WTIC Alumni Site

OBITS

Ken Allen: From Bill Hennessey: "Ken Allen died this morning (12/09/2006) at 1AM – at a hospice room in The Lutheran Home, Southbury.  He had suffered from Alzheimer’s for the past few years, following a highly successful career as a free-lancer, CBS Staff Announcer, and long-ago member of the WTIC family.  Some alumni will remember his 2004 visit to The Arch Street Tavern for one of the Monday night get-togethers.  He was a handsome and superbly-accomplished performer, a truly “gentle” man, and an all-around good guy."

Ken was a Massachusetts native who played football at Framingham High in the late 1940s, worked at WKOX, and then entered the U.S. Army, serving in Korea at AFRS (Armed Forces Radio).  Upon discharge, he resumed his full-time career at WTEN in Albany, moving to WTIC in 1959.   While there, he accompanied Bob Segal as a delegate from the Boston Local at a national AFTRA Convention in Detroit, along with Jack Chase, Bill Hahn, Bill Hennessey and others.

Later, Ken gambled on free-lancing (and won big!) by becoming the on-air TV spokesperson for New England Tel & Tel, appearing weekly on WBZ-TV commercials.  In his off-hours he’d roam the streets of NYC, auditioning and gaining acceptance there in the advertising community.  As an adjunct, he became a Staff Announcer at the CBS Network while continuing to ply the free-lance trade.

Ken’s many successes provided a comfortable life for him and his family, with homes in Stamford and Darien.  His professional activities declined with the onset of Alzheimers about 4 years ago, and he eventually was confined to Assisted Living facilities in Newtown and Southbury (Conn.).  Tragically, the horrors of that disease entailed total loss of ability-to-read -- the key strength to his considerable talents.

His legacy includes the fact that one of his sons (Jeff) followed his footsteps and was also at CBS, NYC… and is now a newsman at WINS.

C. Edward Anderson: Ed was an announcer at WTIC AM FM TV3 for 37 years. He was on the Jean Colbert Show, Sports Talk, Mind Your Manners, and weekend news casts on television. Ed died April 30, 2002 in Hartford Hospital at age 85.
  A Newington resident for 50 years, Ed sang in the choir at Church  of Christ Congregational. He was an Army veteran of World War II serving with the 508th military police unit. He entertained the alumni group at the 1997 reunion with his version of covering then President Johnson's attendance at the New England Governor's Conference at Bradley International Airport.
  Note from Lou Palmer: It's with great sadness that I read about the passing of one of the truly good guys--Ed Anderson.  All of us, I'm sure, have fond memories of Ed.
  My most vivid goes back to 1967, my first year as an announcer with WTIC Radio.   For those who remember, 1967 was the year of the "Impossible Dream" when the Red Sox won a pennant. 
  On October 5, the company sent any of us who had anything to do with sports to a World Series game---game two at Fenway Park.  The Red Sox had already lost the opener 2 to 1 to the Cardinals so Game Two was a very important one.  I sat next to Ed, whose view of the game, unfortunately, was obscured by one of the many pillars that support the roof of the stadium.  Our seats were not exactly box seats to be sure.   Fortunately my view of the game was unobstructed and I sometimes had to tell Ed exactly what happened on plays he couldn't see.  We were in deep right field where I can recall looking down on Roger Maris playing right for the Cardinals and "Hawk" Harrelson for the Sox. 
  The day in October 1967 was an historic one.  Jim Lonborg, pitching on only two days' rest, pitched a one-hitter as the Red Sox beat the Redbirds 5-0.  The only hit of the game was a double off the Green Monster Wall by Julian Javier. 
  The next day Ed devoted his five minute Sports Talk feature on the afternoon drive time show to the "greatest one hitter in World Series history that I never saw", mentioning his limited view of the action at Fenway Park.  I'm sure Ed always remembered that too, just as those of us who worked with him will always remember Ed with great fondness.  A gentle man and a very a kind man.  Those qualities came out in abundance when Ed was among the many announcers who became "Ranger Andy" for a day, a week, a month, or even longer.  He will be missed. -- Lou Palmer 
Note from Dick Bertel: Ed Anderson was one of my very favorite people at WTIC. He was my mentor on the very first day I started working for the station. It was Sunday morning, May 13, 1956. Ed was on duty in the old announce studio adjacent to Master Control in the Grove Street building. Of course, he was a young man, then - in his late thirties, as I recall. He welcomed me warmly and did his best to reassure me and put me at ease. He was great.
  I knew he was a good announcer - all you had to do was listen, and of course, he made a great foil for Jean Colbert every afternoon. I didn’t realize the extent of his talent, however, until December 31^st, 1956, the day of the Cathedral fire. His description of that holocaust was unbelievable. I knew right then and there that I had a long way to go before I could ever hope to fit into his shoes.
  No wonder we all look back fondly at ‘TIC. It was people like Ed that made it so wonderful and so memorable. Thanks, Ed. -- Dick Bertel  Back

Bob Arel Robert. L. Arel, 71, of Deland, Fla. died on June 4, 2003.  An Army veteran, he was an announcer at WTIC Radio and Television in Hartford, Conn. before moving to Florida in 1961.  A freelance announcer for many years, he worked with several companies as a technical writer, curriculum developer, and training analyst.  He also sang in the chorus of the Orlando Opera Company.  His wife, Jo-Ann, survives.

This is from the Middlebury College Alumni Magazine and contributed to us by Bill Hennessey who added:

Samuel V. Balnius: Sam, 76, of Vero Beach, Fla. died Nov. 1, 1993 at Indian River Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was born Feb. 28, 1917 in Hartford, Conn. He was a radio engineer for WKNB in New Britain, Conn., and WTIC in Hartford.
  The Vero Brach newspaper listed his survivors as, his wife of 51 years, Anne, (passed away in 2000). Surviving are a daughter, Patricia Kopcsak of White Stone, Va.; a son, Charles A. Balnius of Vero Beach; five sisters, Bertha Jedziniak of Windsor Locks, Conn. (who passed away in 1998), Ida Faber of Glastonbury, Conn., (who passed away in 2001), Sue Srokowski of Windsor, Conn., Rose Ostrowski of South Windsor, Conn., and Lucy Michalman of Bloomfield, Conn., and three grandchildren.
  A Mass of Resurrection was celebrated at 3 p.m. Thursday at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Broad Brook, Conn. Internment was at St. Catherine Cemetery.
  Dick Bertel remembered Sam. "Sam was a perfectionist when it came to broadcasting. Sam would cue up a reel-to-reel tape for airplay and then check it over and over again to make sure that it was still properly cued up. He was always a pleasure to work with. He would carry out your production instructions to the letter and always give you the very best he had in him. Sam had a way of making everything we ever did in radio seem important. As a result he always brought out the best in me, even if we were only doing some kind of ten minute music fill. Sam represented quality of the highest order and I was very proud to work with him." Back

Milt Barlow: Milton F. Barlow, 98, of Newington died Saturday, (March 28, 2009) at Hartford Hospital. He lived a long and distinguished life. A native of Stafford, he lived in Newington for over 55 years. He was a well known and well respected weatherman, having served in Boston, Caribou, Pittsburgh and Hartford. In the mid-fifties he help found the Travelers Weather Service. He was seen on Channel 3, Hartford and was Bob Steele's weatherman on WTIC for many years. He was an avid fisherman, loved his vegetable garden as was a devoted follower of the New York Yankees. His wife Sylvia predeceased him in 1997. He was the beloved father of his daughter Jean and son-in-law Robert Hafner of Simsbury; his son and daughter-in-law Milton G. and Cynthia Barlow of Eastford; six grandsons and ten great grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother Robert Barlow of Fayetteville, GA. Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, April 1, at 12:30 p.m. in the Elmwood Community Church, 26 Newington Road, West Hartford conducted by Reverands Robert Woodward and Mason Ellison. Burial will be in West Stafford Cemetery at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Elmwood Community Church. The Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, West Hartford has charge of the funeral. (From the Hartford Courant, March 30, 2009). Back

Philip Becker: Started in radio in New York City. Came to Hartford in his 20s and joined WTIC in 1933. He was the "News Voice" of Hartford, presenting all the daily newscasts from 8 am to 3 pm. Phil died December 6, 2001.
  During World War II, he spent 4 1/2 years in the Army in charge of American Expeditionary Radio Stations in Iran. He later worked for National Cash Register and Pratt & Whitney where he was a manager in the publications department. He continued working in retirement for Connecticut Bank & Trust. He is survived by his wife Sibyl. Back

Ted Brassard: Ted went to the VOA in 1979 and retired from there in 1984, right after his wife died. He briefly retired to Palm Bay, FL, but migrated back to Putnam, CT in 1985 and passed away in June 1994 at the home of his son Ted, Jr., in upstate NY. He is interred at his home town of Putnam, CT next to his wife Dorothy. (Courtesy of Barbara Ann Brassard Sullivan, Frederick, MD, Ted's Daughter). Back

Ida Burbank: An officer of the former Broadcast Plaza Inc. and past president of the Business and Professional Women's Club of Hartford Inc., Ida Burbank died Friday, July 15, 1994, at Hartford Hospital. A West Hartford resident, she worked for the Travelers Corp. and for Broadcast Plaza Inc., the Travelers subsidiary that ran WTIC radio and television.
  At Broadcast Plaza, she was secretary to the president. In 1967 she was named assistant secretary of the board of directors the first woman to become an officer of the corporation. She retired in the late 1970s. She had belonged to the Business and Professional Women's Club for 35 years, serving as president of the Soroptomist Club of Hartford.
  Miss Burbank was a lifelong lover of opera, and attended many performances, said her grandniece, Jeid Gagliardi of Farmington. "Her career was very important and she took it very seriously, but she was well liked also," Gagliardi said. "The calls I've been getting have been amazing. She was kind of the matriarch of WTIC, the matriarch of our family." Back

Mary Howarth Cass: Mary Howarth Cass, 95, of Killingworth, formerly of Guilford and Hartford, died in late summer at the hospice at Middlesex Hospital. Mary was born on Easter Sunday, April 8, 1917, the daughter of the late Benjamin Howarth and Mary Baker Howarth. She was pre-deceased by her husband Robert Vanese Cass, her brothers Robert, Earl, Frederick, Percy, Ernest, Walter, Warren (Dutch) and Raymond (Skip) Howarth and her sisters Florence Dixon, Katherine Sadler and Ethel MacGregor. She was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Larsen College, now Quinnipiac College. She worked at WTIC, Traveler's Insurance, Monsanto and Yale Child Study Center. Mary is survived by her daughters - Nancy Cass Taboada and her husband Gilbert of Killingworth, and Robin Cass Kelly and her husband François Desilio of New York, NY and Old Saybrook; her grandchildren Avalon Cass Taboada, Alisha Vanese Taboada and Allegra Skye Kelly; and three generations of nieces and nephews.
A private service and a graveside service were held in Killingworth, CT. She will be in our hearts forever. Back

