Jonathan Ryan, left, and his father Christopher Ryan, of Ryan Funeral Home, are pleased to offer their services to the Lakeville/Salisbury area. They have reopened 255 Main St as a funeral home after it was closed for twenty years and used as a family residence.
LAKEVILLE — Ryan Funeral Home is back in Lakeville after a two-decade hiatus.
The Lakeville branch of their business, Ryan Funeral Home, is located at 255 Main Street at the corner of Lincoln City Road.
“We are happy to be part of the community and continue caring for the community as has been for over ninety years,” the Ryans said. “We are here for personal service, and we take pride in that.”
The big brick house on Main Street was built almost 90 years ago in 1935 and was the location of the Burdick Funeral home. In 1945 G. Roger Newkirk bought the business and it became Newkirk Funeral Home.
Newkirk operated it until 1973 when Frances Gomez bought the business, operating it from 1973-1990, still under the name of Newkirk Funeral Home. Besides Lakeville, there was also a branch in Canaan.
Patti Gomez Majesky, daughter of Frances Gomez and his wife, Patricia, described what life was like in that 1973-1990 period when the family lived with the business.
Majesky said her mother got tired of having to move furniture around whenever the house was needed for a funeral. She recalled putting up a Christmas tree only to have to take it down the next day for a service. She said, “We got really good at moving furniture around.” It was a relief to just have the house as a family house when her father sold the business.
In 1990 Gomez sold the Canaan part of the business to Robert Palmer (Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home) while retaining the house in Lakeville as residential space for his family.
The most recent incarnation of the Ryan Funeral Home dates to the reopening of 255 Main Street at the end of 2023. It had been closed as a funeral home for more than 20 years and the father and son team are happy to reopen with services to the Lakeville/Salisbury area.
With this reopening, the business has stayed in the family. Patti’s son, Jonathan Ryan, is the grandson of Frances Gomez. He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer as is his father. His father, Christopher, worked for Gomez from 1987-1989.
Christopher graduated from Mortuary school in 1986 and has been practicing ever since. Mortuary school involves two years and earns an associate’s degree. A one-year apprenticeship is required after graduation.
The Ryans have a branch in Torrington; Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home. Jonathan is mostly based there. Before Christopher Ryan bought it in 2007, it was in the same family for four generations and was known as Gleeson Mortuary. Christopher said that some of the original family still helps out at funerals.
“Funeral homes tend to stay as family businesses,” he said.
The Ryans pointed out that many people are pre-planning their funerals. They said it can be a tremendous help to children and other relatives who may not know just what was wanted by their loved ones. In most cases money for a pre-paid funeral is held in trust and the funds are released when a death certificate is confirmed.
Christopher Ryan said of the future of funeral directors and embalmers, “There is going to be a shortage over the next 20 years. Not enough candidates are coming in to replace the current funeral directors.” At the same time, “with baby boomers aging, the death rate will be rising in the next 20 years.”
Jon and Christopher Ryan carry the main load of the business between them. They hire part-time staff as needed. “Mostly retired gentlemen” who are looking for extra work. He added, it is “not always easy to find people available” because they can’t predict when deaths may occur and can’t promise regular dates. Jon’s mother, Patti, still helps out when needed.
The Ryans said they are there to guide people through what can be one of the most difficult times in their lives. They are proud to “Provide personal service, meet with families directly, and take care of them.”
They offer cremations, funerals, burials, and celebrations of life. Jonathan Ryan said people “don’t necessarily need to come to the funeral home.” He said he and his father are happy to come to your home or meet with you online by Zoom. They are “bringing the business into the new century while maintaining their personal touch,” said Jonathan.
Ryan Funeral Home can be reached at (860) 435-2700, by cell at (203) 231-4677, or online at www.ryanfhct.com.
CANTON — Luigina A. Dzenutis, 91, of Canton, died peacefully on Jan. 16, 2025, in her home. She was the wife of the late Peter A. Dzenutis Sr.
