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Louis Molinaro,
WWII vet
PUTNAM — Louis E. Molinaro, 91, of Flagg Street, died Dec. 22, 2010. Born in Putnam, he was the son of the late Samuel and Mary (Granata) Molinaro.
Mr. Molinaro graduated at the age of 16 in 1935 from Tourtellotte High School as the Solitarian. He played 3 years of semi-professional football and won a full scholarship to Worcester Polytechnical Institute but was unable to attend because he had to go to work to support his family.
He was a WWII U.S. Army sergeant who participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France; the Battle of the Bulge; and the liberation of France. He was postmaster of the N. Grosvenordale Post Office for 26 years and very active in civil and community activities. He served as commander of the American Legion Post 67 as well as State Commander, and was a Charter Member of the Thompson Lions Club. He was an active communicant of St. Joseph Church where he served as a parish trustee and lector.
He is predeceased by his wife, Rachel (Joly) Molinaro, and sons Buster, James and Michael. He leaves his daughter Kathy Bell (John) of N. Grosvenordale; six grandchildren, including Tracie Molinaro, Jill Silvestri Molinaro (Joseph), Beth Palladino (Todd), Kim Molinaro, Louis Bell (Erica), John Bell Jr. (Alicia_; seven great-grandchildren, Hannah, Benjamin, Jamie, Jessica, Sophia, Charlie and Brendan; longtime companion Gloria McColloch; and his daughter in-laws, Diane Thayer, and Carolyn Molinaro.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Dec. 28 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale with burial with military honors in St. Joseph Cemetery. Donations: St. Joseph Church, 20 Main St., N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255. Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
Allen H. Brooks
BROOKLYN — Allen H. Brooks, 85, of Fairgrounds Road died Dec. 16, 2010, at UMass Medical Center in Worcester.
He was the son of the late Harold and Ina (Oatley) Brooks.
The funeral and burial with military honors will be held later. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Terri Bullard,
mother of 2
PUTNAM — Terri Bullard, 48, of Putnam, died Dec. 20, 2010, at home.
She leaves her daughter, Jennifer; son, Benjamin; mother, Laura; sisters, Lee and Debbie; brothers Dale and Bobby.
A Memorial Service was Dec. 28, at The Church of Nazarene, Danielson. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Ralph H. Clark,
business owner
S. KILLINGLY — Ralph H. Clark, 70, of S. Killingly, died Dec. 21, 2010, at W.W. Backus Hospital in Norwich after a brief illness. He was the husband of Dale (White) Clark. They were married for 49 years. He was born March 23, 1940, in Norwich, son of the late Chester W. and Emma (Marion) Clark.
Mr. Clark served in the U.S. Army. He owned and operated Friendly Market in N. Grosvenordale for many years. He was an avid sports fan and was a life long New York Giants Fan.
Besides his wife he leaves his daughter Robin Wojcik (Lennie) of Danielson; two sons, Jeffrey Clark (Gila) of Attawaugan, and Jason Clark and fiancée Jessica Guy of Cape Coral, Fla.; brothers, Richard Clark (Audrey) of Moosup, Douglas Clark (Sue) of Brooklyn, Alan Clark (Kathy) of Brooklyn; sister, Barbara Donahue of Central Village; three grandchildren, Shannon Frechette, Shane Frechette and Kaia Clark; great-grandson Evan Frechette.
A Memorial Service with full military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 29 in Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson. Calling hours are from 1 to 2 p.m. Dec. 29. Donations: Pet Pals, P.O. Box 64, Plainfield, CT 06374.
Joan M. Bley,
health aide
THOMPSON —Joan M. (Lacerte) Bley, 76, of Maple Lane, died Dec. 13, 2010, at Matulaitis Nursing Home in Putnam.
She was born in Worcester, the daughter of the late Arthur Lacerte and Beatrice (Boisvert) Roy, and lived in Worcester before moving to Thompson in 1966. She graduated from Commerce High School in Worcester in 1953. Before retiring to care for her grandchildren, Mrs. Bley was a certified home health aide for TLC Nursing and Medical Resources Company. She enjoyed caring for her patients and thought of them as family. Previously, she was a bookkeeper at the former Industrial City Bank (later Mechanics Bank) in Worcester. She was a member of St. Stephens’s Church in Quinebaug. Early in life, Mrs. Bley was a very active member of the Worcester County Light Opera Club. She had a beautiful voice, loved to sing and perform. She enjoyed gardening.