Published in the Hartford Courant on December 23, 2012

Bill Clede: Passed away June 16, 2003.  Back

Jean Colbert: Jean Colbert Martineau was host of a talk show on WTIC-AM for almost 30 years. She had interviewed such figures as Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, and Winston Churchill. She died at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farming on September 5, 1995 after a short illness.
  "The Jean Colbert Show" ran Monday through Saturday at 10 am. It featured live and taped interviews. Her favorites are reported to be Eleanor Roosevelt and Pope Pious XII.
  Especially popular were her Saturday broadcasts from the former Parkview Hilton that combined interviews and fashion shows.
  Her career at WTIC began in 1947 as director of women's activities. Previously, she had hosted radio shows in Philadelphia, Cleveland and New York City, where she had been one of the first female sportscasters in the country.
  She was a member of the Overseas Press Club and International Association of Women in Radio and Television. She was a trustee of the Goodspeed Opera foundation for more than 20 years. After retiring from WTIC, she volunteered for the Connecticut Radio Information Services (CRIS), doing a weekly half-hour program for visually handicapped people. Back

Robert Corbin On Tuesday, (June 19, 2007) Robert L. Corbin, 74, a resident of the Enfield community for over 45 years, passed into eternal life after an extended illness. He is survived by his wife, Barbara (Olsen) Corbin of 53 years and his daughters, Bonnie Devine of Jefferson, Georgia; Brenda Denno and her husband, Kevin of Burlington; and Beverly Corbin and her husband, Ernest Corbin, Jr. of Enfield. Also surviving are his brothers, Ernest Corbin, Sr. of Jupiter, FL and Clinton Corbin of West Springfield, MA; and his sister, Jeanne Dwight of E. Windsor. He was predeceased by his brother; Stanley Corbin of Martinez, GA. Bob was born in West Springfield, MA to Gilbert and Blanche (Bates) Corbin, but was raised by his maternal grandparents Ernest and Mina Bates from an early age. Bob loved life and was very much a people person. He was blessed by many close and loyal friends. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was very proud of his military service. He was involved in many activities throughout his life. His membership as a Freemason spanned over 50 years. Bob was member of the Composite Lodge #28 A.F. & A.M. and was a Past Master of the Euclid Lodge #109 A.F. & A.M.. He was also was a member of the Melha Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. and the Legion of Honor in Springfield. He was chairman of the Enfield Republican Town Committee and served on various town committees and boards as well as serving as a Justice of the Peace. After the Army, he studied communications and became a radio announcer for WMMB in North Adams, MA, and several other area stations before becoming an account executive with WTIC in Hartford. Bob retired from Asnuntuck Community College as the Director of Personnel in 1991. Bob was above all a family man always making time for his wife and daughters and his grandchildren, Corbin Sharp of FL; Kirstin Abell of New York, NY; Christopher Abell of Wethersfield; Ernest Corbin III of Enfield, Robert Corbin II of Enfield, and Matthew Denno of Burlington. He loved visiting the Charlestown Breechway in Rhode Island and taking trips with his family. His family would like to thank Dr. Darshan Shah and his staff and all the doctors and nurses at Evergreen Health Care Center and Johnson Memorial Hospital for their wonderful care during his last days. Funeral services will be held at the Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Rd., on Thursday, June 21, at 7 p.m. Burial will private. Relatives and friends may call on the family, Thursday evening from 4-8 p.m. at the funeral home. A Masonic Service will be held on Thursday evening at 6:30. Memorial contributions in Bob's memory may be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, CT. 01104. For directions or to leave an online expression of sympathy, please visit: www.leeteste vens.com. Back

Published in the Hartford Courant on 6/20/2007.

Rocky Coxx:  Roland Miclette, 80, of Vernon, died May 6, 2004.

Roland "Rocky" Miclette had two identities, two lives that rarely intersected. By day, he worked at a company that made parachutes for the military, where he printed brochures and sales material.

In the evenings and on weekends, he was Rocky Coxx, part of the Cowboy Caravan, a country-and-western band that played Lake Compounce, fairgrounds, clubs and just about any place that enjoyed toe-tapping, passionate thigh-slapping music. Rocky played bass and sang. His older brother Gerard Miclette, known professionally as Slim Coxx, was the band leader and played fiddle.

The brothers apparently inherited their musical skills from their father, George Miclette of Vermont, a self-taught fiddler. His lively jigs and intricate foot-tapping rhythms have been copied, but never duplicated, by his three sons, six grandsons and one great- grandson, all musicians.

George Miclette worked in many of the New Deal programs formed to combat unemployment, and after his wife died, their younger children went to live with relatives.

Rocky moved in with Slim but joined the Navy in his late teens. He served four years, mostly in the Pacific, where he was part of the Leyte Gulf assault and the battle of the Coral Sea. After his discharge, he returned to Vermont and joined Slim's band, the Kentucky Ramblers. The group played at barn dances, fairs, parades and over the local radio station. They sometimes had gigs in movie theaters on Saturday afternoons before the picture shows began.

The Ramblers' growing reputation became known to the Down Homers, a nationally popular country-and-western band that at one time featured Bill Haley, who later performed with the Comets, and Kenny Roberts, known as "the king of the yodelers."

The brothers were offered a job with the Down Homers, but they were reluctant to leave Vermont and move to Connecticut.

Never thinking the band would meet their demands, the brothers asked for the ridiculous sum of $200 a week in wages.

"They said OK, which is how Slim and Rocky got down to Connecticut," said Rocky Miclette Jr., who lives in Delaware.

The Down Homers appeared on popular television shows, including the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour," the Arthur Godfrey show and at Madison Square Garden in New York. They also broadcast coast-to-coast on WTIC radio. The Miclette brothers worked by day, and their alter egos, the Coxx brothers, played music on weekends.

By the late '40s, the Down Homers had dissolved, and the brothers were playing Lake Compounce every Sunday afternoon and evening in Slim's band, the Cowboy Caravan. As Slim's five sons grew, they joined the band, as did Rocky Jr. and the Miclettes' brother Maurice.

At that time, "The Lake" was a homey, friendly place; concerts were free, and families could spend all day listening to music, swimming and watching children play. Sometimes local bands would appear with the Coxx brothers, and new Nashville groups would gain practice playing the amusement park.

"It was a great time in our lives," said Paul Miclette, Slim's oldest son, who, like his four brothers, is a musician. "We enjoyed it immensely." The band also played hundreds of gigs in small towns across Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts: American Legion halls, Granges and band shells on town greens. They met notables in the entertainment world, including Hank Williams Jr., Danny Kaye and George Jones.

Rocky and his brothers were self-taught and could not read music. They listened, they improvised, they composed and above all, they performed.

"Slim was like a Bob Hope," said Rocky Miclette Jr. "He was the consummate entertainer. Nothing could ruffle him." Rocky and the band performed old favorites: "Your Cheatin' Heart," "The Key Is in the Mailbox" and "Orange Blossom," an instrumental.

At one of the early Vermont concerts, Rocky began talking to a fan, Terry Viens, whom he later married. Rocky was tall, blue-eyed, good-natured and told corny jokes. When he played, he wore a Western shirt, cowboy boots, a string tie and a Stetson.

"I inherited his silliness, his klutziness, his love of junk food and, thank God, his metabolism," said his daughter, Dee Sweeney. She also
absorbed her dad's motto: "Humor is the key to getting through life.

"Terry Viens Miclette died in 1997, and besides their two children, Rocky Miclette is survived by his second wife, Carlene Martin Miclette, and five grandchildren. One grandson, Travis Sweeney, 17, is carrying on the family tradition with a band called Escape Generation. He has hopes to be a rock star.

In 1998, Slim and Rocky were inducted into the Connecticut and the New England Country Music Hall of Fame. They played their signature song, "Golly, Gosh, Oh Gee," which they composed.

Slim died in 1999, after the brothers had played together for almost 60 years. The younger generation -- Slim's five sons and Rocky Jr. -- hope to hire a hall and gather some of the old-timers for a concert in honor of the Coxx brothers.

"I'd love to see everybody playing," said Rocky Jr.  Back

By Anne M. Hamilton, Special to the Hartford Courant May 30. 2004.

Slim Coxx: Gerard A. Miclette was a Downhomer under this stage name, and he continued to sing until the day he died. He entertained at Lake Compounce for over 37 years without missing one Sunday. He attended the 1999 WTIC Alumni Reunion On October 2 and announced proudly that he was still running the Manchester Driving Academy at age 84. On October 13 he passed away at Hartford Hospital. Back

Ed Derry: TV construction and maintenance. Died June 5, 1992. Back

John F. DeLisa: John retired from WTIC in 1971 after 44 years with the station. He was Supervisor of Recorded Commercials. He passed away September 30, 2000 at age 87. Back

Harold Dorschug: Harold A. Dorschug was Chief Engineer for WTIC AM FM TV3, then vice president of Engineering Research and Development. After he retired in 1978, he moved from West Hartford to Cape Cod. He passed away at age 86 on September 13, 1999 in Cape Cod Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Buzzard's Bay MA. He served in the Navy during World War II and was an avid Amateur radio operator, earning W8AST at age 16. He became W1AST. He was one of the two engineers on duty in Master Control the night of Orson Welles' famous 1938 broadcast of "The War of the Worlds", and was a member of the first CBS television remote crew. Back

DELANEY, Linda-Lu (Lawton): Linda-Lu Delaney (Lawton), 70, of South Windsor, died Saturday (May 17, 2008) at Hartford Hospital. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, J. Douglas Delaney. She lived in the Hartford area for 50 years and resided in South Windsor for the past 32 years. Linda-Lu retired from the law firm of Day, Berry and Howard. Born in Chester, WV, on August 29, 1937, the daughter of the late Frank Y. and Virginia B. Lawton, she is survived by a sister, Lenna Lockhart, of East Liverpool, OH, and brothers Thomas and Joseph Lawton, of Chester, WV. A brother, David Lawton, predeceased her. The family expresses its deepest gratitude to the Hartford Hospital Transplant and Bliss 7 East Intensive Care units for their dedicated care throughout the years and in Linda-Lu's final days. A memorial service and burial will be held in West Virginia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation.
From the Hartford Courant. Back

