Date: Mon 26-Jun-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

obits-Florence-Testani

Full Text:

OBITS

Florence Testani

Mrs Florence Spisto Testani, 83, of Newtown, a housewife, died June 15, at

Danbury Hospital. She was the widow of Samuel J. Testani.

Born in Bridgeport, she was a life long area resident.

Survivors include one son, Robert B. Testani, and one daughter, Mrs Patricia

Prokop, both of Newtown; five grandsons, William, Scott, and Steven Prokop,

Michael and Keith Testani; two sisters, Mrs Clara Sorrentino of Bridgeport and

Mrs Elizabeth Faustine of Shelton; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs Testani

was pre-deceased by two sisters, Edith Loconto and Jennie Campolucci.

Funeral services were held June 17, from the S. Spadaccino & Sons Funeral

Home, 499 Washington Avenue, Bridgeport, to a Mass of Christian Burial at St

Patrick Church. Entombment followed in St Michael Chapel Mausoleum.

The family requests that flowers please be omitted and those desiring may make

contributions to the Newtown Ambulance Association through the Funeral

Director.

Helen Teresa Cullen

Helen Teresa Cullen, 79, of Fairfield, died June 16 at the Roncalli Health

Center of Bridgeport. She was the daughter of Teresa Murphy Cullen and Edward

Joseph Cullen of Newtown.

Ms Cullen graduated Pratt Institute in 1937, and made her career in Fairfield

County first as a custom dressmaker, then as a retailer of women's clothing

under the name of Cullen of Connecticut.

An avid sportswoman, Helen had been an active member of the Connecticut

Women's Gold Association, and the Newtown Country Club where she held the

title of Club Champion many times.

She is survived by her two daughters, Michele P. Montanye of Washington, D.C.,

and Molly Renda of Durham, N.C.; her sister, Marjorie Cullen Farber of

Anchorage, Alaska; several cousins; and two step-grandchildren.

There will be a private memorial gathering.

The family requests that donations be made in her memory to the General

Scholarship Fund of the Connecticut Women's Golf Association in care of

Shaughnessey Brothers Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT 06430.

Anna May Gerow

Anna May Gerow, 81, of Nunnawauk Meadows, died June 15 at Danbury Hospital.

She was the wife of the late Robert Gerow, Sr.

Mrs Gerow was born in Bridgeport, August 25, 1913, a daughter of John H. and

Elizabeth A. Leach Slatcher.

She had been employed for many years at the former Card Rack store on Main

Street in Danbury.

Mrs Gerow was a member of the First Congregational Church in Danbury and a

former Sunday school teacher.

She was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels in the area.

Survivors include a son, John Gerow, Jr, of Ft Pierce, Fla.; a daughter, Diana

Waterbury of Danbury; a sister, Marion Delaney of Devon; two grandchildren;

and a great-grandson.

Funeral services were held the morning of June 20 at the Tomlinson Homestead

in Danbury with the Reverend Mary Lou Howson officiating. Burial followed in

Maple Avenue Cemetery in Patterson, N.Y.

David Soderholm

David Knute Soderholm, 80, of Newtown, formerly of Fairfield, died June 17, in

his home. He was the husband of Gilda Tremalio Soderholm.

A lifelong resident of Fairfield, he was a retired building inspector and

owner of Country Squire Real Estate, Wilton. He was a nephew of August

Soderholm, founder of Soderholm's Bakery, Bridgeport, where he once worked. He

was the building supervisor for the State of Connecticut for the restaurant

sites for I-95, construction supervisor for the Wilton Public School complex,

and the building and sanitation inspector for the Town of Wilton.

He was past president of the Wilton-Norwalk Chapter of The Lions Club, a

member of the American Wildlife Association and the Connecticut Audubon

Society.

Mr Soderholm is also survived by three daughters, Laura Rooney of Newbern,

N.C., Jill Soderholm of Newtown, and Cheryl Armstrong of Redding; one sister,

Gladys White of Redbank, N.J., two grandchildren Paige and Taylor Armstrong of

Redding; and a nephew, Richard Tremalio of Fairfield.

Funeral services were held June 21, at Black Rock Congregational Church,

Fairfield. Interment will be in Mt Grove Cemetery at the convenience of the

family.

The Larson Funeral Home, Bridgeport, is in charge of arrangements.

The family requests donations be made to the Connecticut Audubon Society, 2325

Burr Road, Fairfield.

Edith Burdett

Edith M. Barrow Burdett, 92, a resident of Ashlar of Newtown and formerly of

Stratford, died June 18 in Ashlar. She was the wife of the late Ernest

Burdett.

Born in Bridgeport, she lived most of her life in Stratford. Mrs Burdett was a

member of the Azalea Chapter #2 Order of the Eastern Star and the Stratford

Court #21 Order of Amaranth.

She is survived by two daughters, Laura Wildman of Sandy Hook, and Virginia

Zinn of Monroe; a brother, Arthur C. Barrow and his wife, Ruth, of Sandy Hook;

six grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; two nieces and a nephew.

Funeral services were held June 20, in the Redgate, Wilmot, West and Goulding

Funeral Home, Monroe, with the Reverend Michael G. Thorn, Pastor of the Bible

Baptist Church, Newtown, officiating. Interment was in Milford Cemetery,

Milford.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to O.E.S. Hospital

Endowment Fund, 281 Hartford Turnpike, G4, Vernon, CT 06066.