Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/darien-obituaries-2015)
Mary Susan O’Connor, 49, of Cary, North Carolina, died suddenly of a heart attack on Dec. 5, 2015. A memorial service will be held in New Canaan on Saturday, June 11. Known by her middle name, Susan was born on Dec. 30, 1965, in Washington, D.C., to Leon Richard and Shirley JoAnne Martin Kearing.
Tom Volpe, Jr. a long time resident of Monroe and a former Darien resident died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack on Jan. 29, while living in Southbury. Tom was a technical support engineer employed by Neato, Inc., a New Haven subsidiary of Fellows Incorporated. Tom, born in New Rochelle, N.Y. on May 17, 1958, was the son of Thomas and his predeceased mother, Josephine (Jo) Volpe. They lived first in Larchmont, then Chappaqua, N.Y., where Tom attended Greeley High School.
Loretta Poccia was born on June 28, 1924 in Bridgeport Connecticut. She died on Jan. 27 at the age of 91 while at Stamford Hospital. Lorrie was born on June 28, 1924 in Bridgeport. She died on Jan.
Robert Joseph Kammerer-business leader, mentor, friend, husband, father, avid golfer and grandfather-died at the age of 78 on Friday evening, Jan. 22 at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan. Bob was born on March 29th, 1937 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the fifth of five children of Roy and Sarah Kammerer. He attended local schools and DeLaSalle High School. He excelled in many sports and was an all-state player in basketball, baseball and football.
Kathleen W. Herbert, a former resident of Darien, passed away on Jan. 21 at her home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Born on Oct. 23, 1922 in Stamford, she was one of nine children born to Elizabeth Phelan Tymon and James Tymon. She was married to John E. Herbert, Sr. in 1942 who predeceased her in 2001.
Harry Irving Emmons, Jr. a long time resident of Darien, died Jan. 15, 2016 at the age of 89. He grew up in Andover, Massachusetts and was the son of the late Harry and Grace Emmons. Harry graduated from Holderness School, Plymouth, New Hampshire and attended Bowdoin College before serving at the Merchant Marine Academy in Castine, Maine and in the U.S. Army. In 1943, Harry won Maine’s men’s doubles tennis state championship.
Retha M. Reed, a resident of Maplewood at Darien and former long-time resident of both New Canaan and Stamford, died Friday, Jan. 15 at Stamford Hospital of natural causes. She was 92. Born Dec. 22, 1923 in New Edinburg, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Rev. Lee Bryan Moseley and the late Lois Tipton Moseley.
Teresa C. Cullinan, a Darien resident, died peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 14 at Yale New Haven Hospital. Her passing comes just 11 days after that of her husband, Joseph Cullinan. Born in Stamford on Oct. 21, 1932, she was the daughter of Sabino and Teresa Conforti.
Mary Delia, age 88, was well-cared-for by the staff at Autumn Lake Healthcare of Norwalk for four years where she loved playing bingo and card games. Mary passed away Jan. 9, 2016. Born at her home in Darien on Sept. 19, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Bernardino and Josephine Petrucelli Alicandro.
Donald L. Kiggins, Sr., 92, of Darien, Fairlee, VT and Marco Island, FL, passed away on Saturday, January 9, 2016. He was born at home on Five Mile River Rd., Darien, on May 19, 1923. His parents were the late Walter F. Kiggins, Sr. and Harriet (Schmidt) Kiggins of Darien. He was predeceased by his Step-Mother, Edith Kiggins, and by a brother Walter F. Kiggins, Jr.
He graduated from Darien High School in the class of 1941 and attended Dickinson Junior College during the war and Bridgeport University after the war. He joined the U. S. Army Air Corp in 1943 and became a P-51 Mustang Fighter pilot.
Joseph Francis Cullinan, 81, passed away peacefully Jan. 3 at his Darien home while surrounded by his loving wife, children and grandchildren. Joseph was born in Stamford on Jan. 19, 1934, and was the son of Margaret (nee Cunningham) of Cork City, Ireland, and Michael Cullinan, of Fanore, in County Clare, Ireland. Growing up in Stamford, Joseph often reminisced about his childhood.
Anna M. Dixon, a resident of Riverside, CT and a former long-time resident of Darien since 1955, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015 at Stamford Hospital. Born on May 28, 1920 in Darien, she was the daughter of the late James and Margherite Garaventa Moschini. She was 95. Anna graduated from Darien High School and Shorts Secretarial School in Stamford.
Yolanda Caldwell Zangrillo, 89, passed away on Dec. 31, 2015 at her home in Darien after a brief illness. She was surrounded by her family. Born on November 25, 1926, Mrs. Zangrillo was born in Canada to the late Gordon and Wanda Caldwell. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Stephen Frank Zangrillo, who passed away on July 8, and her sister Barbara.
James Habersham Swiggart lost his life on Dec. 17, 2015 in a private airplane crash near Tallahassee, Fl.; he was 31 years old. He is survived by his mother, Carolyn C. Swiggart and stepfather John A. Wayt, III of Greenwich and Jamestown, R.I.; also his father and stepmother, William and Janet Swiggart, and their children, Abigail and William of North Andover, Mass. Jamie grew up in Darien, where he became an Eagle Scout and served as an EMT with Post 53, a volunteer ambulance corps staffed by high school students. He sailed during his summers at Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich and competed in many regattas.
Sally Lord Nightingale of Darien, CT, died at the Stamford Hospital on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 surrounded by her family. She was 88. She was born on March 2, 1927 in Providence, RI, the daughter of Margaret Aborn Lord and Robert Mendon Lord. Sally grew up in Providence, R.I. and attended the Lincoln School. She later attended Vassar College, graduating in 1949.