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Mervin R. Whipple,
‘Mr. Christmas’
DAYVILLE — Mervin Ray Whipple, 81, of Pineville Road died April 17, 2010, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. He was the husband of Barbara (Fournier) Whipple. They were married Nov. 22, 1973.
He was born Sept. 29, 1928, in the Ballouville section of Killingly, son of the late Ray and Amy (Chase) Whipple. He was the owner and operator of Everlasting Memorials in Dayville he started 50 years ago. Mervin served over 50 years as sexton of Killingly’s cemeteries: Westfield, Bartlett, High Street, South Killingly, and cared for the Holy Cross and St. Joseph Cemeteries. Mervin was a Justice of the Peace for the Town of Killingly, and performed over 3,000 wedding ceremonies, most of them at “Whipple’s Chapel.” He was active for many years in the affairs of the Town of Killingly, and a former chairman of the Parks and Recreation. Mervin was best known as “Mr. Christmas,” for over 30 years, every Christmas season he set up his “Christmas Wonderland” at his home in Ballouville, and would take pride in greeting each guest. He was a 50-year member of the Moriah Lodge A.F. & A.M. and he also served with the Connecticut National Guard.
He leaves his wife Barbara; stepdaughter, Kimberly Chipman of Brooklyn; stepdaughter from a previous marriage, Barbara Salinger of Union; two nephews, Linden Whipple of Putnam and James Watson of Hubbardston, Mass. He was predeceased by a brother and a sister, Ray Whipple and Bertha Watson.
The Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. April 23, at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson. Calling Hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. April 22 at the funeral home. Burial in Westfield Cemetery, Danielson. Donations: Westfield Cemetery Association, PO Box 296, Danielson, CT 06239.
John Crandall Sr.,
Gulf war vet
DANIELSON — John A. “Crunch” Crandall Sr., 73, of Danielson, died April 11, 2010, at home surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Deborah (Girard) Crandall. They were married Jan. 20, 1996, in Las Vegas. He was born Aug. 28, 1936, in Lackawanna, N.Y., son of the late Albert and Jennie (Havens) Crandall.
John started his career with the Nike Missile Project in Hamburg, N.Y., in the 1960s. He was an aircraft mechanic with the AVCRAD, the Connecticut Army National Guard. He retired in 1991 after 35 years as Sergeant 1st Class. He was a veteran of the Persian Gulf serving in operation Desert Shield/ Desert Strom. He has made his home in Danielson for the last 16 years, formerly of Moosup.
He was a communicant of St. James Church and a life member of the Plainfield VFW 5446. John was an avid NASCAR Fan, in his youth he built and raced his own cars. He also enjoyed golf and bowling.
He leaves his wife Deborah; children: Dianna (John) Firlik of Sterling, John A. Crandall Jr. (Carol) of Plainfield, David Crandall (Lori) of Central Village, Steven Crandall of Moosup, Kathleen Aubin and her companion David of Danielson; stepson, Garret LeClair of Clearwater, Fla.; sister, Geraldine Pryor of Hamburg, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Wanda Crandall in 1993, a brother Robert Crandall and a sister Joan Wick.
A Memorial Mass was April 23 at St. James Church, Danielson, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson with military honors. Donations: Hospice of NECT, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Matthew J. Pensak,
WWII veteran
DANIELSON — Matthew J. Pensak, 89, of East Franklin Street, died April 11, 2010, at Regency Heights in Danielson. He was the husband of Lorraine (L’Heureux) Pensak. They were married April 3, 1948, in St. Anne Church in Fall River, Mass.. She died Oct. 31, 2006. He was born Nov, 15, 1920, in Fall River, son of Joseph and Katherine (Renkowicz) Pensak.
He moved to Danielson in 1962 and was a communicant of St. James Church in Danielson. He worked as a custodian at the Killingly Junior High School for nine years, retiring in 1984. He worked for Hindle Transformer Corporation in Putnam, Kaman Aircraft in Moosup, Rogers Corporation in Rogers.