DOUGHTY, Leonard A. Leonard A. Doughty, passed quietly away at home on October 24, 2009. He was the son of the late Elsie May Coppen and Everett Doughty, born and raised in West Hartford. Radio and television were the theme of his life. In 1930, at age 12, he received his amateur radio operating license, a nationwide record of the youngest to do so. His call letters were W1GZC. He retired from Travelers Broadcasting Co. where he was in charge of the radio and TV transmitting equipment on Avon Mountain. In the early days of television, he made a TV set from component parts to his own design. It was a central point for the neighbors to gather to watch the Wednesday night fights. As an avid fisherman, he flawlessly tied flies; many to his own patterns. He would walk miles to fish a small stream overgrown with bushes for brook trout. Besides fishing, he studied astronomy and viewed the heavens through a home-made four-inch refracting telescope with an astronomical mount. Photography was another accomplished past time of his. After waiting many years he married his childhood sweetheart, Pearl J. Woran. Mr. Doughty is survived by his wife Pearl; four stepdaughters, Judy Deegan of Florida, Jean McNeil of Massachusetts, Joyce Thomas of Middletown, CT, Essie and Ronnie Clifton of Wyoming; and six grandchildren. He also leaves a brother, Robert; a nephew, Richard; a niece, Adrian; and a grandnephew and grandniece, all of West Hartford. Mr. Doughty will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. A funeral service will be at Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford, on Monday, November 2, 2009, at 11 a.m. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of donor's choice. Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, West Hartford has care of arrangements. Back

Published in Hartford Courant on October 28, 2009

Robert M. Downes, "Downsey": There is a very understated obituary in the Hartford Courant this morning, one that outlines the life of a great man, but fails to add detail. I am not finding fault with the approach, I praise it as typical of the family from which it came, a reflection of the man himself.
  Bob Downes was never one to blow his own horn, never one to call attention to himself. For his entire life, forty four years of which were devoted to maintaining the quality of the reputation of WTIC Radio, Bob Downes deflected attention and credit to others.
  Bob was there to allay my fears that first morning at WTIC as I found myself thrust into the middle of the most prominent radio show in New England history. He was the mainstay behind the Bob Steele Show.
  He was the man at the controls for most of the Steele years, right up to the final sign-off of the show in its original form. Every morning during the legendary run of that great program the name of Bob Downes was heard by the hundreds of thousands of listeners who regularly tuned in for the word for the day, the weather around the world and the corny jokes, but Bob Downes's voice was never heard.
  It was never his way, he was unique to this business, without ego. He never wanted the spotlight, he just kept it shining on others. Almost as much as Steele himself, Bob Downes was the driving force behind that show. Known by many simply as "Downsey", I could rarely bring myself to call him anything but Bob, out of respect for the man, a respect I felt from the moment I met him, a respect he never asked for but always quietly commanded.
  It can accurately be said that one never really worked at WTIC unless they worked with Bob Downes. He was everything the reputation of this radio station was built on. Class and dignity, trust and respect, a quiet, workmanlike approach to the job, a day to day determination that the job would be done at its highest level and the audience would be served as it is our responsibility to serve it.
  In retirement Bob retreated from the spotlight he avoided during his career and quietly lived out his life with his wife Ann and a loving family. To meet him during his career you would never know he was one of the most respected and influential people in Connecticut radio, in retirement he preferred that few were aware of the stature he once held.
  He was a constant, there at his post in the Bob Steele control room every morning, flawlessly performing the awesome duty of bringing the region's largest audience it's most important program, perhaps the closest friend in the business Steele himself ever had, a man Steele certainly trusted more than any other.
  Bob Downes passed away yesterday morning (July 26, 2001) following a long illness. He was eighty one years old. He was WTIC Radio, as much as anyone the reason the station attained it's great standing. He's a man I loved, and will continue to love, dearly. (Scott Gray Commentary, July 27, 2001) Back

Gladys Schwab Drew: Gladys (Schwab) Drew died at Avery Heights, Hartford, on Friday (December 19, 2003). She and her late husband, Dr. Bernard T. Drew were married for 64 years. Her parents, Miriam Knies Schwab and the Rev. Benjamin T. Schwab, were missionaries in Tokyo, Japan, where Mrs. Drew was born on October 2, 1914. Her family moved back to the United States when she was 5 1/2 years old. She graduated from high school in Pierre, SD when she was 16 years old and went on to graduate from Yankton College in South Dakota, where she was Executive Secretary to the Dean and Registrar. After graduation she worked at Chicago Theological Seminary where she met her husband. They were married on June 27, 1937 in Sioux Rapids, IA. As a minister's wife, Mrs. Drew was very active in church and volunteer work, tutoring and clubs. She was also involved in parent-teacher organizations and functions of the private schools attended by her children. She worked for Frank Atwood of WTIC Radio and was Executive Secretary to Dr. Vincent B. Coffin, the first Chancellor of the University of Hartford. She also worked at Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CIGNA), retiring in 1976. She was a member of the College Club of Hartford as well as the Asylum Hill Congregational Church of which her husband was Senior Minister for 24 years, from 1949-1973. Mrs. Drew is survived by two children, Linda Jo Shaw of New Market, NH, and Richard A. Drew and his wife, Sandra of Hillsborough, CA. She also leaves five grandchildren, J. Christopher Drew and wife Kimberley Kiesewetter of San Francisco, CA; Robert T. Drew and wife Jeanise Eisenman of Windsor, CA; Benjamin T. Drew and wife Erin Roeder of Concord, CA, Kimberly Varney and husband Nathan of York, ME, and David M. Shaw of Somerville, MA. She had five great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, Dwight L. Schwab and his wife Ann of Vancouver, WA and Galen P. Schwab and his wife Maxine of Stockton, CA. A brother, Ward W. Schwab; and a sister, Dorothy K. Johnson predeceased her. A memorial service will be held at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, 814 Asylum Avenue at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 7. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, CT 06105 for the maintenance of Drew Hall. The James T. Pratt Funeral Service in Wethersfield is serving the family.
Published in the Hartford Courant on 12/26/2003. Back

Robert F. Dwyer: Robert F. Dwyer of Vernon, beloved husband of the late Arlene B. Dwyer entered into eternity Friday, March 11, 2011. He was born August 5, 1924 in Providence, RI to the late William and Ellen “Nell” Dwyer. His introduction into a photo journalism career began with his enlistment in the United States Army in October 1941. Bob served his country proudly October 1941 through December 1946 in WWII on the European and Pacific Theaters. After the war ended, he remained in service in Germany until 1956. He returned to the U.S. with his wife and son in 1956 and separated from the U.S. Army in November 1957. He reenlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard from August 1962 through May 1963. In September 1965, while employed with then WTIC-TV, he photographed the Vietnam War. Bob received many photographic awards including the NPPA Burt Williams Award for his filming of the 1962 Hartford Hospital fire. Bob believed the greatest reward in his career was after being inspired by his coverage of the civilian plight in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, WTIC started a campaign drive to help. WTIC's "Baby Bundles" campaign sent thousands of supplies to affected areas and eventually led to building a hospital in An Khe. Bob’s dedication to veterans included his position as the past commander of Anderson-Shea VFW Post 2046, Past Commander of Varca-Lechausse DAV Chapter 17, Past Chief of Staff, Connecticut State Department DAV serving under the late Elwood Lechausse 1999-2000 and most recently the Manchester Veterans Council. Bob enjoyed his exciting career, it led him to photograph many celebrities, politicians and cover the news with Gayle King for ten years. In addition to his wife and parents, Bob is predeceased by his son Michael, a brother William and his sister Helen. He is survived by his niece Dru Shockley, many caring friends and two special children Rebecca and Ben Hansen who will miss "Papa" dearly. Services for Bob will be held Monday, March 28, 2011 at Holmes Funeral Home 400 Main Street Manchester, starting with calling hours from 10-11 am followed by the Manchester DAV and VFW Ceremonies at 11 am. Burial will follow with full military honors in St. Bernard's Cemetery, Rockville. Memorial contributions in Bob's memory may be made to the DAV or VFW, 608 East Center Street, Manchester, Ct. 06040, For directions to the funeral home or to sign the online guest book please visit www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com. Back

  In 1955 expanded its operations on the sixth floor of the Travelers Tower to include a television station. Eaton became the television station's first news director. In 1973 when Channel 3 was sold, Eaton stayed on with the station's new incarnation as WFSB. "He felt there was more opportunity in television news than radio news," said his son Howard of Newington. "He really believed that your TV anchor should be a journalist, a newsman."
  Retired in 1985, Eaton worked as a consultant, helping to set up stations in Virginia and Florida. He had led his son Robert into the business. "I wound up working as a runner at WTIC television in high school. There wasn't much of a shot of avoiding the career," said Robert, now senior vice president and managing editor of ESPN.
  Eaton is survived by his wife Jenna. His first wife, Roberta Eaton, lives in Wethersfield. His daughter, Janet Walker, lives in North Carolina.Back

George Ehrlich: The epitome of the traditional Sports Director, that's how I describe George Ehrlich. Announcers including Bob Arel, Arnold Dean, Don Robertson, Floyd Richards and certainly others worked with George doing color for his sports coverage. I remember he was bitter that he had no input to sports programming decisions. He left WTIC while we were in the Gold Building and went with WINF in Manchester. He continued doing a sports talk show there and also did play-by-play for the Univ. of Hartford Hawks basketball team -- ALL of whom attended his funeral. Dee Rowe gave the eulogy, by the way, and it was so moving that Bill Hennessey wrote to him asking for a transcript. But Dee responded that he had ad-libbed the whole thing! (It was so touching that the full-house of mourners was brought to awestruck attention.) George passed away probably in the late 1970s. Back

John Erikson: John Henry Erikson passed away November 27, 2010 in Roswell, Ga., at the age of 74.  He had a lifelong passion for weather, the study of complex systems, the writing of Kurt Vonnegut, and many types of music.

Born March 2, 1934, Mr. Erikson graduated from New York University in 1957 with a BA in Meteorology. He served in the United States Air Force as a meteorologist from 1957 to 1963, leaving as a 1st Lieutenant. Mr. Erikson then worked for many years as a meteorologist with the Travelers' Weather Service in Hartford, Conn. His children eagerly awaited his appearances on television, as he used radar to track Santa's progress from the North Pole. After retiring from the Weather Service in 1984, he returned to his family home in Rye, where he lived until recently.

He is survived by his former wife, Ann Erikson of Marlborough, Conn.; son John M. Erikson and wife Jan of Tolland, Conn.; son Lawrence C. Erikson of Marlborough, Conn.; daughter Keelin M. Erikson of Hartford, Conn.; daughter Julie Ann White and husband Derrell of Alpharetta, Ga.; son Thomas G. Erikson and wife Aimee of Marlborough, Conn.; fourteen grandchildren; and one great grandchild. Mr. Erikson was predeceased by his mother, Alice Bird Erikson, a lifelong resident of Rye, and father Carl John Erikson of Brooklyn. Donations may be made in his name to the Salvation Army. A memorial service to celebrate Mr. Erikson's life will be held at Christ's Church December 13 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow immediately. For more information, please contact Doug Carey at 967-1139. Back

Jane M. Giarrosso, 75, of Port Richey, passed away November 16, 2003 at Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point Hospital in Hudson. She was born in Hartford, Conn. and had been in Florida since 1992, when she moved from Syracuse, N.Y. She was a retired office manager in Radio and Television. She was of the Catholic faith. She was a member of Magnolia Valley Golf Club in New Port Richey. She is survived by a daughter, Marna Bergmann of Glastonbury, Conn.; five grandchildren; and eight stepchildren in Syracuse, N.Y. National Cremation Society.

