United States High School Yearbooks by County
William Shemeley, 88, father of New Milford man
William Mourice Shemeley, 88, recently of Chestnut Grove, New Milford, formerly of Port Monmouth, Middletown Township, N.J., died April 7 at New Milford Hospital.
He was born April 1, 1914, in Hainesport, N.J. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1934. Mr. Shemeley was a decorated World War II veteran who served in the Pacific Theater with the 21st Marines, Third Marine Division.
He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2179 in Port Monmouth, N.J.
He was a member of the Belford, N.J., United Methodist Church. He was a letter carrier for the Port Monmouth Post Office until his retirement.
Mr. Shemeley is survived by one son, William Shemeley of New Milford; one daughter, Sharon (Mrs. Robert) Ralph of Greer, S.C.; a stepson, Frank McNellis of Columbus, N.J.; a brother, Edward of Florida; a sister, Ethel of Florida; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 52 years, Vera May Grant Shemeley, two brothers and five sisters.
A burial service will take place today (Friday) at 11 a.m. at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown, N.J. There are no calling hours.
The Lillis Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the New Milford Hospital Foundation, 46 East St., New Milford, CT 06776.
Rita Gillis, 71, was longtime Sherman resident
Rita (Lingel) Byrne Gillis, 71, of 13 Candleview Drive, Sherman, died April 2 at her home. She was the widow of George J. Byrne and the wife of Thomas F. Gillis.
Mrs. Gillis was born June 16, 1930, in the Bronx, N.Y., a daughter of Elizabeth (Murphy) Lingel of New Milford and the late Michael Lingel.
She lived her early life in the Bronx, graduated from Aquinas Hall Academy, Bronx, and later attended New York University.
She was employed at the New York Telephone Co. for many years, retiring in 1983. She moved to Sherman in 1975 and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America.
Mrs. Gillis was a communicant of Holy Trinity Church, Sherman, and had volunteered at Candlewood Valley Health Center in New Milford.
Besides her husband and mother, she is survived by two daughters, Maryann Noviello of Winsted and Eileen McCaffrey of LaGrangeville, N.Y.; and two sons, Christopher Byrne of Sherman and Timothy Byrne of Jacksonville, Fla.
The Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Muriel Yaros, 88, had great-nephew in New Milford
Muriel Joan Yaros, 88, formerly of Bethlehem, died March 29 at Haven Health Care in Torrington. She was the widow of John Yaros.
Mrs. Yaros was born Nov. 5, 1913, in Ansonia, a daughter of the late John and Angus (Williams) Davies.
She was a dispatcher for the Monroe Police Department and was later employed by the Monroe Post Office as a clerk. She retired to Bethlehem about 15 years ago.
She is survived by a great-nephew, Glenn Seger of New Milford; and several other nieces and nephews.
The Colonial Funeral Home of New Milford was in charge of arrangements.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Animal Welfare Society, Inc., 8 Dodd Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Claudia Louise King, 87, had lived in New Milford
Claudia Louise King, 87, of 15A Bennitt St., New Milford, died April 3 at New Milford Hospital. She was the wife of the late Arthur King.
Mrs. King was born in Noroton April 13, 1914, daughter of the late Searle and Eva VonStaden Martyn. She was a nurse at Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown for 15 years, retiring in 1976.
Mrs. King is survived by two sons, Russell Lincoln of Hinsdale, N.H., and his former wife Marilyn, and Barry Lincoln of Portland, Ore.; two daughters, Gale Davis of New Milford and Suzanne Richards of New Milford; nine grandchildren, Sherri McPartland, Sheila Papps, Suzanne Lincoln, David Lincoln, Steven Lincoln, Mathew Lincoln, Lori Behan, Mark Richards and Rory Lincoln; five great-grandchildren, Jake Behan, Timothy McPartland, Mathew McPartland, Meghan McPartland and Rylie McPartland.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 5 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 36 Main St., New Milford. There are no calling hours.
