Eliza (Swan) Ventres, 104, of Manchester, passed away Friday night (January 18, 2002) at Manchester Manor. She was the wife of the late, Raymond Ventres of East Haddam.
She was born August 13, 1897, in East Haddam, daughter of the late Ralph B. and Anna May (Roper) Swan also of East Haddam. She grew up in the Swan Hotel in East Haddam, a historic inn that was then owned and run by her father and is now known as the Gelston House. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, "her favorite place" and majored in music history and classical piano. She graduated in 1917 having completed a four year program in three years, and at the age of 20, she was one of the school's youngest graduates. After she graduated, she used her skills to accompany singers, to play at dancing schools and to play at area churches.
In 1922, she married Raymond Ventres and during World War II when he was away she continued to play piano for musical theater productions organized to raise money for the war effort. Music continued to be a major part of her life and after her husband died in 1953, she continued to practice her piano every day and continued to play for others at convalescent homes, area churches, memorials, concerts, etc. She was still playing her favorite classical music, musical comedy tunes and war era music for her family and friends at the Manchester Manor until she was 103 years old. To watch her fingers play over the keyboard you would never have guessed her age.
Besides having music in her life, she was also an ardent Red Sox fan, watching all the games, knowing most of the players and their stats. She also loved to travel, visiting Bermuda and Spain when she was in her eighties. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 78 in East Haddam, the Charmonade of Manchester and the A.A.R.P.
Mrs. Ventres is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth V. Blaschik of Glastonbury, Lois Davidson of Lancaster, PA; five grandchildren, Raymond and Richard Blaschik both of Manchester, Betty Jean Richards of Brevard, NC, Hope Hodges of Wauseon, OH, and John Davidson of Houston, TX; seven great grandchildren, Jeff Blaschik, Hope and Erin Richards, Philip and Wade Hodges, Kyle and Lane Davidson; and two great great grandchildren, Evan and Kolby Blaschik.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 25, at 11 a.m. at the Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in East Haddam. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial donations may be made to the West Hill Gardens Congregate Activity Fund, 10 Ada Lane, Manchester, CT. 06040.
(Published by the Hartford Courant on January 22, 2002.)
She was born August 13, 1897, in East Haddam, daughter of the late Ralph B. and Anna May (Roper) Swan also of East Haddam. She grew up in the Swan Hotel in East Haddam, a historic inn that was then owned and run by her father and is now known as the Gelston House. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, "her favorite place" and majored in music history and classical piano. She graduated in 1917 having completed a four year program in three years, and at the age of 20, she was one of the school's youngest graduates. After she graduated, she used her skills to accompany singers, to play at dancing schools and to play at area churches.
In 1922, she married Raymond Ventres and during World War II when he was away she continued to play piano for musical theater productions organized to raise money for the war effort. Music continued to be a major part of her life and after her husband died in 1953, she continued to practice her piano every day and continued to play for others at convalescent homes, area churches, memorials, concerts, etc. She was still playing her favorite classical music, musical comedy tunes and war era music for her family and friends at the Manchester Manor until she was 103 years old. To watch her fingers play over the keyboard you would never have guessed her age.
Besides having music in her life, she was also an ardent Red Sox fan, watching all the games, knowing most of the players and their stats. She also loved to travel, visiting Bermuda and Spain when she was in her eighties. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 78 in East Haddam, the Charmonade of Manchester and the A.A.R.P.
Mrs. Ventres is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth V. Blaschik of Glastonbury, Lois Davidson of Lancaster, PA; five grandchildren, Raymond and Richard Blaschik both of Manchester, Betty Jean Richards of Brevard, NC, Hope Hodges of Wauseon, OH, and John Davidson of Houston, TX; seven great grandchildren, Jeff Blaschik, Hope and Erin Richards, Philip and Wade Hodges, Kyle and Lane Davidson; and two great great grandchildren, Evan and Kolby Blaschik.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 25, at 11 a.m. at the Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in East Haddam. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial donations may be made to the West Hill Gardens Congregate Activity Fund, 10 Ada Lane, Manchester, CT. 06040.
(Published by the Hartford Courant on January 22, 2002.)
