John Emery (“Jack”) MacElwee passed away on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at the age of 93. He was a resident of Essex Meadows in Essex, Connecticut.
Jack was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who continued to share his love of sailing and fine art with family and friends after his retirement to Essex. He previously lived in Norwalk and commuted to New York City during a successful 40-year career in commercial art. Prior to that, he served in the U.S. Army as a tank commander on Korea’s front lines.
Born and raised in Babylon, New York, Jack went on to attend the Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts, and the New England School of Art in Boston. After his service in the
U.S. Army, he started his career in New York City at the Biow Company. When the company closed due to a tax scandal, Jack made a decision that would change the course of his life. He decided to explore the West Coast, moved to San Francisco, and met Carol, his wife of 64 years. They married at Grace Cathedral two years after they met. Because New York City offered more career opportunities in advertising, Jack and Carol moved east after four years and settled in Norwalk, Connecticut. Commuting to New York, Jack specialized in point-of-sale design. Among his displays were the Uniroyal Tiger Paws, the Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” album, the Florida Lottery, Chiquita Banana, Almaden Wines, and Schaefer Beer. In the mid-1970s, he moved to the other side of the business, selecting displays for Revlon.
Jack’s life was filled with activity. He hiked, biked, camped, and sailed. At the age of 50, and before running had skyrocketed in popularity, Jack began doing laps at the local track in his
work boots before moving on to running sneakers and joining the local Lightfoot running club. He went on to complete 17 marathons, which included running the famed New York City Marathon ten times. Living in Norwalk at the time, he served the community by sitting on Norwalk’s Planning & Zoning Commission for five years, and serving as Chair his last year.
When Jack retired in 1994, he and Carol moved to Essex, prompting the purchase of a Pierson 28’ sailboat, which they cruised for 15 years. They sailed as members of the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club, the Baldwin Yacht Club, and the Pettipaug Yacht Club. Jack became a steward of the Essex Land Trust, and he pursued his natural talent in painting and drawing. He attended classes at the Lyme Art Academy and the Lyme Art Association, and exhibited frequently as a member of the Essex Art Association.
In addition to his wife, Carol, Jack is survived by his son, John Alexander MacElwee, his daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Bill Jones, and his grandson, Banning Jones. He also leaves his brother, Thomas Hart MacElwee, who celebrated his 100th birthday in January, as well as many nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his younger son, Douglas Stewart MacElwee, in 2000.
All friends are invited to a celebration of his life on Saturday March 5th at the Essex Yacht Club, 13 Novelty Lane, Essex, CT at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to the Essex Land Trust, the Ivoryton Playhouse, or the Essex Historical Society.

It is with great sadness that the family of Dong Kingman shares news of his passing on February 4, 2022.
Since early retirement from Marsh & McLennan, he enjoyed lawn bowling in Central Park, restorative yoga and swimming at the JCC, vacations in Bermuda, art museum openings, concerts at Lincoln Center, Broadway plays, and all that NYC has to offer. He thought of his friends often.
His wife, Elaine, and children, Melissa and Jonathan, plan to inter Dong alongside his father at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin on West 46th Street in Manhattan. A small service will be held in the summer when the family can gather.
If you wish to celebrate Dong’s memory, please consider sending a donation to Studio in a School (www.studioinaschool.org/support); the Central Park Conservancy (www.centralparknyc.org/donate); or any charity or organization of your choice.

Chester Dean “Chet” Andrews, 91, died unexpectedly Feb. 25, 2022. He was born June 5, 1930, to Stuart F. and Glenda M. Andrews of Stamford. Chet married Joan Wells Kellogg May 10, 1952. They raised four children and enjoyed a wonderful marriage. Joan preceded him in death.

Chet will be remembered for the countless lives he touched, through both his professional work and his extensive volunteer service. At Stone Ridge in Mystic, where he and Joan moved in 2013, Chet served on the Resident Council, Employee Appreciation Committee, and Welcome Committee. He sang in the Stone Ridge Choir and helped manage the Country Store. He passionately led efforts to secure scholarships for the young employees pursuing further education.

Chet spent his entire career in banking. In 1971, after 22 years at the State National Bank of Connecticut, he moved to Dorset, Vt., to become senior vice president of Factory Point National Bank in nearby Manchester. He became president in 1982, and was elected chair of the Board of Directors in 1992. He also served during this period as president of the Vermont Bankers Association and as vice president for Vermont of the American Bankers Association.

He retired in 1996, after 47 years in banking. He and Joan then relocated to Williamsburg, Va. During this period, they travelled extensively, with especially memorable trips to Scotland, Russia, Tanzania, Peru, and the Galapagos.

Chet was active as a volunteer in many community and civic activities, starting at age 14 as an elevator operator at the Stamford Hospital. Volunteer work was an important part of his life. In Vermont, this included service as chair of the Dorset School Board, president of the Dorset Field Club, president of the Dorset Prudential Committee, chair of the Weston Hadden Nursing Home and treasurer of the Dorset Nursing Association. After relocating to Virginia, he served as treasurer of the Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Auxiliary, board member and secretary of the Williamsburg Country Club, and a volunteer counselor with the VITA Income Tax Program sponsored by Colonial Williamsburg.

He served in the U.S. Army Reserves for eight years, obtaining the rank of sergeant first class.

Chet was educated at the Williston Northampton School, New York University School of Banking, and the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin.

