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Raymond F. Langelier,
vet of 2 wars
N. GROSVENORDALE — Raymond F. Langelier, 91, of Riverside Dr., died Jan. 29, 2018, at home. Born in 1926 in Wilsonville, he was the son of the late Joseph and Ora (Pratt) Langelier.
Raymond was a veteran of WWII serving with the U.S. Army, Company B, 717th Battalion. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 29, 1946. He then reenlisted and was a combat veteran of the Korean war, serving with battery B, 189th field artillery battalion 45th division, taking part in the battles of the Chorwon Valley and the Punch Bowl, where he earned two Battle Stars in 1952.
Upon returning home in January of 1953, he went to work at American Optical in Southbridge, working there for more than 31 years. After retiring he opened his own business, Ray’s Car Waxing which he ran for 18 years, retiring in 1991.
He was a member of the Quarter Century Club, Wellsworth Athletic Association, and the Thompson Senior Center.
He leaves his nieces and nephews, Linda Demers, Carmen Charbonneau, Ronald Desrochers, and Gerald Langelier, all of Thompson, Gloria Mello of Westport, Mass., and Charlene Foreman of Brookfield, Mass.; and great-nieces and -nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, Albert, Joseph, Leonard, Charles, and Dolores Langelier, Belle Desrochers, Yvonne Madison, and Claire Howland.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 2 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial with military honors in St. Joseph Cemetery. Valade Funeral Home and Crematory, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
Frank X. Vandale Jr.,
Korean war vet
DANIELSON — Frank X. Vandale Jr., 85, of Joyce St., died Jan. 27, 2018, in Day Kimball Hospital. Born in 1932 in Norwich, he was the son of the late Frank X. Vandale Sr. and Anna M. (Carpentiere) Vandale. Mr. Vandale was a Korean war U.S. Army veteran. He worked as a paint sprayer for InterRoyal and Kaman Aerospace. He enjoyed fishing, bowling, going to flea markets and yard sales, always looking for something to tinker with.
He leaves his son, Richard Vandale (Michelle) of Dayville; his daughter Carleene Gendron of Danielson; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
A graveside service with full military honors will take place in St. John’s Cemetery, Plainfield in the spring. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Raymond Riendeau,
Korean war vet
WOODSTOCK — Raymond A. Riendeau, 85, died Feb. 1, 2018, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
He was born on Jan. 11, 1933, in Putnam. On Oct. 29, 1955, Ray married his wife, Lena (Back) Riendeau.
He was a veteran of the Korean war and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1955 after four years of dedicated service.
Ray worked as a mechanic at Cargill Chevrolet in Putnam for more than 40 years. He went on to work part time as a driver for Putnam Chrysler. Ray loved attending yard sales and flea markets. He was a collector of many things, never passing up a good deal. He was an avid New England Patriots fan. He enjoyed watching his maple tree bloom in the spring. Ray was most proud of his extensive antique toy truck collection.
Ray leaves his wife of 62 years, Lee Riendeau; their daughter Carolanne Blystone (late husband Ronald); family dog, Petree.
The Funeral Service will be at 2 p.m. Feb. 10 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with burial following with military honors.
Dorothy ‘Dot’ Galante
BROOKLYN — Dorothy (Dot) Galante, 96, longtime resident of Waterbury, and of Brooklyn and Dayville, died Feb. 2, 2018, at Westview Health Care Center in Dayville. She was the widow of Pasquale J. Galante.
Dot was born on Jan. 22, 1922, in Waterbury, daughter of the late Joseph E. and Nell (Wheeler) Champagne. Her father died when she was a young child, and her mother raised Dot and her siblings by herself, doing piecework for a local factory to supplement Joseph’s veteran’s pension. Dot was one of the only members of her family to graduate from high school, graduating from Waterbury Catholic around 1940. As a teenager, Dot befriended Dolores (Do) Galante, and met Do’s handsome, outgoing older brother, Pat. During WWII, Dot worked as an inspector of nylon parachute cord at Hemingway and Bartlett in Waterbury and Pat served in the Air Force in the Pacific Theatre. They were married on May 5, 1945, and enjoyed 63 years of marriage prior to his passing in 2008.
