Obituaries pg 8 1-20-11
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- Category: Past Issues
Burton A. MacLean,
headmaster
POMFRET — Burton Allan MacLean, 95, died Jan. 12, 2011, at home.
Rev. MacLean was born April 13, 1916, in Batavia, N.Y., the fourth child of Charles Chalmers and Elizabeth Dreyfus MacLean.
After graduating from Batavia High School in 1933, he graduated from The Taft School in 1934 where he was an undefeated member of the varsity wrestling team and a member of the varsity football team. He won a scholarship to Yale University where he earned a bachelor’s in English in 1938. As a student he was a member of the undergraduate Board of Deacons of Church of Christ, a member of the freshman football team, freshman and varsity crews, freshman and varsity Glee clubs and his senior year president of the Glee Club, Popo of the Whiffenpoofs, and served on the 1938 Class Council. In 1942 he earned his bachelor’s in divinity from Yale University Divinity School.
The Charles MacLean family spent summers beginning in the 1920s on Murray Island in the Thousand Islands at the St. Lawrence River. It was at “the River” where Burton met the love of his life, Catharine Corson, whom he married on Sept. 20 1939. Burton and Catharine spent the next many decades raising eight children while sharing a career in the ministry and education.
After graduating from Yale Divinity School, MacLean served as an industrial missionary under the Board of National Missions of the Presbyterian Church in Detroit. From 1944 through 1946 he served as U.S. Army chaplain in the 3rd Battalion, 303 Infantry and 97th Division in the European and Pacific theatres of World War II; and remained as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves until 1949. MacLean was appointed assistant dean of the Chapel at Princeton University in 1946. Yale University appointed him associate pastor, Church of Christ in 1949 where he was also contemporaneously director of Undergraduate Religious Affairs and associate university chaplain. In 1959 he was appointed headmaster of the Iolani School in Hawaii. In 1970 he was named headmaster of the American School of Paris, and in 1977 he became headmaster of the Pomfret School from which he retired in 1979. During his professional life, MacLean was a member of the Headmaster Association, the National Association of Secondary Schools, the National Association of Secondary Schools, and served as president of the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.
After retiring in 1979, Burton and Catharine lived in Pomfret in the winter and in the summers at their “River” stone house on Tibbets Point in Cape Vincent, N.Y. Since 2000 they spent summers in Clayton, N.Y., closer to the summer homes of two of their sons
In their 80s they built a sailing pram and as avid sportspersons, enjoyed rowing, canoeing and sailing on their beloved river. Once a Whiffenpoof always a performer, Burton sang and danced throughout his life both on and off the stage. Just hours before his death, he sang to his nurse, caregiver and family. He rode his bike until he was 85.
Burton was predeceased by Catharine in 2007 and was cared for in the last two years of his life by his daughter Mary Dexter MacLean. He leaves eight children: Burton A. MacLean Jr. (Charlotte) of Haverford, Penn., and Wolfe Island, Ontario; Katharine MacLean Crane (Philippe) of Chevy Chase, Md., and Belmont, Vt., John C. MacLean (Polly) of Ashfield, Mass., and Club Island, N.Y., Mary D. MacLean of Pomfret, Thomas C. MacLean of Frankfort, Ky. Peter C. MacLean (Elizabeth) of Oak Bluffs, Mass., Henry P. MacLean of Milton, Mass., and Robert Sydney MacLean of Oak Bluffs; 14 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.
The Funeral is at 1 p.m. Jan. 22 at Christ Episcopal Church, Pomfret. A Memorial Service will be held this summer at “the River” in Clayton. Donations: Christ Episcopal Church in Pomfret, or Yale University, Class of 1938. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Joseph D. LaRoche,
machinist
JEWETT CITY — Joseph D. LaRoche, 47, of Norman Road, died Jan. 7, 2011, after a long illness in the William W. Backus Hospital. He was the companion of Kathy DeMauro for the past 17 years. Born in 1963 in Putnam, he was the son of Donat and Lynda (Putnam) LaRoche.
