Clifford Buttermark,
war veteran
POMFRET — Clifford F. Buttermark, 99, of Pomfret, formerly of Locust Valley, L.I., N.Y., and Staten Island, N.Y., died Sept. 26, 2016, at Pines of Sarasota Rehabilitation and Senior Care Community. He served proudly in both WWII and Korea, was a graduate of the Nassau County Police Academy, attended the FBI School of Burglary Investigation, a graduate of Adelphi Business School. Retired from the Police force 1966 after 20 years of service, and then worked for Grumman Aerospace, working on both the Lunar module and the Apollo 12 mission.
Cliff moved to Pomfret with his wife, Hilda, in 1972, where he opened the ice rink at Pomfret School, served as secretary of the Republican Town Committee, Justice of the Peace, secretary of the Pomfret Lions Club, Board of Deacons, treasurer of First Congregational Church of Pomfret and a longtime member of Christ Church.
Cliff received numerous awards in the Pomfret and Putnam communities for which he was most grateful: Knight of the Blind by the Lions Club, A Friend of the Chaplaincy of Day Kimball Hospital, Citizen of the Year by the Lions Club and Civic Achievement Award from Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
He leaves a daughter Jane Hunder (James), granddaughter, Lisa Ross (Douglas) with great-grandson, Lennon Ross: Son, William Buttermark (Susan), grandson, Tyler Buttermark, granddaughters Heather Bonin (Phil) with great grandson Christopher Bonin, granddaughter Courtney Hoffman (William) with great-grandson Adam Hoffman.
Calling hours are from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 7 at Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam, with services at 11 a.m. Oct. 8 at Christ Episcopal Church, 521 Pomfret St., Pomfret, followed by burial at Pomfret South Cemetery. Reception to follow at Christ Episcopal Church. A Celebration on Life will be held on Oct. 22 at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, Sarasota, Fla. Donations: Pines of Sarasota Foundation 1501 N. Orange Avenue Sarasota, FL, 34236.
Lucrezia R. Bonvino
QUINEBAUG — Lucrezia “Grace” R. (Zuccaro) Bonvino, 97, formerly of Breezy Lane, died Sept. 27, 2016, at Westview Health Care Center. She was the wife of 70 years to the late Fred Bonvino. Born in 1918 in Hazelton, Penn., she was the daughter of the late Francesco and Theresa (Zaccaro) Zuccaro.
On Sept. 23, 1940, in Mt. Vernon, N.Y., she was united in marriage to Fred F. Bonvino, who died on July 29, 2010. Residing for many years in Scarsdale, N.Y., where she and her husband owned and operated the Harney Cleaners, they then moved Southbridge, in 1963, then in 1972 they moved to North Woodstock. There final move was to Quinebaug in 2002.
Mrs. Bonvino worked as a stitcher at American Optical in Southbridge, retiring in 1982. She was a member of St. Stephen Church in Quinebaug.
She leaves a sister Mary Deanzeris of Mt. Kisco, N.Y.; friends Fred and Rachael Wojick and Georgette Menzone, all of Thompson; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers John, Louis, Serefine, Joseph, Anthony, and Luke Zuccaro and a sister Rose Ambrosino.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Sept. 30 in St. Stephen Church, Quinebaug, with entombment in Notre Dame Mausoleum. Donations: St. Stephen Church, 130 Old Turnpike Rd., Quinebaug, CT 06262. Valade Funeral Home 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
Joseph Martin Sr.
PUTNAM — Joseph H.Martin Sr., 71, of Putnam, died Sept. 27, 2016, at UMass Memorial Health Care - Memorial Campus, Worcester.
He was born in Coaticook, Canada, son of the late Gordon and Gilberte (Begin) Martin and lived in Putnam for the past 10 years.
He was a truck driver, having worked several years at M & M Trucking.
He enjoyed his Harley, horses and oxen.
He leaves three sons, Michael Martin of Thompson, Joseph Martin Jr. of Canada and Daniel Martin of Canada; four grandchildren, Craig, Sharlene, Christopher and Maxime.
A Celebration of Life was Oct. 5 in Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Donations: Any horse rescue charity.
Theresa L. Provost
DANIELSON — Theresa L. Provost, 68, died Sept. 24, 2016, at Davis Placein Danielson.
She was born July 23, 1948, in Putnam, daughter of the late Theodore A. and Henrietta R. (Gosselin) Clarke.
Theresa worked for the office of the Secretary of the State and for UConn as an administrative assistant.
She enjoyed researching family history, photography, flower gardening, and the beach.
She leaves her children Michael Provost (Roberta) of Butte, MT, Deborah Torcellini (Robert) of Eastford, Thomas Provost (Karen) of Ashford, Scott Provost (Gretchen) of Terryville, and Melanie Olson of Woodstock; seven grandchildren; nieces and nephews; her brother Robert Clarke (Sharon) of Arizona; sister-in-law Hannelore Clarke of Florida. She was predeceased by son-in-law Lewis V. Olson, brother John E. Clarke and sister Linda P. Clarke.
