John J. Barston, a resident of Darien, CT, passed away on April 8 at the age of 97.
Born on May 5, 1922, on Elizabeth Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, John grew up
in Woodhaven, Queens. After graduating from Franklin K. Lane High School, he was employed
by the Inland Marine Department of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company while attending New
York University at night. During World War II John was in the United States Army, 3188th
Signal Service Battalion, for forty months (1942-1946), predominantly stationed in France and
Germany. After returning home John continued his education, under the GI Bill of Rights,
returning to New York University and was ultimately awarded Bachelor of Laws and Master of
Laws degrees from Brooklyn Law School.
After admission to the New York State Bar Association in 1951, John co-founded the
independent law firm Barston, Wolynetz & Steck in New York that served the local immigrant
community on the Lower East Side. He was labor counsel for Associated Transport in NY, the
largest trucking company east of the Mississippi. John then became General Counsel of The
Trans-Lease Group, a privately held company in Westwood, MA.
John was founding Corporate Secretary and Director of the Ukrainian Museum and Library in
Stamford, CT, and a longtime member of the Count Team at St. Thomas More Church in
Darien where he was a parishioner for twenty-two years. He was most passionate about
leading the Darien Men’s Association “Wanderers” for eighteen years, organizing and leading
walking expeditions to unique neighborhoods in New York City, which always included a visit
to a historical local tavern.
John had a life-long love of sports, whether coaching his sons’ Little League teams, watching
from the sidelines at his grandchildren’s games, or running the annual March Madness
tournament pool.
John was preceded in death by his parents, John Berezowski and Pauline Warchol
Berezowski, his sister Mary, and brother Michael. A family man, John is survived by his loving
wife Geraldine of sixty-six years and their three sons and their wives John (Jay) and Liliana of
Naples, FL, Daniel and Nancy of Auburn, MA and Michael and Diane of Darien, CT, as well as six
grandchildren, Claudia, Kate, Matthew, Nicole, Peter, and Stephen.
A memorial mass will be held in the fall. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to At
Home In Darien www.athomeindarien.org
Category: In Memoriam (Page 4 of 9)
Remembering friends who have departed
Robert Austin Martella, a longtime Darien resident and WWII veteran, passed peacefully on February 4, 2020 at the age of 94. Bob was born in Port Chester, NY on June 24, 1925, the son of Austin B. Martella and Florence Murray. His father was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps in WWI and, when his time came, Bob was proud to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Bob’s mom was also a huge influence, instilling in him the importance of family that he would carry and celebrate for the rest of his life.
Bob graduated from Port Chester High School in Port Chester, NY. After high school, eager to join the war effort like so many of his older friends and classmates, he convinced his dad to write a letter to the local recruiting office giving permission for Bob to enlist, which was needed because he was only 17 years old! During WWII he spent three years with the 5th Air Forces, Signal Corps Division, and was awarded three Bronze Service Stars for his campaigns in New Guinea and the Philippines. After returning from the Pacific Bob married Janet L. Werring on August 27, 1949 and they spent their first year living together at Tusculum College in Tennessee.
After living in Rye and Yorktown Heights they settled in Darien in 1972 where they stayed for the remainder of their lives. This time together saw them easily eclipse the Golden Anniversary mark as in the end they were married for 69 years.
Bob worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance in New York City for over 36 years. He was very active as a troop leader in the Boy Scouts and, along with his wife Janet, a volunteer with Pegasus Therapeutic Riding program. He loved gardening and tinkering around the house, but his favorite hobby by far was boating. In addition to indulging this passion he also donated countless hours helping out (and hanging out) at The Darien Boat Club.
We will miss Bob’s avid storytelling and his enthusiasm for life’s little moments, from sharing cocktails on the deck with his beloved wife to presiding over family barbecues to celebrating every conceivable holiday on the calendar.
Bob is survived by his children Robert (Linda), Suzanne, Barbara Morehouse (Hank), Karen and Charles (Ariadna). He was a proud grandfather of Lauren, Evan, Leal, Diego and Sofia. His sister Pam Flanagan resides in Greenwich, CT.
