United States High School Yearbooks by County
William Miller, 55, was longtime area developer
William E. "Bill" Miller, 55, of Bethel, died unexpectedly Jan. 25 at Putnam County Hospital, Carmel, N.Y. He was the husband of Diane M. (Woodin) Miller.
Mr. Miller was born in Ligonier, Pa., April 8, 1944, a son of the late Ellis Augustus and Priscilla Marie (Fetter) Miller.
He moved to Connecticut from Pennsylvania in 1962. In 1965, he formed the Connecticut Foundations Corporation, which he owned and operated until 1984.
He then started the Miller Construction Corporation that same year, operating the business until the time of his death.
Mr. Miller was heavily involved with one of the first major waves of residential development in the Greater Danbury area beginning in the mid-1960s.
Mr. Miller contributed much of his time, effort and love in helping to build homes for Habitat for Humanity of Litchfield Hills and was also instrumental in the construction of the BMX Racing Track in Bethel.
Besides his wife of 17 years, he is survived by his daughter, Lisa D. Miller of Sandy Hook; two stepsons, David J. and Kevin M. Kargle, both of Bethel; five brothers, Charles Miller of Bedford, Pa., Ellis Miller of Ligonier, Pa., Richard Miller of New Florence, Pa., Frank Miller of Danbury and Paul Miller of Latrobe, Pa.; three sisters, Elizabeth Clark of Latrobe, Pa., Shirley Newman of New Milford and Delores Busch of Butler, Pa.; and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews, as well as his former wife, Alice L. Miller of Sandy Hook.
The Hull Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Litchfield Hills, 68 Danbury Road, New Milford, CT 06776; or BMX Racing, c/o Don Olsen, 22 Kayview Ave., Bethel, CT 06801.
Ruth Mohlenhoff, 89, mother of New Preston man
Ruth I. Mohlenhoff, 89, of 2-13 Chestnut Grove, New Milford, died Jan. 30 at the New Milford Nursing Home after a lengthy illness. She was the wife of Herbert J. Mohlenhoff.
Mrs. Mohlenhoff was born Oct. 16, 1910, in New York, N.Y., a daughter of the late Frederick H. and Louise (Meyer) Ihlenburg. Earlier in her life, she was an art teacher in the New York City public school system.
For many years she served in a variety of volunteer positions in the churches to which she belonged. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, New Milford.
She had formerly lived in Lakewood, N.J., and Garden City, N.Y., before moving to New Milford in 1991.
Besides her husband of 63 years, Mrs. Mohlenhoff is survived by a son, the Rev. Herbert J. Mohlenhoff Jr. and his wife, Ruth L. Mohlenhoff, of New Preston; a daughter, Louise A. Hunt and her husband, the Rev. Donald A. Hunt, of Marblehead, Mass.; two brothers, Harry M. Ihlenburg of Bradenton, Fla., and Frederick H. Ihlenburg Jr. of Tigard, Ore.; six grandchildren and their spouses, John and Lynn Mohlenhoff of New Preston, Peter and Dana Mohlenhoff of Torrington, Donalynn (Hunt) and Rob Quilliam of Fairfax, Vt., Jonathan and Tonya Hunt of Ponte Vedra, Fla., Alyson (Hunt) and D. Bruce Fitzsimmons of Arlington, Mass., and Alexandra (Hunt) and Richard Soule III of Cambridge, Vt.; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, Alice Ihlenburg.
Arrangements were handled by the Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 388, New Milford, CT 06776.
Elizabeth Orzech, 87, was native of Bridgewater
Elizabeth (Allen) (Grey) Orzech, 87, of 3 Botsford Hill Road, Roxbury, died Jan. 30 at New Milford Hospital. She was the wife of Edward F. Orzech.
Mrs. Orzech was born Jan. 23, 1913, in Bridgewater, daughter of the late Grover C. and Vadnia (Dickinson) Allen. She was a resident of Roxbury for many years. She was also a member of Bridgewater Grange.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Orzech is survived by a son, Robert L. Grey of Bridgewater; two brothers, Charles Allen of Warren, Vt., and Robert Allen of Bridgewater; two sisters, Dorothy Gustafson of Bridgewater and Catherine Milchner of Woodbury; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Roxbury Ambulance Association, c/o Roxbury Volunteer Fire Department, Roxbury, CT 06783.
Helen Cooper, 89, was born in Roxbury
Helen Kimlin Cooper, 89, of New Milford, died Jan. 31 in New Milford Hospital. She was the widow of Miles Kimlin and George L. Cooper.
Mrs. Cooper was born March 16, 1910, in Roxbury, a daughter of the late George and Letitia (Stoddard) Morris. Mrs. Cooper had been an area resident all of her life and was a graduate of New Milford High School.
She was employed by Golden's, Nestle's Corporation and Barden Department Store in New Milford.
Mrs. Cooper was a member of the Metichewan Grange, Order of Eastern Star and the New Milford Chapter of AARP. Mrs. Cooper was also a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in New Milford. She was an avid gardener and bird watcher.
She is survived by a son, Henry Kimlin and his wife, Catherine, of New Milford; four grandchildren, Ted and John Kimlin and Michael and Tammy Owen; and four great-grandchildren, John and Paulina Oviatt, Christina Owen and Tonya Kimlin.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements
Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Memorial Processing Center, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701; or to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 31160, Hartford, CT 06150-1160.
John Osuch, 81, born locally
John F. Osuch, 81, of 283 Hard Hill Road South, Bethlehem, died Jan. 31 at his home after a lengthy illness. He was the husband of Mary A. (Barley) Osuch.
