Normand Laroche,

WWII vet

PUTNAM —  Normand Laroche, 91, formerly of Melbourne, Fla., died April 20, 2016, in Matulaitis Nursing Home.  He was the husband of Laura (Mike) Laroche for 63 years. Born in 1925 in Thompson, he was the son of the late Joseph and Rose (Martel) Laroche.

Mr. Laroche proudly served in the U.S. Navy during WWII.  He worked as a machine operator for Pratt & Whitney. He enjoyed playing golf, bingo and volunteering with the Thompson Little League. He was a member of the American Legion. 

In addition to his wife, he leaves his grandchildren; Donna Faucher (Michael), Darlene Baker and her companion Robert Booth, and Kerri Price (John); great-grandchildren, Matthew Faucher (Jennifer), Thomas Faucher (Christine), Hannah Diaz (Damian), and Raymond Baker; great-great-grandchildren, Hailey, Emma, Bentley, Alexus, Chloe, and Brendan; son-in-law Ron Donovan.  He was predeceased by his daughter Paulette Donovan, and brothers; Roger, Herve, and Richard Laroche. 

The Mass of Christian Burial is at 10 a.m. May 2 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery.  Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.

 

Mark A. Cristofori 

WOODSTOCK — Mark A. Cristofori, 55, of Tripp Rd., died April 19, 2016.  Born in 1960 in Putnam, he was the son of Mary Ellen (Chase) Morrarty of Pomfret and the late Boyd Cristofori.

Mr. Cristofori was a 1978 graduate of Woodstock Academy.  He was fondly remembered from his many years at Shaws’s Stationary and Aubuchon Hardware.  He enjoyed cookouts, dogs, motorcycle riding, antique tractors, and was a “Jack of all Trades.” He loved northeastern Connecticut and for many years placed the flags on veteran’s graves in Pomfret for Memorial Day.

In addition to his mother, he leaves his daughter, Nicole Cristofori of Pomfret; his son, Chase Van Noordwijk of the Netherlands; his girlfriend Chris Coe of Woodstock; his brothers, Sean Cristofori of Pomfret Center; his sisters, Susanne Cristofori of Florida, and Beth Cristofori Laney of Voluntown; his step brothers, Timothy Morrarty of Pomfret Center, and Thomas Morrarty of Manchester; three grandchildren.  He was predeceased by his stepfather, George Morrarty.   Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam

 

Madeline Lussier

PUTNAM — Madeline (Graziano) Lussier, 89, died April 3, 2016, after a brief illness.

She was born July 25, 1926, in Brooklyn, N.Y., daughter of Donato and Florence (Muskat) Graziano. This city girl spent summers in Putnam in her youth and is where she met her husband Theodore W. Lussier. She was widowed in 1969.

 Madeline had a varied working career at Montgomery Ward, the Town Hall, the Department of Motor Vehicles and lastly, the John N. Dempsey Center. Her position at the DMV was auspicious because if it wasn’t for her job she could not possibly have passed her driver’s test. (No NY city girl ever needed a license!) But her job at Dempsey was her favorite because it gave her the opportunity to donate time with special needs people and she spent many happy hours teaching them to dance.

She leaves three sons, Michael T. Lussier (Deborah) of Florida and Pomfret, Daniel J. Lussier (Celeste) of Putnam, and Paul R. Lussier (Sherri) of Pomfret; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a brother Joseph Graziano and a sister Evelyn Mier and an infant granddaughter Michelle S. Lussier.

The Mass of Christian Burial was April 21 at St. Mary Church of the Visitation, with burial in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: The Arc Quinebaug Valley, 687 Cook Hill Rd, Danielson, CT 06239. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

Louella A. Drea

PUTNAM —  Louella A. (Antonioli) Drea, 74, of Woodstock Ave., died April 10, 2016, in Matulaitis Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Edward H. Drea Jr. Born in 1942 in New London, she was the daughter of the late Bruno and Ruth (Frink) Antonioli.

Mrs. Drea was a school bus driver for the East Lyme Public Schools.  She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, antiques, oil painting and sculpting. She was a very talented and creative person. 

