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Eleanor Emily Taravella, age 94, passed away in the early morning hours of Aug. 9 at Norwalk Hospital after a brief illness. She was most recently a resident of Atria in Darien. Eleanor was born in Manhattan to Emilie and George Rapp on Nov. 19, 1929.
Margaret (Molly) Doberneck Massie passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 7 in Milford. She was 59. Molly was born in Minneapolis to Dr. Raymond Doberneck and Anne Schacherer Doberneck on Feb. 16, 1965, the fourth child and third daughter in a rambunctious family.
Since June, there have been a higher than usual number of vehicles stolen in Darien — a total of 18 as of four days ago, Darien police announced. In response, police are suggesting various tips, at least one of which is probably new to you. Along with the car thefts, numerous vehicles have been entered, often with thefts of things inside, police said. (A long list of the incidents since July 25 is at the bottom of this article.)
In almost all cases, keys had been left inside the vehicle, police said, adding, “it is important to note” that stolen vehicles are often used in serious crimes in other cities and towns across the state. Obvious and Not-so-Obvious Tips for Protecting Your Property
Darien police recommend that drivers adopt these habits to foil car thieves:
Although you’ve probably heard these before …
At 9:30 a.m., Friday, Aug. 16, the Town of Darien and The Corbin District are planning a townwide send-off to Darien’s paralympic athlete, Ali Truwit. Truwit is headed to Paris to compete in three swimming events. — an announcement from the First Selectman’s Office
Spectators are asked to come line the sidewalk on Boston Post Road between Center Street and Corbin Drive and cheer for Ali as she heads off to compete for our country. This will be a wonderful time to show community spirit and pride as we send off an inspirational young woman to represent the United States and Darien to the world.
Geraldine O’Brien Krawiec of Darien passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 7. She was a lifelong resident of Darien. Geri was the daughter of the late Mary (McGovern) and Jeremiah O’Brien. She was a 1952 graduate of Darien High School and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Connecticut Teacher’s College and her master’s degree from Fairfield University.
Robert J. Godzeno (“Bob”) of Norwalk, passed away peacefully on the morning of August 5 at Norwalk Hospital. He was 80. Bob was the son of John W. Godzeno and Lucy LaConte Godzeno, born in Bridgeport on Jan. 21, 1944. Although Bob was an only child, he was part of a large Italian family with many aunts, uncles and cousins living under the same roof.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from Aug., 1 to 8, 2024:
New Listings
191 Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien — $949,000
15 Maple St., Darien — $1,249,000
10 Stony Brook Road $1,450,000
73 Kensett Lane, Darien — $2,200,000
27 Lake Drive, Darien — $2,325,000
11 Robin Hood Lane, Darien — $2,495,000
10 Cloudy Lane, Darien — $3,100,000
17 Nickerson Lane, Darien — $3,895,000
12 Woodbine St., Norwalk — $1,695,000
21 Bryan Road, Norwalk — $4,489,500
Price Changes
Address — current price / previous price
131 Long Neck Point Road, Darien — $7,400,000 / $8,200,000
Pending Sales
39 Hale Lane, Unit 39, Darien — $675,000
22 Sunswyck Road, Darien — $1,895,000
2 Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien — $1,995,000
48 Edgerton St., Darien — $2,250,000
11 Half Mile Road, Darien — $4,500,000
108 Witch Lane, Norwalk — $999,000
24 Arnold Lane, Norwalk — $1,250,000
61 Witch Lane, Norwalk — $1,499,000
Sold
Address — original listing price / final listing price / selling price
29 Park Place, Darien — $1,595,000 / $1,395,000 / $1,385,000
248 Tokeneke Road, Darien — $1,395,000 / $1,395,000 / $1,430,000
333 West Ave, Unit 1, Darien — $1,799,000 / $1,699,000 / $1,690,000
16 Plymouth Road, Darien — $3,095,000 / $3,095,000 / $3,600,000
Open Houses
Address — last price listed — day, date and time
185 Hoyt St., Darien — $1,695,000 — Saturday, Aug. 10, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.
35 Herman Ave., Darien — $3,200,000 — Saturday, Aug. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m.
27 Lake Drive, Darien — $2,325,000 — Sunday, Aug. 11, from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
11 Robin Hood Lane, Darien — $2,495,000 — Sunday, Aug. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. [PICTURED]
12 Woodbridge St., Darien — $1,695,000 — Sunday, Aug.
The Depot Youth Center is starting several new programs specifically for middle school students — one for girls, another for boys, one to promote offline activities and another to promote a sense of community and teamwork. — an announcement (lightly edited) from the The Depot Youth Center
Since receiving a grant from the Darien Foundation in 2019, The Depot’s middle school programs have continued to see increases in participation, and program offerings continue to evolve based on feedback from Darien’s tweens and teens. All Depot initiatives are set to foster personal growth, enhance social skills, and encourage community involvement among young people. Each program is thoughtfully crafted to meet the diverse needs and interests of today’s youth. The New Programs Launching This Fall
The Depot Youth Center is expanding its middle school offerings with the following engaging programs:
• Girls & — In this inspiring series of workshops, girls and women’s leadership advocate and best-selling author Joan Kuhl, a Darien resident, will guide tween girls through a transformative journey focused on three crucial building blocks: confidence, ambition, and compassion.
