Obituaries, for which there is never a charge or fee of any kind, may be submitted with photos to Editor@ GreenwichSentinel.com.
Ruth Daur
R u t h ( Z e h) D a u r, a g e 9 1 , o f Harwich, MA, formerly of Greenwich, CT, died peacefully on May 21, 2020 in Hyannis, MA, surrounded by family members. She was the beloved wife of the late Lawrence Daur, who preceded her in death in 1994. Ruth was born in Port Chester, NY, March 11, 1929 to the late William and Anna ( Johnson) Zeh. She was a devoted wife and mother to her six children, and until passing she continued to care for her daughter, Cindy who has special needs. Ruth's energ y all throug h life was incredible, volunteering with local g roups ser v ing indiv iduals with disabilities in Cape Cod, MA where she and Cindy lived for over 30 years, and frequently baking multiple batches of her famous crumb cake for friends and loved ones. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Ruth was preceded in death by her loving husband Lawrence, sisters Alice, Caroline, Judy, and daughter Kathy. Ruth is survived by her sister Lilian, her son Lawrence and his wife Andrea Daur, daughter Ruthann and her husband Frank Spano, son George Daur and his wife Paula, daughter Barbara Amoruso whose husband Anthony is deceased, daughter Cindy, 10 g ra ndch i ld r en a nd si x g r e atgrandchildren. She will be reunited with her loving husband, daughter Kathy, and sisters in heaven, while her amazing spirit will be remembered and missed by all who held her dear here on Earth. A graveside vigil will take place a t S t . M a r y 's C e m e t e r y, N o r t h Street, Greenwich, CT at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Special Olympics.
Morley Kahn Morley David Kahn, 90, of Greenwich, CT, died May 17, 2020 at The Greens of Greenwich. Born Sept. 24, 1929, in Wilmette, Ill., he was the son of Goldie and Nat Kahn. He attended MIT in Cambridge, Mass., g raduating in 1951 w ith a deg ree i n chem ica l eng i neer i ng. After two-years in the U.S. Army, he entered the Harvard Business School, class of 1958. In 1965, he married Yvette Greifer, daughter of Pauline and Fred Greifer of Providence, R.I. In keeping w ith his love of music, his f irst jobs were in sales and marketing for stereo component manufacturers H.H. Scott and Dynaco. In 1971, when working as U.S. manager for Dolby Laboratories based in New York City, the family moved to Greenwich. He became a partner of Component Marketing, Inc., sales representatives in the greater New York area for stereo component manufacturers in 1977. With the advent of the personal computer, he co-founded Computer Marketing Group, the metro-New York salesforce for Apple Computer. One of his greatest sources of profe ssiona l s at isfac t ion wa s partnering with his son, Adam, in selling extended computer warranties. Upon h is retirement, he became a mor t g a ge b r oke r for St rate g y Mortgage in Greenwich, CT. For several years, he served as treasurer of Jewish Family Services of Greenwich. In 2007, he became a founding member and first treasurer of At Home in Greenwich. Along with his wife, he was a founding member of Chavurah Dvray Torah, led by Rabbi Mark Golub. He leaves behind his wife Yvette, s o n s A d a m (A n d r e a) a n d B e n (Emily), and grandchildren Yaakov Meir, Basya, Tzivia, Ethan, Isaac and Evelyn, as well as many nieces and nephews and their families. He was predeceased by his brother Richard and sister Carol. He will always be remembered
Obituaries
for his love of family, keen mind, kindness, optimistic nature and love of chocolate. Donations in his memory can be made to the Alzheimer's Association or an organization of one's choice.