Chet remained physically active until the day he died. He played golf through last summer, and never missed his morning walk. He loved games of all sorts. He had a competitive streak, but never took himself too seriously. When the family gathered for his birthday last June and engaged after lunch in a lively game of corn hole, Chet was determined to not let anyone get the better of him.

Chet spent part of almost every summer at a rustic island cottage that his grandfather had built on Lake Sunapee, N.H. There he instilled in his children and then grandchildren a deep love for the lake-and of swimming, boating and card games.

He is survived by his children, Jeff Andrews of Redding, Mark Andrews and wife Jenifer of Morrisville, Vt., Kim Andrews of Ledyard, and Susan Piotti and husband John of Belfast, Maine; grandchildren, Tucker, Conor, Tyler, Arlen, Chloe, Anna, John and Liam; and great-grandchildren, Vander, Walter, Letty, Iris and Eliza.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at Stone Ridge. A private graveside service will be held this summer in Dorset, Vt., where Chet will be laid to rest beside his beloved Joan. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Stone Ridge Scholarship Fund, mailed to 186 Jerry Brown Road, Mystic, CT, 06355.

Robert Salisbury Birch, 83, died peacefully in Lake Wales, FL on February 7, 2022. He was born in Boonton, NJ on March 13, 1938 to Elizabeth and Foster F. Birch III. He grew up in Boonton and spent his summers in Cape Cod, MA where he was a wicked backyard croquet player and a crafty tennis competitor. He had a lifelong love for the stock market, even though his first investment, at age nine, was in a worthless penny stock sold by a slicker over the phone. His father made him follow through on the purchase because he had given his word, and he gained an enduring lesson. He started as a runner on Wall Street as a teenager, became an intern in his college years, and an analyst and broker before rising to Managing Director at Oppenheimer and Company in a career there that spanned 55 years. He attended Brown University, where as president of his fraternity, Sigma Chi, he is remembered for his ability to run it with a profit without cutting out the fun. After graduating with a degree in Political Science, he pursued an MBA from Cornell University and then moved to his first job at A.G. Becker in New York City. There, he learned the business, having the pioneering Jane Brett, one of the first female stock analysts in a world of men, and the legendary Bob Wilson, as mentors. Over the years, his colleagues laughed at his many pithy sayings (“The advice is free, but it could be very costly,” “Patience can be rewarded as long as you’re not sitting on stone eggs,” or “Buy straw hats in the winter”) which they enjoyed so much they eventually compiled and circulated in a little red booklet entitled, “The Sayings of Chairman Birch.” All the while, they celebrated his shrewd market wisdom and admired his daring and unconventional investment style. He loved his many friends and dogs, especially Berry, a gift one Christmas. And his friends loved him for his jovial nature, loyalty, and generous spirit. He was thoughtful, remembering birthdays, sending flowers for all occasions (but candies on sale to his wife on February 15th), delighting in Christmas caroling, and applauding others’ accomplishments far and wide. He was a tremendous father and grandfather, always present, loving, and patient. He enjoyed giving advice, loved bargains and auctions, and delighted in a good joke with a merry twinkle in his eye. He had a grand tradition of presenting house guests with hats, bags, or shirts – all adorned with his made-up family motto, “Melius suspendi est ut lupum quam ovem.” (Better be hung for a wolf than a sheep.) He was a generous and engaged member in the communities where he lived in New York and Cape Cod, serving on the boards of The Bridge Fund of New York, Dancing Classrooms NYC and the Bourne Conservation Trust. He was an Elder, Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, a Trustee, Brick Church, both in New York City and served on his coop board for years. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Eugenie L. Birch, his children and their spouses: Foster (Aileen Kim), Rebecca (Mark Pankoff), and Victoria (Yves Vandeplas), and his seven grandchildren: Robert, Lawrence, and Elizabeth Birch; Hugo, Augusta, Phebe, and Fredericka Pankoff. A memorial will be held in the spring. Those wishing to celebrate his memory, please send donations to the Bourne Conservation Trust: (https://www.bourne conservationtrust.org/) or The Bridge Fund Inc of New York for Preventing Homelessness https://thebridgefund.org/

Arthur Bailey Locke of West Granby, CT, passed away on Sunday, January 30, 2022, at home surrounded by his family. He was the son of Alice Bailey and William S. Locke. Born in Hartford in 1936, Art moved to West Hartford a few years later where he lived until moving to Bloomfield in 1961. A graduate of Williston Northampton School, Hobart College, and Harvard Law School, Art joined the law firm Murtha, Cullina (then Shephard, Murtha, and Merritt) in Hartford where he practiced law until his retirement in 1992. An outdoorsman at heart, Art enjoyed gardening, splitting wood, building stone walls, and making maple syrup. He liked walking around in the woods, especially after moving to West Granby in 1994 where he could walk in “his” woods.
Art is survived by his wife of 56 years, Aurelle Smoot Locke; three daughters, Alison Perchuk (Andrew) of Santa Monica, CA, Amanda Locke (Jonathan Chesler) of New Milford, CT, and Katharine Locke (Julian Wiggins) of Orono, ME; and his granddaughter, Hazel Bailey Wiggins.
Calling hours will be Sunday, February 6, 1:00 pm at Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home, 364 Salmon Brook Street, Granby CT. A celebration of his life will follow at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Center for Northern Woodlands Education, PO Box 270, Lyme, NH 03768, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.