Sunday ObitsPig |
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| Plankowner Posts: 5024 Location: Gulfport, MS | Subject: Sunday Obits GEILER, Richard W., 90, died peacefully on March 9, 2023 in his North Stonington home after 90 years of dedicated service to his family, country, and community. He was born in Fountain Hill, PA, on January 8, 1933, and was the only son of the late Richard E. and Freida (Oertel) Geiler. Dick attended Fountain Hill High School and enlisted in the Navy at age 17. He served in the Navy for 27 years aboard the USS Becuna, USS Ethan Allen, and USS Dace until his honorable discharge as a Petty Officer First Class Radioman in 1977. Dick exceled as a radioman and gained the respect of his fellow Navy brothers, in part, from his childhood influences of growing up in a German-speaking home during WWII. Dick married his first and only love, Ann Marie (Armellino) Geiler on July 3, 1954. They had three children and celebrated nearly 65 years of marriage before Ann Marie’s death in 2019. Dick was very proud of his log cabin home that he built in North Stonington in 1972 and his company, the Eastern Connecticut Craftsman. For over 20 years he completed countless home improvement projects for New London County residents as a self-trained master carpenter. He was never too busy to help his family, friends, and neighbors with a project, demolition, or remodel and enjoyed teaching his craft to anyone who wanted to learn. Following his retirement from the Navy and his carpentry business, he stayed busy as a hotel bartender and by traveling, making home videos to commemorate family and special occasions, and spending time with his family and beloved basset hound Sophie. Dick was a member of the North Stonington Volunteer Ambulance Association and was actively involved in town politics, the North Stonington Agricultural Fair, and the Billings Lake Association for decades. Dick is survived by his children, Donna Cole (Tommie), Richard T. Geiler (Carol), and Dee Zisk (Brian Lorenz). He was the patriarch of a large family, including six grandchildren and their spouses, Jeremey Williamson, Jessica Fayle, Benjamin Donnelly, Heather Avery, Stephannie Cole, and Rickie Geiler, and five great-grandchildren Jameson and Lauren Studinski, Owen and Lia Williamson, and Blake Donnelly. Many nieces, nephews, bonus grandchildren, and an extended family in Pennsylvania are mourning the loss of their “Pop” and “Uncle Dick.” He is also survived by his sister Eleanor Gale and brother-in-law Anthony Armellino. The family thanks the tremendous and thoughtful care Pop received from the Hartford HealthCare Hospice at Home team, especially Lenore, Julie, Jim, and Sara, and the support from his caring neighbors, Kyle, Scott, and Mike. With their help, the family was able to honor Pop’s wish to stay in his home through the end of his life. To celebrate Pop’s fulfilling life, kindly consider a donation to St. Jude’s Hospital, an organization he supported for many years. The family will receive family and friends at Mystic Funeral Home, located on Route 1 (51 Williams Avenue) in Mystic, on Wednesday, March 22, from 4:00-6:30 p.m., with a funeral service to begin at 5:45 p.m. His burial with military honors will be held on Thursday, March 23, at 11:00 a.m. at Eggleston Cemetery, Route 201, North Stonington. VALADE, Larry Gale, CAPT, USN, Ret., died on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Larry was a native of eastern Oregon, graduated from the US Naval Academy and the US Naval Postgraduate School, and served 31 years on active duty going to sea in ships and submarines. He came to Stafford County with his family in 1983 and worked as an engineer for EG&G in Dahlgren, Virginia. Larry and his late wife were members of St. George's Episcopal Church and volunteered there for many years. He was a volunteer tax preparer at the Dorothy Hart Community Center for several years, and a long-time patient at the Mary Washington Healthcare cardio-rehabilitation clinic. Survivors include his sons, James (Vicky) of Jacksonville, Fla., David (Carol) of Belchertown, Mass., Bruce (Kathryn) of Newington, Conn., Donald (Kelli) of Allen, Texas, and Chuck Pool, husband of late daughter Hilda Kathleen; and eight grandchildren, Benjamin (Janie), Christopher (Alexandra), Emily, Joshua, Kirsten (Alexander), Emma, Morgan, and Christian Emil Rasmus. He was preceded in death by his wife, Thyra Vedel Valade. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at St. George's Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in Quantico National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in Larry's memory to the Thyra Vedel Valade Scholarship for Conservation Leadership at the University of Mary Washington (https://giving.umw.edu/). This award was established by Larry in memory of his wife, Thyra, to honor her dedication to protecting wildlife. Online guest book is available at covenantfuneralservice.com. Published by The Free Lance - Star on Mar. 19, 2023. | ||
