85, died June 12, 2014, at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home. He was born Dec. 12, 1928, in Barbourville, Ky., son of the late William and Crecie Grant. After high school he joined the U.S. Navy. Upon his honorable discharge he moved to Detroit where he worked for the automotive industry. He then moved to Connecticut where he began his lifelong career at Electric Boat in Groton as a ship-fitter for 40 years. 

On June 20, 1953 he was married to Barbara Costello of Wolcott at the St. Peter & Paul Church in Waterbury.

 They then moved to Gales Ferry where they began their family. In 1965 the family moved to Brooklyn.

Johnny was a world traveler from his time in the military to camping and road trips around the country with his family. 

He and Barbara enjoyed traveling to Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Hawaii and Alaska. 

He thoroughly enjoyed gardening and spending time outdoors. He was a participant of Learning In Retirement at QVCC and the Canterbury and Plainfield Senior Centers. 

He was a member of AARP, The Knights of Columbus and the Boiler Makers Union Local 614. Johnny was a volunteer at State Parks of Florida, Habitat for Humanity, several area soup kitchens and Pierce Memorial Baptist Home. 

After Barbara died in 2003, Johnny spent many years attending activities with his companions in The Circle of Friends. 

He leaves John and Susan Grant of N. Grosvenordale, Susan Kirkconnell of Brooklyn,  Mark and Nancy Grant of Raymond, N.H., Kathleen and Stephen Ozimek of Brooklyn, Thomas and Denise Grant of Foster, R.I.; and Elizabeth and John Kozar, of Smithfield, R.I.; a sister Joanne Morris of Lexington, Ky.; 14 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren. Johnny was predeceased by the love of his life, Barbara, by his son-in-law Ronald E. Kirkconnell Jr., four sisters, and several in-laws.

The Mass of Christian Burial was June 17 at Our Lady of LaSalette Church, Brooklyn. Cremation followed. Donations: Hospice of N. CT, P.O. Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

 

 Vivian F. Benoit

PUTNAM —  Vivian F. (Catella) Benoit, 90, of School St., died June 9, 2014, in Westview Health Care. She was the wife of the late George B. Benoit.  Born in 1924 in Milford, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Alessandro and Francesca (Broggini) Catella.

On May 10, 1947, in Milford, she was united in marriage to George B. Benoit who died on June 17, 2004.

Mrs. Benoit enjoyed reading the local newspapers, word puzzles, and summering with her family at Killdeer Island in Webster. She was an accomplished hand stitcher and a communicant at St. Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam.

Vivian was employed as a secretary at the Misco Springs Corporation prior to starting her family and becoming a homemaker. 

She leaves a daughter Jeanne Marie Benoit of Putnam, her black and white cat Whiskers, and several cousins. She was predeceased by two brothers F. Lawrence Catella and Dario Bottiggi and a sister Thelma Catella. 

The mass of Christian Burial was June 14 in St. Mary Church, Putnam, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: American Cancer Society, 825 Brook St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067; or to the charity of one’s choice.  Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Sr. Bernice 

King, DHS

PUTNAM — Sr. Bernice King, 85, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died June 9, 2014, at Holy Spirit Health Care Center where she had been in residence since 12/2013.

Born Bernice Yvonne King on Oct. 3, 1928, in North Conway, N.H., she was the daughter of David and Rose (Boulais) King.  

She entered religious life in 1960 in Putnam, and made her religious profession at Holy Spirit Provincial House there on June 1, 1962.  She was then known as Sr. Rose Bernice.

She was a teacher on the elementary level from 1962-1969.  She obtained a bachelor’s in 1972 and taught that year at Putnam Catholic Academy in the Business Department.  In 1973 she became secretary to the Provincial treasurer.  In 1977 she was assigned to Newport, R.I. where she served as secretary to St. Clare Home there.  From 1983-86 she served again as teacher on the elementary level.  

In 1989 she served as clerk typist at the State Office of Policy & Management in Hartford until 1999 at which time she became clerical worker in the Provincial Treasurer’s Office at Holy Spirit Provincial House in Putnam until her retirement there in early 2010.  She was admitted to Holy Spirit Health Care Center in 2013.

She leaves two brothers—David and George King, both of Oakland, Maine; nieces and nephews. The Mass of Christian Burial was June 13 at the Provincial House with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: DHS Retirement fund, Holy Spirit Provincial House, 72 Church St., Putnam, CT 06260.  Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. 

 

Patricia Betley

WEBSTER —  Patricia A. (Borowski) Betley, 77, died 11, 2014, in Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge, following a short illness. She was predeceased by her husband of 45 years, Joseph G. Betley, who died in 2000.

A lifelong resident of Webster, she was the daughter of Joseph F. and Gladys T. (Gontowski) Borowski. 

She attended Bartlett High School. Mrs. Betley first worked as a stitcher at Bates Shoe Company. 

She was a dietary aide at Oakwood Rehab & Nursing Center for 32 years, retiring in 2000.

A lifelong communicant of St. Joseph Basilica and a member of its Holy Rosary Sodality and Sacred Heart Society, she was also a founding member of the Friends of St. Joseph School. 

She formerly belonged to the Serra Club of Southern Worcester County

She leaves two sons, Michael J. Betley (Tina) of Marlborough, Mass.,  and Stephen F. Betley (Tina) of Dayville; four grandchildren, Joshua and Amanda Betley, and Jason and Jessica Niemszyk; a great-granddaughter, Jasper Niemszyk; two brothers, Joseph Borowski (Charlotte) Webster and David Borowski (Nora) of Fabyan. She was preceded in death by her sister Joanne Houle. The Funeral Mass was June 14 at St. Joseph Basilica, with burial in St. Joseph Garden of Peace. 

Donations: Friends of St. Joseph School Fund; or to St. Joseph Basilica, both 53 Whitcomb St., Webster;  or to the Webster Manor Patient Activity Fund, 745 School St., all in Webster, MA 0l570. ,  Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, Webster.

 

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