She leaves two children, Kevin R. Bley of Red Hook, N.Y., and Darlene M. Boligan of Thompson; four grandchildren, Andrew Bley of North Carolina, Zachary Bley of Somers, Alexander and Nicholas Boligan, both of Thompson.
A Funeral Mass was Dec. 17 at St. Joseph’s Church, N. Grosvenordale with burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Paradis Funeral Home, Oxford, Mass.
Michael Derosier,
truck driver
N. GROSVENORDALE — Michael Derosier, 54, died Dec. 14, 2010, after being stricken ill in Worcester.
He was born and raised in Webster and had lived in N. Grosvenordale for the past five years. He worked many years as a truck driver for the Webster Highway Department. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle.
He leaves his father and mother Ronald and Jacqueline (Major) Derosier of Webster; three sisters: Kathleen Jalbert of West Brookfield, Mass., Roberta Kuecker of Crestview, Fla., Karen Lowell of Westborough, Mass.; uncle and aunt Richard and Rita Guerin of Webster.
Services after cremation were private. Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, Dudley.
C.P. 'Joe' DiDonato,
worked at AO
SOUTHBRIDGE --- Cesidio P. “Joe” DiDonato, 88, died Dec. 13, 2010, in Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge, after an illness.
He was born in Cugnoli, Pescara, Italy, the son of Emilio and Marianna DiDonato. He was an Italian Army veteran of WWII and towards the end of the war he was a prisoner of war. In January of 1954 he came to the U.S. He worked hard here at several jobs to bring his wife and oldest three children from Italy. He became a proud U.S. citizen in 1962. He lived in Southbridge from 1954 until moving to Arizona in 1987 and moved to Putnam in 1997.
Joe worked for the American Optical Co. in Southbridge for over 30 years, before retiring several years ago. He also worked part time for Laliberte Construction in Southbridge and for United Lens Co. in Southbridge. He was a member of the Italian American Club in Southbridge. He was an avid gardener, a great bowler, an excellent cook and an avid Red Sox fan.
He leaves his wife of 68 years, Maria (Dell’Orso) DiDonato; three sons, Angelo DiDonato (Constance) of Dudley, Peter DiDonato (Linda) of Southbridge, and Frank DiDonato (Julie) of Putnam; two daughters, Anna Cournoyer of Putnam and Clara Barone (Ken) of Roanoke, Va.; two sisters, Nina Sablone and Ida DiDonato, both of Italy; 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
The Funeral was Dec. 17 with burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Southbridge. Daniel T. Morrill Funeral Home, Southbridge.
Richard J. Weaver,
WWII vet
DAYVILLE — Richard John Weaver, 92, of Dayville, died Dec. 12, 2010, at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home in Brooklyn.
He was born Dec. 17, 1917, in the Dayville section of Killingly, the son of the late Daniel and Helen (Lehrer) Weaver. He was married to Adella M. Weaver on Oct. 15, 1949. He was a veteran of WWII.
He then worked at the former Wm. Prym for many years retiring as the manager of Shipping and Receiving. He was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Church in Dayville where he was very active in church activities including the Knights of Columbus. He and Della were avid square dancers in their younger days, and he was active in the community. He served on the Killingly Board of Education 1957; he was a member of Quinebaug Valley Senior Citizens and many other civic organizations. Dick and Della loved to travel.
He leaves his nieces and nephews, Janice Yeitz (Patrick) of Danielson, Wayne Weaver (Carol) of Sun City, Ariz., Bruce Weaver (Peggy) of Danielson, Diane and Raymond Sorel of Dayville, Joanne and Douglas Bryer of Thompson, Edward Szela (Lorri) of Plainfield, Duncan Szela (Jean) of Woodstock, Caroline Szela and Beverly Szela both of Dudley. He was predeceased by his brothers, Robert, and Lawrence Weaver. The Funeral was Dec. 15 in Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson, with burial in Dayville Cemetery with full military honors.