The Lillis Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Helen Dunsmore, 75, was a Roxbury resident
Helen M. Dunsmore, 75, of 57 Chalybes Road, Roxbury, died April 5 at New Milford Hospital. She was the wife of Robert G. Dunsmore.
Mrs. Dunsmore was born April 20, 1926, in Berlin, N.H., a daughter of the late Joseph and Marion Maloney Leblanc. She lived in Roxbury since 1975.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Dunsmore is survived by a sister, Alice Davis of Hebron, N.H.
A Mass will be held next Friday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church, Route 109, New Milford. There are no calling hours. Burial will take place in the family plot in Riverside Cemetery, Plymouth, N.H.
The Lillis Funeral Home in New Milford is in charge of the arrangements.
Slais memorial service scheduled for Thursday
A memorial service for Frank P. Slais of Woodbury, who died Oct. 21, will take place Thursday at 7 p.m. in New Milford.
The service will be held at the Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge St.
Mr. Slais was employed as head shipper at Kimberly-Clark Corporation in New Milford.
William Stax, 92, father of former resident
William Frederick “Opi” Stax, 92, of Silcam Drive, Danbury, died April 11 at the Danbury Hospital following a brief illness.
Mr. Stax was born in Kiel, Germany, Nov. 20, 1909, a son of the late Frederick and Pauline (Rieger) Stax.
After an apprenticeship in Germany to become a master baker, he came to the United States in 1929 at the age of 19, settling in New York.
Mr. Stax worked in several bake shops in New York. The highlight of his career was owning and operating Stax Quality Bake Shop in Glendale, Queens, N.Y., with his family for many years.
He and his late wife, Johanna Finster Stax, retired to Danbury in 1969, where he continued to work part-time for the New York Bake Shop.
Mr. Stax was proud to be a citizen of the United States as well as his native Germany.
Several years after the death of his wife of 44 years, he shared 30 years of support and friendship with his dear friend Emmy Gamelin. They enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, taking care of their homes and their yards, going for drives in the country and most of all enjoyed being with his family.
Mr. Stax was known as “Opi” to his grandchildren, family and friends, and he loved to play the harmonica.
He is survived by his daughter, Joan (Stax) Hoffman and her husband John C. of Farmingdale, Long Island, N.Y.; his son, William J. Stax and wife Jeanne (Garvey) Stax of Southbury, formerly of New Milford; his half-brother, Hermann Strassenheim of Schleswig, Germany, and his wife Hilda; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his longtime friend, Emmy Gamelin.
Mr. Stax was predeceased by his first daughter-in-law, Ann Hermann Stax, and brothers and sisters.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Gregory the Great Church, 85 Great Plain Road, Danbury, tomorrow (Saturday) at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Wooster Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury, tomorrow (Saturday) from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Building Fund of St. Gregory the Great Church, 85 Great Plain Road, Danbury, CT 06811.
Lawrence Kallstrom, 85, lifelong resident of Kent
Lawrence Kallstrom, 85, of Kent died April at New Milford Hospital.
Mr. Kallstrom was born Dec. 17, 1916, in Kent, son of the late Ander and Emilia (Gustafson) Kallstrom. A lifelong Kent resident, he attended Kent schools.
He was co-owner and operator of Kallstrom Brothers Farm in Kent and an active member of the Connecticut Farm Bureau for many years.
In 1980, he succeeded his late brother Edwin as fire warden and for many years was caretaker at Kent Hollow Cemetery.
A combined graveside service for Mr. Kallstrom and his sister, Clara Morrow, who died March 9, will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at 10 a.m. at Kent Hollow Cemetery, Kent. A ceremonial procession through the Kallstrom Farm will be held at 9:30 a.m.
The Colonial Funeral Home in New Milford is in charge of the arrangements.
Contributions in his memory may be made to New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT 06776.
