Arthur F. Amend
the Englewood School for Boys) before earning his Bachelor's and Master's degrees, from Bates College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute respectively, in the study of Physics. He devoted his entire professional life to what he knew to be his true calling as an educator. He taught Physics for more than four decades, serving at Ridgefield High School— where he and his wife Mary met—for more than 35 years, and later at Western Connecticut State University.
Mary and Art married in 1971 and raised their young children in Bethel before moving to Brookfield in 1996. Their early family life was rooted in St. Mary Parish, where the children attended St. Mary School, Mary served as Director of Religious Education, and Arthur was a cantor and an active member of the Knights of Columbus Pavia Council #48, once serving as Grand Knight. He was a devoted father, present at countless performances, athletic contests, and special events for his children throughout their youth and he continued to provide a wellspring of moral support and encouragement on a daily basis in their adult lives. Arthur never forgot a family member's or friend's birthday and was faithful to his and Mary's tradition of mailing cards for special occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, and the annual Christmas card with a family photo.
Arthur found endless joy in spending time with family and friends at his home in Pocasset, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, where his own family history stretches back centuries and several relatives still reside. He was a skilled woodworker and made furniture, toys, and keepsakes as gifts for loved ones over the years. He also enjoyed gardening, puzzles and games, and reading, and was a dedicated fan of UConn Huskies women's basketball and the Boston Red Sox.
A gifted listener who consistently placed others' needs above his own, Arthur leaves behind a beautiful legacy among the generations of students who called him teacher, and the treasured loved ones who called him Dad, Grandpa, Pop Pop, Uncle, Brother, Cousin, and Friend.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Arthur's memory can be made to Brotherhood in Action via their website biabethel.org, or by sending gifts to Brotherhood In Action of Bethel, Inc., P.O. Box 582, Bethel, CT 06801.
Family and friends will be received at Bethel Funeral Home, 215 Greenwood Avenue, on Wednesday, March 15, from 6-8 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary Church in Bethel, Thursday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m. Burial in St. Mary Cemetery, Bethel will follow the Mass. Information and online condolences at HullFuneralService.com
and moderate Democrat, surged to the top of a nineperson field decrying the “utter breakdown of law and order” in the city under Lightfoot. He promised a sweeping plan to fill 1,600 police vacancies, add hundreds of new transit officers and take the “handcuffs” off a demoralized police force.
Vallas did not garner the 50 percent of votes needed to win the election outright, so he will face the second-place finisher in an April runoff election. His rhetoric on public safety displayed a stark new tone for Democrats.
“We're going to exceed 700 murders for the third year in a row. We've now seen our 65th school-age child killed,” Vallas said in December. “Car thefts are averaging a mind-boggling 100 a day. Strong-arm robberies every single day. They pistol-whipped a woman just for amusement. It's blatant.”
The sense of a city in freefall seemed to resonate with Chicagoans. A recent poll found 71 percent of registered voters listed crime as their top priority, and the vast majority said the city was headed in the wrong direction — results mirrored in other cities suffering post-pandemic malaise.
The April runoff will be viewed nationally as a test of how far Democrats have shifted on public safety. Vallas' opponent is Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a progressive Democrat who advocates for creating jobs for youth and opening mental health care centers in lieu of harsher enforcement.
Nationwide, the rate of gun deaths rose in 2020 and 2021 to levels not seen since the mid-1990s. Last year, there were glimmers of hope: Homicides declined in cities across the country — including New York, Philadelphia and Indianapolis — while still remaining significantly