A 47-year-old Cherry Street woman said she knew underage drinking was going on in her home, but didn’t stop it, she said, because parents were present, according to police. Youths were reported walking and screaming in the roadway, with one carrying a large speaker, said police, who went to the scene at 11:10 p.m. on Monday, July 29. Police gave this further account of the incident, including accusations not proven in court:
The underage drinking party was held at 17 Cherry St., where police questioned the homeowner, Jennifer Maher, who was issued a misdemeanor summons charging her with permitting people under the age of 21 to possess alcohol. Police saw empty beer cans and packaging in the back yard and a garbage bin at the residence
Maher is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Aug. 21.
The Stamford Center for the Arts Palace Theatre invites golfers of all levels to its Charity Golf Outing on Monday, Aug. 19, at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Wilton for a day of golf, catered meals and fundraising
— an announcement from the Stamford Center for the Arts
What You Get By Going
Golf will be played in a shamble format and will be bookended by a delicious lunch and dinner. A $10,000 hole-in-one contest sponsored by BMW of Darien, a shamble format, silent auction, lunch, and dinner are just a few highlights of this day of fun, philanthropy, and community spirit. “Our first annual outing offers an alternative event to get involved,” said President & CEO, Michael Moran, who hopes you’ll “swing into action for a cause that drives change. Join us for a round that makes a difference!”
With a new Wegmans supermarket under construction on Route 1 in Norwalk, two blocks from the Darien border, the company took another step toward its goal of opening next summer with an announcement that it’s hiring and training workers now. — a recent announcement (and a previous one) from Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
Wegmans Norwalk will be a 92,000 square-foot supermarket with the space to offer a wide variety of brands, including thousands of organic options and prepared foods. The company says it has “consistent low prices.” The store is on a site with almost 11 acres across Connecticut Avenue from the recently closed Walmart. In addition to a parking lot, the store will have an underground garage.
The Darien Department of Public Works has announced the road paving schedule for 17 streets in town, with milling starting as early as this Thursday, Aug. 8, and paving wrapping up by Friday, Aug. 23. — an announcement from the Darien Department of Public Works
“Preparatory work will precede paving on all roads,” the DPW announcement said. “Road surfaces will have raised structures during these dates.
Michael Rizzo Jr, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, July 27, 2024. For eight long years with determination and hopefulness, Mike met the challenges of health complications and setbacks that followed two severe strokes
A lover of nature Mike was the owner of Mike Rizzo Landscaping for over 40 years and took immense pride in his work and cared for his client’s properties as if they were his own,
Music was a passion of Mike’s, with Blues being his favorite genre. You could always find him at Jam, wailing on his harmonica with other local musicians who became like family. Mike was a Darien native and made innumerable lifelong friends. He was loved and will be missed by all that knew him
He is survived by his loving wife, Jennifer, his adoring daughter, Carlie; his four loving sisters: Arlene (Tommy) Hlavac, Cynthia Rizzo, Susan Rizzo and Lynn (Chris) Blanchard; his nephews, Matthew Hlavac and Freddy (Asha) Rizzo; his great-niece, Nora, and great-nephew, Max.
Edward Schildnecht of New Bern, North Carolina, passed away at home on Friday, May 24, 2024. He was 91. Edward was born and raised in Darien, graduating from Darien High School in 1951. He then enlisted in the United States Navy and honorably served until August of 1953. He returned to Darien to marry the love of his life, June, and raise his family. Edward joined the Darien Police Department in August 1959, retiring at the rank of sergeant after 20 years of service. His career continued as manager of building security for McGraw-Hill Publishing in their New York headquarters, retiring in 1993.
Kathleen Campbell Fabbri-Benham passed away peacefully at her home in Rowayton on Saturday, July 27. She was 99. Before her passing, she was surrounded by what she would call “oodles” of her loving family and friends. Kay, Kayzie, or Gammy, as she was affectionately known, had almost 100 years of an engaged and active life. Born on March 24, 1925 in Los Angeles, she was the daughter of the late Doreen Kavanagh Campbell (a four-time California state women’s golf champion, as Mom proudly reminded us often) and the late William Wilson Campbell (a frequent contender for the men’s state title).