Contributions in Mrs. Morrow’s memory may be made to Kent Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 355, Kent, CT 06757.
Mary Rose Potvin, 80, mother of area residents
Mary Rose Helen Irene (Latimer) Potvin, 80, of Bethel died April 11 at Harborside Glen Hill Health Care Center. She was the wife of Carmi J. Potvin.
Mrs. Potvin was born July 29, 1921, in Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada, a daughter of the late Joseph and Grace (Desmarais) Latimer.
She was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, quilting, doing crossword puzzles and collecting stamps. She was a parishioner of the Church of St. Mary in Bethel.
Besides her husband, she is survived by two sons, James of Brooklyn and Thomas and his wife Sue of Ludlow, Vt.; four daughters, Patricia O’dell and her companion Andy Scott of New Milford and Enosburg Falls, Vt., Monica Yeamans and her husband, Peter of Holland, Vt., Marshia King and her husband William of New Milford and Barbara Fast and her husband Mike of Kent; a sister, Dorothy Ledoux of Bethel; a brother, Raymond Latimer and his wife Marie of Enosburg Falls, Vt.; two aunts, Cecile Beaureguard and Gabrielle Desmarais of Canada; two brothers-in-law, Louis and his wife Nancy of Essex Junction, Vt., and Romeo of Norwalk; 12 grandchildren, Michael, Nickolas, Gina and James Jr. Potvin, Cindy Dubret and her husband Tim, Leslie and Bryan King, Marissa, Jessica, Rebecca, Amanda and Sarah Yeamans; two step-grandchildren, James King and his wife Kate and Kevin King and his wife Myra; two great-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews and cousins.
She was predeceased by a sister, Viola, a nephew, Reginald Latimer and a granddaughter, Bridget.
The family will receive friends tomorrow (Saturday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Isadore Church, Montgomery, Vt., at a later date.
Charles Schoonmaker, 60, had lived in New Milford
Charles Schoonmaker, 60, of Englewood, Fla., died April 10. He was the husband of Pamela (Camp) Schoonmaker.
Mr. Schoonmaker was born in Bronx, N.Y., son of the late Myron and Agnes (Anderson) Schoonmaker.
He received his education in New York. After graduation from high school, he entered the Marine Corps, serving in Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Prior to moving to Florida this year, he had made his home in Brookfield and New Milford.
Mr. Schoonmaker had been employed by Metro North Railroad and the former New Haven Railroad for 33 years, retiring in January as a foreman in the maintenance division.
Besides his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Laura Barbieri and Jeanne Pavlinski of Danbury; a sister, Ellen Strause of Congers, N.Y.; a brother, Bruce Anderson of North Port, Fla.; a granddaughter, Abigail Pavlinski of Danbury; and several nieces and nephews.
The Brookfield Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Danbury Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 971, Danbury, CT 06813-0971.
Helen S. Streib, 88, had family in area towns
Helen (Skoog) Streib, 88, died April 12 at the Candlewood Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in New Milford. She was the widow of Henry G. Streib.
Mrs. Streib was born April 12, 1914, in the Bronx, N.Y., daughter of the late Emil and Amanda (Hastbacka) Skoog of Terjarvi, Finland.
She was a communicant of St. John’s Church in New Milford.
She is survived by two daughters, Linda Kallstrom of Kent and Betty Ann of Bantam; a son, George of Washington; seven grandchildren, Steven Kallstrom of Bridgewater, Brent and Lauri Kallstrom of Kent, Gunnar Kallstrom of Woodbury, Linda Jorgenson of Orlando, Fla., Dawn-Marie Streib of Ankara, Turkey, and Colleen Johnstone of Middlebury; 10 great-grandchildren, Danielle and Garrett Thompson, Ashley, James and Amanda Jorgenson, Brook, Britta and Brynn Kallstrom, and Kathryn and Emily Johnstone.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Book of Remembrance, St. John’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 179, New Milford, CT 06776.