Alison Church Alison Bryant Church, a passionate animal-rights activist and longtime resident of Shaf tsbur y, Vermont, passed away peacefully of natural causes on May 15, 2020, at the age of 56. A lison was predeceased by her brother, Peter; father, Robert; and mother, Elizabeth King. She is survived by her brother, Jon (wife Meagan and nephew Jef f ); uncle, Alan (wife Dawn); and an amazing assortment of friends and animals that she loved dearly and cared for with unbridled enthusiasm. Alison was born in Greenwich, CT on October 4, 1963 to Robert and Elizabeth Church. She graduated from Greenwich High School in 1981 and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University in 1985. A lison was a member of the American Red Cross Disaster team in Greenwich, CT and later a firefighter with the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department in Old Greenwich, CT. Professionally Alison designed bridges for the State of Vermont and held several patents. Her passions were adventure and the rescue of endangered, at-risk and abandoned animals all over the world. One of her favorite sayings was "not all who wander are lost" and she lived that to fullest. She climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and Longs Peak, pursued the Forest Fenn treasure, received her scuba diving certificate and dove in Bermuda and Mexico. Alison rescued countless dogs and cats that were stranded after h u r r i c a n e K a t r i n a ; s h e wo r k e d tirelessly to raise awareness a nd donat ions for t he wolves i n Yellowstone, the elephants in Africa and the Monarch butterflies. Alison loved her independence and found a perfect place to call home in Southern Vermont where she sang in local theater groups, wrote short stories and plays, created handmade cards and shared her home with a diverse collection of animals. Alison self lessly put animals and others before herself and signed her emails with the Anna C. Briggs quote "The final lesson of mankind's evolution may well be that animals are sacred and deserving of our protection." Alison will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and countless animals whose lives she saved and all who knew her. To h o n o r A l i s o n d o n a t i o n s can be made to one of her favorite c h a r it i e s , T h e Mt . K e ny a Tr u s t (mountkenyatrust.org), an animal rescue group or foundation of your choice.
William Farrell
William H. Farrell, of Greenwich, CT and Jupiter, Fla., sadly passed away on Friday, May 8, 2020 in Jupiter, Fla. Billy was born in Springfield, NJ, on Aug. 3, 1935 to Catherine Hush Farrell and Johnny Farrell, and was the third of five children. He attended Holy Trinity High School in Westfield, NJ, and played serious basketball for four years becoming Captain of the team and President of the Athletic Association. After graduation Billy was accepted as a student at the General Motors Institute to be an engineer. Billy spent a year studying at General Motors before he decided to go to work for his father as an Apprentice at Baltustrol. Billy's father, Johnny Farrell won the 1928 U.S. Open, defeating Bobby Jones in a 36-hole playoff. Johnny went on to win twenty-five tournaments during his illustrious career. Billy's love and appreciation for the game of golf began when he got a lucky break and was asked to caddy for Ben Hogan on National Golf Day at Baltusrol in 1954, (which made his decision easy to leave General Motors). Hogan had also won the U.S. Open at Baltustrol. Hogan set a new
course record of 64 that day, and with Billy observing all of Ben's moves, he played the Championship course the following Monday and shot a 72. Billy had never broken 80 on the course before. His passion was found and the rest was a legacy in the works. During the late 1950's, Billy began working on his game, helped by both his father and Jim Barnes, a former U.S. Open Champion and top touring pr ofe ssiona l i n t he 192 0's. Bi l ly became known as the "Springf ield Rifle", because of his long drives. The hard work paid off when the New York Yankees would come to Baltustrol and Billy would often get to play with them. "I used to play with Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto and others, and I would beat the heck out of them. They were great times… They'd try to pay me with autographed baseballs, but I'd say, just show me the money. I should have taken the autographed balls. They'd be worth a lot today." Billy's goal was achieved in 1957 when he became the New Jersey Assistant Professional of the year, a n d wo n t h e N e w Je r s e y O p e n . He qualif ied and played in eig ht U S O p e n s , s e ve n N a t i o n a l P G A Championships finishing in the top 11, and 70 Regular PGA Tour events, making 70 cuts. Billy also played in the Senior Championships. Billy's tournament wins include: Met PGA Championship (1964), Met PGA Match Play (1964), Westchester PGA (196 4 a nd 197 1), Spor ts Illustrated Award of Merit (1964), Met Pro Lady (1966), Met Pro-Pro- (1972), Westchester Pro-Son (f ive times), Met PGA Senior Open (low pro, 1985), Westchester Senior Open (1985 and 1986), and Met Senior Pro-Pro (1988 and 1998). During his career as a PGA Touring Professional, he became close friends with