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ELIZABETH GERVASINI
Elizabeth (Crowley) Gervasini, 89, of 5 Shirley Drive, Misquamicut, peacefully died on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, at the Watch Hill Care and Rehab Center.
Born in Pawcatuck, on Aug. 29, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Frederick and Alice (Donnelly) Crowley and wife of the late Albert A. Gervasini.
She was a graduate of Stonington High School and Saint Joseph College, West Hartford. She had a long career as an English and social studies teacher in the Stonington public school system, interrupted by joining her husband to assignments for Electric Boat Company in Ballston Spa, N.Y., Charleston, S.C., and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She taught at Stonington High School for most of her career, but in her final years in the 1970s moved to Mystic Middle School where she pioneered the now nearly universally accepted "middle school concept" of "mufti-disciplinary team teaching." Regarded as "strict, demanding and old school" by students during her career, her children are now frequently addressed by her former students who state that in retrospect, she was one of most positively influential teachers in their education.
In 1971, her husband, then assistant fire chief of the Misquamicut Fire Department, was stricken and died while responding to a fire, leaving six young daughters. Mrs. Gervasini steadfastly persisted and provided a higher education for all of them.
By her life and example, she has taught her children and grandchildren to respect and value education, seek knowledge of current affairs with an historical perspective and recognition of the need for informed participation in community, religious and civic affairs.
She was a communicant at St. Clare Roman Catholic Parish and a member of its Ladies Guild. She was also in retirement an avid bridge and Scrabble player. For four decades, she and her best friends met at each other's homes on Wednesday evenings for coffee, dessert and conversation.
She is survived by her six daughters, Eleanor Willis and her husband Raymond of New Haven, Conn.; Marion Gervasini of Copenhagen, Denmark; Anne Liguori and her husband Thomas of Westerly; Elizabeth Gervasini of Westerly; Alice Gervasini, Ph.D. of Boston, Mass. and Clare Sandstrom and her husband Stephen of Bristol, Conn. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, Eliza Willis, Raymond Willis, Timm Nielsen, Mark Nielsen, Nicole Liguori, Leanne Liguori, TJ Liguori, Christopher Toscano, Bruce Sandstrom, Eric Sandstrom; and a great-grandson, Alexander Esparza.
She is also survived by her brothers, Charles Crowley of Pawcatuck and James Crowley of Westerly; and her sister, Sister Mary Crowley, R.S.M. of New Britain, Conn.
She was predeceased by brothers, Joseph and Francis Crowley; and sister, Eleanor Frances Crowley.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce St., Westerly, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at the Church of St. Clare, One St. Clare Way, Misquamicut, and interment in St. Sebastian Cemetery, Westerly.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Westerly Adult Day Services, 65 Wells St., Westerly.
DR. JOHN D. TOBIN
Dr. John D. Tobin, 91, of 36 Wagner Road, Westerly, died Dec. 11, at his home in Shelter Harbor, in the company of his family. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara (Brown) Tobin.
Born in Lower Jemseg, New Brunswick, in 1913, he was the son of the late Rev. George Edgar Tobin and Muriel B. Tobin, of Westerly.
At the time of his retirement in 1982, he had been practicing pediatric medicine for over 35 years in Minneapolis, Minn., where he helped found the renowned Children's Hospital of Minneapolis and served as its first co-chief of staff. Dr. Tobin was a graduate of Westerly High School, Dartmouth College, and Yale Medical School. Until his death, he remained an active alumnus of Dartmouth and served as his class president for many years. During World War II, he was a lieutenant in the United States Navy and served in the Amphibious Forces aboard an LST.
He was an ardent environmentalist and conservationist and enjoyed many outdoor activities, including skiing, tennis and spending time at the beach, with family and friends. He passionately believed that the local salt ponds, streams, rivers and beaches, with their unique beauty and vast potential, were not only the region's greatest asset but also were fragile and in need of careful management, and he worked for years to that end. Dr. Tobin was appointed to the Salt Ponds Advisory Council and was a member of the conservation group QBCC. He was also one of the first "Pond Watchers" and faithfully collected water samples from various locations at Quonochontaug Pond for analysis and testing. To many in the community, Dr. Tobin was also known as a source of information about the 1938 Hurricane because he was a witness to and survivor of the disaster. He is a cited source in several books about the famous storm and appears in the PBS production for the television series, American Experience, entitled "Hurricane of '38".
