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Dorothy A. Plisko, 15-year Ridgefielder
Dorothy A. Plisko of Halpin Lane, a 15-year Ridgefielder, died Friday, Nov. 9, at Laurelwood Convalescent Center. She was 78 years old and the wife of the late John Plisko.
A native of Greenwich, Mrs. Plisko was born on Aug. 21, 1923, a daughter of the late Ray and Agnes Colthrup Lent. She lived in Bridgeport until moving to Newtown 40 years ago, and then to Ridgefield in the mid-1980s.
For 22 years, she had worked for the Dualite Company in Newtown, manufacturers of emergency lighting, retiring in the early 1980s.
For many years, Mrs. Plisko was the companion of Mario J. Frulla, a former Ridgefield fire chief and police officer, who died last Febuary at the age of 82.
Mrs. Plisko is survived by her son, Richard O’Connor of Bethel.
Services were private. Burial was Tuesday in Newtown Village Cemetery.
The Honan Funeral Home in Newtown was in charge of arrangements.
Margaret Wyatt, 84, active volunteer
Margaret Ross White Wyatt of 640 Danbury Road, a volunteer in the area and in Westchester County, died on Sunday morning, Jan. 20, 2003, at Danbury Hospital. Mrs. Wyatt was 84 years old and the wife of the late Henry Lorne Wyatt.
Born in Chester, Pa., March 1, 1916, Mrs. Wyatt was a daughter of the late John DeHaven and Elizabeth Dalton White. She attended Pennsylvania schools and graduated in the Class of 1933 from the Agnes Irwin School, Radnor, Pa.
She married Henry Lorne Wyatt in December 1933 and moved to Virginia where her husband attended college and law school.
Upon his graduation, they moved to New Rochelle, N.Y., and lived there from 1940 to 1954. While in Westchester County, Mrs. Wyatt was active in the Junior League and a volunteer at the Westchester County Medical Center, formerly Grasslands.
She moved to West Redding Road in Danbury in 1954 and lived there until moving to Chancellor Park in Ridgefield in 1999. She volunteered at the Nearly New Shop in Branchville and the Danbury Animal Welfare Society.
For relaxation, she enjoyed painting, bridge and art.
Her survivors include two daughters: Edythe Nelson Sherwood of New Canaan, and Dale D. Wyatt of West Redding; two sons: Henry Wyatt of Parrish, Fla., and William Wyatt of Seminole, Fla.; and by six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Two sisters, Muriel Jacobs and Natalie Klapp, died before her.
The Rev. Victoria Miller will conduct services Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Burial will take place in George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, N.J.
Friends will be received in the Kane Funeral Home 41 Catoonah Street today, Thursday, from 4 to 7.
Contributions in Mrs. Wyatt’s memory may be made to the Danbury Animal Welfare Society, P.O. Box 971, Danbury, CT 06813.
Sister Juliette Lavoie, well-known nun
Sister Juliette Lavoie, CND, who was among the original nuns at the Congregation of Notre Dame motherhouse on West Mountain, died at Villa Marguerite Convent in Pierrefonds, Quebec, on Sept. 7. She was 85 years old.
Sister Juliette was born in Matane, Quebec, Sept. 24. 1916, daughter of the late Joseph and Alphonsine Martel Lavoie. She made first vows in January 1942 and this year had celebrated her 60th anniversary of profession of religious vows.
During her life Sister Juliette was a cook for many years in Congregation of Notre Dame convents. She was among the first group of sisters to settle in Ridgefield when the congregation bought the former Lynch estate on West Mountain Road in 1963.
After she retired from her culinary ministry in 1975, she took driving lessons, studied hairdressing at Americo’s Beauty Academy in Danbury, and set up a hairdressing salon for the sisters at the convent.
She was well known in her latter years in Ridgefield as she drove the sisters to doctor’s appointments, picked up prescriptions at the Ridgefield Pharmacy and did errands daily at the bank and post office. She also made visits to the homebound.
Sister Juliette also had time for reading, knitting and sewing.
When she became ill six years ago, she chose to return to Quebec to be closer to her family.
Sister Juliette is survived by a sister, Sister Jeanne Lavoie of Montreal, who is also a member of the Congregation of Notre Dame, and several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Motherhouse of the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal, Quebec. Burial was in Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.
“It is with deep faith that the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame bid Sister Juliette enter her eternal home and enjoy a return of the warm welcome that she extended to sisters, students, families and friends during her many years in the United States,” said a spokesman for the motherhouse.
Bernice Wilson, 98, was active in lodge
Bernice M. Wilson of Ridgefield, who was active in the old Mary Rebekah Lodge here, died on Monday, Jan. 14, in Danbury Hospital. She was 98 years old and the widow of Ray Wilson.
