Ethel Isabel Rubino, 90, of Norwalk, wife of the late Philip Rubino Sr., died Thursday, August 24, 2017 at the Norwalk Hospital.

Born July 21, 1927 in Willimantic, CT, she was the daughter of the late Sanders M. and Emma Millicent Barron Dorr.

Mrs. Rubino worked as a Library Clerk at Marvin School for several years and was a history buff. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Norwalk Village Green Chapter, the Daughters of Union Veterans and the Daughters of 1812.

Mrs. Rubino is survived by:  her two sons, Philip Rubino Jr. and his wife Elizabeth of Oxford, CT and
Thomas Rubino and his wife Elizabeth of Trout Creek, Montana, by one daughter, Patricia Rubino of Norwalk by two grandchildren Christopher and Kaitlyn Rubino of Oxford, CT by two sister Violet Tasco of Norwalk and Millicent Bailey of Napa, CA and by many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband Philip, Mrs. Rubino was predeceased by her two brothers, Sanders and Robert Dorr, and by her sister Elsie Martin.

Friends may call on Sunday, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk. Services will be held on Monday at 10:00 AM in the funeral home.  Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, 81 Riverside Avenue, Norwalk.

Charles A. Baily, Jr., 91, passed away on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 while a resident of Maplewood Orange in Orange, CT. Previously he resided in North Bergen, NJ and the Bronx, NY.

Charles was born on July 17, 1929 in the Bronx, NY, the oldest son of the late Charles A, Sr. and Gladys Cummings Baily.  He was predeceased by his sister Joan Baily Coughlan, his brother John Leon Baily and his long-time friend Eileen Murphy.

Charles attended Cardinal Hayes High School, and then graduated from The College of the Holy Cross as part of the Naval V-12 program in 1947.  Later he attended Columbia University earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering, specializing in soil mechanics.  Charles worked as an engineer on many important projects in the NYC area including the Tappan Zee Bridge, the 1964 New York Worlds Fair, the World Trade Center and the NYC water supply aqueducts.

Charles was a lifelong NY Yankees fan and played golf and skied well into his seventies.  Additionally, Charles was a longtime member of the Westchester Radio Aero Modelers often spending hundreds of hours building his gliders from scratch.

He is survived by his cousins Mary Fuller of Buzzards Bay, MA and Kathy Gibson of Waltham, MA, his sister-in-law Patricia Baily of Poquoson, VA, and 8 nieces and nephews.

Friends may call Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home at 92 East Ave in Norwalk, CT.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10:00 AM in St. Thomas the Apostle Church at 203 East Ave in Norwalk, CT.  Burial will follow in Gates of Heaven Cemetery at 10 West Stevens Ave in Hawthorne NY.

Margery Ashman Leonard, longtime resident of Westport, CT passed away on September 9, 2017 at the Norwalk Hospital.  Margery was born in Bridgeport, CT on November 9, 1920 and spent her early years in Kent, CT before moving to Norwalk where she attended Norwalk High School and was in nurses training at Norwalk Hospital.  Margery was the Daughter of late William E. Ashman and Lucy (Hall) Ashman.  In 1941, Margery married Leo Leonard also of Norwalk.  Margery was pre-deceased by two children, Marcia Stewart and Charles Leonard.  She is survived by four children: Sally Harwell, Matthew Leonard, Lucy Leonard and Anna McLaughlin, plus 10 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by one brother, Lee Ashman.  Margery was a member of the 1^st Congregational Church of Norwalk and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  After raising her six children, Margery managed the office of Leonard Surveyors.  A Memorial Service is planned for Monday 9/18/17 at the grave site at 11:00am at Riverside Cemetery, 81 Riverside Avenue, Norwalk.  The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Norwalk Village Green Chapter of the DAR, Treasurer of DAR, Attn: Wendy Carter, 2 Green Hill Road, Norwalk, CT 06850.

Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk are in care of the arrangements.

Cooper, Brenda (Brenda Lewis), 96, Died Sept. 16 at home in Westport, engaging, entertaining and brimming with brio and intelligence to the end.

