RICHARD H. BENGSTON, a chemist and chemical engineer, died Oct. 30, 2009, at age 87. A member of Sigma Nu, he received a master’s degree from Wesleyan and served in the U.S. Army during World War II and again during the Korean War. He is survived by his wife, Olga Essenhofer Bengston, a daughter, and three stepchildren.
JOSEPH M. BARSKY JR., M.D., a retired physician and past president of the Delaware Academy of Family Physicians, died Jan. 25, 2009. He was 86. A member of Eclectic, he received his degree with honors and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College and practiced general and forensic medicine for more than 45 years. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. He is survived by his wife, Freida Kreshtool Barsky, two children, and two grandchildren.
CLINTON B. YEOMANS, who retired as a trust officer with the New Britain Bank and Trust Company, died Jan. 15, 2011, at age 90. A member of Beta Theta Pi, he served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific during World War II. He began his career with the Fiduciary Trust Company in New York and later moved to Connecticut where, following a one-year teaching position at Suffield Academy, he resumed his career as a trust officer in the Hartford area until he retired in 1980. His wife of 54 years, Joan Barrows Yeomans, died in 2007. Survivors include three daughters, five grandchildren, and a nephew, Benjamin C. Terry ’68.
WILLIAM A. WINTTER, who retired as co-owner of the Wintter and North Insurance Agency and who was class secretary for many years, died Sept. 22, 2005. He was 84. The son of Wilhelm A. Wintter of the class of 1909, he was a member of Psi Upsilon. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. Among those who survive are his wife, Nancy Corwin Wintter, two children, six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
ROBERT A. WARREN JR., 89, president of the Fisher-Churchill Oil Company in Dedham, Mass., died Mar. 26, 2010. He was a member of Alpha Chi Rho and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Deborah Newton Warren, four sons, nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a sister, and many nieces and nephews.
LIVINGSTON VAN DE WATER JR., 85, a retired sales manager of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, died Aug. 2, 2006. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and served in the U.S. Navy as an aviator during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Mary Ellen Chamberlain Van De Water, three children, seven grandchildren, and a sister.
ALBERT W. THEURER, D.D.S., died Oct. 16, 2003. He was 81. After receiving a dental degree from the University of Pennsylvania, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and later practiced dentistry in Roselle, N.J. He also served several terms as mayor of Scotch Plains, N.J. He is survived by his wife, Vivian, two children, and two sisters.
CHARLES B. SULLIVAN, the co–founder of the law firm of Cheever & Sullivan in Wilton, N.H., died Feb. 19, 2010, at age 88. A member of Sigma Chi, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, after which he received his bachelor’s and law degrees from Yale University. In addition to his law practice, he was the judge of the Municipal District Court for many decades, the chairman of the New Hampshire State Republican Party, and served on the boards of several banks. He established the Luther Gregg Sullivan Post–doctoral Fellowship at Wesleyan in memory of his late son, who graduated in 1973. He is survived by his wife, Jean Wilson Sullivan; three sons, including David B. Sullivan ’69; five grandchildren, including Danforth B. Sullivan ’06; and two great–grandchildren.
MERWIN B. SMITH, 84, the retired owner of the Smith and Chester Insurance Agency, Inc., died Sept. 25, 2005. A member of Psi Upsilon, he served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He was involved in civic and professional organizations and was a past president of the Wesleyan Alumni Association of Cleveland. Survivors include his wife, Shirley Cass Smith, two daughters, and three grandchildren.
WILLIAM A. PURTELL JR., beloved husband of Mary Jane (Alexander) Purtell, passed on to eternal life after a brief illness April 6, 2004. He was born in Hartford on March 21, 1922, to the late Senator William A. Purtell and Katherine (Cassidy). A graduate of William H. Hall School and Wesleyan University, he went on to serve in the 103rd lnfantry Division, Company G, based at Camp Houze in Texas. His World War II experience included serving in Germany and Austria, and he was most proud to be a veteran.
An accomplished model airplane builder, Bill began his hobby while in his teens and went on to win numerous competitions, beginning in 1939 with The Senior Hartford Open. He enjoyed the challenge of creating model flying machines of his own designs but more important the camaraderie of the fellow model airplane builders. He and his family traveled extensively over the years while he competed and placed in numerous national competitions.
Bill owned and operated ESICO (Electric Soldering Iron Company) in Deep River from 1962, until his retirement in 1987. He was a hands-on boss who always treated his employees fairly and was concerned for their well being and success. During his ESICO years, he remained active in the Middlesex County Manufacturers Association, serving as president for a period of time.
After living in Otter Cove in Old Saybrook for 40 years, he and Jane relocated to Laurel Gardens in Glastonbury in 2003, where he enjoyed many wonderful times with his fellow residents– “a really nice group of people,” he would often say. Bill’s family is very grateful to the wonderful staff at Laurel Gardens for all of their efforts on his behalf.
Bill is survived by “his two girls” as he always called them, his beloved wife, Jane; his cherished daughter, Robin Purtell Bell and his son-in-law, Walter Bell, for whom he had the deepest love and respect and whom he fondly called “The Big Guy.” In addition, he leaves several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Robert Alexander of Hartford, Bruce and Chris Alexander of New Haven, and Douglas and Mary Kay Alexander of West Hartford, all of whom were a constant source of love and support to him and his family; a sister, Margaret Poehnert of Old Saybrook; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and his granddog, Tinkerbell, whom he cared for over the years.
Funeral service and burial were private. Jane, Robin and Walter would especially like to thank Dr. Mark Daily of the Helen and Harry Gray Canter Center for his perseverance, encouragement and support as Bill fought the battle of his life against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; Dr. Richard Graniero for his on-going assistance; Kathleen McGuire of the Glastonbury Visiting Nurses who brightened his day and provided much needed support, and Kathie Ransford and all her associates of Glastonbury Health Care for the meticulous care and concern during his final weeks.
Memorial donations in Bill’s honor may be made to the Glastonbury Visiting Nurses, 969 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 06033 or The American Cancer Society. The Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Ave., West Hartford, is assisting the Purtell family with arrangements.
