East Haddam man dies in motorcycle accident

A local man was killed in a motorcycle accident on Thursday night, as confirmed today (Sept. 22) by CT State Trooper McElroy at Troop K.

Police say 45-year-old Joseph Madona of 25 Sims Lane lost control of his motorcycle and crashed off the side of the road in the area of 607 Route 149 in Colchester at about 7 p.m.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Norwich Bulletin reports that Madona’s motorcycle struck a telephone pole.

Trooper McElroy confirmed that Madona was wearing a helmet but declined to comment on whether intoxication, excessive speed or road conditions were the cause of the accident, saying only that the accident is still under investigation.

Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to call Trooper McElroy at 860-537-7500 Ext 4066.

Posted September 22, 2012

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Missing East Hampton woman found dead, police say it is a homicide

Jini Barnum, who gave birth to a baby in June and then left the baby behind after arguing with her boyfriend – according to her boyfriend, was reported missing as of July 28. East Hampton CT Police are now saying remains found Sept. 9 in Glastonbury have been identified as Burnam, and the case is now being investigated as a homicide. Photo source: East Hampton CT Police

East Hampton Police announced today that the human remains discovered in Glastonbury, CT on September 9, 2012 have been positively identified as the remains of Jini Barnum.

She is the 30 year-old woman who has been missing from East Hampton, CT since July 29, 2012.

Police also have certified Barnum’s death as a homicide. The case is being investigated by the East Hampton and Glastonbury Police Departments, as well as the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad.

Posted September 10, 2012

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Marilyn Maksym Churchill June 19 1938 – Nov. 2 2011

Marilyn Maksym Churchill, 73, of Moodus, CT (East Haddam), beloved wife of Raymond Churchill, Jr. passed away on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2011 surrounded by her loving family.

Born June 19, 1938 in Springfield, MA, daughter of Richard Corn of Bethel, CT and (the late) Thelma Paul Corn, she graduated Chicopee High School and Holyoke Hospital School of Nursing with a degree in Nursing.

Marilyn worked at Hartford Hospital as a pediatric nurse, then Chestelm Convalescent Home as an RN and finally Connecticut Valley Hospital as Employee Health Nurse.

Marilyn was one of the first three nurses to join the East Haddam Ambulance Association in 1971 and volunteered her time for 15 years.

She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter Sydney.

Marilyn also loved Christmas, the ocean, boating, cooking and working in her beautiful gardens at their home in Moodus.

In addition to her loving husband of 53 years, she is survived by her three children, Tracy of Phoenix, AZ;  Pamela of Hartford, CT; and Ray and his wife Lauren of Griswold, CT; granddaughter, Sydney Churchill; father, Richard Corn of Bethel and sister, Judith Norwood of Easthampton, MA.

The Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Road, Colchester, CT handled arrangements.  The Funeral Liturgy was celebrated at St. Bridget of Kildare Church, 75 Moodus-Leesville Road, Moodus, CT  followed by burial in St. Bridget Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the East Haddam Volunteer Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 17, Moodus, CT 06469.

Posted Nov. 16, 2011

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Calling hours for Robert Masci are on Oct. 25

Robert Masci

Robert M. Masci, 68, of East Haddam, CT beloved husband of Marcy (Weber) Masci, went home to Heaven on Saturday, (Oct. 22, 2011). Born Sept. 29, 1943 in New York, NY, he was a son of the late John and Ruth (Regan) Masci.

He was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School and Hudson Valley Community College before earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1966.

On Feb. 19 of that year, he and Marcy were married in Albany.

Mr. Masci was a Mechanical Engineer for Pratt & Whitney for 38 years before his retirement in 2004.

He was a Charter Member and past Chief of the East Haddam Ambulance Association, in which he was very active for many years.

In his spare time, he loved to travel and was an avid golfer and fisherman.

