Richard W. Orzulak,
U.S. Marines vet
DANIELSON —  Richard William “Rick” Orzulak, a proud Marine, ardent fan of the Packers and Yankees, passionate Elvis devotee, sports trivia innovator, genius of the one-liner, local softball legend, longtime coach, who marched to the beat of nobody’s drum but his own, died May 25, 2020, (Memorial Day – his favorite holiday) at home.  He was 81.
The cause was cancer. There’s a good chance that Mickey Mantle, Vince Lombardi, and Elvis Presley haven’t gotten a second’s rest since he joined them.
Born in 1938 in New York, N.Y., he was the son of Edna Orszulak and a father he never knew. Speaking nothing but Polish and French until he was 9, he was raised by his doting grandmother, Polish immigrant Antonio Orszulak, and her husband, Albert. A pitcher with a terrific fastball, he attracted the attention of Major League scouts as a student at Putnam Technical School before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1957, where he was a member of the 8th Engineer Battalion.
After six years of distinguished service, he was honorably discharged. Not long after, on a warm summer night in Putnam, he saw Beverly Mayhew, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was dating a friend of his. If she should ever break up with the friend, he asked, would she mind if he called? Please do, she said, and he did. They were never apart after that. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in August. He loved her even more on their last day together than he did on their first, as did – does – she.
The ace of numerous local softball championship teams in the 1960s and ‘70s, he threw out the very first pitch at the new softball field – now named for his longtime friend, Foxy Fortin – at Owen Bell Park in Dayville. He was also a revered Little League coach – and eventually, Little League president – to a generation of young men in Danielson.
Long before Google and the Internet, he was also the go-to person for sports trivia. Almost every night, the phone would ring, with somebody asking about a pitcher from the 1940s or a quarterback from the 1950s, and he would provide the answer. His secret was that he had a photographic memory for sports, and he had collected and read every issue of Sport Magazine ever published. When asked a question, he would remember an article he had read years before, go to his stack of magazines, and find it. Across more than three decades, there was only one question that ever stumped him.
Along the way, he also earned a reputation as a singer, who was regularly asked to perform Elvis songs at parties and the weddings.  A lifelong believer that athletes were better back in his day, he revered the Green Bay Packers teams of the 1960s and was known to have a Vince Lombardi story for every occasion.  He also had a nickname for every friend and regularly peppered his conversations with memorable one-liners – known by his friends as “Rick-isms” – that left more than a few people laughing.
For 25 years until his retirement in 2002, he worked as a sheet metal mechanic at Kaman Aerospace in Moosup. As he got older, his service in the Marine Corps became even more important to him. He became active in the local Paul C. Houghton detachment of the Marine Corps League, and in the mid-1990s, he led a project that was near to his heart. Searching across all 50 states (pre-Internet), he collected five WWII-era combat uniforms, right down to the bayonets.  On Feb. 19, 1995, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, he and four fellow members of the Marine Corps League recreated the event and were later asked to re-stage it at a state-wide event. It led a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps to write that he walked away, “with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eyes,” which made him immensely proud.
In retirement, he walked 5 miles every day at the running track at Owen Bell Park, often with Beverly alongside him. His grandchildren remember him for his kindness, his endless jokes, and of him stopping in mid-conversation whenever he heard an Elvis song, aligning both hands with fingers pointed skyward in the style of back-up singers of the late ‘50s and ‘60s, and belting out the King.
He leaves his wife, Beverly, of Danielson; his son, Paul (Beneva Schulte), of Chevy Chase, Md.; his daughter, Karen Konow (Jim) of Lebanon; his brother, William McPadden of Great Falls, Vir.; granddaughters Ellie Orzulak, Anna Orzulak, and Emma Rose Orzulak, all of Chevy Chase, and Alison Konow, Kelsey Konow, and Julia Konow of Lebanon.
In remembrance: Tell your spouse you love them every day, hug your child or grandchild, and be thankful for all the small things in life – which, in the end, are everything. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St. Putnam.

Tiffany L. Duquette
MANCHESTER — Tiffany L. Duquette, 39, of Bidwell St., formerly of Danielson and Putnam, died May 25, 2020, at Hartford Hospital.  Born in 1980 in Putnam, she was the daughter of Cheryl (Wild) Bowen and the late Donald Duquette.
