United States High School Yearbooks by County
Katherine O. Caldwell, 92, was lifelong area resident
Katherine (Ohmen) Caldwell, 92, formerly of Pickett District Road, New Milford, died July 29 at The Kent, Specialty Care Facility, in Kent. She was the wife of the late Paul W. Caldwell.
Mrs. Caldwell was born in Washington March 25, 1908, a daughter of the late Leon R. and Ruth (Whitlesey) Ohmen.
She was a graduate of the former Danbury Normal School and taught for a number of years in a several district schools in Litchfield County.
She and her late husband had owned and operated the Eastern States Farmers Exchange, Inc., in New Milford for many years.
Mrs. Caldwell was a longtime parishioner of St. John's Episcopal Church in New Milford, where she had been superintendent of Sunday school for many years, a financial recorder and a past member of the vestry at the church.
She was a former member of the Litchfield County Farm Bureau and had been a 4-H leader in New Milford. She was also a member of Metichewan Grange No. 190 of New Milford.
Mrs. Caldwell was a gardener of both flowers and vegetables and had been a breadmaker and a creator of sewn clothing and interior decor.
She is survived by two daughters, Doris C. Olson of Bridgeport and Patricia C. Pitkin of West Chester, Pa.; two brothers, Robert Ohmen and Richard Ohmen, both of New Milford; two sisters, Thelma O. Aldrich of New Milford and Christina O. Johnson of Bridgewater; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, James P. Caldwell and a brother, Minor Ohmen.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to The Water Witch Hose Co. No. 2 Scholarship Fund, 8 Grove St., New Milford, CT 06776; or to the New Milford Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 102, New Milford, CT 06776.
Eugenia Bastos, 85, mother of New Milford woman
Eugenia L. (Silva) Bastos, 85, of Byron Street, Danbury, died July 28 at the Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Milford. She was the wife of the late Serafim Bastos.
Mrs. Bastos was born in Taunton, Mass., March 10, 1915, a daughter of the late Antonio and Maria Joanna (Teixeira) Silva.
She attended schools in East Taunton and was employed by the former American Radionics Company of Danbury for 20 years. She had been a resident of Danbury since 1942 and a member of St. Peter Church.
Mrs. Bastos is survived by three daughters, Elaine Ashley and her husband Robert of New Milford, Marge Bastos of Boston and Jean Marie Sears and her husband John of Broken Arrow, Okla.; five grandchildren, Christine Martin, Robin Sorenson, Steven Ashley and Ryan and Alexis Sears; five great grandchildren, Samantha, Scott and Alex Martin and Kyle and Paige Sorenson; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son, Louis Bastos, a brother, John Silva and four sisters, Mary Baptista, Hilda Souza, Evangeline Gonsalves and Rose Sousa.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 300 Research Parkway, Meriden, CT 06450.
Edwin Cook, 92, was former New Milford resident
Edwin I. Cook, 92, formerly of Brookfield and New Milford, died July 27 at the Masonic Geriatric Healthcare Center in Wallingford. He was the husband of the late Marion (Fyfe) Cook.
Mr. Cook was born in Bergen, N.Y., the son of E.I. Cook Sr. and Flora (Abell) Cook.
He was a graduate of the New York University College of Engineering. He was employed by Sperry Rail Service, Hoboken, N.J., and later as a rail car shop manager in Danbury until his retirement in 1973.
Mr. Cook was a member of the First Congregational Church in Danbury, where he sang in the choir and was a deacon.
He served on the board of directors of the Red Cross and the Visiting Nurse Association. He was also a member of the Danbury Music Center, the Community Chorus, the Richter Association for the Arts and Masonic Lodge No. 40.
Mr. Cook is survived by a daughter, Judith A. Rowan of Loudon, Tenn.; a son, David F. Cook of Danbury; and a sister, Catherine Shedd of Leonia, N.J.
A memorial service will be held Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 164 Deer Hill Ave., Danbury.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Danbury First Congregational Church Music Program, 164 Deer Hill Ave., Danbury, CT 06810; or to the Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut, 35 North Plains Industrial Park, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Sylvia Hahn, 76, born in Kent, NMHS graduate
Sylvia E. Hahn, 76, of Lewisburg, Pa., died July 27. She was the wife of William A. Hahn.
