Lt. Col. Ralph L. Belward, U.S. Air Force Retired, of Lakeland, Fla., died at Lakeland Regional Medical Center on Wednesday, July 31, after a brief illness.

He was born in Norwalk on Sept. 15, 1917, the son of Percy William Belward and Alice Mae Buttery Belward. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Voboril Belward, and brothers Richard and Lewis.

He is survived by his brother Harold, nephews Harold Belward, Jr., William Belward, and Peter Belward, and nieces Sandra Norden and Mayla Ulinger.

After high school graduation in New Canaan, Ralph Belward enlisted in the Army Air Corps. He attained the rank of staff sergeant and was accepted as an aviation cadet and graduated as a flight instructor with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

After training in Westover, Mass., he was assigned to the 8th Air Force based in Halesworth, England, where he participated in 26 combat missions as a pilot in B-24 aircraft. A significant mission was the best-known bombing mission of World War II, the Aug. 1, 1943, attack on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, which destroyed the refinery’s oil production for the German war machine.

He retired from the USAF Reserve in 1968 as a lieutenant colonel after serving in active duty as well as active reserves.

His business career was with the Long Island Railroad which he took to heart, becoming an avid model railroad enthusiast. He lived formerly in Wantagh, N.Y., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In Wantagh, where he lived for many years, he was known as a “Mr. Fix-It” and bike repairman for children in the neighborhood.

He participated in numerous volunteer activities, especially related to his military service. He was a founder of the 2nd Air Division Heritage League in Norwich, England. With his wife, he organized five Fun Reunions for the 489th Bomb Group and assisted in the publication of the group’s history.

He was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the 8th Air Force Historical Society, and National Model Railroad Society.

He was a member of the North Lakeland Presbyterian Church.

There will be no public service. Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Va., at a date yet to be determined.

Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 320 W. Main St., Lakeland, FL 33815 or to North Lakeland Presbyterian Church, 6725 N. Socrum Loop Road, Lakeland, Fl 33809.

Patrick Joseph Ruddy Sr., a longtime resident of Melbourne, Fla., and the father of a New Canaan resident, died on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. He was 97.

Born in Manhattan on June 21, 1916, he was the second of eight children and the eldest son of Patrick and Sarah McAllister Ruddy.

Highly inquisitive and a lover of New York City history, his family said, Mr. Ruddy was a longtime employee of the New York City Transit Authority.

Mr. Ruddy was predeceased by his wife of 74 years, Margaret Langley Ruddy, one great-grandchild, and five siblings.

He is survived by seven children, including Margaret Wallace of New Canaan, Patrick Ruddy Jr., Kathryn Hudson, Robert Ruddy, Barbara Wines, Richard Ruddy, and Brian Ruddy; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and two sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Aug. 31, at 11:30 at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church in New Canaan.

For online condolences and directions, visit hoytfuneralhome.com

Timothy A. McCormick, a New Canaan High School graduate in the late 1980s, died unexpectedly at his home in Melbourne, Fla. He was 43.

He is survived by his children, Christian and Hailey McCormick; parents, Michael and Diane McCormick; and siblings, Kim Wolitarsky and Kate Fox.

No services are planned. Arrangements by Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, Melbourne FL, 321-724-2222.

Louise Malizia DiChiara

Louise (Malizia) DiChiara, age 83, a lifelong resident of Stamford, died Monday evening, Aug. 19, 2013 with her loving family by her side. Born in Stamford, CT January 17, 1930 she was the daughter of the late Arthur (Mickey) and Ann Festa Roberts. Louise was predeceased by husbands, Joseph Malizia and Philip DiChiara.

Louise worked in the maternity ward at the Stamford Hospital. She later worked at Buker Ramo Corporation in Stamford and Trumbull as a electronics technician until she retired. She was an avid bowler and card player.

Louise is survived by her two sons, Stamford firefighter Kenneth Malizia and his wife Maureen of New Canaan, and Joseph Malizia and his wife Barbara of Norwalk; her two sisters, Marion Cullen of Bedford, N.H., and Dolores Dube of Norwalk; six grandchildren, Johnathan, Jordan and Austin Malizia and Christina Trani, Lisa LaMonica and Anthony Malizia; and four great-grandchildren, also survive Jake, Ryan and Analise Trani and Liliana LaMonica.

