United States High School Yearbooks by County
Joyce Samoska, 60, sister of New Milford man
Joyce C. Samoska, 60, of 20 James St., Waterbury, died May 3 at her home.
Miss Samoska was born Nov. 16, 1942, in Waterbury, daughter of Joseph Samoska of Thomaston and the late Constance (Bridzius) Samoska.
She was a lifelong Waterbury resident and attended Waterbury schools. She worked in the food service industry. She was a member of St. Joseph�s Church.
Besides her father, Miss Samoska is survived by a brother, Joseph Jr. of New Milford, and a sister, Beverly Furs of Thomaston.
The Deliniks-Conway Funeral home of Waterbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Joseph�s Church, 46 Congress Ave., Waterbury, CT 06708.
John Owen, 67, was active in New Milford community
John R. Owen, 67, of New Milford died May 11 following a battle with cancer. He was the husband of Patricia Ann (Werling) Owen.
Mr. Owen was born Jan. 29, 1936, in Neenah, Wis., son of Ambrose and Marion (Billington) Owen.
He graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., and served three years in the Air Force.
He worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, including assignments in Tennessee, West Germany, Arkansas and New Milford.
Mr. Owen served on the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of New Milford Visiting Nurse Association and a board at New Milford Hospital. He was a director of the Housatonic/Shepaug United Way for 25 years and a volunteer driver for the Red Cross.
He was an active member of the First Congregational Church, serving on and chairing many committees. He was also a member of the church�s choir.
Besides his wife, Mr. Owen is survived by two sons, David and his wife Lynne of Sparta, N.J., and Richard and his wife Kendra of Northboro, Mass.; a daughter, Sharon and her husband Paul Tarsa of New Milford; and seven grandchildren, Kevin and Ben Tarsa and Derek, Elaine, Forrest, Bridget and Mitchell.
A memorial service will be held Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the New Milford First Congregational Church, 36 Main St.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the First Congregational Church Building Fund, 36 Main St., New Milford, CT 06776, or to the New Milford Hospital Oncology Center, 21 Elm St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Irene Voghel, 75, was mother of Sherman woman
Irene L. Voghel, 75, of Waterbury died May 7 at her home. She was the wife of Laurent Voghel.
Mrs. Voghel was born Oct. 26, 1927, daughter of the late Emilien and Bertha Paquett of Cheshire.
She attended schools in Waterbury and Cheshire, and was an athlete even before the rise in prominence of women�s sports. She was the first working partner of the Voghel Construction Co.
She was a member of the Sacred Heart Mothers Club, the PTA and the Waterbury Home Builders Ladies Auxiliary.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Voghel is survived by eight daughters, Maureen of Southbury, Karen of South Salem, N.Y., Sydney Renee of Charlotte, N.C., Catherine Smith of Middlebury, State Senator Joan Hartley of Waterbury, Michelle Morris of Waterbury, Elaine Smith of Sherman and Jacqueline Dugan of East Hampton; two sons, Donald of Concord, Mass., and Robert of Tolland; and 18 grandchildren.
The Casey-O�Donnell Family Funeral Home of Waterbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church, 74 West Main St., Waterbury, CT 06702.
Donald P. Gleason, 71, former Kent resident
Donald P. Gleason Sr., 71, of Rangley, Maine, died May 8 at Holbrook Health Center in Scarborough, Maine. He was the husband of Susan (Stebbins) Gleason.
Mr. Gleason was born Oct. 29, 1931, in Torrington, son of Bernard and Stella (Murray) Gleason.
He grew up in Kent and graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Falls Village. He was a Korean war veteran, serving in the Navy. He returned to Kent to run his family�s electrical business, B.L. Gleason & Son.
Mr. Gleason was a longtime member of the Kent Volunteer Fire Department. In 1983 he moved to Lee, N.H., and worked for the University of New Hampshire for four years and then moved to Rangley.
