United States High School Yearbooks by County
Donald Judson, 80, was father of local woman
Donald F. “Jake” Judson, 80, of 61 West Side Road, Woodbury, died April 20 at his home. He was the widower of Alma (Daniels) Judson.
Mr. Judson was born Nov. 2, 1922, in Bethlehem, son of the late Prentice W. and Vera (Judson) Judson.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, having served in artillery with the 3rd Army. He was a carpenter most of his life and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as a former member of the Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department
Mr. Judson is survived by two sons, Donald of Woodbury and Ronald of Southbury; a daughter, Jeanne Coppola of New Preston; a brother, Floyd of Woodbury; a sister, Dorothy Gagnon of Meriden; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. at the Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere, 2 School St. Burial is private.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Woodbury Veterans Remembrance Fund, P.O. Box 369, Woodbury, CT 06798.
Sarah Pickett, 85, was area guidance counselor
Sarah “Sally” Alice Pickett, 85, of Chester, N.H., died April 17 at the Harris Hill Center in Concord, N.H. She was the wife of the Rev. Herbert E. Pickett Jr. of Chester Village West.
Mrs. Pickett was born March 14, 1918, in New York City, the daughter of the late Walter and Alice Geer.
She lived in Washington, where she attended the former Wykeham Rise School. She graduated from Vassar College in 1940 and attended the New York School of Social Work. Later, she went to Wilkes College and the University of Scranton. She received her master’s degree from the University of Connecticut. She became a social worker and elementary guidance counselor in many schools, including Region 12.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Pickett is survived by five children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Affordable Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. of Concord was in charge of arrangements.
John T. Bresson, 72, was a Roxbury resident
John T. Bresson, 72, of Roxbury died April 21 at New Milford Nursing Home. He was the husband of Joyce (Reilly) Bresson.
Mr. Bresson was born Nov. 9, 1930, in Queens Village, N.Y., son of the late Harold and Ruth (Travis) Bresson. He moved to Newtown in his youth, graduated from Hawley High School and attended the former Danbury State Teachers College.
He was co-owner of Northeastern Metallurgical Laboratory in Milford. Later, he graduated with a masters degree in theology from Bible Baptist East Seminary in Boston.
Besides his wife, Mr. Bresson is survived by three sons, Kevin and his wife Karen, Jeffrey and his wife Holly, and Kyle; five daughters, Judith Reise, Erin Light, and Jennifer, Cynthia and Sarah Bresson; and six grandchildren, Nancy, Diana, David, Travis, Kayla and Lauren.
Burial will be at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to New Milford Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Regional Cancer Center, 21 Elm St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Oskar Abrahamson, 93, father of Sherman woman
Oskar H. Abrahamson, 93, of Bethel died April 17 at his home. He was the husband of Elsie (Wildman) Abrahamson.
Mr. Abrahamson was born May 7, 1909, in Hestmahult Gullaboby, Sweden, the son of the late Oskar and Ida Abrahamson.
He was educated in Sweden and emigrated to the United States in 1927. He lived in New York before moving to Redding in the early 1930s.
In his younger years, Mr. Abrahamson was active in sports. He boxed professionally at Madison Square Garden and was a member of the Swedish American Soccer Team.
He grew experimental roses for the Jackson and Perkins Company and devised the system of planting geraniums around rose bushes, preventing leaf and floral damage caused by Japanese beetles.
Mr. Abrahamson was employed by the Neuman Endler Hat Co. of Danbury. He later worked for 20 years with Sikorsky Aircraft and the Pinkerton Security Co.
Besides his wife, he is survived by four daughters, Ann Cimino of Cocoa, Fla., Shirley Crocco of Sherman, Edna Bartram of Middletown, R.I., and Elaine Nebenionquit of Florida and Canada; a son, Irving Daskam of Westport; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and nieces in Sweden.
The Bethel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Abrahamson’s memory can be made to Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, 405 Main St., Danbury, CT 06810.