Published in the TBO.com on 11/18/2003 from the Tampa Tribune Back

Donald Gorman:  Donald L. Gorman, 87, of Wethersfield, beloved husband of 62 years to Mary (Moroney) Gorman, passed away peacefully Friday (February 4, 2011) with his family by his side. Born December 21, 1923, and raised in Hartford, he was the son of the late William & Beatrice (Callahan) Gorman. Don graduated from Weaver High School in 1942 where he pitched for the school baseball team. Upon graduation, he joined the US Army, serving during WWII  in China and India. He attended Ohio University, graduating in 1949 with a degree with honors in Journalism. Don and his new wife moved to Hartford, where Don worked for WTIC as a news editor. In 1954 he and his wife established the Yankee Flyer, a weekly advertising newspaper in the Bloomfield, Simsbury, and Farmington areas. It has remained family owned and operated for over a half century. He was a member and past president of the Simsbury Chamber of Commerce, as well as a member of the Wethersfield Country Club for over forty years. Second to his family, Don had a passion for golf and Dixieland music. He was fond of saying he only played golf on days that ended in "d-a-y." Along with his wife Mary, Don will be fondly remembered by his loving family, son and daughter-in-law, Matt and Lorri Gorman, of Pelham, NY; daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Rick Hughto, of Wellesley, MA; sister Rita Connelly, of Glastonbury; nine adoring grandchildren, Mary Kate, Bill, Annie, and Jimmy Hughto, Katie, Bobby, Mickey, Kelly, and Trish Gorman; many nieces and nephews; and not to be forgotten, his second family at the Yankee Flyer. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, February 9 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St. Wethersfield. Interment will follow in Village Cemetery, Marsh St., Old Wethersfield. The family will receive friends and relatives at the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Rd. Wethersfield,. Tuesday, February 8, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. To extend online expressions of sympathy, or for further information, please visit farleysullivan.com. Back

Edward J. Gracyalny: Edward J. Gracyalny, 81, of Manchester, beloved husband for 57 years of Anne-Louise (Mello) Gracyalny died on Friday (September 1, 2006.) He was born on April 29, 1925 in Warren, RI son of the late John and Julia (Bartosewitz) Gracyalny. He graduated in 1942 from LaSalle Academy in Providence and attended Capitol Radio Institute in Washington, D.C. and earned his television engineer license. He was a veteran of World War II having served in the U.S. Army in Europe. He worked as a television engineer at WJAR in Providence and then for 29 years at WTIC (WFSB) in Hartford until his retirement in 1986. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his three children; Anne E. Green and her husband Bill Green Jr. of Vernon, Mary L. Gracyalny of Manchester, and John C. Gracyalny of Brookdale, CA. He is also survived by his grandson, Paul Callen of Pinellas Park, FL and his aunt, Wilhelmina Camara of Manchester. Ed was an avid reader and gardener who loved to share with his family and friends the flowers, vegetables, and fruits of his gardens and orchard. He enjoyed traveling with his wife especially the many cruises they shared over the past several years. A memorial Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. at St. James Church, 896 Main St, Manchester. The John F. Tierney Funeral Home, Manchester has care of arrangements. The family requests no flowers. Memorial donations maybe made to the Protectors of Animals, Inc., PO Box 24, South Glastonbury, CT 06073.

Published in The Hartford Courant 9/3/2006. Back

Jack Guckin: John R. “Jack” Guckin was one of the most prolific and creative directors at Channel 3. Jack was born September 16th, 1930 in New Haven. He graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1953 with a degree in English. It was his involvement with the campus radio station while at UConn that charted his career course. Jack headed for New York where he did commercial film editing and camera work at WPIX. 

In June of 1957 Jack married Lois, his beloved wife of more than 30 years. When he heard that Channel 3 in Hartford was about to go on the air he applied for a job as cameraman, knowing that he would have the opportunity to grow with the new station. Within a short time he became a director, which allowed his creativity to flourish. He directed the “Saturday Dance Party” hosted by Brad Davis as well as the major newscasts and, of course, “The Ranger Andy Show.” 

However, it was as the director of “Perception” with Dick Bertel that his considerable talent really had a chance to shine. He wrote and produced, among other shows, “The Story of Benedict Arnold”, a drama which included not only uniformed members of the Governor’s Horse Guard but an actual horse, on whose back rode an actor portraying the infamous Arnold shouting “Charge.”. 

Jack was behind the camera again in the early ‘60s for live coverage of the Yale – Harvard Regatta, this time from a helicopter, a highly innovative technical achievement for the time. 

He worked closely with producer Dick Ahles and reporter John Sablon on the documentary series “What’s Happening”, probing into stories designed to challenge the status quo of news reporting in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. 

Jack continued to work for Channel 3 until his retirement in June, 1988. He looked forward to finally using his talent and experience on a free lance basis. Sadly, six weeks later, while directing a movie in Boston, Jack suffered a fatal heart attack.

Jack loved the music of New Orleans. At his funeral a jazz band played the familiar dirges as hundreds of mourners paid their final respects. Then, one by one, his friends shared precious memories of their good friend. . When they were finished, the band, in celebration of Jack’s life, broke into a rousing rendition of “When the Saints go Marching In”. Jack would have loved it.

Courtesy of Dick Bertel Back

Jerry Haber: . Gerald "Jerry" Raymond Haber, 76, of New Britain, passed away March 11, 2011 at New Britain General Hospital. Jerry was born in New Haven, CT on June 9, 1934, son of the late Mark and Irene Bernstein Haber.

Prior to Jerry's retirement, he worked at United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney & Sikorsky Aircraft as a Photographer/Audio Visual Marketing Technologist; and prior to UTC he worked at Channel 3 in Hartford, as a film editor and on air projectionist. Jerry created and was director of the 16mm Cinema Club at WTIC and entertained such film greats as Frederic March, Mel Torme, Dennis Morgan, Katherine Hepburn, Ruby Keeler, and many others. Jerry was a film historian who collected 16mm silent and black and white movies from the 20's through the 40's, posters, press books, magazines and film memorabilia.

Jerry was a member of the Syracuse Film Festival, The Motion Picture Association, and the Sons of the Desert (Laurel & Hardy Club).

Surviving family is his daughter Natalie Irene Haber of Bloomfield, CT, his brother Andrew Haber of Atlanta, GA, his dear friend Penny Broberg of Glouster, MA and his former wife and friend Grace Winnick Williams. He also leaves cousins, other relatives and dear friends. Jerry was predeceased by his son, Gary Stuart Haber of Sunnyvale, CA.

Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 15 at Temple Beth Torah Memorial Park, Jordan Lane Ext. off the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield. Memorial donations may be made to "Our Companions Domestic Animal Sanctuary", P.O. Box 673 Bloomfield, CT 06002. For online condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.

Published in The Hartford Courant on March 14, 2011 Back

Bill Hanson: Western's Public Radio and all of its listeners lost a dear friend today, April 4, 2000. Bill Hanson died on Tuesday at a Bowling Green hospital following a long illness.
   Although he was confined to the hospital, his popular nightly program, MOONLIGHT SERENADE, continued on tape to be a favorite with listeners throughout the region. Bill Hanson was indeed a broadcasting professional. His career began in 1951 as an NBC page in New York City. There he used his wonderful voice and the guidance of NBC professionals to develop his style.
  In his career, Bill worked in Boston, Massachusetts as the host of the American Airlines classic MUSIC THROUGH THE NIGHT. In the mid-1960's, he joined the staff of WTIC radio and television in Hartford, Connecticut. There he hosted numerous radio programs and served as a television news anchor. In the late 70's, Bill moved to the NBC television affiliate in the Hartford market as a news anchor. His career then led him to Washington, DC where he spent a number of years as an international program host for the Voice of America. He retired from VOA in 1990 and joined the WKYU-FM staff that August, bringing with him a style and voice that quickly earned him and his MOONLIGHT SERENADE a very special part of our service.
  In March of 1999, as he was celebrating his 72nd year, Bill decided to retire from fulltime announcing once more, but stayed on in a part-time capacity to produce and host MOONLIGHT SERENADE. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time, but we are sure you join all of our public broadcasting staff and our Western Kentucky University family in extending our most profound sympathy to Bill's wife, Shirley, his daughter Paula, sons Mark and Greg, and his family. Bill Hanson brought a very special something to not only Kentuckians, but listeners around the world. (From Dave Wilkinson) Back

Herman Heinze: Mr. Herman D. Heinze of Wartburg, TN, formerly of West Hartford, passed away peacefully Friday, (November 18, 2005) in the Life Care Center of Morgan County. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty Jane Heinze; parents, Hildegard and Herbert Heinze. Survived by a brother, Bernhard Heinze of Ontario, Canada; a son, Austin and wife Elaine S. Cooley of Houston, TX; as well as his dear friends, Angela Brewster of Wartburg, Rhonda Biddle of Wartburg and Faye Deaderick of Lancing. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Alzheimer's Association are greatly appreciated. Funeral services were held Friday, November 18, 4 p.m. at Schubert Funeral Home, Wartburg, TN with Rev. Clay Mulford officiating. You will be greatly missed, may he rest in peace.
Published in the Hartford Courant Back

Everett "Shorty Cook" Hinderer: Everett "Shorty Cook" Hinderer, 87, of Fort Wayne, owner/operator of Music Manor since 1959, died Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, at Hospice Home of Northeast Indiana.The Bremen native was founder/musician of Shorty Cook and The Downhomers. Surviving are his wife, Millie; a daughter, Karen Persen of Palm Springs, Calif.; stepdaughters Marilyn Daffron and Karen Sciriha, both of Taylor, Mich., and Barbara Jeffery of Fort Wayne; a son, Larry of Texarkana, Ark.; stepsons Robert Kirtley... Back

Dr. George Marvel Howe: Director of the old Traveler's Weather Service, George passed away February 12, 2003 of New London, New Hampshire at age 77. He was predeceased by his first wife, Carolyn Rogers Howe, in 1966. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Janet W. Howe of Wilmot, NH; daughter Sandra St. George of Anchorage AK; stepson W. Ward Nipper III of Chicago IL; stepdaughter Susan Nipper of San Diego CA; and sister Ruth Howe Chamberlain of Vero Beach FL.
  George and I once discussed doing a packaged ski show, features and ski reports which we'd sell to other stations for them to inject their own local host. Then Debra Kent started doing the same thing on TV.. George left Travelers before anything came to fruition.He moved to Michigan, as I recall, then we lost track of him until we saw his obit in the Hartford Courant on 2/14/03.  Back