Mrs. Hahn was born April 8, 1924, in Kent, a daughter of the late Walter D. and Sarah L. (Jennings) Conn.
She was a 1941 graduate of New Milford High School. In 1945, she received a degree in education from Danbury Teachers College.
She was employed as an elementary teacher in Danbury, Canton and Simsbury and Darien.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Hahn is survived by two sons, Jeffrey W. Hahn and his wife Julia of Spencerport, N.Y., and David W. Hahn and his wife Meriam of Lewisburg; four grandchildren; one great-grandson; three brothers, Walter J. Conn of New Milford, Harvey E. Conn of Cincinnati and Kenneth W. Conn of New Preston; and two sisters, Ruby Holloway of New Milford and Hazel Spedding of Edgewater, Fla.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the South Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Building. 2, Suite 321, 2001 North Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17102; or to the Parkinsons Disease Foundation, 710 W. 168th St., N.Y., NY 10032.
Matilda Johnston, 81, was 20-year Warren resident
Matilda (Bowman) Johnston, 81, of Arrowhead Point Road, Warren, died July 29 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington. She was the widow of Stuart D. Johnston.
Mrs. Johnston was born July 7, 1919, in Mechanicsburg, Pa., daughter of the late Samuel A. and Edith (Dick) Bowman.
She spent her early life in Pennsylvania and was a resident of Garden City, Long Island, for a number of years. She moved to Warren in 1980 and was a member of the Washington Garden Club.
Mrs. Johnston is survived by a son, William B. Johnston of Westport, N.Y.; two daughters, Anne Kerrigon of Milton and Mineola, N.Y., and Virginia Lasonde of Cincinnati, Ohio; a sister, Martha Sproule of Englewood, Fla.; and five grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, 54 Litchfield St., Torrington, CT 06790; or to New Milford VNA, 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Robert L. Jones, 67, father of New Milford man
Robert L. Jones, 67, of 14 Curtice St., Winsted, died July 27.
Mr. Jones was born March 2, 1933, in Winsted, son of the late Kenneth B. and Bertha (Rood) Jones.
He was a 1951 graduate of Gilbert High School and graduated from the University of Hartford in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in history and political science.
He worked at Pratt & Whitney Corp. for 30 years, retiring in 1985.
Mr. Jones is survived by his former wife, Grace Ransom; three sons, Alexander R. Jones of Barkhamsted, Eric C. Jones of New Milford and Gregory C. Jones of West Hartland; and a brother, K. Richard Jones of Winsted.
The Shea Funeral Home of Winsted was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to The Foothills VNA, Union Street, Winsted, CT 06098; or to the Winchester Historical Society, Prospect Street, Winsted, CT 06098; or to The Beardsley and Memorial Library, Munro Place, Winsted, CT 06098.
Glen W. Sanford, 70, father of Gaylordsville man
Glen William Sanford, 70, of 679 Fenn Road, Thomaston, died July 26 at Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of June (Kirkham) Sanford.
Mr. Sanford was born May 8, 1930, in Thomaston, son of the late Schubert and Minnie (Powlaski) Sanford.
He served in the Army from 1952 to 1954. He worked as a motor assembler at Tech Systems of Thomaston before he retired.
He was a longtime member of the Thomaston Volunteer Fire Department, Masonic Lodge of Litchfield and St. Paul's Lodge No. 11.
Besides his wife, Mr. Sanford is survived by three sons, David K. Sanford of Gaylordsville, Keith A. Sanford of Litchfield and Glen D. Sanford of Thomaston; a daughter, Holly L. Schrager of Terryville; a brother, Burton Sanford of Plymouth; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. The Kelly-Brennan Funeral Home of Waterbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Gerald Vanasse, 75, longtime
teacher at Canterbury School
Gerald A. Vanasse, 75, of 6 Tamarack Drive, New Milford, died Aug. 7 at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was the husband of Therese (Boucher) Vanasse.
Mr. Vanasse was born July 28, 1925, in New Bedford, Mass., the son of the late Armand and Adele (Roy) Vanasse.
