Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/darien-obituary-february-2023)
Sheila Pataky Youngblood died on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 in the memory care unit of The Springs at Butte after a brutal bout with dementia. She was 81. A longtime Butte, Montana resident, Sheila, the daughter of Charlotte (Hammerberg) Pataky and Francis J. Pataky and twin sister of Jane Pataky Henderson, was born in Bridgeport on Feb. 16, 1942.
Vicki Lewis Nolan, 63, a long-time resident of Darien, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Feb. 24, 2023. Vicki was born on Sept. 15, 1959, in Toledo, Ohio, the daughter of Richard T. Lewis and the late Nelaura O. Lewis (“Rusty”). Vicki grew up in Riverside, attending Greenwich Country Day School and Greenwich High School.
G. Michael Stevens passed away suddenly on Feb. 28 while doing what he loved most — boating in the Caribbean with Leila, his wife of over 26 years, and close friends. Mike was born in 1961 in Syracuse, New York to Dr. William and Sallie Stevens. He was the third of four children, and their only son.
Laurie (Pickett) Pinover, 88, of Madison passed away on Feb. 9 at Ocean Meadow Senior Living & Memory Care in Clinton, surrounded by her family. She was born and raised in Meriden, the daughter of Edna and Harold Pickett. Laurie graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. After college, she began a teaching career and married the love of her life, Stan Pinover.
Nancy Tyler of Darien passed away in February surrounded by family. She was 65. Nancy will be remembered for her thoughtfulness, strength, and sharp memory, traits she inherited from her parents, Ann and George Anderson. She served as a selfless pillar for the Anderson and Tyler families, supporting her husband Tom in his decades-long engineering career and helping numerous family members as they aged and during family crises. She initially honed her business acumen working for Union Trust after her studies at Ithaca and Fairleigh Dickinson, but later managed family real estate and served as informal family organizer, always demonstrating a knack for getting things done.
David Etnier Austin, 90, architect and founding partner of Austin Patterson Disston of South Norwalk, died on Feb. 18 from complications of Alzheimer’s. A modernist whose work included private residences and community spaces throughout the Northeast, Austin’s designs were thoughtful, innovative, and elegant. Born in Hartford to Helen Goodwin and A. Everett “Chick” Austin on Jan. 19, 1933, he and his sister, Sally, grew up in a household that offered a unique cultural education.
Francis “Frank” James Lyons, 80, of Little Compton, Rhode Island, passed away on Feb. 14. He was 80. Frank was born in Stamford on March 6, 1942 to parents Francis Joseph Lyons and Marie Lynch Lyons. The third of four children, Frank spent a childhood in the sunshine of southern California before being lured east by a cute blonde, his eventual wife of 35 years, Barbara Von Urff.
Renzo Sergio Corra, 89, of Riverside, CT, passed away peacefully on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023 at Regional Hospice in Danbury following a short illness. He was born in Quero, Italy on July 23, 1933, the son of Pompilio and Amelia (Collavo) Corra. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 67 years, Giulia (Creglia) Corra of Riverside; his son, Lawrence (Anna) of Wilton; a granddaughter, Alexandra (Ariel) of Norwalk; a brother, Corrado of Quero, Italy; and many members of extended family in Italy. He was predeceased by his brothers Gino, Mario, Rino, and Rosalino, all of Italy.
Craig W. Billingham passed away on Feb. 21, 2023, after being diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in November. He was 73. He was born on Feb. 6, 1950, in Randolph, Vermont, to Jessie and George Billingham and was raised in Darien.
Judith Irene Hynes Gould, 84, died on Feb. 15, 2023 of Parkinson’s Disease. She was 84. Judy, as she was always called, was born on May 16, 1938, to Harold and Marie Elizabeth Hynes in Darien. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University and worked as a writer and editor for Glamour Magazine before she married Henry H. Gould, moved to Northbrook, Illinois, and had three children.
Sylvia J. Vitti D’Ottavio, a resident of Darien for over 60 years, died peacefully in her home on Tuesday, Feb. 21. She was 99. She was born on Dec. 6, 1923, in Port Chester, New York, to the late Mary and Caesar Vitti.
Virginius Bryan Lougee III marched steadfastly to his eternal home on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, in Bermuda Run, North Carolina. He was 96. V.B. was born May 31, 1926 in Durham, North Carolina, the beloved son of Virginius B. Lougee Jr. and Maggie Riggsbee Lougee. Upon his graduation from Durham High School in 1944, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and soon served in World War II as a machinist mate on the U.S.S. Norman Scott.
Sonja S. Fulton, a resident of Darien for nearly 60 years, died peacefully on Jan. 23 at her residence at the Sunrise Senior Living Community in Stamford. She was 95. Sonja was born on Feb. 13, 1927, in the Bronx, New York, to the late Hjalmar and Clorinda (Russo) Sternhagen. Her parents were immigrants from Sweden and Italy respectively.
On Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, the world lost a beautiful soul. Michael Staley Fleming Jr. 49, of Darien, beloved husband of Adrienne Strouse Fleming, passed away. Michael was born in San Diego on Aug. 27, 1973 to Michael Fleming Sr. and Linda Peck Fleming of Norwalk.
John Joseph Bresnan’s journey ended on Jan. 24, 2023, in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 74. He was born on April 14, 1948, in New York, New York, to John and Kathleen Bresnan, but spent much of his childhood in Stamford. After graduating from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, John joined Chase Manhattan Bank’s first credit training program (Chase Credit Class 1) in New York City. He would go on to spend 25 years on Wall Street, including 13 years with Lehman Brothers as managing director responsible for credit.