Virginia M. Grunewald, 85, of Avon, beloved wife of William F. Grunewald, passed away peacefully Wednesday, May 22nd at Avon Health Center with her devoted husband by her side. Born in Hartford, January 13th, 1928, daughter of the late Britthold and Annie (Bengtsson) Magnuson, she was a lifelong resident of Avon. Virginia was a graduate of Canton High School, where she met her husband, William, and they married on October 5th, 1946. She was a longtime member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Avon where she served on the Altar Guild and was the Church Secretary in the 1970’s. She was also a longtime member of the Golf Club of Avon, was a champion golfer and enjoyed getting a hole in one. Virginia was an avid reader and gardener, enjoyed crossword puzzles and exercising, and was an excellent seamstress. She was very proud of her Swedish heritage and enjoyed cooking, baking and all holiday traditions. She will be especially remembered for her rice pudding, Christmas cookies and love of ice cream. Virginia held fabulous dinner parties and was an amazing hostess to her wide circle of friends, whom she loved. She loved animals, in particular birds and especially her dogs, most especially, Misty. Virginia will be remembered for her generosity and most importantly, being a wonderful daughter, wife and mother. The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff at Avon Health Center for the wonderful and loving care given to Virginia the last nine years. Besides her husband of 66 years, she is survived by her son, Douglas Grunewald and his wife Leslie of Livermore, CA; her daughter, Marcia Jones and her partner Robert Diorio of New Hartford; her seven grandchildren, Heather Gombos and her husband Christian of Farmington, Kristen Tangarone and her husband Jeremy of New Hartford, Leise Smyrl and her wife Stephanie of Roslindale, MA, Robyn Jones of Medford, MA, Allison Jones of Farmington, Gregory Jones and his wife Erin of Plainville and David Jones of Atlanta, GA; five great grandchildren, Corrin Tangarone, Kathleen, Mary and Elise Gombos and Adam Jones, several much loved nieces and nephews and several cousins residing in Sweden. She was predeceased by her brother, Arne and sister, Dorothy. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Saturday (May 25) from 4:00-6:00pm. Funeral services will be held Sunday (May 26) at 3:30pm in St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 224 Lovely St., Avon followed by burial in Greenwood Cemetery, Avon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Connecticut Chapter, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, or to the Memorial Fund at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 224 Lovely St., Avon, CT 06001.
Mary Katherine Daddario, 83, of New Britain, widow of Eugene Vincent Daddario, passed away peacefully Saturday, May 18th. Born in New Britain, August 3rd, 1929, daughter of the late Frank and Raphaela (Spano) Dolce. Mary is survived by her three children, David Daddario, and his wife Rosemary, Elaine Wald and Rick Daddario, her sister Katherine Peterson of New Britain, and six grandchildren, Jeffrey, Jonathan, Danielle, Kathryn, Jenna and Troy. She was predeceased by her two brothers, Anthony Dolce and Orlando Dolce. Friends may call at the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Main St., Unionville on Wednesday (May 22) from 9:00-10:00am followed by the Funeral Liturgy at 10:00am.
