Bret K. Bortner, 74, of St. Joseph, Michigan, died December 16, 2019.
McGann Hay Funeral Home, South Bend, Indiana.
All posts by hstauder
Cristina Mercedes Moran Rios ’59
Cristina Mercedes Moran Rios, 77, of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, passed away March 9, 2019. Cristina was born on March 3, 1942. A memorial service was held on Friday, March 15, 2019 at Buxeda Funeral Home. 
Cristina Mercedes Moran Rios, 77, de Guaynabo, Puerto Rico falleció el marzo 9, 2019. Cristina nació en el mes de marzo 3, 1942. Un(a) servicio memorial con restos cremados para Cristina se llevará a cabo el viernes, marzo 15, 2019 desde la(s) 7:00 p. m. hasta la(s) 9:00 p. m. en Funeraria Buxeda.
John W. Sands ’50
John Woodbury Sands, of Hayward, CA, passed away on Saturday, November 30, 2019. He lived a long life full of generous service to his community and a passion for improving the lives of others.
John was born in Staten Island, NY and spent his early years in New Jersey. He graduated from Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA in 1950. After serving in the U.S. Marines, John earned a teaching credential from San Francisco State College, and began a 28-year career as a high school math teacher in Castro Valley, CA. A resident of Hayward since 1958, he was devoted to his community, serving as a member of the Human Relations and Human Services Commissions, as president of Hayward Neighborhood Alert and as site coordinator of Kids’ Breakfast Club at Longwood School. His service was recognized with awards from the City of Hayward, the Hayward Lions Club and the Hayward Area Democratic Club.
John is survived by his loving wife of sixty-six years, Marion; devoted children Amy Barakos (Dimitri) of Dripping Springs, TX, Peter Sands of Hayward, and Tim Sands (Laura) of Blacksburg, VA; grandchildren Jessica Barakos of Las Vegas, NV, Alex Barakos of Oakland, Amanda Schwab (Zack) of Chicago, IL, Kenneth “K.C.” Sands (Anna) of Chicago, IL, Kathryn Sands of Chicago, IL, and Haley Sands of Washington, D.C.; and great grandson, Owen Schwab of Chicago, IL.
Friends and family are invited to a memorial on Monday, Dec. 16, 2019 from 3-5 PM at Sorensen Chapel, 1140 B Street in Hayward.
Herbert E. Riedel ’45
Herbert E. Riedel, 91, of Glens Falls, NY, passed away peacefully at Glens Falls Hospital on September 16, 2019. He was the third son of Marjorie and Wallace Riedel of Easthampton, Massachusetts. He leaves behind, his wife, Marilyn of 66 years; two daughters, Sally Bromfield (Walt), Julie Fingeret (Rick); five grandchildren, Corinne Bromfield, Stuart Bromfield, Martha Goodwin (Devin), Benjamin Fingeret, Joshua Fingeret; and two great grandchildren, Jack and Paige Goodwin.
Herbert graduated from Williston Academy and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a degree in chemical engineering. He served in the army at the Army Chemical Center. He worked for International Paper in several locations, including, North Tonawanda, New York, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, South Glens Falls, New York City, and Corinth. After he retired, he and Marilyn visited 25 foreign countries plus Alaska and Hawaii. When not traveling he volunteered as President of the Glens Falls Senior Center, President of 
the Board of the Meikleknox Presbyterian Home in Cambridge, drove for Meals on Wheels, served on the Town Emergency Planning Board and the President of Golden Kiwanis. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Glens Falls, serving as trustee and usher. He donated his body to the Anatomical Gift Program at The Albany Medical College.
A Memorial Service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church at the convenience of the family.
Lawrence E. Bachman ’64
Lawrence “Larry” Bachman, 74, of Farmington, CT, passed away unexpectedly Monday, December 2, 2019, at his home. Born in New Britain, son of the late Clarence and Ruth (Peck) Bachman, he was a former Newington resident, moving to Farmington in 2006. A graduate of Williston Academy, he attended Rutgers University and later received his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Hartford. Larry owned and operated Advanced Electronic Development in Old Saybrook and later worked for H&R Block for over 20 years. He was a former member of Shuttle Meadow Country Club. Surviving is his son, David Bachman and his wife Lisa of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Funeral services are Monday 10 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain. Burial will follow in West Meadow Cemetery, Newington. Calling hours are Monday morning from 9:15 AM until the time of the service. Memorial donations may be made to Masonicare Charity Foundation, 22 Masonic Avenue, Wallingford, CT 06492.
Garrett A. Freebourn ’87
Garrett Andrew Freebourn age 50, died September 8th, 2019 at his home on Vashon Island, WA. After a heroic struggle with a rare cancer, leaving behind his beloved wife Patty Freebourn and his children Garrett Alexander Freebourn and Rachael Katherine Freebourn, his mother Carol K. Freebourn and his sister Wendy S. Rusnock.
