Judith Berrian Hill Brush

Judith Berrian Hill Brush, beloved wife of 63 years to the recently passed Donald Kennedy Brush, died May 15, 2019, at the age of 81, at Duncaster Retirement Community in Bloomfield, CT. Born October 12, 1937 to the late Edward A. Hill and Isabel Teeter Hill, Judy spent her childhood between Manhattan, NY and Norfolk, CT. She was a graduate of Miss Porters School, Class of ‘55 and the summer before her senior year became smitten with Don while he was teaching her to waterski on Lake Waramaug. They married on June 24, 1955. They resided in Manhattan, Hingham, Massachusetts and finally made their home in Ridgefield, CT where Judy volunteered at the Ridgefield Thrift Shop for over 20 years. After Don retired, they settled on Doolittle Lake in Norfolk, CT. Judy was very athletic winning quite a few awards in tennis, paddle tennis, and golf. Later in life, she and Don took up hiking in Tennessee and Maine as well as the woods in Doolittle. Judy loved reading, traveling, opera, birding, and construction projects with Don along with collecting shells in Florida where they wintered for 10 years before moving year-round to Doolittle Lake. Although shy, Judy had a wonderful sense of humor which included laughing at herself. To her three daughters, the following says it all:

She always leaned to watch for us,

Anxious if we were late, In winter by the window,

In summer by the gate.

She always leaned to watch us,

Whether acting in a play, Or playing in a sport, Supportive was her way And though we mocked her tenderly,

What comfort that she cared, She never left her seat, We always knew she’s there Until we all come home to her, In her seat, we know she’ll wait,

Watching from Heaven’s window,

Leaning from Heaven’s gate. Judy is survived by her three daughters, Laurie Matson and her husband Michael of Brookfield, CT, Lise Read and her husband Marshal of New Fairfield, CT and Carrie O’Connor and her husband John of Loudonville, NY; her seven grandchildren, Kyle and Kate Matson, Ben Read, John (Carlene), Ryan, Annabel and Andrew O’Connor; her sister Louise Davis and her husband David and a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Lucretia Riker.

There are no calling hours and services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please visit Judy’s “Book of Memories” at www. vincentfuneralhome.com for online tributes.

Joseph W. Geyer, Sr., 89, of Southbury (formerly New Milford) left our world to join the love of his life, Nadine, on May 20, 2019. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA on May 31,

1929 to the late José and Isabel (Llewellyn) Santiago and was later adopted by his step-father, William Geyer, when Isabel remarried.

Joseph earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Mansfield University (formerly Mansfield State Teachers College) and a Masters of Music Education from Boston University. He taught in the Camden (NY) Central Schools from 1953-1954, Meyers High School (Wilkes-Barre, PA) from

1954-1959 and Litchfield (CT) Public Schools from 1959 until his retirement in 1986. In retirement, Joe served on the New Milford Board of Realtors.

Joseph served his country proudly in the Army during the Korean War and often told the story of playing taps to the North Koreans each night at sunset.

Professionally, Joe was a member of the CT Music Educators Association (President 198385), Berkshire League Music Festival and Phi Beta Mu. He was a tenor oratorio soloist for the Norwalk Symphony, Danbury Community Chorus, Asylum Hill Congregational Church and the Choir Director for the Litchfield Congregational Church for many years. He directed the Torrington Men’s Choral Club, the Bristol Chorale, and the Southington Festival Chorale at various times during his life.

Joseph had a love of sports. He was a die-hard Yankees fan and played golf on a regular basis until he had to hang up his clubs this past spring. His love of sports translated into officiating. Joe spend many years refereeing volleyball, softball and wrestling at the high school and college level.

Joseph was a member the Philanthropic #164 F & AM (NY) and St. Peter’s Lodge in New Milford. He was honored to recently receive his 65 year membership pin.

The public service aspect of Joe’s life included serving as a Justice of the Peace in New Milford and serving on the New Milford Board of Education for 15 years where as Chairman of the Northville School Committee, he was able to see the new elementary school come to fruition.

Joseph was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, Nadine D. Geyer of Southbury. He leaves behind his children and their spouses: Pamela Geyer, Joseph (Julie) Geyer, Nadine (Jeffrey) Pratt, David(Marina) Geyer, Paul (Jill) Geyer and Rebecca (Alex) Barelka; Grandchildren: Christopher (Tiffany) Marsh, Lindsay Marsh, Michael and Jennifer Geyer, Katie (fiancé Tom DiMarco) Pratt, Melissa Pratt, David, Jr. and Daniel Geyer, Paul, Jr. and Anna Geyer and Rachel and Jackson Barelka of and great-granddaughter Ellie Marsh.

The family would like to thank the staff at The Hearth in Southbury and Danbury Hospital for the wonderful care they provided.

In lieu of calling hours, a celebration of Joe’s life will take place on Saturday, May 25 at 11 a.m. at North Congregational Church, 11 Main St. North, Woodbury, CT to be followed by a reception at 11:45 in the church parlor that will include a Masonic Service. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of the New Milford Public Library, Inc., New Milford, CT. or the Wounded Warrior Project. Hull Funeral Service, 60 Division St., Danbury, CT is in charge of the arrangements.

To light a candle or leave an online condolence, please visit Hullfuneralservice.com.

Allison Piper Miglietta passed away on May

4, 2019 after a short illness. She was born on May 18, 1959 in Keene, New Hampshire, as the second child of Anne and Roy Piper. She graduated from Keene High School in 1977 where she excelled in academics and music. She then went to Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA, where she graduated Magna cum Laude with an A.B. in Biochemistry in

1981. While at Mount Holyoke, she did original research on the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. She then went to the University of Wisconsin, Madison and earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1987. Her thesis work was on the regulatory mechanisms of the protist Paramecium aurelia. It was in Madison where she met her husband, John Miglietta; they married in Keene in 1984. After completing their graduate work, they moved to Bethel Connecticut, where they lived for 31 years. While in Bethel, she started her scientific editing career. She built Clarity Editing from inception to a