Darienite (https://darienite.com/category/obituaries/page/64)
Death notices for Darienites, immediate relatives and others of interest to town residents
William Rohrbach passed away on July 31, 2017. He was 91. As a professor emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he was often referred to as “Professor Bill.” However, he preferred to be called simply, “Bill.” Bill was born on Oct.
Aline Marcelle Messer (Duchaine), of Riverside, Calif., passed away on Thursday, Aug. 17 at the age of 77, after a brief struggle with ovarian cancer. Aline was born to parents Edward and Marcelle Duchaine on March 30, 1940, in Manhattan, New York. She grew up as the eldest of 4 and attended Darien High School in Darien. She earned her bachelor of science degree from California Baptist University in 1990.
Elizabeth Bell Grathwol, 90, of Columbus, Ga. passed away at home on Thursday, Aug. 17.
Elizabeth Grathwol was born Ada Elizabeth Bell on Aug. 12, in Columbus, Ga. Her parents were Samps K. Bell of Preston, GA and Ruth McElvany Bell of Conyers, Ga.
John “Jack” Graham, a World War 2 veteran who flew 40 combat missions as a B-24 bombardier and went on to become a long-time cement-industry executive, died Friday, Aug. 18, in Darien. He was 95. Mr. Graham, who lived in New Canaan for nearly 40 years, passed away of natural causes in his sleep at Maplewood Senior Living, where he had resided with his wife of 67 years, Marion Graham, since late 2014. A 1949 graduate of Boston College where he played football and hockey, Mr. Graham began his long career in the cement industry in the early 1950s and retired in 1998 as president of LoneStar Cement to start a consulting business.
William V. “Bill” Cawley, 86, a wonderful and loving man to all who knew him, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017 after a brief illness. Born in Cleveland on Jan. 22, 1931, Bill was the seventh and youngest child of Irish immigrants, and lived in Cleveland the first 37 years of his life. There he met the love of his life, Lois Bruening; they were married in June 1953, with four boys born in the following seven years.
Spencer Lloyd Plehaty, age 92, passed away peacefully on Aug. 4, 2017 in Boulder, Colo., with his nearest family by his side. Lloyd was born Oct. 23, 1924, in White Plains, N.Y., to Carl (Sr.) and Svea (Grape) Plehaty. He graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown in 1948 with a B.A. in math and physics, and New York University, N.Y., in 1953 with an M.E.E. in Electronics.
Robert Christie Nangle died peacefully May 9 in Meriden, Connecticut after a long illness. Karen, his wife of 57 years was by his side. He was born March 16, 1930 in New Haven and lived there with his parents, Benjamin Christie Nangle, a professor of English at Yale, and his mother, Katharine Rawles Nangle, who taught at the Day School. A graduate of the Foote School, Groton School, and Yale University, he took two years off to serve in the Army. At Groton, he learned how to set monotype, in the fashion of Gutenberg, beginning a life-long involvement in the rapidly changing industry of printing and publishing.
Starr E. Brinckerhoff, 46, a long-time resident of Darien and most recently Sandgate Vt., passed away Aug. 11, 2017. Born in New York City on Oct. 1, 1970, Starr was the son of Starr E. Brinckerhoff, Sr. and Sherrard Ralli, growing up and attending school in Darien, and graduating from Darien High School. The owner and operator of Starr Landscaping company for 26 years in Connecticut and Vermont, Starr took great pride in his work and customers’ properties.
On Thursday, July 27, 2017, Charles Edward Bradley III passed away peacefully at his home in Darien. Charles Edward Bradley, Sr. (“Charlie” to those who knew him) was born on Aug. 25, 1929 in Lawrence, Mass. to Edmee Cloutier Bradley and Charles Edward Bradley II. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass.
Rose M. Warren, 94, of Darien died at Stamford Hospital on Saturday, Aug. 5, surrounded by family. A resident of Darien since 1947, Rose was born on Feb. 20, 1923 in Stamford. In 1943 she married the love of her life, Joseph J. Warren, Jr. Together they raised six children.
Mrs. Barbara Ann Lamanno, 76, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away early Saturday morning, Aug. 5 at her home in Sheffield, Mass. Born in Noroton on June 4, 1941, she was the daughter of Frank and Jeannette Lineburgh Selas. She was a graduate of Darien High School, where she was a member of the a cappella glee club, the choir, was a cheerleader as well as a baton twirler. Barbara loved all things fashion. Regardless of the event she was always glamorous. She topped off every outfit with a fancy hat. She loved celebrating the holidays; holidays incorporated two of her favorite things — decorating but more importantly spending time with family and friends. One of the activities she enjoyed doing was coloring with her grandchildren.
Katharine Gordon Wilson of Vero Beach, Fl. and formerly Darien, died peacefully on July 27 from complications from a stroke. Born in 1920, at the base of Mount Hood, Oregon, she was one of six children of Colin John Gordon and Katharine Forbes Jones. Kate was a past Trustee of Bennett College and Wee Burn Country Club and a long time member of Riomar Country Club, US Woman’s Seniors and Westchester Fairfield Golf Association. She was a determined and avid athlete and excelled in golf, tennis, and trapshooting.
Elmer C. “Bubba” Harris, III, 76, of Mobile, died July 31 at Bedford Care Center in Hattiesburg, Miss. Elmer C. “Bubba” Harris III was born in Hattiesburg on April 11, 1941 to Elmer Cecil Harris Jr. and Maureen Woodward Harris. Mr. Harris graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in chemical engineering. He married his high school sweetheart, Patsy Bullock Harris (Trish) and started to work for International Paper Co. in Moss Point, Miss.
Frances Tarantino, 91, formerly of Darien, passed away on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at home with her loving family. She was the loving wife of “Jack the Barber” Tarantino. Frances was born at home in Darien on Dec. 7, 1925. In early years she worked at Fawcett Publications.
Madelon Teresa Zisek was welcomed into the kingdom of heaven on July 31. She was 92. Madelon was born May 28, 1925 in Palisade, N.J. and grew up in Chelsea, N.Y. She was a graduate of Cathedral High School in New York City. In 1951, she married Emil Zisek and they made their home in Norwalk, where they raised their family. After 23 years, she retired as secretary to the First Selectman of Darien.