United States High School Yearbooks by County
Elizabeth M. Theiss
Elizabeth M. Theiss died April 25, 2000, at the Danbury Hospital at the age of 80. Miss Theiss lived at 20 Cawley Avenue in Bethel.
She was born in Danbury, Feb. 28, 1920, daughter of the late Martin and Emilie Nitsch Theiss. She graduated from Immanuel Lutheran School and the Bethel High School, Class of 1938. She attended secretarial school and was a secretary for the War Department and lived in the Washington, DC, area.
Upon her father's death, she returned to this area and worked as a secretary at the Mallory Hat Company and later at the Hannan Insurance Company before her retirement.
She was a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
She is survived by her cousin and best friend, Geza Schwartz of Bethel; also, her cousins John and Suzanne Gally, William and Hilde (Gally) Kahl, Leo and Magda Kiefer and their children and grandchildren.
Miss Theiss and her mother were directly responsible for bringing most of her cousins to this country after World War II, for which they will be forever grateful.
She had many lifelong friends in this area and will be sadly missed by all.
Funeral services will be held at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, West Street, Danbury, on Tuesday, May 2, 2000, at 11 a.m., with Rev. Daniel Wehmeir, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury, on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Contributions may be made to the Step of Faith Program, Immanuel Lutheran Church, West Street, Danbury, CT 06810; or to the Danbury Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 971, Danbury, CT 06813-0971.
William F.Richmond
William F. Richmond, 87, of Danbury, NH, and formerly of New Milford, CT, died Wednesday, April 26, 2000, in Elliot Hospital, Manchester, N.H. He is the husband of Marion Wanzer Richmond.
Mr. Richmond was born November 24, 1912, in New Milford, CT, a son of the late William L. and Kate Bowers Richmond. He was a lifelong resident of New Milford and attended New Milford schools. Mr. Richmond joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 17.
Accompanied by his wife, Mr. Richmond owned and operated Bill's Bait and Tackle in New Milford for nearly 50 years. He was also the owner/operator of Bill's Boats (AKA Richmond's Landing) at the Old Town Park (now Dike Point) on Lake Candlewood during the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
A skilled machinist, Mr. Richmond was employed by numerous companies in southern Connecticut and eastern New York in his young and middle adult years.
He was an avid bowler, participating on and sponsoring league teams in a wide surrounding area. Mr. bowled the first 300 game in the old New Milford Lanes on Sunny Valley Road.
Mr. Richmond was a Past Master of Metichewan Grange.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Richmond is survived by a son, David Richmond, of San Marcos, CA; a daughter, Martha Plaisted of Danbury, NH; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by a brother, Paul Richmond and two sisters, Marguerite Richmond and Dorothy Barton.
Funeral services will be held in Colonial Funeral Home, 87 Park Lane Road, New Milford, CT, Tuesday morning, May 2, 2000, at 11 o'clock. Burial will be in Center Cemetery, New Milford. Family will receive friends in the Colonial Funeral Home, Monday evening from 7 to 9 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to Newfound Area Nurses Association, 61 Lake Street, Bristol, NH 03222.
Joseph Lazetera
Joseph Lazetera died April 27, 2000, at the age of 73. He was a resident of New Fairfield.
Mr. Lazetera was born on January 2, 1927, in the Bronx, N.Y., where he was also raised. He was a son of the late Frank and Mary (Loturco) Lazetera. He served in World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946 from the Navy.
Joseph was a hard worker his whole life. He worked for the 7-Up Bottling Co. in the Bronx, N.Y., and retired after 40 years. He moved to New Fairfield in 1970 with his family to give them a better life in the country.
A good provider for his family, Mr. Lazetera is survived by his devoted wife Phyllis (Marchese) Lazetera of 43 years; and his six children, Joseph Jr. and his wife Robin, Frank and his wife Lori, Maria and her husband John, Barbara and her husband Lou, Joann and her husband Andy, and Roseann and her husband Kenny; along with 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a brother, Frank Lazetera, and a sister, Angelina (Loturco) Garcia.
Family and friends may call at the Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Ave., Brewster, N.Y., on Saturday, April 29, 2000, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, May 1, 2000, at 11 a.m., at St. Lawrence O'Toole Church, Brewster. Burial will be at St. Lawrence O'Toole Cemetery.
Yuen Pang Tom
The death of Yuen Pang Tom, aged 89, occurred Thursday evening with his family by his side. He was the loving father of the late Doling Chang Tom.
