United States High School Yearbooks by County
Ruth Park Crosby
Ruth Park Crosby, 81, former Sacred Heart teacher and longtime Riverside resident, died on April 25, 2010 in Willimantic with her family at her side. The cause was multiple myeloma, a diagnosis she received the day of her death.
A lifelong learner, she was always a woman of her times. She led a happy childhood in Bronxville, N.Y., inspired by her parents, James Grant Park and Ruth Haynes Park, to love both the performing arts in New York City and the beauty of summers in Londonderry, Vermont. In high school during World War II, she loved jitterbugging the night away at Big Band sock hops.
Her years at Wellesley College (Class of 1950) were ones of growth and mind expansion. She married
Clifton D. Crosby and began raising four children in a life of cooperative nursery schools, political coffees, and community service in Riverside. She developed lifelong friendships.
The `60s opened her eyes to a new culture and language with a family move to Lausanne, Switzerland. She returned to Riverside in 1967, in time for the Vietnam War controversy and the women's lib movement. She took it personally, changing her politics and returning to Manhattanville College to earn an advanced degree. She began teaching at Sacred Heart in Greenwich, in 1977.
In 1985, her marriage ended in divorce, and the incipient AIDS epidemic claimed her son, William Grant Crosby. She rallied by becoming an early adopter of PC technology and starting her own financial and marketing services business.
During the 90s, she thrived on watching her grandchildren perform at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. She was also among the first grandmothers to build a web page.
Crosby continued her lifelong collaboration with architect and friend John Rogers, building her third home at the age of 70 and completing her fourth in Storrs in 2009, in time to celebrate her 80th birthday with a performance by her children, Diana and Kelly Lindsay, Cliff and Carol Crosby, and Annie and Doug Perkins; her grandchildren, Camilla and Isaac Layman, Eric Lindsay and Kylie Peppler, Calvin Crosby, Ted Crosby, Sabina Perkins, and Sarah Perkins; and great-grandchildren, Thea Layman, Jasper Layman, and Aidan Lindsay.
A celebration of her life was held on April 30 at Storrs Congregational Church in Storrs.
Donations can be made to The Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust or the William Grant Crosby Scholarship fund for dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. For online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com.
Mary James Fraser
Mary James Fraser, 48, a lifelong Greenwich resident, passed away on May 2, 2010.
She was born in Greenwich on Sept. 1, 1961, attended Greenwich schools and graduated from the Convent of Sacred Heart.
Fraser worked as a nurse's assistant at Danbury Hospital. She will be remembered as a kind, strong-willed person who loved her family and life.
Survivors include her son, Zachary, 23; daughter, Brynn, 26; her father, R. Power Fraser Jr.; her brothers, Power and Peter Fraser; and former husband, Philip John. She was predeceased by her mother, Arleen Welsh Fraser.
A Mass of Christian burial took place on May 6 at St. Michael's Church in Greenwich. Burial followed at Putnam Cemetery.
Winifred G. Flanagan
Winifred G. Flanagan, 79, former director of the Stanwich Congregational Church Nursery School, passed away recently surrounded by her family.
Flanagan was born May 12, 1930 in Walla Walla, Wash. to George and Doris Marston and settled in Stamford in 1962.
She earned her bachelor's degree from Emerson College in 1952 and her master's degree in Early Childhood Education from Fairfield University in 1981.
Flanagan founded and directed the Stamford YWCA's Infant Care Center from 1973 - 1981. Then she became the director of the Stanwich Congregational Church Nursery School in Greenwich and served in that role for 10 years.
A devoted member of St. Francis Church, Stamford since 1969, she served as a Sunday School teacher, president of the Women of St. Francis, director of the Altar Guild and Lay Chalice Server.
Later in life, she delighted in exploring her American ancestry. She became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1986 serving as the treasurer of the Executive Board and as Chapter Regent from 1997 to 2000. She also served as a member of two state committees.
She is survived by her husband, William; her brother, George Marston and his wife, Mary Ellen of Venice, Fla.; two daughters, Nancy Robotti and her husband, Randy of Wilbraham, Mass. and Patricia Troppe and her husband, Patrick of Arlington, Va.; two sons, Will of Oakland, Calif. and Robert and his wife, Elaine of North Andover, Mass.; and seven grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sister, Joan Pelman of Orange, Calif.
A funeral service was held at Saint Francis Church in Stamford on May 1. Interment took place immediately following the service at Long Ridge cemetery on Erskine Road.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in the name of Winifred G. Flanagan to the Dana Farber Center, Boston, Mass.
Gordon Morrell Jones
Gordon Morrell Jones, Korean War veteran and Greenwich native of Orangeburg, S.C., died on April 22, 2010.
