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Darien Obituaries May 2016

News

John Berry, Beastie Boys Founding Member, Dies, Stepson of Former Darien Library Director Louise Berry

By David Gurliacci | May 20, 2016

John N. Berry IV, 52, who helped form the Beastie Boys in the early 1980s and who was also a stepson of former Darien Library Director Louise Berry, passed away Thursday at a hospice in Danvers, Mass. Louise Berry, who worked for Darien Library for 35 years until her retirement several years ago as director, posted pictures of John on Facebook, including the one below of him with his father and brother, with the message:
To all of John N Berry IV’s friends. Johnny died this morning at a hospice in Mass. As many of you know, he had frontal temporal lobe dementia and had been hospitalized for the last several years. Do something creative in his memory.

Obituaries

Grace Jahn, 83, Longtime Darien Resident, Volunteer 40+ Years for Smith College Book Sale at Waveny

By David Gurliacci | May 19, 2016

Grace Jeanne Pohlmann Jahn, a resident of Delaware, Ohio and Twin Lakes, Pa., and formerly a longtime resident of Darien, passed away May 15 at The Inn at Olentangy Trail in Delaware, Ohio. She was 83. She is preceded in death by her husband, C. Richard Jahn. Born Jan. 5, 1933 in Middletown, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Dr. Harry F. Pohlmann and Mabel Myers Pohlmann. Gracie graduated from Smith College in 1953, then received her MBA degree from Harvard/Radcliffe. She was an active volunteer in the Darien community and schools.

Obituaries

Mary Meehan obit 5-18-16

Martha Meehan, 57, Worked at Bankwell in Darien

By David Gurliacci | May 18, 2016

Bethel resident Martha “Marty” Brksa Meehan, 57, wife of Terry D. Meehan, passed away on May 11 at Regional Hospice and Homecare of Danbury. Born May 7, 1959 in Stamford, she was the daughter of Martha Frederick Brksa Royle and John J. Brksa. Marty graduated from Norwalk High School and worked at Bankwell in Darien. In addition to her beloved husband, Marty is survived by her son Ryan Meehan of Bethel, and her daughter and son-in-law, Erin and Danny Girard, of Terryville. She is also survived by her sister Susan Brksa and mother Martha Frederick Brksa Royle, of Farmington, and sister Mary Jane Brksa Kosach of Florida.

Obituaries

Cassandra Simmons, 82, Education Consultant, former Darien Resident

By David Gurliacci | May 18, 2016

Cassandra Goss Simonds of Freeport, Maine and a former Darien resident, died on May 6, at Scarborough Terrace Assisted Living facility in Scarborough Maine. She was 82. Born in New Haven, June 16, 1933, to the late Chauncey Porter Goss III and the late Natalie Holbrook Goss of Middlebury, she graduated from Garrison Forest School in 1951. She was a 1955 graduate of Connecticut College, where she received a degree in sociology. She attended the Columbia School of Nursing until her marriage to Charles Sprague Simonds in 1956.

Obituaries

Max Gahwyler thumbnail obit 5-17-16

Dr. Max Gahwyler, Physician, Pharmaceutical Researcher, Pioneer in U.S. Horse Dressage Movement

By David Gurliacci | May 17, 2016

Dr. Max E. Gahwyler, or “Dr. Max” as he was affectionately known in the horse world, passed away this past Friday May 13 at his home in Darien. He was 92 years old, and a town resident for over half a century. Max was born in Switzerland on July 22, 1923, and spent his formative years mountain climbing and skiing in the town of Arosa, Switzerland. He studied internal medicine in Lausanne and Geneva, and met the love of his life, Doris Muller, in the early 1940’s. After the Second World War, the couple moved to the US.

Obituaries

Peter Tinnen-Strmiska no red eye obit 5-17-16

Funeral in Darien for 5-Year-Old Norwalk Boy Fatally Struck in Car Accident

By David Gurliacci | May 17, 2016

The funeral service for a 5-year-old Norwalk boy fatally struck by a car last week will take place Thursday at New Beginnings Community Church in Darien. Peter Tinnen-Strmiska was in the driveway of his home on Wood Acre Road in Norwalk at about 5 p.m., Thursday, May 12, when a relative pulled a vehicle into the driveway and struck the boy, according to numerous news reports. Police and an ambulance crew responded and rushed him to Norwalk Hospital, where he died. “I’m beside myself,” his mother, Kayla Tinnen, wrote that day in a post on the GoFundMe charitable donations website. “We lost him in a freak accident this afternoon.

Obituaries

Elizabeth Esposito obit 5-16-16

Elizabeth Sposito, 89, Hairdresser, Volunteer with NH Fire Dept Ladies Auxiliary

By David Gurliacci | May 16, 2016

Elizabeth L. “Lee” (Boscaino) Sposito of Darien died peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, May 15. She was 89 years old. Lee was born in New York City in 1926. She was the daughter of Michael and Angelina Boscaino. She attended New York City schools and graduated from the prestigious Julia Richmond High School in Manhattan.