Mr. Tom was born on September 27, 1910, in Canton, China. He came to the United States in 1961, settling in Belmont, California, and has been in the Danbury area since 1992.
Yuen received flight training while living in the Philippines in the early 1930s, returned to mainland China, joined the Chinese Air Force and received his wings in 1934. For the next 2 years, he flew combat missions against the Chinese Communists.
When Japan invaded China, he turned his attention to fighting the Japanese. In 1942, he was assigned as the Chinese Air Force liaison officer to Gen. Chennault's AVG, later known as the Flying Tigers. In 1943, he was assigned to the 308th B-24 Heavy Bomber Gp. of the 14th Army Air Force. He flew 110 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with two OLCs.
In January 1945, he was sent to the states to help organize, train and equip a B-24 Bomber group consisting of several hundred Chinese. When Japan surrendered, Yuen was appointed liaison officer to the U.S. Army Air Force Advisory Group until October 1947.
Yuen was then hired as the only Chinese pilot with the Civil Air Transport, under Gen. Chennault in the Far East.
In 1949, as Chinese Communists were invading American and Chinese bases, Yuen returned to the mainland to fly plane-load after plane-load to safety in Formosa. The last plane-load of Americans to be flown out from the guns of the Chinese Communists was piloted by Yuen P. Tom.
He was a member of the 14th Air Force Association and the Chinese Alliance Club.
He is survived by his children, Julia Tom of Curitiba, Brazil; John Tom of Dumfries, Va.; Mary Tom O'Neill of Danbury and Paul Tom of Tiburon, Calif.; 5 grandchildren, Amy Tom, James Tom, Andrea Tom, Collin Tom and Daniela Gerber, 2 great-grandchildren, Jessica and Jennifer Gerber; and his loving cat Chopstix.
Memorial Mass will take place Saturday, May 6, at the Congregational Church in Brookfield, Conn., at the intersection of routes 133 and 25. There are no calling hours.
Donations in Mr. Tom's memory may be made to Regional Hospice of Western CT, 30 West St., Danbury, CT 06810, or to the American Lung Association of Connecticut, 45 Ash St., East Hartford, CT 06108.
Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury, is in charge of arrangements.
Joseph Lazetera
Joseph Lazetera died April 27, 2000, at the age of 73. He was a resident of New Fairfield.
Mr. Lazetera was born on January 2, 1927, in the Bronx, N.Y., where he was also raised. He was a son of the late Frank and Mary (Loturco) Lazetera. He served in World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946 from the Navy.
Joseph was a hard worker his whole life. He worked for the 7-Up Bottling Co. in the Bronx, N.Y., and retired after 40 years. He moved to New Fairfield in 1970 with his family to give them a better life in the country.
A good provider for his family, Mr. Lazetera is survived by his devoted wife Phyllis (Marchese) Lazetera of 43 years; and his six children, Joseph Jr. and his wife Robin, Frank and his wife Lori, Maria and her husband John, Barbara and her husband Lou, Joann and her husband Andy, and Roseann and her husband Kenny; along with 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a brother, Frank Lazetera, and a sister, Angelina (Loturco) Garcia.
Family and friends may call at the Beecher Funeral Home, 1 Putnam Ave., Brewster, N.Y., on Saturday, April 29, 2000, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, May 1, 2000, at 11 a.m., at Beecher Funeral Home in Brewster. Burial will be at St. Lawrence O'Toole Cemetery.
Bernard T. Wright Sr., age 83, of Bethel, died Friday, April 28, at his home. He was the husband of Mabel Mulford Wright.
Mr. Wright was born in Caribou, Maine, August 19, 1916, a son of the late Judson and Elsie Lewis Wright. He attended public schools in Caribou and graduated in 1935.
While in school he was active in Boy Scouting, Cross Country Skiing and other winter sports. He joined the Civil Conservation Corps and spent 2 1/2 years surveying roads and trails in the Maine Forest, while pursuing his hobby of fishing. Bernie met his wife Mabel in Bridgeton, NJ, in 1939, and they were married August 17, 1940.
In 1938 he attended the Bartlett School of Arboriculture for 2 1/2 years and then joined the Albert W. Meserve Tree Service of Danbury in 1940. In 1970 he bought the company, then sold out his interest in 1973. In 1974 he started the Wright Tree Service in Bethel with his son Edward, later being joined by his son Bernard Jr. in 1976. In 1981 Bernie retired, turning his share over to his two boys.