The family would like to thank Darien EMS Post 53, the nurses of Waveny Home Health Care and Visiting Angels of Stamford.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Thomas Moore Church in Darien on Monday, February 10th.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, c/o Candice
Sciarrillo, 310 Peach Lake Road, Brewster, NY 10509-1715 (www.pegasustr.org/donate/)
or Darien EMS Post 53, P.O. Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820 (www.post53.info)
Willi Nagler, 90, Chief of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine at New York Hospital. Willibald Nagler passed away on Wednesday, October 23, 2019, at the age of 90. A native of Austria, Dr. Nagler received his medical degree in 1958 from the University of Vienna. The kindness of American troops after the war inspired him to pursue a life in the United States. From 1971 to 2005 he held the position of Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center and Chief of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at The New York Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center. His patients included the late President John F. Kennedy, many famous musicians, sports figures and business leaders. He was a sought after medical authority and received many honors for his work among them the Austrian Decoration for Sciences and Arts. He appeared on national television numerous times, authored many articles in medical journals and received acclaim for his popular book, “Dr. Nagler’s Body Maintenance and Repair Book”.
Dr. Nagler is survived by his wife Marion of over 50 years, his two sons, Alexander and Christian, his two daughters-in-law, Melanie and Tasha, and four grandchildren Edward, Henry, Marie and Philipp. He also leaves many other family members and friends. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Services will be private.
William M. Winship III, 88, of Darien, CT died peacefully on Sunday, February 2 nd 2020. Bill was born in White Plains, NY on May 11, 1931. He was the son of the late William and Evelyn Winship. He graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1949 and from Hamilton College in 1954 where he played varsity football, ice hockey, and lacrosse. Subsequently he received a draft letter from the Green Bay Packers. He was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. He earned an MBA at The Wharton School in 1956.
Bill and his wife, Nancy, moved to Darien in 1962 where he remained until his death.
Bill was an executive in the printing industry for many decades, working primarily in NYC. His passion was the outdoors — skiing, hiking, tennis, and the occasional misguided canoe trip with his family. Always adventurous, Bill spent years on the slopes as a member of the National Ski Patrol at Magic Mountain, VT. He and his family enjoyed many memorable ski vacations around the US and abroad.
Bill was an active community member in the YMCA Adventure Guides program. He served on many boards including notable positions as president of the Tokeneke Association, board member of The Tokeneke Club, and president of the Darien Men’s Association. He enjoyed serving at all levels of his beloved organizations especially driving the Person-to-Person truck.
Everyone who knew Bill would say his greatest joy was spending time with his eleven amazing grandchildren who lovingly called him G-Pa. He traveled near and far to attend any sporting event, performance, graduation, or promotion in which his grandchildren were involved. Many times, if the weather was poor, or conditions were not to his liking, he was known to pull his car right up to the field of play. He was an avid and supportive spectator who was loved by many teams and groups.
Bill is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy; and their three children and families: Sandra and Wayne Eddy of Cheshire CT and their children, Katharine, Jesse, William, and Anne; Anne and Kevin Bosworth of Cape Elizabeth, ME and their children Sarah, Kate, and Hannah; and Will and Karen Winship of Andover, MA and their children Will, Ryan, Charlie, and Brendan. He is survived by his brother Bob Winship of Topsfield, MA. He was predeceased by his brother Donald Winship of Bremen, ME.
A celebration of Bill’s life will be held Saturday, February 8 th , 2020 at The Tokeneke Club, Darien, CT from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bill’s name to the DMA Community Service Fund, 274 Middlesex Road, Darien, CT 06820. Attn: Bert von Stuelpnagel
Glen R. Osberg, “Oz”, a longtime resident of Darien, passed away at Stamford Hospital on Friday, January 31, 2020. He was born in Hartford, CT, on May 26, 1941, to the late Ralph Earnest Osberg and Rita Doiron Osberg.
Glen graduated from East Hartford High School in 1959 and went on to attend Norwich University in Northfield, VT, receiving a B.A. degree in government in 1963. That same year, he joined the US Army as a 1st lieutenant where he served two years in active duty and four years in the reserves. He met his wife, Linda “Lindy” Harper, while in college, and they married on October 17, 1964, in Shaker Heights, OH.
Glen had a 44-year career at IBM where he held various leadership positions focusing on international manufacturing and asset/inventory management; he retired in 2011.
As an avid reader, writer, historian and life learner, he was never short for words and loved spending time sharing stories with friends and family. Whether you knew him for years or mere minutes, Glen knew how to make you laugh with his quick-witted humor and light-hearted nature. He was a very proud husband, father and grandfather. If he wasn’t on a boat on Long Island Sound, you could find Glen cheering from a sideline or applauding in an auditorium for one of his many grandchildren. He was passionate about all sports, but when it came to fishing, it was more like a devotion. “The Old Man and the Sea,” as Lindy often referred to him, lived by the adage, “a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at the office.”