Obituaries

Rodney Irizarry obit 5-16-16

Rodney Irizarry, 24, DHS Class of ’09, Loved Music, Giants and Mets Fan

By David Gurliacci | May 16, 2016

Rodney “RJ” Irizarry, Jr., 24, of Darien passed away unexpectedly on May 11. He was born May 17, 1991 in Stamford, the son of Rodney Irizarry, Sr. and the late Kimberly Benedetto-Lamendola. He graduated from Darien High School in 2009. He was an avid sports fan, closely following the New York Giants and the Mets. RJ also pursued his love of music, teaching himself how to play the drums and the guitar.

Obituaries

Ann Bixler obit thumbnail 5-15-16

Ann Bixler, 99, Former Darien Resident, Featured on Billboard Ads in 1940s

By David Gurliacci | May 15, 2016

Ann Bixler, 99, a resident of East Rupert, Vt., passed away Tuesday, May 10 at home. She was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Harold R. Bixler. Ann was born in Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 27, 1916, the daughter of the late Louis and Marguerite Thurston. Ann graduated from Classical High School in Worcester and attended Becker College, also in Worcester, where she was a member of Sigma Eta Phi Sorority.

Obituaries

Jacob Velasco-Navarro obituary 5-14-16

Jacob Velasco-Navarro, 16, Sports Fan & Player, Darien High School Student

By David Gurliacci | May 14, 2016

Jacob Ryan Velasco-Navarro of Darien passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer while surrounded by the love of his friends and family in Norwalk on Friday, May 13, 2016 at the age of 16. A big New England Patriots fan, Jacob loved sports and played lacrosse, football, and rugby while attending Darien High School. He loved traveling and seeing the world to experience new cultures and food, and especially loved sushi. He also enjoyed spending quality time and sharing a good laugh with loved ones. His family and friends think of him fondly as cool and laid back with the biggest heart, and remember him as the strongest of them all.

Obituaries

Joseph Costa obit 5-11-16

Joseph Costa, 62, Commodity Broker, Former Darien Resident

By David Gurliacci | May 11, 2016

Joseph Costa, a resident of Stamford and a former Darien resident for more than 30 years, passed away on Saturday, May 7 at Stamford Hospital. Born on Sept. 26, 1953 in New York City, he was the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Frangione) Costa. He was 62. Joseph graduated the New York High School for Printing and was a longtime commodity broker on COMEX.

Obituaries

Sheilah Cloud, Worked for UN, CBS, Conoco, Wee Burn Member, St Thomas More Parishioner

By David Gurliacci | May 10, 2016

Sheilah Tilbrooke Cloud of Darien died on May 2 at Stamford Hospital. Born in London, she was the daughter of Harold Ernest Tilbrooke and Margaret Chisholm Tilbrooke. She attended schools in England during World War II. After the death of her father, she and her mother emigrated to the United States. She graduated from Noroton Sacred Heart School in Darien and later attended business school in England.

Obituaries

Mary Droney, 89, Active in St. Thomas More Church

By David Gurliacci | May 5, 2016

Mary (May) Droney, 89 years old, passed away recently. She is survived by her husband of the past 63 years, John “Jack” Droney. Born in Castlederg, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland to the late Hugh and Madge Gallagher McHugh, she has been a resident of Stamford or Darien for the past 70 years. Mary was active with the former Stephen’s Ministry Program at St. Thomas More Church and volunteered at the William and Sally Tandet Center for Continuing Care, a nursing home next to Stamford Hospital, for many years.

Obituaries

George Gordon 5-6-16

George ‘Sandy’ Gordon, 70, Attorney, Received Bronze Star in Vietnam War, Raised in Darien

By David Gurliacci | May 4, 2016

George Brady “Sandy”” Gordon died Thursday, April 28 at home. Sandy was born May 12, 1945, in Kansas City, Mo. He grew up in Darien, doing what he loved most, sailing the Atlantic waters in the family sailboat “Genie.” He received his bachelor’s degree from Saint Lawrence University in 1963 and his law degree in 1974 from The University of Alabama School of Law. He was a retired captain of the United States Army and a veteran of the Vietnam War, receiving the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with “V” for Valor for his service.

Obituaries

Muriel Cissie Wakeman obit 5-3-16

Muriel “Cissie” Wakeman, 97, Active Volunteer in DCA, Noroton Presbyterian Church

By David Gurliacci | May 3, 2016

Muriel (Cissie) Wakeman, 97, a longtime resident of Darien, died on April 29 at her home. Born May 2, 1918, she was the daughter of Frank C. and Martha Swindells Evitts. She grew up in Stratford and attended the University of Connecticut at Storrs and the University of Bridgeport before earning an AA degree from Edgewood Park College in New York. After college she worked as a journalist at The Fairfield News, where she met her husband, Norman Burr Wakeman. She later served as clerk of probate in Stratford.

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