Thomas Fitzmaurice,

Navy vet

POMFRET CENTER — Thomas C. Fitzmaurice, 75, of Deerfield Rd., died Dec. 16, 2015, in his home.  He was the husband of the late Barbara (Meyer) Fitzmaurice.  Born in 1940 in Erie, Penn., he was the son of the late Thomas and Ivell (Neiner) Fitzmaurice. 

Mr. Fitzmaurice served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Valley Forge (CV45) and enjoyed attending several Happy Valley reunions. He was a former building superintendent for the Hartford Courant. Tom had a passion for fixing things and operated a lawn mower rental and repair shop out of his home in Plainville.  He also enjoyed woodworking and was particularly proud of his wooden fences and ducks. A proud 

Democrat, Tom was a member of many boards throughout his life including the PTO, the Town Council and the Zoning Board of Appeals. In his younger years, he worked on the railroad and always had a passion for trains. Tom was a lover of animals, always feeding the birds and squirrels. He enjoyed spending time with his cats Sandy & Taffy. 

He leaves his sons, Sean Fitzmaurice (Gwenn Gaumond) of Woodstock, Timothy Fitzmaurice of Amherst, Ohio; his daughters, Laura Arrington (Boyd) of Perrysburg, Ohio; Michelle Byram (Mark) of Madison, Ohio; Kathy Fancher and her fiancé John Flick of Ashtabula, Ohio; and Kelly Fitzmaurice and her boyfriend Ivan Martin of Bradford, R.I.; his sister Linda Wilks (Timothy) of Mobile, Ala.; his brother William Fitzmaurice of Willowick, Ohio; his cousin Jeanne Heintzel; grandchildren; great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Thomas Fitzmaurice and brothers, Charles and Matthew Fitzmaurice. 

Donations: Protectors of Animals, 144 Main St., Unit O, East Hartford, CT 06118 or can be made online at poainc.org . Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, Putnam.

 

Arthur J. Jaffre,

WWII vet

DAYVILLE — Arthur J. Jaffre, 93, died Dec. 13, 2015. 

Arthur, son of the late Emil and Rose (Dube) Jaffre, was born on Sept. 6, 1922, in Putnam, and lived locally for most of his life. 

He served in WWII with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles) 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment.

He was among thousands of American soldiers dropped behind enemy lines during the early morning hours of the invasion of Normandy on D-Day in June 1944. Arthur was a WWII prisoner of war, who twice escaped his captors. He left the service with a rank of corporal and received many decorations including the Bronze Star Medal, French Liberation Medal and Victory Medal. 

He was a life member of the 101st Airborne Division Association and the Disabled American Veterans. 

Arthur leaves his son, Arthur Jaffre  Jr. of Virginia Beach, Va.; daughter, Rose Annette Baker (Richard) of Lafayette, Ind; a grandson, Richard; granddaughter, Samona; great-grandchildren; two sisters, Irene Devillez of Plainfield and Blanche Briere of Danielson; extended family, Arthur and Gerri Rickey and family of Dayville and Rene and Roz Provost and family. He was predeceased by his brother Henry.

Graveside Services were held in Grove Street Cemetery with military honors. Donations: Disabled American Veterans, 555 Willard Ave., Newington, CT 06111. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

Sr. Constance 

Charette, DHS

PUTNAM — Sr. Constance Charette, 75, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died Dec. 15, 2015, at the Holy Spirit Provincial House.

Constance Madeleine Charette was born April 20, 1940,  in Leominster, Mass., the daughter of the late Camille and Alice (Meunier) Charette.  She entered religious life in Putnam at the Holy Spirit Provincial House in September 1958, and made her religious profession on July 2, 1960.  She was then known as Sr. Stephen of the Sacred Heart.

