DHS CT 1965’s BLOG

Jim Dyer, 20 September 1946 - 26 July 2011

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:29:49 -0500

Former Danbury Mayor James Dyer dies suddenly at age 64 - NewsTimes
DANBURY -- Former Mayor James E. Dyer, who oversaw the city's rapid growth in the 1980s, only to see his political career stopped short by never-proven charges of bribe-taking, was remembered Tuesday as a strong leader who loved his hometown.
Mayor Mark Boughton, a good friend of Dyer's, said it appeared Dyer died at home Tuesday from natural causes.
The mayor said relatives found Dyer in his home early Tuesday afternoon. Dyer is survived by his wife, Alice Dyer, and their four children.
Boughton ordered flags in the city be flown at half staff in Dyer's honor.
"Jim will be missed by myself and the entire community," Boughton said Tuesday. "This is a very sad day for the city. His death is a great loss for Danbury."
Dyer, 64, served four terms as Democratic mayor, from 1979 to 1987, a time of enormous growth for the city, when the Danbury Fair mall was constructed and Union Carbide built its world headquarters on the city's west side.
"He was a very dynamic, energetic mayor,'' said Lynn Taborsak, the Democratic Town Committee chairwoman who Monday night had announced her bid for mayor in the fall election.
"He was a role model to a lot of young politicians in town, myself included,'' Taborsak said.
"I'm shocked and saddened by the news,'' said former six-term Mayor Gene Eriquez, who was elected mayor two years after Dyer's defeat in the 1987 election.
"He had a deep dedication to the city, an awareness of its history and a vision for what it could be,'' Eriquez observed.
Attorney Lawrence Riefberg, who served as Democratic town chairman during Dyer's later years in office, called the former mayor "a forceful advocate for the city.
"He was strong-willed and dedicated to what he thought were the best interests of the city.''
Riefberg said Dyer's vision in the 1980s helped transform Danbury from a "dying industrial city to a corporate center.''
Besides the economic growth, the city also preserved land during Dyer's tenure by acquiring Tarrywile Park and the Bear Mountain Reserve.
During those years Western Connecticut State University -- Dyer's alma mater -- expanded from a college to a university.
"Jim Dyer found his voice here and always expressed his appreciation for the professors and the institution,'' said WestConn spokesman Paul Steinmetz. "He was a student leader and often said that his extra-curricular work was at least as important to his growing up as his time in the classroom -- though he also discovered his love of history here.''
Former U.S. Rep. James Maloney said Dyer brought a different set of standards and expectations to the job of mayor.
"He modernized the office of mayor in the city of Danbury,'' Maloney said.
"Prior to the Dyer administration, the job of mayor was modeled after being the first selectman in a big town," he said. "With Dyer, the job came to be the mayor of a small city.''
"The old Hat City ways were changing,'' said state Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury, who represents the 110th District -- the same district that Dyer represented for four years in the General Assembly in the 1970s.
"There was an influx of new businesses, new people, and he got the city to adapt to those changes. He was there with the infrastructure, the sewers, the water, with making sure the new businesses tied into the Danbury labor market.''
Dyer was a Danburian, born and raised. He was a graduate of Danbury High School, and at WestConn he was both student president and the first student representative on the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State Colleges.
He recently donated his mayoral archives to the university.
Dyer was a natural politician, whose great role model was President John F. Kennedy, and over the years, he amassed an impressive collection of JFK memorabilia.
His first job after graduating from college was working for U.S. Rep. John Monagan, D-5th, in 1972.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Dyer was a young man on the rise -- elected to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1976 and as the city's mayor in 1979, at age 33.
"He was very much a populist in the General Assembly, always looking for issues that affected people's lives,'' Godfrey said.
There was talk of Dyer running for governor or for Congress. But in 1987 the FBI began to investigate allegations that Dyer allegedly had taken bribes from the developers who were rebuilding the city.
He lost the mayoral race to Republican Joseph Sauer in 1987 when the investigation went public.
Following a much-publicized trial in 1990, he was found not guilty in federal court on all counts against him, except a single one of filing a false income tax return in 1986.
Dyer appealed that conviction and had it reversed. He never paid a fine or served a day in jail.
Prominent defense attorney Hugh Keefe, who represented Dyer in the trial, said the former mayor had nerves of steel and proclaimed his innocence from day one.
"There were plenty of opportunities to settle the case but he never expressed any interest at all in taking a plea bargain," Keefe said. "He wanted complete vindication and to his credit he got it."
"It took a lot out of Jimmy, as these things tend to do," said Keefe, who continued to receive Christmas greetings from Dyer throughout the years. "He loved politics but as a result of that investigation he quit and never went back."
Dyer started a new career as the associate dean of the New Jersey School of Architecture.
Godfrey said it's clear that, despite the hard ending of Dyer's political career, his legacy as mayor is all around.
"You see it when you drive around the city -- the traffic patterns, the parks, the buildings,'' he said. "He left his mark.''
Contact Robert Miller
at bmiller@newstimes.com
or at 203-731-3345.

