Donald Brown, U.S. Marine Corp. veteran
WOODSTOCK — Donald Brown, 93, of Woodstock, died peacefully on April 16, 2025, in the comfort of his home. Born in Providence Feb. 20, 1932, he was the youngest son of the late George and Gladys (Osborne) Brown
He was predeceased by his brother and his sisters: Marjorie Brown DeVries, George Brown Jr., and Barbara Brown DeVries.
He was the loving husband of the late Patricia Converse Brown, his high school sweetheart. After graduating from Woodstock Academy he served in the United States Marine Corp. He received the Korean Service Medal, the UN Service Medal and the National Service Defense Medal during his military career. Honorably discharged, he came home to marry his fiancée and start a family.
He started his work career at American Optical, Pratt & Whitney and then to General Dynamics, Electric Boat in Groton for 30 years as a lab technician. After his retirement at the age of 62, he went on to work at Stop & Shop in Putnam for 20 years.
When he was younger, he filled his off hours working on Maple Hill Farm owned by his father-in-law, Richard Converse, and Richard’s brother Franklin Converse. He and his family had a small family farm of which he enjoyed taking care of. In his later years, he became a private pilot enjoying time spent in the air and with his son-in-law, Larry, who was also a pilot. He began to build model airplanes and has an extensive collection. He loved working on his gardens and lawn. He leaves four daughters and three sons-in-law: Diane and John Abood Jr. of Clinton, JoAnn and Lawrence (deceased) Lussier of Putnam, Debra and Eric Porter of Woodstock, and Karen and Daniel DeLuca of Chiefland, Fla; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Donations: Muddy Brook Volunteer Fire Department in East Woodstock, CT; or the Marine Corps League Chapter in Danielson. The family plans to hold a celebration of life at the East Woodstock Congregational Common at a later date TBD. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
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Steven Wesley Farner
PUTNAM — Steven “Steve” W. Farner, 70, of Putnam, passed away unexpectedly April 10, 2025, in Leesburg, Fla., after a brief illness, surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of Kathy (Glass) Farner, of 50 years. Steve was born on Dec. 22, 1954, in Springville, N.Y., son of the late Robert and Chloe (Krise) Farner.
Steve was a 1973 graduate of Springville Griffith Institute. While in high school, he especially loved his shop classes and auto mechanic classes doing many oil changes for his teachers. This is also where he met the love of his life, Kathy Glass, a good friend of his sister, Becky.
He was a 1974 graduate of Simmons School of Embalming and Mortuary Science in Syracuse, N.Y. This was a career he decided on after working at the Maplewood Cemetery in Springville throughout his senior year in high school and the following summer. During that time, he also assisted at the Weismantel Funeral Home in Springville. This was a natural choice because of his love and compassion for people in their time of need. After his graduation from Simmons, he married his high school sweetheart Kathy Glass, on March 1, 1975. They started their new life in Norwalk, where he worked for the Raymond Funeral Home. He became a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in 1977. In 1979 he was hired to manage the Tillinghast Funeral Home in Danielson. After buying their first house on L’Homme Street Ext., in Danielson, Steve finished off their basement with a toy room, a family room, an office, a workshop, a sewing/laundry room and also a cake decorating room for Kathy. Steve loved camping with his family.
In 1991, he purchased the Smith and Walker Funeral Home in Putnam. It became a family business with all three sons working with him from a young age. Kathy joined him in 1992 where they worked together. Steve worked tirelessly until his sons, Andrew and Timothy joined their dad as funeral directors in 2008. Together they created the Farner Family Funeral Homes after purchasing the Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home in Danielson in 2009.
After tragically losing his parents in 2009, Steve with his wife, Kathy decided it was time to start traveling by motorhome. For the last four winters, Steve and Kathy spent a few months in Florida.
Steve was a member of the United Methodist Church in Norwalk, United Methodist Church of Danielson, Congregational Church of Putnam, serving on many committees and as treasurer and also attended High Pointe Church in Thompson. He was a member and officer of the Putnam Lodge of Elks, BPOE, #574 and a member of the Putnam Lions Club, serving in many offices and also as president.
Besides his wife, Kathy, he leaves his three sons, Wesley Jay Farner and his wife Kate (Rodgers) Farner of Temecula, Calif., Andrew Steven Farner and his wife, Christine (Thurlow) Farner of Dayville, Timothy Glass Farner and his wife, Sheena (Morin) Farner of Putnam; four beautiful grandchildren, Brooklyn Taryn Farner, Jack Bradley Farner, Kaydence Chloe Farner and Sawyer Jay Farner; his siblings, Becky (Farner) Evans of Marble Falls, Texas, Susan (Farner) Keller (Glenn) of Oklahoma City, Okla., David Farner (Laura) of Pittsburgh, Melissa (Farner) Allen of W. Henrietta, N,Y.; a special aunt, Joan Krise; nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Robert G. Farner Jr. (Barbara Ornce) in 2015.
The Funeral Service was April 26, at the United Methodist Church of Danielson, with a Graveside Service April 27 in Maplewood Cemetery, Springville. Donations: the United Methodist Church of Danielson, 9 Spring St., Danielson, CT 06239; or the Putnam Little League, PO Box 540, Putnam, CT 06260; or the Killingly Little League, PO Box 627, Dayville, CT 06241.
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