Connie earned a bachelor’s in education from Diocesan Sisters’ College and a master’s in religious studies from the University of Detroit.  From 1962-67 she taught in elementary schools in Connecticut and Vermont.  In 1967 she became directress of Postulants in Putnam, and from 1969-74 she taught religion at Putnam Catholic Academy.  She was missioned to California in 1974, and served in the Campus Ministry Team of the University of California at Davis.  In 1979 she returned to the east coast and served as Directress of Formation for the province, while also working in ministry with single adults and widowed persons in the Bridgeport diocese.  In 1983 she was named Provincial Councilor, with residence in Putnam.  In 1989 she enjoyed a Sabbatical Chaplaincy Program at Miriam Hospital in Providence, and then began a new ministry as Coordinator of Volunteers at Dorcas Place, a women’s literacy center in Providence.  In 1995 she was appointed Provincial of the U.S. Daughters of the Holy Spirit, and within the next year was elected as a General Councilor in the international administration of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, and she served in that capacity for 12 years, with a main residence in Rennes, France.

She returned to the U.S. in 2008 and began her much-loved ministry as a Community Organizer at Pernet Family Services in Worcester.  In 2009, she was named Directress of Associates in addition to her work at Pernet, and these two combined ministries brought special joy to Connie and to those involved.  In August 2013, Sr. Connie again lived her full availability to Mission by going to Burkina Faso in Africa in order to live among and serve our younger Sisters there, but she unexpectedly had to return to the U.S. in October because of health issues.  Though cancer now had become part of her life, she continued to be active in her new ministry as coordinator of the Provincial House Community and in the continuation of her position as adviser to the DHS east coast Associates. 

She leaves one sister, JoAnn Sampson of Beverly, Mass.;  and two brothers, William Charette of Lynn, Mass., and Mikel Carter of Shirley, Mass.; uncles and aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. 

She was predeceased by two brothers, Father Daniel Charette, a LaSalette priest, and Gerard Charette.   

The Mass of Christian Burial was Dec. 19 at the Provincial House, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. 

Donations: Daughters of the Holy Spirit Retirement Fund, Holy Spirit Provincial House, 72 Church St., Putnam, CT, 06260.  

Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. 

 

Shirley Maciejewski

WEBSTER — Shirley M. (Bandlow) Maciejewski, 91, died Dec. 19, 2015, at the Southbridge Rehabilitation and Health Center.  

She was born in Dudley, daughter of the late Frank and Lena (Burlingame) Bandlow and lived here all her life.

 She was retired from Stevens Linen Co., retiring in 1990 and worked as a stitcher for 21 years.

She leaves two sons, Thomas Maciejewski of Thompson and John P. Maciejewski Jr. of Webster; a daughter Sharon Morales of Southbridge; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  She also had a sister that predeceased her, Dorothy Breault.

Donations: Charity of donor’s choice. 

Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

 

Jane Racicot

BROOKLYN — Jane G. (Bissonnette) Racicot, 84, died Dec. 17, 2015, at the Westview Nursing and Convalescent Center, in Dayville.  

She was born in Danielson, daughter of the late Albert and Aldea (Bissonnette) Bissonnette and lived in Brooklyn for the past 10 years, prior to that living in Danielson. 

She leaves her husband of 63 years, Wilfred O. Racicot of Brooklyn; four sons; Glenn (Stella) of Queensbury, N.Y., Bruce of Georgetown, Maine, James (Sandra) of Danielson and Brian of Eastford; a daughter, Celeste Clinkenbeard (Donald) of St. Louis; a brother, Leonard Bissonnette (Aida) of Brooklyn; a sister Claire Mondor of Danielson; four grandchildren: Nicholas, and Christopher Racicot, and Kathryn, and Elizabeth Clinkenbeard; She was predeceased by two brothers: Roland, and Theodore Bissonnette, and a brother-in-law Maurice Mondor.  She also leaves a close family friend, Christophe Garet. 

A Memorial Mass will be at 11 a.m. Dec. 29 at St. James Church in Danielson with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery at a later date. Donations: St. James School in Danielson. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

 

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