She leaves her son Daniel Drea of Jewett City; daughter Nichole Drea of Brooklyn.  

The services are private. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory.  

 

Evelyn M. Fairfield

DAYVILLE — Evelyn M. Fairfield, 91, of Dayville, formerly of Woodstock died April 17, 2016. Evelyn’s husband of 57 years, Thurston G. Eddy died on April 15, 2003. She married Elmer A. Fairfield on Nov. 1, 2003. He died June 13, 2011.

Evelyn was the daughter of Eric and Anne Johnson. Born in Philadelphia on July 8, 1924, she moved with her family to Woodstock in 1935. She graduated from Woodstock Academy in 1942 and went on to take a one-year secretarial course at Becker College in Worcester. 

Her first job was with the NY, NH & Albany RR at Union Station in Worcester as a bookkeeper and reservation clerk. Evelyn also worked at the American Optical Co. in Southbridge, from 1945 to 1947 in the foreign sales and billing dept. She worked as secretary to the principal of the Woodstock Elementary School from 1963-1971. Then from Sept. 1971 to 1986 she worked at the Woodstock town offices, becoming certified as an assistant town clerk in 1973.

Evelyn was an active member of the East Woodstock Congregational Church for more than 60 years. Over the years she served as treasurer to the Missions Committee and the Ladies Benevolent Society. She also cooked for the needy once a month along with a group of women from the church at the community kitchen of the Methodist Church in N. Grosvenordale.

She leaves her brother Walter Johnson (Doris (Davis)) of Daytona Beach, Fla.; a son, Ralph Eddy (Deborah (Rich)) of Avon; a son, Steven Eddy of Woodstock Valley; a daughter, Kathryn Eddy  Roth (Paul) of Bloomfield, Vt.; a step-daughter, Amber Fairfield Bierken (Dean) of Clinton; a step-daughter Heather Fairfield of Sedona, Ariz.;; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.

There will be a Committal Service at 11 a.m. April 29 at the Elmvale Cemetery in Woodstock. A Memorial Service will follow at noon at the E. Woodstock Congregational Church. Donations: E. Woodstock Congregational Church, PO Box 156, E Woodstock, CT 06244; or Westview Health Care Center Recreation Fund, PO Box 428, Dayville, CT 06241. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

 

Anita C. Place

PUTNAM —  Anita C. Place, 85, formerly of W. Thompson., died April 25, 2016, in Westview Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Charles W. Place.  Born in Putnam, she was the daughter of the late Alphonse and Mary Rose (Depot) Picard. She was a graduate of St. Joseph High School in N. Grosvenordale.

Mrs. Place enjoyed cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, and traveling and shopping with her daughter Cindy.  She worked at Belding Heminway for more than 30 years and prior to that she worked at Colts Plastics.  

She leaves her sons, Richard “Peter” Place (Audrey) of Putnam, Donald Place and his companion Kerri of Thompson, and David Place (Karen) of Thompson; daughters, Cynthia LaBonte of Putnam and Karen LaPalme (Lucien) of Thompson; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and brother, David Picard (Claudette) of Putnam; and two nieces Allison and Marcia. She was predeceased by a sister Alice Jewell.  

Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. April 28 in Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. The Funeral is at 10 a.m. April 29 at the funeral home, followed by  burial in W. Thompson Cemetery.  Donations: Westview Health Care and Rehabilitation Center Activities Fund, 150 Ware Rd., Dayville, CT 06241.

 

Gary S. Rathbone

PUTNAM — Gary S. Rathbone, 55, of Green St., died April 17, 2016. Born in 1960 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Charles and Nancy (Emerson) Rathbone.

Mr. Rathbone was best known for his strong work ethic and kind heart. He was employed as a machine operator for Norampac for 20 years. You might have seen his friendly face when he worked as a inventory clerk at Stop and Shop for more than 20 years, or while working as a farmhand at Roxbury Farms for 30 years. He was a very social man who enjoyed hunting, muscle cars, watching westerns and especially loved animals.

