United States High School Yearbooks by County
John V. Bellion, 85, father of New Milford residents
John Velmore Bellion, 85, of 78 Candlewood Lake Road North in New Milford, died Aug. 20 at New Milford Hospital. He was the husband of Florence (Klages) Bellion.
Mr. Bellion was born June 27, 1915, in the Bronx, N.Y., a son of the late Nicholas and Anna (Willox) Bellion. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Army. He had been a member of the New York Plumbers Union No. 2 for many years before his retirement.
Mr. Bellion had lived in New Milford since 1957 and was a communicant of St. Francis Xavier Church and a member of the Housatonic Council No. 40 Knights of Columbus. He had also been an avid golfer.
Mr. Bellion is survived by two sons, John and his wife, Gwenda, of New Milford and Bill and his wife, Edie, of Canaan, N.H.; a daughter, Mary Jane Lundgren and her husband, Eric, of New Milford; two sisters, Harriet Regan of New Milford and Eileen Baydala of Melbourne, Fla.; six grandchildren, Wendy Irvine, Tara Willson, Michelle Prentiss, Jeremy Bellion, Britt Lundgren and Sancie Petrovich; and a great-grandchild, Roan Willson.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2911 Dixwell Ave., Suite 104, Hamden, CT 06518.
Andrew G. Ballas Sr., 80, father of New Milfordite
Andrew G. Ballas Sr., of Jackson Drive in Danbury, died Aug. 18 at Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of the late Marie M. (Fiaschetti) Ballas.
Mr. Ballas was born Nov. 24, 1919 in Nashua, N.H., son of the late George and Zoe (Demakis) Ballas. He attended Norwalk schools and lived in Norwalk until moving to Danbury in 1966.
He was an Army veteran of in both Korea and World War II, where he served in the Battle of Normandy, northern France, the Rhineland, Ardennes and central Europe. He received the Purple Heart for wounds from the European Theater in March 1945. He also received the Korean Service Medal with a Bronze Star and the United Nations Service Medal.
Since 1947, he was a truck driver for Adley Express, Valerie’s Express and the Jones Express companies. He retired in 1982 and went to work for the A. Gallo Distributors in Danbury until 1992. He was a member of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church and the V.F.W.
Mr. Ballas is survived by four sons, James A. of Wolcott, Andrew G. Jr. of New Fairfield, George M. of Utah and Daniel of Stamford; two daughters, Barbara Forlastro of New Fairfield and Donna Ducibella of New Milford; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, Speros Ballas of Bethel and his companion, Ericka Madeiros and her family; 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 American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897.
Andrew Kasvensky, 89, was New Milford native
Andrew M. Kasvensky, 89, of 63 Lillis Road, New Milford, died Aug. 19 at New Milford Nursing Home.
Mr. Kasvensky was born Nov. 2, 1910 in New Milford, a son of the late Andrew S. and Anna (Ondrecak) Kasvensky. He attended New Milford schools and had been an outstanding baseball player in his youth.
Mr. Kasvensky was a veteran of World War II and served in the European, African and Asiatic theaters.
He was a self-employed stone mason for the greater part of his life and a communicant of St. Francis Xavier Church in New Milford.
Mr. Kasvensky is survived by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three sisters, Mary Kasvensky, Katherine K. Fogarty and Theresa Cherniskee and a brother, John Kasvensky.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Donald A. Dodge, 62, worked for Habitat for Humanity
Donald Arthur Dodge, 62, of New Milford died Aug. 20 at New Milford Hospital after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was the husband of Mildred (Seidl) Dodge.
Mr. Dodge was born June 4, 1938, in Northfield, son of the late Arthur C. and Nettie (Wedge) Dodge.
He was retired from MacDermid Incorporated in Waterbury as a warehouse manager.
Previously a resident of Middlebury, Roxbury and Southbury, he was a member of the Roxbury Congregational Church and served on its Board of Trustees.
He was director for Habitat for Humanity of Litchfield Hills and a member of the Lion’s Club in Southbury. He was an avid Harley motorcycle and drag race enthusiast.
Besides his wife, Mr. Dodge is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Brenda and Dean Meyer of Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., and Cheryl and Bill Nichols of New Milford; a son, David Dodge of Bethlehem; a brother, Douglas Dodge, and his wife, Maureen, of Wethersfield; five grandchildren, Brad, Nicole, Samantha and Morganne Meyer, and Rachel Nichols; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, Arlene Wojtusik.
The Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Roxbury Congregational Church, 24 Church Street, Roxbury, CT 06783, or to the Ambulatory Oncology Unit of New Milford Hospital, 21 Elm Street, New Milford, CT 06776.
Frances Roswell, 79, mother of New Milfordite
Frances Roswell, 79, of Mediplex of Danbury, died Aug. 21 at Danbury Hospital.
She was a resident of White Plains, N.Y. for 53 years and moved to New Milford in 1998 to make her home with her son and daughter-in-law, Ronnie and Sherianne Roswell, prior to entering the Mediplex Nursing Home in July, 1999.
Mrs. Roswell was born May 14, 1921, in Yonkers, N.Y., a daughter of the late Mary and Michael Thear. She attended Commerce High School in Yonkers.
During World War II, she worked at Eastern Aircraft, a Navy aircraft assembly plant in Tarrytown, N.Y., where she was an inspector in the wings and flaps division.
It was there she met her husband, the late Ernest L. Roswell of Elmsford, N.Y. They were married Oct. 28, 1944, in Yonkers.
Mrs. Roswell had also worked at Reader’s Digest and R.H. Macy.