She was predeceased by her brother Arthur Roberts.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 10, at St. Aloysius Church, Cherry Street, New Canaan. Interment will be private. Friends may call at the Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main St., New Canaan on Friday evening from 4-7.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Local 786 Firefighters Burn Foundation, Stamford Fire Headquarters, 629 Main Street, Stamford, CT 06901.

For online condolences and directions visit HoytFuneralHome.com.

Anthony M. Russo, father of long-time New Canaan resident Christopher, passed away after a brief bout with cancer on the 22nd. of this month in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

‘Tony’ was a frequent radio contributor to his son’s various radio sports shows, first on WFAN and more recently on Sirius/XM. A life-long Yankees fan, Tony was present  for the famous Mickey Owen passed ball game which turned the 1941 World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers permanently in the Yankees favor.

The jewelery business was Tony’s life work including 25 years as a Manufacturer’s Representative for HONORA in New York City.

Tony and his wife Molly just celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on the 19th a day after he turned 82.  Besides Molly and Christopher, he leaves behind daughter-in-law Jeanne, four grandchildren, Timothy, Kiera, Colin and Patrick and four nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held this Friday, Aug. 30,  at 11 at St. Mark’s Church on Oenoke Ridge. A reception will follow at the Roger Sherman Inn.

Emmett J. Heerdt Jr. of Aiken, S.C., formerly of New Canaan, died Wednesday, Aug. 21. He was 101.

Mr. Heerdt was predeceased by wife, Nancy.

He is survived by his second wife, Sally; sons, Douglas and wife Margaret of Aiken, S.C., and David of New York City; brother, Bruce of Pound Ridge, N.Y.; four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

No services are planned.

Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home of Aiken, S.C., handled the arrangements.

Donald Fisher Miller Jr. of New Canaan, who was a vice president with Omega Engineering, died at his home after complications from a series of strokes, his great-niece, Margaret Miller Cole of Riverside, said. He was 87.

Mr. Miller began his engineering career at DeLaval Separator and later went on to work at the Foxboro Company, Comac Engineering, Industrial Nucleonics, and finally Omega Engineering in Stamford until his retirement in 2002.

Born, May 20, 1925, he was the son of the late Donald F. and Helene Tuttle Miller. At 18, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps as a fighter pilot and was discharged in 1946. He graduated from Amherst College in 1949 with degrees in physics and mathematics.

After graduation, Mr. Miller and his friend Ambie Ambrose Hardwick bicycled in Europe for three months, after which Mr. Miller attended the University of Grenoble in France for a semester on the G.I. Bill.

In his spare time, Mr. Miller was an ardent sailor and skier and a volunteer at the Recovery Network of Programs in Bridgeport. His other interests included investing in the stock market, flying radio controlled planes and flying. After his retirement he spent his time researching and trading stocks online.

He is survived by his second cousins, Harriet Moore of Haywood Calif., Yolanda FitzGerald of Rowayton, and Aurelia Entwistle of Laguna Woods, Calif., and numerous other family members and devoted friends. Mr. Miller was pre-deceased by his second cousins, Philip Miller and Arthur Miller.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, Aug. 30, at 1, at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main St., New Canaan. Burial will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 3, at 11, in the family plot at Rosedale Cemetery in Orange, N.J.  The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour before the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Channel 13, Connecticut Public Broadcasting, 1049 Asylum Ave, Hartford, CT 06105.

For online condolences and directions visit HoytFuneralHome.com.

Cynthia C. Brown of Darien was born on May 25, 1927, to Arthur L. and Elinor Lambert Manchee. She graduated from The Knox School in 1945 and Smith College in 1949.

Throughout her life, Cynthia had a keen interest in historic preservation and the decorative arts. This led her to become one of the founding members of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk when it was established in 1964. She was active with the mansion for over 45 years, serving in a variety of roles, including chair of the Board of Trustees.

An eternal optimist, Cynthia always encouraged those around her and brought out the best in all of us through her compassion and caring.

Cynthia is survived by son, James M. Clark Jr.; daughter-in-law, Kathy Clark; sister, Sally Bachelder; brother-in-law, Richmond Bachelder; sister-in-law, Alice C. Brown; step-children, Thomas G. Brown and wife, Julie Brown; Elizabeth Brown Warters and husband, John Warters; Adam Brown; and grandchildren, Samuel Clark, Nathan Bebo, Colin Brown, Jackie Brown, Ross Brown, Allie Warters, Molly Warters, and Harry Warters. A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, 295 West Avenue, Norwalk, at 11 a.m.