Bruce Kern: The words below were read on the air shortly after the station learned of his death. Close family friends immortalized the words in calligraphy for his family. The words are reprinted below with the family’s permission.
  "Bruce Kern was and is part and parcel of the WTIC legend. It has been my good fortune to serve with WTIC since 1929 and, in all the years since,…no man or woman has joined our staff who served WTIC with greater dedication and integrity than Bruce Kern. He came with WTIC in 1936, and immediately his sense of perfection and courteous gentle manner impressed not only his associates, but all those we did business with. Advertisers vied with one another to have Bruce handle their commercials on the air. His God given manly voice—sonorous, resonant and honest—is now stilled, but all of you and all of us will long remember it and the man. His voice will always ring in our ears and help still the sorrow in our minds and hearts." (Leonard J. Patricelli)
  Robert Bruce Kern, a good friend. Bruce was an actor with the WTIC Playhouse (The Guy Hedlund Players) when I first met him in 1936. I had just joined WTIC as an announcer and Bruce became a member of the staff the following year, so our careers sort of developed together and we were always good friends. On the air, Bruce was a model of decorum. Off the air he was a warm and witty personality and his laugh was something to remember. He was an announcer of the old school, demanding perfection from himself. His deep, rich voice and his insistence on correct pronunciation and precise enunciation were known to all who heard him on Radio and TV newscasts, classical music broadcasts and other kinds of shows. He was another Milton Cross when he announced that the orchestra would’ now play Cavallaria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni.’ He was as impeccable in his appearance as he was in his speech—a ‘fun’ guy who was also as dignified as a judge or a member of parliament. In a work, Bruce Kern was a professional—all the way. His thousands of friends and fans are saddened by his passing; we’ll miss him. (Bob Steele)
  "In memory of Bruce Kern…known for his voice by his listeners…known for his heart by his friends. (William M. Savitt)  Back

Lew Krause: Llewellyn Peter Francis Krause, 61, died Dec. 5, 1997after attending the WTIC Alumni Reunion in October. He began as an account executive for WTIC Radio in 1960, and moved to WTIC TV3 in 1968. He spent his last years working at Hopkins Advertising in New London. Back

Larry Kenfield: Lawrence F. Kenfield spent 40 years at WTIC Radio as supervisor of music. He retired in 1970. He attended the 1997 WTIC Alumni Reunion but asked Brian Hartnett to pick him up and take him home. He did not attend in 1999. He died October 26, 1999 at age 89 at Avery Heights in Hartford. Back

Paul Kuntz: Paul George Kuntz Sr., a veteran television and radio newsman, died Friday July 23, 1982 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford. Kuntz, 52, was Bloomfield's director of community relations at the time of his death. He had lived at 60 Sheffield Drive, Windsor. Born in Erie, Pa., Kuntz earned bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Northwestern University before coming to Hartford in 1954 as radio and television news editor for WTICAM-FM TV. He became trews director in 1966 and, when the station was sold in 1974, became news director of WTIC AM-FM. Kuntz was hired by Bloomfield in 1978 after several community groups suggested the town hire a public relations representative to combat the community's poor image. His job was to promote all aspects of living in Bloomfield throughJ advertisements, brochures and press releases and to coordinate publicity for several town agencies. ''He did a super job," town Personnel Director Adele Wright said Friday. Kuntz is survived by his wife, the former Marie Westbrook; a son, Paul G. Kuntz Jr. of Windsor; five daughters, Lisa Kuntz, Amy Kuntz and Barbara Kuntz, all of Windsor, Catherine K. Jourdan of Windsor Locks and Nancy K. Ryan of Wayne, Pa.; a sister, Barbara Teubert ofErie, Pa., and one grandchild. Visiting hours will be Sunday from 2-4 p.m. and. 7-9 p.m. at the Carmon Funeral Home, 6 Poquonock Ave., Windsor. The funeral mass will be said Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Gabriel's Church, Broad Street, Windsor, with burial at Veterans Memorial Cemeteryin Windsor. Back

Published in the Hartford Courant on July 24, 1982

John Carl LaBella: Memories 96.7 (KMEO) morning drive host John LaBella was killed Monday morning (March 4, 2002) in a freak accident on Interstate 30 in Dallas. A truck traveling westbound was in the middle lane of I-30 when part of a forklift assembly it was carrying caught the top of the Fort Worth Avenue Bridge, Dallas police Lt. John Branton said. The forklift assembly was ripped off and struck LaBella’s eastbound vehicle, killing him, Branton said.
  LaBella had been a morning drive radio fixture in Dallas/Fort Worth for more than 20 years. LaBella got his start at WWUH at the University of Hartford, then moved across town where he hosted a morning music show at WTIC FM from the mid-1980s to 1991 and had worked at several Dallas-area stations before joining KMEO when that station went on the air in 1998. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
  "The load was taller than the bridge," said Kenneth Shirley, assistant area engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation. "We’ve got signs on the bridge and on the road giving fair warning. He (the truck driver) didn’t follow the advisory."  Back

Ruth H. Latamore: The co-creator and producer of "What in the World,"  passed away at age 90 on December 5, 2002 at her home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. A long-time Newington resident, her travel quiz show ran on WTIC-TV3,  holding its prime-time slot and same sponsors, the electric companies of New England, for its entire 20 year run. Ruth is survived by her nephew George B. Latamore of Springfield, Virginia and grand-nephew Andrew B. Latamore of Keene, New Hampshire. Back

Jack Lennhoff: John Carey (Jack) Lennhoff died Sunday, (June 6, 2010). The son of Moses J. and Ellen Carey Lennhoff, he was born on Nov. 5, 1925. He was predeceased by his brother, Charles, and sister, Helen Lennhoff King. He attended St. Joseph Cathedral School and Hartford Public High School, class of 1943. He was further educated at the College of the Holy Cross, entering in 1946, aided by the recommendation of fellow alumnus Thomas J. Quirk, his high school principal. He graduated in 1950. Jack was introduced to broadcasting by his parents, although at the time, no one suspected the then 4 year old singer would spend the better part of his life in various capacities in radio and television. After several years as a performer with the "Daddy Couch Young Folks Program" on WDRC until his voice changed, Jack became the youngest announcer the country at WDRC. In 1943, he joined the US Army and served as a gunnery instructor until discharged in 1946, just in time to enter college where his extracurricular work included the campus radio station, part-time work at WAAB, Worcester, and summer stints at WLCR, Torrington. On a gorgeous February 20, 1954, his life began anew when he married Jeanne Catherine Danaher at the Cathedral of St. Joseph where they were both baptized and confirmed. They became and remain best friends and together they raised and nurtured Ellen Lennhoff Sears of Amesbury, MA, John Danaher Lennhoff and his wife Nancy, and Michael Christopher Lennhoff and his wife Heidi, whom have rewarded them with six glorious grandchildren, Amy Munankarmi of Boston, Christopher Michael Lennhoff, Kevin William Lennhoff and Allyson Carey Lennhoff of Fairfield, and Forrest James Lennhoff and Ethan Stone Lennhoff of N. Andover, MA. He returned to the army during the Korean War serving as a writer-producer in the Psychological Warfare Section at Radio Tokyo. After discharge he wrote motion picture scripts for Aetna Life & Casualty for a time and joined WTIC AM FM TV until he was given the opportunity to join what is now Connecticut Public Broadcasting. He started as Director of Development before the first station was on the air and later became Vice President and Chief Financial Officer until his retirement. Jack had a difficult time adjusting to inactivity and a few weeks later joined Imagineers, the leading property management company in Connecticut where his financial experience has been put to good use. After leaving WTIC, Jack maintained his membership in the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Screen Actors Guild doing commercial and voice over work as well as occasional appearances on syndicated TV shows. For more than 25 years he wrote a broadcast review column under the pseudonym John Clare for the Catholic Transcript, a weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of Hartford. He was an adjunct instructor in communications for the University of Hartford until 1986. He has been active in his churches as a CCD teacher and lector at St. Justin, Hartford, and St. Peter Claver, West Hartford, serving on the parish council including one term as chairman. In 2000, he was recognized by the Boston Chapter, National Association of Television Arts and Sciences with a Silver Circle Award for more than 25 years of service in the profession. Jack will be dearly missed by all of his family and friends who are blessed to have known and loved him. Friends are invited to join Jack's family at the celebration of his Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday June 9th at 10 a.m. in the Church of St. Peter Claver 47 Pleasant St. West Hartford. Burial will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Calling hours are TODAY from 4-7 p.m. at the Molloy Funeral Home 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, CT. Donations in his memory may be made to St. Francis Hospital ICU, 114 Woodland St. Hartford, CT 06105. Online remembrances may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Published in The Hartford Courant on June 8, 2010

Barbara (Cope) Lounder: Barbara (Cope) Lounder, 78, passed away Saturday, April 17, 2010. She was the daughter of the late John C. and Aloise (Fries) Cope.

Barbara had been employed by Imo Industries where she was a secretary in the Purchasing Department. She was a member of AARP where she organized trips; she was a member of the Berlin Senior Center, a member of Saint Paul Church and an active participant in the Ladies Guild and served the church as a counter and as a member of the church choir.

She is survived by a daughter, Kathleen Meighan and her husband, Patrick, of Hudson, N.H.; a son, David B. Lounder of Kensington, Conn..; two sisters, Mary Cutler and her husband, Myron, of Bristol, Conn., Susanna Melanson and her husband, Richard, of Bristol; one grandchild Richard Meighan of N.H. and several nieces and nephews.

Friends and family are invited to call Tuesday, April 20, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Berlin Memorial Funeral Home, 96 Main St., Kensington.

Services will be Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 9:15 a.m. at the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at Saint Paul Church, Alling Street, Kensington.

Burial in South Kensington Burial Grounds will follow.Back

Paul E. Lucas: "Paul E. Lucas, 73; Was Radio "Uncle Ezra"

New Britain, Conn. (UPI) - A funeral will be held Friday for Paul E. Lucas, Sr., 72, widely known by WTIC radio listeners years ago.
Born in Poughkeepsie, NY, Lucas lived in New Britain since 1934. For 45 years he was a radio announcer and public relations executive for WTIC, retiring in 1969.
He died Wednesday in a convalescent home at age 72.
One of Lucas' radio names was "Uncle Ezra". He also was the New England Voice editor of the Wrightville Clarion Show, which was presented in three segments     over WPIX, New York, in 1953.
Another of his roles was that of Seth Parker, in "Seth Parker Singing School" in 1929 and 1930.