Sam Snead (also a fishing buddy), Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ken Venturi, Tony Lema, and ChiChi Rodriguez. On the tour, he was considered one of the "long hitters" and during the 1967 U.S. Open at Baltusrol, he hit the par 5, 17th green in two. During the 1993 U.S. Open at Baltustrol, John Daly was said to be the first to achieve this feat, but records proved that Billy did it in 1967 without the benefits of metal woods. D u r i n g t h e 1 9 7 0 's , B i l l y w a s cha i r ma n for t wo ye a rs a nd co chair man for t wo years of the Metropolitan Admissions Committee, which accepted and helped young golf apprentices become members of the PGA. He also served as vice president of the Met PGA. He was co-president of the St. Mary Home School Association and was chairman of Charity Tournaments for St. Mary High School, the Greenwich Boy's Club and St. Peters Catholic Church in Jupiter, Fla. In 1963, Billy accepted the inv itation to be the Head G olf Professional at the new Stanwich Club on North Street. The membership went from 150 members to 400, with a long waiting list. He established a long list of tournaments, successful outings for business and charitable orga n i z at ion s, ju n ior prog ra m s, ladies 9 and 18-hole groups, a firstclass driving range and state-of-theart training center (with the help of his son Bobby), and hosted interclub matches and the Met PGA and Open Championships, Westchester Open and PGA Championship (he was runner-up), and the 1981 LPGA Golden Lights Tour event. Billy retired in November of 2000 after serving the Club for 37 years. The Stanwich Club rates number one in the state of Connecticut. The def ining moment in Billy's life came on May 4, 1957, when at twenty-one, he married his hig h school sweetheart, Alvera Chemidlin. They went on to have four boys, three girls, and eighteen grandchildren. They recently celebrated their 63rd anniversary. Billy passed into eternal life from COVID 19 on May 8, 2020 surrounded by his loving family via Facetime. He is survived by his wife, Alvera Chemidlin, his children, William Jr. (Wendi), Tommy (Maureen), Bobby, Cathy Su llivan (Tom), Mar ybeth (Charlie), Susan Morrison (Matt), 18 grandchildren, Shelby, Cameron, Drew, Devon, Kelly, Emily, Ryan, Richard Amir, Evren, Ayla, Jessica, Sara, Thomas Jack, Dylan, Kourtney, Kendra, William and Conor. Also his sisters, Peggy McGuire and Cathy Rock. Billy was predeceased by his son, Richard in 2015. Due to the Pandemic, a celebration of life will be scheduled in the fall at St. Mary's Church and the Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT. In lieu of
f lowers, donations can be made to The Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, 11770 U.S. Highway One, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408, or at www.nchcf.org
Elizabeth Claudy
Diane Peters
Longtime Rowayton resident Diane (Gould) Peters, a glamorous interior designer, passed away peacefully in her home on Sunday, April 19, 2020, with her children and husband at her side. She was 68 years old. Diane Gould was born on Sept. 17, 1951, in Denver, CO. The family later moved to Forest Hills, NY. Her father, James Pearson Gould, was a civil engineer, and her mother, Penelope Mitchell, an abstract painter. Diane graduated from Greenwich High School in 1969 where she was a varsity gymnast and state champion, a nd f rom McGi l l Un iversit y in Montreal in 1973 with a BFA degree in English Literature. Possessed with a gift for literary insight and analysis, she remained an insatiable reader throughout her life. While working in New York at Newsweek Magazine as a cover page photo editor, she met her soon-to-be husband, Jurgen Peters, a banker. Married in 1978, the couple forged an extremely close and loving partnership that spanned more than 40 years and culminated in the joy of having their two children, Kara and Sebastian. Diane later established her interior design business. To her, the pleasure she found in the decoration of homes was an extension of the profound love she felt for her family and home life. Graced with exceptional beauty and an infectious smile, Diane illuminated whatever environment she entered, and her penchant for the romantic infused both her elegant style of dress and immaculate interior design creations. Living in or close to cultural centers London and New York over the years had allowed Diane to pursue an enduring love for the arts in general and – having been a gifted ballet dancer at an early age – a lifelong passion for the ballet. Diane will be most fondly remembered for the ease with which she made lasting friendships, for the generous spirit she extended especially to the less fortunate, and for the sublime grace and fortitude with which she confronted her unexpected illness. In addition to her husband and children, Diane is survived by her mother Penelope of Old Greenwich, brot her Ja me s Edwa rd G ou ld of Greenwich, granddaughters Lia and Cora Peters, and nieces Pinkney and Thea Gould of New York, all of whom she adored, along with her cherished Himalayan cats Sylvie and Thisbe. A celebration of Diane's joyful life will take place as soon as all restr ictions on travel a nd g roup gatherings have been lifted.