The Edward Lawrence Funeral Home handled the arrangements; lawrencefuneralhome.com.­

Cornelia Draves Baker

Cornelia Draves Baker, resident of Franklin Lakes NJ for over 50 years, passed away on Friday, Aug., 16 at the age of 84. The cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Born March 2, 1929 in Woodbury, N.J., to Dr. Carl Zeno Draves, dye chemist and professor, and Cornelia Powell Draves, editor and poet, Corny, as she was known to friends, was the fourth of six children. She spent her childhood in Longmeadow, Mass., and later moved to Great Neck, N.Y., for her teenage years. After high school she attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

She then lived in post-war Germany for two years, finishing her education at Staedelinstitut in Frankfurt, creating a foundation for her later art career, achieving fluency in German, and establishing a lifetime friendship with her hosts, the Oeppinger family. Next she led American Youth Hostel bicycle tours in Europe, the U.S. and Canada for several years before working at AYH headquarters in New York, rising from receptionist to international travel director. Cornelia’s tour leadership years entailed trips over the Alps and Rockies on heavily laden three-speed bikes, stimulating her lifetime commitment to physical fitness.

During her New York years, Cornelia met her husband, Phil, an investment banker, and they married in 1955. They enjoyed a biking/camping honeymoon at Lake George, N.Y., starting a 58-year annual camping tradition the family continues to this day. They moved to Franklin Lakes in 1958, and when they sold their home in 2008 they were among the very last original owners in the Shadow Lake neighborhood. They traveled extensively during this time period and also hosted many foreign students in their home, notably Sakiko, a young Japanese woman who lived with the Bakers for six years. Through her, the Bakers have maintained a lasting friendship with her extended family in Japan.

After raising her four children, Cornelia resumed her aspirations in the fine arts, first as a student, then as a professional artist, and ultimately as an arts community leader, art show curator and juror, art collector, and mentor to many peers and younger artists alike. Her specialty was a technique called monoprint, a form of printmaking she would practice and teach in the studio she maintained in her home. Cornelia’s work was sold throughout the U.S. and internationally, notably in Japan, where an art gallery, The Cornelia Gallery, was named in her honor. Cornelia’s art is truly her most lasting legacy. In addition to her creative gift, Cornelia was an accomplished tennis player, avid skier, talented cook, opera buff and seasoned world traveler. She loved to wear artsy clothing and jewelry, and was a loyal friend and family member to all.

As a founding member of The Presbyterian Church at Franklin Lakes, Cornelia remained active there for the remainder of her life, first as an Elder and later as the founder of its art gallery. Cornelia was also active with The League of Women Voters, Wardoff (youth drug prevention), National Association for Women in the Arts, Salute to Women in the Arts, Altrusa International (community service) and The Bergen Museum.

Cornelia was predeceased by her husband, Phil; and brothers, Carl and Francis. She is survived by siblings, Ralph (Asheville, N.C.), Richard (Pittsburgh, Pa.), and Linda (Peterborough, N.H.); as well as son, Brinton, his wife Greta, granddaughters Nara and Emma (Accord, N.Y.); son, Todd, his wife Beth, grandchildren Foster, Ellie, and Fred (New Canaan); daughter, Claudia (Bloomingdale, N.J.); son Sam, his wife Collins, and grandsons Will and Jake (Port Chester, N.Y.).

A celebration of Cornelia’s life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m. at High Mountain Presbyterian Church in Franklin Lakes, reception to follow. The Baker family sincerely apologizes to those who may be conflicted with religious observance.

Donations can be made to High Mountain Presbyterian Church (730 Franklin Lakes Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417) or Chilton Hospital (97 W. Parkway, Pequannock Township, NJ 07444).

Christina M. Chapman of New Canaan died on Friday, Aug. 23. She was 29.

Miss Chapman was born April 20, 1984, in Groton to Robert E. and Lisa E. Smith Chapman.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by her partner, Kimberly McMahon; her aunt, Velma Syring; two uncles, Gordon and Gary Smith.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2, at the New Canaan Methodist Church.

