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John Goodwill, 62, radio executive
John C. Goodwill, a former radio broadcasting executive who lived in Ridgefield many years, died at his home in Sebago, Maine, on Oct. 27 with with his wife, Sally, at his side. He was 62 years old.
Born in Middletown, the eldest child of John J. Goodwill and Helen O’Brien Goodwill, Mr. Goodwill was a graduate of Emerson College and had pursued doctoral studies at the University of Mississippi.
He served several years as a trustee of Emerson College.
After a brief career in publishing, Mr. Goodwill began a 30-year career in broadcasting, as on-air talent, later in sales and in management.
His positions included president and general manager of WPIX-FM in New York in the early 1980s, and later head of R&R Broadcasting.
Mr. Goodwill was renowned as a master of the art of storytelling and earned respect and admiration for his erudition in the fields of history and literature.
An avid fan of the Red Sox and the Patriots, Mr. Goodwill shared his enthusiasm for sports by serving several terms as president and board member of the Ridgefield Basketball Association.
He coached the travel basketball team as well as Little League baseball.
He umpired baseball and refereed basketball.
He also participated in the Host Homes program in Ridgefield
The Goodwills lived in a 1735 house on North Salem Road for 18 years.
Besides his wife, Mr. Goodwill is survived by two sons, Jon and Bill, all of Sebago; his sister, Maryellen Goodwill of Elgin, Ill.; two brothers, Robert Goodwill of Boston and Peter Goodwill of the Dominican Republic; many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Services were in Maine.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the John Goodwill Memorial Fund, People’s Heritage Bank, 84 Maine Street, Bridgton, ME 04009, attn: Lynda Chase.
Richard Fish, 75, former Ridgefielder
Richard Minor Fish of South Kent, a former Ridgefielder who was a building trades contractor, died Saturday, Nov. 11, at New Milford Hospital after a brief illness. '
He was 75 years old and the long-time companion of Magda Kozma.
Mr. Fish was born Jan. 12, 1925, in Philadelphia, Pa., son of the late Isabelle MacKenzie Howden and Clarence Fish.
He attended Woodbury, N.J., schools, served in the Marines, and moved to Ridgefield in 1953, living on Lake Road at the Ridgefield lakes until 1963 when he moved to Brookfield.
He worked for many years for Viking Wire in Danbury, and then had a long career in the home-building trades as an independent contractor.
Mr. Fish retired to South Kent where he became a market-gardener, raising chickens, rabbits, geese, and hogs.
Survivors include three sons, Ronald Martin Fish of Woodbury, Robin Michael Fish of Foster, R.I., and Royal Mason Fish of Bremerton, Wash.; by his former wife, Betty Jane Rotherforth Fish of Ridgefield; four granddaughters and four grandsons, Dawn Nancy Fish Popolizio of Wallingford, Jennifer Lee Fish Kaiser and Katharine Olivia Fish of New Milford, Royal Mason Fish, Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas, David MacKenzie Fish of Bethlehem, Dayna Marie Fish of Bremerton, Wash., Maxwell Clayton Fish of Foster, and Richard Mitchell Fish of Bremerton, and by two great grandchildren, Anthony James Popolizio and Rachel Marie Popolizio of Wallingford.
Two sons, Richard Minor Fish, Jr. and Randall Major Fish, died before him.
A memorial service will take place Thursday, Nov. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Lillis Funeral Home, 58 Bridge Street, in New Milford.
Contributions may be made to: The Arthritis Foundation, 35 Cold Spring Road, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.
Roy de Bruycker, Nuremberg guard
Roy de Bruycker Jr., a former Ridgefielder who had been a guard at the Nuremberg trials, died Sunday, Dec. 24, in Lake Worth, Fla.
He was 75 years old and the husband of Marjorie de Bruycker.
Mr. de Bruycker was born Aug. 14, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., son of the late Roy and Lillian de Bruycker.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving with the 26th Infantry as a mortar crewman.
He volunteered his services as a guard at Nuremberg when Nazi leaders were tried.
A graduate of Norwalk High School, Mr. de Bruycker was an electrical contractor and member of IBEW Local #3 before his retirement in 1987.
He came to Ridgefield in 1964, living first on Cooper Road and later Farm Hill Road and Harvey Road.
After his retirement, he moved to Woodbury.
While a Ridgefielder he was secretary for the Pop Warner Football League and was a Little League coach.
While living in Woodbury, Mr. de Bruycker was a member of the United Methodist Church and served on the Board of Finance.
He was a 44-year member of the Old Well Masonic Lodge No. 108, A.F. and A.M.
Besides his wife, he is survived by a son Roy de Bruycker III of Lake Worth; a daughter, Lesley Gomez of Woodbury; a sister, Dolores Adams of Clearwater, Fla.; four grandchildren, Ryan Long, Brennan Long and Christina Gomez of Woodbury and Roy de Bruycker IV of Lake Worth; and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Friday, Dec. 29, at 11 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Woodbury.
