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- Category: Past Issues
Frank Abissi,
Korean war vet
WOODSTOCK — Frank Abissi, 79, died April 16, 2012. Born in 1932 in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the son of the late Carmelo and Carmela (Randisi) Abissi.
Mr. Abissi served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean war. He was the president and CEO of Guardian Photo. His hobbies included collecting cameras and photography. He also enjoyed outdoor activities. He was a member of the Woodstock Lions Club and served on the Woodstock Inland Wetlands Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Republican Town Committee and was a judge of photography at the Woodstock Fair.
In addition to his wife, Janet, he leaves his sons, Frank Jr. of Grand Rapids, Mich., Carl of Woodstock, and Mark of Sellersville, Penn.; daughter Kim C. Gassman of Marana, Ariz.; sister in-laws, Martha Abissi of Orleans, Mass., and Barbara Abissi of Johnson City, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by two brothers, Carl Abissi and Joseph Abissi.
The Funeral Service was April 21 at Zion Lutheran Church, Oxford, Mass., with burial with military honors at Elmvale Cemetery, Woodstock. Donations: Zion Lutheran Church Choir, 70 Main St, Oxford, MA 01540; or the Transitional Care Unit at Hubbard Regional Hospital, 340 Thompson Rd., Webster, MA 01570. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Michael D. Duffy,
former mayor
PUTNAM — Michael D. Duffy, 67, of Prospect Street., died April 11, 2012, in Florida. He was the husband of Donna (Kolat) Duffy. Born in 1944 in Putnam, he was the son of the late Gerald and Marjorie (Mayhew) Duffy.
Mr. Duffy owned and operated F1 Computers. He also worked for Connecticut Tool and National Chromium for many years. He served Putnam in many capacities such as mayor from 1978 – 1981, alderman, Board of Finance, Board of Education, WPCA, Police Commissioner, WPTP and the Putnam Democratic Town Committee.
He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and enjoyed golfing, fishing, and photography.
In addition to his wife, he leaves sons, Sean Michael Duffy (Jennifer) of Clermont, Fla.; and Conor Joseph Duffy (Valerie) of Putnam; grandchildren, Casey and Tyler Duffy; and his special pets, “Doogie,” and “Katie.” He is predeceased by his sister, Patricia Duffy.
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Michael’s family from 5 to 8 p.m. April 27 in Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. April 28, in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, 218 Providence St., Putnam. Donations: The Putnam Dog Park Fund, 126 Church St., Putnam, CT 06260.
Robert T. Beatty,
Korean war vet
WOODSTOCK — Robert T. Beatty, 82, of New Sweden Road, died April 12, 2012, at UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester, after a with Pulmonary Fibrosis. Born in 1929 in Brookville, Penn., he was the only son of the late Turner and Anna Mae (Sloan) Beatty.
Mr. Beatty was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served during the Korean war. He earned a bachelor’s in education from Clarion State College. He majored in chemistry and minored in mathematics. Bob met his wife Barbara McCulloch Beatty at Pittsburgh Platt & Glass. They moved to Hartford where Bob attended Engineering Design School conducted for Pratt and Whitney, after which he had a successful 35 year career designing aircraft engines.
He enjoyed traveling and living on his beautiful farm raising Christmas trees and horses in the ‘Quiet Corner’ of Connecticut. He held strong liberal political views and loved sitting around a dinner table or campfire discussing politics and telling stories of his youth with a nice glass of wine. After retiring from Pratt & Whitney he was a volunteer E.M.T in the Woodstock Fire Department, and spent many hours walking his big yellow lab, Rusty – the sixth Beatty child.
He leaves his son, Thomas Beatty and his wife Joy (Freger) & their kids Kyle and Erica of Woodstock; daughters, Katherine Repko (Dan, Jess & Robert Repko) of Park City, Utah,, Brenda Beatty Epifani (Luca & Marco Epifani)of Lecce, Italy, and Roberta Beatty & Lenny Yu (Brandon Yu) of Haiku, Hawaii; sister, Barbara Harrison of Pittsburg. He was predeceased by his wife Barbara (McCulloch) Beatty and his son, the late Turner Ben Beatty.
Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Arthur Johnson Sr.,
Vietnam war vet
THOMPSON — Arthur R. Johnson Sr., 59, of Thompson Road, died April 18, 2012, at home. He was born in 1952 in Thompson, son of the late Edgar and Florence (Jordan) Johnson.
Arthur worked as an industrial engineer for Johnson Corrugated Corporation for 35 years before retiring. He served with the U.S. Navy Seabee’s during the Vietnam war. Arthur was the past president of the Lions Club, and belonged to Knights of Columbus, American Legion, VFW, and Valley Springs Sportsmen’s Club. He was a lifelong member of the Thompson Hill Fire Department, and member of the Thompson Rod & Gun Club. Arthur was active in Troop 66 of the Boy Scouts. He enjoyed hunting, snowmobiling, racing, and running his sawmill and spending time on his farm.
He leaves two children, Arthur Johnson Jr, of Thompson, and Jody Johnson, of Guangzhou, China; two brothers, Edward Luther of Thompson and Robert Johnson, of Sterling; three grandchildren, Hanna, Emma, and Henry Johnson.
Visitation is from 4 to 6 p.m. April 25 in Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale and a reception follows. Burial will be private in West Thompson Cemetery. Donations: American Legion, Post #67 P.O. Box 909, N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255.
MaryAnn McNulty,
supervisor
WOODSTOCK — MaryAnn McNulty, 73, formerly of E. Quassett Road, died April 16, 2012, at the Pierce Memorial Baptist Home, Brooklyn. She was the wife of Gerald McNulty. He died in 2002.
She was born April 17, 1938, in New Britain, daughter of the late John and Ann Moguliski.
She worked as a supervisor at the Group Home at the Dempsey Center in Putnam for many years, caring for those that could not care for themselves. She had made her home in Woodstock since 1968. She enjoyed gardening and planting, trips to the ocean, and cooking.
She leaves her children, Thomas McNulty (Robin) of Putnam, Marlene Robarts (Kurt) of Bradford, Mass.; grandchildren, Aidan Robarts and Connor McNulty. She was predeceased by a son Gary McNulty in 2004.
Visitation is from noon to 1 p.m. April 28 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, followed by a Funeral Service at 1. Burial will be in N. Woodstock Cemetery. Donations: Connecticut Special Olympics, 2666 State St., Suite 1, Hamden, CT 06517-2232.
Bertha M. Casey,
church member
BROOKLYN — Bertha M. Casey, 93, of Allen Hill Road, died March 15, 2012, at Regency Heights in Danielson. She was the wife of the late Bernard Casey. They were married May 2, 1953, in Brooklyn. He died May 11, 1988.
She was born on July 28, 1918, in Danielson, daughter of Theophile and Ethel (Warren) Briere.
She was a communicant of St. James Church, Danielson. She was a 1935 graduate of Killingly High School. Bertha worked as a waitress at Sunny Lunch Restaurant in Danielson.
In 1944 she attended Nursing School in Boston, graduated in 1946 as an LPN. She worked at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass., as a private duty nurse. In 1953 she married and settled in Brooklyn, where she devoted herself to the raising and caring of her family. She worked part time at Berris Motor Inn in Brooklyn, retiring in 1977. She was an avid sports fan.
She leaves her children Brian Casey of Brooklyn, Eileen Ethier of S. Killingly; sister, Avis Turcotte of Florida; three grandsons: Michael, Andrew and Adam Ethier. She was predeceased by brothers Henry and Charles Briere.
A Mass of Christian Burial was March 17 at St. James Church, with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery, Danielson. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.