Born Birdie Solomon and raised in Sunbury, Pa., in a close-knit family, she remembers being bowled over by a local performance of St. Matthew’s Passion when she was 13, inspiring a fearless and wide-ranging operatic career. Her roles extended from Salome, Carmen and Musetta at the Metropolitan Opera to the title role in her friend Marc Blitzstein’s Regina at New York City Opera and on Broadway in the late 40s and 50s. She toured widely with the Met in the U.S. and abroad, braving McCarthy-era picketers at times, and in 1965 performed the title role of Lizzie Borden at New York City Opera, a production broadcast nationally on public TV. She twice sang, to Leonard Bernstein’s accompaniment, on TV shows he hosted, starred in the Song of Norway at Jones Beach, performed on Broadway and in cabaret, and wowed Vienna audiences with German-language star turns in Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me Kate.

In the early 1970s, she branched into producing and directing at the New Haven Opera Company. She had a deep-rooted engagement with current events nurtured at her childhood dinner table, and kept her sharp-witted analytical intelligence honed through close-knit daily reads of The New York TImes.

Brenda was predeceased by her husband Benjamin and is survived by children Leo Asen (Cindy), Michael Asen (Joan) and Edie Cooper (Jed), four very loving grandchildren and a new great-granddaughter.

The family is grateful to Beverly Zeruthi for her extraordinary care. A service will be held at Congregation Beth El in Norwalk at 10:00 am on Monday, Sept. 18.

Nancy Rose DeMassa, 89, of Trumbull,  wife of  the late Ralph DeMassa, passed away Thursday, September 14, 2017 in St. Joseph Center, Trumbull,  CT.

Born January 28, 1928 in Norwalk, CT, she was the daughter of the late Matthew and Tarsula Natalie Paladino.

Services will be held Tuesday at 11:00 AM in Collins Funeral Home, Norwalk, CT.  Burial will follow in St.  John Cemetery, Norwalk, CT.

(Full obituary to follow)

Anastasios Tsakos, 86, of Norwalk, husband of Marianne Tsakos, died Sunday, September 17, 2017 in St Hospice of Branford. Born September 3, 1931 in Pireus, Greece, he was the son of the late Ioannnis Tsakos and Kyriki Tsakos.

Friends may call on Wednesday, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, Norwalk, CT. Services will be held Thursday at 10:00 AM in Church of Our Savior,  Rye, NY.  Burial will follow in Greenwood Union Cemetery, Rye, NY.

Friends may call on Wednesday, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. Services will be held Thursday at 10:00 AM in Church of Our Savior,  Rye, NY.  Burial will follow in Greenwood Union Cemetery, Rye, NY.

Mary Ann McGowan, 74, of Norwalk, passed away peacefully in her home on Tuesday, September 19, 2017.  Born December 7, 1942 in Port Chester, NY, she was the daughter of the late John and Martha Repaci Romanello.

She will be remembered forever as a smart and strong woman with a big heart. She is survived by her son John Mages and his wife Miriam of Norwalk, by her grand daughter Kelly McNamara Diorio of Wallingford; by three great-grandchildren, Brianna, Brittnee and Jake Diorio, all of Wallingford; by her sister, Kathleen Romanello of Norwalk and by many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her brother Lenny.

Friends may call on Sunday, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 10:00 AM in St. Jerome Church, 23 Half Mile Road, Norwalk.  Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery, Richards Avenue, Norwalk.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to:  St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org). Please visit www.collinsfh.com to leave condolences.

Richard Alan Michael (Dick) Byrnes of Greenwich, CT died September 23, 2017. He was born on June 26, 1933 in Elizabeth, NJ to John J. II and Jacqueline  Byrnes. He graduated from St. John’s grammar school, Dunellen, NJ, Xavier High School in Manhattan, the University of Notre Dame, and received a Master’s in Fine Arts from Columbia University. He served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Meade, MD during the end of the Korean conflict. He is predeceased  by his wife of 49 years Ann Byrnes  He is survived by four children, Susan Ardito Byrnes of Brooklyn, NY, Jeanne Fones of Easton, CT and Tricia A. Byrnes of Portland, OR, Gregory A. Byrnes of Greenwich and was predeceased by a son Douglas A. Byrnes of Bondville, VT. He is survived by a sister, Kathy Miller of Wayne, PA and predeceased by siblings Roger Byrnes, Jack Byrnes and Barbara Hebert. He is survived by six grandchildren, Mia and Claire Ardito, Andrea Donovan,  Madelaine, Lilah and Jake Fones and two great grandchildren, Siobhan and Ciaran Donovan and in-laws Peter and Morna Ryan and Dick and Joan Ryan.