(Preceding transcribed from poorly legible newspaper article). Back

Bill Marks: William R. Marks, Jr. 88, of St. Augustine FL, died September 18, 2001. He had served WTIC Radio production department for 32 years before he retired. A long time amateur radio operator, Bill had the call signs W1DEF then W1AP. He enjoyed playing the concert tuba and, in Florida, spent 13 years with the "Recycles", an orchestra of older musicians who entertained children and adults. Bill and his wife, Irene, were married for 63 years. Back

Art Masthay: Arthur Masthay, 85, of Avon, beloved husband of Donna (Mohr) Masthay, died Wednesday, (April 17, 2013). Born and raised in Southington, son of the late Arthur and Anna (Bartusewicz) Masthay, he graduated from the former Lewis High School Class of 1945. He then served in the US Navy both in WW II and The Korean War. Arthur was an electronic engineer who was employed by Channel 3, WFSB for 38 years, before retiring in 1995. He was a ham radio operator with the call sign W1 IUZ. Besides his wife Donna, he leaves three sons, Dr. Robert Masthay and his wife Connie of Arvada, CO, Alan Masthay of Avon and Brian Masthay and his wife Melissa of Broadbrook; and a daughter, Joyce Lange and her husband John of Granby; a brother, Carl Masthay of St. Louis, MO; a sister, Shirley Norrie of Old Saybrook; and five grandchildren, Morgan Petrelli, Ethan Lange, Molly, Jamie, and Allison Masthay. He was predeceased by a brother, Edward Masthay and a sister, Dorothy Bishop. His family will receive friends Sunday, April 21, 3-6 p.m. at the Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Road, Avon. A funeral service will be held Monday, April 22, 2013 at 10 a.m. at the Carmon Funeral Home, Avon followed by burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Southington. Donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO BOX 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. For online condolences, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com. Back

Robert Maxwell: Robert Maxwell, 90, a harpist and a Local 802 member since 1938, died last Feb. 7, 2012. Born Max Rosen, he and his two brothers, Abe Rosen (1916-2007) and Myor Rosen (1917-2009), all played the harp professionally. Mr. Maxwell was born in New York City. Neither of his parents had been involved in music, but at age 10 he began playing the harp. In high school, he won a scholarship to Juilliard. At age 17, he became the youngest member of the National Symphony Orchestra. He also gave solo performances in both New York and Los Angeles. Among the conductors he performed under were Arturo Toscanini and Serge Koussevitsky. During World War II, Mr. Maxwell enlisted and performed in the well-known Coast Guard band led by Rudy Vallée, giving him the opportunity to play harp in a popular music context. Later, Mr. Maxwell entered a contest on radio station KFI in Los Angeles, failing to make the finals but winning second prize. This led to many appearances on radio, television, and in the movies, including one summer as replacement for Frank Sinatra on the CBS network.  Mr. Maxwell was also a composer. “Little Dipper,” “Ebb Tide” and “Shangri-La” were three of his better-known pieces. Another of his songs, “Solfeggio,” performed by Mr. Maxwell’s orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers, gained unexpected fame as the theme for Ernie Kovacs’ regular comedy skit called “The Nairobi Trio.” Mr. Maxwell is survived by his wife June, daughter Carla, and grandchildren Vanessa and Omar Guerrero. Back

-Obituary Courtesy of Associated Musicians of Greater New York

Don MacGovern:  James Donald MacGovern, 85, of Wethersfield, beloved husband of Patricia H. MacGovern, passed away after a short illness on April 17th. Born in Hartford on March 4, 1925, he was the son of John Donald and Edith T. MacGovern. He graduated from Enfield High School, proudly served his country during World War II in the US Army and graduated from UCONN upon his return. Don worked for several years at WTIC Radio before retiring as General Sales Manager in 1977. He was an avid sports fan who followed all Wethersfield High School and UCONN sports along with his beloved NY Giants and NY Yankees. Don was predeceased by his daughter Sally M. Cormier, his sister Elinor Burney and her husband Don. Don leaves behind his daughter Susan L. MacGovern, his son Craig D. MacGovern and his wife Lisa, his brother Warren MacGovern and his wife Joyce, and his son-in-law Ron Cormier. He also leaves behind his grandchildren Dawn Wind and her husband Kevin, Chris Cormier and his wife Maria, Tim Beebe and John and James MacGovern. In addition he leaves great grandchildren Andrew, Cody and Devon Smith, KJ Wind and Corrina and Arianna Uliano as well as a loving family of in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. He will also miss his special breakfast friends: Brother Bud, Mill Mason and Cephas Gagne. Special thanks to the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center along with Dr. Timothy Hong and his nurse Donna. Thanks also to all the nurses and caregivers at the Salmon Brook Center and the Masonicare Hospice. A Celebration of Life Service will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 10 a.m. at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield. The family will receive relatives and friends from 9-10 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Village Cemetery in Old Wethersfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society , P.O. Box 5025, Wallingford, CT 06492-7525. For on-line expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopo.com Back

Published in The Hartford Courant on April 27, 2010

Joseph P. McGuinness: Joseph P. McGuinness, 76, of West Hartford, the husband of Anne (Clark) McGuinness, died Wednesday, (June 8, 2005) at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. Born in New Haven, the son of the late Samuel and Elizabeth (O'Rourke) McGuinness, he had made his home in West Hartford the past 38 years. Joe was a graduate of St. Peter's Grammar School, James Hillhouse High School in New Haven, where he excelled on the baseball field, and the University of Connecticut, playing baseball and football. He also served as president of Beta Sigma Gamma fraternity at UCONN. He was a Marine Corps veteran. Mr. McGuinness was in his 45th year of employment with WTIC Radio, working as an advertising account executive. He was active in his community and his church. He was a past state president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, former chairman of the West Hartford 3rd District Republican Party, a longtime member of the West Hartford Board of Assessors, the West Hartford Republican Town Committee, the CT Veterans Memorial Committee in West Hartford, and the UCONN Alumni Association. Joe was a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and served as a lector and Eucharistic Minister at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Along with his wife, he is survived by his three children and their families, Paul McGuinness and his wife, Andrea of Holyoke, MA and their children, Emily, Megan, and Kara; Theresa (McGuinness) Hollon, her husband, Jack and their children, Jane and Bridget, and Peter McGuinness and his wife, Joan Levinstein of New York City, NY. Calling hours are Friday from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. The funeral will be Saturday, June 11 beginning with the celebration of his Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 872 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, and followed by burial in Fairview Cemetery, West Hartford. Donations in his memory may be made to New Hope Manor, 48 Hartford Rd., Manchester, CT 06040. Online remembrances and messages of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com. Back

Courtesy of the www.courant.com June 9, 2005
 

Ross Miller: A voice familiar to radio listeners for nearly 50 years was stilled on June 6, 1996. A broadcast pioneer, Ross was a member of the Catholic Actors Guild, an officer of the American Federation of Radio  and Television Artists, and a member of the Screen Actors Guide. After joining the station as an announcer in 1943, he retired in 1993 as Vice President of WTIC AM 1080. Ross, the Musical Boss, as a loyal listener dubbed him, brought many innovations to the station. He hosted the Capital Region Conference of Churches weekly broadcast, The Aging Process", and introduced the weekly Sabbath Message. Back

Jan Miner: Jan Miner played Madge the Manicurist in an age of blissful, new-and-improved consumer disbelief. Madge came about in a time when Madison Avenue conspired to fool diners at fine restaurants by having their coffee secretly replaced by Folgers, to make Mother Nature think margarine was butter, and to surreptitiously dunk women's hands in Palmolive dish soap.

"You're soaking in it" was Madge's trademark line, first uttered in a television commercial in 1966. Miner played Madge until 1992, outlasting even the original Colgate-Palmolive contract with the Ted Bates advertising agency that created her.

Miner, who died Sunday (02/15/2004) in Bethel, Conn., at age 86, enjoyed a long career as a serious stage and film actress, but she never played down or tried to escape her Madgeness.

She recognized and enjoyed the permanent spot Madge reserved for her in TV pop-cultdom, in addition to the royalty payments. She was one of those few Americans who make the ultimate sacrifice of likeness and personality to become unforgettable commercial mascots; consequently she would never walk through an airport again without hearing "You're soaking in it." (International airports, too: To Germans, Madge was called Tilly. The French knew her as Francoise. Miner read Madge's lines phonetically in different languages.)

Madge also made for excellent and lasting camp: Gay men of three decades have especially enjoyed telling one another, Madgelike, just how much "you're soaking in it," whether "it" was a metaphor for something emotional, political, fashionable or simply circumstantial. It's a gentle reminder that things aren't quite what they seem, Miss Thing. It's comeuppance. It's surprise. You think you're above all that, but you're soaking in it. Madge knows.

According to a Web site called TV Acres, which devotes itself to such trivia, the talkative, fictional Madge worked in "Salon East Beauty Parlor," where she put her lady customers' hands in a shallow bowl secretly filled with green, sudsy Palmolive. As Madge prattled on about how "Palmolive softens hands while you do dishes," the customer would predictably express doubt, and therefore had to be told:

"You're soaking in it."

Sometimes they'd gasp and start to pull their hands out, and Madge would coax them back in, saying relax, relax. You'd been punk'd by Madge, tricked into having such soft hands.

Repeat shtick for 26 more years, off and on. No one can explain why this commercial worked for so long, or to what degree anyone loved Madge. (More than Rosie? Less than Mr. Whipple?) She transmitted some of the sassy broad feel of her era -- Phyllis Diller, Carol Burnett, Jo Anne Worley, the strong women wisecrackers of sketch comedy and cocktail parties. But we never got to hear the rest of her gossip and knowledge. What else did Madge have to tell us?

Miner studied under Lee Strasberg and did repeat seasons of Shakespeare festivals. She played Gertrude Stein on stage in the 1980s, and into her old age was still working (among her last credits is an episode of "Law & Order" in 1994).

But Miner would always be Madge. Audiences attending plays in which she was cast would gasp -- "Madge!" -- when she walked on stage. A&W root beer once persuaded her in 1991 to moonlight as Madge for an ironic ad campaign that had her soaking her hand in a mug of root beer. She was a soaker, soaking in it on cue. She told the Boston Globe in 1987 that she was lucky to have been Madge, that landing a role in a commercial is like a "present from heaven for actors. Did you know that only 10 percent of all actors earn over $10,000 a year?"

As Madge, Miner was set for life. One line, one little commercial job, turning into something people would always remember, yelling "Hey, Madge," wherever she'd go. Waving at her with their dry, flaky hands.

