Ethel Lawrence Nolan, grandmother of residents

Tuesday, 07 February 2012 20:51

Ethel Lawrence Nolan of Wilton died on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012 after an extended illness. She was the wife of the late Philip M. Nolan and the grandmother of Redding residents Christopher Nolan and Jennifer Slavinsky.

She was born on June 29, 1924 to the late Remson and Mildred Lawrence. She was a lifelong resident of Wilton.

Eleanor A. Foster, avid golfer, bridge player

Tuesday, 07 February 2012 10:31

Eleanor A. Foster, 95, of Redding, formerly a longtime Wilton resident, died at Meadow Ridge Health Center on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. Mrs. Foster, 95, was the wife of the late Richard T. Foster.

She was born in Woodcliff, N.J., daughter of the late Harry and Augusta Jasper. She graduated from Hempstead High School, Hempstead, N.Y. and St. Lawrence College, St. Lawrence, N.Y. She was an avid golfer and bridge player and was a longtime member of the Silver Spring Country Club.

Robert S. Cook, Jr., worked on Hubble Telescope

Monday, 06 February 2012 18:03

Robert Samuel Cook, Jr. of Redding died on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 at Danbury Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Mr. Cook, 82, was the husband of Jean (Restivo) Cook.

He was born in the Bronx, N.Y., July 1, 1929, son of the late Robert and Ellen Cook. He was a graduate of New York University with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and served in the Army Infantry as a sergeant during the Korean War. He received the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star.

Mr. Cook lived in Redding for the past 42 years and worked for many years at Perkin Elmer, where he worked on the formerly classified Hexagon Program and later the Hubble Space Telescope. He was a big time UCONN Huskies basketball fan, Mets fan and loved to work around his yard.

Michael J. Connery, Sr., World War II veteran

Monday, 06 February 2012 17:48

Michael Joseph Connery, Sr., formerly of Redding, died on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at his home in Thousand Palms, Calif. Mr. Connery, 88.

Born Oct. 15, 1923, in Bridgeport, he grew up in Georgetown, spending time at the family store, Connery Brothers. He attended Danbury High School "where he met the love of his life, Laura Read," his family said.

In January 1942, while a student at Fordham University, he joined the Army Air Corps, climbing to the rank of first lieutenant. The high school sweethearts were married on Aug. 5, 1943 in Big Spring, Texas, where Mr. Connery was stationed before his deployment to World War II. On June 12, 1944, he was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action while serving as the lead bombardier on a B-24 mission over enemy-occupied Europe. He was honorably discharged in June 1945.

Memorial service is set for Alice Strouse on Feb. 18

Monday, 06 February 2012 17:47

A memorial for Alice Fensterwald Strouse will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18, (snow date, Feb. 19), from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Mark Twain Library.

Ms. Strouse, a retired Danbury High School math teacher, moved to Redding in 1952. She knew that her students "kept her young," and kept working until she was 71.

Her motto was "Keep moving," and she rarely sat down. She gardened, swam, cross-country skied, and traveled extensively with Elderhostel from Fiji to Machu Pichu. After retirement, she made time to paint water colors and volunteer at the library.

Kenneth A. Andrus, active member of his church

Sunday, 05 February 2012 17:17

Kenneth Allen Andrus of the Village at Brookfield Commons, formerly of Redding and Norwalk, died on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. He was the husband of the late Winifred Norman Andrus for 64 years until her death in 2010.

Mr. Andrus was born on April 16, 1918 in Enosburg Falls, Vt., a son of the late Henry Ladd Andrus and Ruth Hogaboom Andrus. In 1924, the family relocated to Ridgefield where he graduated from high school in 1936. In May 1937, he began his employment with Edwards and Company in Norwalk, manufacturing signaling devices and fire alarm systems used in hospitals, schools and the United Nations building in New York City.

David R. Ketcham, had a passion for people

Saturday, 28 January 2012 04:37

David Ross Ketcham of Redding died at home on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 following a valiant battle with cancer.

Born in Summit, N.J., on March 25, 1948, he graduated from Summit High School in 1966. He graduated from Bethany College in Bethany, W.V., in 1970 with a degree in communications, which was followed by a master's degree in business administration from Penn State.

At Bethany, Mr. Ketcham was an active member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity where he made many friends who would continue to contribute positively to his life until the very end of it. He enjoyed a 30-year career with Sealed Air Corporation of Danbury, rising to regional sales manager. The people he managed remained close friends even after his retirement in 2002.

"He led by example, dedicated to personal and business integrity, with his characteristic irrepressible spirit," his family said.

James Francis Edwards V, active in the community

Friday, 27 January 2012 16:05

James F. Edwards V died Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at his home in Meadow Ridge with his wife Harriet, his wife of 66 years, by his side.

He was born July 15, 1917 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late James F. Edwards IV and the late Ellen Mary (Keane) Edwards. He grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. before attending Brown University, where he graduated magnum cum laude in 1939.

Thomas Clasen formerly of West Redding

Tuesday, 24 January 2012 01:01

Thomas Clasen, 55, of Plant City, Fla., formerly of West Redding, died on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012 of metastatic malignant melanoma (diagnosed in July 2011). His sister, Suzanne (Clasen) Kinnear and her husband Larry Kinnear, of Bethel were at his side at the time of his death.

He was the son of Richard and Barbara Clasen of Picketts Ridge Road, West Redding. He graduated from Joel Barlow High School in 1974. Mr. Clasen was the owner of a Subway franchise in Brandon, Fla.

Josephine Ekelund, a native of Redding

Monday, 23 January 2012 14:23

Josephine Ekelund, formerly of Georgetown, died on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at Masonicare in Newtown. Mrs. Ekelund, 95, was the wife of the late Eric Ekelund, Sr. She was born in Redding on Dec. 20, 1916, the daughter of William and Josephine Raber Morrissey. She was the last surviving of nine children.

Friends may call at the Bouton Funeral Home, 31 West Church Street, Georgetown, on Tuesday Jan. 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. Services will be held on Wednesday Jan. 25, at 2:30 p.m. in the Georgetown Bible Church, with burial to follow in the family plot in Branchville Cemetery, Ridgefield.