Chloe Puffer
WOODSTOCK — Chloe Jackson Puffer of Woodstock died Oct. 3, 2017.
She was born Oct. 8, 1922, in Hyden, Ky., oldest daughter of Charles and Ophia (Miniard) Jackson.
She met her husband, John H. Puffer in 1944 at Wright Field at Patterson AFB in Ohio where he was stationed in the Air Corp.
She was employed in Civil Service HQ Air Material Command at Wright Field.
They were married in 1946 after the war ended.
They lived in Bristol. Mr. Puffer was employed by Aetna Insurance.
They moved to Woodstock in 1950. Mr. Puffer died in 1984.
She was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Woodstock for 60 years. She was also a life member (55 years) of the Betty Putnam Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star 106 and was a past matron.
She was also a member of Quinnatisset Golf Course for more than 50 years and served as chairperson of the Ladies Tuesday League for three terms.
In addition she was a member of the Board of Directors of Day Kimball Hospital Woman’s Board and was a volunteer at DKH for more than 40 years.
She leaves two children: Charles Puffer of Woodstock and Pamela Hayden (Denny) of Abington; grandson Reid Hayden; great-grandchild, Emma Jackson; sister Oma (John) Mooney of Brunswick, Ohio. She was predeceased by a sister, Thelma Glenn Shupe.
Graveside Services were private in Elmhill Cemetery, Woodstock.
Ruth M. Wilbur
WOODSTOCK VALLEY — Ruth (Burton) Wilbur, 89, died Oct. 28, 2017, in the home of her son, Paul Wilbur. She was the wife of the late Lester Wilbur. They were married in January of 1949. He died December of 2005.
Born in 1928 in Providence, she was the daughter of the late William and Mildred (Gilbert) Burton.
Mrs. Wilbur worked in the Smithfield school system for many years. She enjoyed bird watching, feeding wildlife and enjoying nature.
She leaves her son, Paul Wilbur (Florence) of Woodstock Valley; her daughters, Gail Gallagher of Smithfield, and R. Jane Wilbur and her companion Richard Scott of Clayville, R.I.; her sister, Lorna Avrich of Bristol; her brother, John Burton (Jan) of Salt Lake City; her grandsons, Jed Wilbur (Alexys) of Cornish, N.H., and Joel Wilbur (Jennifer) of Hopewell, N.J.; her great grandchildren, Amelia and Henry Wilbur of Cornish. She was predeceased by her sister, Ticy Thomas; and brother, William Burton
Burial will be at a later date in Acotes Hill Cemetery, Chepachet. Donations: Nature Conservatory of R.I., 159 Waterman St, Providence, RI 02906; or The Audubon Society of R.I., 12 Sanderson Rd, Smithfield, RI 02917. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Jeanne G. Bill
MANCHESTER — Jeanne G. Bill, 95, of Manchester, formerly of Wauregan, died Oct. 25, 2017, in Manchester at Crestfield Health Center.
She was the wife of the late Earl Bill. They were married July 21, 1945, in Sacred Heart Church.
She was born April 2, 1922, in Wauregan, daughter of the late Edmond and Mary (Lasnier) Gladu.
Jeanne was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in Wauregan. She was a spool attendant at many local mills and retired in 1983.
She leaves her son, Ronald Bill of Holbrook, Mass., two daughters: Andrea Mercier of Bolton, Jacqueline Riley of Woodbridge, Va., five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her siblings, Frank, Dolores, Joseph and Gertrude and grandson Gregory Mercier.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Oct. 31 in All Hallows Church in Moosup with burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Wauregan. Donations: Office of Radio & Television, 15 Peach Orchard Rd, Prospect, CT 06712. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Kathleen P. Williams
PUTNAM — Kathleen P. Williams, 52, of Genevieve St., died Oct. 23, 2017, at home. Born in 1965 in Lynchburg, Va, she was the daughter of Barbara (Mathsen) Williams of Putnam and the late Neal Williams.
Ms. Williams worked as a salesperson for Brooks Pharmacy, a bank teller for the former Cargill Bank in Putnam and Quinebaug; however, the job that she enjoyed the most was being a saleswoman for Avon.