Burial will be in the New North Cemetery, Woodbury, in the spring.
Calling hours are Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere, Main Street South.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Community Care Association, 800 Northpoint Parkway, Suite 101B, West Palm Beach, FL 33407.
Belynda Brown, longtime Ridgefielder
Belynda Kay Brown, daughter of Dale and Betty Gray “BG” Brown, died on Sunday, Dec. 17, at her group home residence in Easton.
Ms. Brown was born in High Point, N.C., on June 24, 1964.
She moved with her family to Ridgefield in 1975, attending Branchville School.
She graduated in 1985 from Staples High School in Westport.
She spent her days at the office of CLASP Career and Community Options in Fairfield.
Ms. Brown was known for her sense of humor, willingness to help others, and her gentle spirit.
Besides her parents, Ms. Brown is survived by her brother, Darren Brown of Norwalk, her sister and brother-in-law, Meredith and Scott Anderson, nephews Tyler and Brett Anderson of Ashburn, Va., and family friend Stacey Staaterman of New York City.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, in the parlor of Wesley Hall at Jesse Lee United Methodist Church, 207 Main Street.
A memorial service will be held in Jesse Lee United Methodist Church sanctuary on Friday, Dec. 22, at 11 a.m.
Contributions in Belynda’s memory may be made to Jesse Lee United Methodist Church or WeCAHR, 211 Main Street, Danbury, 06810 or CLASP Career and Community Options, 63 Unquowa Road, Fairfield 06430.
Andrew Kohut, 100, retired electrician
Andrew J. Kohut Jr. of Ridgefield, a retired electrician, husband of the late Gertrude Duffy Kohut, died Wednesday, March 21, at Greenwich Woods Health Care Center in Greenwich. He was 100 years old.
Born in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., on Jan. 25, 1901, he was the son of the late Andrew J. and Katherine Mendick Knout Sr., and had been a Ridgefield resident for the past 15 years. Before moving here, he had been a Norwalk resident for 50 years.
Mr. Kohut was an electrician with Whiffen Electric of White Plains, N.Y., for many years.
Before his wife’s death in 1999 the Kohuts had been married for 60 years.
He was a 75-year member of I.B.E.W. Electricians Union Local 501 in White Plains, N.Y., a member of A.A.R.P. in New Fairfield and a member of the Knights of Columbus, Msgr. Thomas J. Finn Council 46, in Norwalk.
Mr. Kohut is survived by a son, Andrew J. Kohut III of Norwalk, and a daughter Sandra Metz of Ridgefield.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk.
Entombment will take place in St. John Cemetery, Camp Avenue in Darien.
Friends may call Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk.
Contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Fairfield County Chapter, 607 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851.
Michael R. Keefe, 47, former navigator
Michael Richard Keefe, a former Air Force navigator who was on the board of the National War Plane Museum, died suddenly on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at his home in Apalachin, N.Y.
He was 47 years old and had grown up in Ridgefield, where his parents still live.
A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Mr. Keefe was the son of Raymond E. Jr. and Marion Keefe of Tannery Hill Road.
He came here as a third grader in 1961 and went on to graduate from Ridgefield High School in 1971, where he belonged to the Aviation Club and was on the yearbook staff.
Four years later, he earned a bachelor of science degree from Parks College of St. Louis University at Cahokia, Ill., where he belonged to the ROTC program.
He entered the Air Force that year and in 1976 earned his silver wings as a navigator and served in the Air Force for many years.
At the time of his death, Mr. Keefe worked for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration of Owego.
He served on the Board of Trustees for the National War Plane Museum in Horseheads, N.Y. and was president of the Thomas Watson Chapter of the Air Force Association.
He was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Vestal.
“Mike had a talent for words and humor that will be missed by family, friends and co-workers,” said a family member.
Besides his parents, Mr. Keefe is survived by his wife of 25 years, Pamela Keefe of Apalachin; one son, Andrew Keefe of Apalachin; a daughter, Annie Keefe of Apalachin; a sister, Susan Keefe of Ridgefield; three brothers and two-sisters-in-law: Robert Keefe of Bethel, Brian and Frances Keefe of Tarpon Springs, Fla., and Raymond and Heidi Keefe of Ridgefield; and by several nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.
A memorial mass will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. at our Lady of Sorrows Church in Vestal.
Burial will be in Riverhurst Cemetery, Endicott.
The family will receive friends at the Allen Memorial Home, 511-513 East Main Street, Endicott, on Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Contributions in his memory memory may be made to the National War Plane Museum, Elmira Corning Regional Airport, 17 Aviation Drive, Horseheads, N.Y. 14845.
