William Frederick “Bill” Armstrong died Friday evening, May 19th, 2023 – a week shy of his 98th birthday – at Shrewsbury Crossing in Shrewsbury, MA, where he had lived for the past 14 months. His three children were with him that night and, while the last several years had had its challenges, his final days were peaceful.

He was born in Worcester on May 29th, 1925, and spent his early years in Shrewsbury and Worcester with his parents and two brothers. From the stories we have heard, those were good – and often boisterous – years, and up until the week he died, he enjoyed touring the streets of Shrewsbury. Following a stint in the U.S. Army, he returned home, spent a year at St. Mark’s in Southborough before heading to college at Harvard, where he met Nancy Rice who he married in July, 1950.

His middle years were focused on his career and on raising a family. His career focused on all things related to the manufacturing of felt and we never lacked for a felt tablecloth or a Christmas tree skirt. His jobs took him to Wrentham, MA; Newburgh, NY; Ridgefield, CT; New York City; and, finally in 1970, to Grafton, MA, after taking a job with the Felters Company in Millbury. During those years, he and Nancy raised their family and gave their children a wonderful upbringing, with lots of outdoor activities, Cape Cod vacations, ski trips to Vermont, animals galore, and holidays full of family and friends.

He was predeceased by his wife, Nancy (Rice) Armstrong, in 1975 and never remarried. He spent the last 50 years based in Grafton but maintained strong ties to Falmouth, where he loved to sail, golf, and vacation. He also enjoyed trips to Vermont where he served as the center for the traditional Thanksgiving Day football game, a role that he played into his 90’s. He was thrifty….really thrifty, loved animals (particularly dogs), and was very happy puttering around his yard, tending to the lawn, cutting down trees, and keeping his equipment in working order, without spending any money on it. If he could do it himself, he did. If it could be fixed with duct tape, it was. That willful spirit remained until the end, with him insisting that he did not need help and he could manage things on his own.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by his parents, Stuart and Dorothy (Bickford) Armstrong, and his brothers, Richard Armstrong and John Armstrong. He is survived by his children, William F. Armstrong, III (Becky McCullough), of Falmouth, MA, Abby Armstrong of Sharon, VT, and Halley Allen (Gus) of Holden, MA as well as by his grandchildren, George Armstrong, Emma Armstrong, Sarah Allen Neidhardt (Kyle) and Elizabeth Allen (Michael Boller), and his great granddaughter, Ada Elliott Neidhardt. He is also survived by his nephew, Stuart Armstrong (Mike Levesque), and his nieces, Leslie Armstrong (Jeff Bacon) and Susan Armstrong. He also always enjoyed seeing his numerous nieces and nephews on the Rice/Gainey side of the family when he was on the Cape.

Over the past few years there were many visits from friends and family and an abundance of kindness from the wonderful nurses and staff at Shrewsbury Crossing and Notre Dame Hospice, which made such a difference and for which we are so appreciative. Thank you very much!

Calling hours will be held at the Roney Funeral Home in North Grafton, MA from 4:00 – 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, May 30th. He will be buried with Nancy in Falmouth at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Smile Train – https://www.smiletrain.org/ – an organization our father supported over the years.

Dr. Jordan Robert (Bob) Dann, who practiced veterinary medicine in Ridgefield Connecticut for over 65 years, passed away on July 10, 2022, 96 years to the day of his birth on July 10, 1926.

Bob was born in Pelham, New York to Albert Dann and Rosalind Dann. He left this world as he lived in it, peacefully, steadily, on his own terms, and with his dignity fully intact. He was married to the late Judith Leserer Dann and together they contributed to the Connecticut community they loved for more than fifty years. He is survived by his son, Curtis Dann of Danbury Connecticut, his son Jeoffrey Dann of Riggins, Idaho, and three grandchildren: Adam Dann of Washington D.C, Ashley Dann of Plympton, Massachusetts, and Elizabeth Dann of Burlington Vermont. He also leaves behind three great granddaughters, Cathleen, Molly and Maggie.

Beyond his immediate family, Bob Dann was father, friend, brother, and mentor to many others whose lives he touched and enriched beyond measure. There are too many to name here but of particular note are Dr. Sally Knowles of West Hartford, Connecticut and her sons David and Scott, Zion Banda and her daughter Zoe of Southbury, Connecticut, Dr. Delfino Hernandez Agula of Carr Jocotepec-Chapala, Mexico, his Godson, Andrew Jordan Zarro of Portland, Maine, Dr. Ian Smith of Chicago, IL Dana Smith of California and his friend Frank Zarro of Saratoga Springs, New York. Bob Dann had many other spiritual sons and daughters who will understand that the omission of their names here by no means diminishes how important they were to him, and he was to them.

