Darien Obituaries January 2016

Obituaries

Sandford Young, State Golf Association President, a Wee Burn Club Director

By David Gurliacci | February 22, 2016

Sanford Procter Young died on Jan. 28, 2016 in Hendersonville, N.C. A former Darien resident, he was active in state and national golf associations. Sandy, as he was best known, was pre-deceased in 1980 by his first wife, Georgia Childs Young, his college sweetheart at Middlebury. Sandy was born in Boston, the son of Leroy Merrill Young and Evelyn Procter Young. He graduated from Governor Dummer Academy in South Byfield, Mass. and Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt. and did graduate work at Harvard College.

Obituaries

Laurel Richards Kane, 69, Former Darien Resident Opened Route 66 Welcome Center

By David Gurliacci | February 18, 2016

Along a once-thriving stretch of Route 66 in Afton, Oklahoma, is a vintage service station where visitors from around the world would find, and later seek out, a welcome and a smile from Laurel Kane. The modest ’30s-era building was purchased by Laurel and her then-husband, David Kane, in 1998. In 2001, Laurel and David reopened Afton Station as a welcome center for tourists, including a museum displaying Laurel’s Route 66 memorabilia and David’s collection of restored, vintage Packard automobiles. Afton Station quickly became a mainstay on Route 66 and is featured in most guidebooks that highlight Route 66’s top attractions. Laurel, a resident of Tulsa, passed away at the age of 69, on Jan.

Obituaries

George Brookner, 79, Active in Darien Senior Men’s Club

By David Gurliacci | February 9, 2016

Family, friends, and community lost a great man on Jan. 28. George Michael Brookner, 79, of Norwalk died peacefully surrounded by his family at Norwalk Hospital. 

George was a 1954 graduate of Pittsfield High School in Pittsfield, MA, he graduated from Syracuse University in 1958, later receiving an MBA from Sacred Heart University. While at Syracuse, he was on the varsity baseball and swim teams. A veteran of the US Air Force, he held a pilot’s license. He worked in the aerospace industry for the Link Division of General Dynamics and for Pitney Bowes.

Obituaries

Matthew Galbraith, 88, Insurance Executive, Father of Three, Former Darienite

By David Gurliacci | February 9, 2016

Matthew Galbraith, a resident of Darien, a former resident of Riverside, and a former 40-year resident of Barrington, RI, passed away on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 in Darien. Born on Nov. 23, 1927 in New York, N.Y., he was the son of the late Rose Marie Howes Galbraith and Matthew W. Galbraith and was raised in Millburn, N.J.

Matthew graduated from Millburn High School in Millburn, N.J. and received a B.S. degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II.

Obituaries

Olga Bonfoey, 92, Store Clerk, Volunteer, Longtime Darien Resident

By David Gurliacci | February 9, 2016

Olga Bonfoey died unexpectedly and peacefully at her home early Tuesday morning, Jan. 26, in Darien at the age of 92. She died in the home in which she resided since 1950. Olga Bonfoey is survived by her children; Michael Bonfoey and his wife Kelley of Lake Junaluska, N.C., Beverly Bonfoey of Darien, and Gail Iannacone and her husband Al of Norwalk; sister Helen Hallas of Greenwich; grandchildren Tekla Bonfoey, David Iannacone, Michael Iannacone, Lauren Kelley Brown; great grandchildren McKenzie and Abigail; special friends Joe and Sarah Licari and family, especially Jillian and Jake who kept her young at heart. Olga is preceded in death by Arthur Bonfoey, her husband of 57 years.