Darienite (https://darienite.com/tag/darien-obituary-june-2016)
Veronica “Ronni” Kue Casey of Darien passed on June 22 while working at her beloved Norwalk Hospital maternity ward. The wife of Walter Casey, she was 69 years old. Ronni was born in New York City to Mabelle and Howard Dong. Howard, her father, pre-deceased her. Ronni considered Carle Place, Long Island her home.
Robert Wayne Plunkett, 96, passed away on Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Waters Edge Assisted Living in Lake Wales, Fl. He was the husband of Ruth A. Ehrenfeld Plunkett who died in 2009. He was born on June 3, 1920 in York, the son of James C. and Marion E. Smith Plunkett. Robert honorably served his country during World War II, having achieved the rank of corporal. He was a member of an anti-aircraft battalion which destroyed or damaged more than 100 Japanese planes during the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines.
Donald Everett Freud of Alpharetta, Ga., formerly of New Canaan, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 28 at the age of 88. Born Dec. 8, 1927 in New York City, he was the son of Everett H. and Hazel Freud. Mr. Freud, a resident of Alpharetta and Johns Creek, Ga. for 15 years, also lived in New Canaan from 1965 to 2001 where he was involved in many volunteer organizations.
Jean Leet, a former Darien, Wilson Point, Wilton and Hazen, N.D. resident, passed away peacefully on June 25. Born Nov. 4, 1922 in Zap, N.D. to Margaret Adams Stroup and Robert Martin Stroup, (Margaret) Jean Stroup grew up in and attended school in Hazen, N.D. She graduated from North Dakota State University and taught high school English in Elgin, N.D.
Shortly after marrying her college sweetheart, Jim Leet, they moved to London where they lived for the next 11 years while Jim worked for Pan American World Airways. Their three children were born in England. The family moved to Connecticut in 1958.
David Booth Barrett David Booth Barrett, 78, went to be with his Lord in heaven on Friday, June 24, 2016 at home after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. He was born in New York City Oct. 12, 1937, the son of Isabel and Francis Howard Barrett. David is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Barbara, his children, David Barrett Jr., Sharon Broz, Laura Davidson, Tim Barrett and Anne Wingfield, his 10 grandchildren and many close friends. He was raised in New York City and received his bachelor’s degree from Fairfield University and his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Fordham University School of Law.
H. Paxson Gifford, Sr. 96, of Mount Dora, Fl. and a former Darien resident, died peacefully on June 21. He was born on Sept. 23, 1919 in Hollidaysburg, Pa.
Shirley Jean (Brown) Gurliacci, died Thursday, June 30, at Meadow Ridge Senior Living in Redding. She was 81. She was born Jan. 12, 1935 in Cyclone, Pa., to Clarence and Anna (Stanko) Brown (later Ann Ehrman), and grew up in Butler, Pa., attending a convent school and graduating from Butler High School in 1952. Shirley was named after Shirley Temple.
Dorothy Ann (Wintz) Ritt of Wayland, Mass., loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Ann went to be with God on June 23, surrounded by loved ones. Ann was born on Oct. 12, 1927 in Baltimore, the fifth child of Mr. John A. Wintz and Mrs. Margaret M. Wintz. She graduated from Institute of Notre Dame, where she was the winner of the prestigious IND medal for excellence in academics and athletics. She studied finance at Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Eugene “Gene” Coyle, a half-century resident of Darien, died at home on Monday morning, June 20. Loyalty was his hallmark. He ended a 50-year career at Time magazine in 1993, and since then has devoted most of his time to his family and to the public affairs of this town. He was an ever-faithful U.S. Marine since the day he enlisted in 1945 at the age of 16. He died after a seven-month illness surrounded by his two daughters, Nancy Coyle-Downs and Laura Coyle, his three grandsons, Connor, Hunter and Gannon Downs, and his sister, Mary Ann Miller.
Joseph Robert Palumberi Sr., age 87, formerly of Shelton, peacefully entered into eternal rest on Saturday, June 25, at Connecticut Hospice in Branford, with his loving family by his side. A beloved and devoted son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather, he will be missed. Born in Darien on April 4, 1929, he was the 5th child of the late Francesco and Raffaela (Limatola) Palumberi of Darien. A four-sport star and Darien High School Hall of Fame inductee, Joseph continued his family’s long history of military service and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, ultimately serving as a Sergeant in the Korean War. Joseph was a lifetime member of the Piedmont Italian Club in Darien.
Margaret “Peg” Small Hart, 88, died on June 22 from complications due to Parkinson’s disease. She was born in Chicago, Illinois on Sept. 5, 1927, the youngest of three children born to William Arden Small and Elizabeth Foresman Small. In 1939 her father purchased the Tucson Daily Citizen which necessitated their move to Tucson, Arizona. She attended public schools and graduated in 1945 from Tucson Senior High School.
John T. (Jack) Whitehead, a member of the Representative Town Meeting and a life-long resident of Darien, passed away on Sunday, June 26, at Norwalk Hospital. He had been a member of the Darien Republican Town Committee and worked at the Darien Parks & Recreation Department. Born on March 21, 1952 in Stamford, he was the son of the late James T. and Mary Catherine Callahan Whitehead. He was 64. Jack graduated from Stamford Catholic High School in Stamford.
Frances (DeNardo) Passaro, age 94, formerly of Darien, died Wednesday, June 22 at Laurel Ridge Health Care in Ridgefield. She was the wife of Ralph Passaro, Sr.
She was born in Stamford, March 7, 1922, daughter of the late James and Sophia DeNardo. In addition to her husband Ralph she is survived by her sister, Mary Simoneau; sons, Ronald Passaro and Ralph Passaro; daughters-in-law, Lurene & Jennifer Passaro; and grandchildren, Donna, Ronald, Sarah, Carly and Tessa Passaro. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. ____________
— an obituary from Hull Funeral Home
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The family will receive friends at the Hull Funeral Home, 60 Division St., Danbury.
Darien (and former New Canaan) resident, Lois Bortone passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, June 18. Born in 1927, Lois was the daughter of Charles and Louise Lauda. She grew up in Port Washington, N.Y., and married her high school sweetheart, Frederic John (Jack) Ahern. Following her early career as an artist, Lois’ creative flair and style influenced her antiques-filled homes and bountiful gardens. She was the paragon of a model wife, mother, hostess and homemaker.
While surrounded by her children and grandchildren, Maureen Margaret Wright, age 83, gracefully passed into the hands of God. Born to Peter and Agnes Donnelly in Providence, R.I., Maureen graduated from Rogers High School in Newport, R.I., where her father was the principal. She matriculated to Pembroke College (Brown University) where she earned dean’s list honors while in pursuit of a degree in education. In her second year, a young lieutenant aviator in the Marine Corps briefly interrupted this endeavor. Promising to take her away from the winter cold if she would join him in Pensacola, Fl., Maureen married James R. Wright.