Obituaries pg 8 6-23-11
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- Category: Past Issues
Nancy Walker,
active in church
E. KILLINGLY — Nancy G. (Cutler) Walker, 55 of E. Killingly, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 15, 2011, after a long battle with MS. She is the wife of Richard F. Walker for 33 years.
Nancy was born April 20, 1956, in Putnam daughter of Donald Cutler of Kingfield, Maine, and the late Ann Milhomme. Nancy loved God, her family, friends, her pets and riding her horses.
She lived with her husband in E. Killingly for the last 25 years.
She loved her plants and flowers, made quilts and liked to crochet.
She worked for Weight Watchers in Putnam, Brooklyn and Webster for many years and was very active in the church.
In addition to her husband, she leaves her son Abram Walker (Nicole) of E. Putnam, Luke Walker (Jen) of Killingly, Victoria Walker of Columbia; grandchildren Colin, Jayden, Logan, Talan and another grandchild on the way. She was predeceased by two brothers Rick and Gerry Cutler.
There was a celebration of Nancy’s life June 21 in the East Putnam Community Church, with burial in Munyan Cemetery. Donations: National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, 659 Tower Ave., First Floor, Hartford, CT 06112, www.ctfightsms.org; or Tri-State Christian Academy, 250 East Putnam Road, Putnam, CT 06260. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Bailey McLaughlin
MOOSUP — Bailey Nikole McLaughlin, infant daughter of Sean and Angela (L’Heureux) McLaughlin, died June 13, 2011, in John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington.
In addition to her parents, Bailey leaves her brother, Robert; her sister, Reaghan; her maternal grandparents, Terry L’Heureux and Al Boulais of Colchester, and Robert and Nina L’Heureux of Yaphank, N.Y.; her paternal grandparents, Don and Debbie McLaughlin of Windsor; maternal great grandparents, Janet Demers of Dayville, Robert L’Heureux I (Elaine_ of Southbridge, and Alfred and Jean Moccio of St. Cloud, Fla.; her uncle, Robert L’Heureux III.
The Mass of Christian Burial was June 18 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Donations: UConn Farmington (UCF)-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, P.O. Box 842659, Boston, MA 02284-2659. Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale.
David V. S. Burton,
father of 3
DANIELSON — David V. S. Burton, 36, of Wauregan Road, died unexpectedly June 16, 2011, at home. He was the fiancé of Mary E. Olmstead. Born in 1975 in Vero Beach, Fla., he was the son of the late Ray B. Burton Jr. and the late Marlin (Sutton) Clark.
Mr. Burton was a student preparing for his real estate license. He had also attended Branford Hall University. He was a member of the American Pool Association. He loved sports, golf, and was an avid Yankee’s Fan.
Besides his fiancé, David he leaves his sons, Jordan Xavier Burton at home, and Kyle Sager of Taftville; daughter, Olivia Olmstead at home; brother, Ray B. Burton III (Jennifer) of Greensboro, N.C.; nephew, Sawyer Burton of Greensboro.
The Mass of Christian Burial was June 21 in St. Mary Church of the Visitation, Putnam. Donations: American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005, Boston, MA 02241-7005. Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam.
Lori-Anne Droth,
mother of 1
PUTNAM — Lori-Anne Droth, 44, wife, mother and friend, died June 9, 2011. She died after many years of fighting many illnesses.
She leaves her husband Kevin Droth; daughter Erin Droth of N. Smithfield; two sisters, Anne Penta of E. Providence and Tori Amaral of Maville, R.I.; brother Steven Penta of Richmond, R.I.
The funeral and burial were private. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Elmer Fairfield,
WWII vet
WOODSTOCK — Elmer Arnold Fairfield, 92, of Woodstock, died June 12, 2011. He was the husband of Grace Johnson Fairfield; they married May 3, 1947. She died April 24, 2003.
On Nov. 3, 2003, Elmer married Evelyn Johnson Eddy Fairfield.
He was born Dec. 24, 1918, in Thompson, son of late George Elmer and Gladys Ola Arnold Fairfield. He was a graduate of Woodstock Academy, Class of 1938. He was a veteran of WW II serving in the U.S. Army with the coastal artillery and later with an artillery unit in the Third Army in France and Germany. Elmer’s unit was selected to enter the concentration camp at Dachau, an experience he never spoke about.
He was a talented cabinetmaker, employed at Brunarhan’s Furniture Company in Woodstock, American Optical in Southbridge, and as a patrolman for the Connecticut State Fish and Game for 17 years.
He leaves his wife, Evelyn; daughter Amber Bierkan (Dean)’ grandson Aren (Amanda); granddaughter, Chelsea; his daughter Heather Fairfield; grandsons Harris Severs, Spencer Severs and their father, Sheldon Severs; stepchildren, Kathy Roth, Steve and Ralph Eddy. He was predeceased by a brother Clarence Fairfield.
A Memorial Service was June 17 at the E Woodstock Congregational Church. Donations: E. Woodstock Congregational Church, Tornado Relief Fund, PO Box 156, East Woodstock, CT 06244. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
Gabrielle Regis,
worked for AO
N. GROSVENORDALE — Mrs. Gabrielle (Ross) Regis, 86, formerly of Buckley Hill Road, died June 18, 2011, in Webster Manor. Born in 1924 in Ste. Clotilde de Horton P.Q. Canada, she was the daughter of the late Arthur and Eva (Biron) Ross.
Mrs. Regis moved to Connecticut in 1949. She worked for American Optical and also as a leather-worker for Risom Manufacturing. She was a member of The Ladies of St. Anne and volunteered at St. Mary Perpetual Adoration Chapel. She was an active member of St. Joseph’s parish.