In addition to his loving wife of 45 years, he is survived by two children, Michael and his wife, Ruth of Moodus (East Haddam) and Brenda Colton and her companion, Robert Wieczorek of Bedford, NH; three grandchildren, Megan and Jenna Masci and Carolyn Colton; his sister, Joan Lambert of Ballston Spa, NY; his mother-in-law, Ethel Weber of Colchester, CT; and numerous extended family members and friends. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, John Masci and his father-in-law, William Weber.

The family will receive guests from 5 to 7 p.m. today, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Road, Colchester, CT.

The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, directly at St. Bridget of Kildare Church, 75 Moodus-Leesville Road, Moodus (East Haddam), CT.

Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.

The family would like to thank the countless individuals who selflessly gave of themselves during Mr. Masci’s search effort. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to the East Haddam Vol. Fire Dept, P.O. Box 375, East Haddam, CT 06423 to further benefit the community.

Arrangements are being handled by Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home. www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com

Posted Oct. 25, 2011

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Remains of missing East Haddam man found

The remains of Robert Masci, 68, of Boardman Road, East Haddam, CT  have been found in a heavily wooded area near his home.

Masci, who was first reported missing Tuesday afternoon when he failed to return home from a walk, was found off Deer Run Road by a K-9 unit shortly before noon on Saturday, Oct. 22.

Volunteers had gathered this morning at the Nathan Hale Ray High School at 7 a.m. in a town-wide coordinated search effort to find Masci, who suffered from mild dementia.

The search was called off shortly before noon when reports came back that he was found.

Masci’s wife, Marci, announced shortly thereafter to the group gathered at the high school that Robert’s remains had been found. She spoke briefly to thank  all of the volunteers gathered for all their hard work. Family and friends surrounded her and offered their support.

State Police are considering this an open case until their investigation is completed.

Posted 10-22-2011

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Police discover suicide victim in East Haddam

State Police discovered the body of a 73-year-old-man early Monday morning (June 6) in a car in Machimoodus State Park in East Haddam, CT.

“Police investigated a report of an unresponsive male in a vehicle at 7:30 a.m. yesterday and he was pronounced dead,” State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said today.

“They combed the scene, collected evidence and documented their investigation and determined there was no criminal aspect,” Lt. Vance said.

The man, who Lt. Vance did not identify but said was a resident of Portland, CT born in July 1937, was transported to the state medical examiner’s office for an autopsy where his death was determined to be a suicide due to a self-inflicted wound with a firearm.

The family has been notified, Lt. Vance said.

Police were not aware of any mental health issues that might have led to the man’s actions, he said.

Posted June 7, 2011

Dorothy G. Fluet, Feb. 8, 1916-July 2, 2010

Dorothy Fluet

Dorothy G. Fluet of 75 Moodus-Leesville Road, Moodus [East Haddam], CT died peacefully at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT on July 2 after a brief illness.

She was born in Thetford Mines, Province of Quebec on Feb. 8, 1916, the only child of Hilaire Gregoire and Marie Anne Catherine (Poisson) Gregoire.

Mrs. Fluet was privately tutored and then attended the Dominion College of Canada and White’s National College and was Diplomate, magna cum laude, in Early Childhood Education. She also held the Diplomate in Music and Administration.

Mrs. Fluet taught on the primary school level for 16 years and was principal of an elementary school in Thetford Mines in the Province of Quebec with over 400 students. She took special interest in primary education all her life and offered assistance to Saint Joseph School in North Grosvenordale from 1983 to 1989. She especially enjoyed helping students in need.

Mrs. Fluet was an accomplished pianist and often accompanied her father in public concerts in Canada.

Later in life, she pursued a course of study leading to certification as a Nursing Assistant granted by the state of New Hampshire.

In 1954, she married Paul L. Fluet, then owner of a dry cleaning business in Thetford Mines. The family immigrated to the United States in 1958 and first settled in Haverhill, Mass.