Carl Mattiace Jr., 22, worked as painter, at Tapajoz
Carl A. Mattiace Jr., 22, of Sherman died April 16 in Danbury.
Mr. Mattiace was born Dec. 9, 1980, in Carmel, N.Y., to Carl A. and Dorothy (Chamberlain) Mattiace of Sherman.
He attended St. Joseph’s School in Millbrook, N.Y., and schools in Brewster, N.Y.
He created his own company, Carl Anthony’s Custom House Painting of Sherman, and also worked closely with his father at Tapajoz, the family restaurant in New Milford. He had lived in Dover Plains, N.Y., before moving to Sherman five years ago.
Besides his parents, Mr. Mattiace is survived by a son, Austin of Carmel; a brother, John of Sherman; a sister, Crystal of Sherman; his paternal grandmother, Jean of Patterson, N.Y.; and his maternal grandparents, Robert and Marion Chamberlain of New Fairfield.
The Beecher Funeral Home of Brewster handled arrangements.
Russell Kilson, 70, member of Schaghticoke Tribe
Russell Milton Kilson, 70, of the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe in Kent died April 29. He was the widower of Nellie (Zeneri) Kilson.
A statement from the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe says, “We regret the loss of one of our great elders, Running Deer Kilson. Our hearts are sad, and we will miss rattlesnake hunting with him. He will not be far away.”
Mr. Kilson was born Dec. 30, 1932, on the Schaghticoke reservation, son of the late Earl S. and Emma A. (Anderson) Kilson.
He was retired from the Kero-Sun Company and the Kent Manufacturing Company. He was a councilman of the Schaghticoke Indian Tribe and a hunter, fisherman and local authority on timber rattlesnakes. He was a former member of the National Council of Boy Scouts of America.
Mr. Kilson is survived by two sons, David of Washington and Jeffrey of Canaan; two brothers, Earl Jr. of Dover, N.H., and Charles of Newtown; a sister, Gloria Thompson of Kent; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Ruth.
A graveside funeral service will be held today (Friday) at 1 p.m. at the Schaghticoke Indian Reservation Cemetery in Kent.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford is in charge of arrangements.
David Beers Jr., 77, was a New Milford resident
David Dudley Beers Jr., 77, of 25 Hine Hill Road, New Milford, died April 24 at his home.
Mr. Beers was born Aug. 25, 1925, at Lake Waramaug, Washington, the son of the late David Dudley Beers Sr. and Marie Louise (Beeman) Beers.
He resided in Yonkers, N.Y., in his early years and graduated from Roosevelt High School in New York in 1943.
He entered the Army in 1943 and was stationed in the Philippines and Japan as a member of the 5250 Technical Intelligence Company, from which he was discharged in 1946 with a rank of staff sergeant.
Mr. Beers joined the family coal and fuel oil business, David Beers & Son, in Yonkers. Later, he became a partner in the establishment of the Valley Sport Center in New Milford.
He is survived by a brother, William of Condon, Mont.; three sisters, Marie Louise Egan of Bridgewater, F. Marjorie Whiting of Mount Gretna, Pa., and Barbara Walberg of New Preston; and several nieces and nephews.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford handled arrangements.
Yvonne Battaglia, 76, was model and restaurateur
Yvonne (Prigent) Battaglia, 76, of 80 Old Town Park Road, New Milford, died April 15 at New Milford Nursing Home. She was the wife of Serge Battaglia.
Mrs. Battaglia was born June 22, 1926, in New York City, the daughter of the late Jean Prigent and Eloise Le Saus.
She grew up in Brest and Paris, France, and in Ridgefield. After her graduation from Ridgefield High in 1942, she worked as a Conover model and a hat model for Lilly Daché.
Upon returning to Ridgefield, she and her mother ran La Bretagne, a French inn and restaurant.
In later years, she worked for the artist T.M. Cleland and for banker R. Gordon Wasson. She was also an integral part of her husband’s restaurant at the former Bowlarama in Danbury.
