United States High School Yearbooks by County
Patricia A. Lawrence, 51, sister of local residents
Patricia A. (Gates) Lawrence, 51, of Cottage Street, Danbury, died Jan. 10 at Putnam Hospital Center in New York after a sudden illness. She was the wife of William Lawrence.
Mrs. Lawrence was born Dec. 16, 1950, in Middlebury, Vt., daughter of Eunice (Coltey) Gates and the late Guy Gates.
She graduated from Pawling High School, Class of 1968, in Pawling, N.Y., and was manager of a group home for the mentally handicapped in New York state for the past 16 years.
Besides her husband and her mother of Wingdale, N.Y., she is survived by a son, Jason of Danbury; a daughter, Andi Andrade of Danbury; three brothers, Kevin of New Milford, Michael of New York and Guy Jr. of Vermont; three sisters, Deborah Oakley and Stacey Gates of New Milford and Dale Williams of Gaylordsville; and several nieces and nephews.
The Cornell Memorial Home of Danbury handled arrangements.
Natalie Portell, 93, longtime Sherman resident
Natalie (Dobson) Portell, 91, of Orchard Rest Road, Sherman, died Jan. 17 at her home. She was the widow of Lawrence Joseph Portell.
Mrs. Portell was born Dec. 21, 1910, in Bridgeport, a daughter of the late James K. and Anna Dobson.
She was a resident of Sherman since 1950. She studied music with the renowned John Adam Hugo and attended Yale University School of Music.
Mrs. Portell was an accomplished pianist and taught piano for many years in Bridgeport.
She studied with the Benita V. Slocum School of Dancing and choreographed and directed many musical productions. She was also an advisor and counselor with the YWCA for several years.
Mrs. Portell was a communicant of Holy Trinity Church in Sherman, was chairperson of the New Milford Hospital Heritage Society, and was past president and director of the Lawrence J. and Natalie D. Portell Foundation, Inc.
She is survived by a niece, Arlene Patras, and a nephew, Gary Jandorf.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 372 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897; or the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 100, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Marjorie Jones, 87, mother of Bridgewater man
Marjorie E. (Moody) Jones, 87, of Woodbury died Jan. 17 at Waterbury Hospital. She was the wife of Robert F. Jones.
Mrs. Jones was born Feb. 5, 1914, in Naugatuck, daughter of the late William and Ann (Clark) Moody.
She graduated from Naugatuck schools and received a bachelor’s degree from Simmons College, Boston.
She worked at the YMCA in New Haven and operated a nursery school in her home for many years.
She later returned to school to receive a teaching certificate and taught home economics at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury for 10 years.
Mrs. Jones was a Woodbury resident for nearly 50 years and was a member of North Congregational Church and its woman’s fellowship, the Woodbury Women’s Club, the Woodbury Jury Selection Committee, the Woodbury Park and Recreation Committee, the Heritage Village Country Club, the Woodbury Club and a bridge club.
She enjoyed making clothes and traveling with her husband to Europe, the British Isles and the homes of two foreign exchange students they hosted in Greece and Finland.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Jones is survived by five sons, Robert of Raymond, Maine, Richard of Bridgewater, William of Ruffs Dale, Pa., and Douglas and Kenneth of Fairfield; a sister, Janet Strickler of Florida; 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Feb. 2 at 2 p.m. at North Congregational Church. Burial will be private.
The Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the North Congregational Church, P.O. Box 473, Woodbury, CT 06798.
Clara Balhatchet-Dunn, 93, mother of local resident
Clara “Mimi” Balhatchet-Dunn, 93, of Mountain View Dairy, Delta, Utah, died Jan. 11. She was the widow of Louis Brunke, Harold S. Balhatchet and Thomas Dunn.
Mrs. Balhatchet-Dunn was born Aug. 3, 1908, in Carolina, R.I., daughter of the late Henry and Clara (Vetta) Kenyon.
She attended local schools and graduated from Westerly High School in 1926. She began her career in bookkeeping department of Columbia Narrow Fabric Co.
She and her late husband, Louis Brunke, built a home in Mystic where she lived for more than 40 years.
Mrs. Balhatchet-Dunn married Harold Balhatchet and worked in the payroll department of Pfizer Chemical Co., retiring in 1973.
In 1989, she married Thomas Dunn and lived in North Stonington before moving to Delta in 1998.
She was a longtime member of the Ram Island Yacht Club, the Mystic Art Association and the Mystic Congregational Church.
She is survived by a daughter, Barbara Brunke Nye of Washington Depot; a sister, Vetta Scudder of Carolina, R.I.; a grandson; and three great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service will be held in Mystic at the convenience of the family.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Delta Community Presbyterian Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 337, Delta, Utah 84624.
Mary Cavagna, 89, was a lifetime area resident
Mary Cavagna, 89, of New Street, New Milford, formerly of Danbury, died Jan. 12 at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was the widow of Leo Cavagna.
