Kaylee M. Fowler

PUTNAM — Kaylee Michelle Fowler, 16, died unexpectedly Feb. 23, 2016. 

She was born on Feb. 11, 2000, in Elk Grove, Ill., daughter of Reginald Fowler of Putnam and Mindy McCormick of Lakeland, Fla. In addition to her parents she leaves her stepmother Bethany Parquette Fowler; sisters Brenna Fowler of Putnam, Taylor McCormick of Florida, Olivia McCormick of Florida; brother Jeremy Tittle of Illinois; grandparents Sidney and Maggie Cherry of Chicago, Lawrence and Christine Parquette of Putnam, Justina Cadwell of Lakeland, and Denzil McCormick of Charleston, WV.; aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Affectionately known as KK, K-Boogie, Boo and Kaylo, Kaylee grew up in Bensenville, Ill. She moved to Putnam in 2013. Kaylee was a High Honor Roll student at Putnam High School. She was a valued member of the softball and basketball teams. She also had a love for the arts; dancing and singing were things she always enjoyed. Kaylee’s laugh was contagious and her smile was infectious; she lit up every room she entered. She loved to cook and bake. Her favorite football team was the Chicago Bears (just like her daddy). Kaylee always looked for the good in everyone, touching all she encountered with an unmatched passion for people, life and love. 

Visitation was March 5 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam. Donations: Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.) or the Gay Straight Alliance (G.S.A.) programs at Putnam High School, both at PHS, 152 Woodstock Ave., Putnam, CT 06260. 

 

Adrien Verrette,

Korean war vet

DANIELSON —  Adrien J. Verrette, 89, of Fall Brook Park, died March 3, 2016, in Davis Place.  He was the husband for 56 years of the late Jeanne F. (Champagne) Verrette. 

Born in 1926 in Fall River, Mass., he was the son of the late Joseph and Willimena (Boutin) Verrette.

Mr. Verrette worked for many years as a lathe operator and was a veteran of the Korean war serving with the U.S. Army.

He leaves two brothers Oscar Verrette of Danielson and Ulric “Pete” Verrette of Fall River; nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He was predeceased by five brothers Emile, Lucien, Albert, Edmond, and Norman and two sisters Florence and Anita.

The Mass of Christian Burial was March 8 in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Sr. Jeannette 

Levesque, DHS

PUTNAM — Sr. Jeannette Levesque, 93, a member of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, died March 6, 2016, at the daughters of the Holy Spirit Provincial House.

Born Marie Jeannette Levesque Feb. 22, 1923, in Fall River, Mass, the daughter of Alfred J. and Marie (St. Onge) Levesque, Sr. Jeannette entered religious life in 1946 and made profession on Aug. 23, 1950, at the Motherhouse in St. Brieuc, France.  She was then known as Sr. Alvarez de Jesus. Upon her return to the U.S. from 1950-1987 Sr. Jeannette served as dietician at Annhurst College, S. Woodstock, Résidence des Filles du St. Esprit in Greenfield Park, Canada; Sr. Anne Convent, Swanton, Vt.; St. Elizabeth Guest House in Hartford, St. Joseph Guest House in New Haven, and St. Joseph Villa, Putnam.  In 1987 she was assigned to the Provincial House in Putnam where she served as seamstress and driver for the community until 2005 when she retired there.

She leaves three brothers, Benoit of Swansea, Mass., Joseph of Harmans, Md., and

Roger of Fall River; three sisters, Cécile Chicca of Somerset, Sr. Louise Levesque, SJA of Sillery, Quebec Canada, and Eva Desrochers of Fall River; nieces; and nephews.

The Mass of Christian Burial was March 9 at the Provincial House Chapel with burial at St. Mary Cemetery in Putnam. Donations: DHS Retirement Fund, 72 Church St., Putnam, CT 06260.  Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.

 

Rev. Norman Swensen

CROMWELL — Rev. Norman Swensen died Feb. 22, 2016, going home to his Lord at Pilgrim Manor in Cromwell. 