Mr. LaRoche worked as a machinist for Kaman Aerospace. He was a volunteer driver for the Martin House in Norwich and enjoyed music, especially guitars.
In addition to his companion and his parents, he leaves his brother, Bryan LaRoche of Florida; sisters, Dawn Hunton of Danielson and Lisa Mendes of Cheshire; paternal grandmother, Florence LaRoche of Danielson.
Donations: Martin House, P.O. Box 857, Norwich, CT 06360. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Harvey Dubay,
founded business
DANIELSON — Harvey Edmund Dubay, 77, of Danielson, died Jan. 9, 2011, at UMass Memorial following complications from pneumonia.
He was born April 19, 1933, in Connor, Maine, son of the late Levi and Alma Dubay.
He proudly served 22 years in the U.S. Navy and retired in 1974 as chief petty officer.
He founded Dubay’s Tractor Center, LLC in Danielson in 1976. In recent years he managed the business with his son and continued to enjoy doing some welding and fabricating. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, gardener and storyteller.
He leaves his wife, Carolina Dubay; three children, Anne Dauphinais (Dale), Dale Dubay, and Maria Smith (Kim), all of northeastern Connecticut; five grandchildren, Tara Swagger (Seth), Destani Danis, Jacob Danis, Joel Danis and his fiancee Gina Phaiah, and Levi Smith and great-granddaughter, Paisley Danis; siblings Pearl Dubay, Kenneth Dubay (Mary), and Bonnie Brennan.
A private memorial service will be held in the spring. Donations: American Heart or the American Lung associations. Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson.
Paul Kosciow,
WWII vet
WOODSTOCK — Paul William Kosciow “Pope Paul,” “Hey Hey,” died Jan. 11, 2011, at his beloved Quasset Lake.
Born July 29 1921, in Providence, he was the son of Nicholas and Florence (Puhacz) Kosciow. Widower of Josephine Vallen who died Oct. 7, 1992.
Paul graduated from Central High in Providence June 1939. He was inducted into the Army Oct. 10, 1942. He served in the 3263rd 9M Truck Company which was attached to the 3rd Army in the European theater. Paul was part of the famous supply force that kept Patton’s tanks rolling to the ultimate defeat of Germany. He attained the rank of corporal. Paul retired from Fafnir Bearing Co. in New Britain after 32 years.
He was very active in the American Legion Benson-Flugel Post 111 Woodstock. He served as past commander and chaplain for the 4th District. The American Legion family and its charities were a great passion of his.
Paul loved to dance at varied American Legion Posts. He loved all four-legged animal.
He leaves his daughter Judy Sirrine (Travis) of Woodstock; one brother, Steve R. Kostiv of N. Attleboro, Mass.; two sisters, Olga M. Piazza of Sherman Oaks, Calif., and Helen Hubbard of Riverside, R.I. He was predeceased by his sister, Pauline Fuini.
Calling hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 14 at Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 15 at The Most Holy Trinity Church Pomfret, with burial with military honors in St. Ann’s Cemetery Cranston, R.I. Donations: NECCOG Animal Shelter Dayville; or The Benson-Flugel American Legion Post 111 Woodstock.
Robert R. Saari,
veteran
WOODSTOCK — Robert R. Saari, 84, died Jan. 13, 2011.
He was born in Worcester on Sept. 29, 1926, to the late John and Ida W. (Kuoras) Saari. He was a 1945 graduate of Commerce High School and had an associate’s degree in engineering from Worcester Junior College. He attended the Massachusetts Maritime Academy from 1945-47.
