United States High School Yearbooks by County
Donald Wetmore Sr., 61, former K-C employee
Donald H. Wetmore Sr., 61, of Trumbull Street, Bantam, died Jan. 21 at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington. He was the husband of Doris (Calhoun) Wetmore.
Mr. Wetmore was born Sept. 22, 1940, in Kent, son of the late Ferris and Martha (Dibble) Wetmore.
A resident of Bantam for 32 years, he was a Bantam burgess and warden and chairman of the Bantam Borough Hall Rebuilding Committee.
He worked at Kimberly-Clark in New Milford for many years and was a driver for Iffland Lumber Co., Concrete Division, for the past six years.
Mr. Wetmore was an active member of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Danny Wetmore of Bantam; a daughter, Victoria Meaney of Bantam; a sister, Dolores Bracken of Kent; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. at Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road, Litchfield. Burial will be in Bantam Cemetery at a later date.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 47, Bantam, CT 06750.
Esther Greene, 90, was a New Milford resident
Esther (Roberts) Greene, 90, of 33 Wheaton Road, New Milford, died Jan. 15 at New Milford Hospital. She was the wife of Harold G. Greene Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Greene had celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Dec. 31.
Mrs. Greene was born June 16, 1911, in Norwalk, daughter of the late Herbert R. and Ana Baker Roberts.
She lived in Norwalk for many years, and after her husband’s retirement, moved to Crystal River, Fla. They moved to New Milford in 1991.
While living in Norwalk, she was secretary/treasurer of the former H.G. Greene Co. Building Contractors in Rowayton. She was a member of the Bible Baptist Church in New Milford.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Greene is survived by two sons, Harold of Rowayton and George of Homosassa, Fla.; two daughters, Carol Renzulli of Wilton and Leila Walton of New Milford; 13 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Bible Baptist Church of New Milford, 126 Kent Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Kenneth Brinton, 65, longtime Washington resident
Kenneth Lloyd Brinton, 65, of Washington Depot died Jan. 18 at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Milford. He was the husband of Barbara A. (Hoey) Brinton.
Mr. Brinton was born June 4, 1936, in Great Barrington, Mass., the son of the late Vincent and Ruth (Sabin) Brinton.
In his early childhood, he moved to New Preston and attended both Washington High School and Danbury State Teachers College.
He was a volunteer coach for New Preston Boys Club youth basketball teams, and a volunteer firefighter for Washington. He was a member of Conservation Commission and the tax group Concerned Citizens.
Besides his wife, Mr. Brinton is survived by two sons, Thomas of Thornton, Colo., and James of Washington; two daughters, Lynn of Burlingame, Calif., and Tammy Lautz of Bantam; a brother, Terry of Racine, Wis.; a sister Charlotte Fleet of New Preston; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. at Salem Covenant Church, 96 Baldwin Hill, Washington.
The Lillis Funeral home of New Milford is in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Salem Covenant Church, 96 Baldwin Hill Road, Washington, CT 06793; or to White Memorial Foundation, Litchfield, CT 06759.
Mary O. Gawel, 83, was lifelong area resident
Mary (Osuch) Gawel, 83, formerly of Wellsville Avenue, New Milford, died Jan. 19 at Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center, New Milford. She was the widow of William J. Gawel.
Mrs. Gawel was born July 6, 1918, in Roxbury, daughter of the late Stephen and Sophia (Orlenski) Osuch.
She retired from the Nestle Co. in 1976 after 25 years. She was a communicant of St. Francis Xavier Church, New Milford.
She is survived by two sons, Joseph and Gerald of New Milford; a daughter, Louise Poletto of Roxbury; two brothers, Vincent Osuch of New Milford and Charles Osuch of Cornwall; two sisters, Catherine Volinski and Anastasia Tencza of New Milford; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to St. Francis Xavier Church, 1 Elm St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Sharmon Lennon, 49, mother of New Milford man
Sharmon Lennon of Harvey’s Lake, Pa., formerly of Newtown, died Jan. 12. She was the wife of William Lennon.
Mrs. Lennon was born July 22, 1952, daughter of Ruth Casey of Milford.
Besides her husband and mother, she is survived by four sons, Clifford Canfield Jr. and his wife Katjeh of New Milford, Howard Canfield and his wife Felicia of Danbury, Kenneth Canfield and his wife Erica of Newtown and Bradford Lennon of Harvey’s Lake; three daughters, Rebecca Roman and her husband Justin of New Fairfield and Elizabeth Lennon and Amy Lennon of Harvey’s Lake; three grandchildren, Matthew, Zakari and Samantha; a sister, Muriel Becker and her husband James of Milford; two brothers, David and Julie Casey of Stratford and Fred Casey of Ontario.
Shirlee E. Deedon, 75, mother of Sherman man
Shirlee E. Deedon, 75, of Norwalk died Jan. 17 at home. She was the widow of Reynold Deedon.