Tiffany worked as a piece worker for N.E.P.S. She enjoyed watching TV and making puzzles.  She loved all animals and people, especially her cat “Precious.” She will be remembered as a sweet and kind soul.
In addition to her mother, she leaves her step-father, Raymond Bowen of Putnam; step-sisters, Angel Dean of New York, and Kelly Bowen of Danielson; her grandparents, Susan and Raymond Soto of Thompson; Violet and Robert Bowen Sr. of Danielson; nieces; nephews; and cousins.  Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St, Putnam.

Robin Kyriakakis
PUTNAM — Robin A. (Woy) Kyriakakis, 57, died May 24, 2020, at home.  She was the daughter of Eugene Woy and the late Lois (Gorr) Woy.  
Robin was born in 1962 in Coraopolis, Penn., and lived in Bethel Park, Penn., where she graduated from Bethel Park High School.  She attended The Pennsylvania State University and graduated with a degree in education.  She spent her junior year abroad student teaching in London. Robin lived for several years in California, before moving to New Hampshire, where she worked as an elementary school teacher.  In 2011 she moved to Putnam to be near her sister, Janet Blanchette, who helped care for her in her later years.
Robin enjoyed spending time at the beach, especially at Ocean City, N.J., with her aunts and cousins.  She was a voracious reader and could read several books in one day.  She also enjoyed arts and crafts projects, especially flower arranging.  She loved attending Penn State football games, tailgating often with her family.  
She leaves her son, Dylan Kyriakakis of Boston;  her father Eugene Woy (Carol) of North Canton, Ohio;  sister Janet Blanchette(Dennis) of Thompson and and their 3 children, Daniel, Ellen and Alison;  brother David Woy(Amy) of Canal Fulton, Ohio and their 2 children, Caleb and Olivia; three aunts -  Nicky, Carol and Kay. She was predeceased by her mother, Lois Woy.
Donations: Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group, PO Box 664, N. Grosvenordale, CT 06255 or online at www.teegonline.org.  Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Mary A. Byrnes
WILSONVILLE — Mary A. Byrnes, 95, of Wilsonville, died May 19, 2020.
Daughter of the late Thomas F. and Anna (Welch) Collins, she was born on March 16, 1925, in Worcester. She was a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy and Syracuse University. Mary started her career as an operator with Bell Telephone-in Newburgh and retired 30-plus years later as a supervisor with Michigan Bell in Kalamazoo, Mich. Even at 95 years old Mary could still recite any 10 digit number given to her. After retiring Mary and her late husband of 60 years, Bill, settled on the Welch family farm in N. Grosvenordale. Mary had a passion for the arts, she loved sculpting, decoupage, knitting, cooking, refinishing furniture and tending her roses. She was a kind, generous, thoughtful soul who always surrounded herself with beauty. Mary was a parishioner of St. Louis Church, Webster, a member of the Altar Rosary Society, and a member of the Sierra Club Dioceses of Worcester. She also volunteered for Hospice and loved her Airedales. Mary is predeceased by her husband of 60 years, William F. Byrnes; two brothers Thomas and Robert Collins. She leaves nephews: Thomas Collins (NY), Randall Collins (VA), Michael Collins (VA) and Brandan Collins (VA); goddaughter Mary Mueller. Donations: New England Airedale Rescue (NEAR), 3 Carter Road, Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Newburgh, N.Y. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home.

Elaine N. Jeffrey
QUINEBAUG — Elaine N. Jeffrey, 80, died May 19, 2020.  Elaine was born and grew up in Webster, daughter of the late Leo Jeffrey and Constance (Lamothe) Jeffrey. She lived in Quinebaug for several years, prior to that living in Thompson.
She leaves a brother Leonard Jeffrey (Sandra) of Forest Hill, Calif., a sister Jeanne Wunsch (Edward) of Webster; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Leona LaFountain.
Elaine was a graduate of Bartlett High School Class of 1958. She was a communicant of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Webster.
A Funeral Mass was May 29 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, with committal in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Donations: COPD Research C/O Worcester Medical Center, Worcester, MA attn. Dr. Rosiello. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

Jean G. Desmarais
SPENCER, Mass. — Jean Goyette Desmarais, 85, of Spencer died May 30, 2020, at Baystate Health of Springfield after being stricken ill at physical therapy in Ludlow as she was recovering from recent surgery
Jean was born Oct. 20, 1934, in Uxbridge, Mass., daughter of Norman Goyette and Alma Croteau. Jean was a member of the Spencer Historical Commission, serving as chairwoman for many years. She and her husband toured historical sites. She volunteered for the Red Cross, food pantries and made personal birthday cakes for the residents of The Joshua House in Worcester.  Jean was one of the first employees of Commerce Insurance Company, served as secretary for Pakachoag Church in Auburn.
