In 2016, Newtown suffered the loss of many residents and former residents who added to our community, through contributions large and small. Every life that has touched the town is valued. Here, we make note of only a few of those who died this past year, whose influence may have been more widely felt.The Newtown Bee as a reporter for 15 years. She also taught music in the Newtown public schools and at St Rose of Lima School. In addition, she was an organist at St Rose of Lima Church, worked at the tax collection office in Newtown, and was on the board of the Newtown Health District.

On January 9, at the age of 83, Kenneth Michael Adams died peacefully in the home he built in Newtown. He was an active member of St Rose Church in Newtown, where he served as a Eucharistic minister and a religious education instructor.

We received notice that the Reverend Richard York Yerrington, a former Newtown United Methodist Church associate minister, had died on January 15.

On February 14, Vienna, Austria, native and longtime Newtown resident Ellen Parrella passed away. Mrs Parrella was a force in the Newtown Friends of Music organization in town, devoted to celebrating and bringing to the town not only professional musicians of world renown, but local talent, as well. She served as president of Newtown Friends of Music for the past 28 years.

Rosemarie Cavanaugh died February 23. Mrs Cavanaugh, a Newtown native, graduated from high school in Newtown and from St Vincent's School of Nursing. She worked as a school nurse in the Newtown school system for more than 20 years, most of that time at Newtown Middle School.

Doris Dayton Dickinson, 104, died at her home in Newtown March 9. She was the wife of the late A. Fenn "Slim" Dickinson, a former Newtown first selectman. She worked at the Sandy Hook Post Office, and helped her husband and brother run the Texaco station on Church Hill Road. She volunteered with the Red Cross during World War II, and later served as town clerk of Newtown.

Robert A. Myer was a resident of Newtown for the past 11 years, who loved police work. For 23 years he was a member of the Westport Police Department and most recently served as a member of the Newtown Police Commission. He died on May 4.

Michael D. Hurley died on May 29, in Colorado Springs while visiting family. During his 40 years in Newtown, he was elected to serve three terms on the Newtown Legislative Council, where he spearheaded several key initiatives. In his retirement, he remained active in the community and many civic organizations, including coaching Pop Warner Football, member of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of the United States Marine Corps League of Ridgefield, and served for six years as the Newtown area director of the Marine Corps Toys For Tots program. He was also active in the St Rose of Lima parish community, where he served as a Eucharistic minister, lector, and director of athletics for St Rose School.

On May 31, James Morgan Mooney died peacefully surrounded by his loving family. Along with having a career as a Bridgeport Police officer, he devoted much of his life in service to the Town of Newtown, including the roles of selectman, serving on Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association, and as chief of Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Later in life he was asked to serve as a member of the board for Newtown Ambulance, which included oversight of the construction of the new headquarters in Fairfield Hills.

Joanne Didonato, secretary at Sandy Hook School for more than 28 years, died on June 1 at the age of 67, surrounded by her family.

Former Newtown resident Deacon Kenneth Edward Stroud died on June 3 at the age of 95. Baptized an Anglican, he converted to Catholicism after marrying his wife, Mary Patricia Mason, which began a lifelong devotion to the Church. He performed hundreds of baptisms and weddings, including those of his children and grandchildren. He served at St Rose of Lima and sand in the St Rose choir along with his wife and as a team. He retired as deacon at St Rose a few years ago and was named deacon emeritus by William Lori, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Bridgeport. He continued as a member of the choir until his recent illness.

Teacher and tutor in the Newtown and Oxford school systems, Amy Noel Komar died peacefully on June 14 surrounded by family.

On June 8, Barbara J. Dittmar of Sandy Hook passed away. She was a second grade teacher and taught in the parochial school system in New Jersey and Connecticut for more than 20 years. She was passionate about teaching children, and sharing the joy of knowing Jesus.

Robert J. Braatz, Sr, bravely served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War, and after decades of dedicated service to the Newtown Police Department he retired as sergeant. He died at his home in Southbury on July 16.

Longtime Sandy Hook resident Graham Lee Hill died October 2. He retired as a small business owner of an excavation company located in town, and he was a proud volunteer firefighter for the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue.

The Blue Colony Diner's owner Eftihios "Eddie" Marnelakis, of Southbury, died peacefully October 5, surrounded by his loving family. He was considered a pioneer in the diner business, and he took great pride in his work and great success. His staff and daily customers became lifelong friends and family.

On October 17, retired Brookfield police officer Kevin J. Seeley died. Newtown residents may know him from his work as a school safety officer for Middle Gate Elementary School.

Arlene A. Skudlarek was a resident of Newtown since 1969 and died at the age of 84 on November 12. She was a Communicant of St Rose of Lima Church and previously had been a teacher for the religious education program there. During her working career, she was also a legal secretary for attorney Robert Hall of Newtown and later worked for Curtis Packaging and Toll Associates in Newtown.

At the age of 92, Irene Stotts died on December 2. She was an active teacher for 30 years in Newtown, and she readily gave up her desk when the school was in short supply of them, as she never sat still long enough to need it. After officially retiring from teaching at the age of 70, she moved to Vermont to be close to family and continued to substitute teach at Union 32 High School and the local elementary schools for ten more years.

On December 28, Newtown resident Audrey Long Grasso died peacefully. Mrs Grasso worked at

We join with friends and families in honoring the memory of these and all who have made Newtown a better place.