After he retired to Westerly, Dr. Tobin became active in local affairs and organizations, including Christ Episcopal Church, where he was a lay reader/eucharistic minister, vestry member and senior warden. For many years, he and his wife served as volunteers at the Westerly Public Library and in the "Meals on Wheels "program. A lover of classical music and the performing arts, he consistently supported local theater and musical groups and their productions.
Dr. Tobin is also survived by his brother, Douglas Tobin, of Rochester, N.Y.; a son, Dr. John D. Tobin, Jr. and his wife, Dr. Gail Risse, of Minneapolis, Minn.; a daughter, Elizabeth A. Tonkin, and her husband, Dr. Russell Tonkin, of South Windsor, Conn.; a son, Thomas L. Tobin, Esq. and his wife, Kathryn Donahue Tobin, of Pawcatuck; and a son, the Rev. Roger M. Tobin, and his wife, Janis Tobin, of Miami, Fla.. He also leaves many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m., at Christ Episcopal Church, Westerly.
The family would prefer that memorials be made to Christ Episcopal Church, Westerly, RI.
DIANE TURCO WALSH
Diane Turco Walsh of Ledyard died Friday, Dec. 10, 2004, after a long battle with cancer. She was the daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. S. John Turco of Narragansett.
A graduate of Elmhurst Academy in Providence, she received her B.A. in English literature from Mary Mount College and her master's in social work from the University of Connecticut Graduate School.
She was a clinical social worker at The Child Guidance Clinic in New London for 26 years and most recently a therapist on the staff of Shoreline Counseling Associates of Groton.
She is survived by two sons, Mark A. Walsh of New York, N.Y., and John P. Walsh of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Tara Walsh Buckmir and her husband Edward of Stratford, Conn., and Adair Walsh Veno and her husband Steven of Washington, N.J.; and five grandchildren, Olivia, Sydney and Cameron Veno, and Ava and Brooke Buckmir. She is also survived by her brother, J. Peter Turco of Wayne, Maine; and her sister, M. Adair Campbell of Santa Barbara, Calif. She is also survived by her beloved feline friends, Dante and Reggae.
She was predeceased by her twin brother, David Turco.
A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday at 1 p.m. at The Chapel of The Edmundite Monastery at Enders Island in Mystic.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the American Cancer Society, 238 W. Town Street, Norwich, CT 06360 or the Hospice of Southeastern Connecticut, P. O. Box 902, Uncasville, CT 06382.
The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl St., historic downtown Mystic, is assisting the family.
GLENN LOG
Glenn Log, 45 of 92 Lauri Drive, Charlestown, died Monday, Dec. 13, 2004, at William H. Backus Hospital in Norwich. He was the beloved husband of Nancy (Persson) Log.
Mr. Log was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Dec. 18, 1958, the son of Gladis (Meland) Log of New City, N.Y.. and the late Kaare Log.
Glenn was a carpenter, and he owned and operated the Log Construction Co. for many years. He was 1977 graduate of Clarkstown High School North in New York before moving to Charlestown in 1986.
Besides his wife Nancy and his mother Gladis he will be sadly missed by his three children, Kyle Log, Karina Log and Kory Log all of Charlestown; his three sisters, Dianne Rose of Richmond, and Laila Blaine and Kari Byman both of Congers, N.Y.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. in St. Andrews Lutheran Church, East Beach Road, Charlestown. Calling hours are respectfully omitted. Arrangements have been entrusted to the S.R. Avery Funeral Home, Main Street, Hope Valley.
In lieu of flowers donations, may be made to the American Lung Association of Rhode Island 298, West Exchange St., Providence, RI 02903.
DONALD A. BAILEY
Donald A. Bailey, 71, of 25 Clark St., Westerly, died peacefully Wednesday morning, Dec. 15, 2004, at the Groton Regency in Groton.
Born in Boston, Mass., on Nov. 13, 1933, he was the son of the late Norman and Catherine (Gibson) Bailey.
Mr. Bailey worked as a clerk in several retail stores and retired as church organist for the Old Town Congregational Church in Attelboro, Mass., after 50 years of service. He received a letter of commendation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives for his years of service to the church.
Mr. Bailey served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War, receiving the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
Donald will be sadly missed by his two sisters, Marion Sanders of Melbourne, Fla., and Barbara Scarpelli of Ashaway. He also leaves several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Friday at noon in the Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main St., Westerly. A calling hour will precede the service from 11 a.m. to noon. Burial with full military honors will be in Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter.