She leaves two daughters: Lynn Skladzien (Joseph) of Dudley, and Leslie Sullivan (Steven) of Dudley;  two sons: Joseph Bottasso (Margaret) of Putnam and James Bottasso  (Deborah) of Fabyan; 11 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; brother Robert Goyette (Rachel) of Chelmsford. She was predeceased by her husband, Denis P Desmarais on Jan. 11, 2011 and her brother Norman Goyette.
A Mass of Christian Burial was June 4 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Webster. After cremation she will be laid to rest in St. Anne Cemetery in Three Rivers. Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, Dudley.

Thomas H. Andrews,
Navy vet
DAYVILLE — Thomas H. Andrews, 81, died May 26, 2020, at home.
Thomas was born Jan. 16, 1939, in Warwick, R.I., son of the late Clarence and Agnes (Chagnon) Andrews.
After serving honorably in the U.S. Navy, he worked as an independent truck driver, retiring 15 years ago and moving to Dayville from Cranston, R.I.  Thomas was a kind man with a terrific sense of humor.
He leaves three sons: Allen, John Henry, and Michael Joseph Andrews; two daughters: Tina Smith and Michelle Andrews; grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son Thomas, and by his brother and his seven sisters.
Donations: Charity of your choice to benefit our veterans in honor of Thomas. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

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WILLIMANTIC — Local students named to the Eastern Connecticut State University fall 2019 dean’s list for full-time and part-time students include:
Nigel Battye ’21, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in General Studies.
Ethan Berriault ’20, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in History.
Jaycen Bizzle ’21, a full-time student from Dayville who majors in Pre-Secondary Educ Certifictn.
Hannah Bowen ’22, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in English.
Ethan Bruso ’22, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in Art.
Victoria Bryer ’22, a full-time student from Dayville who majors in Criminology.
Scott Burkett ’20, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in Computer Science.
Zachary Capron ’23, a full-time student from Dayville who majors in Criminology.
Gregory Carlson ’20, a full-time student from Pascoag who majors in Biology.
Thomas Catsam ’24, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Health Sciences.
Zachary Cutler ’22, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in Health Sciences.
Amanda DeMaire ’21, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Pre-Early Childhood Education.
Kayla DeMaire ’21, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Pre-Early Childhood Education.
Gianna DeSante ’23, a full-time student from Pascoag who majors in Biology.
Rosaleen Donovan ’20, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Criminology.
Tina Dyer ’22, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Pre-Social Work.
Caitlyn Eldridge ’23, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Pre-Early Childhood Education.
Shannon Fagan ’20, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in Business Administration.
Nickolas Graham ’20, a full-time student from North Grosvenordale who majors in Business Administration.
Emma Green ’24, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Criminology.
Morgan Harriott ’22, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Health Sciences.
Aaron Jocson ’21, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in New Media Studies.
Robert Johnson ’20, a full-time student from Eastford who majors in Mathematics.
Margalit Kaufman ’20, a full-time student from Woodstock Valley who majors in Biology.
Emma Kellermann ’22, a full-time student from Eastford who majors in New Media Studies.
Katey Kwasniewski ’23, a full-time student from Thompson who majors in Health Sciences.
Danielle Laurito ’24, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Pre-Early Childhood Education.
Kerry-Jewel Martin ’22, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Mathematics.
Lauren Mayotte ’24, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Pre-Elementary Education.
Kristen Moseley ’22, a full-time student from Plainfield who majors in Pre-Elementary Education.
Olivia Mott ’22, a full-time student from North windham who majors in Psychology.
Samantha Orlowski ’24, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in Communication.
Leeann Rauls ’20, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in Biology.
Erin Raymond ’23, a full-time student from Pomfret Center who majors in Theatre.
Aboyowa Rone ’22, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Finance.
Alex Rooney ’23, a full-time student from North Grosvenordale who majors in Accounting.
Andrew Roy ’24, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in Accounting.
Hanna Russo ’22, a full-time student from Putnam who majors in Social Work.
Cameron Saracina ’21, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in Social Work.
