Allen Vaughan Shaw passed away suddenly, October 16, 2024, in Rockville, Maryland. He was born May 19, 1940 at Hale Hospital in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the eldest child of Eugene Kenneth Shaw and Evelyn Frances (Vaughan). He grew up at the family homestead, Number 12 King Street in Groveland and as a teenager worked on a local dairy farm, which he reminisced about frequently. An animal lover from an early age, he raised a Holstein cow named Bobolink, after which his adventures in dairy farming came to a close.

Allen was educated at Williston Northampton School, where he was known as Al Shaw, graduating in 1959. He played varsity football and was a member of the varsity track team, boasting a 4 minute mile and excelled in the 440. Allen also participated in the school glee club, student council, and was sports editor of The Willistonian school paper.

Allen went on to study geology at Tufts University and received his Master’s Degree from Michigan State. He continued his formal education at the University of Arizona, University of Oklahoma, and University of Texas at Dallas.

His career began in oil exploration, working for Conoco in the Western United States. He lived in the Rocky Mountain region for many years before moving to Arizona and then to Texas to work for Sun Exploration. In the early 90s, he moved back to the East Coast and transitioned to environmental geology, working for URS Corporation and Bechtel. Allen stayed active in his field and served as past editor of AEG News, the newsletter for the Association of Engineering Geologists.

During his time in Wyoming, he met Dorsey Winchester and they were married in 1970, becoming an instant family with Dorsey’s children Lynne, Shannon, Casey, and Marty before adding two more daughters, Ryan and Morgan.

At the time of his death, he was living with his companion of 19 years Christine (Tina) Chisena and their kitties, Frank and Lola, in Maryland.

He lived a life of service and spent countless hours volunteering for many organizations, big and small. Allen regularly donated blood earning his 25-gallon pin and beyond. He also donated over 2500 hours of service to The Heard Natural Science Museum in McKinney, Texas, clearing hiking trails and hosting education workshops. More recently, he continued to live out his love of nature by volunteering at Brookside Gardens in Montgomery County, Maryland. Faith was important to Allen and he was dedicated in his service to Grace St Paul’s church in Tucson, Arizona as well as Holy Nativity Church in Plano, Texas. He served as lay reader, vestry member, event organizer, helped build the church playground in Plano, and served on the education board of the Montessori school at Holy Nativity.

Allen generously supported many organizations with monetary donations when he was unable to support them with his time and personal service. He was a faithful friend of the geology department at Tufts, his beloved alma mater, and made it a priority to support the department with a gift each year.

When he wasn’t out and about enjoying this beautiful world and its flora and fauna, many other hobbies and passions occupied his time. Allen was an accomplished baker (his focaccia bread had an informal fan club), chef extraordinaire (his butternut squash soup is a holiday favorite), and singer, his rich baritone voice was a joy to hear (just like his dad’s.) He was also an amateur photographer and an avid birdwatcher, often combining the two activities.

Allen was known to be competitive, an attribute often seen at the bridge table. He was an active member of the American Contract Bridge League, playing in local, district, and national tournaments throughout his life, from Casper, Wyoming, to Tucson, Dallas, and Washington, DC. He achieved the rank of Gold Life Master in the ACBL and won the Open Pairs at the National Capital 4th of July Tournament in 2023 with bridge partner and friend Jerold.

His talents as “Opa” boasted superb baby rocking skills, excellent bedtime story reader (he did all the voices, 10/10), nature walks, and teaching grandchildren how to bake the best treats ever.

Allen is survived by his companion, Tina, his children Marty Shaw (his wife Sandy, children Chris and Holly and their families), Ryan Shaw, Dr. Morgan (Shaw) McCormick (her husband Tim, children Keira and Maeryn), his brother David Shaw ’61 (his wife Janet, children Mark, Todd, Brett and their families), his former wife Dorsey, Lynne Livingston (children Todd and Cody and family), Shannon Smith Gray (husband Ken, children Kyle, Keefe, Kip and families ), Casey Digaetano (children Autumn, Beckon, Cameon, Jadon and families), and many friends that will cherish his memory. His sense of humor, wit, and the mischievous twinkle in his eyes will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in honor of Allen to Tufts University or to The Heard Museum of Natural History in Texas. Allen’s final gift was to be an organ and tissue donor. Please consider donating blood or becoming an organ donor.