He was born Nov. 24, 1928, Norman Svensen in Rockford, Ill. A pastor for more than 40 years, Norm was ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church. He served churches in Iowa, Illinois and Trinity Covenant Church in Manchester (1967-93) where he was Pastor Emeritus. After retirement he interimed at Connecticut churches in Woodstock, Pomfret, and Hebron. Known lovingly as “Pastor Norm,” his compassion for people was legendary. As senior pastor at his churches, he brought them through years of growth and expansion of ministries but was at his best in one-on-one caring and discipleship. “¿not wanting anyone to perish” (II Peter 3:9), evangelism was his passion and he told everyone about life in Christ. While in his wheelchair at the shore he and his son, Scott, led a stranger to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Norm was used by God to bring hundreds to the Lord. “Never wasting an illness” during the five years after his paralyzing stroke he counselled and prayed with visitors and staff from his bed. Whoever he was talking to was the most important person in the world to him and he loved them unconditionally. Though of most importance to Norm was his Saviour, Jesus Christ, and he studied the Bible and loved Him with all his heart, soul, and mind. Norm was instrumental in Billy Graham’s 1985 Hartford crusade, Evangelism Explosion, Vision New England, ALPHA, the Sturbridge Committee, Days Inn Foundation ministry, and founded Timeline Ministries.

Norm was predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Gloria Fast (1929-2010) and brother, Robert Svensen. He leaves his sons Charles (Rhonda) of Manchester, Scott of Broad Brook, Curtis (Kim) of Taunton, Mass., and good family friend (fourth “son”) Frank Farina; grandchildren Heidi Wallace (Brian), Andrew Swensen, Kyra Shurtleff (Kevin), and Kyle and Callan Swensen; great-grandchildren Benjamin, Abigail, and Kathryn Wallace, and Ayvah Swensen; brothers Kenneth Svensen of Belvedere Ill., and David Svensen of Oswego Ill.; eight nieces and nephews. 

A celebration of Norm’s life will be at 11 am, March 19 at Trinity Covenant Church in Manchester. Donations: Covenant Village of Cromwell 

 

Mildred Comtois

BROOKLYN — Mildred Esther Whitman Comtois, “Millie,” 90, of Brooklyn, died Feb. 29, 2016 at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home in Brooklyn. 

Millie was born Sept. 25, 1925, daughter of William Arthur Whitman and A. May Preston Whitman of Brooklyn. She was predeceased in 2014 by her husband of 52 years Joseph W. Comtois.

“Joe” and Millie moved to Alexandria, Va., in 1962 to pursue careers in Washington, D.C. Joe had a distinguished career with the federal Department of Labor, a position to which he was very dedicated. Millie pursued a career in space and aeronautical industries as an office manager. Millie’s special hobby was her rose garden. After Joe died in 2014, Millie had the courage to return to her home area after 52 years, and spent her last year living at Creamery Brook Retirement Village in Brooklyn. 

Millie leaves a sister Frances Griffiths of Maryland, N.Y.; two nieces Dorothy Chase Blocker of Hampton and Lynn Comtois LaCharite of Brooklyn, who helped care for her this past year. She was predeceased by two brothers, George Whitman, Robert Whitman and a sister, Olive Whitman Tanner. 

Mildred will be interred alongside her husband at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington VA. Donations: Killingly High School Alumni Association, C/O David Socquet, P.O. Box 75, Dayville, CT 06241. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.

 

Betty DiVincenzo

PUTNAM — Betty (Finley) Lemoine DiVincenzo, 85, of Putnam died Feb. 28, 2016, at Matulaitis Nursing Home after a short illness. Betty was born on Aug. 3, 1930, in Manchester, the daughter of the late Ida (Mertens) and Irving G. Finley. 

She was a graduate of Killingly High School and Williams College of Banking. She worked at The Citizens National Bank in Putnam as vice president, retiring after 38 years. She worked part-time in real estate as a salesperson affiliated with ERA Connecticut Home Finders. 

