Robert’s siblings Joan Montgomery Mihalakos ’61 and Pamela Montgomery Mason ’67 were both graduates of the Northampton School for Girls, as was their mother Jane Greist Montgomery ’38 (deceased).
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Anthony E. Giangrasso ’48
Anthony E. Giangrasso, M. D., age 83, of Trumbull, beloved husband of Bettie Brackett Giangrasso, passed away on Monday, February 11, 2013.
He was born in Astoria, Long Island on September 9, 1929 and was a son of the late Thomas and Nancy (Giaimo) Giangrasso. The family moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut in the early thirties and to Trumbull in 1938. He attended grammar school in Long Hill Trumbull and then later Central High in Bridgeport.
In 1948, he graduated from Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Following prep school, Dr. Giangrasso attended Georgetown University and later Fairfield University where he received his B. S. degree with Cum Laude honors in 1953. The following year, Dr. Giangrasso received an assistantship in biology at Boston College. In 1954, he was accepted into Creighton School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska where he received his medical doctorate in 1958.
Barry R. Blaker ’51
Barry R. Blaker beloved husband of Angela (Castellone) Blaker, loving father of Spencer M. of Bahama, NC and David A. of Yaphank, NY and grandfather of Noah Josephine and Samuel Clayton Blaker of Bahama, North Carolina and son of the late Dr. Samuel I. Blaker and Frieda Blaker passed suddenly on Tuesday January 29th, 2013. Barry was a graduate of Yale_University, served in the U.S. Army from 
1958-1960 and worked for Cabot Corporation as a patent agent for 30 years until his retirement . Barry was a private pilot, sportsman and loved fishing, hunting, gardening and spending time with his children and grandchildren; whom he loved with heart and soul. Services were held at Levine Chapel Friday, Feb. 1. Burial was private. In his memory donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital , PO Box 50 Memphis, TN 38101 www.stjude.org.
Cynthia L. Brandts ’80
WARE – Cynthia Lynn Brandts, 51, took her leave Jan. 14, 2013.
She is survived by her daughter Elisha; her father and step-mother, John and Linda; her mother Susan; her sisters, Debbie Bettag (WNS ’79) and Melanie Murphy; and her brothers, Mike, Bob and Brad.
Cindy partially negotiated the Amherst school system, attended Williston Academy and after a brief stint at Emory College in Atlanta, earned first her bachelor’s degree, then her master’s degree in business administration at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Math and analysis, be it business, inventory, marketing or whatever, was her forte.
Calling the Pioneer Valley home, she worked for Microcal, Inc., R. R. Donnelley, and James River Graphics.
By any measure, Cindy was a trip. Life, as filtered through her presence, was impossibly full. While some might have seen her embracing of extremes as disturbingly untenable, others found her rush toward experience to be alchemic; she transformed darkness to light, despair to hope, anguish to laughter.
She collected antiques, loved to fish, was a stalwart adventurer and in her words, had always been “an outdoors gal, at heart.”
In the final months of her life, she discovered the writings of Eckhart Tolle and stepped into a world of which she’d been catching glimpses since early childhood. In awareness, and with intention, she focused the wisdom she’d earned through trials and traumas, and came to extend also to herself the infinite generosity she had always extended to others.
A private funeral was held at Douglass Funeral Home, in Amherst, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013.
To sign a Guest Book, express condolences, share memories and read other obituaries, go to www.gazettenet.com/obituaries.
Herbert W. Headle, Jr. ’49
Herbert Headle of Fernandina Beach, Florida, died November 26, 2011.
Albert M. Mitchell ’49
Albert Mitchell of Essex, CT, died September 2, 2012. Albert attended Williston Academy.
Nicholas T. Giangrasso ’45
Nicholas T. Giangrasso, age 85, beloved husband of Hilda Louise Frank Giangrasso of Trumbull, died on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at St. Vincent’s Medical Center while holding hands with his loving family. Born in Astoria, New York on November 23, 1927, he was a son of the late Carmello (Thomas) and Nancy Giaimo Giangrasso and was a Trumbull resident for over 75 years. He was a World War II Veteran serving in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Giangrasso received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown Law School. Before his retirement he was an attorney who practiced in the area for 44 years. He also was an assistant prosecutor of the Circuit Court for the 2nd Circuit of CT, a past member of the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association, an active member and past president of the Trumbull Italian Community Club, a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Fayerweather Yacht Club and the Turkey Roost Rod & Gun Club. In addition to his wife, survivors include four loving children, Nancy Card and her husband Richard of Beacon Falls, Theresa Navarre and her husband Louis of Morris, Nicholas C. Giangrasso and his wife June of Venice, FL and Daniel A. Giangrasso of Trumbull, a brother, Dr. Anthony Giangrasso and his wife Bettie of Trumbull, a sister, Bessie Butto of Trumbull, six grandchildren, Alison, Kimberly, Richard, Gary, Lindsay and Nicole, a great grandson Quinn as well as several nieces and nephews. A Memorial Mass celebrating his life will take place on Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. in Christ the King Church, 4700 Madison Ave, Trumbull. There will be no calling hours. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull. To light a virtual candle, visit us at www.abriola.com.