Daniel Simpson ’20, a full-time student from Eastford who majors in Environmental Earth Science.
Camryn Soler ’24, a full-time student from Dayville who majors in Psychology.
Peter Spada ’24, a full-time student from Woodstock who majors in Criminology.
Ashley Spalty ’22, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Criminology.
Joslyn Tellier ’20, a full-time student from North Grosvenordale who majors in Psychology.
Taylor Vasta ’22, a full-time student from Dayville who majors in English.
Malachai Zannini ’20, a full-time student from Danielson who majors in Art.

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THOMPSON — The Marianapolis Preparatory School graduation was held virtually May 30. The class of 2020, which graduated 99, hails from three states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island), and 11 countries (Austria, China, Czech Republic, Ireland, Kuwait, Mexico, Serbia, South Korea, Turkey, U.S., and Vietnam).
The class of 2020 will be remembered in the history of Marianapolis for several reasons, not only due to the unique ending to their high school career. Beginning in the fall of 2016, the class of 2020 was the first to take part in the Ninth Grade Experience - a combination of a Humanities course and the Casimir Seminar. Both courses aimed at better preparing the freshman for the remainder of their high school years. Beyond the Ninth Grade Experience, the class of 2020 is the first class to graduate members from the Centers of Excellence. In addition to their diplomas, 18 seniors also received certificates from the Business & Entrepreneurship and Civic Engagement & Service Centers.
Salutatorian Elizabeth Schoemer, who will be attending Trinity College, reminisced on the last four years, and while the class has had its ups and downs, and may not be perfect, “We make up for it by being us. By being: ‘resilient, strong, cool, determined, epic, creative, hard-working, perseverant, powerful, talented, unforgettable, weird, smart, ridiculous, wild, fun, memorable’ and, the most sentimental of all of the Google Form responses, a ‘family’.”
Valedictorian Brendan Phaneuf echoed Schoemer’s sentiments – saying that the class has grown stronger together through many unpredicted obstacles, “No matter what unexpected things were brought our way, we had each other to rely upon. And I don’t think that’s been more evident than in these past few months. Despite being kept apart; we’ve found our ways to keep connected. When obstacles came our way, we could unite to become an unrelenting force. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a resilient group of people in my life, and I don’t know if I ever will again.”
During his farewell address, Head of School Joseph Hanrahan touched upon the impact that the class has had on Marianapolis saying, “It is obvious to me that the class of 2020 is destined to reach heights that are not yet imagined,” he said. “You are educated in the Catholic tradition of excellence. You are prepared to meet any challenge. You are prepared to create opportunities for yourselves and others. You are prepared to effect change for good and what is right. Your faith, your creativity, and your passion will carry the day.”
Graduates:
Ali Abdel-Jalil, Bayan, Kuwait; Michael Acquaah-Harrison, Charlton, MA; Lily Alessandro, Pomfret Center, CT; Owen Alicandro, North Oxford, MA; Zachary Atwood, Woodstock, CT; Ryan Barnwell, Danielson, CT; Nicholas Basley, Danielson, CT; Phuong Bui, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Francesca Capalbo, Worcester, MA; Marielle Caparso, Worcester, MA; Panachai Chauychoo, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Pannawat Chauychoo, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Aidan Cook, Uxbridge, MA; Julia Crosby, Whitinsville, MA; Benjamin Daggett, Dudley, MA; Anh