Eliza (Swan) Ventres, 104, of Manchester, passed away Friday night (January 18, 2002) at Manchester Manor. She was the wife of the late, Raymond Ventres of East Haddam.
She was born August 13, 1897, in East Haddam, daughter of the late Ralph B. and Anna May (Roper) Swan also of East Haddam. She grew up in the Swan Hotel in East Haddam, a historic inn that was then owned and run by her father and is now known as the Gelston House. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, "her favorite place" and majored in music history and classical piano. She graduated in 1917 having completed a four year program in three years, and at the age of 20, she was one of the school's youngest graduates. After she graduated, she used her skills to accompany singers, to play at dancing schools and to play at area churches.
In 1922, she married Raymond Ventres and during World War II when he was away she continued to play piano for musical theater productions organized to raise money for the war effort. Music continued to be a major part of her life and after her husband died in 1953, she continued to practice her piano every day and continued to play for others at convalescent homes, area churches, memorials, concerts, etc. She was still playing her favorite classical music, musical comedy tunes and war era music for her family and friends at the Manchester Manor until she was 103 years old. To watch her fingers play over the keyboard you would never have guessed her age.
Besides having music in her life, she was also an ardent Red Sox fan, watching all the games, knowing most of the players and their stats. She also loved to travel, visiting Bermuda and Spain when she was in her eighties. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 78 in East Haddam, the Charmonade of Manchester and the A.A.R.P.
Mrs. Ventres is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth V. Blaschik of Glastonbury, Lois Davidson of Lancaster, PA; five grandchildren, Raymond and Richard Blaschik both of Manchester, Betty Jean Richards of Brevard, NC, Hope Hodges of Wauseon, OH, and John Davidson of Houston, TX; seven great grandchildren, Jeff Blaschik, Hope and Erin Richards, Philip and Wade Hodges, Kyle and Lane Davidson; and two great great grandchildren, Evan and Kolby Blaschik.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 25, at 11 a.m. at the Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in East Haddam. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial donations may be made to the West Hill Gardens Congregate Activity Fund, 10 Ada Lane, Manchester, CT. 06040.
(Published by the Hartford Courant on January 22, 2002.)
She was born August 13, 1897, in East Haddam, daughter of the late Ralph B. and Anna May (Roper) Swan also of East Haddam. She grew up in the Swan Hotel in East Haddam, a historic inn that was then owned and run by her father and is now known as the Gelston House. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, "her favorite place" and majored in music history and classical piano. She graduated in 1917 having completed a four year program in three years, and at the age of 20, she was one of the school's youngest graduates. After she graduated, she used her skills to accompany singers, to play at dancing schools and to play at area churches.
In 1922, she married Raymond Ventres and during World War II when he was away she continued to play piano for musical theater productions organized to raise money for the war effort. Music continued to be a major part of her life and after her husband died in 1953, she continued to practice her piano every day and continued to play for others at convalescent homes, area churches, memorials, concerts, etc. She was still playing her favorite classical music, musical comedy tunes and war era music for her family and friends at the Manchester Manor until she was 103 years old. To watch her fingers play over the keyboard you would never have guessed her age.
Besides having music in her life, she was also an ardent Red Sox fan, watching all the games, knowing most of the players and their stats. She also loved to travel, visiting Bermuda and Spain when she was in her eighties. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter # 78 in East Haddam, the Charmonade of Manchester and the A.A.R.P.
Mrs. Ventres is survived by two daughters, Elizabeth V. Blaschik of Glastonbury, Lois Davidson of Lancaster, PA; five grandchildren, Raymond and Richard Blaschik both of Manchester, Betty Jean Richards of Brevard, NC, Hope Hodges of Wauseon, OH, and John Davidson of Houston, TX; seven great grandchildren, Jeff Blaschik, Hope and Erin Richards, Philip and Wade Hodges, Kyle and Lane Davidson; and two great great grandchildren, Evan and Kolby Blaschik.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 25, at 11 a.m. at the Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester. Burial will be in the Riverview Cemetery in East Haddam. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Memorial donations may be made to the West Hill Gardens Congregate Activity Fund, 10 Ada Lane, Manchester, CT. 06040.
(Published by the Hartford Courant on January 22, 2002.)
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