Philip D'Amato July 17, 1932 - May 8, 2020 Philip R. D'Amato passed away in Lady Lake, FL. He was born in Glens Falls, NY and lived in Greenwich, CT for 63 years. He is survived by Dorothy Salerno D'Amato, his wife of 63 years, his son, Peter D'Amato of South Carolina, ( L a u r e n) , h i s d a u g h t e r K a r e n Lamphier (Timothy) of Texas, two g ra ndch i ld ren Ma x wel l D'A mato of Florida and Francis Lamphier of Texas, his sisters Laura Shaffer of Virginia and Dolores D'Amato of Port Chester, NY and several nieces and nephews. He was the son of the late Philip and Lucy D'Amato of Port Chester, NY. He graduated from Port Chester High School in 1951, joined the United States Marine Corp in 1951 during the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1954. He was a member of Local 30 Operating Engineers and The American Legion Post 374 in Lady Lake FL. He will be interred in the Jack sonv ille National Militar y Cemeter y in Jack sonv ille, Fla. Donations in his memory may be sent to the Veteran's Organization of your choice.
E l i z a b et h O sb or ne Claudy of Washington, DC died on May 5, 2020, four days before her 89th birthday. Elizabeth was born in Washington, D C i n 1931 to Br igad ier G enera l Theodore M. Osborne and Evelyn West Osborne. Gen. Osborne served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. Evelyn West's family owned and operated the Washingtonbased West Brothers Brick Company. Elizabeth grew up in Washington and on military bases across the United States. She graduated valedictorian f r o m H o l t o n -A r m s S c h o o l a n d received her B.A. from Vassar College a n d h e r M . A . i n Te a c h i n g f r o m Manhattanville College. Elizabeth was married to her late husband, Donald Edwin Claudy, for 49 years. They were loving parents of Elisabeth ("Lisa") and Peter. The Claudy family lived in Washington, DC, Hudson, OH, Greenwich, CT and London, England. During the 36 years that Elizabeth and Donald lived in Greenwich they enjoye d su m mer s on Na nt ucket Island. In her widowhood, Elizabeth move d f r om G r e e nw ich b a ck to Washington, DC. Elizabeth enjoyed her career as an English teacher at Greenw ich H ig h S cho ol. Th roug h her adu lt life she volunteered with several organizations including the Junior League and Hortulus Garden Club. El i z a b et h i s su r v ive d by her daughter Lisa Claudy Fleischman and Lisa's spouse Charles Fleischman of Teton Village, WY and Chevy Chase, MD; her daughter-in-law Patricia Painter Claudy Schade of Chestnut Hill, MA; and her four grandchildren: Philip Fleischman, Joan Fleischman, Hen r y Claudy a nd I nd ia Claudy. Elizabeth was predeceased by her husband, Donald, her son, Peter, and her sister, Dorothy Osborne Hinkley. Her ashes will be intered at St. Barnabas Church in Greenwich, CT. A celebration of her life will be held on a future date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Elizabeth's memory to St. Barnabas Church (stbarnabasgreenwich.org) or to Washington National Cathedral (cathedral.org).
Maureen McGuiness Maureen Elizabeth McGuiness, 71, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2020 at Sunrise Senior Living Facility in Stamford, CT. Maureen was born in Greenwich, CT to the late John and Margaret McGuiness on Sept. 21, 1948. She graduated from Saint Mary's High School in 1966 a nd continued to receive her bachelor's deg ree in social work from Mercy College in Pennsylvania. Maureen left the social work field to pursue a lifelong career as a f light attendant with United Airlines. In 2017, she was honored for her 46 years of commitment and dedication to the company. Maureen resided in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1979-2017, when she retired from United A irlines and returned home to Connecticut. While in Honolulu, Maureen established her own advertising business and was a huge advocate for the Honolulu Special Olympics. It is here that she spent most of her time volunteering when she was not traveling the world. M a u r e e n i s s u r v i ve d b y h e r siblings John (Tracey) McGuiness and Patricia Bordeaux both of Stamford, CT, a s wel l a s ma ny n ie ce s a nd nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Sheila Vesciglio also of Stamford. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Maureen's memory to: Caring Kind, 360 Lexington Avenue, 3rd Floor NY, NY 10017; or Special Olympics, 1133 19th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20036