Ms. Williams enjoyed scrapbooking, crafts, puzzle building, and cake decorating. She was also a lover of cats and very active in the ministries at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Dayville.
She leaves her mother; five brothers, Charles Williams of Putnam, Richard Williams of Norwich, Michael Williams (Amy) of Putnam, Steven Williams (Gloria) of Norwich, and Christopher Williams (Diana) of Danielson; a sister Annemarie Cutler (Russ) of Putnam; nieces; nephews; and cousins. She was predeceased by her father and a brother Peter Williams.
A Memorial Service will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 11 in the Putnam Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on Tracey Road, Dayville. Donations: Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 200 Tracy Rd., Dayville, CT 06241. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Sr. Edna Caouette
Sr. Edna Caouette, DHS, 87, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died Oct. 29, 2017, at St. Joseph Living Center in Windham
Born Mary Blanche Edna Caouette on Jan. 3, 1930, in Bristol, the daughter of the late Eugene and Lydia (Pelletier) Caouette, Sr. Edna entered religious life in Putnam in 1947 and made her religious profession on Aug. 23, 1950, at the Motherhouse in St. Brieuc, France. She was then known as Sr. Armand Thérèse.
Upon her return to the U.S., Sr. Edna was appointed to St. John Nursery in Fall River, Mass., and later to Carter Day nursery in Providence. She also taught the primary grades at Immaculate Conception School, Fitchburg, Mass.; St. Joseph School, Burlington, Vt.; St. Anne School, Waterbury, St. Sylvester School, Graniteville, Vt.; St. Anthony School, Bridgeport, and St. Mary School, Putnam. From 1982 to 1994, she worked in the Admissions Office at Fannie Allen Hospital, Winooski, Vt. After serving two years as bookkeeper in the Business Office at the Provincial House in Putnam, she retired at All Hallows Convent, Moosup in 1996. In 2004, she became a resident at Holy Spirit Provincial House in Putnam and in October of 2009 she was admitted to Holy Spirit Health Care Center there.
She leaves her spiritual family, her sisters in community, the Consecrated Seculars and the DHS Associates as well as one sister, Pearl Bouchard of Southbridge; nieces and nephews.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Provincial House Chapel on Church Street, Putnam, with a Prayer Service at 7:15. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Nov. 3 at the Provincial House followed by burial at St. Mary Cemetery in Putnam. Donations: Daughters of the Holy Spirit Retirement Fund, 72 Church St., Putnam, CT 06260. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Doris Laprade
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Doris Germaine Laprade, 93, of Alexandria, died Oct. 26, 2017. She was born and raised in Danielson and was a graduate of Killingly High School and George Mason University. She retired from the federal government and enjoyed a variety of part time jobs in the northern Virginia area during her retirement.
She was preceded in death by her parents Arthur Joseph and Blanche (Forcier) Laprade and her siblings Arthur and Gertrude Laprade. She leaves her son Pierre Laprade Smith of Virginia; daughter Cherie Squire of South Carolina; grandchildren Marleigh and Jared Smith and Laura and Julie Squire.
The Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10 a.m. Nov. 4 at St. James Catholic Church with burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Visitation is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Carol A. Holman
DAYVILLE — Carol A. Holman, 78, of Dayville, died Oct. 25, 2017, at W.W. Backus Hospital in Norwich. She was the wife of the late Norman Holman. He died in 1996.
She was born May 10, 1939, in Plymouth, Mass., daughter of the late Leno and Eleanor (Jackson) Zaniboni.
Carol worked for ACME Cotton, she was an avid bowler, enjoyed playing cards, knitting and reading.
She leaves her children, Michael Holman (Jennifer) of Nashua, N.H., David Holman of Putnam, Robert Holman (Wendy) of Madison, N.H., Debra Holman (David Scott) of Lisbon; brother Robert Zaniboni of Florida; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son Daniel Holman and a brother Edward Zaniboni.
