Walter E. Johnson, 90, of Avon, beloved husband of the late Margaret (Mack) Johnson and M. Alice (Santerre) Johnson, passed away peacefully Monday, January 17th, 2011. Born in Burlington, April 6th, 1920, son of the late Frank W. and Nellie (Case) Johnson, he resided in the Burlington/Unionville area for many years. In 1955 Walter joined his father in the family business, Frank W. Johnson & Son Co., in Burlington as a Carpenter and was associated with the company for many years. Walter and his father were instrumental in constructing many fine homes and buildings in the Farmington Valley, among them the Harwinton Congregational Church. He was a highly decorated United States Army veteran of World War II having served with distinction in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre. Walter is survived by several nieces and nephews, cousins, in-laws and many friends. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Friday (Jan. 21) from 9:00-10:00am. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be at 10:00am followed by the Funeral Liturgy in the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Unionville at10:30am. Burial with full military honors will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol.
Nathaniel Sawyer (Bud) Howe, 87, passed away on Sunday January 16th. While born and raised in New Britain, CT, he spent most his life in Farmington, CT. He graduated from Pomfret School and Yale University (1944). He served as a photo topographer in WWII in the South Pacific and in Japan. Upon returning to the States, he became an administrative trainee at the New Britain Machine company and then received an award for a one year fellowship at the Sloan School of Management at MIT; he received his Masters of Science, returned to New Britain Machine, eventually becoming its president. Following its acquisition by Litton Industries, he became Senior Vice President of Litton’s Machine Tool Group. In 1984, he established QUAMCO Inc with the purchase of six machine tool companies from Litton. Keenly interested in the machine tool industry, he served as a board member and as chairman of the National Machine Tool Builders Association. Mr. Howe was deeply committed to helping those in the immediate Hartford community. His involvement ranged from supporting the arts to health care to initiating career programs. In the arts, he not only pursued oil portraiture as a hobby and enjoyed classical music, but also served on the board of the Hillstead Museum and as a consultant for the Hartford Conservatory of Music. His health care concerns led him to serve on the boards of the New Britain and Hartford Hospitals, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of CT and the Hartford Physician Hospital Organization. Lastly, he became interested in the STRIVE program which helps the less fortunate members of society become employable. His work for the Hartford area was featured on the CBS show, 60 Minutes. He spent his summer vacations with his family in Little Compton, Rhode Island where he enjoyed sailing, tennis, fishing and walking. He and his brother, Ted Howe, won the New Britain tennis doubles championships in the early 50′s. He was predeceased by his loving wife of sixty years, Alison Gilman Howe and by his brother Ted Howe. He is survived by his four children, Susan Howe of Falmouth,ME; Edith Howe and her husband Ralph Hill of Amherst, MA; Nathaniel(Ty) Howe Jr. and his wife Abby of Dover, MA; and Robin Howe of Signal Mountain, TN. He leaves eleven grandchildren: Caleb Howe, Oliver Townsend, Sam Howe, Rebecca Russell, Ben Howe, Skylar Townsend, Seth Russell, Toby Howe, Ruthie Townsend, Jordan Hill and Nicole Hill. A memorial service will be held on First Church of Christ, Congregational, 75 Main St, Farmington, CT on Saturday, April 2nd at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alison and Nathaniel Howe fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, 10 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, CT 06106. On line donations may be directed to the Alison and Nathaniel Howe fund: www. hfpg.org/donate.
William A. Chase Sr., of Hartford, passed away Saturday, January 15 at home. He was the son of the late Corinthea and Milton Chase Sr., of Rhode Island. He was a Marine veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. William boxed in the Golden Gloves and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed playing the drums and the harmonica. He leaves three sisters and one brother in Rhode Island. He was the father of 5 children, Cathy, Linda, William, Joseph and Donna and six grandchildren. He was predeceased by three sisters and one brother. A private military service for family will take place at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by The Ahern Funeral Homes, Inc.