His military service included 1949-50 duty on the USS Edisto (AGB2) AG89 as underway watch officer, assistant navigator, CIC officer, and cryptologist, with Arctic duty. He served on the USS Duxbury Bay AVP38, as senior deck watch officer from 1951-52. He graduated from the Naval Shipyard in Bayonne, N.J., Salvage and Deep Sea Diving School in 1952 and served in 1952-53 on the USS Reclaimer ARS42 as executive officer, salvage officer, and hardhat diver. Duties included rescue of downed pilots in Korea and mine retrieval in N. Korea, as well as construction and salvage work at Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima. Saari received the Korean Service Medal with 3 stars, the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. From 1992-2001 he served on the USCG Barque Eagle as quartermaster of watch. He was also employed as Unlimited 3rd and 2nd Mate for American Export, and United Fruit Lines in New York City. His later career included self-employment as a builder and contractor in Worcester; licensed insurance broker, and real estate manager.
Bob was a member of the Finnish Ski Club in Fitchburg where he served as president, cut trails for and organized cross country races at Mt. Wachusett. He was a member of Finnish American Clubs in Canterbury, and Paxton, Mass.; the Appalachian Mountain Club as trip leader for canoeing, back-country hiking, and cross-country skiing; the Worcester Toastmasters Club as past president; Scout Master.
He belonged to the VFW in Putnam, American Legion in W. Boylston, Mass., Polish Club in Southbridge, Theft Detection Society in Woodstock, Woodstock Historical Society, and was a Lifetime Member of the Woodstock Fair. His interests included conservation, dancing, woodworking, history, and collecting.
He leaves his companion Patricia G. Matte; sons Wayne Saari of Newport, R.I., and Michael Saari of Woodstock; nieces, Linda Colby of Yarmouth, Mass., and Marilyn Sibley of Worcester. He was predeceased by wife Inga Olsen Saari; sister, Linnea, and brothers, Waino and Herbert.
The Funeral will start with calling hours at 9 a.m. with a service at 10 a.m. at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St., Worcester. Burial will be at 2:45 p.m. in Bourne National Veterans Cemetery, Bourne, Mass. Donations: Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Attn: Scholarship Fund, 101 Academy Dr., Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-1803.
Agathe Lepp,
ran farm
DANIELSON — Agathe Lepp, 92, of Danielson died Jan. 13, 2011, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam after a brief illness. She had been a resident of Regency Heights of Danielson for the past two years.
Agathe was born in Hiiumaa, Estonia. She escaped from Estonia to Sweden during WWII, then immigrating to New York City through Ellis Island in 1948. She married Aleksei Lepp in 1951 and moved to Plainfield where she and her husband ran a poultry farm for 20 years. She then worked in numerous mills, eventually retiring from Acme Cotton in 1984.
She leaves her son Harry of Danielson; two sisters in Estonia. She was predeceased by her husband, two sisters, and one brother.
Burial was in Westfield Cemetery, Danielson. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Hazel Soccorso,
mother of 5
DUDLEY — Hazel Soccorso, 55, of New Boston Road, died Jan. 9, 2011, after a long illness.
Hazel was born the oldest of four children to Hazel (Ellis) Pellon and the late Joseph Pellon.
She leaves four children: Mandi Kokernak of Webster, Naomee Torres of Boston, Danielle and Denise Soccorso, both of Boston; one brother, Ray Pellon of Dudley; mother Hazel Pellon of Quinebaug; five grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son Daniel Kokernak and husband Robert J. Soccorso.
The Memorial Services will be at 1 p.m. Jan. 21 Bartel Funeral Home & Chapel, 33 Schofield Ave., Dudley.
Nellie M. Stalzer,
operated farm
POMFRET CENTER — Nellie M. Stalzer, 93, formerly of Seeley Brown Village and Woodstock, died Jan. 12, 2011, at Douglas Manor in Windham. She was born June 26, 1917, in Brooklyn, daughter of the late Sam and Anna (Stoklosa) Korpita. She was the wife of the late Emil F. Stalzer. They were married July 16, 1942. Mr. Stalzer died June 16, 1981. Nellie and her husband operated a dairy farm in Woodstock from 1948 to 1979. She was an avid gardener who loved flowers and also enjoyed reading.
She leaves her daughter Mary Manning (Raymond) of Lebanon; two granddaughters, Sheila Manning and Sharon Manning. She was predeceased by a son, Emil S. Stalzer. The Funeral was private. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.