With heavy hearts, we announce that David Henry Thorne, 83, of Easton, CT, passed away on March 16, 2026.

A man nearly impossible to categorize, David was a “master of fun.” A rare blend of romance, comedy, physical agility, and strength, he possessed a room engulfing energy that persisted until his final hours. He was steadfast in shunning negativity and encouraging happiness, a “lost art” that defined his character. To know David was to share laughter, nature, Looney Tunes cartoons, mischievous behavior, and a genuine love for life.

As a resident of Easton CT, a graduate of Williston Academy, and Rutgers University, he excelled as a standout athlete and a proud member of Phi Gamma Delta. His athletic talent led him to be drafted to the Atlanta Braves organization. Following his time on the diamond, David transitioned into a successful career in sales, ultimately spending decades as a dedicated mortgage broker with Independent Mortgage in Fairfield, CT.

David was a proud family man who deeply cherished his parents, Fredrick Thorne and Martha Helen Stull, and his sister Connie Whitbeck ’56, who predeceased him. He is survived by his brother, Fred Thorne ’55 of West Hartford.

David’s legacy lives on through his children, Duke, Greg, and Brian, born of his 17-year marriage to Nancy Wall Thorne. “Papa T” will be forever missed by his grandchildren, Jeremy, Morgan, and Keira.

In the second half of his life, David found love again with Patricia Orr of Westport, CT. For nearly 40 years, he enjoyed life with Pat and her children Alicia, Adriane, Caroline, and David, and their eight granddaughters who knew him affectionately as “Big Dave.”

David passed away following complications of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s. Even as his health declined, he remained aware of and grateful for the people around him. The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to Johnson Assante, who provided exceptional care and companionship to his “King” during his final years.

To honor David’s love of nature, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Connecticut Audubon Society: ctaudubon.org/donate.

As predetermined, David will be laid to rest alongside his parents at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, CT. Funeral and burial services will be private. The Thorne and Orr families will organize a Celebration of Life as a final send off. For information regarding the date and time of the memorial gathering, please email daddix@gmail.com

Edward Halsey Foster, poet, publisher, and scholar, died peacefully on January 12, 2026, in the company of his family at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, NY. He was 83.

Foster was born December 12, 1942 in Northampton, MA. The son of Edward Clark Foster and Edith Derosia Foster, he spent his early years in Williamsburg, MA, and attended Williston Academy, graduating in 1961. Eager to move to New York City and experience the literary scene of the 1960s, he attended Columbia University, receiving his BA in 1965 and his PhD in American Studies in 1970. While still in graduate school, Foster began teaching at Stevens Institute of Technology where he achieved the rank of full professor and taught for more than 50 years. While at Stevens, Foster served as Dean and created the College of Arts and Sciences.

With grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and NJ State Council on the Arts, he established a multiyear Festival of NJ Poets, welcoming Allen Ginsberg, Amiri Baraka, and John Ciardi among others.

He was a Fulbright professor at Haceteppe University in Ankara in 1978-79 and Istanbul University in 1985-86 and later a visiting lecturer at Beykent University, all in Turkey. He also pioneered faculty exchanges with universities in Turkey and Russia, and lectured widely on American Studies and poetry at universities around the world.

Foster authored more than 40 volumes of poetry and criticism. Eventually his passion for poetry led him to create Talisman: A Journal of Contemporary Poetry and Poetics. The journal ran from 1988 to 2014 in print and then continued online. Initially each issue was devoted to a single poet; Alice Notley was the first. Later volumes were more wide-ranging and inclusive, but always with the goal that each “poet could be read free of any single poetic tradition.”

He went on to found Talisman House Publishers, which published anthologies, poetry, criticism and selected works by various authors reflecting movements such as New York School, Beats, Black Mountain, San Francisco Renaissance, and Boston Occult, among others. Gay writers and international literature were also featured. Poets including William Bronk, Simon Pettet, Gustaf Sobin, Burt Kimmelman, Elinor Nauen, Joseph Donahue and Timothy Liu graced the covers. Foster was widely considered to be one of the most important independent publishers of avant-garde poetry.