Mr. Osuch was born in New Milford May 25, 1918, son of the late John and Clara (Siskey) Osuch. He had operated the family farm in Bethlehem since 1946. He was a member of the Litchfield County Farm Bureau, the Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Department and the Bethlehem Fair Association.
Besides his wife of 58 years, Mr. Osuch is survived by a son, John Raymond Osuch of Bethlehem; five daughters, Rosalie Johnson, Eloise Osuch-MacDonald, Janice Poole, Elizabeth Rabidean and Joanne Fitzgerald, all of Bethlehem; and six grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated today (Friday) at 11 a.m. in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery, New Milford, in the spring.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Bethlehem Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 401, Bethlehem, CT 06751; or to VNA Health at Home, Inc., 27 Princeton Road, Watertown, CT 06795; or to Church of the Nativity Building Fund, 48 East St., Bethlehem, CT 06751.
John Warnke, 59, brother of New Milford man
John David Warnke, 59, of Concord, N.C., previously of Sandy Hook, died Jan. 31 at Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., after a brief illness.
He was born May 3, 1940, to the late Anna Mae (Kramer) and Raymond Warnke.
He is survived by a son, J. Christopher Warnke; a daughter-in-law, Susan; three grandchildren, Brandon, Cassidy and Christopher, all of Hoosick Falls, N.Y.; a brother, Paul Warnke of New Milford; and four sisters, Linda Northrup of Danbury, Judith Major of Deep River, Cynthia Wilks-Boak of Norwalk and Hope Brissette of Bellows Falls, Vt.
Doris Blackman, 49, was nurse at area hospitals
Doris A. Darcy Blackman, 49, of Candlewood Vista, New Milford, died Feb. 8 at New Milford Hospital. She was the wife of David D. Blackman.
She was born in Beacon, N.Y., Jan. 1, 1951, daughter of the late Charles and Julia "Bonnie" Connors McKinstry. Mrs. Blackman and her twin brother, Michael Darcy, were the first born for the year 1951 in New York state. Her brother pre-deceased her.
Mrs. Blackman attended Beacon schools and was a graduate of Beacon High School, Class of 1968. She continued her studies and graduated as a licensed practical nurse from Henry Abbott Technical School in Danbury.
Mrs. Blackman worked as a licensed practical nurse at the Danbury and New Milford Hospitals and for Urology Associates of Danbury. She had made her home in Danbury prior to moving to New Milford 18 years ago.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church of New Milford and was an avid bowler in the leagues at Brookfield Lanes.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Blackman is survived by two daughters, Darcy K. Blackman and her fiancé Mark Pane, and Amy R. Blackman, both of New Milford; two sisters, Eileen Blackman and her husband Peter of Newtown, and Jackie Edmonds and her husband Nelson of Gaylordsville; a sister-in-law, Susan Darcy; two nieces, Karen Gibb and Katy Ducey; three nephews, Alan Edwards and Joseph and Michael Darcy; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at the Brookfield Funeral Home, 786 Federal Road, Brookfield, today (Friday) at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Michael J. Moran of the First Congregational Church of New Milford officiating.
Burial will be in Central Cemetery, Brookfield, in the spring.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897; or to New Milford Hospice, c/o New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, Inc., 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Elizabeth Melchione, 84, mother of local woman
Elizabeth (Pascucci) Melchione, 84, of 39 Lake St., Waterbury, died Feb. 1 at Waterbury Hospital. She was the wife of Carmen L. Melchione.
Mrs. Melchione was born Nov. 2, 1915, in Waterbury, daughter of the late Michael and Armenia (Chancelia) Pascucci. She was a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church.
Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Theresa Jillson of Waterbury and Margaret Sarracco of Washington; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The Maiorano Funeral Home of Waterbury was in charge of arrangements.
Ethel L. Hills, 72, was born in Gaylordsville
Ethel L. Hills, 72, of East Chatham, N.Y., died Jan. 21.
Mrs. Hills was born in Gaylordsville, daughter of the late Newton and Ruby (Hall) Hills.
She graduated from New Milford High School. She worked as a customer service representative for Taconic Telephone Corp. in Chatham, N.Y., before she retired.
She is survived by five brothers and two sisters.
The funeral will be in the spring.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Frederick Kelley, 83, was father of Kent man
Frederick A. Kelley, 83, of Appalachian Road, Kent, died Feb. 3 at Sharon Hospital. He was the husband of Tessie (Green) Kelley.
Mr. Kelley was born July 15, 1916, in Bridgeport, son of the late Elmer and Nellie (Cromwell) Kelley. He was a carpenter in the Connecticut area for more than 40 years.
Besides his wife, Mr. Kelley is survived by two sons, Frederick A. Kelley Jr. of Newtown and Benjamin L. Kelley of Kent; a daughter, Carol Ann French of Newtown; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The Kenney Funeral Home of Sharon was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Kent Fire Department, Kent, CT 06757.
Stella Kozienieski, 87, longtime SNET employee
Stella M. Kozienieski, 87, of 55 Ridge Road, New Milford, died Feb. 6 at her home after a long illness.
Miss Kozienieski was born in New Milford May 6, 1912, daughter of the late Anthony and Agatha (Stankevicz) Kozienieski.
Following graduation from New Milford High School, she joined the Southern New England Telephone Company, retiring as manager of operator services for the company in 1975 after a service of 45 years.
After retirement, she raised Hereford beef cattle on the 150-acre family farm in New Milford. She traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe.
Miss Kozienieski was a communicant of St. Francis Xavier Church and a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
She is survived by a sister, Anna J. Kozienieski of New Milford.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
