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Lydia Gagnon,
mother of 2
PUTNAM — Lydia Gagnon, 52, of Putnam, died March 9, 2012, at Women’s and Infants Hospital in Providence. She was born Sept. 3, 1959, in Chicopee, Mass., daughter of Theresa Bergeron and the late Russell Bergeron. She was the wife of David Gagnon, mother of two daughters, Kim Haynes (Peter) , Danielle Payne (David) and Memé to Carter Payne, Amelia Haynes and Vayda Payne and sister of Susan Barry.
Lydia was a certified dental assistant for the office of Dr. Stephen Solomon working for the past 25 years. The love of her career path brought many lasting relationships with her co-workers and patients. She took great pride organizing the family with her plans to bring us together on many destinations which provided everlasting memories. She had enormous strength and held on to this strength until the end.
Her battle although brief has inspired her family to continue to battle in her place by participating in the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Lydia and her family participated in the 5K walk/run to break the silence of Ovarian Cancer.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. March 14 at St. James Church, 12 Franklin Street, Danielson. Donations: The Lydia Gagnon Memorial Fund - NOCC-RI Chapter, c/o Putnam Bank, PO Box 151, Putnam, CT 06260. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Beatrice Sumner,
church member
POMFRET CENTER — Beatrice E. Sumner, 90, of Pomfret Center, died March 8, 2012, at the Oakwood Nursing Home in Webster. She was the wife of the late Francis E. Sumner. He died in 1992.
She was born Sept. 3, 1921, in Putnam, daughter of the late Eugene and Regina (Gagne) Cady.
She had made her home in Pomfret for over 50 years, a communicant of Most Holy Trinity Church in Pomfret. She was employed for 25 years at Linemaster Switch in Woodstock. Beatrice enjoyed reading and taking walks.
She leaves her children: Robin Reis (Joseph) of Nantucket, Mass., Jay Sumner of Pomfret Center; sister Barbara McDuffie of Putnam; two grandchildren: Justin Reis and Brian Reis.
The Memorial Service was March 12. Burial will be in the spring in Center Cemetery, Woodstock. Donations: Pomfret Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 67, Pomfret Center, CT 06259. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
George O. Albetski,
WWII vet
N. GROSVENORDALE — George O. Albetski, 84, of Riverside Drive, died March 11, 2012, in UMass Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of the late Gloria (Duchesne) Albetski. Born in 1927 in Webster, he was the son of the late John and Alma (Provost) Albetski.
Mr. Albetski worked as a glass cutter for Guardian Industries, retiring in 1989. He served in the Navy during WWII. He was a member of the American Legion-Oscar Swanson Post #67 in N. Grosvenordale, and the Knights of Columbus-St. Bernard Council.
He leaves three brothers, Bernard Albetski of Webster, Leo Albetski of Florida, and Donald Albetski of Enfield; nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Clarence Belanger, William Albetski, Alfred Albetski, Emile Albetski, and Ernest Albetski.
Visitation is at 10 a.m. March 14 in the Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale. Burial with military honors follows in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Evelyn M.
Child Collins
WOODSTOCK/CROMWELL — Evelyn Mabel Child Collins, 95, wife of Sigfred T. Collins, went home to be with the Lord on March 3, 2012. She was predeceased by Sigfred in November 2007 after 72 years of marriage.
Born May 4, 1916, in the Elmvale area of Woodstock, she was the third of four children of Spencer and Mabel (Whitaker) Child. She was raised in Elmvale by her maternal grandmother after the deaths of both parents in 1918 during the great influenza epidemic. She attended Woodstock schools and graduated from Woodstock Academy in 1933.
She and Sig were married in August 1935 and lived on the family farm on New Sweden Road until 1963 when they moved into their newly built home on a corner lot of the farm and lived in it for the next 37 years.
In their declining years after a brief sojourn in Brooklyn, (Creamery Brook Retirement Village and Pierce Memorial Baptist Home), Evelyn and Sig moved to Pilgrim Manor, the skilled nursing unit of Covenant Village of Cromwell in 2005.
Evelyn, with her husband, was a faithful and active member of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Woodstock. Her strong faith in God saw her through her life as a wife and mother. Despite total blindness, she was a homemaker par excellence. In addition to being a good cook, baker and candy maker, she learned to knit and crochet and turned out sweaters, mittens and afghans by the dozen. Over the years she also made and sold thousands of sock clowns and monkeys via the State of Connecticut’s sales of products made by handicapped individuals.
She leaves her children: son, Rev. Norman T. Collins (Charlotte) of Rockford, Ill.; daughter, Priscilla C. Himmelwright (James) of E. Hampton; three grandchildren: Carol-Jean Burchardt of Rockford, Sheri-Lee Wilkins of Omaha, Neb., Kristin Forbush of Hampden, Maine, seven great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sisters Beatrice French and Miriam Bachand and her brother Donald Child.
A graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. March 21 in Elmvale Cemetery, Woodstock with Rev. Phil Cannistraci and Rev. Leon Engman officiating; a time of fellowship will follow at the Evangelical Covenant Church. A celebration of her life will be at 2 p.m. March 22 in the Chapel of Covenant Village of Cromwell, with Rev. Glen Halvorsen officiating. Donations: Evangelical Covenant Church of Woodstock, 24 Child Hill Rd., Woodstock, CT 06281; or to the Benevolent Care Fund of Covenant Village of Cromwell, 52 Missionary Rd., Cromwell, CT 06416. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Dawn T.M.
Ouellet-Whelden
HYANNIS, Mass. — Dawn Theresa Marie Ouellet-Whelden of Hyannis, went into the arms of the Lord Feb. 16, 2012.
She was born April 1, 1968, daughter of Ruth M. Jackson and step daughter of Phillip R Heath and the late Joseph F. Ouellet Sr. She attended Putnam Schools and has made her home in Hyannis with her husband Edward J. Whelden.
She leaves four brothers and their wives; a sister and brother-in-law; two grandchildren, a son, a daughter; her many furry friends, Panther, Mischief, Salem, XCaliber and DX.
The funeral was private. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Kathleen Ann Shaia,
mother of 3
BROOKLYN — Kathleen Ann Shaia, 43, of Brooklyn, died unexpectedly March 3, 2012, at home. Born May 1, 1968, in Rochester, N.Y., she was the daughter of Doris J. (Furphy) Shaia of Brooklyn and the late William Shaia. She was a 1986 graduate of Killingly High School and made her home in the area all of her life.
In addition to her mother, she leaves her sons: James LeBeau, Sean LeBeau; daughter, Alisha LeBeau; brothers and sisters, Michael Shaia, Bernadette Shaia, Thomas Shaia, William Shaia, Susan Rogers, Pamela Shaia-Bessette.
The Mass of Christian Burial was March 9 at St. James Church, Danielson, with burial in the spring in South Cemetery, Brooklyn. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Loretta W. Sheldon,
worked at Belding
N. GROSVENORDALE — Loretta W. (Aubin) Sheldon, 76, of N. Grosvenordale, went home to the Lord March 7, 2012.
She was born March 13, 1935, in Putnam, daughter of the late Polidore and Marion (Bateman) Aubin. She raised her family and spent her life in the Putnam area. She enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, cooking and getting together with family
Loretta was employed for over 25 years at Belding Corticelli in Putnam and was the president of the Employee Association in 1977 & 1978. She was also employed by McDonald’s in Putnam for over 10 years where she received many pins for outstanding work ethics. She was a member of the Southbridge Full Gospel Center.
She leaves her husband of almost 56 years, Ellsworth (Bob) Sheldon; children; Richard W. Sheldon of Midlothian, Va., Robert E. Sheldon (Roxanne) of Putnam, Laura L. Dobyns (Gordan) Aylett, Va., Karen G. Cutrone (Craig) of Aylett, and Timothy G. Sheldon (Lori) of Corinth, Maine; a sister, Priscilla Combies of Moosup; 12 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three brothers; Franklin, Theodore, and Thomas Aubin, and one sister, Elizabeth Martel.
Burial was private at Quassett Cemetery, Woodstock. Donations: K’s Ambulance Service, P. O. Box 325, Oxford, MA 01540; or American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852.
Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
William R. Ware Jr.,
father of 4
N. GROSVENORDALE — William R. “Rusty” Ware Jr., 78, of Floral Avenue, died March 6, 2012, in UMass Memorial Healthcare in Worcester.
He was the husband of Dolores (Blain) Ware for 55 years.
Born in 1934 in Worcester, he was the son of the late William Ware Sr. and Celina (Morriseau) Ware.
Rusty worked as an injection-molding supervisor for A&M Tool and Die and for Colts Plastics.
He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, St. Bernard Council and a life member of Valley Springs Sportsmen Club.
In addition to his wife, he leaves three sons, Kenneth M. Ware (Maria) of Putnam, George W. Ware (Jessica) of Worcester and David R. Ware of Dayville; daughter Lynda Nedzweckas (Peter) of N. Grosvenordale; seven grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.
The Mass of Christian Burial was March 9 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in the parish cemetery.
Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
Arthur J. Arpin
SOUTHBRIDGE — Arthur J. Arpin, 73, of Lyon Street, died March 4, 2012, at Harrington Hospital.
He was born in Webster, son of the late Armand and Stella (Sniadach) Arpin.
He was a graduate of Bartlett High School, Class of 1955.
He lived Webster, Woodstock and Southbridge over the years.
He was employed as a laborer in various factories until a industrial accident left him disabled and unable to work.
He planted flowers, baked pastries, painted landscapes and cared for his pet Sun Conure, Zack.
Art loved playing mini golf and going to out for fish and chips at Ronnie’s or Chinese food with his niece, Chris.
He was a fan of the Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Ravens and the UConn girls’ basketball teams.
Art enjoyed playing cribbage with his brother, Ron.
He leaves a sister, Arline Langlois of Putnam; two brothers, Armand Arpin of Worcester and Ronald Arpin of Brooklyn; nieces and nephews.
Burial was private in St. Joseph Garden of Peace, Webster.
Donations: MA Audubon Society, 208 South Great Road, Lincoln, MA 01773.
Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.