Dao, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Nina Darvish, Worcester, MA; Paul Davey, Oxford, MA; Eva Dellea, North Oxford, MA; Emily Dodos, Charlton, MA; Khanh Dong, Hanoi, Vietnam; Uyen Duong, Binh Duong, Vietnam; William Engle, Plainfield, CT; Gilbert Fournier, Putnam, CT; Zichen Gan, Kunming, China; Caroline Gardiner, Grafton, MA; Serena Godin, Glendale, RI; Juliette Golden, Millville, MA; Ethan Gosper, Danielson, CT; Zachary Hall, Plainfield, CT; Shuyi Han, Dalian, China; Michael Hanrahan, Thompson, CT; Alyson Hartman, Holden, MA; Madeline Hollett, Charlton, MA; Katelyn Jacoboski, Willington, CT; Sydney Kennison, Somers, CT; Julia Kilroy, Upton, MA; Doyoon Kim, Seoul, South Korea; Leonie Krutina, Breitenfurt bei Wien, Austria; Ben Laconto, Oxford, MA; Ava LaRoche, Stafford Springs, CT; Andie Lee, Charlton, MA; Syhyoung Lee, Seoul, South Korea; Kaiyin Li, Beijing, China; Landuo Li, Fuyang, China; Linwei Li, Beijing, China; Eve Listerud, Uxbridge, MA; Chenxi Liu, Changzhou, China; Yuran Ma, Chengdu, China; Lauren Makie, Webster, MA; Ryan Martin, Douglas, MA; Hunter Moon, Shrewsbury, MA; Daniel Moors, Uxbridge, MA; Connor Murray, Southbridge, MA; Jocelyn Nguyen, Auburn, MA; Nhi Nguyen, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Aaron Nkrumah, Worcester, MA; Kaylynn Nolan, Oxford, MA; Jared O’Connor, Sutton, MA; James Olivieri, Douglas, MA; Yasmeen Osborne, Brooklyn, CT; Ngoc-Minh N. Phan, Hung Yen, Vietnam; Brendan Phaneuf, Danielson, CT; Colby Pion, Danielson, CT; Olivia Pisegna, Oxford, MA; Aleksandar Poturica, Belgrade, Serbia; Bronagh Power-Cassidy, Dublin, Ireland; Sara Powers, Grafton, MA; Niamh Raftery, Thompson, CT; Andrew Raps, Webster, MA; Jonathan Reardon, Fiskdale, MA; Ashley Robert, Plainfield, CT; Patrick Sabourin, Uxbridge, MA; John Sarantopoulos, Pomfret Center, CT; Elizabeth Schoemer, Oxford, MA; Xiangyu Shi, Shanghai, China; Ashley Smith, Holden, MA; Ivana Smyckova, Horni Sucha, Czech Republic; Elena Spangle, Brooklyn, CT; Alex Stawiecki, Thompson, CT; Christopher Sullivan, Charlton, MA; Emre Topcu, Istanbul, Turkey; Jeronimo Vazquez Usabiaga, Celaya, Mexico; Barbora Virtova, Pardubice, Czech Republic; Minh-Hang Vo, Hanoi, Vietnam; Mary Wall, Northborough, MA; Mary Walsh, Thompson, CT; Ethan Watson, Plainfield, CT; Zhenlin Wei, Shenzhen, China; Zachary Willard, Thompson, CT; Brian Woz, Woodstock, CT; Yukun Wu, Taiyuan, China; Zhenyu Wu, Beijing, China; Haozheng Xu, Beijing, China; Mingyou Xu, Shanghai, China; Yaxuan Xu, Beijing, China; Haipei Yang, Nanjing, China; Lucas Yash, Webster, MA; Jianghan Zhang, Beijing, China.
Awards:
Chinese Medal: Michael Acquaah-Harrison
Computer Science Medal: Sara Powers
The Congregation of the Marian Fathers Centennial Award in Honor of Fr. Timothy Roth, MIC: Elizabeth Schoemer and Zachary Willard
Dance Medal: Lauren Makie and Elizabeth Schoemer
Distinguished Leadership Award: Nina Darvish
Dr. Louis Loffredo Memorial Award: John Sarantopoulos
Drama Medal: Brendan Phaneuf
English Medal: Marielle Caparso
Eric Gustavson U.S. History Medal: William Engle
Fr. Albin Gurklis, MIC Mathematics Medal: Owen Alicandro
Fr. Casimir Kuckell, MIC Memorial Award: Sydney Kennison and Ryan Martin
Fr. John Petrauskas, MIC Memorial Award: Sara Powers
Gertrude Salvas English Language Medal: Mingyou “Samuel” Xu
John Kendrtarvich Memorial Award: Nhi “Rosa” Nguyen
Marianapolis Alumni Merit Award: Caroline Gardiner
Marianapolis Service Award: Chenxi “Ellen” Liu
Marilyn S. Ebbitt Award: Nhi “Rosa” Nguyen
Mothers of Marianapolis Award: Doyoon Kim
Music Medal: Ryan Barnwell
Physics Medal: Mary Wall
Religious Studies Medal: Nhi “Rosa” Nguyen
Salutatorian Bowl: Elizabeth Schoemer
Social Studies Medal: Yasmeen Osborne
Spanish Medal: Lily Alessandro
Tom Perkins Art Medal:  Yaxuan “Lisa” Xu
Valedictorian Bowl: Brendan Phaneuf

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