For online condolences and directions visit HoytFuneralHome.com.

James Reynolds

James E. Reynolds Jr. “Jim”, 95, of Brielle, N.J. and formerly of South Orange and Short Hills and Delray Beach, Fla., passed away on Sept. 4, 2013, surrounded by the love of his family.

Born in Jersey City to Dr. James and Margaret (Ryan) Reynolds, Jim attended St. Peter’s Prep and Seton Hall University, where he was a standout on the basketball court, captaining the team in ‘39 and later being inducted into the Seton Hall University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979. Jim also served as president and secretary of the Student Council, and later co-founded The Pirate Blue Athletic Fund along with Don Horn and Pete Finnerty. Jim was most recently active as a member of the Alumni Board of Directors.

Jim was president of Reynolds Shipyard Corp., and his involvement in the industry led him to election as president of the NY-NJ Dry Dock Association (‘73-‘76), as well as president of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce (‘75-’76).

Jim was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jane McDonough Reynolds in 1998, and his sister Katherine Crowley. He leaves siblings Margaret White (St. Augustine, Fla.), Eileen Scatourchio (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.), and Jeanne Bott (Wall, N.J.). Jim also leaves his devoted children: Patricia Knopf (Brielle, N.J.), Susan Hewson and Gilbert (North Myrtle Beach, S.C.), Kathleen Lichtstein and Jerry (Scottsdale, Ariz.), James E. Reynolds III & Carter (Short Hills, N.J.), Barbara Haggerty and William (Pepper Pike, Ohio), Michael Reynolds and Susan (Bridgewater, N.J.), Richard Reynolds and Kimberly (New Canaan), Gregory Reynolds and Kathy (Belmar, N.J.), and Stephen Reynolds and Julia (Newtown, Pa.); 32 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be at O’Brien Funeral Home, 2028 Hwy. 35, Wall, today, Thursday, from 4-8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Denis Church, Manasquan, on Friday at 11 a.m., with entombment to follow at St. Catharine Mausoleum, Sea Girt.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to: Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, 37 Villa Road, Suite 109, Greenville, SC 29615.

— The Family

Yale D. Tauber

Yale D. Tauber passed away at home on Wednesday, Sept. 4, surrounded by his devoted family, after battling a long illness.

Yale was born on Nov. 12, 1944, in Paterson, N.J., to his parents, Bernard and Esther (Millstein) Tauber. He graduated from Eastside High School before attending the University of Rochester where he graduated in 1965 with an AB in psychology. He then went on to attend the Columbia University School of Law where he graduated cum laude in 1968 with an LLB and was a Kent Scholar. Following graduation he clerked in the U.S. Federal District Court in New York City for Judge Milton Pollack. He also received an LLM in Taxation from NYU Graduate School of Law.

After completing his clerkship with Judge Pollack, Yale joined the law firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler where he became a partner. He then went on to become a partner and head of the Compensation and Benefits Practice at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MacRae.

Yale left the field of law in 1987 to become a Worldwide Partner at William M. Mercer, a subsidiary of Marsh & McClennan. He served on its U.S. board and as head of all operations in New York and New Jersey. He later served as leader of Mercer’s U.S. executive compensation consulting practice.

After retiring from Mercer in 2003, Yale founded Independent Compensation Committee Advisors, LLC, providing independent counsel to compensation committees and boards of directors of various sizes and scopes. He was also the Program Director for The Conference Board regarding executive compensation.

Over the years, Yale lectured extensively and co-authored several books and numerous articles on executive compensation and employee benefits, including “Executive Compensation” (BNA Books, November 2002). He has appeared on television as a guest commentator on CNN, CNBC, Financial News Network and the Wall Street Journal Reports. Mr. Tauber also served as the editorial adviser of “Base and Bonus”.

Yale was a fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. As a member of the American Bar Association Section of Taxation Employee Benefits, Yale served as the chairman of various subcommittees. Additionally, he was a member and lectured worldwide for the International Bar Association. He was also a member of World at Work, and the National Association of Stock Plan Professionals.

While at Columbia, Yale met and married Sharon Whitnney Mittleman in 1968. Together they lived in New York City, Scarsdale, N.Y., and moved to New Canaan in 1987.