The Mass of Christian Burial was Oct. 1 at St. Mary’s Church, Putnam, with burial in Munyan Cemetery, Putnam. Donations: Alzheimer’s Association CT Chapter. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Leonie Dauphinais
PUTNAM — Leonie A. (Gilbert) Dauphinais, 81, died Oct. 2, 2016, at the Lanessa Extended Care in Webster.
She was born in Putnam, daughter of the late Wilfred Gilbert and Annie (Harrington) Gilbert and lived here all her life.
She was an optical worker for many years at the American Optical in Southbridge.
She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary. in Putnam.
She leaves three sons; Mark of Greenfield, Mass., Anthony of N. Hampton, Mass., and Neil of Putnam; a grandson Ryan and a great-grandson, Oliver; a brother Henry Gilbert of Putnam; a sister Catherine of Belchertown, Mass.
Donations: American Heart Association. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
..
School
founder wins
award
WOODSTOCK — Each year, Character.org honors one individual for his or her long and steadfast commitment to the field of character education. The person so honored receives the prestigious “Sanford N. McDonnell Award for Lifetime Achievement in Character Education.” This year, Hyde School founder Joseph W. Gauld is the recipient of this prestigious award.
Decades before there was a national character development movement, Gauld was formulating a vision that put character first in the life of a school.
On New Year’s Eve in 1962 while teaching at New Hampton, Gauld had what he terms a “crisis of conscience” in which he realized a fundamental flaw in our educational system. The system fails many children, he maintained, because it is improperly based on achievement instead of effort, and on aptitude rather than attitude. Instead of merely preparing kids for the academic rigor of college, he felt we should be preparing them for the bigger picture–life.
Later, when he was headmaster at Berwick Academy, he realized he would have to found a new school if he wanted to develop a new concept of education.
What clued Gauld into the key to a student’s success in life was following the progress of two students he had in his calculus course. One was a discouraged Vermont farm boy who was getting the lowest grade in the class and lamented to Gauld that he worked twice as hard as his peers and got half as much out of the course. Gauld counseled him that his character and determination would maybe someday make him the best engineer in the course. Another student Gauld described as a lazy, self-centered genius. Gauld remarked that this student knew less about himself and life than any student he had ever taught, but he was getting the highest grade in the class. Years later Gauld followed up with them both and learned the genius had graduated from MIT at age 18, yet had been unemployed for the past 11 years. The Vermont farm boy had become a nationally recognized engineer.
Gauld will receive his award at the 2016 National Forum on Character Education before an audience that will include educators and community leaders from 45 states and 20 countries. The 2016 National Forum will take place in Washington, DC, this October.
PUTNAM — Kevan Hazelton, Information Technology (IT) customer service technician, has been named employee of the month for September by Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH).
Hazelton began working for DKH nearly two years ago.
In his role as customer service technician, Hazelton provides assistance from the Help Desk to customers experiencing issues with the use of IT applications, products or services.
He also handles network issues as well as problems with hospital computers, printers and phones.
Hazelton lives in Woodstock and was born in Danielson.
Hazelton holds a bachelor’s degree in networking technology from Central Connecticut State University and an associate’s degree in computer networking from Quinebaug Valley Community College.
The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV) encourages you to pursue even more adventure during the 26th annual Walktober, now in mid-stride with close to 70 offerings in the National Heritage Corridor this week. With more free time available for many due to the Columbus Day holiday, you can squeeze in some extra Walktobers.
Hikers looking for big mileage will want to lace up for the Breakneck Pond Loop Hike (listing #80) and Hike it Up with Thompson Trails & TLGV at West Thompson Lake.
Enjoy one of the many Walktober choices in Southbridge, this year featuring 10 Years to Pluto & Mars Adventure (listing #91), a tour of the historic downtown (listing #101), view the treasures at the American Optical Museum (listing #112), release your wild child at Opacum Land Trust’s Thompson Family Forever Wild Preserve hike (listing #122), celebrate the jubilee year with historic Notre Dame Church during a tour (listing #125), and let the Gravestone Girls bring you on a tour around Oak Ridge Cemetery (listing #133.)
Animals are calling you this week! Alpacas are friendly and Walktober listings #98 & #132 let you meet our fibrous friends. Turkeys gobble (listing #99), birds tweet (listing #110), buffalo roam (listing #113), cows make cheese (listing #115), and the mighty Friesians gallop (listing #128).
Other highlights this week include tantalizing views, Air Line Trail walks, First Fridays, Irish Wakes, festivals galore, firefighting museums, woodland hikes, forestry, history, de Chastellux, floods, land trust preserves, leaf hunts, paranormal investigations, dark skies & telescopes, cemeteries, dam tours, fire house tours, cider pressing, mills, reservoirs, General Putnam, social ferment, firearm factories, lifting fish, Lebanon Crank, and a special Heins Farm Photowalk where you can learn to create stunning fall landscape images (listing #129).
Get a Walktober brochure at: www.thelastgreenvalley.org; or pick one up at any town hall, library or information kiosk within the region.
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