He attended St. Stanislaus, George B. Stone and Susan H. Wixon Schools in Fall River, then worked for the US Luggage Company as a riveter for 26 years.
He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U.S. Army and a life member of VFW Post 4908 in E. Killingly serving as post chaplain. He enjoyed duck pin bowling and playing cards.
He leaves his sons: Vincent Pensak of Putnam, Mark Pensak of Danielson; sister, Marie Krupa of Avon; five grandchildren. Predeceased by a son, George Pensak; brothers, Francis Pensak, Casimiere Pensak, Stanley Pensak, John Pencack, Walter Pensak; sister, Helen Acciardo.
Following cremation, burial was in Notre Dame Cemetery, Fall River. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Henry Desjardin,
WWII vet
DANIELSON — Henry Desjardin, 84, of West Oak Street, died April 16, 2010, at home. He was the husband of Aurore (Barry) Desjardin; they were married in 1953 in St. Mary Church, Jewett City.
He was born June 18, 1925, in Danielson, son of the late Noe and Diana (Charbonneau) Desjardin. He made his home in Danielson all of his life, a communicant of St. James Church. He worked for Danielson Oil for many years.
He also served in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Europe during WWII. He was a member of the Danielson American Legion.
He leaves his wife Aurore; children, Guy Desjardin (Madeline) of Danielson, Michael Desjardin Sr. (Jennifer) of Danielson, Suzanne King (Greg) of New Mexico, Paula Freeman (Richard) of Plainville; sisters Yvette Koenicke of Norwich, and Jeannette Millette of Putnam; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
The Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Lucille Deslauriers,
mother of 2
PUTNAM — Lucille Y. Deslauriers, 81, formerly of Arthur Street., died April 6, 2010 at Oakwood Nursing Home, after a lengthy illness. She was born Feb. 2, 192,9 in Putnam, daughter of the late Ovila and Eva Rondeau.
She leaves her husband Edgar Deslauriers; daughters, Patricia Ann Deslauriers of Melbourne, Fla., and Annette Deslauriers of Waltham, Mass.; sister Lorraine LaPalme of N. Grosvenordale; brother John Rondeau and his wife Lillian of Putnam. She was predeceased by her sister Leona Duboise, brother Martin Rondeau.
Donations: Diabetes Foundation. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Lorraine Zavorskas,
owned business
BROOKLYN — Lorraine Theresa (Dumont) Zavorskas, of Brooklyn, died April 13, 2010, after fighting pancreatic cancer.
Lorraine was born Oct. 5, 1943, in Bristol, and was predeceased by parents Laurent and Marie “Rena” Dumont and stepfather, Clovis Rioux. She attended St. Anne’s Parochial School and St. Anthony’s High School in Bristol. She worked at Connecticut General Life Insurance Company in Bloomfield for several years before embarking in 1967 on a 20-plus year adventure as a military wife. The couple moved to Brooklyn in 1987 after Tom retired from the USAF. While in Brooklyn, Lorraine worked several years at the Town Hall as assistant tax collector. Over the recent years, she and Tom established an antiques and collectibles business, “Cobweb Corner,” and traveled throughout the East Coast and Midwest displaying and selling their wares at antique shows. Lorraine was also very active as a dealer in the Antiques Marketplace in Putnam.
She leaves behind her husband of 43-plus years, Thomas Zavorskas of Brooklyn; two sons and daughters-in-law; Todd & Kellam Zavorskas of Bridgeport, Craig & Lee Zavorskas of Rochester, N.H.; six grandchildren, Zachary, Luke, Colin, Brandon, Roman & Christian; sisters and brothers, Jeanine LaRue (David) of Richmond, Va., Margaret Stafford (William) of Southington, Linda Giovanazzo of Bristol, Janet Vine (Robert) of Arvada, Colo., David Rioux (Michelle) of Eagle, Ind., and Don Rioux (Becky) of Lakeland, Fla.
