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Edward R. George
NORFOLK — Edward R. George, 86, of Norfolk, and Key West, Florida, passed peacefully away, Dec. 20, 2024, at Wolcott Hall with his wife Mary by his side. He was the beloved husband of Mary (Welch) George. Ed was born on Sept. 17, 1938, in Torrington during the Hurricane of ‘38.
He was the youngest of six born to Richard and Sophie (Swyden) George. He proudly served 17 years as a Torrington Firefighter, retiring after being injured in a house fire.
Ed owned and operated Merit Quality Pools, a business he started with his son as a service company and built it into a construction, retail store and full-service company for over 45 years.
He was very proud of his Lebanese heritage. Ed was an avid gardener and fisherman. Ed and Mary spent a good part of each year in Key West where they had a wonderful group of friends. There were picnics at the beach every Sunday and holidays. Ed was always ready for a good time or a road trip.
In addition to his wife, Mary, he is survived by his son; Michael R. George (Mary), his daughter, Lynn Colangelo (Peter) and his stepdaughter, Shannon Santoro (Gaetano) of Harwinton; one brother, Fredrick George (Joan) of Torrington; three grandchildren, Michael E. George (Maria) of Torrington, Lauren Santoro and Nicolas Santoro of Harwinton; three great grandsons, Gabriel, Nikolas, and Zachary George of Torrington as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by three brothers, Ernest, Louis and Marshall and one sister, Jeanette King.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at noon at Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St, Torrington, CT. Burial will be private. Relatives and friends may call from 10 a.m. until noon at Cook Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Norfolk Lions Ambulance PO Box 399, Norfolk CT 06058.
Condolences may be sent to the George family by visiting www.cookfuneralhomect.com
David Jon Greenwood
MILLBROOK — David Jon Greenwood passed away Dec. 23, 2024 at home in Millbrook New York. He was born July 9, 1944 in Putnam County, New York, and grew up in Carmel, the youngest of three boys. On his father’s side, he was a descendant of Thomas Greenwood, who emigrated from England in 1665. He and his fiancée Nan returned to the ancestral home of the Greenwoods in Heptonstall, Yorkshire in 1974 to be married there, and returned several times, most recently this past summer with family to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
On his mother’s side, his ancestry was Native American, indigenous to the Mid-Hudson Valley. His grandmother’s mother was Wappinger, and he grew up hearing family recollections of the Wixon and Smalley families in Putnam County, including reminiscences of Native American traditions, hunting and trapping, long houses, relatives fighting in the Civil War, and the Blizzard of ‘88.
Mr. Greenwood pursued a lifelong interest in the visual and performing arts. His major field was art history with a specialization in American architecture and decorative arts. He earned his bachelor’s degree in art education at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, which included a semester abroad studying art history in Siena, Italy. His master’s degree and supervisory accreditation were earned at SUNY New Paltz, which in 1982 named him an outstanding alumnus.
Mr. Greenwood combined his love of history and his love of art by becoming a teacher of art and advanced placement art history, joining the Carmel Central School District in Putnam County in 1967. In 1974 he was named district supervisor of art with responsibility for the entire arts program K-12, a position he held until retiring from Carmel in 2004. He then taught Art History and Aesthetics part time for another seven years at the Millbrook School. He specialized in pen and ink renderings and his work is included in several collections and books.
He was an officer of the Putnam County Arts Council and assisted in the selection, mounting and judging of numerous shows and exhibits. In addition to work with the Putnam and Dutchess County Arts Councils, he served on an arts review panel for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Art in Public Places project.
Mr. Greenwood gave presentations throughout the region on a variety of topics, and was well known for his extensive work with local history, including re-enactments of important historic figures associated with the Abolitionist movement in the Hudson Valley.
David served on the boards of both Putnam and Dutchess counties’ landmarks preservation societies and for many years as an overseer of Old Sturbridge Village, a Massachusetts living history museum. He was the historian for the Village of Millbrook and Town of Washington and parish historian for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lithgow, and served on the Dutchess County Historical Society. He was also an ex officio member of the Millbrook Historical Society and until recently chaired the Town of Washington’s Conservation Advisory Commission. Among his proudest achievements were contributing to the Museum in the Streets public history project in Millbrook, and coordinating an annual historic calendar project for 28 years, celebrating the people, places and events throughout the community’s history. It was in recognition of the calendar project that in 2022 the Association for Public Historians of New York State and the New York State Museum awarded him the Edmund J. Winslow Local Government Historian Award of Excellence.
David was also an active member of Millbrook Rotary and he and Nan served for 15 years as Inbound co-chairs on the Youth Exchange Committee for the 8-county Rotary District 7210 where they were responsible for selecting, placing and overseeing the experiences of international students who spent an academic year attending local high schools and living with local families.
Attending Rotary conventions took them around the world to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America, as well as the US, Canada and Mexico.
In Millbrook the Greenwoods lived in one of the oldest houses in the village, built originally by Philip Hart circa 1800. There David was surrounded by the antiques, art, books, and historic maps and memorabilia that meant so much to him.
In May 2024 at the Millbrook Historical Society’s monthly meeting, he was honored by the society and by the Village of Millbrook and Town of Washington for his decades of service as local historian, and was presented with a plaque and a proclamation that May 16, 2024 was designated David Greenwood Day in the Town of Washington.
David was predeceased by his parents and brothers. He is survived by his wife Nan and sons Calder and Wixon (Sibyl) and grandson Augustus, nephews Shawn and Harold and niece Lisle.