They have two sons: Marcus Coudert Tauber and his wife, Elysabeth Rold, and their three children, Brennan, Cecelia and Flynn, of Greenwich; and Hayes Douglas Tauber and his wife, Jennifer Muller, and his two children, Ellerie and Adeliese, of New Canaan. He also has a sister, Carole Beer of Boynton Beach, Fla.

Yale enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and had a passion for golf and travel. He was a member of Stanwich Golf Club, the New Canaan Field Club, Old Marsh Golf Club in Florida and, previously, to Scarsdale Golf Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Yale D. Tauber ’65 Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Rochester, a scholarship for students who are visually or hearing impaired. (Gift & Donor Records Office, P.O. Box 270032, Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627)

There will be a memorial service followed by a luncheon on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, at noon at the Stanwich Club, 888 North St., Greenwich.

Patricia Ann Elmlinger

Patricia Ann Elmlinger, 82, of New Canaan passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at Stamford Hospital while surrounded by her loving family.

Pat was born on Feb. 27, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Patrick John and Mary Ann Lynch O’Brien. She attended Ursuline Academy and received a B.A. in education from Case Western Reserve University. Pat and Joe Elmlinger were married in Cleveland in 1957. They also lived in Columbus, Ohio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and then in New Canaan since 1973.

Pat is survived by her husband, Joe; her sons, Paul of New York City and Joe of Greenwich; and her six grandchildren.

She was an elementary school teacher and was active in the American Association of University Women and the Darien Community Association. She had also been active in several other civic organizations in New Canaan.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Church in New Canaan at 11 on Saturday, Sept. 14.

For those who might wish to do so, in lieu of flowers, contributions in Pat’s name can be made to the American Association of University Women Educational Opportunities Fund, 1111 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, or online at aauw.org/contribute/

For online condolences and directions, please visit HoytFuneralHome.com

Tanya Bickley

Tanya Anne Bickley, a lifelong resident of New Canaan, died Sunday, Sept. 8, at her home with her loving family by her side. She was 71.

Born Dec. 11, 1941, in New York City, she was the daughter of the late Samuel Felton and Anna Clark Bickley.

Tanya started her intellectual journey at New Canaan Country School, went on to Dana Hall in Wellesley, Mass., earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Bridgeport, and a master’s degree in remedial reading, also from the University of Bridgeport.

Tanya had been active in the public sphere since 1974. As president of Classical Radio for Connecticut, she helped create the largest protest campaign in the history of the Federal Communications Commission and became experienced in the mechanics of public interest campaigns. She had her own agency, TBE, Inc., representing entertainers, authors, musicians and other professional speakers. She was instrumental in saving the Clark property, a 22-acre woodland preserve in New Canaan, and promoting the use of the flexi-pave path in Irwin Park.

Tanya was an active member of the Congregational Church and taught fourth and seventh grade Sunday school for 30 years. In addition, she was a lifelong member of the Town Players of New Canaan as well as publicist and box office manager. She had a deep love of family, church, town and the arts and brought enthusiasm and creativity to all her endeavors.

Tanya is survived by her beloved sister, Sheri Bickley Dean of New Canaan, and her loving niece and nephew, Elizabeth Ann Dean of Beverly Farms, Mass., and Geoffrey Bickley Dean and his wife, Krista and their sons, Tommy, Max and Charlie of Orlando, Fla.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. at the Congregational Church of New Canaan, 23 Park St.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County (VisitingNurse.net), or The Town Players of New Canaan (P.O. Box 201, New Canaan, CT 06840).

The family of Tanya Anne Bickley wishes to thank The Connecticut Chapter of the ALS Association, New Canaan Ambulance Corps, New Canaan Police Department, New Canaan Fire Department, and the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Association of Fairfield County for their care and many kindness during her illness.

For online condolences and directions, visit HoytFuneralHome.com.

— The Family

Donal Clare O’Brien Jr.

Donal Clare O’Brien Jr., a conservationist, lawyer, carver and sportsman, who was a longtime chairman of the National Audubon Society and the Atlantic Salmon Federation, died on Sunday, Sept. 8. He was 79 years old and lived in New Canaan and Nantucket, Mass.

Mr. O’Brien was a long-time resident of New Canaan, where he moved with his parents and three brothers in 1950. He and his wife, Katharine, settled in New Canaan shortly after his graduation from law school in 1959. They raised their family in New Canaan and were active citizens in the community. Mr. O’Brien served for 10 years as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the New Canaan Country School.