After his discharge from the Army, Dick taught Art in public schools and in 1967 began Educational Dimensions Corp., which produced audio visual films, filmstrips and videos for schools. In 1972 the company moved to South Pacific St. in Stamford. At its peak employed 35 people. The company became the leader in the art education market and was acquired as an imprint of Random House. He then founded Double Diamond Corp. and continued to teach art. He ran a summer art program in Les Cerqueux-Sous-Passavant, FR.  He also taught a weekly art class in Westport and at The Mews in Greenwich. As a professional artist, he exhibited in the Stable Gallery Invitational as part of the New York abstract expressionist school of the 1950s, he had a one man show at the Miami Museum of Art, exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC, the Phoenix Gallery in NYC and many local galleries.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, September 29th, at 10:30 am at St. Michael Church 469 North St., Greenwich followed by a burial with military honors at St. Mary Cemetery, Greenwich. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, September 28th, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk.

Lillian Billig, wife of the late Irvin Billig of Norwalk, passed away Sunday, September 24, 2017 at the Jewish Home For The Elderly in Bridgeport, CT.  She was 94.

Born January 22, 1923 in Bronx, NY, she was the daughter of the late Israel and Anna Rothberg. Mrs. Billig was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by her two sons, Steven Billig and his wife Carol of San Clemente, CA and Dr. Bruce Billig and his wife Beth of Norwalk, CT; by three grandchildren, Brooke Billig Sorensen   and her husband Adam of Brooklyn, NY, Jessica Billig Lipoff, M.D. and her husband Marc of Ann Arbor, MI, and Jordan Billig of Culver City, CA. She is also survived by her two great-grandchildren, Charlotte and Claire Sorensen of Brooklyn, as well as by her former daughter in law Lisa Billig of Palow Verdes, CA.

Services will be held graveside on Sunday at 11:00 AM in King Solomon Memorial Park, 550 Dwasline Road, Clifton, NJ 07012.

The family would like to thank the Jewish Home For The Elderly/Jewish Senior Services and St. Vincent Medical Center for the excellent care they provided her. Contributions in her memory may be made either to Jewish Senior Services, 4200 Park Ave, Bridgeport,CT 06604, or to Congregation Beth El, 109 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851.

Matthew H. Deilus, 94, of Trumbull, husband of the late Antionette Trombetta Deilus died Thursday in St. Vincent Medical Center.

Born in Norwalk he was the son of the late Robert and Antonietta Dinzeo Deilus. Mr. Deilus was a former longtime Norwalk resident and avid Yankee Fan. He was a U.S. Army Veteran of WW II serving with the 3^rd Armor Division participating with the D-Day Landing at Normandy.

Surviving is a son, Robert Deilus and his wife Sue, of Newtown and a daughter, Ann T. Okrentowich and her husband Paul, of Trumbull and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother Joseph Deilus.

Friends may visit with the family on Sunday, October 1^st from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 2^nd at 10:00 AM in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 545 Stratfield Road, Fairfield, CT 06825. (Family and friends will meet directly at church).Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk.

Contributions in his memory may be made to Our Lady of Assumption Church.

Charles E. Kling, 95, of Norwalk, husband of the late Irene Boczer Kling, passed away Saturday, September 30, 2017 at the Norwalk Hospital.

Born December 5, 1921 in East Norwalk, he was the son of the late Oscar Henry and Ellen Catherine Woodward Kling.

Mr. Kling served in the Marines during World War II and saw active combat at both Tinian and Okinawa. He later worked in construction and was a member of Union 146. He was also a member of Westport VFW Post 309.

