Sandra Vaillant

PUTNAM — Sandra (Weaver) Vaillant, 63, died March 1, 2014, after a battle with cancer.

She was born Aug. 10, 1950, in Putnam, daughter of Esther Weaver of Killingly and graduated from Killingly High School in 1968.  She married Gerry Vaillant of Putnam on March 20, 1971, and has lived in Putnam for the last 43 years.

Sandra worked for many years as a bookkeeper at Franklin Pharmacy and most recently at the Medical Center of Northeastern Connecticut.  Nothing made Sandy happier than spending time with her family, especially her five grandchildren, who were the apples of their “Mem’s” eyes.  She loved watching them grow and play together; no matter what they were doing, they brought a brilliant smile to her face.  She loved being outside, enjoying the sun and tending to her plants and flowers.  She also loved the beach, especially Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where she spent many summer vacations.   Sandy was an avid reader and passed that love onto her children and grandchildren.  

In addition to her husband and her mother, she leaves three daughters: Meredith Crabtree (Jim) of  Brooklyn, Emily Mayo (Luke) of Coventry, and Angela Johndrow (Scott) of Eastford; five grandchildren: Molly and Sydney Crabtree, Trevor and Hailey Mayo, and Matthew Johndrow; three brothers, Thomas Weaver of Killingly, Robert Weaver of New Hampshire, and Francis Weaver of Norwich.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. March 6 at St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam. Donations: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.  The Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Ronald Champany

POMFRET CENTER – Ronald M. Champany, 77, of Pomfret Center, went home peacefully to be with his Lord Feb. 24, 2014.  He married the love of his life, Beverly (Becotte) Champany, on April 8, 1961. 

Ronald was born May 26, 1936, in Randolph, Vt., son of the late Merton and Irene (Beaudoin) Champany. 

He graduated from Windham  High School in 1955 and served for eight years in the U.S. Army Reserves. 

He owned and operated Champany and Son Inc. Builders for many years. He was a communicant of Most Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking and nature photography. Ronald was also an adventure traveler. He spent countless hours doing volunteer work within his community. 

Besides his wife Beverly, he leaves his children, Cynthia Lussier (Robert) of Darlington, S.C., Christine Durst of Woodstock, Rex Champany of Crawfordville, Fla. Shawn Champany of Pomfret, Ben Champany of Pomfret, Jason Champany of Pomfret; brothers and sisters, Richard Champany of Tennessee, Sydney Champany of Northfield, Vt., Jeanne Michaud of New Hampshire, Sonda Stepchuk of Michigan, Valerie Beauchene of Canterbury, Jacqueline Cholewa of Oregon, Linda Champany of Rhode Island and Janice Pollock of Canterbury; grandchildren, Samantha, Zachary, Laura, Cormac, Caleb, John, Madeline, Liam and Lexi. He was predeceased by his brother James Champany and daughter-in-law Laurie Champany. 

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. March 10 at Most Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret, with burial at the convenience of the family. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. March 9 at Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson. Donations: The Pomfret Ambulance, P.O. Box 306, Pomfret Center, CT 06259; or Windham County 4-H Foundation, 326 Taft Pond Road, Pomfret, CT 06258. 

 

Gary E. Burton,

Vietnam war vet

WEBSTER Gary E. Burton, 65 of Webster, died unexpectedly, Feb. 22, 2014 at home. He was born Aug. 6, 1948, in Putnam, son of the late Ernest and Ellen (Bushey) Burton. 

He was a veteran of the Vietnam war serving with the U.S. Air Force. Gary was employed for over 25 years at Sanitary Dash in N. Grosvenordale. Gary enjoyed hunting fishing and watching football. 

He leaves his wife Nina Burton of Webster; his sister Jeanne Surozenski (Gary) of N. Grosvenordale; his nephew Ronnie LaBonte (Ericka) of Webster; his grandchildren Phillip, David, Lucien; his dog Brian and cat Coco. 

Burial with military honors will be in the spring in Munyan Cemetery. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

Aldona Rygelis

PUTNAM —  Aldona Rygelis, born Tercijonas, 83,  formerly of Maple Lane in Thompson, died Feb. 26, 2014, in Matulaitis Nursing Home. Aldona was born June 9, 1930, in Kaunas, Lithuania, the eldest of three children born to Ona Putvyte Tercijonas, educator of early childhood education, daughter of Vlada Putvis, founder of the Sauliu Sajunga, and Vincas Tercijonas, a renowned Lithuanian pediatrician.

Aldona was the wife of Juozas (Joseph) Rygelis (1920-2012), whom she married on April 16, 1950.

She came to the U.S. with her parents in 1949, having fled the Soviet invasion of Lithuania. In 1951. Aldona, at 20, had her first child, and soon, another. The young, rapidly growing family moved several times, following Joseph’s work, to Monroe, where they settled, until 1970. As the economy of Connecticut was going into a tailspin, the family, which now included Aldona’s elderly mother, moved to Kinnelon, N.J., where they lived until 1989, when they moved back to Connecticut to Thompson.