Barbara Lehman Strom ’39
Strom, Barbara Lehman age 91, of Edina died on January 15, 2013 while a resident at The Colony in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Dr. Gordon W. Strom. They met in Rochester, MN. when Gordon was a resident in Urology at the Mayo Clinic. She is survived and will be missed by her son, Dr. Erik Strom (wife Naomi) of Minneapolis, MN, and her daughter, Kristine Erickson (husband Ron) of Edina, MN; grandchildren Lisa (husband Brett) Wiese, Ryan (wife Karla) Strom, Lesley Strom (fiance Rob Ruud) and David Erickson (fiancee Kristen Migliori); and great grandchildren Brooke and Lauren Wiese and May, Ted and Oscar Strom. She was born and raised in Lewistown, Montana, attended The Northhampton School and Smith College. She married Gordon in 1943 and they settled in Minneapolis after World War II. She was active in several medical auxiliary organizations, but her fondest days were spent in her gardens, both at her home in Edina and at her hobby farm in Lakeville. In accordance with her wishes, no funeral service will be held. Instead she wished that all who knew her would bake a pie, plant a tree, listen to a Bach chorale, or cuddle a beloved pet. There will be a private burial in Duluth. If desired, memorials are suggested to the Strom Neuroscience Fund of the University of Minnesota Medical Foundation, 200 Oak Street S.E., Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55455. www.Washburn-McReavy.com Edina Chapel 952-920-3996
Philip L. Denniston ’41, P’66, GP’96
Philip LeFevre Denniston (1922 – 2013)
The world lost a special man when Philip Denniston was reunited with Jesus on January 18, 2013. He was a prince of a man and was deeply loved by all who knew him. Phil cherished his wife, Georgiana; was proud of his three sons, Philip, Jr. (WA ’66), Peter and Scott; and was crazy about his ten grandchildren, Daphne, Philip III (WNS ’96), Thomas, Carrie, Sarah, Erin, Laura, Gavin, Kate and Rachel.
Completing his growing family were his three daughters-in-law, Patricia, Susan and Debra and his grandchildren’s spouses, Ashley, Susan, David, Charlie, Greg and Elizabeth; along with seven great-grandchildren, Mia, Ryder, Little Tom, Carson, Brooke, Dylan and Wyatt. Phil was a very active community volunteer having served on the school board for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and on the board of the Ventura Community Memorial Hospital.
He was also President and Treasurer of the Ventura Dance Club and he was a long standing member of both the Ventura Rotary Club and the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. Phil really enjoyed traveling with his wife, Gigi who also shared his love for ballroom dancing. Phil was born on June 6, 1922, in New Paltz, N.Y.
To honor his family being one of the seven founding families of this hamlet on the Hudson River, Phil was a lifetime member of the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical and Monumental Society of New Paltz. Phil attended the Williston Academy in East Hampton, Mass., and pursued his love of architecture and economics at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
He was a member of both the Phi Delta Theta social fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Psi professional fraternity. When duty called, Phil joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps ultimately serving as a Lieutenant of the United States Naval Reserves.
He served in active duty during World War II from 1943 to 1946 where he commanded a United States Navy submarine chaser. After his honorable discharge from the Navy, Phil completed graduate studies at Harvard University. Phil also had a real love for retail merchandising so, in 1946, he joined the management training program of Macy’s flagship department store in New York City.
This led him to Carson Pirie Scott in Chicago and ultimately to Carter Hawley Hale Stores in California. Phil retired, after almost 40 years in the retail industry, as the store manager of the Broadway Department Store at the San Buenaventura Center.
To honor him and his contributions to our community, we will be celebrating his life at a memorial service at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 3290 Loma Vista Road in Ventura at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, 2013.
There will be a reception at the church immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you make a donation to your favorite charity in memory of Phil Denniston. Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory, 3150 Loma Vista Rd., Ventura. Condolences may be left at TedMayrFuneralHome.com.
Claire Crisona Cascella ’53
Claire Crisona passed away suddenly on December 18, 2011, in her sleep.
Adoring wife of the late Ralph, beautiful beloved mother of Elizabeth Auran and Nancy Cascella, cherished sister of Cynthia Crisona, proud and beaming grandmother of Catherine and Emilv Auran and Robert and James Flatow, loving mother-in-law of James Auran, dear companion of William Bruce.
She was the devoted daughter of the late James and Claire Crisona. Generous, loving friend to so many. Her family and friends were her life. She will be forever missed.
Visiting Frank Campbell, 81st and Madison Avenue, Tuesday, December 20th 2-5pm and 7-9pm. Mass of the Resurrection St. Ignatius Loyola Church, 84th and Park Avenue, Wednesday, December 21st, 11am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Scleroderma Foundation, 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 108, Danvers, MA 01923