On retirement from academia, Ed moved to Northfield, MA, where he enjoyed hiking, gardening, and hosting poets and artists at literary weekends. He founded the Pioneer Valley Poetry Project with a group of friends, organizing readings and continuing his commitment to contemporary poetry and poetics. Ed enjoyed international travel throughout his life, including trips to Iceland, Norway, and Sweden with his children and grandchildren, and many trips to Turkey with family and friends.

Foster is survived by his brother, Roy Foster of Fort Lauderdale, FL; his former wife, Elaine Dunphy Foster of Jersey City, NJ; his daughter, Katherine Hearn Foster, of NYC; his son, John Clark Foster (Johanna Hagelthorn) of Saugerties, NY; grandchildren Sophia (Taylor Foster) of Jersey City, NJ, Irene of Washington, D.C., Ian of Saugerties, NY.

A private service is planned for the family.

Memorial contributions can be made to The Nature Conservancy, The Poetry Project, or Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Robert J. Samuelson, an economics columnist for Newsweek and The Washington Post died on Saturday, December 13, 2025, in Bethesda, Md. He was 79.

His death, in a hospital, was caused by complications of Parkinson’s disease, his daughter, Ruth Samuelson, said.

Mr. Samuelson married Judy Herr in 1983. In addition to his wife and daughter, Ruth, he is survived by two sons, Michael and John; a brother, Richard; and two grandchildren.

To read Mr. Samuelson’s complete obituary, please visit the New York Times.

Gordon Eugene Cadwgan Jr, age 81, of Wilmington, DE, formerly of West Palm Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

Gordon’s life was marked by service, scholarship, and a genuine appreciation for the world around him. He graduated from the Williston Northampton School and went on to earn his Bachelor of Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He proudly served his country in Vietnam before completing his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts.

Gordon began his professional career at Union Carbide in West Virginia. In 1981, he joined the DuPont Company as a research chemist, where he continued to pursue his passion for scientific discovery. Beyond his career, he dedicated many years to the Alpha-1 Foundation, where he served as Chairman of the Board and worked tirelessly to support its mission.

An avid golfer, Gordon was a longtime member of Ibis Golf and Country Club. He had a deep love for animals and generously supported Big Dog Ranch in Wellington, FL, and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue in West Palm Beach, FL. Some of his happiest moments were spent at the family beach house, where he cherished summers surrounded by those he loved.

Gordon is survived by his devoted wife, Ruth Cadwgan; his daughters, Lois Slusser (Kevin), Kate Cadwgan (Dave), and Sally Bronson (Jason); his son, Larry Williams (Pam); his two cherished granddaughters, Samantha Walsh (TJ) and Mary Leverette (Jordan); and his four great-grandchildren, Timothy, Grayson, Liam, and Alana.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 7th at 1 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803.

Gordon will be fondly remembered for his kindness, intellect, and unwavering love for his family.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to alpha1.org/tribute-giving/

Raymond Peter Boulanger passed away, surrounded by family while in hospice care, on November 3, 2025, after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was 81.

Ray was born in Northampton, MA, on April 26, 1944, to Raymond Louis Boulanger and Georgette Bessette Boulanger. He attended Williston Northampton school, where he played baseball and football, but his focus was on academics. He graduated fourth in his class with highest honors. At a mixer during high school, he met Maureen Reardon, who would become his wife until she passed away in 2022. After high school, Ray attended Trinity College in Hartford, CT, majoring in Economics, ranking third in his class, and earning Phi Beta Kappa honors. He was also the backup catcher on the varsity baseball team. Ray earned his Masters in Economics from the University of Michigan, before applying to law school.

Ray and Maureen married on May 6, 1967 and later moved to New Haven, CT, where Ray attended Yale Law School through Army ROTC. Ray was a member of the Yale Law Journal. After law school, they moved to Alexandria, VA, where Ray served as a Captain in the Army and Judge Advocate General at the Pentagon. While in Alexandria, their son, Cort, was born in 1971. In 1973, the growing family moved to Arlington, MA, where daughter, Brittanny was born.