Richmond A. Brouker, 85, of Unionville, beloved husband of Amelia (Christman) Brouker, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 12th at Apple Rehab of Plainville after a lengthy illness. Born in Bristol, March 6th, 1927, son of the late Raymond and Mary (Peck) Brouker. Richmond was a manager at Magnatech Welding Company. He was a United States Navy veteran of World War II and was an avid HAM Radio operator, Call Sign W1YXQ. Besides his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Holly Brouker of Massachusetts, his sisters, Virginia Kalbach and Dawn Norton of Bristol, his brother, Dale Brouker of Las Vegas, NV, two grandsons, Justin and Christopher and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday (May 21) at 11:00am in The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville followed by burial with full military honors in Greenwood Cemetery, Avon. Donations may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Inez Price (Jewell) Roch, 95, of Avon, beloved wife of Gordon Williams Roch, passed away peacefully Sunday, May 12th at her home. Born in Hartford, December 5th, 1917, daughter of the late William A. and Inez (Price) Jewell. Inez was a longtime member of the First Church of Christ, Congregational in Unionville where she was a member of the Frances Richards Club. She was a 50 year member of Adah Chapter #30 OES in Unionville, now associated with Frederica Chapter #110 in Plainville. Besides her husband, Inez is survived by her two children, Thomas Price Roch Sr., and wife Deborah (Floyd) of Gales Ferry and Marcella E. Roch of Avon, two grandchildren, Thomas P. Roch Jr. and wife Lynne and William John Roch and wife Tara, great grandchildren, Jacob, Nicholas, Ashley, TJ, Ray Ray, Jared and Owen John. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Anne and Sylvia. Funeral services and burial will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Farmington Valley VNA, 8 Old Mill Lane, Simsbury, CT 06070 or to Companions and Homemakers, 613 New Britain Ave., Farmington, CT 06032.
Henry J. Sikorski, born January 20, 1943 in Hartford, CT son of Stephen S. and Josephine (Kalizs) Sikorski, died May 7, 2013 in St. Francis Hospital. Hank was a resident of Burlington for most of his life; he was a three sport athlete at Canton High School and enjoyed many years of playing softball in his adult years. Hank owned and operated Sikorski Bus Company providing transportation to Burlington and Harwinton school children for 46 years. He acquired the business following his father’s death; a business his father began in the 1930’s. He was also the owner of “Hank’s Garage”, a general automotive repair business he founded. Hank is survived by his daughter, April S. Bell and her husband Rick, their children Kyle and Lindsay of Gansevoort, New York, his daughter, Tracey Sikorski and her daughter, Reese of New Hartford, and his son, Brett Sikorski and his wife Liz, and their children, Sadie and Lilah of Burlington. He is also survived by his sister Eleanor Kula and many nephews and nieces; he particularly appreciated his nephew, Scott Morin, who invited him on annual treks to Florida for a Gator football game. His brothers Stephen and Edward predeceased him. Hank enjoyed the time spent with his grandchildren, visiting with them was the highlight of his day and they adored their Grandpa “Papa” Hank. He also leaves behind many friends, the number doubtlessly enhanced by his never saying no when requested to lend a helping hand or do a favor. Among the “friends” who will miss him is the Mohegan Sun Casino where he spent may enjoyable hours trying to best a few slot machines. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main Street, Unionville on Friday (May 10) from 5-8 p.m. The funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Saturday (May 11) at 10:15 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Patrick’s Church in Collinsville at 11:00am. Burial will follow at Center Cemetery in Burlington. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made the Burlington Volunteer Fire or Ambulance Companies, P.O. Box 1285, Burlington, CT 06013 or the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research, 5455 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 2020, Los Angeles, CA 90036-4220.