Glen was a loyal, longtime supporter of the Blue Wave Athletics program and a member of the Darien YMCA. During retirement, he spent much of his time volunteering for several organizations, including the Darien Boat Club (Commodore), Norwalk Community College’s Lifetime Learners Institute (President), Darien Men’s Association, United Way and the SoundWaters Organization. Glen is survived by his wife, Linda Harper Osberg, and their four children, Kaarn Lynch (Tom), Kristin Vrooman (Bobby), Erik Osberg (Sara), and Kinsey Tamberrino (Tom). He will also be forever remembered and missed by his 13 grandchildren: Haley, Courtney, William, Brett, Kelsey, Boden, Brinley, Van, Barclay, Oakley, Avery, Kylie and Brennan.
A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 8th at 3:00 PM at the First Congregational Church of Darien. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer’s Association with Lindy in your thoughts.
William Olin Gray
After a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, William Olin Gray passed away December 22, 2019. The Darien resident was 89 years old.
Mr. Gray was born November 7, 1930 to Grace Lansingh Freeman Gray and Hiram Ligget Gray. He grew up in Riverside, CT with his older brother Peter Lansingh Gray and younger sister Nancy Gray Schaeffer, both of whom passed away in 2018. After graduating from the Pomfret School in 1948, Mr. Gray attended Yale University and then the University of Michigan, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Yale and another Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture at Michigan, where he studied under Harry Benford.
After winning the youth nationals at the age of fifteen, Mr. Gray had enormous success as a competitive ocean racer. As the navigator of two of the Carina yachts owned by Richard Nye, Mr. Gray won many blue water races, including the trans-Atlantic race to Sweden in 1955 the Bermuda Races of 1952 and 1956, and the Fastnet Races of 1955 and 1957. Mr. Gray was also the tactician of the Weatherly during her 1958 America’s Cup campaign. Mr. Gray was proud of the fact that he visited seven foreign countries by boat before ever flying internationally.
After an honorable discharge from the United States Navy, where he served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade on the USS Courtney, Mr. Gray began his career as a naval architect at the Quincy Yards of Bethlehem Steel in Quincy, Massachusetts. Mr. Gray soon thereafter transferred to Esso Corporation, predecessor to Exxon Mobile, where he eventually became responsible for the corporation’s world wide petroleum fleet. Following the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field on the North Slope of Alaska in 1968, Mr. Gray played a prominent role in converting an existing oil tanker, the SS Manhattan, into the world’s first ice breaking oil tanker, in an effort to determine if it was economically feasible to transport petroleum through Canada’s Northwest Passage. Mr. Gray then oversaw tanker safety and intergovernmental relations for the corporation, working diligently with the Coast Guard and various international agencies to improve ship and waterway safety. Mr. Gray held four patents from his work in naval architecture.
A self-taught trombonist and lifelong jazz enthusiast, Mr. Gray founded two Dixieland jazz bands during his lifetime. The first, The Great Atlantic Jazz Band, was so successful that he was eventually replaced by a more experienced musician. Undaunted, Mr. Gray founded The Constitution Jazz Band, which played regularly throughout Connecticut at bars, weddings and festivals and ultimately released two CDs of traditional Dixieland jazz.
Mr. Gray served as a trustee of the Webb Institute and in 2002 received the Emory S. “Jerry” Land Medal for outstanding accomplishments in the Maritime field. Mr. Gray was a member of Saint Luke’s Church of Darien, CT, the Cruising Club of America, the Society of Naval Architects and Maritime Engineers, the Connecticut Maritime Association, the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the Yale Club, Mory’s, the Tokeneke Club, and the Woodway Country Club. Mr. Gray is survived by his wife, Faith Cook Gray, his daughter Elizabeth Porter Gray of Guilford, CT, his son Andrew Wallace Gray of Baltimore, MD, his step-daughter Anne Pragoff Paterno of Chester, VT and his step-daughter Julia Pragoff Grant of Beverly Hills, CA. His daughter, Susan Gray Arana, predeceased him in 2016. Mr. Gray loved being Grampy to his thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The family wishes to thank the wonderful caregivers at Waveny Lifecare in New Canaan, CT.
A funeral will be held at Saint Luke’s Church in Darien, CT, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2020. Donations may be made in his name to the () or The Seaman’s Church Institute (https://seamenschurch.org/).
Victor J. DeVivo a resident of Darien, passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2019 in Milford, CT. Born on August 2, 1919 in Detroit, MI, he was the son of the late Vincenzo and Lina Ferria DeVivo. He was 100.
Victor graduated from Stamford High School and worked as CFO for Electrolux Manufacturing in Old Greenwich, CT for 43 years retiring in 1985. He was a member of the Darien Senior Men’s Association and as he enjoyed boating was a member of the Darien Boat Club. He enjoyed tennis and golf.
