Obituaries pg 8 7-26-12
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Sharon M. Forsstrom,
mother of 1
BROOKLYN — Sharon M. Forsstrom, 63, of Brooklyn died unexpectedly July 13, 2012, at home. She was born Aug. 11, 1948, in Frankfurt, Mich. She was the wife of Richard V. Forsstrom.
Mrs. Forsstrom worked as a teacher’s aide at the Sterling Community School. She played piano at the Oneco United Methodist Church and the south Killingly Congregational Church for many years and worked at all different kinds of fund-raising events. She was also a piano teacher at Woodstock Piano & Music.
Besides her husband Richard, she leaves her daughter Angela Potvin and husband Mike and grandchildren Daphne and Jean Luc Potvin.
A Combined Memorial Service for Sharon will be held in September at The South Killingly Congregational Church which will include the Oneco United Methodist Church. Details will be announced later. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Clementine Baron,
mother of 1
DAYVILLE — Clementine (Zagrocki) Baron, 87, of Ware Road, formerly of Riverside Drive, N. Grosvenordale, died July 22, 2012, in Westview Health Care Center. She was the wife of 59 years to the late Benjamin Baron. Born in 1924 in Webster, she was the daughter of the late John Zagrocki and Mary Czechowski.
Mrs. Baron worked as a stitcher for Bates Shoe. She enjoyed playing bingo, going to the casino, and cheering on the Red Sox and Dale Earnhardt Jr. She had a love for all animals, especially her beagle, Bingo.
She leaves her daughter, Cheryl A. Huber (Terry) of Stafford Springs; five grandchildren: Mark Rivers of Webster, Amy Rivers of Vernon, Alan Rivers (April) of Thompson, Michael Rivers (Angela) of Putnam, and Matthew Rivers (Megan) of Thompson; five great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
Visitation is at 10 a.m. July 25 in Valade Funeral Home, 23 Main St., N. Grosvenordale, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in W. Thompson Cemetery. Donations: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101.
Carl Langer,
bus driver
THOMPSON — Carl F. Langer, 97, formerly of Thompson, and Sebring, Fla., went to be with the Lord July 18, 2012, following a short illness.
During WWII, Carl worked in the engine room of the Cluett-Peabody Mill in N. Grosvenordale. Later he had a bottled gas business and perhaps will be remembered most as a beloved bus driver for the Thompson school system and the town Book Mobile. He had spent the last 25 winters in Florida.
He leaves a son, Richard Langer (Beverly) of The Woodlands, Texas; a daughter, Sharon Rowe (George) of Windsor Locks; grandchildren Kevin, Joseph, and Kelli Langer, Kimberly Volek, Gretchen Eames, Stuart and Nathaniel Rowe, and four great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Bertha Joslin, and a son, Douglas Langer.
Services will be at 10 a.m. July 25 at the Zion Lutheran Church, Oxford, Mass., with burial in the E. Thompson Cemetery. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St, Putnam.
Robert Reiss,
WWII vet
EASTFORD — Robert Linton Reiss, 88, of Eastford, formerly of Milford, died July 19, 2012, at home.
He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. He and his wife Evelyn Reiss, owned and operated Charlie Brown Campground in Eastford for 23 years. He was a proud 60-year Mason from Ansantawae Lodge. Robert was a manufacturing engineer who shared his talents with Milford Rivet, Reed & Prince, Russell Harrington and FTI. He was a former first selectman of Eastford, and an active member of Abington Congregational Church. He was also a former president of CT Campground Owners Assoc.
He leaves daughters Pamela Reiss and Debra Reiss; grandchildren Melanie Larivee, Richard George and Robert George and great-grandchildren Emma and Drew Larivee; wife Evelyn Reiss; step-children John Schumacher, Paula Welter and Mark Schumacher, grandchildren Jeremy Lehning, Connie Lehning-Criley, Jacob Lehning, Jesse Schumacher, Bonnie Schumacher; many great-grandchildren.
The funeral is at 10 a.m. July 25 at Abington Congregational Church, Pomfret, with a graveside service at 2 p.m. at Kings Highway Cemetery in Milford. Donations: Abington Congregational Church, PO Box 289, Pomfret, CT 06259. Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.
John Bellavance,
business owner
PLAINFIELD — John A. Bellavance died July 19, 2012, after a battle against leukemia. John was born June 15, 1959, to the late Gerald and Simone (Lefrancois) Bellavance of Moosup. He attended Plainfield High School.
In 1982, John started Bellavance Trucking and Excavating. He worked long hours building his business from one truck to the fleet it is today. Business grew to include: Bellavance Construction, Bellavance Truck and Equipment Sales, and Bellavance Cord Wood. He also sold cars and real estate. His nickname was “Honest John.”
Until recently, John was a lifelong resident of Moosup. He bought and restored the Brunswick Mill on North Main Street, which housed his business for many years. He enjoyed going to Newport, R.I., biking, boating and enjoying the downtown area. He was a member of the Willimantic BPOE Lodge and the Snakemeadow Club in Moosup.