She was a member of St. John’s Church in White Plains.
Besides her son and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Roswell is survived by one brother, Michael Thear; two sisters, Ann Miano and Mary McNeill; two grandchildren, Randy Roswell and Candiann Roswell; and one niece, Maria Miano. She was predeceased by her husband in 1993.
Funeral services will be held today (Friday) at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church in White Plains. Interment will take place in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
The McMahon, Lyon & Harnett Funeral Home in White Plains is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association, 8 Mountain View Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12205-9990.
Lynn Marie DeBellis, 48, worked locally as nurse
Lynn Marie DeBellis, 48, of New Milford, died Aug. 28 at Danbury Hospital. She endured a five-year battle with cancer.
Mrs. DeBellis was born July 20, 1952, in The Bronx, N.Y., a daughter of Ralph Pilla of The Bronx and the late Lillian (Polcini) Pilla.
She was a 25-year resident of New Milford and was employed as a licensed practical nurse for 24 years at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Milford.
She was a member of St. Francis Xavier Church.
Besides her father, Mrs. DeBellis is survived by two sons, Dennis and Nicholas, both of New Milford; a future daughter-in-law, Carrie Fedor of Washington; a brother, Michael Pilla of The Bronx; a sister, Barbara Aigenino of Patterson, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Danbury Hospital Oncology Unit, 24 Hospital Ave., Danbury, CT 06810.
Robert H. Somuk, 70, Marine Corps veteran
Robert Hovert Somuk, 70, of 9 Flower Hill Road in New Milford, died Aug. 26 at New Milford Hospital. He was the husband of Marjorie (Ingles) Somuk.
Mr. Somuk was born Feb. 9, 1930, in New York, N.Y. He lived in New Milford for the past 32 years.
Mr. Somuk was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, retiring in 1988.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three sons, Edward of New Milford, Michael of San Antonio, Texas, and Matthew of Wallingford; two daughters, Sharon Sartini of Austin, Texas, and Deborah Hurlburt of Port Charlotte, Fla.; two brothers, Vincent of White Plains, N.Y., and Paul of the Bronx, N.Y.; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
John P. Lizauskas, 74, was Washington resident
John Peter Lizauskas, 74, of Fort Pierce, Fla., and Washington, died Aug. 25 at New Milford Hospital after a long illness. He was the husband of Mary Jane (Coll) Lizauskas.
Mr. Lizauskas was born July 9, 1926, in Woodbury, the son of the late Joseph and Margaret (Marciukaitis) Lizauskas.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two step-children, Tom Gugel and Liz Gugel of Washington; two step-grandchildren; two brothers, P. Edward of Woodbury and Stanley of Union, N.H.; three sisters, Adele Ambrozaitis of Waterbury, Eva Gwazdauskas of Parma Heights, Ohio, and Ann Ryan of Woodbury; and several nieces and nephews.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lizauskas requested friends and family do an act of kindness or make a contribution to one’s favorite charity.
Elsie K. Bunzel, 90, was mother of local pastor
Elsie (Kuehn) Bunzel, 90, of 40 Twin Oaks in New Milford, died Aug. 26 at her home. She was the wife of the late George J. Bunzel.
Mrs. Bunzel was born Nov. 10, 1909, in New York City, a daughter of the late Charles and Justina Kuehn.
She was educated in New York and was employed in early years as a secretary at the former Empire Color and Chemical Co. in New York City.
She moved to New Milford from Stuyvesant, N.Y., in 1995 and was a parishioner of the Trinity Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Bunzel is survived by three sons, the Rev. Frederick J. Bunzel, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, George A. Bunzel of Yonkers, N.Y., and Richard C. Bunzel of Matawan, N.J.; a daughter, Irene T. Reynolds of Beaufort, N.C.; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church, 107 Kent Road, P.O. Box 388, New Milford, CT 06776.
Brian P. Reynolds, 35, was welder in New Milford
Brian P. Reynolds, 35, of 657 South Main St. in Torrington, died Aug. 28 as a result of a motorcycle accident.
Mr. Reynolds was born July 9, 1965, in Torrington, son of the late Thomas and Louise (Gura) Reynolds.
He was a welder at Erection and Welding Contracting LLC in New Milford. He enjoyed fishing and was a member of the Veneta Club.
Mr. Reynolds is survived by two sisters, Debbie and Janice of Torrington; and a brother, Thomas of Winsted.
Calling hours are today (Friday) at Phalen Funeral Home at 285 Migeon Ave. in Torrington, at a time to be announced. The funeral will also be held today at Saint Anthony Church at South Street in Litchfield, at a time to be announced.
Anna M. Peeler, 74, sister of Washington man
Anna M. Peeler, 74, of 71 Main St. in East Haddam, died Aug. 23 at her home. She was the wife of Philip H. Peeler.
Mrs. Peeler was born July 1, 1926, in Lawrence, Mass., daughter of the late Stanley and Mary (Janusz) Mazurkewicz.
She was a Eucharist minister of St. Bridget’s Church in Moodus and a member of the Ladies Guild of St. Bridget’s Church, where she held the position of president three times.
Besides her husband of 51 years, Mrs. Peeler is survived by two sons, Ronald Peeler of East Haddam and Brian Peeler of Durham; a daughter, Gail A. O’Sullivan of Newtown; a brother, Jerome Mazurkewicz of Washington; a sister, Jane Trefry of Framingham, Mass.; 10 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by an infant child, Maryann Peeler.
The Swan Funeral Home of Moodus was in charge of arrangements.