David was a staunch believer in supporting the local community; accordingly, gifts in his memory would be appreciated at the Millbrook Historical Society, Millbrook Community Partnership, Dutchess Land Conservancy, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook Rotary Foundation, ShelterBox or a charity of your choosing.
A memorial service will be scheduled at a future date.
Dorothy Lukis Hosterman
KENT — Dorothy Lukis Hosterman passed away peacefully, at home in Torrington, on Dec. 20, 2024, at the age of 94, after a long journey with dementia. Known to friends and family as “Dot” up until the end, she maintained her kindness, grace, compassion, appreciation of beauty, and love of family and friends.
Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, to immigrant parents from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dot was predeceased by her parents, John and Catherine, and 11 brothers and sisters. She is survived by her three children and their spouses;John and his husband Eric of Northfield, Minnesota, Tracy and her partner Sam of Amenia, New York, and Catherine and her husband Josh of Cornwall. She is also survived by her five grandchildren; Nicky, Dan, Ian, Zachary, and Eliza, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dot attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, earning her degree in nursing. Dot was proud to be a nurse and enjoyed her profession immensely. However, she changed directions after several years and devoted the remainder of her long life to raising her children, spending time with her grandchildren, and organizing “field trips” with her many friends. Dot was a resident of Kent, for over 40 years where she was a fixture in the community, having been involved with a multitude of activities and volunteer programs over the years.
Dot was an avid crocheter and donated dozens of blankets to the elderly in her community. She spent lots of time in the kitchen cooking. She would be pleased to know that her Marinated Lamb, Chili, and “Magic Cookie Bars” recipes have been properly handed down.
Dot loved Betty White, cheap white wine, and Fudge Ripple ice cream—though not necessarily in that order.
A skilled gardener, Dot always had a house full of plants. She was especially fond of her Christmas cactus, which she inherited from her mother in the 1960s. Dot’s children and grandchildren now have their own offspring of “Grandma Lukis’ Christmas Cactus”, which bloom faithfully every year, and which, with their caretakers, will go on and on for lifetimes to come.
There will be a Celebration of Life held on Jan. 4, at 11 a.m. at Cornwall UCC, 8 Bolton Hill Road. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, monetary donations can be made to The Kent Food Bank 41 Kent Green Blvd, Kent CT 06759.
Mark Joseph Grusauski
SALISBURY — Mark Joseph Grusauski, beloved husband and loyal friend, passed away on Dec. 15, 2024, at the age of 63. Born on July 29, 1961, to Mary (Harz) and John Grusauski, Mark’s adventurous spirit and passion for discovery defined his life.
Mark grew up in Kent, Connecticut, graduating from Kent Center School and Oliver Wolcott Technical High School. His love of aviation began in high school, when he built a hang glider in his parents’ basement, and taught himself how to fly. At 18, he purchased a 1941 Piper J3 Cub and earned his Private Pilot license. His training continued through the Florida Institute of Technology Flight School, where he earned seaplane, commercial, instrument, and multi-engine ratings.
Over the course of 45 years, Mark owned and restored many types of airplanes, logging thousands of hours in the sky. His flying adventures included scouting forests for lumber, ferrying planes between sellers and buyers, exploring and sightseeing from coast to coast of the United States, splashing down on pristine lakes, barnstorming across grass strips, haylots, and cornfields, and whisking Laurie away on spontaneous excursions. Most importantly, Mark shared the joy of aviation with anyone who would climb into the cockpit with him.
Mark’s first true professional experience was at Ewald Instruments, where he honed his skills in precision miniature welding and machine work, marking the beginning of a career of technical excellence. He also worked with his father and brother in the family business, G&G Builders, renovating and building fine homes. When his wanderlust took him to Michigan, his expertise in carpentry and his love of flying led him to work restoring the historic Mackinac Island Grand Hotel and towing banners over Lake Michigan and the Pontiac Silverdome. Upon returning to Connecticut, Mark channeled his passion for restoration into a successful business by founding Wingworks at the North Canaan Airport, a venture that spanned 20 years. Through Wingworks, he restored numerous iconic aircraft, including the 1999 Oshkosh Reserve Grand Champion 1943 Howard DGA, and the 2003 Oshkosh Bronze Lindy-winning 1935 Waco YKC (currently in the New England Air Museum’s collection). His impeccable craftsmanship, attention to detail, flawless paint jobs, and precision metal fabrication earned him admiration throughout the aviation community. In 2002 he received the FAA’s New England Region Aviation Technician of the Year Award. He was truly a “Jack-of-all-Trades, Master-of-Most.”
Mark and Laurie met in 1994 and married in 2001. Mark designed the home that they built in Salisbury, and the many unique details are a testament to his creativity and artistry.
Beyond his skill as a pilot and craftsman, Mark was a talented banjo player and avid telemark skier. His hobbies and innovative spirit led him to endeavors with guitar building, custom ski production, and inventions such as the “Kanga” powder-simulator ski boot, and a chainsaw-powered margarita blender.
Mark is survived by his wife, Laurie (Hammond) Grusauski of Salisbury; his brother and sister-in-law, David and Stephanie Grusauski, of South Kent; his nephews and nieces, John, Tucker, and Sadie Grusauski; Brian, Josh, and Sterling Bishop; Jace and Griffin Tomaino; Drew and Abby Vernali; Colton Conlogue; and his dear Aunt Margaret (Grusauski) Wilson. He was predeceased by his sister, Karen Bishop.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Salisbury Winter Sports Association or the Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association in Mark’s memory. A celebration of Mark’s life will be held on Jan. 4, 2025, 1:00 – 4:00 pm, at Candlelight Farms Airport, 5 Green Pond Rd., New Milford, CT 06784.