Mrs. Deedon was born in Los Angeles, a daughter of the late Wilbur and Eleanor (Lego) Yates.
She was a homemaker and had lived in Westport for 30 years before moving to Norwalk. She was a former Miss Huntington Park.
She is survived by five sons, Steve of New Haven, Bruce and Matthew of Norwalk, Randy of Austin, Texas, and Scott of Sherman; two daughters, Roxanne Garrison of Springfield, Va., and Vida Datin of Newtown; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
The Collins Funeral Home of Norwalk was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Mid-Fairfield Hospice, Inc., 180 School Road, Wilton, CT 06897.
Sophia Cordes, 94, leaves relatives in New Milford
Sophia S. Cordes, 94, formerly of Borough Lane, Newtown, died Jan. 20 at Heritage Heights Care Center, Danbury.
Mrs. Cordes was born July 27, 1907, in Hungary, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Julius Szernetz.
She was a resident of Newtown for over 40 years and was a member of the Newtown Senior Center.
She is survived by a sister, Madeline Keating of New Milford, formerly of Sandy Hook; two nieces, Margaret Fucs of New Milford and Carol Pierce of Marietta, Ga.; a great-niece and four great-nephews.
Funeral services will take place at the convenience of the family.
The Honan Funeral Home of Newtown handled arrangements.
Doris J. Arenz, 72, had lived in New Milford
Doris J. Arenz, 72, of 1028 Bantam Road, Bantam, died Jan. 17 at New Milford Nursing Home. She was the wife of Douglas D. Arenz.
Mrs. Arenz was born Sept. 5, 1928, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., daughter of the late Forrest and Laura (Winch) Speenberg.
She had lived in Bantam for a number of years.
Besides her husband, she is survived by a son, David of Litchfield; a brother, William Winch of North Tonawanda, N.Y.; and two grandchildren.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to New Milford Hospital, Columbia-Presbyterian Regional Cancer Center, 21 Elm St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Brian J. O’Neill, 31, was relative of New Milfordites
Brian Joseph O’Neill, 31, of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Newtown, died Dec. 25 at his home.
Mr. O’Neill was born March 2, 1970, in Danbury, son of Edward C. and Barbra J. (Preteska) O’Neill of Newtown.
He was a graduate of Newtown High School, Class of 1989, and was an avid naturalist and traveler who loved the outdoors and wildlife.
Besides his parents, he is survived by two brothers, Edward of Westport and Kevin and his wife Betsy of New Milford; his paternal grandmother, Suntha of Trumbull; two nephews, Matthew Marshall of Palm City, Fla., and Matthew Trager of New Milford; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was the father figure to eight canines, Kayenta, Kiva, Chief, Cappy, Knolly, Katie Mae, C.J. and Corina.
The Honan Funeral Home of Newtown was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the New Milford Animal Welfare Society, 8 Dodd Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Humberto Farias, 62, father of New Milford woman
Humberto Farias, 62, of 157 Triangle St., Danbury, died Jan. 25 at Bethel Health Care Center. He was the husband of Carolina (Rodrigues) Farias.
Mr. Farias was born Feb. 20, 1939, in Samaioes Chaves, Portugal, son of the late Francisco and Maria (Fernandez) Farias.
He served in the Portuguese Army and immigrated from Portugal to the United States in 1966 and became a U.S. citizen in 1971.
He was employed in the asphalt paving industry, retiring after numerous years of service. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and a former member of the Sons of Portugal Club.
Besides his wife, Mr. Farias is survived by a daughter, Stephanie and her husband John Connolly of New Milford; a son, Frank and his wife Eirene of Putnam Lake, N.Y.; three grandchildren, Alexandra, Zach and Angelica; three brothers, Joao and Fernando of Portugal and Octavio Farias of Danbury; three sisters, Eliza Rodrigues of Portugal, and Elza Rua and Ilda Boeskor of Florida; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a granddaughter, Chloe.
The Green Funeral Home of Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 538 Preston Ave., Box 1004, Meriden, CT 06050; or Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 149 Deer Hill Ave., Danbury, CT 06810.
Alice Perry, 66, was mother of New Milford man
Alice A. Perry, 66, of Sundance Road, New Milford, died Jan. 20 at New Milford Hospital.
Mrs. Perry was born April 17, 1935, in Marblehead, Mass., a daughter of the late James and Mary (Kilcoyne) Harney.
She had been a resident of Marblehead most of her life. She moved to New Milford in 2000.
She is survived by two sons, Stephen of New Milford and James of Washington, Maine; four grandchildren, Nicole, Jessica, Jonathan and Meaghan; a sister, Mary; four nephews; and a niece. She was predeceased by a brother, James.
A memorial mass will be celebrated today (Friday) at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church, Route 109, New Milford. There are no calling hours.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford is 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.
