Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/darien-obituary-2015)
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.
Pearl Falcioni was a long-time resident of Darien. She passed away peacefully on Monday, Dec. 21, surrounded by loving family. She was born on March 6, 1921 in North Stonington. She was the daughter of the late John Christie and Iva Estelle Tillinghast Christie.
Clifford C. Evans, a longtime resident of Darien, died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. Dr. Evans, 70, is survived by his wife of 43 years, Suellen Evans. Born in Latrobe, Pa., on Feb. 7, 1945, he was the son of the late Donald & Thelma Evans.
Jean Chandler Miller of New York City, formerly of Darien, died peacefully at home Saturday, Dec. 12, at the age of 86. She was born March 10, 1929, in Brooklyn, the daughter of the late Walter and Ethel Chandler. She was the beloved wife of Lewis A. Miller for almost 66 years, the mother of David Chandler Miller of Darien (wife Nina) and of Kathryn Ann Miller of Riverdale, the Bronx, and grandmother of Coleman Chandler Miller Esq. of Brooklyn and Caleb Miller Zalaznick, a junior at McGill University, Montreal.
Jennie B. Coates, a 67-year resident of Darien, died Tuesday, December 8th in her home at Atria of Darien after a short illness. Her passing was peaceful, surrounded by her three loving daughters. She was 94. Jennie was born in Stamford, the daughter of the late John and Anna Bayonsky. She graduated from Stamford High School in 1938, and worked as an executive secretary at Pitney Bowes until her retirement in 1987.
Leslie Jeanne Taylor Browne lost her hard fought battle to pancreatic cancer on Dec. 2, 2015. She was born Oct. 17, 1956 in Charlotte, NC, daughter to George W. Taylor, Jr. and Anne Henderson O’Brien. She is survived by her son, Taylor Browne, sister Anna McCraw, and nieces Alexis McCraw Armstrong and Anne Courtney Bigelow.
Nicholas M. DeMaio Jr. (Jay) 84, passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 6, 2015 after a four-month battle with cancer.
Nick was born in Stamford on Sept. 14, 1931 to the late Mary (Abate) DeMaio and Nicholas M. DeMaio Sr. Growing up in Stamford’s historic west side, Nick maintained strong roots there, later becoming a 57-year resident of Darien. After graduating from J.M. Wright Technical High School in 1948, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies baseball organization. He went on to play minor league baseball for several years, including the K.O.M. league based in Commerce, Oklahoma.
Antonia Colomba Conetta, a 60 year resident of Stamford, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at Stamford Hospital. Born on June 13, 1922 in Settefrati, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Rafaella Pollicella Massarella and Giuseppe Massarella. Antonia worked for the Town of Darien as a custodian for over 20 years. She was predeceased by her husband, Remigio Conetta in January 2014. She is survived by three sons, Louis and his wife, Maryann, of Orange, CT; Anthony and his wife, Jacqueline; and Joseph and his wife, Emily, all of Darien.
Ronald Peter Freres passed away on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, at Stamford Hospital surrounded by family. He was 72 years old. Born on Feb. 7, 1943, Ron was the son of the late Henrietta Jahnke and Peter Freres.
William Charles Gluck, 49, a father of three, former Darien resident and 30-year member of the Noroton Fire Department, passed away Nov. 27. Bill was born in Greenwich on March 31, 1966 to Elizabeth Gluck and Charles William Gluck of Darien. Bill graduated from Darien High School in 1984 and from the University of Rhode Island in 1988 where he served as president of his fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa. Bill’s dedication was legendary including working for Hallmark Cards, Inc. for 26 years, most recently as their Northeast Regional Manager.
Edward W. “Ned” Pocengal died peacefully in his home from liver cancer on Nov. 6, 2015 at the age of 53. ________
— Adapted from a Birmingham News obituary via Legacy.com
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Born March 26, 1962 in Yonkers, N.Y., he grew up in Darien. He received his bachelor of arts degree in English from Southern Connecticut University. Pocengal had worked for the past 15 years as a cataloguer in the libraries of Yale University.
Nora H. Forlenzo died peacefully on Friday November 20th at home surrounded by her family. Born on June 14, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Peter and Mary Harrington. She was 88. Nora was raised on a farm in County Cork, Ireland and had a fondness for animals particularly her horse Molly. She moved to New York City in the 1950s, lived in Washington Heights and worked as a telephone operator and became a Yankees fan.