Maurice J. Gosselin, 87, formerly of Hartford, Newington and later Fort Lauderdale, Florida, passed away peacefully January 8th, 2011 at Countryside Manor of Bristol. He was born in Lac Noir, Canada son of the late Henry and Adele (Marcoux) Gosselin. He was predeceased by his best friend and loving wife Tomasina (Branciere) Gosselin. Maurice joined the Marine’s at the age of 18. He was stationed in the South Pacific with his platoon, “the Edson Raiders” and was very proud to the day he passed of his service to his country. After returning from the service, he married Tomasina Branciere and started their life together with their three children. Their journey together was cut short when Tomasina died in 1977. Maurice worked as a photographer before becoming a Correctional Officer for the State of Connecticut. He also worked part time as a custodian for the Church of the Holy Spirit in Newington. He retired in 1981 and traveled from Connecticut to Florida and back until he took up residence in Florida. In Florida, Maurice loved to dance and spend weekends at the local Polish Club. In the early years, he and Tomasina had taken dance lessons and were very good. He loved the warmth of the sun, the walks on the beach, and swimming in the pool at his condo. And all who knew him will agree that his passion for taking down a tree was matched by no one. He was devoted to his family as his family was devoted to him, he will be missed dearly. Maurice leaves behind his daughter Frances Phoenix and her husband Robert of Burlington, his son Richard Gosselin and his wife Sally of Granby, his son Michael Gosselin and his wife Nivia of Ivoryton, his two grandchildren Katie Melfi and Benjamin Phoenix, both of Burlington, his three brothers Jerry, Joseph and Andre Gosselin; three sisters, Germaine Bendzinski, Madeline Kinel, and Marie Barrieau and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three brothers, Leo, Paul and Roger Gosselin, two sisters, Beatrice Bertrand and Pauline Griffin, his nephew Jeffrey Gosselin and his great-nephew Troy Gammie. The family would like to thank everyone at Countryside Manor of Bristol for their outstanding care, compassion and love of Maurice. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Saturday (Jan. 29) from 9:00-10:00am. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Saturday at 10:00am followed by the Funeral Liturgy in the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Unionville at 10:30am. Burial with full Marine Corps honors will be in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, www.stjude.org/tribute.
Pamela A. Murphy, 67, of Avon, passed away Friday, January 7, 2011. Born in Manchester, Ct., she was the daughter of the late Robert and Eileen (Toomey) Murphy. Pam was predeceased by her brother Daniel who passed away in 2005. Pam had worked as a flight attendant for Pan American Airlines and as an administrative assistant for Merrill Lynch. She had been retired for several years. Pam is survived by her uncle and several cousins. Burial will be held in River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, RI. Arrangements are being handled by The Ahern Funeral Homes, Inc.
Ann (Nedorostek) Rocque, of Unionville, widow of Gerald A. Rocque, passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 in Farmington. Born in Unionville, July 22nd, 1924, daughter of the late Albert and Mary (Smolen) Nedorostek, Ann was a lifelong resident of Unionville. She was a devoted wife to her husband Gerald of 60 years and mother to her two daughters, Deborah F. Rocque of Unionville and Lisa (Rocque) Capozziello of Suffield. Besides her daughters, she is survived by her son-in-law Nicholas Capozziello of Suffield, her brothers, Edward Nedorostek of Burlington and William Nedorostek and her wife Phyllis of Unionville, a grandson Jason Andrew Bradley and his wife Jessica of Enfield, two granddaughters, Jennifer M. Capozziello of Ellington and Patricia Capozziello of Waterbury, two great-grandchildren, Gavin Bradley of Toledo, OH and Destiny Bailey of Enfield and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother Albert Nedorostek. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated Monday (Jan. 10) at 10:00am in the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Unionville followed by burial in St. Mary Cemetery, Avon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation of CT, 2139 Silas Deane Highway #208, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. Arrangements are being handled by The Ahern Funeral Homes, Inc.
Alfred S. Peltier, 81, of Unionville, beloved husband of Margaret (Kozlak) Peltier, passed away peacefully Sunday, January 2nd. Born in Unionville, April 18th, 1929, son of the late Leo and Catherine (Haller) Peltier, he was a lifelong town resident. Prior to retiring, he was a Custodian at Farmington High School for many years. Alfred was a United States Navy veteran of the Korean War and was an avid Red Sox fan. Besides his wife of 56 years, he is survived by his seven children, Catherine Peltier, Diane Bowden and her husband Wayne, Terry Cecil and her husband Tim, Cindy Fillian, Alfred Peltier and his wife Melissa, Ann Peltier and her husband Scott Streeter, and John Peltier and his wife Stephanie, nine grandchildren, three great grandchildren, his three sisters, Mary Schlapak, Dorothy Thibodeau and Anita Dubnanski and his brother Donald Peltier. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt. 4, Unionville on Tuesday (Jan. 4) from 5:00-8:00pm. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be Wednesday (Jan. 5) at 9:15am followed by the Funeral Liturgy in the Church of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Unionville at 10:00am. Burial with full military honors will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Avon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook St., 1-91 Tech Center, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.