By Hank Stuever
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 18, 2004; Page C01 Back

Steve Myers: Was Chief Engineer in charge of studio construction at Grove Street.  Back

Ernie Peterson: Ernest H. Peterson, of Old Pawson Rd., Branford died suddenly in Yale, N.H. Hospital Saturday, (December 27, 2003), husband of the late Marion (Zahnleiter) Peterson and father of Cynthia Scalora of Newington, E. Theodore "Ted" Peterson of Branford and Scott W. Peterson of Florida; brother of Marjorie Spauling of Massachusetts; grandfather of Larissa Foster and her husband, Seth, Jeffrey and Jessica Peterson, Megan and Erin Reilly; great grandfather of Ryan Foster and Trevor Reilly. Mr. Peterson was born in Hartford, August 18, 1918 son of the late Ernest T. and Eva Peterson. He was before his retirement and after 36 years of service, Vice President and station manager of the radio station WTIC. He was later an employee of the Shoreline Newspapers for several years. He was a resident of West Hartford for many years before moving to Branford 30 years ago. He was a former Branford Police Commissioner and a member of the Republican Town Committee. He was a Army Air Corps. Veteran of World War II and was a Prisoner of War. He was a member of the American Legion and the Hartford Rotary Club. Services will be held in The First Congregation Church of Branford, Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. Friends may call at The Curtis-Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 69 So. Main St., Branford on the Green Tuesday from 5-8 p.m. Burial in Center Cemetery, Branford. Memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimers Assoc. 850 Mix Ave., Hamden 06514 or the charity of one's choice.           Published in the Hartford Courant on 12/29/2003 Back

Floyd Richards:Floyd F. Richards, 91, formerly of Wethersfield and Glastonbury, CT passed away Tuesday, (August 16, 2011) in Southport NC. He was born March 5, 1920 to Amelia and Alfred Richards and spent his youth in Farmington New Hampshire. He was a proud 1942 graduate of the University of Notre Dame. Floyd spent his working career in Hartford first with WTIC in a varied career from Strictly Sports to the Hap Richards show and then with Pratt and Whitney in communications. He also taught public speaking for many years starting at Hillyer College through the University of Hartford and then at Middlesex Community College. As the father of three daughters he had his 10 year pin from the Girl Scouts. When his family was young he enjoyed sailing in Long Island Sound and was a member Power Squadron accomplishing the rank of Navigator. With his children grown he returned to golf and was a member of Glastonbury Hills Golf club, then Wethersfield Golf Club and until recently Legacy Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He was predeceased by his first wife and mother of his daughters Katherine (Petey) Richards, his youngest daughter, Diana (Dee Dee) Richards O'Neill, and his second wife Eleanor Scranton. He leaves two surviving daughters, Denise R. York and her husband Tom of Southport, NC, and Donna Richards of Glastonbury; five grandchildren, Michael York and his wife Leslie of Wilmington NC, Kathryn (Katie) O'Neill McCartney and her husband George of Hoboken, NJ, Daniel O'Neill of Glastonbury, Erin O'Neill of Middletown and Luke O'Neill of Glastonbury; and one great granddaughter Fiona Dee McCartney of Hoboken, NJ. There will be a private ceremony at the family's discretion. Memorial donations may be made to Notre Dame Bands P.O. Box 1023,Notre Dame, ID 46556 or the charity of donor's choice.  Obituary on WFSB, Channel 3 Back

Barbara E. (Fearon) Rowley: Barbara E. (Fearon) Rowley, 71, of Ellington, formerly of Tolland, beloved wife of Perry K. Rowley passed away Wednesday, (June 24, 2009) at Manchester Memorial Hospital. She was born July 16, 1937 in South Windham, ME, the daughter of the late Clyde M. and Elizabeth (Joyce) Fearon. Barbara was a member of the United Congregational Church of Tolland and a long time choir member at the church. She was a former member of the Hartford Chorale. Besides her husband, she is survived by her brothers and sisters, Daryl Fearon, Stanley Fearon, Louise Siciliano, Marjorie Timberlake and Mary Woodbury; several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held Monday, June 29, at 11 a.m. in the United Congregational Church of Tolland, 45 Tolland Green, Tolland. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the DeQuattro Community Cancer Center, 73A Haynes St., Manchester, CT 06040. The Tolland Memorial Funeral home is assisting the family with arrangements. For on line condolences please visit www.pietrasfuneralhome.com. From www.courant.com on 06/25/2009 Back

Mike Russell: We have little information on Mike Russell. At some point he left the station and moved to the mid-west. Bob Scherago reported he'd heard Mike died of a heart attack in about 1993. Back

Alan Sagal: Hired by Broadcast Plaza Inc just before the split, Alan reported to work at 1080 Corporation in the News Department. "Close enough," the committee decided. He came to WTIC in 1974 as News Assignment Editor and teamed with Dana Whalen for "The Sunset Special." He did a weekly "Traveling in Connecticut" on the Friday edition of the Steve Morris Show. He covered the 1980 Democratic and Republican conventions. He won the 1980 Connecticut Associated Press award for Outstanding Achievements in Cooperative News Coverage." He left WTIC and went finally with AAA-Hartford where he continued to do travel features on WTIC until he passed away in 1999. Back

Randy Scalise: Rinaldo J. Scalise died Saturday, (February 12, 2011) at Candlewood Valley Nursing Home in New Milford, Connecticut after a long illness. He was 84 years old. Rinaldo, better known as "Randy", was born April 7, 1926 in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Rosario and Concetta Tisci Scalise of Calabria, Italy. He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Catherine Osochowsky Scalise, presently of Danbury, Connecticut; brother Dominic Scalise of Durham, Connecticut; sister Mary Anne Rapuano of Los Osos, California, and three grandchildren, Rosario Scalise of Danbury, Connecticut, Brenna and Ryan (R.J.) Scalise of New Milford, Connecticut. A Word War II Army veteran, Randy was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, as an M.P. Randy and Catherine Scalise were married on August 6, 1947 in New Haven, Connecticut. They had two children, Ronald and Claire Scalise Yonan, both deceased. Randy's career as a television soundman began in the early 1950's at Channel 6 (now WTNH, Channel 8) in New Haven and then at WFSB, Channel 3 in Hartford, Connecticut. He traveled the world as a part of WFSB's PM Magazine production team and was shop steward for NABET (The National Association Of Broadcast Employees & Technicians). While at Channel 3, he volunteered to climb their transmission tower in Avon, Connecticut and even saved one man's life once, by helping him down the tower when his lung collapsed. In his free time, Randy enjoyed working in his yard, hunting at his lodge in New Hampshire and drinking martinis. A can-do type of guy, he built three houses, in East Haven and Durham, Connecticut and in Claremont, New Hampshire. All donations can be made to: The Ron Scalise Memorial Fund, Att: Kurt Heitmann, c/o CP Communications, 200 Clearbrook Road, Elmsford, NY 10523. Back

Published in The Hartford Courant on March 1, 2011

PROSPECT — Mr. Harold L. "Hal" Schnerr Jr., 80, of 63 Clark Hill Road, died Nov. 19, 2010, at Waterbury Hospital after a long illness.

Peter Shaw: Peter Curtis Shaw, 61, of New Hartford and Black Point passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, (February 16, 2006) after a brief illness. He was the devoted husband of Bonnie Maglathlin Shaw, his wife of 34 years. Born in Hartford July 6, 1944 the son of the late Lester G. Shaw and Mary Jane Shaw, Peter was raised in West Hartford before moving to New Hartford with his wife Bonnie 32 years ago. As a young man, Peter served in the Army National Guard 141st Medical Company. In 1970, he began a successful 27 year career with television station WFSB, formerly WTIC, Channel 3 as an engineer/editor. Because of his talent, Peter was honored with television Emmy awards for his expertisein video/audio media editing in 1991 and 1993. Peter will be fondly remembered for his boundless wit and humor as well as a devoted UCONN basketball fan, boating on Long Island Sound, his remarkable mechanical ability, his graciousness and his love for his Golden Retriever Bud and his feisty cat Moe. Peter was the proud father of his sons, Jamison Bradford Shaw and Matthew Williams Shaw. He is also survived by a sister,Barrie Jayne (Shaw) Prevuznak; four nieces, Laura (Simon) Richardson, Meghan (Halloran) Romero, Sarah Flynn, and Abby Flynn; three nephews, Eugene Lyn Simon, Seamus Halloran and Joseph J. Prevuznak III, a sister-in-law, Nancy (Maglathlin) Flynn,and a brother-in-law, Robert Halloran. He was predeceased by his sister, Leslie (Shaw) Halloran. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday February 21 at 2 p.m. at the North Congregational Church located at 17 Church Street North in New Hartford. In memory of Peter, the family asks that you consider becoming an organ donor.
Published in the Hartford Courant on 02/19/2006   Back

Nick Skripol: Nicholas Paul Skripol of Simsbury, went home to be with the Lord on Monday (November 18, 2002). Mr. Skripol was born in Hartford on July 16, 1918. He was the son of the late Paul N. Skripol and the late Anna S. Skripol. He attended local public schools and had the distinction of skipping two grades during his tenure, He was a veteran of World War II serving his country in the U.S. Navy in Naval lntelligence as a liason and interpreter. He was a lifelong member and officer in the Boulevard Baptist Church in West Hartford. He was a 27 year veteran of the Hartford Police Force serving in both the detective and patrol divisions. He was one of two original officers awarded, in 1957, the City of Hartford Police Medal for Heroism. He was a member of the Hartford Police Veterans Association, Inc. and the Hartford PBA Police Association. After retiring from the City of Hartford, he briefly worked as Security Director for Travelers Broadcasting System (WTIC) and then undertook his third career with the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. Nick leaves his wife of 60 years, Mary G. Skripol of Simsbury; two sons and daughter, Dr. James N. Skripol and his wife, Dr. Vivian A. Skripol of Clinton, NY; Attorney Paul G. Skripol and his wife, Roberta R. Skripol of Farmington; and Susan L. Stewart of Avon. He also leaves two grandsons, Harrison Stewart and Graydon Stewart of Avon and his sister, Katherine S. Lind of Hartford. He was predeceased by his sisters, Mary S. Anderson, Theresa S. Calusine and Elizabeth S. Shuman and his brother Frederick T. Skripol. Friends may call at the Ahern Funeral Home, 111 Main St, Rte. 4, Unionville on Thursday from 2-6 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in the Ahern Funeral Home with the Rev. Amos J. Overton officiating, followed by burial in Simsbury Cemetery in Simsbury.  Back