Mrs. Battaglia was a member of the New Milford Thrift Mart and the French Club.
Besides her husband, she is survived by three daughters, Eloise Robinson of Bristol, Lt. Col. (retired) Cory Elyane Richards of Arlington, Va., and Janine of New Milford; a granddaughter, Tabitha Robinson of Bristol; and a great-granddaughter, Trinette Robinson.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: the Trinette Robinson Educational Fund, 19 Lores Plaza, Box 229, New Milford, CT 06776; or to the New Milford Nursing Home Recreation Fund, 19 Poplar St., New Milford, CT 06776; or to The Country Players of Brookfield, P.O. Box 528, Brookfield, CT 06804.
The Hull Funeral Service of Danbury handled arrangements.
Robert Huntley Sr., 73, father of New Milfordites
Robert A. Huntley Sr., 73, of Danbury died April 28 at Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of Jeannette (Lowe) Huntley.
Mr. Huntley was born June 11, 1929, in Bronx, N.Y., son of the late William H. and Laura (Owens) Huntley.
He was a graduate of Yonkers, N.Y., schools. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of both World War II and Korea. He had resided in Yonkers until moving to Danbury in 1967.
He was employed by the Danbury Board of Education from 1969 until his retirement in 1995. At the time of his retirement, he was head custodian for the city of Danbury school system.
Mr. Huntley was a member of Saint James Episcopal Church, the American Legion, and for 25 years he was involved with the Boy Scouts of America, Danbury Troop No. 168. He was past president of the Danbury Federal Municipal Credit Union.
Besides his wife, he is survived by four daughters, Mary Anne of Danbury, Jeannette St. Amand of New Milford, Catherine Braunsdorf of Sharon and Millen Murray of Lakeville; four sons, Stephen, Ronald and Robert of Danbury, and Dennis of New Milford; a sister, Laura Moore of Yonkers; 21 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held today (Friday) at 11 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury. Cremation will take place at Charter Oak Crematory in Oxford at the direction of the family.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 538 Preston Ave., Box 1004, Meriden, CT 06050.
Patricia Schuetz, 81, mother of Roxbury woman
Patricia Ann Schuetz, 81, of Southbury died April 27 at her home. She was the widow of Bert Schuetz.
Mrs. Schuetz was born Sept. 7, 1921, in New York City, the daughter of the late William and Susan Agnes (Flanagan) Coyne.
She had a long career as a pediatric registered nurse in Sherman Oaks, Calif., where she lived for many years. She had retired to Gardnerville, Nev., prior to residing in Southbury.
Mrs. Schuetz is survived by a daughter, Holly Flor, and son-in-law R.V. Mangels of Roxbury, and a granddaughter, Bradaigh O’Flanagan Flor of New York City.
She was predeceased by a brother, William Coyne, and a grandson, Matthew A. W. Flor IV.
James A’Hearn, 71, was father of New Milford man
James G. A’Hearn, 71, of Danbury died April 26 at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven. He was the husband of Patricia A’Hearn.
Mr. A’Hearn was born Feb. 16, 1932, in Sharon, son of the late Jeremiah O’Hearn and Ethel Daley.
He retired in 1996 after working for Danbury Hospital for 36 years as a laundry room supervisor. He was the former president of the Danbury Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind.
Besides his wife, Mr. A’Hearn is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Sherman of Grandville, Vt.; a brother, Jerry of Dover Plains, N.Y.; two daughters, Kathleen Huntington and her husband Robert of Danbury, and Virginia Anderson of Danbury; a son, David and his wife Jennifer of New Milford; his former wife, Ruth of Danbury; five grandchildren, Tricia Loya of New Fairfield, Tanisha and William Anderson of Danbury, and Cassandra and Cory A’Hearn of New Milford; four great-grandchildren; five stepchildren and two step-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, 371 Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787.
