Donna Lee Rossi
WOODSTOCK — Donna Lee Rossi died Nov. 15, 2024, surrounded by her family in the ICU at Hartford Hospital in Hartford.
She was born on May 15, 1948, to Norman T. “Sully” and Jannette A. Sullivan. She spent her youth at their homestead on Quaddick Town Farm Road in East Thompson riding horses with her father. Upon graduating from Tourtellotte Memorial High School, Donna became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and spent the majority of her life-giving care, comfort and compassion to her patients at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, Mansfield Training School in Mansfield, and later at the Johnson County Healthcare Center in Buffalo, WY. She retired from nursing and became a Pharmacy Technician for many additional years, continuing her dedication to helping others.
Donna had a strong love of family and made sure to remember and honor those who passed before her. She spent 30 years in the Big Horn Mountains of WY enjoying the beauty of nature while raising and breeding horses. Her knowledge of old Hollywood and classic movies made her a must-have teammate at trivia. Donna had a fantastic, infectious laugh and sparkling green eyes that were unforgettable.
She leaves her daughters, Ellen Reilly (Tim) of Rockford, Ill.., and Beth Fisher of Seymour; her sister Maureen Thomasen of Grand Junction, Colo.; her grandchildren, Grace and Sullivan “Sully” Reilly of Rockford. She also leaves a special handprint on the hearts of her chosen family, Alessandro Lopes of Shelton, and Christine and Doria Daviau of Putnam. She also leaves nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors for whom she cared deeply.
Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Dennis P. Comprone
EASTFORD — Dennis P. Comprone, 73, of 179 Westford Rd., died Dec. 10, 2024, at UMass University Hospital.
He was the loving partner of Marie Santi.
Born in 1951 in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late John and Anne (Lombardo) Comprone.
Dennis was the loving father of two children that he raised on Lake Bunggee in Woodstock.
He was a devoted manager for 28 years at UConn and retired as Building Renovation Projects Director in 2013.
He enjoyed gatherings of family and friends, befriending strangers, telling stories, gardening, hunting, fishing, his Honda S2000, and traveling.
He leaves his partner, Marie Santi; his children, Carly Comprone and her husband Tim Ferris of Plainfield and Bryce Comprone and his wife Rushelle of Ashford; and his sisters, Jacque Comprone-Weber and her husband Steven and Annmarie Bellenoit and her husband Paul. He was predeceased by his wife, Sylvie (LeBlanc) Comprone and his brother, Joseph Comprone.
Visitation is from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 21 in the Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam, followed by a service of remembrance in the funeral home at 5.
caption, page 8:
The wrestling captains from left: Junior Owen Hamilton, senior Gunner Basak and junior Aidan Soukaloun. Photo by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
Good turnout for revitalized program
There are a lot of things to be concerned with when you are a high school wrestler.
Weight has to be kept in check, moves have to be worked on, and, at Woodstock Academy, you have to be at school at 5:30 a.m. to practice.
So far, no complaints.
“It’s a little tough at the start of practice but after they warm up, they’ve done a really good job with all the moves that I have been teaching. The energy has been phenomenal,” coach Cahan Quinn said.
Woodstock has about 22 athletes out for the second year of the program which just returned to competition a year ago.
“We’re missing a 215 (pound wrestler), are unsure of 190 and 106 and 113. Those are tough weight classes to fill,” Quinn said.
Tri-captain and one of just two seniors on the team, Gunner Basak, said the relative newness of the program has attracted athletes.
The program does begin the season with a little momentum.
Basak said the team learned a lot from a year ago especially at the very end of the season.
That’s when senior Lucas Theriaque did the unexpected.
The 14th seed in the 165-pound weight class in Class M made it all the way to the championship match and was just nipped by top seed Matt Gish, 3-2, in the final.
“I was his training partner throughout last season and he taught me pretty much everything I know. It’s the little details that you can’t get from someone who has to coach an entire team. It was a one-on-one partnership that we really developed and it has helped me a lot,” Basak said.
Things have changed a little.
For Quinn, a former Woodstock wrestler, it’s a little more individual.
Last year, the Centaurs practiced early and often with the Putnam High team which Quinn said helped him a lot.
Basak is one of just three seniors on the team.
Ayden Angel-Ouimette also returns while Will Papineau will make his wrestling debut in his final year of eligibility.
Juniors Owen Hamilton and Aidan Soukaloun will also serve as captains.
Other juniors include the only female wrestler, Olivia DiGregorio, who may go down a couple of weight classes this season.
Andrew Landreville and newcomer Quan Sangasy are the other two juniors with sophomores Jake Henderson and Jaiden Bowers and freshman Colby Deary expected to pitch in.
One thing that the Centaurs did not accomplish --- they did not win a dual match in 12 meets last year.
They will compete in Div. II this season but that includes the likes of Killingly, Windham, Waterford and Ledyard, all of whom have had some pretty good wrestling teams in the past.
“It would be nice to win a meet this year but, at the end of the day, I care more about the growth of the kids,” Quinn said.
The schedule includes a match on Christmas Eve morning in Killingly.
The Centaurs open the season on Dec. 18 at home against Bacon Academy.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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Bundled up and ringing the bells
PUTNAM — The Putnam Rotary Interact Club members and their friends from the local high schools bundled up and faced the cold morning Dec 14 to bell ring for the local Salvation Army. Despite the cold people were out shopping and were once again very generous, according to club advisor Roberta Rocchetti.
Saturday’s kettle donations were $2,951.66 along with a generous check of $500 from the Putnam Rotary Club which brings the total to $9,112.32.
She thanked the brave students from Tourtellotte: Gianna Brinson, Sofia Thurber, Ava Tucker, Caitlyn L’Heureux, Christian Dejesus, Serena Smith, June Ferraro, Isabelle McGlynn, Calleigh Levesque, Dylan Axtell and Tanisha Patel.
She thanked, from Woodstock Academy: Grace Pokorny, Celine Leffingwell, Maddie Jezerski, Jackie Dearborn, Liliana Bottone, Bella Digregorio, Ava Golden, Avery Thienel, Maddie Bloom, Vivian Bibeau, Isabel D’Alleva-Bochain, Kaylee Saucier, Macy Rawson, Liliana Moran, Lillian Morgis and Maura Hart.
From Putnam High: Gabriell Cerasiello, Kaylee Borders, Paige Perry, Ella Carota, Keivon Robinson, Jay Patel, Gavin Patterson.
She also thanked the Rotarians who helped set up: Joseph Adiletta, Paul Pikora, Amanda Kelly, Mike Rocchetti and Roberta Rocchetti.
This Saturday, Dec. 21, is the last one! You’ll find the bell ringers at Putnam Supermarket, Putnam Walmart, Putnam Stop & Shop and Putnam’s Price Chopper.
Award
Putnam Rotary Club President Doug Porter, right, gave Rotarian Scott Pempek his Paul Harris Plus 4 award. It is in recognition of Pempek’s continued donations to the Rotary International Fund. The funds are used for international grants as well as local grants. The Putnam Rotary Club just received a grant to help with the musical instruments at the Mary Fisher Elementary School in Thompson. Linda Lemmon photo.
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