He had been a member of the CT Tree Protective Assoc. for 22 years, where he served as Treasurer for 12 years, and was also a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and the New England Chapter of I.S.A. where he was serving on the Board of Governors. Bernard served as Tree Warden for the town of Bethel from 1959 to October 29, 1993, and retired after 34 years of dedicated service.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Bethel, where he was very active on the Board of Trustees for many years and served as Chairman of the Building Committee for the Church Sunday School. He was also active in Boy Scouting sponsored by the Church.
Mr. Wright was very active in the Masonic Order, starting in 1951, when he joined Eureka Lodge No. 83 in Bethel. He served as Master of the Lodge in 1956, was a Past President of the Fellowcraft Club and the Temple Assoc. He was also a member of the Greenwood Chapter Order of the Eastern Star for 25 years and served as Patron for 2 years. He was a member of the York Rite, where he served 4 years as High Priest of Eureka Chapter No. 23, 2 years as T.I.M. of Wooster Council No. 28 and 2 years as Commander of Crusade Commandery No. 10.
He also served 3 years as Grand Custodian of the Work, District 2 of the Grand Chapter of Conn. and was Grand Rep. to Germany, and also Grand Rep. to Michigan of the Grand Council of Conn.
He was a member of the Anointed High Priest, The Council of Anointed Kings, Conn., York Rite College, Knight of the York Cross of Honor, Sovereign Order of Knight Preceptor, The Mohawk Council of Knight Masons U.S.A. and the Masonic Veteran Assoc. of Conn.
In 1957 he organized Laurel Chapter of DeMolay and served as Chairman of the Advisory Board and Dad Advisor. He was currently also a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and had been for at least 10 years.
Besides his wife of 59 years, he is survived by 3 children, Carol Lee Norman of Bethel; Bernard T. Wright Jr. and Edward Wright, both of Bridgewater; grandchildren Rebecca Eck, Jennifer Cleveland and Sarah Andrade; great-grandchildren Victor Tomanio and Hanna Grace Eck; as well as nieces and nephews and their spouses.
Memorials may be made to the Eureka Lodge Scholarship Fund, c/o Bernie Wright, 10 Lindberg St., Bethel, CT 06801.
The funeral will be held at the Bethel United Methodist Church, Bethel, Monday, May 1, 2000, at 11:00 with the Rev. Robert T. Johnson officiating. Burial will be in South Cemetery, Bridgewater, CT.
The family will receive friends at the Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Ave., Bethel, Sunday afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. A Masonic Service will be held at the Funeral Home at 5:00 p.m.
Elmina Gardner Hughes
Elmina Gardner Hughes, age 88, of Dowling Park, FL, died Thursday, April 27, 2000, in Dowling Park. FL. She was the wife of Carl Hughes.
Elmina was born in Danbury, CT, February 5, 1912, a daughter of the late Henry C. and Loretta Wilkes Gardner. She lived in Danbury most of her life before moving to Unadilla, NY, in 1963, and then to Live Oak, FL, in 1989. She worked at Amphenol Borg in Danbury in the Machine Department for a few years. She was a member of the Advent Christian Church in Dowling Park, Fl, and was a former member of the Advent Christian Church in Danbury.
Besides her husband, she is survived by 1 nephew; a niece, Shirley Shanko Tucker of North Richmond Hills, TX; 2 great-nieces; 4 great-nephews; several great-great-nieces and nephews; 2 great-great-great nieces; 1 great-great-great nephew; and several cousins.
A graveside service will be held at Wooster Cemetery, Danbury, Section Four, Monday afternoon at 2:00. There are no calling hours. Hull Funeral Service, 60 Division St., Danbury, is handling arrangements.
Jessica Samaha
Jessica (Preston) Samaha, 81, of 10 Liberty Street, Danbury, wife of James Samaha, died on Saturday morning, April 29, 2000, at Danbury Hospital.
Mrs. Samaha was born in Strawberry, Arkansas, September 4, 1918, daughter of the late Harve and Lee (Whitmire) Preston.
Upon the death of her father at an early age, Mrs. Samaha's mother married Gordon Milligan, who together raised Mrs. Samaha.
She attended Strawberry schools and Strawberry High School.
It was during World War II when Mr. Samaha, who was stationed in Arkansas, met his bride.
A resident of Danbury for the past 55 years coming from Arkansas, she was retired from the Davis & Geck Company of Danbury.
