Roger W. Blanchette, Korean war veteran
N. GROSVENORDALE — Roger W. Blanchette, 94, of Pompeo Road, died Dec. 7, 2025, at Day Kimball Hospital. He was the husband of the late Shirley (Simonzi) Blanchette. Born in 1931 in N. Grosvenordale, he was the son of the late Henry and Aldora (Lajoie) Blanchette. He was a graduate of St. Joseph High School class of 1950.
Mr. Blanchette was an Air Force veteran serving during the Korean war, being honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in 1954 at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
Mr. Blanchette worked for American Optical in Southbridge, Windham County Sheriffs’ Department in Putnam, and Maple Courts Assisted Living Facility in Killingly but, for most of his career he was a lieutenant at the State of Connecticut Department of Corrections in Brooklyn.
Mr. Blanchette was a communicant of St. Joseph Church in N. Grosvenordale.
Roger was an avid golfer and baseball fan. He enjoyed gatherings and outings with his family whenever and wherever they were held and attending his grandchildren’s and later great-grandchildren’s sporting events.
He leaves his three children, Michelle Wilson and her fiancée Troy Church of Putnam, Monique Blanchette of Putnam, and Richard Blanchette of N. Grosvenordale; his grandchildren, Nicole Sweatman (Aaron) of Putnam and Matthew Wilson of Ellington; his great-grandson, Gavin Sweatman of Putnam; sister-in-law, Alice Archambault of Dayville; nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings Loretta Parenteau, Jack Blanchette, and Rita Gaumond.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date at St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial following in St. Joseph Cemetery. Donations: St. Joseph Church, P.O. Box 665, Putnam, CT 06260. Gilman and Valade Funeral Homes and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.
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Wed. Dec. 17
Nature Store
POMFRET CENTER --- Audubon Society Holiday Nature Store is open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sundays at the center on Day Road.
Art Exhibit
THOMPSON --- The Friends of the Thompson Library will present its sixth annual Community Textile Show for the month of December.
Art Show Coming
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Public Library is hosting its third annual Tiny Art Show and is looking for artists to take part. The show involves free form art by teens, adults and seniors. The theme is “Remembering the Revolution” in honor of next year’s 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Call or stop by to register and pick up the 3x3” canvas and the materials. Completed artwork is due by Jan. 31 and the exhibit in the library starts Feb. 2. 860-963-6826.
Gallery 1793
ABINGTON --- The Abington Social Library is hosting its second Annual Community Art Show – Gallery 1793 through Dec. 27. It features 22 local artists.
Fri. Dec. 19
Bradley’s ‘Ebenezer’
PUTNAM --- The Bradley Playhouse will present “A Christmas Carol Musical Ebenezer’ at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 and 20 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 21. $30 for adults; $27 for seniors, students, veterans and first responders. Official tickets at: TheBradleyPlayhouse.org/shows; Our box office: 860-928-7887 or in person at 30 Front St.; Our direct, affiliated link:ci.ovationtix.com/36038/production/1232669
Tues. Dec. 23
Al-Anon Meeting
POMFRET --- Al-Anon will meet at noon on Tuesdays at the Christ Church, 527 Pomfret St. Please use the lower level door, near the flagpole. All welcome.
Wed. Dec. 24
Church Service
BROOKLYN --- Trinity Episcopal Church at the intersection of routes 6 and 169 will hold its Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist at 5:30 pm, preceded by carols at 5 p.m. Services are also set for 10 a.m. Dec. 25. Then the Christmas celebration continues with the annual Lessons and Carols at 2 p.m. Dec. 27 at Old Trinity Church, 60 Church St. Dress warmly and come to sing.
Thur. Dec. 25
Merry Christmas!
Sun. Dec. 28
Open House
POMFRET --- The Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp will hold an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. www.4hcampct.org
Tues. Dec. 30
Camper Day
POMFRET --- The Windham Tolland 4-H Camp on Taft Pond Road will offer Camper Game Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for children ages 6-12. Outdoor gear required. $25/child. Preregistration by Dec. 22: 860-974-1122.
Thur. Jan. 1, 2026
Happy New Year!
Fri. Jan. 30
Schwartz Lecture
POMFRET --- Pomfret School will present its Schwartz Public Lecture from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Hard Auditorium. Kobie Boykins, NASA engineer, is the speaker. Free and open to the public. Registration required: pomfret.org/schwartz
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Donations
The Putnam Rotary Club gave its Interact Club a donation of $500 for its Salvation Army kettle drive fund-raiser and a second donation of $375 is for the Interact Club activities. Rotarian Roberta Rocchetti, an Interact advisor, said the activities donation will be used to host a bell ringer pizza party and to sponsor an ice block for the Interactors for the Fire and Ice coming in February. She said, “The students will have fun carving it and will use this as a fund raiser for their Heifer project.” Putnam Rotary President Kathy Kirk, left, presents Rocchetti with the check. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Putnam Rotary Club's joyous --- and fun --- way to give
PUTNAM — In its annual Holiday Giving Program the Putnam Rotary Club gathered games and art supplies for kids facing a bleak holiday season.
Shannon Haney, a parent educator from the Putnam Family Resource Center (PRFC) , and Lisa Andrews, the Early Childhood Programs coordinator from TEEG, received the collections recently. In addition the club donated to the children at the Domestic Violence Shelter with United Services, and the Eastford Elementary School.
Chair of the Putnam Rotary Club Holiday Giving Program, Missy Meyers, said the club took in more than 70 games and art supplies. Both the PFRC and TEEG said they are serving hundreds of families in the northeast area. United Services reports an average of 10 children at the DV shelter at any time, and Eastford Elementary requested one new game for each classroom, as they have one class per grades PreK-8 at their facility.
Meyers added: “Our Holiday Giving Program at Putnam Rotary Club is one of the most joyous ways we honor the Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self’. It is truly heartwarming to donate games to our local partners, who serve our more vulnerable families in northeastern Connecticut. We know our partners at TEEG, the Putnam Family Resource Center, United Services and Eastford Elementary work hard to not only meet the needs of the families they engage all year, but to also foster a sense of independence as they are able to exercise choice in the gifts they select for their children. We were very happy to expand our Giving Program to Eastford Elementary this year, as Eastford is one of the five towns served by our club. We loved having the ability to expand the capacity for fun and learning in the classrooms at their school.”
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caption:
Lisa Andrews, left, and Shannon Haney. Linda Lemmon photo.