Mr. O’Brien had a life long interest in conservation and the environment and served on the board of a number of not-for-profit organizations. His primary commitment was to the National Audubon Society, which he served as a Director from 1976 to 1988 and from 1992 to 2004. He was chairman of National Audubon from 1983 to 1988 and from 1994 to 2004.

Mr. O’Brien has been credited as being largely responsible for leading National Audubon through two critical periods in the Society’s history. The first occurred in 1985 when Mr. O’Brien supported the representation of grass roots leaders on the National Board of Directors and the second in 1994, when he was re-elected as chairman and helped to refocus Audubon’s mission on advocacy and public policy for the preservation of birds, other wildlife and their habitat. In 2010, Mr. O’Brien received the Audubon Medal, the highest honor that can be awarded to an individual by the National Audubon Society for lifelong dedication to conservation.

Mr. O’Brien had a long career of public service in his home state of Connecticut. In 1971, he was appointed a member of the Fish and Game Commission by Governor Thomas Meskill, and when the Fish and Game Commission was merged into the Department of Environmental Protection, Governor Meskill appointed Mr. O’Brien as a member of the newly created Council on Environmental Quality.

Mr. O’Brien went on to serve on the Council under four Connecticut governors spanning 23 years, including Governor Lowell Weicker by appointment in 1991. During Governor Weicker’s term as governor, Mr. O’Brien chaired the Governor’s Task Force on Hunting and Public Safety in Connecticut. Mr. O’Brien was retained on the Council by Governor John Rowland and was appointed Chairman by Governor Rowland in 1997. Upon Governor Rowland’s resignation, he continued to serve as chairman under Governor M. Jodi Rell. Mr. O’Brien was the longest serving member of Connecticut’s CEQ, past and present.

Mr. O’Brien was chairman emeritus of the Atlantic Salmon Federation (U.S.), a United States and Canadian organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wild Atlantic salmon throughout the North Atlantic. He was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Salmon Federation (U.S.) in 1979. He served as its chairman for 11 years from 1994 to 2005.

Mr. O’Brien was the founding-chairman of BirdLife International, a global network of conservation organizations focusing on birds in 110 countries and territories. He was a founding director and the first chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Bird Conservancy, a long time Chairman of the Quebec Labrador Foundation, a vice-chairman of the Board of Governors of The Nature Conservancy and a member of the governing boards of the American Museum of Natural History, the Waterfowl Research Foundation, the Delta Waterfowl Foundation, the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the Theodore Gordon Flyfisheries, the Connecticut Waterfowlers Association and Jackson Hole Preserve.

Mr. O’Brien was a retired partner in the law firm Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, which he joined in 1959. In 1960 he was assigned to work on the estate of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and, thus, began a relationship which continued until his death. Mr. O’Brien was appointed Chief Counsel to the Rockefeller family in 1967 and remained in this position until his retirement in 2011. During this period, he served as legal advisor to five generations of the Rockefeller family, primarily representing the members of the third generation, their spouses and children.

During his career with the Rockefeller family, he played a key role in many areas, including setting up the Rockefeller Trust Company and overseeing the land division in Pocantico. Mr. O’Brien served as Trustee or Director of many organizations founded or supported by the Rockefeller Family, including The Rockefeller University, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Rockefeller Family Fund, Rockefeller Center, Greenacre Park, the New York Blood Center and the National Urban League.

Mr. O’Brien was a decoy carver and was twice the U.S. National Amateur Champion. His carvings of puffins helped Audubon’s programs to return the Atlantic Puffin to the coast of Maine as a breeding species after a 100 year absence.

Mr. O’Brien was an avid outdoorsman, and a skilled sportsman. His special interests included upland bird and waterfowl hunting, fly fishing and surfcasting, bird watching, dog training and wildlife photography.

Donal Clare O’Brien Jr. was born in New York City, the son of Donal Clare O’Brien, a banker, and Constance Boody O’Brien. He attended the Buckley School in Manhattan and the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn. He graduated from Williams College in 1956 and from the University of Virginia Law School in 1959.