He was preceded in death by his father, James Richard Freebourn Sr., his brother James Richard Freebourn Jr., and his sister Lee Anne Freebourn.
Garrett was a wonderful and supportive husband who loved his family so very much, he lived as long as he possible could to be with them. Garrett enjoyed, camping, skiing, road trips, and anything that involved being with his family.
He was born in Northampton, Massachusetts, June 9, 1969 to James R. Freebourn Sr. And Carol K. Freebourn.
Growing up he attended grade school in Southampton, Ma. And graduated with the class of 1987 from Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA. He received Bachelor of Science Management Degree from the University of Utah, then a Global MBA from National University.
He served an honorable two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints in Seville Spain.
His work experience took him all over the world, but he spent the rest of his professional career at Synchronis Technology as a Business Analyst.
Garrett will be missed dearly because everyone he met knew that he was the most kind, sincere person and friend to all and will be deeply missed by all.
Be in peace my love.
By Patty Freebourn
Jennifer M. Patton ’86
Jennifer M. Patton, of Waltham, died suddenly on November 21, 2019, nine days before her 51st birthday. She was a world traveler, visiting Turkey, Spain, Greece, England, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, and the Bahamas among other places. Also, Jen was an activist, technical writer and cat rescuer. She had just completed her one-year anniversary working as a Senior Technical Writer at Red Hat.
Jen had lived in many places, including Kenosha, WI, Cary, Il, Saudi Arabia (no place for a teenager as she pointed out), Mountain View, CA, and Baltimore, MD, but Waltham was her home. Jen was an extrovert and could talk to anyone. She was a warm, generous person with a delightful sense of humor. She was very active in many organizations, to name a few: Progressive Waltham, the Waltham Democratic City Committee, Diaper Depot, Green Rows of Waltham (GROW) and The Cat Connection. She was very interested in affordable housing, especially for those who wish to age in place in their home town, as she had hoped to do. She was a feminist through and through and a strong voice for so many.
A proud alumna of Wellesley College, Class of 1990, she was looking forward to attending her 30th class reunion this June – she will be there in spirit. We must tell of her love of the Red Sox. She was an avid reader and loved to discuss books, movies, ideas – well, just about anything. Jen was a member of First Parish Universalist Unitarian Church in Waltham.
She was predeceased by her younger brother, Andrew, who she always remembered. She is survived by her parents, Maureen and Tom Patton, her husband, Scott Shurr, many relatives, her dear friend, Melissa Honig, her friends, Sarah Hankins, Shirley Boschen Traite, Alice Taylor, Belinda Jentz and many others. We would be remiss not to mention her cats, Finn and Fergus, who she loved dearly and took such excellent care of. She was a compassionate, thoughtful woman, and will be missed by many.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made either to The Greater Boston Food Bank, 70 South Bay Ave., Boston, MA 02118, Ph: (617) 427-5200 or The Cat Connection, P.O. Box 541435, Waltham, MA 02454, Ph: (781) 899-4610. A Celebration of Jen’s Life will be held at a future date.
Carol Paluca Morrison ’57
Carol Ann (Paluca) Morrison, 79, died on July 21, 2019. She was born on Aug. 23, 1939, in Westfield Mass., the daughter of Ernest and Myrtle Paluca.
Carol lived in Massachusetts until she moved to Southern California in 1964. She was an entrepreneur, owning and operating Christopher Scott’s Toy and Flower shops. She lived in California for 27 years.
Carol returned to the East Coast in 1991, and worked for Rainbow Toys for 23 years. She was a capable multi-tasker, an accomplished buyer, organizer, and sales associate. She was a mentor to the other employees, as well as a store stylist, handling all the displays and arrangements in the store.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brothers, Ernest Paluca and Dan Paluca. She leaves behind her two sons, Scott Morrison and his wife Marcia (of California), Christopher Morrison and his wife Carole (of Maine), grandchildren, Lauren Jue-Morrison, Charles Finks (of Maine), and Clarissa Finks (of Vermont), sister, Mary (Paluca) Pomeroy, sister-in-law Carol Paluca, several nieces and nephews, and friends in Maine.
Carol loved the natural world. She would delight at seeing the ocean in all its moods, the simple beauty in clouds passing overhead or the wind stirring the trees. One could tell she was most at peace when enjoying nature.
Carol was a loving and supportive mother, wife, friend and mentor. She brightened the lives of many with her simple acts of kindness and considerate ways.
In addition to her children and family, her co-workers and friends at Rainbow Toys, in Falmouth, Maine (truly extended family), were an important part of her day to day life. They were with her to the end, driving her to appointments, shopping, helping in any way they could in her efforts to overcome the challenges of cancer. She could not have asked for a more loving and supportive group of friends.
The world is a better place for having had Carol Morrison in it. She will be missed by many.
Services will be held at a later date this year.