He leaves his brother, Richard Rathbone (Kimberly) of Bow, N.H.; his sister, Sandra Hamilton (Keith) of Thompson; nieces and nephews including Aubree and Tanner Rathbone, Brandon and Hayden Hamilton, Menny Merchant and Felicia Brownlow. He was predeceased by his sister, Deborah Rathbone.

A Celebration of Gary’s Life will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 14 at Roxbury Farms, 169 Pulpit Rock Rd in Woodstock. Donations: Local SPCA. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.

 

Virginia Taylor

KILLINGLY —Virginia Dean Steele Taylor, 92, formerly a life-long resident of both Lake Forest and Winnetka, Ill., died April 6, 2016, in Killingly. 

She was the sole great granddaughter of the 1830’s Lake Forest Scottish pioneers Matthew Steele and Ellen Atteridge Steele, Virginia cherished her family’s long history as one of the first settlers in Lake Forest.  Virginia was predeceased by her son Stephen Lewis Taylor; her brothers Merritt and Lowell Steele; and her parents Robert G. Steele and Arvilla (Honey) Dean. She leaves daughters Laurie Taylor-Curby (Wm Curby), Leslie Jefferson (Tere North), and Louise Steele Taylor (Dawn Krasnecky).

She was born Nov. 5, 1923, and lived in Winnetka on school days and spent the weekends on the Lake Forest family farm. She met her future husband, Lewis Treat Taylor (deceased 1988), in middle school, and dated him while attending New Trier High School in Winnetka, both graduating in 1941. Virgie attended Lake Forest College, majoring in accounting and political science. 

She was also a foster mother and hosted exchange students from the college. She was active in the Glencoe Women’s Club, Lake Forest’s Church of the Holy Spirit, and the Winter Club, while also volunteering as a Cub Scout den mother and as the local Girl Scout Leader. She also worked as the bookkeeper for her husband’s Lake Forest insurance agency. She graduated from Lake Forest College in 1989. 

Starting yet a new life upon graduation at age 65, Virgie moved out East to live with both her daughter Laurie’s family in Hingham, Mass., and also her daughter Louise’s family in Thompson. Yet, she continued to spend all her summers in Illinois with her daughter Leslie’s family. Out East, she was an active participant raising her three grandchildren, Matthew Taylor-Curby in Massachusetts and Jack and Kelsey Rafferty in Connecticut. A life-long dressmaker with a flair for quiet fashion, Virgie continued creating clothing for herself and her girls, as well as intricate knitwear and many forms of needlepoint. She also continued to enjoy painting, home décor, gardening, and sports. She remained athletically active until age 89. Always serene, gentle, and beautiful within and without, Virgie lived by the Golden Rule and was admired for her gracious and loving composure throughout life.     

A celebration of life will be June 11 at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Forest with burial in the family site at the Lake Forest Cemetery.  Please contact Laurie Taylor-Curby at 781-749-7737 with any questions. Donations: Lake Forest College and the Hadley School for the Blind in Winnetka, Ill. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes.

 

Christopher Patnaude

PUTNAM — Christopher J. “Snakeman” Patnaude, 52, died April 16, 2016, two days shy of his 53rd birthday. 

Christopher was born in Putnam and lived in Putnam all his life.  He was known to many and affectionately referred to as “Snakeman” and could often be seen carrying his snake Cannabis throughout the Town of Putnam.  He was an avid outdoorsman and was skilled in carpentry, landscaping, masonry and demolition.  Christopher had a firm belief in God and a strong faith. 

Christopher leaves a son, Christopher J. Patnaude II of Stafford Springs; his father, Ralph R, Patnaude of Light House Point, Fla.; a brother, Ralph R. Patnaude II of Putnam and his companion Cindy Phillips of Canterbury; two sisters, Lisa M. Gannetta (Michael) of Lisbon, Laurie A. Patnaude of Putnam; two aunts, Lillian Carbone of Stoughton, Mass., and Jeannette Lespasio of Putnam. He was predeceased by his mother, Loretta (Jason) Patnaude in 2013. 

A Celebration of Life will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. April 29 at the Putnam Elks Club, Edmond Street, Putnam. Donations: Any animal charity.  Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

 

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