Patricia Elaine

(Converse) Brown

WOODSTOCK — Patricia Elaine (Converse) Brown, 79, of Converse Rd., died Oct. 25, 2014, at Day Kimball Hospital.  The wife of Donald L. Brown, they celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in July.

Born in 1934 in Putnam, she was the eldest daughter of the late Richard E. and Patricia (O’Keefe) Converse.  A life time resident of Woodstock, Pat was raised on the family’s farm, Maple Hill Farm on Converse Road.     

Pat taught preschool at the East Woodstock Nursery School for 31 years and often spoke fondly of the children she saw grown up, in town, with families of their own.  She enjoyed teaching Sunday school and served as treasurer at the East Woodstock Congregational Church.  Pat was an avid bird-watcher and loved being outdoors working in her gardens.  Her many hobbies included genealogy, needlework, reading and playing the piano.  Recently she had been focused on digitizing her father’s reel-to-reel films in which he had photographed life on the farm between the years of 1940 to 1982.

In addition to her husband, she leaves her daughters, Diane Abood of Clinton, JoAnn Lussier (Lawrence) of Putnam, Debra Porter (Eric) of Woodstock, and Karen DeLuca (Daniel) of Masaryktown, Fla.; her sisters, Marilyn Morin of Quinebaug and Kathleen Frappier of Woodstock; her six grandchildren; and her three great grandchildren.

The Funeral Service is at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 at the East Woodstock Congregational Church.  Donations: Muddy Brook Fire Dept. P.O. Box 222, South Woodstock, CT 06267. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.

 

‘Ramblin’ Bert’ Cournoyer,

Army vet

PUTNAM — Alfred B. “Ramblin’ Bert” Cournoyer, 76, died suddenly Oct. 25, 2014, while at home. 

He was born Dec. 29, 1938, in Webster, to Edgar and Lillian (St. Marie) Cournoyer and was a lifelong resident of Putnam. Alfred was a Putnam High School Class of 1957 graduate. He was married to his wife Lois E Cournoyer for 49 years at the time of his death. 

Al retired in 1992 from the State of Connecticut DOT after 34 years of service. He was a founder of the Eastern Connecticut Sports Car Club and the Tri-State Kart Club in which he was not only a founder but a trustee and honorary lifetime member. 

Al was also a U.S. Army veteran, a Mason and a member of the Putnam High School alumni. His most recent venture in life was a Blues program where he was able to show his admiration for music through the power of radio having a show based out of both UConn and ECSU, where he separated his middle name from Bertrand to Ramblin’ Bert Rand for his on-air call name in which he had a remarkable following from fans and Blues musicians countrywide.

Many thought that he could be abstract in his thoughts and methods but that is what made him the nomad he strived to be.

He leaves his wife Lois; and two sons Christopher P. Cournoyer (Lena) of N. Grosvenordale and Stephen A. Cournoyer (Karen) of Windham, Maine;  two sisters Amanda Peckham and Lorena Sayles, both of Putnam; half-brother Gerald Cournoyer of Woburn, Mass.

Burial was Nov. 1 in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: PAWS, 244 Rt. 171, Woodstock, CT, 06281; or Pet Pals Northeast, PO BOX 64, Plainfield, CT 06374. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

Steve M. Yakis

EASTFORD — Steve M. Yakis, 47, of Boston Turnpike, died Oct. 29, 2014, in UMass Memorial Hospital.  Born in 1967 in Boston, he was the son of Estelle (Lavallee) Yakis of Putnam and the late Andreas Yakis. 

Mr. Yakis worked as an electrical engineer for Pratt & Whitney for 27 years.  Steve was a member of the NRA. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, hunting and playing basketball when he was younger.  He also enjoyed coaching his son’s baseball and basketball teams. 

In addition to his mother, he leaves sons, Ryan, Matthew, and Nathan Yakis of Eastford; his fiancé, Donna Brown of Eastford; and his aunt, Theresa Lavallee of Putnam.

The Mass of Christian Burial was Nov. 3 in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: Eastford Independent Fire Company, No. 1, P.O. Box 333, Eastford, CT 06242. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Meagan Dixon

DAYVILLE — Meagan B. Dixon, 27, died Oct. 26, 2014, at the UMass Memorial in Worcester.

She was born in Putnam and lived in Dayville all her life.  

She leaves her mother Vicki L. Crandall of Dayville; a brother Nicholas J. Crandall; a sister Emily C. Crandall both of Dayville; maternal grandmother and her companion Amber Mailhot and John (Pa) Carvalho  of Dayville; maternal grandfather Richard Mailhot Sr. of Florida; paternal grandmother, Charlotte Trahan of Putnam; uncle Richard Mailhot Jr.of Dayville and two aunts Rose and Larry Lebeau of Dayville and Christine Campbell of Putnam.  

Services private.  Donations: Charity of donor’s choice.  Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

 

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