United States High School Yearbooks by County
J. Russell Nicolas Sr., 78, father of New Milfordite
J. Russell Nicolas Sr., 78, of 83 Treadwell St., Hamden, died Aug. 8 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, West Haven. He was the widower of Ruth G. (Selmquist) Nicolas.
Mr. Nicolas was born in New Haven, the son of the late Andrew and Lulu (Geilbroeck) Nicolas.
He was a meat cutter and manager of the First National Stores, Inc., for 25 years.
Prior to working for First National, he was co-owner of the Universal Food Store, Hamden, from 1947 to 1955. He was later a milkman for five years for the Borden Mitchell Dairy, formerly of New Haven.
Mr. Nicolas was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran of World War II and a 50-year member and past commander of the American Legion, Post No. 88 of Hamden.
Mr. Nicolas is survived by a daughter, Malin Atnes of Cheshire; two sons, J. Russell Jr. of New Milford and Robert and his wife Janice of Hamden; and three grandsons, Kevin, Michael and Brian and his wife Nancy Atnes. He was predeceased by a sister, Helen Davis; and brothers, Andrew and Richard.
The Hamden Memorial Funeral was in charge of arrangements.
Edythe F. Heyde, 86, was New Milford resident
Edythe F. Heyde, 86, of Chinmoy Lane, New Milford, died Aug. 9 at The Kent Nursing Home. She was the wife of the late Walter Gerald Heyde Sr.
Mrs. Heyde was born Jan. 12, 1915, in Danbury, a daughter of Charles and Jennie (Spargo) Clasendorf.
Fomerly of Bethel, she moved to New Milford in 1997. She was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury.
She is survived by a son, Gerry and his wife Karen of New Milford; a brother, John Clasendorf of Danbury; a sister, Shirley Bennett of St. James City, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Clifford Clasendorf and a sister, Charlene Clasendorf.
The Tomlinson Homestead of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to a charity of one’s choice.
Irene S. Sturdevant, 89, mother of Kent woman
Irene S. Sturdevant, 89, of Pine Acres Drive, Danbury, died Aug. 11 at Danbury Hospital. She was the wife of Harry V. Sturdevant.
Mrs. Sturdevant was born March 7, 1912, in Danbury, daughter of the late Michael and Wilhemina (Schulz) Strait.
She was a graduate of Danbury High School, Class of 1929, and was a Danbury resident most of her life.
She had worked for many years in the operation of the family business, Sturdevant Photo Shop, in Danbury.
She was one of the founding members of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in New Fairfield and had also been active in the church choir.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Sturdevant is survived by a son, Richard and his wife Marie of Newtown; a daughter, Marcia Scholl and her husband John of Kent; a sister, Norma Dempsey of Green Bay, Wisc.; five grandchildren, John Scholl Jr., Leslie Ackerman, Kristin Silvestri, Stephen Scholl and Michael Sturdevant; three great-grandchildren, Casey Scholl and Mollie and Sean Silvestri; and several nieces and nephews.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 2 Colonial Road, New Fairfield, CT 06812; or to the Oncology Dept. at Danbury Hospital, 24 Hospital Ave., Danbury, CT 06810.
Marion S. Potter, 76, was a resident of Kent
Marion (Schnell) Potter, 76 of 16 Swifts Lane, Kent, died Aug. 11 at Sharon Hospital after a long illness. She was the wife of the late Seth Kenneth Potter.
Mrs. Potter was born Oct. 7, 1924, in Warren, a daughter of the late William and Grace (Sheldon) Schnell.
She was a longtime resident of Kent and was employed for many years in the housekeeping department at Sharon Hospital, retiring as head of housekeeping.
She is survived by four sons, William and Howard of Kent, John of Chichester, N.H., and James of Amenia, N.Y.; five daughters, Patricia of Mashpee, Mass., Suzanne Giordano of Clearwater, Fla., Diane Hoyt, Carol Titus and Sandra Cianciolo of New Milford; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Sharon Hospital, Sharon, CT 06069; or to the Kent Ambulance Fund, P.O. Box 355, Kent CT 06757.
Jack Tracey, 57, teacher, lived in New Milford
Jack Tracey, 57, of New Milford died Aug. 15 in New Haven.
He was a friend and teacher who will be missed by many.
Mr. Tracey leaves behind all of his children and four grandchildren.
The family will hold a memorial service at Mr. Tracey’s home on his birthday, tomorrow (Saturday) at 2 p.m.
Mary C. Rush, 89, was teacher and preservationist
Mary “Mollie” (Conover) Rush, 89, of New Milford, died Aug. 5 at Geer, a nursing home in Canaan. She was the widow of Richard Rush.
Mrs. Rush was born Oct. 19, 1911, in Bedford, N.Y.
She graduated from the Chapin School, then studied landscape design at Columbia in New York City She married her husband in 1928, and they adopted three children.
She taught mathematics for 32 years at St. Paul’s School in Concord, N.H. She did volunteer work for several organizations, including the state hospital.
Mrs. Rush retired to New Milford in 1965. She enjoyed wildflower gardening and birding trips. She was a founding member of the Weantinoge Heritage, a local land trust. She had a lifelong commitment to the preservation and appreciation of the natural world.
She worked with children and young adults in the Bridgewater Junior Gardener’s Club and volunteered for the Pratt Center in New Milford. She developed Alzheimer’s disease in the late ’90s.
She is survived by two sons, Tom of Wilson, Wyo., and Bob of New Milford; a daughter, Susan of New Milford; and five grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Pratt Center, Papermill Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Roger W. Swanson, 78, was a Washington native
Roger W. Swanson, 78, of 232 Baldwin Hill Road, New Preston, died Aug. 17 at New Milford Hospital. He was the husband of Janice (Weeks) Swanson.