Besides his wife, Mr. Gleason is survived by his former spouse, Nobuko of Kent; two sons, Donald Jr. and John and his wife Gerri of Kent; five daughters, Cheryl, JoAnn Whitmore and her husband Kenny, Susie Purcell and her husband Bill of Kent and Deborah Pool and her husband Rick of Orlando, Fla., and Heather Holleque and her husband Steve of Exeter, N.H.; and 11 grandchildren, Todd, Ryan, Elissa, Billy, Christina, Riley, Hunter, Jenna, John Andrew, Makenna and Jackson.
A celebration of Mr. Gleason�s life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Kent, North Main Street, May 24 at 1 p.m.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Kent Volunteer Fire Department, Kent, CT 06757, or to the Kent Center School Scholarship Fund, Kent, CT 06757.
Marjorie Taylor Van Loan, 92, New Milford native
Marjorie Taylor Van Loan, 92, of 20 Andover Court, Brookfield, died May 13 at her home following a short illness. She was the widow of Albert T. Van Loan and William Causer.
Mrs. Van Loan was born in New Milford Nov. 11, 1910, daughter of the late Harry and Grace Phillips Taylor. She was a dancer and actress in New York City prior to many years of employment with C.E. Hooper, a marketing research company in Wilton.
Mrs. Van Loan taught drama and acting for many years to the residents of Southbury Training School. She was a member of the Brookfield Organ Club, and the Saints and Sinners Old Tyme Band of Brookfield.
Mrs. Van Loan is survived by one daughter, Florence P. Van Loan of Ridgefield; a brother, Harry Taylor of Huntsville, Ala.; three sisters, Kathy Nette of Ridgefield, Shirley Charpentier of East Norwalk and Nell Pellicone of Jupiter, Fla.; and a granddaughter, Jane Gustafson of New Milford.
Funeral services will be held today (Friday) at 4 p.m. at Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge St., New Milford. Friends may call at the funeral home from 3 to 4 p.m., just prior to the services.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care, 680 Bridgeport Ave., Third Floor, Shelton, CT 06484.
Stanley J. Falls, 59, former New Milford resident
Stanley J. Falls, 59, of Nokomis, Fla., died April 29. He was the husband of Constance (Rader) Falls.
Mr. Falls was born Sept. 4, 1943, in New York. He moved to Nokomis 15 years go from New Milford.
He was the owner of Designers Fore Interiors and Architectural Design. He was a member of ASID and design coordinator for the West Coast Symphony Association for many years.
Mr. Falls had been a professor of interior design at Teikyo Post College in Waterbury and at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. He attended Epiphany Cathedral.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two stepdaughters, Carolyn Colpitts of San Francisco and Laura Richards of Sarasota, Fla.; a sister, Joan of Sarasota; two brothers Arthur of Sarasota and Edwin of Cummaquid, Mass.; and a grandchild.
The Ewing Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 43238.
Caroline Keeler, 95, was longtime NMHS teacher
Caroline �Lina� Keeler, 95, of New Milford died May 15 at Candlewood Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center in New Milford.
Miss Keeler was born May 17, 1907, in Wilton, daughter of William and Eloise Keeler.
She grew up in Wallingford and graduated as valedictorian from Lyman Hall High School. She graduated magna cum laude from Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., with majors in history and English.
Miss Keeler spent a year at the University of Oregon, working as a graduate assistant in the history department. She then taught four years in private schools and five years at the John Fitch High School in Windsor.
She studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received a master�s degree in American history, from 1939 to 1941.
In February of 1941, Miss Keeler moved to New Milford to teach history. When the various disciplines were organized into departments, she became the first department chair of the Social Studies Department.
She remained at New Milford High School, retiring from teaching in 1969. She was the first teacher elected to the New Milford High School Hall of Fame in 1998.
For many years Miss Keeler lived with her mother at 13 Poplar St. in New Milford. She moved to Buckingham Road in the Northville section of town in 1971, when the hospital needed the Poplar Street home for expansion. She was a member of the Northville Residents Association.
In her retirement, she traveled extensively to Europe, Asia, South America, Mexico and many parts of the American West. She was an avid reader and belonged to an informal group known simply as The Book Club.