Luigina was born in Bronx, New York, on May 17, 1933, the daughter of the late Jack and Medie (Tonelli) Grecco.
Luigina’s life was full of family, friends and celebrations. She enjoyed her last Christmas season surrounded by everyone she loves, singing and dancing her way through December.
Luigina is survived by her seven sons; Peter Jr., John, Ralph, David, Stanley, Thomas and Rah; and four daughters Mary, Elizabeth, Ann and Luiginia. She is also survived by sixteen grandchildren; Jolene, Sherri, Cassie, Michael, Britney, Nicholas, Gabriela, Sydney, Page, Terry, Kaitlyn, Zachary, Jacob, Maximilliam, Gabriel and Luigina, along with thirteen great-grandchildren; Payton, Aubrey, Aman Jr., Carmela, Landon, Hailey, Hayden, Jayden, Grayson, Malia, Bennett, Rowen and Landon Jr.
Besides her husband, Peter, of 69 years she was predeceased by a son, Michael and grandson Aman.
Luigina leaves behind a legacy of stories and memories to be told by her 11 remaining children and a multitude of grand and great-grand children, nieces and nephews.
Members of her community, and friends of the family, may pay their respects at Kenny Funeral Home in Sharon, CT, Jan. 22 from 4 p.m to 6 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Church in Amenia, NY on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery. The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
MILLERTON — Donald Francis “Frank” McNally Jr., passed away peacefully at Vassar Brothers Medical Center on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025, after a short illness. Frank was a resident of Millerton since 1996. He was born on Jan. 27, 1955, in Cold Spring, New York, at Butterfield Hospital and was raised in Garrison, New York, where he enjoyed exploring and camping in the wilderness of the Hudson Valley, participating in the Boy Scouts as a bugler, and competing as captain of his high school wrestling team.
He was a graduate of James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls class of ‘74 and SUNY Cobleskill class of ‘76 where he majored in animal husbandry, specializing in equine science. He then proudly volunteered for the United States Peace Corps where he accepted an assignment to his host country of the Philippines, where he met his wife. Frank would then pursue his lifelong passion for horses and horseback riding on several horse farms in Dutchess County. Later he would work for New York state where he would then retire, spending his time caring for animals, reading, fishing and taking photographs. Frank enjoyed a good laugh with family and friends, while also occasionally winning a game of RISK. Frank was an avid reader, often reading several books a week while in the constant company of his cat.
Frank is survived by his wife and best friend, Paz (Alpez) McNally who resides in Millerton, and two sons, Patrick A. McNally and Philipp F. McNally; his daughter in-law, Erin McNally and his beloved grandchildren, Jack and Lila who brought him immeasurable joy in his life. Frank is also survived by his sister, Mary R. (McNally) Gutierrez and her husband Victor and their son Juan, and his brother, Daniel McNally Sr., and his daughter Jacqueline and son Daniel Jr. He was predeceased by his father Donald F. McNally Sr. and his mother Jacqueline (Adams) McNally.
There are no calling hours. At Frank’s request, cremation has taken place at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in Poughkeepsie. A celebration of Frank’s life will take place in the spring. Memorial Contributions may be made to the NorthEast–Millerton Library, P.O. Box 786, Millerton, NY 12546 or to a local animal shelter of your choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Frank’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
NORFOLK — Florence Eugenia Cooper died on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, at the age of 92 at Geer Lodge in Canaan, Connecticut where she had been a resident for 2 ½ years. She also spent a couple of days a week at the home of her daughter, the artist Hilary Cooper and her husband Chris Crowley, in Lakeville.
Florence (neé Muhas) was born and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Greek immigrants. She went to local public schools and then to college at Barnard where she was mentored by Professor of Religion Ursula Niebuhr, wife of the philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr, who urged her to go to her alma mater St Hugh’s College, Oxford University where she earned a D. Phil degree. Later, she received an M.A. in foreign policy with a specialty in China, at the London School of Economics.
