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George E. Becker,
Korean war vet
THOMPSON — George E. Becker, 82, of Azud Road, died July 27, 2012, at home. He was the husband of Frances Becker for 53 years. Born in 1930 in North Calis, Vt., he was the son of the late George and Maude (Landry) Becker.
Mr. Becker was a Korean war veteran where he received a Purple Heart for his service. He worked as an extruder for Danco for 20 years. He enjoyed fishing, cooking and visiting casinos. An avid sports fan, he loved to watch the UConn women Huskies. He was a member of the Albert J. Breault VFW Post.
He leaves sons, George Becker (Debbie) of Thompson, and Michael Becker (Gloria) of Putnam; daughters, Sandra Ouellette (Mark) of Putnam, and Katherine Becker of Pittsboro, N.C.; sisters, Verna Fletcher of South Royalton, Vt., and Nellie Becker of Vershire, Vt.; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his daughter, Mary Ann Becker.
Visitation is from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 2 in Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam with his funeral service beginning at 5:30 p.m. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260.
Bernice Rivers,
church member
W. THOMPSON — Bernice Rivers, 89, of West Thompson, died July 18, 2012, at home. She was the wife of the late Henry Rivers Sr.
She was born Jan. 7, 1923, in Westerly, R.I., daughter of the late William and Bernice (Boothman) O’Keefe.
She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in West Thompson and St. Joseph Parish in North Grosvenordale. She served with the Parish Ladies Auxiliary and the Council of Catholic Women of Sacred Heart. She was a member of the West Thompson Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the Thompson Senior Citizens Organization. Bernice worked for many years with the Thompson public schools.
She leaves five sons and three daughters: David Rivers of Vernon, Colonel (Ret) John Rivers of Smithfield, Va., Richard Rivers of Scotland, Henry Rivers Jr. of N. Grosvenordale, William Rivers of Mansfield, Susan Wyman of Dracula, Ga., Carol Moore of Windsor, Mary Lambert of Putnam; 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; her sister Gertrude Leite of Grosvenordale; and brother William O’Keefe of Thompson. She was predeceased by her brother John O’Keefe.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 23 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in W. Thompson Cemetery. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Edward Charland Sr.,
WWII vet
WOODSTOCK — Edward J. Charland Sr., 85, of Pleasant View Drive, died July 26, 2012, at home. He was the husband of Jeannette (LaRochelle) Charland for 64 years. Born in 1927 in West Warwick, R.I., he was the son of the Joseph and Mary (Silva) Charland.
Mr. Charland worked as a plumber for the Connecticut Department of Corrections. He also worked for Pratt and Whitney. He enjoyed traveling, spending his winters in Florida, reading, and watching sports. He also loved his cat, Zoe.
Edward was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran. He was a member of the American Legion Post III in Woodstock, VFW Post 10088 in Thompson, and was the past president of Connecticut State Employee Association.
In addition to his wife, he leaves his son, Edward Charland Jr. of Woodstock; his daughter, Janet Oloff (Richard) of Ashford; sisters, Anne Dery (Ken) of Woodstock and Doris Gefvert of Putnam; four grandchildren, Michael Charland, Jeffrey Such, Amy Kollbeck, and Keri Egan; seven great-grandchildren, Jasmine Charland, Blake, Dominic, and Avery Kollbeck, and Brayden, Kailynn, and Addison Egan; and his sister in law Rita Watts (Gary). Edward is predeceased by his sister Delores Ide.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 30 in St. Mary Church, Putnam, with burial with military honors in St. Mary Cemetery. Donations: Hospice of NE CT, P.O. Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Richard J. Sharpe,
WWII vet
POMFRET CENTER --- Richard J. Sharpe, 95, of Pomfret Center died July 26, 2012, at The Home and Hospice Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center of Rhode Island. He was the husband of Joyce (Campopiano) Sharpe.
He was born March 8, 1917, in Pomfret Center, son of the late James P. and Selina E. (Burchnall) Sharpe.
Dick was a veteran of WWII serving as a master sergeant with the U.S. Army and receiving a Purple Heart while stationed in Naples, Italy. He was a life member of the Putnam Elks Lodge #574 for 67 years. Dick worked as a railway postal clerk on the Boston to Washington Railway for 37 years.
He leaves in addition to his wife Joyce of 29 years, step daughter Julie-Ann DiPiro of Cranston, R.I.; grandsons Darren and Justin DiPiro of Cranston; and a brother-in-law Donald Campopiano of Fall River, Mass. He was predeceased by his first wife Mary (King) Sharpe --- she died in 1982; and his brother Edwin J. Sharpe.
The Funeral Service was July 30 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with burial in Eastford Grove Cemetery with full military honors. A Memorial Mass will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 23 at St. Joseph Church, 854 Providence St., W. Warwick, RI. Donations: Roger Williams Medical Center, Public Relations, 825 Chalkstone Ave. Providence, RI 02908.
Edwin Stalec,
war veteran
WEBSTER — Edwin G. Stalec, 81, of Webster, died July 23, 2012, in Day Kimball Hospital, Putnam, after a period of declining health.
He was born in Webster, the youngest of the five children of Frank and Julia (Pyzikiewicz) Stalec and lived here all his life. He graduated from Cole Trade High School in Southbridge in 1949.
He served as a sergeant first class in the Army National Guard during the Korean and Vietnam eras.
Mr. Stalec first owned and operated Ed Stalec Rubbish Removal and currently owned and operated Otto Lundstrom, Inc. in Charlton and Webster.
He was a member of St. Joseph Basilica. He was a member of the Webster Planning Board from 1972 to 1973 and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Personnel Board (later the Finance Board) from 1984 to 1998, serving as its chairman from 1988 to 1993 and again in 1998. He was a member of the Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical School Committee from 2006 until this year, a director the Girls and Boys Club of Webster and Dudley for many years, and a board member of the Webster Housing Authority (Slater Estates). His hobbies were raising German shepherds and collecting antique tractors.
He leaves his wife, Beverly J. (Hoye) Dery; three stepsons, Richard Dery of Florida, David Dery (Judi) and Stephen Dery (Donna), all of Webster; six step-grandchildren. He was predeceased by four sisters. His first wife, Muriel L. (Boulanger) Stalec, died in 2000.
The Funeral Mass was July 26 in St. Joseph Basilica, with burial in St. Joseph Garden of Peace. Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, Webster.