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Margo (Appleton) Colmore, 67
Margo (Appleton) Colmore, formerly of Weston, died peacefully at her Madison home on Nov. 9 after a courageous battle with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder). She was 67.
Ms. Colmore was an active supporter and participant in COPD Support, an online group for people with COPD. A former smoker, Ms. Colmore was painfully aware of the damaging effects tobacco had in her life, physically, emotionally and socially, her family said. As a result, she was deeply concerned about smoking, especially in young people. She had a particular interest in anti-smoking programs for teenagers.
Ms. Colmore is survived by her mother, Mary Virginia Colmore, of Essex. Her father was the late Dr. Henry P. Colmore, MD, and her sister, the late Julia P. Colmore. The family is formerly of Bedford Hills, N.Y., and Ms. Colmore graduated from the Nightingale Banford School in New York City.
Ms. Colmore is also survived by her four children, Wendy (Sinclair) Hrubec of Canton, Mass.; Julie Sinclair of Windham, Maine; and Oliver and Charlie Appleton, both of Durango, Colo. Survivors also include her son-in-law, George Hrubec, and six grandchildren: Jake, Tucker and Bennett Saltus, Nikki and Sam Hrubec, and Samantha Killmeyer.
Ms. Colmore's dear companion was former Westonite, Jack Swezey, who also died peacefully at their Madison home on Oct. 14.
Friends are invited to attend a memorial service Saturday, Nov. 19, at 3 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 232 Durham Avenue in Madison. Donations may be made to the American Lung Association, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006. The Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Road, Madison, is in charge of the arrangements.
Geno Joseph Tarsi, WWII veteran, volunteer fireman, lifelong resident
Geno Joseph Tarsi, a lifelong resident of Ridgefield, died on Sunday, Aug. 14, at his home on Bailey Avenue.
Mr. Tarsi was born in Ridgefield on Dec. 29, 1915, the son of Atilio and Philomena Tarsi, and was husband of the late Marjorie Santini Tarsi.
A veteran of World War II, Mr. Tarsi served with the Red Ball Express in France. "He served his country and his community with unwavering commitment and pride," the family said.
After the war, Mr. Tarsi worked as a local construction worker. All the while he supported his family and held a number of volunteer positions in town. He was a member of the Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department for more than 50 years. He was a member of the Engineers Union, the VFW and a parishioner of St. Maryšs Church.
He spent most of his days in recent years being a part of the local chapter of the Italian American Mutual Aid Society. He held a number of different positions at the club and most recently was the head of building and grounds.
Mr. Tarsi is survived by his son James and his wife Ellen Tarsi, both lifelong residents of Ridgefield; his grandchildren, Melisa Gates of Port Orange, Fla.; James Tarsi Jr. and Nicholas Tarsi, of Ridgefield, and a great-granddaughter Ashley Ellen Gates of Port Orange.
"Geno Tarsi was a beloved friend, husband, father, grandfather and had just recently become a great-grandfather. He was many things but above all Geno Tarsi was a family man. His greatest pleasures involved spending time and caring for his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. With unparalleled generosity and kindness he blessed everyone around him with his flair for life and amazing sense of humor. A one-of-a-kind man, he will be missed but never forgotten as his memory lives strong," the family said.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Maryšs Church on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 10:15 a.m.
(08/17/2005)
John P. 'Jack' Lavelle, 4
John P. 'Jack' Lavelle of Ridgefield died Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005. He was four years old.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated today, Thursday, at 10:15 a.m. in St. Mary's Church.
The Kane Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ann Shornick Spiro, 93, decorator
Ann R. Spiro, a former Ridgefielder who was an interior designer, died Aug. 6, 2005, at the Honey Hill Care Center in Norwalk. She was 93 years old and the widow of Attorney Abram Spiro.
Mrs. Spiro was born in Stamford, Dec. 4, 1911, the daughter of the late David and Rebecca Shornick of Branchville.
Mrs. Spiro grew up in Branchville and was a 1929 graduate of Ridgefield High School, one of only a handful to go on to college. She attended the New York School of Interior Design and became an accomplished decorator.
A longtime Danbury resident, she spent her later years in Southbury and Palm Beach, Fla.
In Danbury, she served as president of the Danbury Chapter of Hadassah, member of the Sisterhood of the United Jewish Center, member of the Danbury Garden Club and a volunteer of the Danbury Hospital Auxiliary.
Mrs. Spiro was an avid gardener, Scrabble player, artist, and shell collector and needlepointer. Her creative work was influenced by her many trips to the Orient and Japan.
