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Klaus Eberhard Schroeder , 82

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The family of Klaus Eberhard Schroeder is deeply saddened to announce the death of their beloved brother, uncle and great uncle who passed away at age 82 on Monday, October 2, 2023 at his home in New Canaan, CT. Klaus was born in Koenigsberg , the capital of the former East Prussia, Germany and emigrated with his mother Hildegard Schroeder and sisters Ingrid and Uta to the United States in 1957.  After attending Brooklyn Polytech and having earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering he joined IBM first in Poughkeepsie and then several other locations where he was a respected scientist and Executive.  After leaving IBM he pursued a private financial career.  He and his beloved wife Anna Marie who passed away only 4-1/2 months ago, enjoyed many happy years in New Canaan, the Saugatuck Yacht Club, travel and many other pursuits, including charitable community work.  Klaus was a formidable chess player since a very early age, a brilliant student, loved the outdoors, particularly sailing.  He was kind, deeply caring and always the utter gentleman. Klaus leaves behind his sister Ingrid Rankin and Christopher Rankin, sister Uta Bach and Dr. Jochen Bach, nephew Kevin Gero Besthorn and Betty Besthorn, niece Dr. Christina Jennifer Budelmann and Volker Budelmann, and great nieces and nephews Kaspar Besthorn, Helene Besthorn, Emma Budelmann, Felix Budelmann and Peter Budelmann. A wake will be held on October 19th from 11 – 12 at the Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street in New Canaan, CT followed by the burial at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich, CT. For online condolences please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com.

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Mary Head, 97

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Mary Head, nee Joyce, passed away peacefully in Norwalk, CT on September 23, 2023. 

Mary was born on March 5, 1926, in Queens, NY.   Following the death of her father, Patrick, a New York City Police Officer and decorated veteran of WWI, Mary moved to Sterling Place in Brooklyn, NY, with her mother Bridget Theresa Joyce and sister Eileen.  Mary attended St. Augustine’s Elementary School and earned scholarships to Archbishop McDonnell High School and to St. John’s University. She studied English Literature and became a High School English and History Teacher in Brooklyn.  While teaching she earned a master’s degree in education Summa Cum Laude at Columbia University.  After her family had grown, Mary earned a second master’s degree teaching English as a Second Language and taught both immigrant children and adults.

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John Kelly Burke, 71

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John Kelly Burke (71), of New Canaan, Connecticut passed away at home on September 8, 2023, after a courageous five-month diagnosis with bulbar-onset ALS. John, fondly referred to as JB, JKB or Cheese to name a few appropriate-to-print nicknames, was born to Francis and Betty Burke on August 20, 1952 in Evanston, Illinois. He was a jokester, getting kicked out of his second-grade class for taunting his teacher for mistakenly saying his last name incorrectly — Fran told him, “Don’t let anyone call you Burkey.” John spent his childhood years starting his collection of jokes, drumming for his band The Junior Beatles and running around outside with kids on his block in Carpentersville, Illinois. John attended Western Illinois University, or as he and his brother Mike called it, “Harvard of the Midwest,” where his love of sales and marketing blossomed. Creating in-depth business plans for both practical and hilariously impractical ideas alike.

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Virginia Toms, 88

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Virginia Toms, 88 of Wilton, beloved wife of the late Clarence (Bud) Mansfield Toms, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2023 with her loving family by her side. Her spirit is reunited with her husband, late parents Fred and Dorothy (Manuel) Spadaccini, and son Paul Toms. 

Virginia was born on October 28, 1934, in Norwalk, Connecticut and grew up in New Canaan with a brief stay in California during WW II. She married Bud, her one and only love at the age of 16 to whom she remained a devoted wife for more than 50 years until his passing. She was a loving mother and grandmother while working at the family businesses, HOWARD B TOMS TREE SURGERY, and TOMS Home and Garden Center of New Canaan and Vista, NY. In the ‘90s, she made a career shift into banking and eventually retired from Wells Fargo.

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Deborah Grzelecki Rooney

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Deborah Grzelecki Rooney passed away on August 10, 2023 at home surrounded by her family. Debbie’s passing ends her years-long battle with a degenerative neurological disorder. 

Debbie raised her two grown daughters in New Canaan and was a resident for more than three decades. She was the head fundraiser for the Parent-Teacher Council of East School, head of the Little Newcomers Club, and a Girl Scout leader. She will be remembered as a strong leader with a creative spirit. 
Debbie was a graduate of Gettysburg College, where she majored in art history. This was the beginning of her passion for artistic creativity and expression.