Mrs. Wilson was born on April 17, 1903, in Morgan, Vt., a daughter of the late Frank and Eliza Wilsey LeClair. She grew up in Vermont and came to Ridgefield in 1941. Over the years, she had lived on North Salem Road, Wilton Road West and Main Street, and for 21 years had lived at Ballard Green.
Mrs. Wilson had worked at Frances Cleaners for many years.
She was a member of the Mary Rebekah Lodge #51 for more than 50 years and held many offices including conductor and vice grand. She had also belonged to the old Ridgefield Grange. She was a member of the OWLS and the Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Wilson enjoyed knitting. She made many lap blankets and afghans that she would donate to nursing homes and organizations for the needy. She was also an avid bingo player.
Mrs. Wilson is survived by a son: Leslie Wilson of Hollywood, Fla.; a daughter: Eleanor Levesque of West Redding; seven grandchildren, including Debbie Biron of Manchester, N.H., Timothy Pennell of Bethel, and Jeffrey Pennell of West Redding, all formerly of Ridgefield; and eight great-grandchildren. A son, Mason Wilson, died before her.
The Rev. William B. Pfohl of the Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church will conduct services Friday at 11 at the Hull Funeral Home, 60 Division Street, Danbury. Burial will be in Wooster Cemetery, Danbury.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home tonight, Thursday, from 7 to 9. A Rebekah Service will take place at 8.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Connecticut Eye Bank & Visual Research Foundation Inc., 100 Grand Street, New Britain, CT 06052.
Kelly West, 36, secretary, wrote cookbook
Kelly Ann West of Peekskill, N.Y., an athlete who enjoyed creative cooking, died at the Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt, N.Y., on Friday morning, Sept. 14, after a brief illness. She was 36 years old and had lived in Ridgefield until a year ago.
Ms. West was born in Rhinebeck, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 1965, a daughter of Gardner West of Alpine, Ariz., and Glenna Quimby McNally of Ridgefield. She grew up in Westchester, attending schools in Croton on Hudson and graduating from the Croton Harmon High School. She later attended Simmons Secretarial School.
Ms. West had been a secretary for the Metro-North Railroad and had also worked for Global Chem International of Ridgefield. She had lived in Ridgefield for several years before moving to Peekskill.
An accomplished cook, Ms. West was working on the manuscript for a cookbook, consisting of many recipes she had created over the years. “She cooked everything, but meat items were her specialty,” her mother said.
She was also an athlete, excelling at both snow skiing and golf. “She was an excellent golfer,” Mrs. McNally said, adding that her daughter had won awards at the Windham (N.Y.) Golf Club. She had also taught skiing at Mount Snow in Vermont and at Windham.
Besides her parents, including her stepfather, Edward McNally, Ms. West is survived by her fiancée, Paul Goldin of Peekskill; a sister, Hollie West Harwood and her husband Bob of Toronto, Canada; her paternal grandparents, Gardner and Louise West of Lancaster, Pa.; two uncles, Roland Quimby and his wife, Kathy of Tucson, Ariz., Soren West and his wife, Bonnie of Lancaster, Pa.; an aunt, Karen Conigliaro and her husband, Ted of Naples, Fla., as well as eight cousins.
The Rev. Leszek Szymaszek, parochial vicar, celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial Monday in St. Mary’s Church. Burial was in the Red Church Cemetery, Tivoli, N.Y.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Foundation, Intensive Care Unit, Hudson Valley Center, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., 10567.
Greta Welti, 66, former Ridgefielder
Greta Siegenthaler Welti of Fountain Inn, S.C., a former Ridgefielder, died Tuesday, July 23, in Columbia, S.C. She was 66 years old.
A native of Switzerland, Mrs. Welti was a daughter of the late Emil and Frieda Zollinger Siegenthaler.
Mrs. Welti lived in Canada before coming to the United States and had a home in Ridgebury in the late 1960s. In the early 1970s, she moved to West Lane, near the Little Red Schoolhouse, and had lived there until about five years ago when she moved to South Carolina to be closer to her family.
Mrs. Welti had worked as a bookkeeper and sales manager for Safari Outfitters on Route 7 in Branchville.
“She loved her children and her dogs,” said a former neighbor. Over the years she had had variety of breeds, including Samoyeds, German shepherds and a Bernese mountain dog.
Erin Welti, her son, added that his mother enjoyed classical music and the outdoors.
Her survivors include her son, Erin Welti and his wife, Kerry, of Columbia; a daughter: Corina Welti of Greenville, S.C.; and two sisters in Switzerland.
A memorial service will take place at a later date.