He is survived by a son, Victor (Jay) DeVivo and his wife Deborah; two daughters, Wendy Hedin and her husband Keith and Doe DeVivo; and two grandchildren, Mark DeVivo and Kai Hedin. He is also survived by a sister, Elisabeth (Betty) Fecci. He was predeceased by his wife Margretta Lawton DeVivo, and two sisters, Italia (Irene) Medwed and Louise (Lu) Munro.
The family will receive friends at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien on Saturday, December 28, 2019 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project, P. O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675, Wounded Warrior Project, would be appreciated.
To send flowers to the family of Victor J. DeVivo, please visit Tribute Store.
Marc E. Thorne, a resident of Darien, passed away peacefully in the
presence of his wife and sons on Monday, December 16, 2019 at Stamford
Hospital. Born on December 14, 1938 in Rochester, NY, he was the son of
the late David and Harriet Thorne.
Marc received a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Cornell University
and a Master’s degree from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. He
worked as a Systems Engineer for IBM.
Marc was extremely active in the Darien community. He brought
enthusiasm, kindness and a gentle spirit to a broad variety of organizations
and causes supporting the town. He was a member and former chairman
of the Darien Democratic Town Committee, a member of the Darien RTM
finance and budget committee, and he served as a town selectman from
2015 through the most recent election. He was an active member and
former president of the Darien Men’s Association, a bell ringer for the
Salvation Army for many years and helped organize a group of volunteers
with this effort, a Justice of Peace, a volunteer with Literacy Volunteers of
America, a member and Choir member of the First Congregational Church.
He was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, a member of the
Darien Boat Club and a founding member of Keuka Lake Association.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Thorne of Darien, two sons, John
Thorne of Los Angeles, CA and Andrew Thorne of Columbus, OH and two
grandchildren, Luke and Caleb Thorne. He is also survived by a brother,
Jim Thorne of Indianapolis, IN and two sisters, Debbie Leary of Rochester,
NY and Susan Walker of Fort Myers, FL.
The family will receive friends at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home,
2119 Post Road, Darien on Friday, December 20, 2019 from 3:00 to 7:00
PM. A Memorial Service will be held at the First Congregational Church, 14
Brookside Road, Darien on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 3:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a local charity of your choice.
Brian Peoples
William Charles Brian Peoples
04/10/1934 to 11/27/2019 William Charles Brian Peoples, 85, of Darien CT, passed away on November 27, 2019 after a battle with cancer and Parkinson’s Disease.
Brian was born on April 10, 1934 to John and Nancy Peoples on Staten Island NY. After graduating from Staten Island Academy in 1951, he went on to study math at The University of Rochester and received an MBA in Accounting from Rutgers University Business School.
After graduation from college he went into the Army, then attended graduate school and then secured his first job as an accountant for Arthur Anderson, beginning his 38-year career in accounting as a CPA. He was the Managing Partner for Arthur Anderson-New York Metro for 6 years.
In 1946, he met Marguerite (Peggy) Lorey at Staten Island Academy. They wed in 1958, going on to have two children, Brian Jr. and Jeffery Peoples.
After retiring in 1996, Brian spent time with family, grandchildren, playing tennis, golf, and paddle tennis as a member of Wee Burn Country Club. He was on the boards of the Darien Library and the Darien Historical Society.
Brian was predeceased by his brother Dennis Peoples. He is survived by his wife Peggy, his brother John Peoples, his sister Nancy Joyce Benjamin, his two sons Brian and Jeffery, their spouses Priscilla and Liz Peoples, and four grandchildren: Emilie Peoples, Willie Peoples, Katy Peoples, and Charley Peoples.
A Memorial Service will be held at ST Luke’s Episcopal Church at a later date.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to Post 53, the Darien Historical Society or the Darien Public library.
Memorial service January 11th, at St Luke’s Church, at 11:00am.
Bill Nolte
William D. Nolte Jr. 09/24/1936 to 12/2/2019 William D. Nolte Jr., a resident of Norwalk, passed away at Norwalk Hospital on Monday, December 2, 2019. Born in New York City on September 24, 1936, he was the son of the late William Devereux Nolte and Margaret Brennan Nolte. William attended Georgetown University and was a graduate of Fordham University. He had a long career in management consulting with Arthur Andersen, Coopers & Lybrand and eventually his own firm. He is survived by his wife Susan F. Nolte, son, William D. Nolte III (Elise) of Westport, CT, daughters Anne E. Nolte (Thomas A. Dippel), of Westport, CT, Kathleen B. Nolte of Tulum, Mexico and one granddaughter Ava Dippel Nolte. He is also survived by a sister Mary Elizabeth Wein (Robert M.) of
Bronxville, NY. A Mass will be held on Friday, December 6, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. at St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery in Norwalk. In lieu of flowers, prayers for the family would be appreciated.