Robert “Bob” Mattson, 92, of New Castle, DE passed away on June 29,2023. He was born April 21, 1931 in Philadelphia, PA, but spent most of his childhood in Worcester, MA, where he began swimming at the Worcester Boys and Girls club. He then went to prep school and was offered a scholarship to swim at North Carolina State University. At NC State, he continued to excel at swimming and became an NCAA champion and received All American honors. He held both world and American records in the breaststroke and 400 IM events. Bob graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and accepted a job at Joseph Bancroft Co in Wilmington, DE. It was at this time Bob began his swim coaching career. In 1967, he decided to quit his job as a chemist and pursue his passion for swimming, beginning his lifelong legacy of coaching. He built Wilmington Aquatic Club (WAC) in New Castle, DE which would become a powerhouse for Delaware swimmers. Bob has coached several state, regional, national, and Olympic swimmers. He was well known for his “Out of the Box” thinking both in and out of the pool and for developing and guiding many elite swimmers. Bob was inducted into North Carolina State University swimming hall of fame, the Delaware Sports hall of fame, and the American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) hall of fame.

Bob married Nancy Haubein in 1960 and had two children Eric and Jennifer. He also has a son, Steve, from a previous marriage. He is survived by his wife Nancy, his children and their spouses: Eric (Shelly), Jennifer (Eric), Steve (Doris- deceased). He has seven grandchildren Brady, Kate, Elizabeth, Tori, John, Becky, and Brandy.

A celebration of life will be held at the Talleyville Fire hall in Wilmington, DE on August 26th 1-4 pm. Memorial donations can be made in lieu of flowers to the Worcester, MA Boys and girls club https://app.donorview.com/PbXEO or to WAC Wilmington Aquatic Club https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/mawac/page/tumoney

William “Bill” Frederick Harms, 88, a longtime resident of Bloomfield, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at his home.

Bill was born in Freeport, NY on April 27, 1935. He was the oldest son of the late August and Ella (Ryder) Harms. He graduated from Freeport High School, Freeport, NY in 1953 and Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Bill married the love of his life, Lorna Joan Lawrence, whom he had known since he was two, on December 26, 1955. They were married for 60 years before her passing in 2016.

Bill began his career in 1957 as a Principal Flight Test Engineer at Republic Aviation/Fairchild Aircraft in Farmingdale, NY. During his tenure there, he prepared advanced planning and detailed flight plans and coordinated and monitored test flights for the F-105, operated during the Vietnam War by the USAF. He also conducted the entire flight test program on the A-10 prototype aircraft, which operated in the Gulf War. At a dedication at the New England Air Museum, a USAF Brigadier General who flew the A-10 Warthog, called it “a weapon on wings” and spoke about its ability to fly “low and slow” with the plane’s big gatling gun over our troops on the ground in urgent need of support. In addition, Bill conducted the full flight test program, including vertical takeoffs and landings and transitions between vertical and horizontal flight on the XV-5A, an experimental vertical takeoff/landing aircraft. One of the highlights of his time at Republic was his ride in the rear seat of the F105F, taking the plane to its limits in a supersonic structural integrity proving flight. He was also honored to be in the same place as Chuck Yeager at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Fitting with his love for jet planes, Bill also loved working on and driving sports cars. He especially liked MG’s, sequentially owning six, of different models and colors, during his flight test years. The baby blue convertible was
his favorite!

Bill later became a Product Liability Claims Manager at Associated Aviation Underwriters in New York City before moving to Connecticut to take the position of Product Liability Technical Liaison Engineer for the Legal Department at United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. He was there until his retirement in 1992.

Bill and Lorna were avid travelers in their younger years and Bill visited 49 of the 50 states, missing only Hawaii. He often took his family on “station wagon adventures” to visit a scenic canyon, national park, or state capitol. Hand in hand with that, Bill was an avid photographer, taking thousands of amazing slides and photos of scenery, family, and aviation. To reduce film developing costs, he constructed his own dark room in the backyard!

Bill is survived and will be remembered by his children, David Harms and his wife, Carrie of Winsted; Donna Basler and her husband, Darrell of East Hartford; and Diane Forader of Merritt Island, FL; his grandchildren, Ginger Harms and her partner, Ray, Jesse Harms and his partner, Vanessa, Christopher Basler and his wife, Lauren, and Bryan Basler; and his great grandchildren, Jazmyn, Anne Marie, Matthew, Mackenzie, Hailey and Sophia. He is also survived by his brother, Ken Harms ’59 and his wife Mary Lou and his sister, Ginny Baldwin and her husband Howard, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and beloved wife, Bill was predeceased by his daughter-in-law, Cindy Harms and son-in-law, Mark Forader. We would like to lovingly acknowledge his very close friend, Suzanne Horrigan, who was a special companion for the past 7 years and whom he truly treasured.

The funeral will be Wednesday, February 28th beginning with calling hours from 10 am-12pm at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. A funeral service will follow at 12:00 pm at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mt. View Cemetery, Bloomfield. Donation in his memory may be made to The New England Air Museum at www.neam.org or the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

Arie Kopelman, the former president and chief operating officer of Chanel Inc., who was credited for helping drive massive growth for the French luxury brand, died October 7, 2024, at the age of 86.