Mr. Kling is survived by:  his son Douglas “Bingey” Kling  and his wife Brenda of Florida, his two brothers Douglas Kling and his wife Dolly, and Oscar Kling and his wife Joan; by his three sisters Vivian McHugh and her late husband Mickey, Eleanor Barnum and her late husband Buster, and Elizabeth Millburn and her late husband Richard, all of Norwalk. He is also survived by many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, by his friend and care-taker Anthony Nuzzo and by dear friend Betty Scarpello.

In addition to his wife Irene, he was predeceased by two sons, Charles “Barney” Kling Jr. and William “Chris” Kling, daughter Barbara Esso, two brothers, Elmer and Oliver Kling, and one sister, Marie Hollywood and her late husband Joe.

Friends may call on Thursday, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue Norwalk. Services will be held Thursday at 11:00 AM in the funeral home.  Burial will follow in Spring Grove Cemetery, 41 Hecker Avenue Darien.

Dorothy E. Weed, 83, died Monday, October 2, 2017, at Wilton Meadows Health Care Center.

Born in Norwalk, August 14, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Richard Elmer and Ruth Mansfield Weed. A life-long Norwalk resident Miss Weed was with the Norwalk Hour Publishing Company for many years; retiring in 1996 as treasurer of the company.

Dorothy was an avid bowler and reader. She was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

Survivors include a sister, Beverly Weed, of Wilton, several nieces, nephews, grand and great grand nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Miss Weed is predeceased by a brother, Richard Earl Weed, and sisters, Ruth Davies, Shirley McQuaid and Marjorie Thane.

Services will take place Friday, October 6^th, at 10:30 A.m. in St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 208 Newtown Avenue. Interment will follow in Lakeview Cemetery, 5 Main Street, New Canaan.

Friends may call Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue.

The family wishes to express a ‘sincere thank you’ to the staff of Wilton Meadows Health Care Center for the wonderful care given Dorothy.

Memorial contributions are requested to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 208 Newtown Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851, or Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, 761 Main Ave # 114, Norwalk, CT 06851

Aura Buckner, 90, of Norwalk, wife of  the late Eugene Buckner, passed away Thursday, October 5, 2017 at her home in Norwalk, CT.

Born July 25, 1927 in Colombia, she was the daughter of the late Lazaro and Encarnacion Alvarez.

Mrs. Buckner was a long-time Norwalk Hospital employee who immigrated from Colombia, S. A. She is survived by three children, two daughters and a son, as well as by eight grandsons and 11 great-grandchildren, two sisters and two brothers.

Friends may call on Saturday, from 12:00 to 3:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday at 10:00 AM in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk.

Contributions in her memory may be made to: The American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).

Charles “Chuck” Herbert Halper, 81, died Thursday, Oct 5, 2017 at his home as a result of heart failure.

He leaves his wife of 58 years. Rose Lee “Roe” Halper, his son David Halper (Jill) of Weston, his daughter Jan Scaglia (Kenneth) of Weston, his 4 grandchildren, Elana Scaglia, Emma Halper, Leigh Scaglia, Gillian Halper and 3 step-grandchildren, Drew, Alec and Cate Steinberg.

Chuck was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 19, 19 36, was raised in White Plains, NY and went to White Plains High School (class of ’54) where he was a standout athlete in football, basketball and baseball.  He attended Colgate University (class of ‘58) where he was a catcher for the varsity baseball team and a history major.  After college he married his high school sweetheart Roe in 1959 and moved to Westport, CT where they raised their family and still resides.

Chuck was the founder of Halper Associates, Inc., a financial services/insurance firm in Westport, CT since 1960.  He brought his brother Stan into the business and then Chuck’s son David joined him in early 1988. Chuck retired from Halper Associates in 2006. David is now the co-managing principal with Lee Rawiszer of Paradigm Financial Partners, LLC, in Westport.

Chuck was known for his keen sense of humor, sharp wit, philanthropic and fundraising efforts, an avid golfer and tennis player, patron of the arts, world traveler and most of all, devoted family man.