Robert (“Bob”) Paul Sullivan died peacefully, with his beloved wife Marylou and family by his side at his home in Darien, CT on August 2nd after a three-year battle with brain cancer.
Born in 1958 in Woburn, MA to Richard and Margaret Sullivan, Bob was the second of five Sullivan boys. The first in his family to attend college, Bob graduated from Merrimack College in North Andover, MA in 1981 and joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, where he would spend his entire 36 year professional career. In 1990 Bob, Marylou and their children moved to Darien, CT for the start of a “two year” tour in the firm’s New York office which lasted for 27 years until his retirement in 2017. Bob was a partner for 25 years and held various senior leadership positions during his career, including serving two terms on the US Board of Partners and one term on the firm’s Global Board of Partners. He also was the Global leader of the firm’s Banking and Capital Markets practice for 7 years. Bob was known for his energy, his boundless enthusiasm for the firm and the joy he received from being a coach and mentor to countless partners, staff and clients.
b was an avid golfer, boater, tennis player and king of the afternoon nap. Bob and Marylou loved spending time at their summer home on Cape Cod with their daily morning walks, traveling and entertaining friends and family. The Sullivan annual costume party on Halloween was not to be missed. He was a dedicated father to his children, spending his free time as a coach or spectator at their sporting events, and taking a keen interest in their careers. A passionate fan of his hometown sports teams, Bob was often spotted wearing a Red Sox or Patriots cap.
Bob is survived by his wife of 36 years Marylou (McCarthy), his four children, Michael (Alison) of Norwalk, CT, Melissa of Boston, MA, Christopher (Kathryn) of Boston, MA and Jack of Darien, CT. He was “Grampie” to Conor and Finn, a devoted son to Margaret, brother to John, David and Paul and an uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Richard Joseph Sullivan and brother Richard Jr.
Visiting hours will take place Wednesday August 7, 2019 from 4pm to 8pm at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road in Darien. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. John R.C. Church, 1986 Post Road in Darien on Thursday August 8, 2019 at 11:00am. Interment to follow at Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Bob’s memory to support Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Neuro-Oncology Research. Checks, made payable to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, should be mailed to:
Attn: Rachel Flannery
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Office of Development
PO Box 27106
New York, NY 10087
Please indicate on the check that the gift is in memory of Robert Sullivan.
Online gifts can also be made to http://mskcc.convio.net/goto/robert_sullivan
Raymond F. Meurer, age 87, of Rowayton passed away at home on July 6, 2019. Born Dec. 28, 1931, in New York City, he was the son of the late Sylvain and Emma Meurer. He was predeceased by his sister Alice.
Ray grew up on Long Island and graduated from Great Neck High School. He attended Wabash College, where he received a B.A. degree in English. He married the late Jane Schreifer in 1956. Ray began his business career in 1953 with Walden Book Company. In 1957, he joined IBM in communications and press relations. He served as manager of IBM’s News Bureau in Cleveland and later New York City. Based in White Plains, N.Y., he wrote executive presentations for division presidents and senior marketing executives. He also produced television and print advertising for a variety of products and services. Prior to retiring in 1992, he provided press relations support for IBM’s corporate sponsorship of the PGA Tour, the ATP Tennis Tournaments and the BOC single-handed around-the-world sailboat races.
His passion in life was boating. Ray could be found on his boat any day of the week all season long. In addition to enjoying the many harbors on Long Island Sound and beyond, he transited the waters from Maine to Florida. He was past commodore of Wilson Cove Yacht Club and a member of Rowayton Yacht Club and the Corinthians. Ray served as harbor superintendent of Five Mile River for 13 years and was a member of the Connecticut Harbor Masters Association. At the United Church of Rowayton, he served as chairman of the board of deacons and as lay leader. He also produced press releases for print and TV news media about church activities. He was active in the Darien Men’s Association and for the last several years produced its newsletter and headed up communications.
Ray is survived by Joyce, his wife of 41 years. He has three adult children and six grandchildren who live in nearby Danbury and Fairfield, Conn. A memorial service will be held at the United Church of Rowayton on Sat., Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rowayton Library, 33 Highland Ave., Rowayton, CT 06853.