Contributions in her memory may be made to an animal charity of one’s choice.
The Caughman-Harman Funeral Home in Columbia was in charge of arrangements.
J. Brian Barry, 68, ad executive, Realtor, parishioner, July 31
J. Brian Barry of Brookfield, a former advertising executive who had also been real estate agent in Ridgefield, died Wednesday, July 31, as a result of an auto accident in Vista, N.Y. He was 68 years old and the husband of Pauline Paris Barry.
Mr. Barry was born in Cambridge, Mass., on Feb. 5, 1934, a son of the late John and Elizabeth Kelly Barry. He grew up in Belmont and Wellesley, Mass., and graduated from Georgetown University in 1955.
>From 1955 until 1959, he served in the U.S. Air Force, including at a station in Iceland, and attained the rank of captain.
Mr. Barry spent 30 years in advertising, most of it with TBWA in Manhattan. His clients included Absolut vodka, for whom he helped start the famous print campaign that makes use of bottle silhouettes. Other clients included Gold Star electronics and Fromagerie Belle cheeses. He retired in 1993 as a senior vice president.
The same year, he joined Landmark Century 21 Real Estate in Ridgefield, where he was working at the time of his death.
Mr. Barry and his family had lived on Elmwood Road in South Salem from 1967 until 1987, and then lived on Mountain Road in West Redding until about 1993. He had lived in Brookfield for the past six years.
Since the 1960s, Mr. Barry had been an active member of St. Mary’s parish, where he served as a lector, and had also belonged to area theater groups, including the Ridgefield Workshop for the Performing Arts.
Besides his wife, Mr. Barry is survived by three sons: Mark G. Barry of Toronto, Canada, Matthew B. Barry of Annapolis, Md., and Andrew C. Barry of Port Hueneme, Calif.; a brother: Robert Barry of Naples, Fla.; two sisters: Jeanne McGhee of Windham, Maine, and Betsy Harrington of Alisa Viejo, Calif.; four grandchildren: Collin, Kevin, Ryan, and Megan; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial mass was celebrated Wednesday in St. Mary’s Church.
Contributions in Mr. Barry’s memory may be made to M.A.D.D. Fairfield County Chapter, 2874 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06614.
The Green Funeral Home in Danbury was in charge of arrangements.
James ‘Ed’ Baker, 64, retired executive
James Edward “Ed” Baker of 18 Fairfield Court, a retired executive who enjoyed traveling around North America on his limited-edition Harley Davidson motorcycle, died at his home on Monday, Aug. 13, after a short battle with bladder cancer. He was 64 and the husband of Ann Dixon Baker.
Mr. Baker was born on April 11, 1937, in Tulsa, Okla., a son of the late James Lesley and Anna Simms Baker. He graduated with a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma where he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity and obtained his MBA in finance from Southern Methodist University.
In 1957, Mr. Baker married his college sweetheart, Ann Dixon. They would have celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary this Friday.
After working for a number of years in Oklahoma and Texas for Sinclair Oil, Lonestar Gas, and Sun Oil, Mr. Baker went to work for Lazard Freres & Company in New York City. Though he had planned to spend only five years there, he wound up working 29 years for the investment banking firm, retiring in 1999 as vice president of natural resources.
The Bakers moved to Ridgefield in 1970. Not long afterward, friends introduced him to motorcycling. He started off with a Vespa scooter and eventually acquired a limited-edition gold and black Harley Davidson motorcycle, built on the occasion of the company’s 75th anniversary.
Mr. Baker and his wife traveled by motorcycle in many parts of the country, and he was a member of a group of senior Harley owners known as The Retreads.
Mr. Baker, who loved music and especially marches, often combined motorcycles and music. “Some Ridgefield residents may recall his riding through downtown while playing John Phillip Sousa marches for all to hear,” a family member said.
Mr. Baker also enjoyed tennis and card playing, especially bridge. His other interests included hunting, fishing, playing golf, and reading, with a keen interest in math and history, primarily the Civil War.
“He was a very interesting man,” said his son-in-law, Paul Gervais of Ridgefield. “He was very diverse in his interests, very educated, and very well read.”
Besides his wife, Mr. Baker is survived by a son: Jeff Baker and his wife, Catalina, of Danbury; a daughter, Sherry Gervais and her husband, Paul, of Ridgefield; a sister: Shirley Rossiter of Tulsa; four grandchildren: Annie and Alison Baker, and Amanda and Andre Gervais; and by many nieces and nephews.
Services will take place on Friday at 11 in the First Congregational Church.
The family will receive friends in Lund Hall of the First Congregational Church after the service.
Contributions in Mr. Baker’s memory may be made to one’s favorite charity.
The Kane Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