Ray’s legal career started in 1973 at Goodwin Procter, with a promotion to associate partner in 1978. At his 2016 retirement party, colleagues celebrated Ray’s contributions to building Goodwin Procter into a thriving national firm. At Goodwin, Ray’s clients included some of the nation’s largest financial services firms – including Fidelity and State Street – and his expert guidance helped grow Boston’s nascent mutual fund industry into a global powerhouse. He also taught advanced seminars in corporate law at Yale Law School and Boston University School of Law.

In 1975, the family moved to Winchester, which remained home for more than 40 years. Ray was an avid Red Sox fan whose fandom was best described as perpetual hope peppered with daily doomerism. While he did rejoice when the Sox finally broke the curse in 2004, neither that nor the three subsequent titles changed his outlook as a Red Sox fan. Ray lived out his own big league dreams at Red Sox fantasy camp in 2005. He relished participating in spring training in Florida, hobnobbing with Sox greats, but the highlight was the game at Fenway Park. With friends and family in the stands, Ray knocked a single to center and played solid defense behind the plate.

Ray traveled with Maureen to New Zealand, France, Scandinavia, Ireland, and more. An avid jogger, Ray transitioned to hiking in his 50s, with treks in the Andes, Alps, Himalayas, and other high-altitude locales. In the early 1990s, Maureen and Ray bought a vacation home in Scarborough, ME. The home became a haven for the entire family, creating lifetime memories for his grandchildren. After Maureen’s passing, Ray moved to Maine full-time, taking long walks on the beach and visiting the gym daily. Ray supported many philanthropies, including A Better Chance, Rosie’s Place, and Framingham State University, for which he served as a trustee.

Ray leaves two children, Cort Boulanger of Middlebury, VT and Dr. Brittanny Boulanger, who lives in Winchester with husband, Dr. Todd O’Brien. He will be deeply missed by his grandchildren, Liam O’Brien, Niamh O’Brien, Callan Boulanger and Mac Boulanger. Ray is joined in eternal life with Maureen and their granddaughter, Tilly Boulanger, who passed away in a tragic accident in 2019. Ray is survived by his brother, Edward Boulanger; and sister, Avis Ashton; his in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews.

On November 21, at 10:00 a.m., Ray’s life will be celebrated with a Mass at St. Mary’s Church in Winchester, before a private Interment with military honors. A reception at the Winchester Country Club will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Tilly Boulanger Foundation, which celebrates the life of Ray’s beloved granddaughter – and their shared love of learning and the outdoors, tillyboulangerfoundation.org or consider supporting the Greater Boston Food Bank in this time of need, https://my.gbfb.org/give

Randall (“Lee”) Barnard of Bluffton, SC passed away peacefully at his home in Sun City on November 27, 2024, at age 76.

Lee is survived by his brothers Wayne (and Jackie) Barnard of Ellenton, Florida, and Chris (and Ellen) Barnard of Rock Hill, South Carolina, as well as his many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. Lee was predeceased by his parents Robert and Frances Barnard of Summerville, South Carolina.

Lee was a one-of-a-kind, reliably independent person. Never married or a parent, he lived the traditional baby boomer life in reverse – traveling extensively first, then settling down to a working career.

Lee was born August 6, 1948 in Rochester, New York. After being raised in Connecticut, he graduated from Tulane University in 1970 with a degree in biochemistry. He then worked long hours at a factory in Fairfield, Connecticut in order to save enough money to start on what would become a decades long international exploration. From late 1971 to 1982, Lee traveled throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and most of southeast Asia. He stayed in hostels, under the stars with fellow wanderers, and enjoyed a long two-continent tour in a used VW bus he bought in Europe.

In 1982, Lee had a 42 foot yacht built to his specifications in Taiwan. He then spent the next 14+ years sailing around the world – literally. He circumnavigated the globe twice, including two solo passages through the treacherous Straits of Magellan at the southern tip of South America. During this journey, he would at various times stop for months to earn some money – including at a water treatment plant in South Africa, at a sheep ranch in New Zealand, and at a tuna processing plant in Indonesia (he built housing for the factory workers). Not wanting to upset his mom Fran, he waited until his stateside return to share with his family his maritime experiences fending off icebergs, submerged shipping containers and Cambodian pirates.