In 1969, the family moved to North Hampton, New Hampshire. Mr. Fluet died in 1980. One of her great joys was the ordination of her only son Father Gregoire J. Fluet to the Roman Catholic priesthood for the Diocese of Norwich in 1982.

In 1983, Mrs. Fluet moved to Putnam, CT. In 1998 she chose to move to Moodus and make her home with her son at Saint Bridget of Kildare Rectory.

She was especially happy to be able to join the celebration of her son’s 25^th anniversary of ordination in 2007.

In later life, Mrs. Fluet enjoyed being a part of Saint Bridget Parish and visiting with parishioners.

She loved knitting. She also remained an avid reader and followed current events.

She very much enjoyed a second home and summers at Old Colony Beach in Old Lyme.

On September 24, 2005, at the recommendation of Bishop Michael R. Cote, Mrs. Fluet was named a Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, a Papal Knighthood, the honors bestowed by His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan at Saint Patrick Cathedral in New York.

She leaves her only son, Father Gregoire J. Fluet, pastor of Saint Bridget of Kildare, and nieces and nephews by her husband. She also leaves her “adopted grandchildren” Sarrah, Andrew, Rebecca, Michael, Therese, and Bernadette Mierzejewski, as well as their family.

She leaves close friends including the Dodd, Murphy, Colon and Talbot families of Moodus/East Haddam, the Lajoie and Kapitulik families of North Grosvenordale, and many other dear friends.

A Solemn Funeral Mass was celebrated in the presence of Bishop Michael R. Cote, the Bishop of Norwich, by her son Father Gregoire J. Fluet on Thursday, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. Burial took place in the family plot, next to her beloved husband, in Saint Bridget of Kildare Cemetery in Moodus, CT.

Donations in her memory may be made to Saint Bridget of Kildare Church, P.O. Box 422, Moodus, CT 06469. Please remember her in your good prayers and Masses.

Posted July 16, 2010

Clarence Harvey Rogers, Sept. 13, 1927-May 19, 2010

MOODUS – Clarence Harvey Rogers, 82, of Moodus, beloved husband of Sylvia, passed away Wednesday (May 19, 2010) at home surrounded by his loving family. Born Sept. 13, 1927 in Brownfield, Maine, he was a son of the late Archibald and Gertrude (Sawyer) Rogers.

He grew up in Brownfield and married the former Sylvia Marie Rogers there on Aug. 28, 1944.  Together they moved to Moodus in the 1950’s to raise their family.

Early on, Clarence Rogers was a logger in Maine and went on to do foundry work in Hartford for many years, before his retirement.

He loved to tend to his farm for many years, especially gardening and raising oxen, which he entered in oxen-pulls at many country fairs.

In addition to his beloved wife of 65 years, he is survived by five children (and their spouses): Clarence “Sonny” (and Sharon) Rogers, Jr. of Fryeburg, ME; Doris Berner of Moodus; Brenda (and Michael) Ryder of Colchester; Robert Rogers of Marlborough and Robin Rogers of Meriden.

He also leaves s 11 grandchildren, Cherie and Gary Martin, Dawn Snow, Wendy Mutre, Amy Brown, Shaun and Tony Berner, Derry and Brittany Taylor and Tasha and Erin Ryder (his “special little angels”); two siblings and their spouses, Beverly and Harry Edwards of Hiram, Maine and Donald and Mabel Rogers of Florida; and numerous great grandchildren, extended family members and friends.

He was predeceased by a son-in-law, William Berner and three siblings, Dwight, Rupert and Donna.

Private graveside services will be observed in the Rogers family plot in Pine Grove Cemetery, in Brownfield, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Middlesex Hospital Hospice, 28 Crescent St., Middletown 06457, American Heart Assn., 1 Union St., Ste. 301, Robbinsville, NJ08691-4183 or to the American Lung Association, 45 Ash St., East Hartford, CT 06108-3272

Care of arrangements has been entrusted to the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester. www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com.

Posted May 20, 2010