Thomas Keron Sheridan, devoted husband, father, and grandfather, passed away Wednesday afternoon at his home in Farmington, Connecticut in the arms of his loving wife of 45 years, Hope L. (Senecal) Sheridan. He was 68 years old. Tom counted his greatest accomplishments as a beloved husband; proud, loving father to his three children; and doting grandfather to his two grandchildren. His love for his family was total, unwavering and unconditional. While living on Cape Cod, Tom was one of the founders of the Nauset Youth Hockey Association. He was a member of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association and was a hockey referee at the high school and college levels for many years. Born in Providence, Rhode Island to the late Theodore James Sheridan and Rita E. (Keron) Sheridan, Tom attended LaSalle Academy, before earning a bachelor’s degree from Providence College. Upon graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Navy ultimately achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After the Navy, Tom had a long and distinguished career in business, currently serving as Vice President of Finance at Connecticut Spring and Stamping in Farmington and previously was the Chief Financial Officer at Apex Machine Tool Co., also in Farmington. In addition to his wife, Hope, he is survived by his son, Thomas K. Sheridan, Jr. of Farmington; and his daughters, Jaime Raye Sheridan, of Farmington, and Keron L. Sheridan and her husband, Marius C. Wesser, of Brooklyn, New York. He was “Papa” to his two beloved and adoring grandchildren: Madison Raye and Theo James Sheridan. In addition, he is survived by his sister Janice Flynn and her husband Donald of Windsor Locks, his sister-in-law, Raye Senecal and her husband, Bill Enross, of Foxboro, Mass; his brother-in-law, Dennis F. Walsh, of Mashpee, Mass.; his five nephews, Patrick F. Walsh of Chicago, Ill.; Dennis R. Walsh of New York, New York; Michael J. Walsh of London, England; Kevin Flynn of West Suffield, and Brian Flynn of Enfield; and his niece, Carlene Clark of Roanoke, VA. He was predeceased by his sister, Suzanne Sheridan. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Sunday (May 5) from 3:00 – 7:00 P.M. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Monday (May 6) at 9:15 A.M. followed by The Funeral Liturgy in the Church of St. Patrick, Main St., Farmington at 10:00 A.M. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Farmington with full military honors. Memorial contributions may be made to Mary Lou Connors for the benefit of the Haiti Children’s Education Fund, 74 Old Farms Road, Avon, CT 06001.
Carroll Richard “Carl” Turner Jr., 83, of Burlington, husband of Gloria Benedict Turner, passed away Sunday, April 28th. Born September 15th, 1929, in Colchester, VT, son of the late Carroll R. and Myrtle (Bidwell) Turner. Prior to retiring, Carl served as Dog Warden for the Town of Burlington for over 40 years and was formerly associated with Connecticut Sand and Stone in Farmington. He was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War, a member of the Connecticut Field Trial Association and a longtime former member of the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps. Besides his wife, Carl is survived by his three children, Sharon G. Langer and her husband Joseph C. Langer of Canton, Gwenith A. Turner of New Hartford and George F. Turner and his wife Michelle A. Turner of Burlington, three sisters, Marion Bell, Jean Bilodeau both of Florida and Nancy Ecton of Arizona, nine grandchildren and many great grandchildren. Carl was predeceased by his first wife, Sarah “Sally” (Giblin) Turner, his daughter, Barbara Bachman, his son, Carroll Richard Turner III, two brothers, Wayne Turner and Freeman Turner and two sisters, Esther Beattie and Betty Zimmerman. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Wednesday (May 1) from 5:00-8:00pm followed by a Prayer Service in The Ahern Funeral Home at 8:00pm with Rev. Wendell Taylor officiating. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Thursday (May 2) at 10:30am followed by burial in the family plot at Center Cemetery, Burlington at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Burlington Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps., P.O. Box 1285, Burlington, CT 06013.
Eugene Lee (“Lee”) Muller, 83, of Farmington, CT and Quogue, NY passed away at the UConn Health Center on Monday, April 15th. Mr. Muller was a retired investment professional, working primarily in the New York area. In addition to Farmington and Quogue, he formerly resided in Greenwich, CT; Jupiter, FL; Pinehurst, NC and Aiken, SC. Mr. Muller was born in Weymouth, MA to Eugene Muller and Genevieve Gogan Muller. He graduated from Boston College High School and received an A.B. in Pre-Medicine from Boston College in 1950. Following college, he worked briefly at a paper mill in Lewiston, Maine, where he played semi-professional ice hockey. He later joined an advertising agency in Manhattan before moving into executive roles at several New York investment firms, where he worked for over 30 years. Mr. Muller married Patricia Anne Manning of Plattsburgh, New York in 1958. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary together on Friday, April 12th. Mr. Muller was an avid golfer and had been a member of the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY since 1955. In addition to his love for his family, Mr. Muller cherished the relationships he established through the years at Winged Foot and while playing golf in Aiken, Pinehurst, Jupiter and Quogue. In addition to his wife, Mr. Muller is survived by his five sons and their wives: William Muller (Letitia) of Atlanta, GA; Christopher Muller (Christina) of Farmington, CT; Douglas Muller (Mary) of Charleston, SC; Peter Muller (Tracy) of Winter Park, FL, and Courtney Muller (Henrietta) of Atlanta, GA; one brother, Courtenay D. Muller of Clermont, FL, and 10 grandchildren. Mr. Muller was predeceased by his parents and by his sister, Geraldine M. Hoy of Brockton, MA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 20th at the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, 145 Main Street, Unionville, CT, with visitation scheduled for 9:30 AM at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main Street, Unionville, CT. The family will hold a private burial service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Quogue Library, P.O. Box 5036, Quogue NY 11959.