yearly summer big to do now in planning stages

Fri, 13 May 2011 12:29:30 -0500

Hope you survived the winter snows and now the spring rains. It appears that a summer event is forming for what looks to be June 25th. The place is:
HOT SHOTS GRILLE.
... You have to get back up here for one of these before the 50th comes along because it's really not that far off. ...kurt

The proposed meeting this summer will be held on June 25th at the site of the old Hot Shots in Newtown on Rte 6. Anytime from 5Pm to whenever. There are new owners but it's a good site with a large outdoor deck.

David C. Harrison R.I.P. December 10, 1947- May 8, 2011

Thu, 12 May 2011 22:52:22 -0500

Sad News: This is David's sister writing from his email address to tell you that he passed away on Sunday. I'm not sure how you knew David.
His funeral service will be at St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury on Monday May 16th 2011 11:00am. There will be calling hours at the funeral home on Sunday evening. I don't know the exact times right now, but you will find them in the Danbury News Times.
...

Marnie Harrison Oakes
marnie.oakes@verizon.net

Kurt Beck wrote an e-mail that noted that David was the emcee at our 20th reunion.

Marsha Setzler Koch R.I.P. September 14, 1947- April 10, 2011

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:11:24 -0500

Marsha A. Koch, 63, of Danbury, beloved wife of Timothy P. Koch, died at Danbury Hospital on Sunday, April 10th surrounded by her family and loved ones. She was born in White Plains, NY on September 14, 1947, daughter of the late Norbert and Dolores (Daly) Setzler. Jr. She was a graduate of Danbury High School, class of 1965. Marsha worked in customer service for The News-Times, retiring after 25 years. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who devoted herself to her family. She had a passion for fashion design, needlework, reading and cooking. Marsha had a bountiful group of friends and was comfortable making new ones at any time. She loved to go to a good lunch, a great party and have a terrific shopping day. Her quick wit and joyous spirit will be greatly missed by all. In addition to her husband, Tim she will be sadly missed by her son, James Michael Campbell, her daughter, Tracy Amaral, her three cherished grandchildren, Michael, Joseph and Dylan, her brother, Norbert Setzler III and his wife, Nancy, her sister Cathy Dixon and her partner, Richard Rosengarten. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, April 14th at 10:00am at St. Gregory the Great Church in Danbury. The family will receive friends at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White Street, Danbury, on Wednesday, between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00pm. To light a candle of hope and remembrance, please visit our website at www.CornellMemorial.com.

(The News Times also has a guest book. To view NT obituary and find link to the guest book click hypertext below.)