Miss Keeler is survived by nieces and nephews Lydia Dadoly of Naples, Fla., William Duryee of Great Falls, Mont., Margaret Park of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and Charles Duryee of Northhampton, Mass. She was predeceased by a sister, Catherine Duryee.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 10 a.m. at The First Congregational Church, 36 Main St., New Milford, followed by interment at noon at the Hillside Cemetery in Wilton.
The Lillis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, 68 Park Lane, New Milford, CT. 06776; or to The New Milford Historical Society, 6 Aspetuck Ave., New Milford, CT. 06776; or to Weantinoge Heritage, Inc., P.O. Box 242, New Milford, CT. 06776.
John McCarthy Jr., 78, father of New Milford man
John J. McCarthy Jr., 78, of New Rochelle, N.Y., died May 15.
Mr. McCarthy was born in New Rochelle, son of the late John J. Sr. and Anne (Dempsey) McCarthy.
He graduated from Isaac Young High School in 1943. He was an active member of the American Legion in New Rochelle, the Police Emerald Society, and the National Association of Former State Police.
Upon graduation from high school, Mr. McCarthy enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force and was assigned to the 15th Air Force, serving in the European theater from 1943 to 1945 in the 454th Bombardment Squadron.
Upon discharge of service, Mr. McCarthy enrolled in Iona College and later attended the New York Police Academy, graduating at the top of his class. He was the youngest appointed New York State Police corporal and retired in the capacity of zone sergeant. He earned expert marksmanship honors.
He is survived by two sons, John and his wife Deborah of Redding, and Thomas and his wife Catherine of New Milford; three daughters, Ann and Kate of Danbury, and Eileen DeSantis and her husband Thomas of New Fairfield; four grandchildren, Mary Grace, Ryan, Thomas and John; a sister, Jeanne Lang; a brother, Robert; and his companion, Rosemary Stevens. He was predeceased by two sisters, Agnes Connelly and Kathleen Kelly.
The Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel of New Rochelle was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Jude�s Children�s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
George J. Knapp, 78, had worked for Roxbury firm
George Jackson Knapp, 78, of Danbury died May 17. He was the widower of Marjorie (Muller) Knapp.
Mr. Knapp was born Nov. 6, 1924, on King Street in Danbury, the son of the late Theodore S. and Gladys (Waddell) Knapp. He lived in Danbury all of his life.
He was an Army veteran. He worked for Bartlett Tree Experts and then was a longtime employee of Lord Tree Experts in Roxbury.
Mr. Knapp is survived by a sister, Lois Maloney of Lebanon; a brother, Theodore Jr. and his wife Lillian of Danbury; a son, John and his wife Winnie of Clinton; two daughters, Linda and her husband Tarysh Waterfield of Attleboro, Mass., and Elizabeth K. Healy of Danbury; his mother-in-law, Elli Muller of New Fairfield; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Robert.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:30 a.m. at the King Street United Church of Christ, South King Street, Danbury.
Memorial contributions may be made to the King Street Volunteer Fire Department, South King Street, Danbury, CT 06811.
Paul Wemitt, 89, had family in area towns
Paul J. Wemitt, 89, of Danbury died May 14 at Harborside Glen Hill. He was the husband of Elinor (Caruso) Wemitt.
Mr. Wemitt was born Dec. 16, 1913, in Middlebury, Vt., son of the late Moses and Elizabeth (Weinle) Wemitt.
He owned and operated Wemitt Plumbing and Heating for more than 15 years. Prior to that, he worked for Hoffman Fuel, Leahy and Sippin. He was a parishioner at St. Joseph Church in Danbury.
Besides his wife, Mr. Wemitt is survived by two daughters, Joan Godfrey and her husband George of Bridgewater and Paula of New Milford; two grandchildren, William Godfrey and his wife Melanie of Newtown and Kimberly Timan and her husband Thomas of New Milford; five great-grandchildren, Meghan and Tyler Timan, and Jack, Kyle and Andrew Godfrey; three sisters, Rita Murray, Doris LaFountain and Elizabeth Brisson of Vermont; and several nieces and nephews.
The Cornell Memorial Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the charity of one�s choice.