Mrs. Spiro is survived by her son, Jules Spiro of Danbury, and her granddaughter, Jacqueline Spiro of New York City and Delray Beach, Fla.; a brother, Louis Shornick, and his wife, Cecille of Madison, Miss., and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside funeral service took place Tuesday at the United Jewish Cemetery, Grays Bridge Road, Brookfield.
Shure Funeral Home in New Haven handled arrangements.
Rose Bahr, 93, a 'Meals' pioneer
Rose Bahr, a Ridgefield resident for 33 years who was a Meals on Wheels volunteer from its beginnings, died Saturday afternoon, Aug. 6, 2005, at Danbury Hospital after a brief illness. She was 96 years old.
Mrs. Bahr was born Rose McGivney in Chappaqua, N.Y., on June 27, 1909, daughter of Frank and Rose Gavin McGivney. Her father emigrated from Ireland in the late 1800's, played minor league baseball for several years before becoming a policeman on the Chappaqua Police Force.
Mrs. Bahr grew up and was educated in Chappaqua with her three sisters until her marriage to Robert Lang, a milk distributor in Yonkers, N.Y.
In 1930, the couple moved to Hawthorne, N.Y., where they raised three sons, Robert Jr., William and John. Mrs. Bahr became active in local politics and served as an officer in the Ladies' Auxiliary of the local fire department for many years.
During World War II, when her husband was in the U.S. Navy, she cared for 42 foundling babies to supplement her husband's military income.
Years later, in 1972, Mrs. Bahr moved to Ridgefield with her second husband, Harry Bahr, and had lived here ever since.
The couple joined the local Meals on Wheels Program in its infancy in 1974, delivering food to Ridgefield shut-ins. After Mr. Bahr's death in 1985, Mrs. Bahr continued delivering meals until she retired at the age of 92. 'The roads may be safer if I'm not driving any more,' she said last year.
Kay Cuny, president of Meals on Wheels, said, 'Rose was one of our most dependable and caring drivers. She was highly regarded and will certainly be missed.'
In 1989, when she turned 80 years old, Mrs. Bahr was honored for her then 15 years of volunteering with Meals on Wheels. 'She is very positive, religious and very good hearted,' fellow driver Betty Turitto said at the time. 'She is the spirit and the force that drives us all to go out and do the job. We just love her down here.'
A dedicated lifelong Catholic, Mrs. Bahr had been an active member of St. Mary's Church since her move to Ridgefield.
Her son, Robert Lang, a Ridgefield Realtor since 1972, said, 'Mom became somewhat of a legend to many in town because she befriended so many people in all age groups and embraced them lovingly. She was admired by so many and a role model as well. She will be so very, very missed by us all.'
Besides her Ridgefield son, Mrs. Bahr is survived by two other sons, John Lang of Pleasantville, N.Y., and William Lang of Pocasset, Mass.; by her former husband, Robert Lang; by four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday in St. Mary's Church.
Burial followed in All Souls Cemetery, Pleasantville, N.Y.
Contributions to the Meals-On-Wheels Program, 25 Gilbert Street or to the Visiting Nurse Association, 90 East Ridge, both of Ridgefield, 06877 would be appreciated.
Russ Martin, 84, auto executive
Andrew Russell 'Russ' Martin of Wilton, who had held posts in various automotive fields, died on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005 at his home. A former Ridgefielder, he was 84 years old and the husband of the late Mary Ellen Schofield Martin.
Born in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 8, 1920, Mr. Martin was the son of Stanley and Florence Muszynski. His family soon moved to Detroit, Mich., where Mr. Martin spent most of his early years, attending local schools and graduating from the University of Detroit with a bachelor's degree in business administration.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942, attended the U.S. Naval School at Notre Dame, Ind., and served aboard the USS LCI (M) 1089 in the South Pacific as the commanding officer. He was commissioned in 1944 and was a recipient of the Victory Ribbon World War II, American Theater Ribbon and Asiatic-Pacific Medal, 1 star.
Mr. Martin was an accountant and sales specialist. For many years, he was a national sales manager for Mercedes-Benz.
In 1965, Mr. Martin, along with his family, moved from Washington, D.C., to Ridgefield. He established Martin Motors, a Toyota dealership, in Waterbury. Later he joined General Electric Credit Corporation in its auto leasing division, retiring in 1985.
He enjoyed music and singing. In early years he sang in musical theater in Chicago, and with the Detroit Civic Opera. In Ridgefield, he had sung with choirs at St. Elizabeth Seton Church and St. Mary's Church.
He moved to Heritage Village in Southbury in 2001, and recently moved to Wilton.