Published in News Times on April 12, 2011

Brian Silverlieb R.I.P. -February 24, 20111

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 11:25:02 -0600

Re: Another passing
Hi Ed: I read in the News-times the other day of the passing of another classmate--Brian Silverlieb,who was a local vet. Can you add it to the website? Thanks, Patty Brown
Tuesday, March 1, 2011, Brown Patricia A <pattyann27@mac.com>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ctpost/obituary.aspx?n=brian-silverlieb&pid=148983332&fhid=11690

Brian Joseph Silverlieb, VMD, died February 24, 2011 surrounded by his loving family and friends after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Dr. Silverlieb was born in Hartford Connecticut and was predeceased by his parents, Samuel Silverlieb and Martha Gloria Sipala. He was also predeceased by his stepfather, Franklin Longo, Sr. He is survived by his cherished son, Darryl of Newtown, brothers Franklin Longo, Jr. and wife Paula of Niskayuna, New York, Richard Silverlieb and wife Belle of Montville, New Jersey, Samuel Silverlieb of Vernon, Paul Silverlieb and wife Sandy of Irvine, Texas, Daniel Silverlieb of Woodbury and sister, Debra Silverlieb of Milford, Connecticut. He also leaves behind several beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and longtime clients. Dr. Silverlieb attended Colorado State University prior to a Junior acceptance to The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where he was noted to be the youngest person to graduate from the school. Dr. Silverlieb owned and operated the Mount Pleasant Hospital for Animals in Newtown, Connecticut where he practiced for 35 years. He was well known for his skill, compassion and dedication. Dr. Silverlieb was an accomplished equestrian. In 2009, he and his horse, Iceman, placed first in the amateur Hunter Division in Wellington, Florida. He enjoyed traveling and participated in Horseback Safari in Ireland, Africa and Scotland. He was active in the community and donated his time to free clinics and animal adoption. The Mount Pleasant Hospital also sponsored Newtown Little League Baseball. He loved the Arts and Theater and collected artifacts from around the world. He enjoyed the enrichment these possessions brought to his home Amberfield Farm, which he shared with his son and their many pets. The family would like to extend their gratitude and thanks to the community for all their support. Brian was blessed with many good friends and neighbors and their many acts of kindness and generosity were greatly appreciated. A special thanks to the Danbury Nursing Registry and Danbury Hospice for all their help and support. Finally a huge thank you to Dr. Rock Vali, Dr. Maria Lagana and the staff of The Mount Pleasant Hospital for their devotion. A service in celebration of Dr. Silverlieb's life will be held at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 11 am. Calling hours will be held Monday Feb. 28th from 2: to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers all donations can be made to the Building Fund of the New Animal Shelter, c/o Canine Advocates of Newtown, PO Box 236, Newtown, CT 06470.

Help Make It Happen for Native Americans

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:37:41 -0600

This is the e-mail bag last week from Joyce O’Neill

A worthy cause for you to consider--

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Joyce
http://www.indiegogo.com/Cobell-v?i=shlk http://www.indiegogo.com/Cobell-v?i=shlk
"May the work of your hands be a sign of gratitude and reverence to the human condition."

-Mahatma Gandhi

DHS Class of 65 Third Annual Christmas Party

Tue, 9 Nov 2010 09:39:50 -0600

From Kurt Beck:
Hi Ed,
Can you just post this ... They can contact Kathy directly if they see it in time. Thanx again, k
----- Original Message -----
From: Kathy Taylor

Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 1:18 PM
Subject: Classmates Christmas on FRI. DEC. 10th

Hi Classmates:
Here's some more info on our Christmas party. As you know, each bring a wrapped ornament.
Date: Fri. Dec. 10th
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Sally Fiorita's house
Address: 6 Maplecrest Drive, Danbury, 06811

- Other classmates welcome. Please let me know if you extend invitations to other classmates, and send me their email addresses. Thanks.
- I'll be sending out requests for snacks or desserts to a few of you at a later date.
That's it for now.
Happy Thanksgiving. Kathy

Our 3rd annual Classmates Christmas Party (ornament exchange) will be held at Sally's home this year.
So mark your calendars. Further details will follow at a later date.
Thanks, and enjoy the rest of the summer. /kkt