He had been a resident of New Milford since 1960, when he took a position as teacher of French and German at Canterbury School.
He was accompanist for the school’s Choral Club for many years, musical director for nine shows, golf coach for 28 years and organist at the school’s Chapel of Our Lady for 38 years.
During World War II, he was a dental technician pharmacist’s mate in the United States Navy for two and a half years.
He graduated from New Bedford High School in 1948, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1952 and a master’s degree from Bridgewater State University. He pursued studies at Middlebury College, the University of Missouri and Boston University.
He taught in Middletown Springs, Vt., in 1952-1953, and at Roosevelt Junior High and New Bedford High School until 1960. He had also been organist and choir director at churches in New Bedford.
After retiring from Canterbury School in 1990, he kept active with many volunteer activities, including the Richmond Citizen Center, which houses the New Milford Senior Center, and local nursing homes. He was president of the Senior Center Advisory Board for several years.
Mr. Vanasse was a parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Church in New Milford for 40 years, where he also served as organist for several years.
Besides his wife of 46 years, he is survived by a daughter, Nicole Burke and her husband Lt. Col. Kevin Burke, USMC, Fairfax, Va.; four sons, Marc Vanasse of New Milford, Paul Vanasse and his wife Patricia of San Francisco, Gerald P. Vanasse and his wife Kelly of Far Hills, N.J., and Guy Vanasse and his wife Kelly of Cincinnati; seven grandchildren, Catherine, John, Therese and Mary Burke and Camille, Julian and Zoe Vanasse; two sisters, Elda Poitras and Yvette Daigle of New Bedford; and many nieces and nephews.
A mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Francis Xavier Church, Old Park Lane Road, New Milford, today (Friday) at 11 a.m. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in Mr. Vanasse’s memory may be made to Canterbury School’s Department of Fine Arts, Caller Box 5000, New Milford, CT 06776; or to the New Milford VNA Hospice, 68 Park Lane Road (Route 202), New Milford, CT 06776.
Rita Thompson, 78, active Bridgewater resident
Rita E. Thompson, 78, of Bridgewater died Aug. 7 at Danbury Hospital. She was the wife of Howard J. Thompson.
Mrs. Thompson was born Sept. 29, 1921, in Kent, a daughter of the late Philip and Rosinana (Becker) Schneider. She had been a resident of Bridgewater since 1959.
Mrs. Thompson was an active member of the Bridgewater Grange for over 34 years and was the coordinator of hobby exhibits at the Bridgewater Fair for 34 years.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a son, Jimmy Thompson of Bridgewater; two daughters, Shirley Fabische and her husband, Curt, of Gaylordsville and Nancy Susanne Thompson and her fiancé, Harlan, of Brookfield; a brother, Philip Schneider; a grandchild, Kurt Fabische; two brothers-in-law; five sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral service will be held in the Colonial Funeral Home, 87 Park Lane, New Milford, today (Friday) at 2 p.m.
The Colonial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bridgewater Grange Christmas Tree Lighting Fund, c/o Ruth Cipolla, 100 Lillinonah Lake Road North, Bridgewater, CT 06752.
Mary Sullivan, 66, mother of New Milfordite
Mary Grace (Garavel) Sullivan, 66, of 95 Thompkins Ave., East Longmeadow, Mass., died Aug. 5 at Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Mass.
Mrs. Sullivan was born in Danbury. She had lived in Meriden before moving to East Longmeadow in 1959. She was a communicant of St. Michael’s Church in East Longmeadow and a former member of its Women’s Club.
Mrs. Sullivan was a graduate of St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Hartford.
She is survived by her son, John F. Sullivan, with whom she lived; four daughters, Kathleen E. McBryar of West Springfield, Mass., Karen A. Adams of New Milford, Laurie M. Sullivan of Hampden, Mass., and Mary Jo Sullivan of Springfield; two brothers, James Garavel of Danbury and Gerald Garavel of Ridgefield; and 10 grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son, Kevin R. Sullivan and a brother, Bobby Garavel.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Kevin R. Sullivan Scholarship Fund, c/o John F. Sullivan, 95 Thompkins Ave., East Longmeadow, MA 01028; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial & Honor Program, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9956.