Mr. O’Brien is survived by his wife of 57 years, Katharine Slight O’Brien; a son, Donal C. O’Brien III of New Canaan; three daughters, Constance O’Brien Ashforth, also of New Canaan, Katharine O’Brien Rohn of Darien and Caroline O’Brien Thomas of Cohasset, Mass.; 11 grandchildren; two brothers, Jonathan B. O’Brien and Stephen B. O’Brien; and a third brother, C. David O’Brien, who predeceased him in 2011.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 11, in the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, 178 Oenoke Ridge. For directions visit HoytFuneralHome.com

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the National Audubon Society for use by the Chair of Advocacy and Public Policy, currently held by Glenn Olson, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, The Quebec Labrador Foundation, or any of the organizations or causes that Mr. O’Brien was associated with, all of which were important to him throughout his life.

Sonia Filatov, longtime resident of Stamford and the mother of a New Canaan resident, died Thursday, Sept. 5. She was 93.

Mrs. Filatov was born in Satchki, Ukraine, on July 19, 1920, to the late Makar and Barbara (Veremeyova) Onishchenkov.

Mrs. Filatov is survived by her son, Victor Filatov of New Canaan.

Services were held last week at the Bosak Funeral Home in Stamford.

You are invited to leave a message of condolence on the family guestbook at BosakFuneralHome.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bosakfuneralhome.

Elizabeth Means

Elizabeth “Betsy” Means of New York City and New Canaan, died on Friday, Sept. 13, at New York Presbyterian Hospital at age 59.

She was the beloved wife of Stephen H. Gardner, mother of Elizabeth D. Gardner, Caroline H. Gardner, and David M. Gardner, daughter of Nancy D. Means of New Canaan, and the late David H. Means, and sister of Susan Means Drake of Darien, David H. Means Jr. of New Canaan, and the late Emily Means.

Betsy was born on Aug. 7, 1954, in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and grew up in St. Davids, Pa. Valedictorian of her class at Radnor High School, Betsy graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Williams College, and became a highly accomplished marketing executive with a career at Doyle Dane Bernbach and Clairol, culminating at Citibank, where she was director of branding, advertising, and new product development for the U.S. Credit Card Marketing Group, and the global marketing director of the Citibank Private Bank.

She was the head of marketing at a pioneering Internet company before leaving the corporate world to earn her master’s at Columbia University Teachers College. She taught in the New York public school system at LaGuardia High School and Hunter College High School, and served as a marketing and research advisor to the Chapin School in New York City. She was principal and co-founder to Think Tank for Education, which develops effective, scalable, and affordable solutions to improve the quality of education.

An active and enthusiastic woman with a wide variety of interests, Betsy sang with the Oratorio Society of New York, the choir at the Church at Point O’Woods, and volunteered her time to a wide array of causes. She served on the Board of Directors for Youth Action International, A Fair Shake, and the Point O’Woods Association in Point O’Woods, New York.

She was particularly dedicated to the Association to Benefit Children, an organization in New York City that is dedicated to aiding disadvantaged children and their families through compassionate programs and integrated services that break the cycles of abuse, neglect, sickness, and homelessness.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Sept. 19, at All Souls Church, 1157 Lexington Ave., at 80th Street. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Association to Benefit Children, 419 East 86th St., New York, NY, 10028 or the American Cancer Society, specifying the gift for breast cancer research.

Frank D. Cerullo of Ridgefield, who grew up in New Canaan, died Wednesday, Sept. 11, at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. The husband of Teresa Vitti Cerullo, he was 61.

Mr. Cerullo was born in Stamford on April 24, 1952, a son of the late Francis J. and Sophie Raitzky Cerullo. He was raised in New Canaan and attended local schools before earning an associate’s degree from Norwalk Community College.

He was a self-employed draftsman. A Ridgefield resident for the past 35 years, he was a New York Yankee and New York Giants fan.

Mr. Cerullo was a member of the St. Mary R.C. Parish of Ridgefield.

In addition to his wife of 36 years, he is survived by a son, Michael V. Cerullo and his wife Amy of Ridgefield; a daughter, Tanya E. Cerullo of Ridgefield; a brother, John Cerullo of Margaretville, N.Y.; a sister, Maria DeCarlo and her husband Joseph of Vista, N.Y.; two grandchildren, James and Jacob; and several nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 10:15, at St. Mary Church, 55 Catoonah St., Ridgefield. Burial will take place at the direction of the family.

Calling hours are Friday, Sept. 20, from 6-8 p.m., at the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., Ridgefield.