Mr. Swanson was born Nov. 20, 1922, in Washington, son of the late Waldemar and Lena (Cogswell) Swanson.
He attended Washington High School and was a Navy veteran of World war II, serving in the Pacific theater.
He worked for many years for the State Department of Transportation, retiring as a payloader operator. He was a member of New Preston Congregational Church, a member of the Gage-Zumpf Post American Legion in Washington, and a member of the State Employee Association.
Mr. Swanson was an outstanding pitcher in his youth and played with the New Preston Hillies and Washington Townies baseball teams.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Gail Hammond of Torrington and Robin Rakowski of Palmer, Mass.; three brothers, Allan and Eugene of New Preston and Eric of New Milford; and four grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford handled arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Washington Ambulance Association, 109 Bee Brook Road, Washington Depot, CT 06794; or New Milford Hospital-Columbia Presbyterian Regional Cancer Center, 21 Elm St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Constance Meredith, 68, former Chamber secretary
Constance Kelly Meredith, 68, of 48 Cornwall Road, Warren, died Aug. 20 at home. She was the widow of Samuel F. DuBois and Herbert E. Meredith.
Mrs. Meredith was born April 8, 1933, in Green Bay, Wis., daughter of the late John T. and Constance (Loesser) Phillips.
She was a resident of New Milford for many years before moving to Singer Island, Fla., in 1977. She returned to Warren a few weeks ago.
She was a secretary at the New Milford Chamber of Commerce from 1982 to 1986 and was secretary in the New Milford tax assessor’s office for six years.
She was also a former assistant to the director of Campfire Girls in Danbury. She was a past member of the Armee Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, in New Milford.
While in Florida, Mrs. Meredith was active in planning and arranging the Palm Beach Shores’ St. Patrick’s Day parade and was named Citizen of the Year in 1997. She was also a member of Eagles Lodge No. 4018 in Lake Park, Fla., and the Atlantis Florida Country Club.
She is survived by four daughters, Constance Miller and her husband John of Warren, Kathryn Elliott of Whitsett, N.C., Denise Thowless and her husband Kevin of Greenville, Wis., and Doris Vester of Roanoke Rapids, N.C.; a sister, Gloria Rinker of Aurora, Colo.; eight 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 New Milford Visiting Nurse Hospice, 68 Park Lane, New Milford, CT 06776.
Francis Cline, 91, widower of New Milford native
Francis J. Cline, 91, of 22 Apple Tree Road, Bethel, formerly of Batavia, N.Y., died Aug. 19 at Ashlar of Newtown. He was the widower of New Milford native Margaret (Clark) Cline.
Mr. Cline was born Aug. 27, 1909, in Batavia, son of the late Joseph and Eva (Klein) Cline.
He was a graduate of Batavia High School and an Army veteran of World War II, fighting in campaigns in Ardennes, Central Europe and the Rhineland.
He was a longtime linotype operator. He was a member of the Typographical Union, the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus and the Notre Dame Booster Club in Batavia.
Mr. Cline is survived by two sons, Joseph and his wife Linda of Orange and Robert and his wife Ann of North East, Pa.; a daughter, Mary Rasch and her husband Roger of Bethel; nine grandchildren, Brenda Hart, Sarah and Michael Rasch, and Jennifer, Kerry, Ryan, Catherine, Joseph and John Cline.
He was predeceased by a sister, Catherine Chamberlain.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford handled arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Hanahoe Children’s Clinic, 205 Main St., Danbury, CT 06810; or to Friendly Visitors, 54 Main St., Danbury, CT 06810.
Angeline Longo, 88, had lived in New Milford
Angeline Longo, 88, of Putnam Drive, Danbury, died Aug. 19 at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center, New Milford. She was the wife of the late Paul Longo.
Mrs. Longo was born Nov. 19, 1912, in Danbury, a daughter of the late Ralph and Concetta (Gillotti) Parille.
She worked for many years for the Barden Corporation before retirement. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Danbury.
Mrs. Longo is survived by a son, Paul of Danbury; five grandchildren, Pamela and Robert Longo and Barbara Leblanc of Danbury, Debra Lingerfelt of Bristol, Tenn., and Joyane Longo of Willet, N.Y.; eight great-grandchildren; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by a son, Robert.
The Tomlinson Homestead of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Heart Association, Connecticut Affiliate, Inc., 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Walter Golden, 87, spent childhood in New Milford
Walter Richard Chiam Golden, Ph.D, 87, formerly of Golden Farm, Rockrimmon Road, Stamford, died Aug. 15. He was the husband of Nettie B. Golden.
Mr. Golden was born Nov. 11, 1913, a son of the late Joseph and Eva (Effron) Golden.
He spent his childhood in New Milford. He received his baccalaureate and Ph.D degrees from Yale University.
During World War II, he served in the Army Medical Corps, stationed in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippines.
He worked at Norwalk Hospital as a biochemist and later directed the clinical chemistry department of the Laboratory at Stamford Hospital. He was one of the founding members of the American Association of Clinical Chemists.
Mr. Golden’s lifelong passion was chicken farming. In 1953, he began Golden Farm and sold eggs to local grocers. The farm was operational until three years ago. Golden Farm was the last working farm in Stamford.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a sister, Ruth Katz of Baldwin, N.Y.; a daughter, Sara Mitton and her husband Jeff of Boulder, Colo.; a son, Joseph and his wife Peggy Burkhardt of Beckley, W.V.; and special friend and compatriot, Kevin Re of Greenwich. He was predeceased by three brothers, Merrill, Lawrence and Archie.
The family wishes to express special appreciation to Edith Smith and Alba Samuels.
The Leo P. Gallagher and Sons Funeral Home of Stamford was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Jewish Family Services or to an environmental organization of one’s own choice.