Kopelman’s daughter Jill Kargman posted news of his death on her Instagram account and said the cause of death was pancreatic cancer.

In a company statement, Chanel said, “We are deeply saddened to learn of Arie Kopelman’s passing. Arie was a visionary leader who carved an ambitious plan for Chanel, laying the foundation for a solid and enduring business. Known for his charisma and empathy, he embodied the qualities of a leader who cared deeply about mentoring those around him, creating a unique and rare culture. Arie was also a passionate philanthropist, supporting many cultural and charitable endeavors during his tenure at the House. He leaves behind an extraordinary professional and personal legacy – one that he should be immensely proud of.”

Born Sept. 23, 1938 in Brookline, Massachusetts, Kopelman attended the Boston Latin School and Williston Academy and graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1960, where he studied pre-medicine but majored in art history. He later received an MBA from Columbia University.

Kopelman is survived by his wife, Coco, daughter Jill Kargman and son-in-law, Harry Kargman; son Will Kopelman and daughter-in-law, Alexandra Michler and six grandchildren. Kopelman’s fraternal twin brother, David, a judge, died in 2022, and his younger brother, Robert, died of lung cancer in 1999.

A private family service is planned, and a memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

To read more about Arie’s life and work, please visit WWD.

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Peter Rawson Hewes of Groton, Connecticut who died at age 85 on Sunday, September 29, 2024 after a long battle with cancer.

Peter was born in New London, Connecticut on January 8, 1939 to Dr. Tyson Hewes and Anne Mariah (Moses) Hewes. Peter was a proud resident of Groton who grew up becoming an avid swimmer and lifeguard at Eastern Point Beach. He went on to become an All American Swimmer and Diver at Williston Academy. On shore, Peter was an incredible football player, and attained 12 Varsity letters prior to graduation.

Peter also attended Cornwall Academy during the summertime, and participated in the Boy Scouts of America, eventually earning the prestigious Eagle Scout ranking. In his teenage years, Peter became a camp counselor at Camp Wakenah, the oldest Boy Scout camp in America, and taught woodcrafting, sailing and canoeing. All of these accolades helped Peter gain acceptance to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland where he lived for a decade before returning to Connecticut.

Peter attended Paris Island Boot Camp, and was enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. Peter proudly preserved his allegiance and commitment to the United Stated Marine Corps throughout his life.

Peter loved his engines and cars. Over the years, he collected Porsches, Volvos, MiniCoopers, Mercedes Benz, BMWs and Austin Healey’s. He raced cars at Lime Rock, Connecticut and at the Marlborough Race Track in Baltimore, Maryland. He later became a specialized mechanic for these powerful racing machines.

He formerly owned Hewes Chevron in Groton, where he and his team serviced specialized vehicles. He retired as a senior engineer with the International Union of Operating Engineers, but never stopped working on various engines or rebuilding vehicles.

Peter was an avid sailor and long time member of both the Off Soundings Yacht Club and the Shennecosset Yacht Club. He loved working on his Tartan 27 “Philabeg” with his boat partner and dear friend Dick Burke, even during his two year battle with cancer.

Whenever he had a chance, Peter could be found at sea, sailing with various friends. He is acclaimed for his camaraderie, fellowship, and a love of the sea.

Peter was generous with his knowledge and time, offering to help anyone he could. He volunteered his engineering skills to the Mystic Seaport Museum, helping keep their boats up and running. Peter had an extensive knowledge of many things, including the history of Groton, engines, boats, cars and pretty much all things machinery. He truly left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.

One of Peter’s proudest accomplishments was celebrating almost 40 years of sobriety. He was also so proud of his children and grandchildren, and his stories will be fondly remembered for years to come.

The Facetime, phone calls, letters, cards, and visits Peter received during the final weeks of his life were a tremendous source of joy, peace, and comfort to him.

Peter was predeceased by his twin brother, David Hewes, and is survived by his brother James (Mary Liz) Hewes, and his children Lisa (Mark) Szaro, Pete Snow, Peter Hewes II and Marika (Joel) Michelangelo, and his grandchildren, Patrick, Cassandra, and Justin Snow, Tyler Szaro, Aria, Kira and Theo Michelangelo and great-grand children, Lyric and Clover Snow. Peter was loved by many friends and extended family members who will miss him dearly.

A graveside service will be held at the Colonel Ledyard Cemetery in Groton, Connecticut, at 11:00am on October 16, 2024. Family, friends, and others are invited to the Shennecosset Yacht Club following the service for a celebration to reminisce and honor the life of Peter. In lieu of flowers, donations in Peter’s name to his favorite breakfast program (Puffins Restaurant) can be made to Seabirds Enterprises , 169 Thames Street, Groton, CT 06340.