Then, after 25 years, Lee decided that he had had enough of world travel and the seafaring life and so returned to the USA in 1996, settling in Beaufort, South Carolina (where his parents then lived). Shortly after his return, he put to use his college degree by joining the Hilton Head Public Service District (PSD) as a laboratory chemist. He worked for PSD for 24 years, retiring in 2022 as the Laboratory Manager.

Lee moved from Beaufort to Sun City in 2007. Although he was not a golfer or tennis player, Lee enjoyed Sun City and was always ready to help friends and neighbors (having owned a yacht for many years, Lee could repair any and all things). Being a single fellow, he would often volunteer to be on duty at the PSD on holidays, so his co-workers could spend Thanksgiving or Christmas with their families.

Some will say that it was a shame that Lee passed away alone at his home. But his family knows this is exactly how Lee wanted to move on to his next adventure – no fuss or bother. Lee died without ever owning a smartphone and with a 17 year old car sitting in his garage.

The family will arrange a memorial event in Lee’s honor at a future date.

Thomas Crosby of North Marshfield, MA, passed away unexpectedly, on July 22, 2025, at age 77. Tom is survived by his wife, Judy Crosby; and his daughters, Amy Remling and Kerri Bouchard. He will be deeply missed and forever loved by his family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday. Burial will be at a later date. Donations in Tom’s memory may be made to MGH and Clift Rodgers Library.

Roland (Rick) F. Wehger, age 80, of Shelton, Connecticut, peacefully entered into rest in his home on April 17, 2025. He is the beloved husband of 51 years of Diana (Keely) Wehger. Rick was born in Bridgeport on June 16, 1944, son of the late Roland T. and Florence (Berger) Wehger, and lived in Shelton for 51 years. Rick is also predeceased by his sister Judith Henderson.

He graduated from Roanoke College with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and went on to have a successful career in IT management within the pharmaceutical industry before his retirement.

He had a diverse range of talents and interests. Rick was a diving enthusiast with NAUI Advanced Diver certification, was an avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman, and was an accomplished guitarist. He was a member of Shelton’s Olde Ripton Garden Club, serving on the Hospitality Committee and as Club Photographer. Rick was an animal lover and a friend to everyone he met.

He is the beloved father of Kimberly Ann Wehger and Eric Evan Wehger and his wife Dr. Ying Yu. He is also survived by his sister, Sue Jefferys and her husband Dr. William, nephews Tom Jefferys, Mark Jefferys and his wife Jenna, and Jeffery Henderson and his wife Heather and her child Ainsley.

Friends may greet the family at the Riverview Funeral Home, 390 River Road, Shelton, on Thursday, April 24, 2025 from 4 to 7 PM. A Celebration of Life Service will be announced and held later in the Spring.

Memorial contributions are requested to the American Cancer Society.

Wentworth Lawrence Durgin died April 23, 2025 in his sleep. He was born on August 26,1948 the son of Eunice King Durgin and the Reverend Lawrence Lazelle Durgin. Father to Larry (deceased) and Sarah. He is survived by his sister Katherine “Kit” Durgin.

Worthy spent his childhood in Providence, Rhode Island. At 12 his family moved to New York City. In 1968 Worthy graduated from Williston Academy. He received his BA from the University of North Carolina, and later his MDiv from Yale Divinity School.

During Worthy’s career he held senior positions in fundraising with a variety of non-profits. Upon retirement from nonprofit work in Greensboro, North Carolina, Worthy moved to Raleigh in 2005 to care for Eunice, his mother. It was in Raleigh that Worthy found Anita Deters, the love of his life, who helped him get back on his feet and supported him in all his creative endeavors. Worthy enjoyed writing poetry and was most proud of his published book of poems, “Steps and Missteps”. Worthy was active in men’s work such as The Mankind Project.

Worthy’s positiveness, his sense of humor and his deep desire to help others who struggle will be missed. Worthy’s presence left the world a bit better than it was.