Published in The Hartford Courant from November 20 to November 21, 2002

Dillon Smith: Dillon Smith, a longtime NBC executive in Chicago, died Thursday February 22, 2013 at his Naples home. He was 71.
A native of Johnstown, PA., Smith attended Northwestern University. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism and a Northwestern law degree.
During his 15 years with WMAQ-TV (NBC) Chicago, Smith received many awards. He won five consecutive Emmys from 1975 to 1979 for Outstanding Editorial Achievement. A documentary he produced on the criminal justice system won a Silver Gavel Award in 1976 from the American Bar Association.
Smith was active in Northwestern alumni affairs. He is a former president of the Medill Alumni Association and was a current member of the Medill Board of Advisors. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Medill as an adjunct faculty member.
In 1983, he received an Alumni Service Award from Northwestern.
Smith moved to Naples in 1996. He lived in Quail Creek Estates where he was an active low-handicap golfer.
Smith is survived by his wife, Patricia; four children, Kevin Smith, Lisa Fulton, Colleen Lenderman, Kerry Smith, all from the Chicago area; and ten grandchildren.
A funeral mass is being held Thursday in Chicago.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Dillon Smith Fund, Office of Alumni Relations & Development, Northwestern University, 1201 Davis St. , Evanston, IL, 60208 Back


Published in Naples Daily News on February 26, 2013

Bob Steele: Robert L (for Elmer) Steele died in his sleep at his home in Wethersfield on Dec. 6, 2002. His middle initial actually stood for Lee.
  Jim Shea of the Hartford Courant began his obit on the front page by saying, "The word for the day is adieu. Bob Steele, the voice that coaxed Connecticut from slumber for 66 years, closed a thousand schools, whistled a million tunes, told a zillion corny jokes and did more for proper pronunciation and grammar than an army of English teachers, died Friday at the age of 91."  
  The Steele family said that he had been feeling fine. Just two days before, he autographed 52 copies of his book "The word for the day" for the Travelers Employees Club.
  Brad Davis, now the morning man at WDRC, called Steele his mentor as he was interviewed on WVIT Channel 30 6:00 News. "He always said that in your presentation, to remember you are not speaking to a class of college professors, you are speaking to everyday working people. Talk to one person at a time. He was tops."
  Paul Sutton, former announcer, said, "What can you say about a legend that hasn’t been said a hundred times over. We all had the pleasure, of knowing and working with Bob Steele. On the few mornings I had the opportunity sitting next to him as his announcer, (when everyone else was on vacation) I felt more than, that I had "arrived" It was, indeed an honor, to just be there contributing to his show, in any minute way possible. He was genuinely loved by everybody. I shall miss him, the cornerstone of WTIC 1080.
  Steele "retired" from his six day a week schedule on Oct. 1, 1991, 55 years to the day from when he became a junior staff announcer at WTIC. Like all beginners, he was hired on six-month probation. His rich baritone voice and genuine personality captivated the audience so Bob became part of the WTIC family.
  He reported sports and in 1942 took over the "G. Fox Morning Watch" after Ben Hawthorne went to war. The show was eventually renamed "The Bob Steele Show".
  Bob used to threaten retirement every April 1st (April Fool's Day) but it was not until 1991 that he made it stick. Even then, he hosted his old show on the first Saturday of each month, except for December, January and February..Bob's son Phil said his father had told the family that the November 2nd would be his last. "Not because he was sick. It was just that at 91 he wanted to be free of obligations and commitments like that. He ended that show by saying 'auf Wiedersehen, cheerio, sayonara, and then ' What I'm trying to say is, goodbye.'
  "Those were his last words on the air. It turned out to be his last show."
  "He was the most most professional person I ever worked with," said Arnold Dean. "If the President of the United States came in and said 'nucular' rather than 'nuclear', I'll bet Bob would suggest the President check his pronunciation."
  Some Classic Steele:
  "Where I live in Wethersfield, we have a scientist who's active in genetics. He crossed a praying mantis with a termite. Got a bug that says grace before eating your house."
  "One of his favorite things was breaking you up while you were on the air," Dean added. "He got me a few  times."
  The family released a statement that Bob wrote in 1996, detailing how he wanted to be remembered.
  "Robert Lee Steele, born Kansas City, Mo. July 31, 1911. Moved to Hartford in 1936. Husband of Shirley (Hanson) Steele, father of four sons, Robert H. (former U.S. Congressman) Paul A., Philip L., and Steven M. and eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Retired vice-president WTIC Radio, announcer, morning personality and sports director. Member National Radio Hall of Fame, Connecticut Sports Hall of Fame, four times named Connecticut Sportscaster of the Year, recipient of Marconi Award for top radio ratings, received Pierpont Edwards Awards for distinguished Masonic Service, 33 degree Mason, 50-year Shriner, Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters) University of Hartford. Weight 202 ¾ lb."  Back

Paul Sutton: SUTTON, PAUL VINCENT, in Westfield, MA, July 10, 2009, after a prolonged illness. Born in Providence, RI, on September 27, 1936, to the late Geraldine (Payne) and Francis X. Sutton. Husband of the late Dorothy (Kosierowski). He leaves a daughter, Maria and her husband Douglas Drake of Agawam, MA, a son, Brian Sutton, MD and his wife Cherie Santagate, of Westfield and a son, Peter and his wife Roberta Beauchamp of Somerville, MA. He also leaves his grandchildren, Frances, Adam, and Rosie Sutton and Joseph and Patrick Drake. He was the brother of David (Edith) P. Sutton, Esq. of Annapolis, MD, Mary (Earl) Mahar and Jean Tierney, of Coventry, RI, and uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Paul graduated from St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, RI, and served in the US Air Force from 1957 to 1961. He received a degree in broadcasting from Emerson College and began his career at WKRI in W. Warwick, RI. Locally, Paul worked as radio disc jockey at WTXL and WSPR in Springfield. His radio career reached its pinnacle at WTIC in Hartford where he worked as a staff announcer for several years and hosted his own late-night talk-show.

Paul will be best remembered as the local TV weatherman for WGGB, Channel 40, in Springfield, where he worked from 1979 to 1999. During this tenure, he co-hosted the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy for many years. He also co-chaired, along with Wade Boggs, the annual Multiple Sclerosis Readathon. He was the founder of the annual Christmas card campaign, 'Operation Tiny Tim', on behalf of the pediatric patients of the Shriners Hospital in Springfield, MA. In his retirement, Paul was a member of the Dan Kane Singers, a patron of the local arts including the Springfield Symphony, and a world-traveler. He was an avid Red Sox fan until the end. The funeral for Paul will be held on Tuesday, July 14th, at 9 AM from Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 am in St. Mary's Church, 28 Bartlett Street. Burial will follow in Center Cemetery in Agawam. Calling hours will be held on Monday at the funeral home from 4-8 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church Building Fund in Westfield MA or Griffin's Friends Children's Cancer Fund c/o Baystate Health Foundation. Firtionadams.com

Published in The Providence Journal on 7/12/2009 Back

Bob Tyrol: Veteran broadcaster Robert S. Tyrol, whose legendary voice swept him from his job as mail clerk for the Travelers Insurance Co. through an illustrious career as a radio announcer and chairman of WTIC radio's parent company, died Friday, December 13, 1991, at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. He was 68.
  In 1941, Mr. Tyrol was a runner for the radio department of Travelers, then the parent company of WTIC radio, when he made his debut announcing the NBC program "The United States Coast Guard on Parade" from New London.
  At 17, his voice was one of the youngest to be heard over the air waves from coast to coast. Back

Gerald Lee Weed: Gerald Lee Weed, 69, of South Point, Ohio, passed away Sunday, January 27, 2008, in Cabell Huntington Hospital. Funeral service will be conducted 2 p.m. Thursday, January 31, 2008, at Chapman's Mortuary, Huntington, W.Va., with Pastor Wilmer Napier officiating. Burial will be in Woodmere Memorial Park, Huntington. Gerald was born March 2, 1938, in Huntington, a son of the late John William and Lillian Irene Newman Weed. Also preceding him in death were a sister, Corintha Lou Weed, and a brother, William "Buddy" Weed. He was a retired editor for ESPN and was a U.S. Navy veteran. He was a member of El Hasa Shrines A.A.O.N.M.S. of Ashland, Ky.; International Shrine Clown Association; Wyllys-St. John's Lodge #4 AF&AM of West Hartford, Conn.; and American Legion. Survivors include his wife, Edith Miller Weed; a daughter and son-in-law, Deborah and Marc Timbrook of Leesburg, Va.; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Ronnie and Teresa Weed and John Weed, all of Huntington; a stepdaughter, Flora McLaughlin of Springfield, Mass.; a sister and brother-in-law, Cleva Jane and Stephen Roswall of Hanover, Pa.; eight grandchildren, Jerry, Kara, Brian and Tracy Timbrook of Leesburg, Va., Amy DeFoe, Ellen Weed, and Christopher Weed, all of Huntington, and Katie Weed of Ranson, W.Va.; and two great-grandchildren, Rylan Lee Hardy and Dylan Michael Hardy. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 30, 2008, at Chapman's Mortuary, where a Masonic service will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. by Proctorville Lodge #550 F&AM. Back

John Welch:John Clifford Welch, 85, formerly of Somers and Old Wethersfield, departed this life on Tuesday, (March 15, 2005). He was the devoted husband of the late Ernestine (Panciera) Welch for 53 years. Born on July 14, 1919 in Somers to Nelson and Roselle (Parsons) Welch. In his early years John belonged to the Boy Scouts of American Troop 83 in Somers. He graduated from Rockville High School class of 1937. Upon graduation from high school John went on to attend Valparaiso Technical School in Indiana and also Bliss Technical School in Washington, DC. Mr. Welch was a veteran of the United States Navy serving during World War II, he was stationed in Hawaii and aboard the USS Sitkoh Bay as an ARTC. John began his career at KVIC in Victoria, TX. Following his retirement after 40 years of his career in broadcast engineering at Channel 3/WTIC he reactivated his interest in HAM radio using the call letters W1MWP. He will be sadly missed by his two sons, Timothy and his wife Kathleen Welch of Somers and Clifford and his wife Anne-Marie Welch of Raynham, MA; a daughter, Ann Marie and her husband Philip Arrowsmith of Enfield; a sister, Katherine Welch of Suffield; four grandchildren, Jason, Andrew, and Jessica Welch and Sarah Maskill; a great grandchild, Hollise Welch; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services will be held at Somers Funeral Home, 354 Main Street (Route 190) on Friday, March 18, at 1 p.m. with Rev. Dr. Barry Cass officiating. Interment will be in West Cemetery in Somers. The family will receive relatives and friends at the Somers Funeral Home TODAY, March 17, from the hours of 4–8 p.m. Memorial Donations to help Somers Boy Scouts lodge fund and may be directed to Friends of Somers Boy Scouts troop #387, 26 Lindell Drive, Somers, CT 06071. Attn: Building Fund. To leave a message of hope and remembrance please visit our web-site at www.somersfuneralhome.com. Published in the Hartford Courant on 3/17/2005.