United States High School Yearbooks by County
FRANCES MOY LEE
Frances Moy Lee died Dec. 6, 2009, two days after her 101st birthday.
Born Frances Gum Moy on Dec. 4, 1908, in Providence, R.I., she was the daughter of Pink Fun Moy of San Francisco, New York City, New Bedford, Mass., Providence and Newport, R.I., and Fong She, his second wife.
She graduated at the top of her class at Julia Richmond High School in 1926, and earned an accounting degree with honors from New York University in 1930, as well as winning a New York State Regent's Prize. She was of one of the few women of that era -- certainly, one of the few Chinese-American women -- to earn a college degree.
In 1930, she married
Edward Wonkai Lee. They had three children: Georgia (deceased) of Greenwich, Myron of Incline Village, Nev., and Patricia of Bloomington, Ind., and Hong Kong.
Lee raised her family through the vicissitudes of the Great Depression and World War II, and survived the vagaries of life in the U.S. and China during the '30s and '40s. In China, she was secretary to the president of Lingnan University in Kwangchow (Guangzhou), and she served as a translator-interpreter in the U. S. Consulate in Hong Kong, until she and her family were repatriated in 1942.
In 1950, she and her husband opened the West Lake Chinese Restaurant in Westport, which they owned and managed for 25 years.
She is survived by her son and younger daughter, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30, at Christ & Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Westport.
Donations in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.
ROBERT BLAKE MENY
Robert Blake Meny, 85, of Trinity, Fla., a resident of Westport for 30 years, died Jan. 8, 2010, in Clearwater, Fla., after a long illness.
He was the husband of 55 years of Vera M. Meny, 82, of Palm Harbor, Fla.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on March 24, 1924, he was the son of Louis and Lillian Meny of Ozone Park and Point Lookout, N.Y. He graduated in 1940 from John Adams High School, Queens, N.Y., as valedictorian. In the same year, at the age of 16, he was accepted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
While at MIT he was captain of the track team and, in 1942, qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 220- and 440-yard relay dashes at the Millrose Games in Madison Square Garden, New York City. His education at MIT was interrupted at the onset of war, when he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1944 to 1945, as a B-29 navigator. He returned to MIT to receive his bachelor of science degree in 1946 and master's degree in 1948; and soon joafter ined the Standard Oil Development Co.
In 1955, he joined General Petroleum, a subsidiary of Mobil Oil, in the Pacific Northwest, where he enjoyed skiing on Mt. Baker and where his first son was born. Two years later he returned to New York and Mobil Engineering in the company's operating group.
For the next decade, as the refining industry grew throughout the world, Meny would frequently be sent around the globe -- sometimes on lengthy assignments. He developed a love of traveling and had a keen interest in foreign languages. In 1967, he moved his family to Holland, where, for the next four years, he would participate in the streaming of the new Amsterdam refinery.
Returning to the U.S. and Westport in 1971, he worked in Mobil corporate headquarters in New York City for 13 years, in both domestic and international manufacturing operations, and retired in 1984.
"He was a kind and generous man who enjoyed his family and, later in his life, especially his grandson, " his family said.
Meny enjoyed being an official and coach for little league when his kids were young, and was an avid lifelong tennis player. He also enjoyed jogging, swimming and many ski trips with his family.
He was an MIT educational counselor for 24 years, and would often return home with inspiring stories to tell of the young applicants he interviewed in his New York office.
He loved living in Westport and was a member of the Westport Y's Men. He also enjoyed his volunteer work at the United Way, the Health Fairs and assisting at the blood bank.
Meny is survived by his wife, Vera; two sons, Douglas of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Robert of Redding; one grandson; a sister, Marjorie of Amagansett, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by a brother, Howard Meny, and a nephew, Thomas Meny.
The family will receive relatives and friends for a memorial service on Saturday, March 27, at The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Palm Harbor, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Meny's memory to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org
Duff S. Allen, Jr.
Duff S. Allen, Jr., 80, longtime Greenwich resident, died on Oct. 20, 2009.
He was born on Dec. 8, 1928 in St. Louis, Mo. to Duff S. Allen, Sr. and Mildred Burns. Duff was a graduate of John Burroughs School, Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a Ph.D in organic chemistry.
He was employed by Lederle Laboratories in pharmaceutical research for more than 30 years.
After retiring to Falmouth, Mass., Duff devoted himself to his glass-collecting hobby and served on the board of the Sandwich Glass Museum, among other other activities in the glass-collecting community. He was co-manager of the Westchester Glass Show for many years and helped establish it as one of the premier glass events in the country.
Duff also had an enthusiasm for protecting the environment through his persistent efforts to certify vernal pools with the Falmouth Conservation Commission.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Mary "Molly" (Menzies) Allen; three children: Duff Allen of Woodstock, N.Y., Cori Allen of Palo Alto, Calif. and Tana Allen of St. John`s, Newfoundland; a sister, Rita Glastris of Mo.; a brother, Robert Allen of California; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Iris.
A memorial visitation with family and friends was held on Oct. 26 in the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home in Falmouth, Mass. A private burial will follow at a later date.
Online condolences may be left at www.ccgfuneralhome.com.
Mary C. Chiapetta
Mary C. Chiapetta, 96, Greenwich native, passed away on Oct. 25, 2009 at the Greenwich Hospital.
She was born on Sept. 8, 1913 to Rocco and Caroline Chiappetta Calabrese and graduated from Greenwich High School in 1932, which her family said was always a source of pride for her.
Chiapetta was an avid reader who believed that people became well-educated by reading, and she promoted that belief to others. She also enjoyed cooking, gardening, knitting, sewing and crafts.
Chiapetta is survived by four children: Mary Anne Chiappetta; Patsy Chiappetta; Grace DeCarlo and her husband, Jim; and Frank Chiappetta and his wife, Barbara. She is also survived by ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Patsy "Duke" Chiappetta in 2002; and seven siblings: Anna Pucci, Mildred Turturino, Philomena Roberts, John Calabrese, William Calabrese, Arthur Calabrese, and Harold Calabrese.
A Mass of Christian burial was held on Oct. 29 at St. Mary Church in Greenwich. Internment followed in St. Mary cemetery in Greenwich.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Nathaniel Witherell Recreation Fund, 70 Parsonage Road, Greenwich, CT 06830.
Raymond J. Chute, Jr.
Raymond J. Chute, Jr., 92, World War II veteran and recipient of two Purple Hearts, passed away on Oct. 22, 2009 at The Edgehill Health Center in Stamford.
He was born in Greenwich on Nov. 28, 1916 to Raymond Sr. and Elizabeth Chute.
Chute served during World War II in both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and was the recipient of one Purple Heart from the U.S. Navy and a second Purple Heart from the U.S. Marine Corps.
Chute worked for the Greenwich Special Police for 20 years and was a member of the Masonic Temple for 60 years. He worked for Cyanamid Corporation for many years, then started his own painting and wallpapering business.
Chute was also a member of the Moeller Hose Fire Department in Port Chester, N.Y., the Ninth District Veterans Association, and the Byram Veterans Association. He enjoyed fishing, boating and golf.
Chute is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth Gerardi; a granddaughter, Debora Schiano; a grandson, retired Greenwich police officer Joseph Gleason; and four great-grandchildren: LCPL Joseph Schiano, Nicole Schiano, Tyler Schiano and Nicklaus Gleason. He was predeceased by his wife, Anna Chute; two brothers, Edward Chute and Robert Chute; and two sisters, Jean Kasmarski and Louise Crowle.
Funeral services were held on Oct. 27 at the First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich. Internment followed in Putnam cemetery in Greenwich.