The Mass of Christian Burial was April 17 at St. James Church, Danielson. Donations: St. Joseph’s Living Center, 14 Club Road, Windham, CT 06280. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Marie Vigeant,
hospital volunteer
PUTNAM — Marie A. Vigeant, 92, School Street, died April 14, 2010, at the Westview Nursing Center in Dayville. She was born March 21, 1918, in Worcester, daughter of the late Joseph and Helen (Rochette) Barry. She attended St Joseph’s Grammar School and High School in Worcester, Class of 1936. She was the wife of the late Raymond Vigeant Sr. They were married in 1938 in Worcester. He died in 2005.
She had made her home in Putnam since 1947, a communicant of St. Mary Church of the Visitation Church, Marie sang at the Church for over 50 years. She was a volunteer at the Day Kimball Hospital for over 46 years, and ran the Gift Shop at the hospital for 40 years. She was a member of the Woman’s Board for over 50 years, and served as president for 3 terms. She was active with the American Red Cross for many years. Marie was an accomplished artist, painting and working with ceramics.
She leaves three children, Raymond J. Vigeant Jr. (Yvonne) of Danielson, Annette Marie Hulefeld (Frank) of Chicago, and Charles P. Vigeant of Lake Jackson, Texas; four grandchildren: Michael Alan Vigeant of Houston, Suzanne Marie Lewis of Massapequa, N.Y., Thomas Mark Spitznagel of Vienna, Va., John Joseph Spitznagel of St. Louis, and four great-grandchildren: Daniel Scott Lewis and Sarah Victoria Lewis, Nicholas John Spitznagel and Benjamin Thomas Spitznagel; two sisters-in-law: Priscilla and Irene Richard both of Grafton, Mass. She was predeceased by her siblings: Helen, Anna, Lillia, Marguerite, Charles.
The Mass of Christian Burial was April 19 in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam, with burial in the St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: Daily Bread, PO Box 281, Putnam, CT 06260; or Day Kimball Hospital, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Wesley Adams,
carpenter
DUDLEY — Wesley W. Adams, 54, of Schofield Avenue, died April 17, 2010, in UMass/Memorial Healthcare, Worcester. He was born in Putnam, son of the late Donald Adams. He lived in N. Grosvenordale before moving to Dudley in 1977. Mr. Adams was a self-employed carpenter for many years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, fly tying, bead work, assembling World War I models, and operating remote control cars and airplanes.
He leaves his wife of 33 years, Carol-Ann (Alarie) Adams; a daughter, Samantha-Ann Grout (Jason) of Dudley; a son, Wilfred Bond (Betty Jean) of Westborough, Mass.; eight grandchildren, Kaitlin, Jared, triplets Dominick, Dereck and Dwayne, Amy, David and Ryan; a great-grandson Dennis; his mother, Martha (Huntington) Adams of Putnam; a brother, Brian Adams of Connecticut; a sister, Donna Holder of N. Grosvenordale.
The Funeral was April 20 in Scanlon Funeral Service, Webster.
Andrew Poh,
Vietnam war vet
WOODSTOCK — Andrew M. “Andy” Poh, 59, of Woodstock, died April 13, 2010, surrounded by his family at UMass/Memorial Healthcare, Worcester, after a 20-month battle with cancer.
He was born in 1950 in New York, the son of Hermann A. and Virginia C. (Gorodovich) Poh. He graduated from Goshen Central High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
He was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam war. Mr. Poh was the operations manager at IPL Products Ltd. in Worcester for 10 years, the last seven of which were spent working alongside his son Nicholas. He retired in May of last year due to illness.
He leaves his wife of 36 years, Holly A. (Wetherell) Poh; a son, Nicholas A. Poh (Danielle) of Brooklyn; a daughter, Georgianna N. Poh and her fiancé Richard P. Kulasenski of Bristol; a grandson, Elijah Francis Poh; a brother, Timothy A. Poh (Diane) f Meredith, N.H.; a sister, Andrea C. Poh of Phoenix, Ariz.
A Graveside Service was held in Elmvale Cemetery. Donations: Muddy Brook Fire Department, PO Box 222, East Woodstock, CT 06244. Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, Webster.