James Harvey Dreikorn ’66
James Harvey Dreikorn, 72, of Longmeadow, MA died unexpectedly on Sun. Nov 3, 2019 with loved ones by his side. Born on June 20, 1947 in Ft. Worth, Texas, he lived the majority of his life in Massachusetts. He graduated from Williston Academy and Kansas State University.
Jim had a distinguished career in the baking industry: President of Dreikorn Bakery, Chairman of N.E Bakery Employees, Director of Quality Bakers of America, Chair of Young Bakery Executives of the American Bakers Association, and V.P of Nissen Baking Co., a member of “The Wild Yeast.” In addition, he was a Director of Westbank.
Jim was dedicated to his volunteer work and was a devoted Trustee to Clarke School for the Deaf, a position he had held since 1986. He was also a Board Member of the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, MA.
Jim was an avid golfer, gardener, dog lover and Patriots fan. Even after years of living in New England, he remained a proud Texan and his personality matched the size of his native state. He was a loving son, brother, uncle, Godfather, and friend; a loyal confidant whose charisma, charm and humor will be sorely missed.
Jim is predeceased by his parents, Anita and Otto Dreikorn. He is survived by his sister, Darlene (Harvey) Ducker of Friendswood, TX, step-sister Nancy (Dreikorn) Crider of Stuart FL, and friends and loved ones, of which there are too many to count.
Donations can be made in Jim’s memory to Clarke School for the Deaf, 45 Round Hill Rd., Northampton, MA 01060, Ronald McDonald House of Connecticut and Western MA, 501 George Street, Suite A, New Haven, CT 06511, or The Make A Wish Foundation of Western MA, 181 Park Avenue, Suite 12, West Springfield, MA 01089. Private funeral arrangements will be held at the convenience of his family.
Carolyn Clarke Brown ’64
Carolyn Clarke Brown, 73, was born in Northampton, Massachusetts on March 15 (the “Ides of March”), 1946 and died in Rockport, Maine on Oct. 26, 2019. Her parents were Bertram W. Clarke and Katherine Knight Clarke.
At age 16, Carolyn was thrown from a horse and sustained a severe concussion. For two weeks, she hovered on the threshold of death and was not expected to survive. However, she recovered and came to regard all the subsequent years of her life as “extra years.” Those who knew and loved her would argue that there were not enough “extra years.”
Carolyn attended high school initially in the public school system in Williamsburg, Mass. before enrolling in the Northampton School for Girls (now the Williston Northampton School), from which she graduated in 1964. She attended the University of Maine at Orono, earning a B.A. in 1968 and an MLS in 1974. One unique feature of Carolyn’s life is that she had a single job interview in 1968, which launched a 46-year career as an academic librarian at the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Portland. She left the University in 2014 as head of acquisitions and serials services in the library.
She married William B. Hughes in 1982; he died in 1992. She began a long-term relationship with Scott W. Brown in the mid-1990s; they married in 2014. Their wedding has the distinction of (probably) being the only one to have ever taken place at the USM library. Carolyn and Scott did everything together, ranging from activities that were mundane (going to the store or post office) to strenuous (hiking, building walking trails, renovating a barn) to just plain fun (cooking, road trips in their red antique Corvette convertible).
Carolyn was an exceptionally warm, kind, friendly, and generous person who was always willing to pitch in and help. Many describe her as one of the nicest people they had ever met. She loved cooking, as evidenced by her 500-plus cookbook collection. She especially loved cats, and owned many over the years. She loved them all, but her favorite was a one-eyed stray female from a shelter that Scott named MQ (for Monocular Quadruped). MQ was smart, loving, and feisty, just like her owner.
Carolyn’s maternal ancestors were centered in New York and New Jersey, and tended to be educated professionals. In contrast, her paternal ancestors were DownEasters from Machiasport, Maine and they went to sea. Her forebears include numerous sea captains, mariners, and sailors of ships both large and small. Her father and an uncle were crew members on Howard Hughes’ yacht “The Southern Cross” in the 1930s. Another uncle served on Atlantic convoy ships in World War II. Carolyn and Scott have spent many enjoyable times at the family salt water farm in Machiasport, built by a sea captain ancestor in 1841. One particularly interesting marine artifact at the farm is the log book of a great-grandfather who operated the schooner “Saarbruck” in the 1870s. The “Saarbruck” shipped cargo between Machiasport, New York, and Rio de Janeiro.
Carolyn is survived by her husband, Scott of Union and Machiasport; adopted stepchildren, Donna L. Boyle of South Portland and William D. Hughes of Westbrook along with their families; and a cousin, Dawn Woodbrey of Orono and her family. A life-long friend was Judy Carloni of Shapleigh and Englewood, Fla., who Carolyn met when they were both age 3; they remained friends for the next 70 years.
According to her wishes, Carolyn will be buried in the East Union, Maine cemetery alongside Scott’s relatives. A gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life will be held in both Union and Machiasport in the spring.
Carolyn would wish that any donations made should be directed to a local animal shelter, especially to provide support for stray cats.