In Memoriam


Betsy Heilpern Firger

Betsy (Heilpern) Firger, 49, of West Hartford, died Friday (May 22, 1998) peacefully in her sleep at Hartford Hospital Hospice after a heroic five-year battle with cancer. Born in Hartford, she was the daughter of the late George S. and Riette (Lichtenstein) Heilpern. She graduated from Tufts University, attended the London School of Economics and graduated from the University of Connecticut Law School. Mrs. Firger practiced law for twenty-three years. She was a joyous member of Beth El Temple of West Hartford and actively participated in the Temple’s Choir. She was also a member of the Temple’s Sisterhood Board of Directors, a founder of the Hartford Association of Women Attorneys, a proud Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and a published poet, wonderful teacher, cherished friend, and seeker of wisdom. She sang with her beautiful voice, as eloquently to life as life sang to her. Her true calling was kindness. She was the treasured wife of Robert Firger; beloved mother of Daniel, Joshua and Lindsay Firger; and cherished sister of Jeffrey D. Heilpern of Teaneck, NJ. (from The Hartford Courant)




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Wayne W. Loveland

Wayne Loveland, chosen as teacher of the year by our class, passed away in February of 2000. He was remembered warmly in an article of Northeast magazine by Lary Bloom.

"Do you miss teaching?" I asked....He smiled. How could he not miss it?.

We raised a few magazine issue that morning - he had always been a supporter and gentle counselor. Wayne was a particular fan of Northeast writers Wally Lamb, Karen Mamone, Joe Duffy, Patricia Weiss, Nancy Slonim Aronie, all of whom he said demonstrated in their pieces "life experience and character. Their work links us to the past and present, and we sense deeply our common humanity."

Lary goes on to recount the efforts Mr.Loveland made to honor people he admired, and the support he gave to Lary's daughter, who he called "Snowball."

He was the only person on earth to call my daughter that, and why he did so remains a mystery. I can only surmise that all those years ago in the halls of Hall High School she was always in motion, up to something. Amy never enrolled in any of his geography classes, but still he knew her, as he knew almost all the students. He decided that, despite certain academic evidence that would indicate otherwise, she had real possibilities. For her part, she remembers him now as "funny, lively, a sweet guy - everybody loved him....."

Finally, Lary described Mr. Loveland reciting the Kaddish, which he loved as poetry, and the reciting of that prayer at his memorial service: "Poetry, for a man of poetry, knowledge, and compassion."

 

Susan Majeski McKnight


LAKE FOREST PARK, WASH. - Susan Majeski McKnight, 53, of Lake Forest Park, Washington, died Monday, Jan. 28, 2002, in a ski accident in British Columbia. She was born on June 30, 1948, in Springfield, Mass., daughter of Alexander and Rusty Majeski. Susan grew up in West Hartford, Conn., and received her BA in psychology from Bates College in Lewiston, where she met her husband, Stan McKnight. They married in 1969, graduated in 1970, and moved to Palo Alto, Calif., to pursue Stan's graduate studies at Stanford University. After a two-year stay in Strasbourg, France, they moved to Seattle, Wash., where they have lived for the last 25 years and raised their two daughters, Sarah and Liza. During this time, Susan also earned a B.S. in nursing from the University of Washington and worked in the nursing field, most recently at the University of Washington Medical Center. Susan was an avid outdoors enthusiast, a windsurfer, road biker, backpacker, and mountain climber. Backcountry skiing was one of her passions, and she and Stan had skied the mountains of Washington and other Western states. She loved her family and had just spent the Christmas holidays with them in Maine. Susan particularly enjoyed playing with her new granddaughter, Katie. Susan is survived by her husband; her daughter, Sarah McKnight Steinberg, and husband, Scott, and their daughter, Katherine Frances, of Falmout; her daughter, Liza McKnight of Somerville, Mass.; a brother, Stephen Majeski, and niece, Hannah, and nephew, Quinn, of Woodinville, Wash.; her mother-in-law, Frances Rolfe McKnight, of Auburn,; her sister-in-law, Barbara McKnight Trafton and husband Richard, and her nephews, Benjamin and Samuel, and niece, Emily, of Auburn. A memorial service was held on Feb.5th at the University Unitarian Church, Seattle, Wash. Memorial gifts in Susan's name may be sent to the Susan Majeski McKnight Endowed Fund, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, Maine 04240. (reprinted from the Portland Press)

 


Dorothy "Dee Dee" Barnes

Dorothy ``Dee Dee'' Barnes,53, of Gannet Dr., Southington, died Tuesday, (January 1, 2002) at home. She was the beloved wife of Donald A. Barnes. Born in Hartford on June 18, 1948, the daughter of Harriett Young Hanlon of W. Hartford and the late John Young. Dorothy had graduated from Hall High School in West Hartford and had attended the Hartford Institute of Accounting. She was employed by F.P.I Systems in North Haven. Besides her husband and mother, she is survived by two daughters, Danielle D. Barnes and Dawn A. Barnes, both of Southington; a brother, David Young of Colorado; a stepfather, Everett Hanlon of W. Hartford; a stepmother, Sally Young of Glastonbury; a sister-in-law, Barbara Berube; and brother-in-law, Everett Berube of Willimantic. Dee Dee also leaves her honorary son, Eric; and many nieces, nephews and friends who will deeply miss the love, joy and humor she brought to everyone(from The Hartford Courant)