This was no ordinary man. During his medical career, Dr. Dann was a member of both the Connecticut Board of Veterinary Medicine and Harvard Schools Committee for Fairfield County, Connecticut for two decades and served as Chairman of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Ethics for many years. Additionally, he provided leadership as the president of the Fairfield County Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Dann’s community service also includes his role as a member of the Danbury Hospital Development Fund Board of Directors. Bob Dann also had an entrepreneurial side and toward the end of his career initiated several significant privately funded public benefit programs addressing environmental remediation, workforce development for underserved communities, veterans’ rights, and affordable housing, which will benefit numerous individuals, families, and communities.

Jordan Dann served as a member of the U.S. Army Combat Engineers and was stationed in Germany from 1944-1946. Bob enlisted at the age of eighteen and quickly rose to the rank of Sergeant. At the age of nineteen he led a squad of men. He then entered officer training school and earned the rank of Second Lieutenant Combat Engineer. After the war Bob was admitted to Harvard University where he was awarded his undergraduate degree. Dr. Dann then went on to earn his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine with distinction from Colorado University.

Bob Dann spent his life serving others and caring for creation. His love and tenderness for all animals and his devotion to their comfort and wellness were matched only by his love of people. As tender and loving as this man was, he was also strong and resolute. His devotion to the people and causes he loved was unshakeable and it was sometimes difficult to comprehend how anyone so kind and loving could be so strong. His life was a continuous testament to the enduring and indestructible power of love. Bob was a man who lived simply and acted justly, always with the right combination of old-school Connecticut formality and Harvard self-confidence, solidly underpinned by genuine humility and a true sense of self. An “I love you” to Bob Dann was often met with this reserved but heartfelt reply: “you know that’s reciprocal.” We all at some point have occasion to say that this world has lost a great woman or man. In Bob Dann’s case, these words take on additional meaning. Bob Dann’s voice, as he assessed the world and proffered his assurance that it would all turn out well in the end was centering, stabilizing, and inspiring. The loss of his voice, especially in these difficult times, is unsettling. But we can be comforted by the knowledge that Bob Dann’s legacy lives on, exponentially, in the lives he touched, the places he made better, the work he did, and the way he loved. Those of us who had the good fortune and the privilege of knowing Bob have a special duty, to share what he gave to us, to honor his legacy, and to carry on with what his life was all about, “..To make gentle, the life of the world.” Love you, Bob. We know. It’s reciprocal.

A Memorial Service will take place in the Fall at a date and time to be announced. Contributions in Dr. Dann’s memory may be made to ROAR (Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue) or DAWS (Danbury Animal Welfare Society). Kane Funeral Home, Ridgefield is in care of arrangements.

Albert (Bud) Calvin Bosworth, 91, of Dartmouth, MA passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on Friday morning, September 21, 2018.
Mr. Bosworth was the owner of Bosworth Insurance Agency, Inc. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Hazel, and their children, James Bosworth and his wife Donna of Dartmouth, Martha (Bosworth) Thomas and her husband Keith of Newfane, VT, and Thomas Bosworth and his wife Julie of Dartmouth; his son-in-law, Ed Giardina of Hingham; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He was the father of the late Claudia Giardina.
At his request, there will be no funeral services. However if you wish to remember Bud there will be a memorial fund at the Southworth Library, 732 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth, MA 02748.

Alexander Dawson Henderson III, age 96, passed away peacefully in his home in Carmel Valley on May 12, 2020.
He was born in New York City on March 26, 1924. After graduating from Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts, he joined the U.S. Army in 1943. After the war, using the G.I. Bill, he went to college and graduated from San Jose State University in 1950. Soon after college, he moved to Pompano Beach, Florida, and created the Gold Coast Finance Company to provide credit to middle-income consumers. He purchased farmland in Fresno, Madera, and Bakersfield, CA. He grew almonds, apples, and kiwifruit. He was the owner of racehorses, including “Kiwi Mint” that in 1992, won the Rockingham Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Rockingham Park. In 1997, he and his wife Madonna moved to Carmel Valley, CA.
Mr. Henderson was an active member of his community, participating in bridge, tennis, and golf. In 2008, he earned enough Masterpoints to win the title of “Life Master” from the American Contract Bridge League.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Madonna (Donna) Marie Schaffner, and his five children, Dawson (Sharon), Greg (Louise), David (Lindsey), Scott (Sandra), and daughter, Holly (Bijan) from a previous marriage to Patricia Ford Crass; and his brother A. Douglas Henderson. He is also survived by ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all living in the California bay area.
He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. A family memorial will be held at a future date. Special thanks to Visionary Health Care Services and VNA Hospice that took such good care of him. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the VNA Hospice (www.ccvna.com) or the SPCA for Monterey (www.spcamc.org).