Services will be private. Donations: www.gofundme.com/in-remembrance-of-carol-holman. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
S. ‘Sally’ Valukas
PUTNAM — Salomeja “Sally” Nasvytyte-Valukas, 97, mezzo-soprano and later a librarian, died Oct. 23, 2017, at Matulaitis Nursing Home in Putnam. She was the wife of the late Vytas Valukas. Born March 5, 1920, in Kaunas, Lithuania, she was the daughter of the late Mothiejus and Solomeja (Bamaityte) Nasuytis.
In 1937 she graduated with honors from gymnasium and started studies of modern languages at the University of Vytautas the Great in Kaunas (1937-39). She studied singing at the Conservatory in Kaunas (1939-41). After closing of all the higher institutions of learning by the occupying German forces, she continued her singing studies with a private teacher. 1942-44 she was a soloist in the State Theater in Kaunas, appearing in six different productions of opera and operetta. While a refugee in Germany she attended the opera school of the Stuttgarter Musik Akademie, doing extensive concert work in addition to her studies.
After settling in Chicago, in 1954 she acquired a bachelor’s degree in modern languages; in 1959 she completed requirements for major in music. While in Chicago she performed with Lithuanian Opera Company, gave two solo recitals of her own, participated in Goodman Theater production of Purcell’s opera Fairy Queen, and sang lead in Leon Stein’s opera DEIRDRE concert version and the world premiere of McKissac’s The Spanish Songs with the Chicago Chamber Orchestra at the Art Institute. In 1961 S.V. received master’s degree with honors from Columbia University School of Library service and 1962—80 was employed as a librarian by Yale University. In addition to her professional duties there, she continued to appear as a soloist in Lithuanian concerts on the East Coast. In 1965 she returned to Chicago to sing the world premiere of Arthur Custer’s cycle of the Songs of the Season’s with Chicago Chamber Orchestra. In 1974 she performed the role of Mother Abbes in the production of Sound of Music by the Unitarian Players of New Haven.
In 1965 she organized a commemorative concert of Lithuanian composer Kazys Viktoras Banaitis, whose archives she inherited, at the Little Carnegie Hall in N.Y. Afterwards she devoted several years to organize, publish and transfer the composer’s huge archives to Lithuania, which after 50 years of Soviet occupation, become free in March 11, 1990. Thus the prominent composer’s K.V. Banaitis works were returned to the history of Lithuanian music.
As a member of the Federation of Lithuanian Women’s Clubs, Salomeja Valukas organized numerous musical and literary events in New Haven, where she lived since 1961.
She leaves her cousins Irene Ivaska, Donatas Banaitis, and Sigitas Banaitis. She was predeceased by two sisters Giedra Nasuytis Guvauskas and Donute Nasuytis Gabrijolavicius.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Oct. 27 in the Chapel at Matulaitis Nursing Home, with burial in Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Donations: Matulaitis Nursing Home, 10 Thurber Rd., Putnam, CT 06260; or the Immaculate Conception Convent, 600 Liberty Rd., Putnam. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Mildred M. Litke
BROOKLYN — Mildred (Hrabos) Litke, 85, of Brickyard Rd., died Oct. 27, 2017, in Day Kimball Hospital. She was the wife of the late Samuel Litke Sr. Born in 1932 in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late Stanley and Dora (Phillips) Hrabos.
Mrs. Litke was the owner and operator of Dayville Package Store but for the majority of her life she was a stay-at-home mother.
Mrs. Litke enjoyed traveling and watching the UConn ladies basketball team.
Mrs. Litke was a member of Our Lady of La Salette Church and was very active in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.
She leaves her sons, Samuel Litke Jr. (Michelle) of Salem, Org. , Timothy Litke (Trenace) of Danielson, and Daniel Litke and his companion Cindy Miller of Brooklyn; five grandchildren Nathaniel, Emily, Allison, Sarah, and Bradley; and three great grandchildren Anders, Cohen, and Talon.
Visitation is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Nov. 4 in Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale. A Mass of Christian Burial at will begin at 11 in St. Joseph Church, 18 Main St., N. Grosvenordale, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery, Providence St, Putnam. Donations: Charity of one’s choice.
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