Betty married Leo J. Lemoine Jr. on Oct. 23, 1948. They made their home in Putnam and spent 34 years together until his death in 1983. She married Anthony DiVincenzo in 1989 until his death in 2004. Betty enjoyed knitting, quilting, crossword puzzles, gardening and traveling to Maine and New Hampshire. She enjoyed spending time at the cottage on Quaddick Lake in Thompson.

She leaves her brother Irving G. Finley Jr. (Mary Helen), a godchild Amy Beth St. Martin; nephew and niece, William and Kathleen Espinosa, with whom she made her home; nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Visitation is from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 12 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with a Memorial Service at 11:30 a.m.  Burial will follow in Grove Street Cemetery, Putnam. Donations; Matulaitis Nursing Home, 10 Thurber Road, Putnam, CT 06260. 

 

Cynthia J. Peterson

BROOKLYN — Cynthia J. (Perkins) Peterson, 80, died on March 1, 2016, at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home in Brooklyn, after battling pancreatic cancer.  

Cynthia was the second of four children born to Charles and Mary Emma (Daigle) Perkins on Oct. 2, 1935 at Mantup Farm in Putnam.  She was educated in the Putnam school system graduating from Putnam High School Class of 1953.

She was the wife of Herbert W. Peterson of Pierce Memorial Baptist Home, having just celebrated their 62nd anniversary in December.  Cynthia and Herbert made their home in Union after they were married. They later lived on Stone Bridge Road in S. Woodstock, on Roan Mountain in Tennessee, and Seely Brown Village in Pomfret Center.

She leaves her husband Herbert; four children, Debra and her husband Linus GrayEagle of McLaughlin, S.D., Diane Peterson of S. Woodstock, Mark (Ann) of Nashua, N.H., and Marcia Samuelson (John) of Faith, S.D.; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and her siblings, Phyllis (Zapolski), Charles Perkins, and James Perkins.

Cynthia always found time for doing crafts and sewing.  In her later years she took up oil painting and produced more than 30 finished pieces. She found great pleasure in gifting her creations to others. 

A Celebration of her Life will be held at 1 p.m. June 25 at the First Congregational Church, 543 Rt. 169 in Woodstock, followed by refreshments where we can all share our favorite stories of our life with Cynthia. Donations: American Cancer Society, 238 W. Town St, Norwich, CT 06360; or the First Congregational Church of Woodstock, PO Box 147, Woodstock, CT 06281. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

William Schunmann,

U.S. Navy vet

VERO BEACH, Fla. — William Charles “Bill” Schunmann died suddenly Feb. 28, 2016, at home in Vero Beach, after a battle against leukemia. Bill was born in 1934 in Millbury, Mass., the son of William Charles Schunmann Sr. and Nellie Norcliffe Gaucher Schunmann.

After graduating from Millbury High School in 1952, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Japan as a meteorologist. Upon discharge he enrolled in the business program at Clark University in Worcester, where he also studied geography.  In 1962 Bill started work as a production supervisor at Rogers Corporation, a Connecticut-based manufacturer of composite materials, from which he retired in 2001 as vice president of International Marketing.

Bill will be remembered for his success in business, his joy in hosting parties, gourmet cooking, sharing his travels with family, his luck (especially in playing cards) and most of all his love for the ocean.

 He leaves his wife Wai Lang, (Winnie aka “SP”) Lau, MD of Vero Beach; his daughter Jessica Cohen (Ronald), and granddaughter Sayre Scarlett Schunmann Cohen, all of Mifflinburg, Penn.; two sisters, Elizabeth (Betty) Kozij of Warwick, R.I., and Janet Needham (David) of Millbury; aunt Sis, Margaret Gaucher of Melbourne, Fla.; nieces, grand-nieces, nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his sister Dorothy Ann Sjogren and uncle Commander John Gaucher.

Bill’s wish was to have his ashes scattered off the Connecticut coast. An excerpt from “Humble Ships at Sea” (author unknown), which Bill provided at the sea burial service for his favorite Uncle John, brings his passage full circle: ‘for I am but a little ship on a great bounding sea and only you rule the tides and course of destiny.’

A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Haisley Funeral Home of Fort Pierce, Fla. 

 

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