Robert N. Storrs, Jr., 88, of Unionville, beloved husband of Arlene (LaBonte) Storrs, passed away peacefully Sunday, April 14th. Born in Great Barrington, MA, January 21st, 1925, he was the son of the late Robert N. Sr. and Marion (Wood) Storrs. Prior to retiring, Robert was employed by the VA Hospital in Newington for 42 years. Besides his wife, he is survived by his six daughters, Sandra L. Storrs of Avon, Gail M, Schinkel of Avon, Hope Faith of Farmington, Roxanne Atkinson of South Carolina, Susan C. Phalstaf of Ellington and Janet L. Storrs of Unionville, 17 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Robert N. Storrs, III. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Wednesday (Apr. 17) from 4:00-8:00pm. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Thursday (Apr. 18) at 9:15am followed by Funeral Services in Valley Community Baptist Church, 590 West Avon Road, Avon at 10:00am. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Avon. Donations may be made to American Parkinson Disease Association, CT Chapter, 27 Allendale Drive, North Haven, CT 06473.
Donald G. Solinsky, of Simsbury CT (previously of Trenton NJ) died peacefully on April 10, 2013. Don was born in Trenton to George and Mary Solinsky. He graduated from Trenton Catholic High School, where he played basketball and became one of the first 1,000 point scorers in the city. At Trenton Catholic, Don was commonly known as one half of the ‘Atomic Twins’; the other half was his friend and teammate, Dick Giedlin. He was also known for his great “set shot” which he perfected as captain of the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team. After graduating with a degree in physical education, Don chose first to serve his country, by joining the US Army. After his discharge, he worked for the Boys Club in Trenton, and the Hamilton Township Board of Education, before accepting a teaching position at Holy Cross High School, in Riverside NJ. At Holy Cross, Don coached the boys’ varsity basketball team for several years, before returning home to Trenton to teach at Nottingham Junior High School. Don completed his teaching career at Hamilton High West. During the summer months, Don was employed by the Hamilton Township Recreation Department. After retiring from teaching, Don settled down in Long Beach Island NJ where he loved to walk, fish and, most of all, spend time with his beloved wife Phyllis. He moved several years ago to Simsbury CT. When he wasn’t rooting on his grandchildren, Don was cheering on the Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants. Don was predeceased by his parents, George and Mary Solinsky, and his five brothers and sisters: George, Helen, Josephine, Albert, and Emma. He is survived by his wife Phyllis (Booz), his daughters, Mary Anne (and husband Gary Longo), Kathleen (and husband Tom McCarthy), Elizabeth (and husband Steven Butler), and his son, Donald P. Solinsky. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren: Christa D’Amico ( and husband John D’Amico), Michael Longo, Conor and Hunter McCarthy, Jackson, Gavin and Shane Butler, and his three great grandsons, Ryan, Evan and Drew D’Amico. There will be no calling hours. A Mass will be celebrated at the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, 145 Main Street, Unionville, on Saturday, April 13 at 11:45 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you perform random acts of kindness in Don’s name.