Funeral services will be held at Temple Shalom, Richards Ave, Norwalk on Sunday Oct 8^th at 11:15AM. Donations can be made to The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp, 555 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511.

Sofia Apazidis, 95, of Norwalk, wife of the late Vasilios Apazidis died Thursday, October 5^th at home.

Born in Russia she was the daughter of the late Christos and Panelope Argeropoulos. Mrs. Apazidis was a Norwalk resident since 1965 and worked as a seamstress in the manufacturing industry.

Surviving are two sons, Konstantinos Apazidis and Dimitrios Apazidis and his wife Diane, a daughter, Despina Koupouanidis, 10 Grandchildren, 13 Great Grandchildren and 2 Great Great Grandchildren, and a sister Argero. She was predeceased by a daughter Domna.

Services will be held on Tuesday, October 10^th at 10:00 AM in St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 238 West Rocks Road, Norwalk. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk.

Friends may visit with the family on Monday, October 9^th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at St. George Greek Orthodox Church.

Contributions in her memory may be made to St. George Greek Orthodox Church.

Leah P. Hogan died suddenly on October 6^th, 2017 of natural causes.  She was born on January 3^rd, 1964 in New London, CT.  Leah was the daughter of Francis J. and the late Sally Thomas Pavetti.  She was raised in Waterford, CT and graduated from the Williams Preparatory School in New London.  She graduated from Barnard College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1986.  She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, MA.  Leah then practiced family law in Stamford, CT for 10 years, was active in the Bar Association and was awarded The American Bar Association Law Day Activity Award. She retired from the Bar to become a stay at home mom after the birth of her first son.

She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Jim, her sons Jamie and Jack, and her father Fran.  She was predeceased by her mother Sally Thomas Pavetti.

Leah and her family resided for the past 23 years in the unique coastline village of Rowayton.  Leah was active in public service in her community, serving for 12 years on the Pine Point Association Board of Directors, including 10 years as President.  She also served as President of the Rowayton School PTA , as a coach for Rowayton School’s Odyssey of the Mind teams, and as a member of the Roton School PTC.  She most recently served as the President of the Senators Success Fund at Brien McMahon High School, where she was a key figure in the recent approval of a future illuminated LED sign at McMahon.

For all those who were fortunate to have known Leah, she was known as a vibrant, gorgeous, brilliant and articulate woman, and as a strong advocate with a can-do attitude.   She was most importantly a dearly loved daughter, wife and mother.

Friends may call on Tuesday from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 1:00 PM in St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk, CT.

In lieu of flowers, her family and many friends request that a tax exempt donation to the LED sign at McMahon High School be made at SenatorsSF.com website in her memory.

William O. Murphy passed away peacefully at his home in Norwalk on Friday, October 6, 2017.

Bill was born in Brooklyn, NY on November 18, 1934, one of ten children of Joseph E. Murphy and Kathleen Kiley Murphy. He attended Brooklyn Prep, College of the Holy Cross and Columbia University Law School. He served on active duty with the U.S. Air Force in Germany 1961-1962.

Bill was hired by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in the fall of 1960 and spent 35 years at the firm, 25 as partner. He served on the Banking Law Committee of the Bar Association and in the course of his career he worked on the Hunt case, the restructuring of the debt of Yugoslavia and the Philippines and a variety of leveraged buyouts, among other things. He retired from the firm in December 1994 and became an ordained Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.

Following his retirement, he graduated from Yale Divinity School with a Masters of Divinity Degree. He was active in the ministry for 22 years locally at St. Joseph’s Church. At various times, Bill served as Chair of the Norwalk Board of Education, Chairman of the Board of Family and Children’s Agency, a Board member of the anti-poverty agency, the homeless shelter, two charter revision commissions and the Side By Side Charter School. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the New Canaan Country School and on the Board of Consultants of Portsmouth Abbey School.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years Barbara and his sons Bill of New York, NY and Jim and his wife Jenny of Darien, CT as well as 5 grandchildren, Kathryn, Thomas, Elizabeth, Will and Cole. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Joseph, Kathleen, Betty Jane, Richard, David, Francis, Robert and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister Mary Anne and his brother Thomas.