He leaves his wife, Christine Silveira of Plainfield; Christine’s son, Jimmy; her daughters Nicole and Kathleen; brother Christopher Bellavance of Moosup; sisters Michele Ritz of Milford, and Lisa Danburg (Randy) of Scotland; nephews and niece; his cousin and life long friend Craig Gates. John leaves no children of his own, but does leave a very special cousin, Denton (Denny) Gates, whom he treated and loved as his own son. He was predeceased by his sister, Colleen Bellavance.
A Celebration of Life for John will be held at 2 p.m. July 29 at J.D. Cooper’s in Putnam. Burial will be private. Donations: Dana Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215.
Roland L. Girouard,
Korean war vet
DUDLEY — Roland L. Girouard, 81, of Schofield Avenue, died July 19, 2012, at Lanessa Extended Care, Webster
He was born in Webster, a son of Leon and Lea (Cusson) Girouard and lived in Webster and Dudley throughout his life. He was an Army veteran of the Korean war.
Mr. Girouard worked for the Department of Public Works in Sturbridge for 30 years before retiring.
He leaves his wife Barbara M. (Raymond) Daigle Girouard; five stepchildren, Bradley Daigle (Evelyn) of Dudley, Dianne Sheldon (Ronald) of Pomfret, Jacqueline Stevens (Mark) of Worcester, Joey Daigle (Judy) of W. Woodstock, and Bruce Daigle of Dudley; 11 step grandchildren, many step great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
The Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. July 27 in St. Louis Church, Webster, with burial in St. Anthony Cemetery. Webster, with military honors. Scanlon Funeral Service, Webster.
Elizabeth Rondeau
DANIELSON — Elizabeth Rondeau, 80, of Danielson, went to be with her Father in Heaven July 20, 2012, at Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam. She was the wife of Rudolph E. Rondeau. They were married April 21, 1956.
She was born Nov. 29, 1931, in Providence, daughter of the late Waldo and Evelyn (White) Colvin. Betty worked at the Five & Dime Store in Danielson, Canterbury Villa as a patient advocate, and Ernie’s Food Store. She was a moderator and poll worker for the Town of Killingly, and a member of the Plainfield Senior Citizens. She was a dedicated member for over 45 years of St. James Church where she used her gift of spirit to encourage and love all those she touched.
Besides her husband she leaves her children, Michelle Mary Brown (Anthony Brown Jr.) of Canterbury, Lisa Ann Preston (David) of Dayville, Brian John Rondeau (Deborah L.) of Woodstock and a very special addition to the family Darlene E. Hotchkiss (Donald) of Conyers, Ga.; brother Stuart Colvin of Pinellas Park, Fla.; grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son Rudolph Rondeau and brothers Andrew Colvin and William Colvin.
A Mass of Christian Burial was July 23 at St. James Church, Danielson. Donations: St. James School, 12 Franklin St., Danielson, CT 06239. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Steven L. Mitchell,
outdoorsman
THOMPSON — Steven Linwood Mitchell, 52, of Thompson, died July 20, 2012, following a 14-year battle with lung cancer.
Steven was an avid outdoorsman. Hunting and fishing were two of his favorite pastimes that he enjoyed with his father, brother, son and nephews. He also enjoyed repairing cars and trucks which he did frequently with his long-time friend “Willi” Wilson of Canterbury. He served 10 years in the U.S. Army National Guard, and was a 1978 graduate of E.O. Smith High School in Storrs.
He was the son of Helena and Paul Linwood Mitchell of Storrs; brother of Keith Arland Mitchell and Alice Lynne King; father to Joseph Linwood Mitchell and predeceased by his daughter Tabatha Jean Gaudreau Mitchell, whose mother is Michelle Paquin Mitchell. He was also the long-time life partner to Virginia Houle of Thompson.
Visitation was July 24 at Tolland Memorial Funeral Home. Donations: American Lung Association at www.lung.org/donate. Tillinghast Funeral Home, Danielson.
Bernice Rivers,
church member
W. THOMPSON — Bernice Rivers, 89, of West Thompson, died July 18, 2012, at home. She was the wife of the late Henry Rivers Sr.
She was born Jan. 7, 1923, in Westerly, R.I., daughter of the late William and Bernice (Boothman) O’Keefe.
She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in West Thompson and St Joseph Parish in N. Grosvenordale. She served with the Parish Ladies Auxiliary and the Council of Catholic Women of Sacred Heart. She was a member of the West Thompson Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the Thompson Senior Citizens Organization. Bernice worked for many years with the Thompson public schools.
She leaves five sons and three daughters: David Rivers of Vernon, Colonel (Ret) John Rivers of Smithfield, Va., Richard Rivers of Scotland, Henry Rivers Jr. of N. Grosvenordale, William Rivers of Mansfield, Susan Wyman of Dracula, Ga., Carol Moore of Windsor, Mary Lambert of Putnam; 20 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; sister Gertrude Leite of Grosvenordale; brother William O’Keefe of Thompson; nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother John O’Keefe.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 21 in St. Joseph Church, N. Grosvenordale, with burial in West Thompson Cemetery. Donations: Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern CT, 320 Pomfret St., Putnam, CT 06260 . Smith & Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.