Date: Fri 03-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: MELISS

Quick Words:

obits-Mashensky-Conger-Craft

Full Text:

OBITS (Craft; Mitchell; Blackwell; Hotz; Reardon; Conger; Mashensky)

Cecil Craft

Cecil "Chris" Craft, 74, husband of the late Rita (Rhea) Craft of 13 Albert

Road, Danbury, formerly of Newtown, died August 29, in Ashlar of Newtown.

He was born in Oyster Bay, N.Y. on April 16, 1925, son of the late Cecil and

Margaret Ann (Clemens) Craft.

Mr Craft enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and served on destroyers in the

Pacific Theater during WWII and the Korean War. He was the recipient of

several battle stars. He retired from the Navy with the rank of Torpedo

Man/First Class in 1962.

Mr Craft moved to Newtown following his discharge from the Navy and was hired

as a stationary engineer at the power plant of Fairfield Hills Hospital, a

position he held for 15 years. More recently he was employed as a courier for

Newtown Savings Bank.

One of his favorite pastimes was ballroom dancing.

He is survived by two sons, Christopher Craft of Brookfield and Timothy Craft

of Southbury; two brothers, Edgar Campbell of Scarsdale, N.Y. and George

Campbell of Kingston, N.Y.; and a granddaughter, Cristen L. Craft.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St Rose of Lima Church, September

2. Cremation followed.

The Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, was in charge of

arrangements.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Ashlar of Newtown, PO Box 5505,

Newtown, CT 06470.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

Elizabeth Mitchell

Elizabeth (McKenna) Mitchell, 78, of Trumbull, beloved wife of the late David

F. Mitchell, died August 27 in her daughter's home in Naugatuck.

She was the mother of Lorna Szalay of Sandy Hook.

Born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, she was a Trumbull resident for 32 years. Mrs

Mitchell was retired from Vitramon in Monroe, and was a member of Christ the

King Parish.

In addition to her daughter, survivors include her son, Major David H.

Mitchell of Killeen, Tex.; another daughter, Irene Illes of Naugatuck; two

sisters, Lydia Kelly and Mary Cranton; 15 grandchildren; 18

great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by

her son, Francis J. Mitchell, and grandson, Joseph R. Taylor.

Funeral services were held August 30 at the Redgate-Hennessy Funeral Home,

Main Street and Gorham Place, Trumbull, and at Christ the King Church with a

Mass of Christian Burial. Interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Lung Association, 12

Byington Place, Norwalk, CT 06850.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

John R. Blackwell

John Richard Blackwell, 58, of Bridgeport, died August 23 at the V.A.M.C. in

West Roxbury, Mass.

He was the brother of Calvin Blackwell of Sandy Hook.

Born in Anderson, S.C., he was a resident of Bridgeport for the past 57 years.

Mr Blackwell was a self-employed carpenter. He served his country in the Air

Force during the Vietnam Conflict and was honorably discharged.

Survivors include a daughter, Tara Blackwell of Brighton, Mass.; three other

brothers, Thomas Blackwell of Bridgeport, Robert Blackwell of Norwalk, and

Kenneth Blackwell of New Haven; five sisters, Valerie Chassagne, Gloria and

Brenda Blackwell, all of Bridgeport, Patricia Edwards of Gainesville, Fla.,

and Janet Blackwell of Mercerville, Md.; and a host of nephews, nieces,

uncles, aunts, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by a son, Kevin

Blackwell, and two brothers, Arthur and Gerald Blackwell.

Funeral services were held at Messiah Baptist Church, 210 Congress Street,

with the Rev Reuben E. Williams, pastor emeritus, officiating. Interment was

in Lakeview Cemetery.

Arrangements were by Morton's Mortuary, Inc., 25 Margaret E. Morton Lane,

Bridgeport.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

Katie Hotz

Katie Hotz, 93, wife of the late Ludwig Hotz of Nunnawauk Meadows, Newtown,

died August 30 at her home.