Mary Irene Judd, the daughter of the late Hibbard N. and Mary (Donovan) Judd went home to her Lord on Sunday, January 2nd. Mary was born in New London, and lived most of her young life in Norwich. She graduated from Norwich Free Academy and Bryant College. After receiving her degree she went to work at Colt Industries, later returning to Norwich to work for many years at the American Thermos Bottle Co. She returned to Hartford in 1969 and retired from Cigna Insurance in 1984. Mary was a successful businesswoman who enjoyed both her professional contacts as well as her independence which allowed her to travel throughout the United States and abroad. Although Mary was an only child, she was an important and much loved member in the families of her many cousins; participating in the celebrations and milestones in their lives. She was fondly referred to as the family historian. Her presence, her loving interest in even the youngest member, and her quick wit is very much missed by those who loved her dearly. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 180 Farmington Ave., Hartford, on Thursday (Jan. 6) from 8:30-9:30am. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be at 9:30am followed by the Funeral Liturgy in the Cathedral of St. Joseph, 140 Farmington Ave., Hartford at 10:00am. Burial will be in the family plot at St. Joseph Cemetery, Norwich.
Catharine Ann (Greene) Ziebka, 75, of Unionville, died on Sunday, January 2. She was born in Waterbury on January 5, 1935 to Anthony J. and Antoinette (Akelaitis) Greene. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Walter J. Ziebka, formerly of Southington, and her brother Charles R. Greene of Waterbury. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury and attended the Waterbury campus of the University of Connecticut. After a brief career as a secretary at Hayden Switch & Instruments in Waterbury, Catharine was a devoted mother and homemaker. She enjoyed reading, especially about history, was an avid computer gamer, a shrewd poker player, and recently became involved in the Bridge Club at the Farmington Senior Center. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Cheryl Ziebka of Farmington, and their son, Michael Miller. Friends may call at The Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St., Rt.4, Unionville on Saturday (Jan. 8) from 10:00-11:00am. Funeral procession from The Ahern Funeral Home will be at 11:00am followed by the Funeral Liturgy in the Church of St. Patrick, Main St., Farmington at 12:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Farmington Community Chest, directed to support the community Dial-A-Ride program, P.O. Box 60, Farmington, CT 06034-0060.
Peter F. Dolan passed away on Sunday, January 2, 2011, in Hartford Hospital, Connecticut, after a courageous struggle with lung cancer. He was 68. Born on November 8, 1942, to Peter and Agnes Dolan (née Waters) Peter grew up in Good Shepherd Parish in the Inwood neighborhood of northern Manhattan. He attended Good Shepherd Grammar School, graduating in 1956. From there he went on to Manhattan Prep, from which he graduated in 1960, and Manhattan College, where he received his degree in 1969. Peter was gifted with warmth, intellect and wit and possessed a beautiful tenor voice, which was regularly on display in the Good Shepherd choir, and the Manhattan Prep and Manhattan College Glee Clubs. As a young boy, while others his age were discovering rock and roll, Peter became infatuated with opera and in particular with Irish Tenor John McCormack. He became a McCormack scholar, writing and editing numerous articles on the famous singer and contributing to the John McCormack Discography Project of the John McCormack Society. http://www.mccormacksociety.co.uk/ Peter’s passions included traditional Irish music, and during the 1970s and 80s he periodically hosted Friday night seisiúns at the now-defunct Eagle Tavern on West 14th Street in Manhattan. He also pursued keen interests in photography, writing, history and the politics of New York City. During his time in New York, Peter worked at Keshkerrigan – the noted and now-closed bookstore in Lower Manhattan, specializing in Irish and Irish-language books – and for a brief period, in the office of Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. In the 1990s, Peter relocated to Hartford, where he continued his interests in writing, photography and music. Most recently, he was known to exercise his tenor vocal chords at the Wednesday night seisiúns at McKinnon’s Irish Pub located at 114 Asylum Street in Hartford. Peter leaves no known surviving blood relatives, but does have his classmates from Manhattan Prep, who are overseeing the final arrangements for their dearly departed “brother”.