Mr. Martin is survived by two daughters, Tess Riegel and her husband, Ted, of Wilton and Gigi DiLillo and her husband, Dave, of Danbury; three sons, James Martin and his wife, Dana, of Danbury, John Martin and his wife, Beth, of Haverhill, Mass., and Daniel Martin and his wife, Crystal, of Falmouth, Mass.; and four grandchildren, Jessica Martin, Ted Riegel, Ryan DiLillo and Timothy DiLillo.
Besides his parents and wife, a son, Thomas R. Martin, predeceased him in 2001.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday in St. Mary's Church, Ridgefield.
Burial followed in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Mid-Fairfield Hospice, 180 School Road, Wilton 06897.
Claire Donegan, 40-year resident
Claire Faulkner Donegan, a longtime Ridgefielder who had worked at The Silk Purse, died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, in Danbury. She was 83 years old.
Mrs. Donegan was born in Boston, Mass., in 1921, daughter of Hubert and Mary Faulkner. She graduated from Dorchester High School for Girls in Dorchester, Mass., and worked for the Army Ordnance Department in Boston during World War II.
While there, she met her future husband, Frank Donegan, a U.S. Army captain returning from the European theater. They were married
in 1946 and had moved to Ridgefield in 1965.
Mr. Donegan, who owned the Bell, Book and Candle Shop in the Donnelly Shopping Center in the 1960s and 70s, died in 2003. Mrs. Donegan occasionally helped out at the shop, which was the town's only bookstore for many years.
Although a homemaker for much of her life, Mrs. Donegan worked for several years at the Silk Purse on Main Street and for the law firm of Ventura & West in Danbury. She volunteered at the Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen in Danbury and was a member of St. Mary's Parish.
'Mrs. Donegan had a lifelong love of reading and was a strict grammarian,' her family said. 'She loved art and antiques, and passed her enthusiasms on to her children. She was also a spirited singer.'
She is survived by two sons, Robert of New York City and Frank of Schenectady, N.Y.; two daughters, Priscilla of Royal Oak, Mich., and Nancy of Poway, Calif.; daughter-in-law Jackie; sons-in-law Ryan Mathews and John Sedej; and eight grandchildren: Evan, Fields, Adam, Zack, Sierra, Gabriel, Sorelle and Owen.
The Rev. Paul Murphy celebrated a Mass of Christian Burial Monday, Aug. 8, in St. Mary's Church.
Burial was private.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Ridgefield Visiting Nurse Association, 90 East Ridge, Ridgefield 06877.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Jeffrey Schwartz, 55, bond trader
Jeffrey F. Schwartz of Ridgefield, a bond trader who had been active in youth and adult athletic programs here, died on Monday evening, Aug. 1, 2005, at his home. He was 55 years old and the husband of Sharon Schwartz.
Jeff Schwartz was born in the Bronx, N.Y., on Sept. 24, 1949, son of Michael and Lena Cohen Schwartz. He attended Bronx schools, graduated from James Monroe High School and attended Baruch College of Manhattan.
A bond trader, Mr. Schwartz was employed by the Manufacturer's Hanover Trust Company of New York City, Geneve of New York City and later of Greenwich, U.B.S. Financial Securities, and Willowbridge Associates of Plainsboro, N.J.
He had been a resident of Ridgefield since 1978, coming here from Riverdale, N.Y.
Mr. Schwartz was active in Ridgefield sporting activities. He was the organizer of the Semanon's softball team, later called Sports Vision, in the Ridgefield Men's Softball League. He was also active as a coach with the Ridgefield Little League and Ridgefield Basketball Association in years past.
'Besides a great love for his family, his next love of life was his friends,' the family said. 'He was a people person in every sense of the word, deeply loved by many, and a great Yankees and Knicks fan. If you knew him, you would picture him forever with a cigar and bag of pretzels, having a good Sunday conversation.'
His family added that he spent a great deal of his time 'coaching from the field or the stands, as he followed his sons' sporting lives with a loud and visible, but always positive presence.'
Besides his wife of 31 years, Mr. Schwartz is survived by two sons, Joshua Schwartz and Justin Schwartz, both of Ridgefield; a sister, Marsha Famighette of Long Island; a sister-in-law, Dr. Shelly Kafka of Pennsylvania; a brother-in-law, Larry Rosenberg; as well as three nieces, Jamie, Bonnie and Dawn, and two nephews, Gareth and Wesley.
Rabbi Jon Haddon will lead a memorial service and a celebration of his life on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 4 p.m. in Temple Shearith Israel, 46 Peaceable Street.
The family will receive friends following the service.
Burial will take place in Ridgebury Cemetery at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions to the Cancer Research Foundation, c/o Janice Dutcher, MD, 750 Kappock Street, #511, Riverdale, NY 10463 would be appreciated.
Kane Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