Mrs. Cavagna was born April 3, 1912, in Georgetown, daughter of the late Henry and Julia (Albia) Beers.
She had worked as a self-employed housecleaner for many years.
Mrs. Cavagna was a lifetime area resident and had made her home in New Milford for the past four years. She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Danbury.
Mrs. Cavagna is survived by her extended family: Mike and Donna Aleksandrowicz and their three children, with whom she resided; Lois Taylor; Harold and Kathleen Taylor; Raymond and Sue Taylor; Shirley and Steve McKeen; Margaret and Ricky Humiston; Debbie and George Wixon III; and James Taylor. She was predeceased by a brother, Walter Beers; and two sisters, Ella and Lydia Beers.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury handled arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Patricia Wiedl, 68, mother of New Milford woman
Patricia E. Wiedl, 68, of Brushy Hill Road, Danbury, died Jan. 17 at Danbury Hospital. She was the wife of Albert L. Wiedl.
Mrs. Wiedl was born June 11, 1933, in Danbury, a daughter of the late Claude Bates and the late Myrtle Bates Tulipan.
She was a Danbury resident most of her life and worked for many years at the former American Family Craft Store, Maple Avenue, Danbury.
She and her husband had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Dec. 18.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Gail Neal of New Milford; three sons, Gary and his companion Christa of Vermont, Glen and his wife Marcia of Corinth, Miss., and Greg and his wife Connie of Iuka, Miss.; a brother, Ray Tulipan of Houston, Miss.; five grandchildren, Cathy, Susan, Patrick and Megan Wiedl and Matthew Neal; two great-grandchildren, Phoenix and Dakota Clark; her stepmother, Mary Bates of Danbury; two half-brothers, Walter Bates of Southbury and Wayne Bates of Danbury; two aunts, Alta Stoney of Alaska, and Olga Benyo of Calif.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Praxair Cancer Center, Danbury Hospital, 24 Hospital Ave., Danbury, CT 06810.
Ida Ross, 78, was a resident of New Milford
Ida Ross, 78, of 10 Papermill Road, New Milford, died Jan. 22 at New Milford Nursing Home.
Mrs. Ross was born July 29, 1923, in Norwalk, daughter of Vincent and Antonia Obuchowska Antonowicz. She lived her early life in Norwalk. She also lived in Stamford.
Mrs. Ross retired from the Nexus Company of Stamford in 1989, and moved to New Milford in 1990.
She is survived by a son, Donald A. Ross of New Milford; three sisters, Mary Bnapa, Flo McCarroll and Annette Franz; and one grandson, Sean A. Ross.
Funeral services will take place today (Friday) at 11 a.m. at the Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge St., New Milford. Friends may call before the funeral from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.
Interment will be in Center Cemetery.
Contributions in her memory may be made to New Milford Nursing Home, 19 Poplar St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Sara Rose Hackett, 5, was Sherman kindergartner
Sara Rose Hackett, 5, of 6 Partridge Trail, Sherman, died Jan. 15 at home, surrounded by her family.
Sara Rose was born Feb. 5, 1996, at New Milford Hospital, daughter of Thomas and Catherine Hackett.
She was a kindergartner at the Sherman School and a member of the Holy Trinity Church in Sherman.
She loved school, music, art, tea parties, Beanie Babies, her family and her friends.
Sara Rose is survived by a sister, Erin Hackett of Charleston, S.C.; two brothers, Patrick and Timothy of Sherman; a grandmother, Doris Piecuch of New Milford; and many relatives and friends.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation of the United States, 302 Ridgefield Court, Asheville, N.C. 28806.
Francoise San Fan Andre, 44, sister of resident
Francoise V. (Shay) San Fan Andre, 44, of Main Street North, Southbury died Jan. 20 at Danbury Hospital. She was the wife of William San Fan Andre.
Mrs. San Fan Andre was born Oct. 20, 1957, in Stamford, daughter of Stephen Shay of Ridgefield and Monique (Bequet) Shay of Woodbury.
She attended local schools and graduated from Stamford High School and Southern Connecticut State College with a degree in education.
She was a daycare teacher at Creative Arts Studio in Woodbury and enjoyed softball, horseback riding and swimming.
Besides her husband and parents, Mrs. San Fan Andre is survived by two sons, Austin and Remi of Southbury; five brothers, Thomas Shay of Albuquerque, N.M., Terrance Shay of Ridgefield, Stephen Shay of New Milford, Sean Shay of Darien and Marc Shay of Southbury; a sister, Monique Shay Jr. of Woodbury; and her maternal grandmother, Yvonne Bequet of Florida.
A funeral mass will be held today (Friday) at 10 a.m. at St. Teresa Church, Main Street South, Woodbury.
The Southbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere is in charge of arrangements.
Contribution in her memory may be made to the Creative Arts Studio, 124 South Pomperaug Ave., Woodbury, CT 06798.