She leaves two sons, Raymond Regis (Jacqueline) of Webster, and Guy Regis (Charlene) of Thompson; daughter, Beverly Converse (Roy) of Putnam; three sisters, Sr. Therese Ross of PSA of Belgium, Cecile Gingras of Montreal, P.Q. Canada, and Clotilde Gregoire of Granby P.Q. Canada; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. June 22 in the Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale . A gathering will begin at 9 a.m. in the funeral home June 23, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery later.
Joyce Mercer,
mother of 5
DAYVILLE — Joyce Hope (Boucher) Mercer, 79, of Dayville, died June 15, 2011, at the home of her son, Benjamin Mercer, in Putnam. She was born July 25, 1931.
Mrs. Mercer worked for 30 years in the housekeeping department of Haven Health of Danielson.
She is predeceased by her husband, George D. Mercer Sr.; her parents George W. and Lila O. (Matthewson) Boucher; a sister Mrs. Helen Steele; and a brother George W. Boucher Jr. She leaves five children: Carol Ann Johnson (Les) of Ormond Beach, Fla., George D. Mercer Jr. (Janet) of Brooklyn, Linda Lee Beaulieu (Oliver) of Wauregan, Benjamin A. Mercer (Michelle) of Putnam, and Patricia M. Grantham (fiance Ed Hawthorne) of Dayville; a sister Irene Espinosa of Brooklyn; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren.
The Funeral was June 21 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson, with burial next to her husband in Westfield Cemetery.
Darius Hopkins,
former fire chief
DAYVILLE — Dayville - Darius A. “Hoppy” Hopkins, 85, retired East Killingly Fire Chief, died June 13, 2011, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam.
He was born June 20, 1925, in Providence, son of the late Ardell and Marion Hopkins. He lived in Dayville most of his life. He served with the Dayville and E. Killingly Fire Departments beginning in 1942. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the E. Killingly Fire Department and in 1992, he retired as fire chief of the E. Killingly Fire Department. His last employment was with the Killingly public schools, where he worked as a security guard and then as a coordinator in the warehouse. He retired in 2010. He was also a member of the Banner Tail Muzzle Loaders.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. July 2 in St. Joseph Church, Dayville. The family will receive guests beginning at 9 a.m. in the church. Donations: E. Killingly Fire Department, 1395 Hartford Pike, East Killingly, CT 06243. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.
Virginia C. Cooper,
accomplished pianist
DANIELSON — Virginia C. Cooper, 93, of Danielson died June 9, 2011, at Westview Healthcare Center in Dayville. She was born July 6, 1917, in Providence, daughter of the late Carlton and Rosalie Carter. She married the late Rev. Robert C. Cooper June 8, 1940, in Providence.
An accomplished pianist and organist, Mrs. Cooper produced and directed several musicals in the South Killingly Community House and accompanied countless choruses, soloists, and choirs in churches where her husband was pastor. She also provided music for services in local convalescent homes. Frequently, she was the organist at the Tillinghast Funeral Homes, and together with her husband and several friends, she conducted a weekly “Sing Along” program at a nursing home in Danielson for approximately 20 years. She also wrote, for more than 30 years, “Ye Olde Tyme Gazette, “a short monthly publication containing poems, anecdotes, puzzles, etc. that she distributed to local shut-ins. She treasured was working alongside her husband as they cut winter’s wood for their antique kitchen range that she cooked on daily for most of her married life.
She leaves one daughter, Carolyn R. Cooper of St. Louis, Mo.; a son Dudley C. Cooper, his wife Carol and daughter Rachel of Ashford; a son, Lincoln A Cooper, and his wife Janice of Sterling; and a foster daughter, Jeanne Mackie, of Brooklyn; two granddaughters, Susan Theroux, husband Paul and son Thomas, of Plainfield, and Patricia Bradbury, husband John and sons Samuel and Ross of Killingly; two grandsons, USCG Cdr. Benjamin Cooper, wife Karen and children Julia and Nathaniel of Chesapeake Beach, Md., and Matthew Cooper, wife Sarah and daughters Kaya, Cassandra and Clover of Killingly. She was predeceased by another grandson, Samuel Cooper; two brothers, Carlton and Robert Carter. She also leaves former parishioners of her late husband, a well-known minister throughout western Rhode Island and northeastern Connecticut.
A Memorial Service was June 13 at Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson. Following cremation, burial in South Killingly Cemetery will be private. Donations: Project PIN (People In Need), 15 Babcock Ave., Plainfield, CT 06374 or to someone else in need.
Sue Ellen Levesque,
worked at AO
N. GROSVENORDALE — Sue Ellen (Beatty) Levesque, 65, of 6 Blackmer-Downs Road, died June 17, 2011, at home after a long struggle with ALS. She was the wife of Alphonse Levesque for 41 years.
She was a long service employee at American Optical Company, where she worked in the payroll department and most recently at the College of the Holy Cross, where she worked in Human Resources. She was always one to go by the rules, no exceptions.
As a child, she had the good fortune of spending her summer vacations at a cottage called “Camp Odds & Ends” in Jerusalem, R.I., owned by her Aunt Sadie and Uncle Roger.
In addition to her husband Al, she leaves her mother, Ruth Beatty; two brothers, Leonard J. Beatty and Harrison L. Beatty, all of Webster; two sisters, Linda R. Mikolajczak of Webster and LuAnn Budrow of Dudley. She was predeceased by her father, Leonard M. Beatty and by a brother, Guy M. Beatty. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. June 23 in United Church of Christ, Federated, 4 Church Street, Webster. Donations: Hospice & Palliative Care of N.E.C.T., 320 Pomfret Street, Putnam, CT 06260. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.