Dr. Edward J. Kelley

Dr. Edward J. Kelley, a lifetime Norwalk resident and dentist, died on Wednesday, Oct. 30. He was born on July 12, 1923, to Margaret Millard Kelley and Edward J. Kelley. Ed was a graduate of Norwalk High School (1941), Fordham University, and Columbia Dental School ( 1947).

Ed was a devout Roman Catholic and was very active throughout his life as a volunteer in many charitable organizations. He was past chairman of the St. Thomas the Apostle Church parish lay committee, vice president of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, and a member of the church choir until the time of his passing. In 2012, Ed received the Fr. Rufin Compassionate Care Award from the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Ed practiced dentistry in the Frost Building on West Avenue for 42 years. He contributed time in clinics for twenty years, working in the Public Health Clinic once a month and later spending seven years in the Norwalk Hospital clinic. He has been president of the Norwalk Dental Society, and a delegate to the State Dental Society. He also served 30 years on the State Dental Grievance Committee.

Ed served on the board of directors of the Norwalk Savings Society for many years. He was a former Norwalk police commissioner, past president of the Norwalk Catholic Club, and served as a member of Catholic Charities and the Knights of Columbus.

Ed was predeceased by Margaret G. Kelley, his beloved wife of 54 years, his brother Harry M. Kelley, and his sister Mary Louise Kelley. He is survived by his three children, Margaret M. Kelley of Norwalk, Paula K. Passero (Robert) of New Canaan, and Edward J. Kelley III (Patricia) of Melrose Ma, and his three cherished grandchildren Kelley Kirchner of New Canaan and E.J. & Bridget Kelley of Melrose.

Calling hours are from 4-7 on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Magner Funeral Home, 12 Mott Ave., Norwalk. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, East Avenue, Norwalk, at 10, on Saturday, Nov. 2.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Ed’s name to St. Thomas the Apostle Church and The St. Vincent DePaul Society (both located at 203 East Ave., Norwalk, CT 06855 or SSTV Capital Improvements c/o Notre Dame Convalescent Home, 76 West Rocks Rd., Norwalk, CT 06851. For directions or to leave an online condolence, please go to MagnerFuneralHome.com.

Joan Hallstrom Johnson

Joan Hallstrom Johnson, a 37-year resident of New Canaan from 1976 to June of 2013, died unexpectedly in her sleep at her new Florida residence in Naples and went to be with her Savior on Saturday, Oct. 26. The cause of death is presently unknown.

Joan was born to the late Oscar Bertil Hallstrom and Ruth (Josephson) Hallstrom on Aug. 25, 1944, in Bridgeport. She grew up in Stratford and graduated in 1962 from Bunnell High School. She attended Syracuse University but dropped out due to illness and finished her degree at the University of Southern Connecticut, majoring in elementary education. She later got a master’s of special education degree from Manhattanville College in New Rochelle, N.Y.

Joan was initially married to Thomas D. Morin and bore her only child, Joshua T. Morin, 39, currently living in Peoria, Ill. Following her divorce, Joan taught in the New Canaan schools, but left teaching to join the Anne E. Casey Foundation and later to act as the administrative assistant to one of the two founders of Factset Corporation, headquartered in Norwalk. In 1997, Joan married Raud E. Johnson of New Canaan, formerly the Corporate Affairs Counsel to General Electric Company, and elected to give up her business career although she had delighted in its stimulation.

Joan loved planning special events, flower arranging, gardening and travel. But above all she loved people and her Lord and Savior. She was a staunch member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Canaan where she initially taught Sunday school. For many years she was a member of the church flower committee and was a past chairperson. She was also active in the St. Mark’s May Fair. Rarely has the world seen such a kindly and generous spirit in all she undertook.

Joan is survived by her husband, Raud; and his son, Alex; her son, Joshua, and his wife, Stacey; and their young daughter, Savannah; and by her sister, Lynne Hoden, and her husband, Dr. Peter Hoden and their three children.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Canaan, CT on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 11, with a reception to follow in the church’s Morrill Hall.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Joan’s memory to either The Salvation Army/Heartland Division, 401 Northeast Adams St., Peoria, IL 61603; or to the Wycliffe Bible Translators, Acct. No. 222412, P.O. Box 628200, Orlando FL 32862.