Aldona was a member of the Kinnelon Rotary Club, where she helped organize quilting projects, and the ASME Auxilary. She was also very active in the Catholic church and in the various Lithuanian communities she lived in, singing in the Women’s Choir, organizing community picnics and other events, and working with children’s camps. In retirement in Thompson, she assisted her husband, Joseph, in his jobs as, first, treasurer, then, director, of the American Lithuanian Catholic Archives (ALKA) in Putnam.  As a young woman, Aldona finished practical nursing school. Later in life she studied interior design and worked in the Amway network. She was a very skilled seamstress and knitter, able to make anything from clothing to household essentials to children’s toys.

She leaves five children, Aldona Jr., Antanas II, Vince, Regena, and Vita Cepkauskas, along with eight grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters.

A Memorial Mass was March 3 with burial in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Putnam. Donations: The Baltic Jesuit Advancement Project, 1380 Castlewood Dr., Lemont, Ill., 60439 (earmarked for the Kaunas High School); or The Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, 600, Liberty Hwy, Putnam, Ct. 06260 Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam..

 

Danny Cashdollar Sr.

DANIELSON —  Danny Cashdollar Sr., 47, of Mechanic St., died March 2, 2014, in Regency Heights Nursing Home.  He was the boyfriend of the late Tammy Balamut.  Born in 1966 in Hartford, he was the son of the late Danny and Sandra (Unk) Cashdollar.

Mr. Cashdollar worked as a machine operator for Siri Wire.

He leaves his son, Danny Cashdollar Jr. of Danielson; and his nieces and nephews Sandra Cashdollar – Holms, Tyrone Holmes, Nicholas Cashdollar, Nicky Cashdollar Jr., and Nicole Cashdollar. 

Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St. Putnam.

 

Richard E. Columbia,

WWII vet

PUTNAM — Richard E. Columbia, 88, of Wicker St., died Feb. 26, 2014, in Day Kimball Hospital.  He is the husband of Jeannette (LaPointe) Columbia.  Born in 1925 in Rogers, he was the son of the late Samuel and Anastasia (LaRose) Columbia.

Mr. Columbia was a veteran of WWII serving his country in the U.S. Army.  He came home and worked as a machine operator and textile worker for Putnam Finishing and Linemaster Switch.

In addition to his wife, he leaves his son, Richard A. Columbia (Linda) of Putnam; grandchildren, Nicolas Columbia (Crystal) of Putnam, and Michelle Smith (Brad) of Putnam; and his great-grandchildren, Mya, Veronica, Kailyn, and Nicolas.

The Mass of Christian Burial was March 1 St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam with burial in St. Mary Cemetery.  Donations: St. Mary Church of the Visitation, 218 Providence St., Putnam, CT 06260. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Sandra Wilson

PUTNAM — Sandra Wilson, 66, of Putnam died Feb. 21, 2014, at home. Sandra was born Nov. 4, 1947, in Putnam, daughter of the late Merton and Alice (Demers) Harvey. 

She worked as an LPN for Regency Heights Nursing Home in Danielson for 35 years.

She leaves her two children Trevor Wilson of Putnam and Jenifer Raymond of Putnam; two brothers Merton Harvey Jr., (Joan) of Venice, Fla.,, Dennis Harvey (Candace) of Columbia; three grandchildren Paige, Cayden and Madison Raymond. 

Donations: American Cancer Society, 825 Brook St., I-91 Tech Ctr., Rocky Hill, CT 06067-3045. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

‘Peggy’ Rohr

WEBSTER — Margaret A. “Peggy” (Macuga) Rohr, 60, of Webster ended her journey on this earth Feb. 24, 2014, after a battle with cancer. 

She was born in Webster, daughter of the late John and Theona (St. Andre) Macuga.

Margaret attended St. Louis School of Webster and graduated from Bartlett High School in 1971.  She then attended Dudley Hall Career Institute.  She worked at Russell Harrington in Southbridge for 25 years as the payroll supervisor.  She then retired as the accounting manager at Fletcher Tilton PC in Worcester after 20 years.

She leaves her husband of 33 years, Raymond Rohr; five stepchildren, Tammy Weiss  (James) of Thompson, Annette Bratica (Stephen) of Milford, Mass., Kristine Place (Steven) of Webster, Tracy Hakala (John) of Dudley, and Jason Rohr of Burlington, N.C.; seven stepgrandchildren; sisters, Andrea Brass of Marlborough, Mass., Anne Jackel (Walter) of Webster, Marion Brezniak (Thomas) of Rockland, Maine,  Betsy Welch of Worcester. She was predeceased by her brother, John Macuga in 1998.

 The Funeral was Feb. 28. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

 

..