Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/darien-obituaries-2024)
Pearl Kaminsky passed peacefully on Aug. 17. She was born in Stamford Connecticut, the daughter of Paul and Katherine Walczuk. She was a longtime resident of Darien, moving to Norwalk after retirement. She enjoyed her work as a buyer and salesperson at Ethel Allen, Nora Zandre and Elsebe’s, assisting her clients in finding the perfect outfits to fit their personality and lifestyle.
Marshall A. Tharp of Sarasota, Florida died on Dec. 4, 2024. He was 95. He was the son of the late Carey E. Tharp and author Louise Hall Tharp of Darien. Marshall grew up in Darien, where he lived for over 50 years.
Judith Davidson Rodriguez of Darien died peacefully on Jan. 1. She was 90. Born in New York City on Aug. 27, 1934, Judy was the daughter of the late William Francis Davidson and Edna Feehan Davidson.
Walter Patrick Loughlin, known to family and friends as Pat, passed away on Nov. 30, in Manhattan from cancer. He was 74. He was a brilliant lawyer, law professor and public servant; a beloved and loving father, brother and friend; and an adventurous spirit who decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to celebrate his 60th birthday. The son of Lawrence Leo Loughlin and Mary Lou Loughlin, Walter was born Sept.
Robert F. Harrel Jr, former first selectman of Darien, died peacefully with his family by his side after a brief illness on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Bob was born in New York City on September 26, 1936. They moved to Darien in 1938 where he lived over 70 years before moving to Florida permanently in 2015. Bob attended Royle School, New Canaan Country Day and graduated from Darien High School in 1954.
Irma Louise Frasca (“Chicky”), a long-time resident of Darien, passed away on Nov. 30, surrounded by loved ones. She was 92. She was born in Norwalk to George Webb and Grace Manchester and was the last survivor of her 12 siblings. Irma married Ralph Frasca of Darien where they raised four children in the family-built home.
Ming Tong passed away at his home in Darien on Tuesday, Dec. 3, after an extended illness. He was 65. Ming was born in Dalian, China to Zihe Tong and Kejun Tang, who were both professors at the then Dalian Institute of Technology (DIT), now Dalian University of Technology. A determined student despite difficult circumstances in China at the time, Ming performed exceptionally well on his college entrance exams and successfully gained admission to DIT as an undergraduate student in 1977.
David Allan Simpson, a long-time resident of Darien, passed away on Dec. 2, 2024. He was 69. Born in Bronxville, New York, he was the son of the late Nancy (Ferns) and Harold B. Simpson, Jr.
David graduated from Darien High School in 1973 and worked for many different employers around town, but he was most comfortable working as his own boss as a handyman. He was passionate about fitness and enjoyed spending time at the gym in his younger years.
Kerry Kent Smith Gerrits was a beloved resident and member of the Darien community who sadly passed away on Nov. 26. Born in 1977 and raised in Garden City, Long Island, Kerry attended college at the University of Delaware, and spent her career working in sales and finance, spending nearly a decade at dv01. Kerry lived much of her life in Manhattan, but she also lived for several years in London where she met the love of her life, Tim, with whom she had three beautiful children: Alice Eileen, Lukas Bram, and Finn Harold. Tim and their children were Kerry’s greatest joy.
E. Garrett Bewkes III, known to his many friends as “Gar,” passed away on Nov. 18, 2024, in New York City from complications related to Leukemia. He was 74. He was a founder of GarMark Partners, chair of its Investment Committee, and director of numerous portfolio companies.
Joan Agnes Close Dyson-Hogan, beloved descendant of one of Greenwich’s founding families, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2024. Born on May 24, 1935, Joan traced her heritage to Thomas Close, one of the original patentees named in the 1642 Greenwich town patent granted by the General Assembly. Raised in Newtown, CT, Joan graduated from the Hawley School and later attended the University of Connecticut, where she met her first husband, Charles Edward Dyson. Together, they had three children: Hilary (deceased), Lesley, and Brendan. Joan’s life was marked by her commitment to education, community, and a deep love for nature.
Linda “Bunny” Reiner of Darien passed away peacefully, surrounded by love, on Oct. 15. She was 76. The beloved daughter of Ores and Linda Mesedahl, Bunny was born on Jan. 19, 1948, and raised in Stamford, where she attended Rippowam High School.
Joan Baker Hutchison, whose special gifts of empathy, sense of fun, and making things beautiful led her to become a nurse, an extraordinary mother, and an accomplished artist, died on Oct. 7 at her home in East Providence, Rhode Island. She was 88. Joan was a longtime resident of New Canaan with her husband, Bill, and their three children, but she lived all over the country. She spent childhood summers in Whitefish, Montana, where her Norwegian-immigrant family was from and where she swam in the lake and played with the summer kids until the town curfew whistle blew in the evening.
Nancy C. Hrusa, a long-time resident of Darien, passed away on Nov. 8, 2024, at Saint Camillus Nursing Home in Stamford. She was 96. She was born in Queens, New York to Anna and Harry Compton. Nancy went to high school at Hunter College High and went on to Smith College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in geology.
John William Potter of Darien died peacefully with his beloved family by his side on Nov. 26 at Yale New Haven Hospital. He was 84. A native of Rock Island, Illinois, John was born on July 2, 1940. He was a graduate of Rock Island High School and the University of Arizona.