Florence met her future husband, Kenneth Cooper, a Diplomatic Courier, in Athens where she was visiting and he was passing through. Ken grew up in Kansas, served in submarines at the end of World War II, and graduated from the University of Kansas under the G.I. Bill. Shortly after his marriage to Florence in 1958, he became a Foreign Service Officer and served as such for the rest of his professional life. His service brought the family to Frankfurt, Belgrade, Karachi, London, Washington D.C., Manila and finally Hong Kong. Their sixty-year marriage was the center and the joy of both their lives from the start to Ken’s death in 2018. Florence was bookish and a little shy. Ken had an easy social charm. They both had wonderful senses of humor. They had two children, Hilary, born in late 1958, and Christopher “Topher”, born in 1960.
Florence wanted to work but that was not so easy in the 1960s and 70s, even for a gifted and lavishly educated woman. During the Washington assignment she searched for a job in vain (how many words can you type per minute was the usual question.) At the suggestion of a friend, she met with a remarkable woman who had started the Women’s Rights Movement, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Through that organization she found work at the State Department. When Ken was posted to Manila, she was given a commission as a consular officer issuing visas, often to young brides of servicemen at Subic Naval and Clark Air bases. She also ran the fraud unit which was a colorful challenge.
The single and central sadness of their lives was the loss of Topher of a traumatic brain injury in 2004. Shortly afterwards the couple moved to Norfolk to be near Hilary, opening a new chapter in their lives. One day Hilary brought Florence along to the Yale Art School community drawing group run by Sam Messer, who immediately gave her a pad and pencil. Florence demurred, and he said, “either you draw or take your clothes off and model!” She started drawing and never stopped, also becoming a sculptor. The drawing group and the Yale Norfolk community were a central joy and she and Hilary continued to attend sessions right up until last summer.
WEST CORNWALL — Frederick Ralph Scoville II, 72, of 243 Town St., died Jan. 7, 2025, at the Waterbury Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Fred was the husband of 45 years to Lynn (Pollard) Scoville. Fred was born in Torrington, son of the late Ralph and Thalia (Hicock) Scoville.
Fred spent his whole life in West Cornwall. He attended Cornwall Consolidated and Housatonic Valley Regional High School. The only time he left was to attend the University of Connecticut for animal science. After school he came home to work with his father on the family farm taking over full-time in 1996 milking dairy cattle and selling hay. His life passion was the farm. He could always be found tinkering on equipment or surveying the neighborhood on his golf cart. The only thing that rivaled the farm was his love of his family. His wife, sons, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren meant the world to Fred.
After changing the farm from a dairy operation to all beef in 2006, Fred went to work for the Town of Cornwall Public Works, where he got to keep up on the town chatter. He was a founding member of the Cornwall Agricultural Commission and looked forward to the local Ag Fair each year. His expertise in judging maple syrup was unparalleled! He was regularly seen around town giving “sage” advice to many local farmers.
In addition to his wife, Fred will be deeply missed by his sons, Stephen and Frederick R. Scoville III (Katherine) of West Cornwall. His sisters: Grace Kanderfer (Peter) of New Hartford; Eliza Cleaveland of Bloomfield; and Maria Bonetti (Walter) of East Canaan. Fred leaves behind his two grandchildren, Abbé Lynn and Frederick Ralph Scoville IV of West Cornwall. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Fred was predeceased by his infant sister, Priscilla, brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Marta Scoville of Denville, New Jersey.
Funeral services will be held on Jan. 18, 2025, at the West Cornwall Meeting House at 11 a.m. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. There are no calling hours.
The family has requested that you come as you are and the way Fred knew and loved you. No fancy dress, no need to impress, just come as YOU.
Memorial donations in Fred’s memory may be sent to the Cornwall Agriculture Advisory Committee Scholarship Fund, 26 Pine Street West Cornwall, CT 06796. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
