An unpaid bill for snow plowing at his home in Sharon, Conn., led journalist Jurgen Kalwa on a trail that ultimately led to World War II General George S. Patton.
Kalwa told his story to an online group at an event sponsored by the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon on Sunday, May 2.
The 1970 biographical film “Patton” was based on a book, “Patton: Ordeal and Triumph” by one Ladislas Farago, who rented the house in Sharon now owned by Kalwa.
He wrote the book there — and failed to pay the snow plowing bill.
Kalwa discovered this when he hired the same person to do some landscaping work.
Kalwa said Farago was a fairly prominent writer and personality, gaining some notoriety in the 1970s with his claim that Adolf Hitler’s factotum, Martin Bormann, was alive and well and living in Argentina.
This story subsequently “blew up in his face,” Kalwa noted wryly.
Farago got hold of the typescript of Patton’s unpublished wartime diary for his book. And while writing the book, he was being sued by Patton’s family in federal court.
Eventually a settlement was reached that precluded the use of “anything that looked like a verbatim quote.”
Despite that condition, the book provided “a very strong window” into Patton’s military career.
The film “Patton” premiered in late 1969 and was in general release in early 1970. At the 1971 Academy Awards, “Patton” won seven awards, including best picture and best actor. George C. Scott, who played the general, famously refused the award.
Kalwa said Farago was paid $75,000 for the rights to his book — a substantial sum for the time. Producer Frank McCarthy tapped the young and obscure Francis Ford Coppola to write the screenplay.
Kalwa said the story behind the book and movie appealed to him as a journalist and a “postwar German.” (Kalwa produced a documentary on the Farago connection and Kalwa’s subsequent discoveries for German radio.)
Kalwa said he was “battling” with the legacy of German history and his family’s history.
“I grew up with questions and have pursued answers.”
Kalwa said Patton was out of step with his superiors. “Politically, he was a weirdo.”
In charge of Bavaria after the war, he went against the de-Nazification tide and used former Nazi government officials to help with the rebuilding effort.
And Patton wanted to keep fighting — against the Soviet Union.
This was “politically impossible,” Kalwa said.
But from Kalwa’s point of view, Patton had one dominant characteristic:
“He helped to kill Nazis.
“People like me were liberated by people like Patton.”
CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.
Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.
CVFD’s Ian Ridgway sat on the truck committee and said Greenwood was not just chosen for the price, but also for the design of each vehicle. He said their models had a shorter wheelbase and more ground clearance, as well as extra storage space on board, compared to the next best bid.
After $100,000 in discounts offered by Greenwood, the combined purchase price for both vehicles was shown to be $1,200,408. The delivery time was estimated at 15 months.
CVFD raised $600,000 during its recent fundraising campaign, of which $500,000 will be given to the town to buy the trucks. That figure will be paired with $720,000 in town truck fund reserves. The additional donated funds will be used to outfit the trucks with equipment and tools.
“I want to praise the town of Cornwall,” said CVFD President Dick Sears. “We’re able to buy these beautiful new pieces of equipment courtesy of the tremendous citizenry of this town.”
FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.
She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.
Robin loved the beach, sunshine, and gardening, and was known for her strength, humor, and unwavering support of those she loved.
She is survived by her daughter, Sierra R. Zinke, and brothers, Darren Roy and Todd Roy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sharon Thomkins Roy and Robert Roy, and her brother Nevin Roy.
No services will be held at this time.
SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.
At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.
“Mike” loved the sun, sand and water and spent many summers at Westport Point, Massachusetts with the kids and their best friends, the Bauers.She was the consummate hostess, and a wonderful cook.She also appeared in several plays with The Sherman Players and also a show or two on special occasions at The Kent Community House.She took enjoyment from working outdoors doing chores around her home in North Kent.She lived in that house until she sold it and bought a condominium on North Main Street in Kent in May of 2003.She lived in the condo until 2018 after which her light began to fade and her last 8 years were spent comfortably at Noble Horizons.
“Mike” leaves behind her children, Richard (Susan) of Lakeville, her daughter Nancy Rutledge (Jim) of Salisbury; two grandchildren, Chandra Gerrard (Sean) of Litchfield, Matthew (Larissa) of Lakeville; three great grandchildren, Addison, Emilia and Everett, all of Lakeville.
She was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter Caroline in 2020.
All services are private.The Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in charge of arrangements.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com
SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.
Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in June. Memorial contributions may be made to Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury and Scoville Memorial Library.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