Friends may call, Friday, October 13, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, October 14, at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph Church, 85 South Main Street. Interment will follow at St. John Cemetery, 223 Richard’s Avenue, Norwalk.

Memorial donations in Bill’s name, may be made to St. Joseph’s Church, 85 S. Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 https://stjosephsono.org/causes.

Jennie Rissolo Melfi, 101, of Norwalk, died at home Monday, October 9^th. She was the wife of the late Nicholas J. Melfi.

Born in Norwalk, April 2, 1916, she was the daughter of the late Alexander and Maria Donna Tuozzollo Rissolo. Mrs. Melfi, a lifelong city resident, enjoyed bowling with the Sons of Italy Lodge and bocce ball with both the lodge and the St. Ann’s Club. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and the Norwalk Senior Center.

Survivors include son, Louis Melfi, Sr. and wife Janet, of Easton, daughter; Janice Pomazi and her husband Stephen, of Redding, sons, Nicholas G. Melfi and wife Donna, of New Fairfield, Gary Melfi and wife Theresa, of Norwalk, eleven grandchildren; Louis Melfi, Jr., Donna Marie Baskin, Elisa Marie Cornish, Stephanie Wade, Laurie and Stephen J. Pomazi, Nicholas E. and Brandon A. Melfi, Gary Melfi, Jr., Joseph and Melissa Melfi, thirteen great grandchildren ad a great great granddaughter.

Mrs. Melfi is predeceased by nine siblings, brothers; Basil, Herman, Alexander and Leonard Rissolo, and five sisters; Louise DeMichael, Angelina Ricci, Esther Ferrino, Josephine Capuano and Rose Hadik. Many cousins, nieces and nephews also survive her.

Jennie so very much loved her family. “God was in my heart all my life. Dad and I had four healthy beautiful babies. We both always loved our whole family, love and kisses to all.”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, October 13^th, at 10:00 A. M. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 203 East Avenue. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue.

Friends may call Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 P. M. at Collins Funeral Home 92 East Avenue.

Jacquelyn Troy Selke passed into the arms of the Lord and her winged loved ones above on Wednesday, October 11, 2017.  She was surrounded by her family in a cocoon of love at Norwalk Hospital.

Jacquelyn, age 94, entered into this world on July 1, 1923 in New Britain, CT to Thomas and Mary Dorothea (Paight) McConaghie.  As the oldest child, she adored her brother Thomas, and sisters Jeanne and Marilyn.  The family moved to Stamford, where Jacquelyn met and married the love of her life, William Albert Selke.  They moved to Norwalk with their four children in 1960.

Above all, Jacquelyn loved her Catholic Faith, and spending time with family and friends.  Her and William loved keeping active on their Hour newspaper route, and seeing their favorite musicians in concert, especially Engelbert Humperdinck.  They enjoyed cruises, and family vacations to Hammonasset, Smithville, Atlantic City, and Cape May.  Jacquelyn was always ready for adventure, whether it was a spontaneous trip to smell candles at Yankee Candle Village, or a diner and movie night.  She loved rooting for the New York Yankees, and keeping up with world and political news.  Jacquelyn kept the family laughing with her words of wisdom, called “Grandma-isms”.  She always loved birds, and is forever our Guardian Angel Cardinal.

Jacquelyn is survived by son William Selke and wife Lynn of Norwalk, son Gregory Selke and wife Janet of Norwalk, daughter Valerie Selke of Norwalk, and son Gary Selke and wife Dorinda of New Milford.  She is also survived by eleven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and a beautiful extended family of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Please join us in celebrating her unforgettable life from 4-8 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 2017 at Collins Funeral Home, 92 East Ave, Norwalk, CT 06851.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at St. Philip Church, 1 Father Conlon Place, Norwalk, CT 06851. Burial Service to follow at St. John’s Cemetery, 223 Richards Ave, Norwalk, CT 06850.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County, P.O. Box 489, Wilton, CT 06897.