Jones was born at home in North Mianus on Aug. 22, 1928 to Victor Rupert Jones and Tillie Louise Morrell. He attended North Mianus School and Greenwich High School, and later served in the U.S. Army in Korea, where he was a motor pool mechanic, and attained the rank of staff sergeant.
Jones was a heavy machine operator for much of his life, and worked for Peter Mitchell Construction Co. in North Mianus, then for Ricciardi Brothers of Greenwich. Jones and his family lived in Stamford until 1976. From 1972 - 1976, he commuted to Florida where construction was booming. He and second wife, Annette and their son, Bill, relocated to Big Pine Key, then later to Key Largo.
Jones had a successful deli in Islamorada, and later a bicycle shop in Marathon. After 19 years and three hurricanes in the Keys, Jones and his wife moved to Orangeburg, S.C.
He loved a good party and was always the first to light the 4th of July firecrackers, his family said. He loved being on the water, traveling to the Bahamas in the early 1960s for big-game fish, and fishing locally for the blues. He also enjoyed deer hunting in Maine, and wild turkey in South Carolina. He was a New York Giants fan, and watched every NASCAR race on television.
Jones is survived by his wife of 38 years, Annette Maffucci; his daughter, Cynthia and husband, Blake Zizzi and their children, Alexandra and Matthew of Cos Cob; a daughter, Barbara and husband, Tim Moloney and their children, Laura and Kelly of Keller, Texas; son William and wife, Debbie, and their daughter Olivia of La Plata, Md.; several nieces, nephews, cousins and cat, Goldie. Jones was predeceased by his brothers, Clarence "Bobby" and Norman. His first wife, Lois Jane Sherwood, died in 1971.
A service will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Castiglione Funeral Home at 134 Hamilton Ave., with burial to follow at Fairfield Memorial Park in Stamford.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars Cos Cob Post 10112, PO Box 8, Cos Cob CT 06807, or to the Maude Shiffley Chapter of the SPCA, 225 Ruf Road, PO Box 1584 Orangeburg SC 29118.
John E. Lynch
John E. Lynch, 85, World War II veteran and former executive vice president, died peacefully at his home in Old Greenwich on April 24, 2010.
Lynch was born in Stamford to William and Catherine Lynch. Mr. Lynch was the former Executive Vice President and General Manger of the Greenwich Division of Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation and retired after serving 40 years.
Lynch graduated from Syracuse University as a cadet and pilot. Mr. Lynch then served in World War II as first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force when he was 18 years old. His command as pilot was in the South Pacific and he participated in the New Guinea, Philippines and Okinawa campaigns earning many combat medals. After his service in the Air Force, Lynch graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He then became a corporate pilot before joining Connecticut Natural Gas.
His professional affiliations included chairmanship of the Eastern Gas Sales Association, and memberships in the New England Gas and American Gas Associations. He served as President of Kiwanis of Greenwich during 1976- 77 and was a member since 1955. Lynch was well-known for participating in Kiwanis Fund Raisers and was especially devoted to the annual Christmas tree sale. Lynch also served on the executive boards of the Greenwich Boy Scouts and Consumer Credit Counseling of Connecticut. He was dedicated to serving on many other committees including the United Way and Chamber of Commerce in Greenwich.
He was also an avid fisherman and enjoyed spending his free time on Long Island Sound.
Lynch is survived by his wife, Irene, and their three children, John Lynch, Jr. and his wife Catherine of Concord, N.C., Gordon Lynch of Saudi Arabia, and Patricia Doherty and her husband Joseph of South Salem, N.Y. Lynch is also survived by four grandsons: John Lynch III and Adrian, Jason and Shane Doherty.
A memorial service was held on May 1 at St. Clement's Church on Fairfield Ave., in Stamford, Connecticut.
Donations may be made to St. Clement's Building Fund.
Lloyd Lynk Sr.
Lloyd Lynk Sr.., Lloyd was born Feb. 3, 1928 and raised in Memphis, Tenn. At an early age he relocated to Greenwich. He served in the U.S. Army, and received an honorable discharge. Lynk retired from Grassi Brothers, Greenwich. He is survived by longtime friend, Savannah Ferrell; two brothers, Saul Lynk, and Willie Frank Davis; a son, Lloyd Lynk Jr.; a daughter, Carla Anita Lynk; an aunt, Lillian Bland; two sisters-in-law, Louise Ray and Carol Lynk; nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces; his loving caretakers, Belinda Miller and Mabel Ferrell; and a host of loving friends.
A memorial service was held on May 5 at Castiglione Funeral Home, Inc. in Greenwich.