An avid reader, Mrs. Samaha enjoyed knitting and was an exceptional seamstress. Her family was her most important reason for being.
In addition to her husband of 56 years, four daughters survive her, Judy A. Samaha of Meriden, CT, Patricia Schulze of Danbury, Jimmetta Samaha and her husband Joseph Walkovich of Danbury, and Pamela Samaha and her husband Eric Gustavson of Brookfield; as well as four grandchildren, William and Kimberley Schulze and James and Nicholas Gustavson; two sisters, Josie Osborne of Paris, TX, and Charlene Dreon of Rock Island, IL; four brothers, Gordon Milligan of Milan, IL; George Milligan of Granbury, TX, Ray Milligan of Arlington, TX, and James Milligan of Cave City, AK, and many nieces and nephews.
Two brothers, Dexter Preston and Bob Milligan, predeceased her.
The Liturgy of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in St. Anthony's Maronite Catholic Church, 17 Granville Avenue, Danbury, with the Rev. Larry Jensen, officiating.
Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
Friends will be received in the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White Street, Danbury, on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Memorial in Mrs. Samaha's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Fairfield County Chapter, P.O. Box 2292; Westport, CT 06880; or to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
The Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, 9-11 Granville Avenue, Danbury, is in charge of arrangements.
Leigh V. Reynolds
Leigh V. Reynolds, 84, father of Janet A. Blake of 70 Limestone Road, Ridgefield, died on Monday, April 24, 2000.
He was the husband of Helen S. (Langenbach) Reynolds.
Mr. Reynolds was born in Augusta, Maine, April 7, 1916, and resided in Maine, Massachusetts and New York before moving to Illinois. He will be remembered for his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor, which were so much a part of his being.
He was a longtime resident of Lebanon, Illinois, before moving to Ridgefield in 1996, to make his home with his daughter and son-in-law, Bob.
Mr. Reynolds was retired from the FAA where he served as an air traffic controller before being named a Chief of Air Traffic Control at Idlewild Airport (JFK) in 1958. He later worked as the U.S. Department of Transportation liaison to the military at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
In addition to his wife of 56 years in Lebanon, IL, and Pembroke, FL, and his daughter and son-in-law in Ridgefield, an additional daughter, Carol Baker of Pembroke Pines, FLA; a son, Leigh Reynolds, II, and his wife Dawn of Lebanon, IL; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren also survive him.
A Memorial Service will take place in Lebanon, IL, at the convenience of the family.
Contributions in Mr. Reynolds' memory may be made to Almost Family, Adult Day Care, 52 Federal Road, Danbury, CT 06810; or to Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, 30 West Street, Danbury, CT 06810.
The family wishes to thank both organizations for the compassion and friendship provided to Mr. Reynolds over the past several years and weeks.
James Gonzales
James Gonzales, 89, of 14 Clark St., Danbury, died at the Bethel Health Care Center in Bethel on Friday evening.
He was born in Funehal Madeira, Portugal, March 10, 1911, son of the late Feliciano and Maria Gonzales. He came to the United States as a young man and had been a Danbury resident since 1936. He had been a hatter and was a retired employee of the former Neumann-Endler Hat Co. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Danbury.
Mr. Gonzales is survived by his wife, Mary (Yanak) Gonzales of Danbury; a brother, Joseph DeFreitas of Yonkers, NY; and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church on Monday morning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery. Friends may call at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury, on Sunday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. and on Monday from 8:30 to 9 a.m.
Contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Church, 12 Cottage St., Danbury, CT 06810 or to Regional Hospice, 30 West St., Danbury, CT 06810.
Katherine Holly DiBiase
Katherine Holly DiBiase, 91, formerly of New Fairfield, died at the Heritage Heights Nursing Home in Danbury on Friday evening.
She was born in County Kerry, Ireland, April 20, 1909, daughter of the late Daniel and Abbie (Donoghue) Lucey. She came to the United States in 1929 and had lived in Worcester, MA, and Yonkers, NY, prior to moving to this area in the 1940s.
She is survived by two nieces, Patricia McCormack of the Bronx, NY, and Lucey McNamee of Howell, NJ. Mrs. DiBiase was predeceased by her husbands, Nicholas DiBiase in 1986 and by Frank T. Holly in 1966.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Edward the Confessor Church, New Fairfield, on Monday morning 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
Friends may call at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury, on Monday morning from 9 to 10 a.m.