Mrs Hotz was born in Sandhausen, Germany, June 7, 1906, a daughter of the late

Johann and Anna (Kaufman) Bosch.

Mrs Hotz came to the United States in 1928. She was a full-time resident of

Newtown since 1948, and was a communicant of St Rose of Lima Church.

She is survived by her two grandchildren, Rachel Shanok and John Goosman, and

several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter, Anita Goosman.

Funeral services were held September 2, from the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main

Street in Newtown, to St Rose of Lima Church for a Mass of Christian Burial.

Interment was in Newtown Village Cemetery.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 40

North Street, Danbury, CT, or to Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, 30

West Street, Danbury, CT 06810.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

Timothy J. Reardon

Timothy J. Reardon, Jr, 78, husband of Madeleine (Bourassa) Reardon of 2032

N.E. 52nd Street, Pompano Beach, Fla., died September 1 in Upper Connecticut

Valley Hospital, Colebrook, N.H.

Mr Reardon was born in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., February 5, 1921, son of the

late Timothy and Fannie (Treadwell) Reardon. He was a resident of Newtown most

of his life until his retirement. He is a graduate of Newtown High School.

During World War II he served in the US Navy as a mineman 1/C, serving as a

deep sea diver and underwater demolition technician. He was the recipient of

the bronze star metal.

Following his discharge, he returned to Newtown and started a home building

business. He retired in 1985 and spent his winters in Pompano Beach, Fla. and

his summers in Bloomfield, Vt. He was a member of American Legion Post #162,

Deerfield, Fla. and the North Stratford, N.H. VFW. He was a former member of

the Newtown Lions Club and Knights of Columbus. He was a communicate of St

Rose Church.

He is survived, besides his wife of 14 years, by a stepson, Roland Cass, Jr,

of Bethel; four stepdaughters, Mrs Cheryl Smith of Kissimmee, Fla.; Mrs Regina

Adelaars of Fountain Valley, Calif.; Lorraine Brezofski, also of Fountain

Valley, Calif.; two sisters, Shirley Jeranka of New York and Elsie Dinkler of

Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his first

wife, Rita (Kilfoile) Reardon.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, September 4, at 9 am from the Honan

Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, and at 9:30 am at St Rose Church for a

Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be in St Peter's Cemetery, Danbury.

Friends may call Friday, September 3, from 7 to 9 pm.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

Carol Conger

Carol "Bunny" Conger, 69, former owner of the Sandy Hook Diner, died August

28, in Ashlar of Newtown. Mrs Conger was the wife of the late John W. Conger

and formerly lived on Great Hill Road, Newtown.

She was born in New York City November 23, 1929, a daughter of the late Kevin

and Grace (Cavanaugh) Boyle. A resident of Newtown the past 45 years, for many

years she was the head cook at the Fireside Inn of Newtown. She was the

proprietor of the Sandy Hook Diner from 1986 to 1993.

Mrs Conger is survived by a son, Robert Conger of Sandy Hook; a daughter,

Patricia Andrew of Newtown, and two grandchildren, Zachary and Dawnielle

Conger.

Funeral Services were held September 1 in the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main

Street, Newtown. Interment was in Newtown Village Cemetery.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999

Josephine Mashensky

Josephine S. Mashensky, 80, wife of the late Frank Mashensky, formerly of

Nunnawauk Meadows in Newtown, died on August 25 in Ashlar of Newtown.

She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on June 15, 1919, daughter of the late Anthony

and Veronica Schimaitis. She was a resident of Newtown for 40 years.

At one time, Mrs Mashensky was employed by the Dictaphone Company in

Bridgeport and later she was employed by Consolidated Controls in Bethel.

She is survived by one daughter, Ronnie Wilkison of Kissimmee, Fla., and four

grandchildren, Joann Tilford, William Wilkison, and Lee and Frank Mashensky.

Funeral services were held on August 28 at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main

Street, Newtown, with the Rev Steven Gordon officiating. Burial was in St Rose

Cemetery.

The Newtown Bee September 3, 1999