After the war, Dot and Pat raised their three children, Richard, Meg, and Michelle, on the second floor of their triple-decker with grandparents, in-laws, and cousins above and below. Dot and Pat were fond of surprising their kids with unexpected “adventures,” loading them into the station wagon in their pajamas and driving overnight so that they would wake up in the Catskills or at Lake George or in Gettysburg, Penn. Their favorite vacation was a yearly trip to Atlantic City, where Pat and Dot had spent their honeymoon. In later years, Dot and Pat drove all over the country to attend Pat’s Air Force reunions often bringing their children and grandchildren along. They also traveled by car sight-seeing and visiting friends with Phil and Lucy Galante and their dear friends Jerry and Nellie Arcaro. In 2007, they moved to eastern Connecticut to be closer to family.
She leaves three children and their spouses: Richard and Janet Galante of Pomfret, Meg Galante-DeAngelis and Mark DeAngelis of Willimantic, Michelle and Robert Plucenik of Brooklyn; grandchildren and their partners: Seth Galante, Carlo and Melynda Galante, Emily Galante, Caitlin and Finnegan Hopkins, Benjamin DeAngelis, Graham DeAngelis, Wheeler DeAngelis, Brighid DeAngelis, Alexandra Plucenik and Jim Noel, and Andréa Plucenik; great-grandchildren: Giuliana and Liam Galante, Amalia and Sam Hopkins, and Bella and 8-month-old Kamryn Noel; niece, Rita Sarandrea; siblings-in-law, Gloria Iavasile and Michael and Kathryn Galante. She was predeceased by her sisters: Rita Champagne, Marie Elward, and Edna Johnson.
Donations to the Westview Recreation Dept., 150 Ware Rd in Dayville, CT 06241. Services will be announced later. Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Frances Chauvin
OXFORD, Mass. — Frances M. (Gomes) Chauvin, 88, died Jan. 31, 2018, at Harrington at Webster.
She was born in Oxford daughter of the late Louis and Elsie (Dexter) Gomes and lived in Oxford all her life. She was a framer at Webster Spring for many years.
She leaves a sister Agnes Putis of Oxford, Mass.; and a best cousin and friend, Charlotte Gubber of Thompson; six grandchildren, Nina, Jennie, Adrian, Christopher, Jacki and Thomas and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two sons, Joseph Beaudry and Leonard Beaudry; and a daughter Sandra Cadarette.
A service will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at the Oak Hill Bible Church, Oxford. Burial in St. Roch’s Cemetery will be private. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Sandra Hryzan
THOMPSON — Sandra S. (Golembiewski) Hryzan, 73, died Jan. 28, 2018, in Westview Nursing Home, Danielson, after a battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Her husband of 48 years, Edmund D. Hryzan Sr., died in 2013.
She was born and raised in Webster, the daughter of Edward and Sophie (Oleszewski) Golembiewski and lived in N. Grosvenordale. Sandy graduated from Tourtellotte Memorial High School in N. Grosvenordale. She retired from Stop & Shop in Putnam and worked at Price Chopper, Big D, Moldex and Colt’s Plastic.
She spent many years volunteering at St. Joseph’s School in Webster and with Boy Scout Troop 173. She loved to dance, adored Fenway Park, the Red Sox and Jim Rice.
She leaves three children: Edmund D. Hryzan Jr. (Suzanne) of Lakeville, Mass., two daughters, Michele Potter (Troy) of N. Grosvenordale and Christine Ayotte (Marc) of Pomfret; seven grandchildren: Sophie, Jacob, Emma and Dominic Hryzan, Morgan Potter, Trey and Maxim Ayotte; a brother, Edward Golembiewski of Thompson; and sister, Carol Golembiewski of W. Hartford.
Visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in Scanlon Funeral Service, E. Main Street, Webster, with a service at 1:30. Burial will be private. Donations: Michael J. Fox Foundation, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741 (michaeljfox.org).
Rita E. St. Onge
WORCESTER — Rita E. St. Onge, 69, died Jan. 27, 2018, at UMass Memorial Healthcare Center. She was born in Worcester, daughter of the late Richard E. and Geraldine (Howard) St. Onge and lived in Worcester for the past 30 years prior to that living in Canada. She enjoyed cooking for friends and entertaining.
She leaves a brother Robert E. St. Onge Sr. of Warren, Mass.; a sister Gail A. Wojtanek of Oxford, Mass.; four nieces Melanie Frates, Alison Tozzi, Amy Peterson and Angela Baldwin, three nephews, Jason, Andy and Rob Jr St. Onge of Thompson. She was also predeceased by brother Kevin St. Onge and a sister Cythia Wilfong.
The Graveside Service was Feb. 7 in St. Johns Cemetery, Worcester. Donations: charity of donor’s choice. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
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