Ralph Ney Madara, 89, of Niles Hill Road, Waterford, entered eternal life on April 2, 2011, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born Sept 11, 1921, in Tremont, PA, the son of the late Charles and Anna (Ney) Madara. He was educated at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades and later enrolled in the US Merchant Marine Academy. At the outbreak of World War II he enlisted in active duty with the Merchant Marines.
He married the former Mary Walasavage on Aug 23, 1947. at St Stanislaus Church in Minersville, PA. Ralph and Mary moved to Waterford in 1955, where he was employed by Electric Boat in Groton for 33 years as an engineering aide, retiring in 1988.
He served the Town of Waterford for more than 20 years as a member of the Representative Town Meeting, RTM moderator, member of the Board of Selectmen and as chairman of the Ethics Committee. He was a member of the Republican Town Committee.
Ralph was on the board of the Waterford Historical Society where he was also the volunteer blacksmith. He especially enjoyed demonstrating the trade to children during the annual Sheep to Shawl days. He also served on the board of the West Farms Land Trust, a society dedicated to preserving open space in Waterford. The Land Trust honored his service by dedicating a 17-acre tract of land in Waterford as the Madara Woods. Ralph volunteered at the New London Area Food Pantry for more than 20 years, driving his truck to pick up donations and helping distribute food.
After retirement he and Mary traveled across the country several times in their motor home, visiting 48 states, including Alaska. Ralph collected maps of all the states and destinations to help him share their memories with family and friends.
He enjoyed camping, sailing, canoeing, gardening, bird watching, dancing, and fixing anything that was broken, often making the missing part on his metal or wood lathe. He was an accomplished craftsman, having built the first family home in Pennsylvania. He was passionate about propagating jade plants, which he shared with friends and family. He never missed an opportunity to cook a pancake breakfast for family and visitors.
Besides his beloved wife of 63 years, he is survived by five children; Suzanne Maryeski of Waterford and her friend Bill Williams; Bruce and his wife, Susan Madara, of Appleton, ME; Anne Madara and her partner, Patricia Mock, of Framingham, MA; Douglas Madara of Bartlett, NH; and Mary Beth and her husband, Michael Strout, of Waterford, CT; a sister Violet Diehl of Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Theo, Justin and Lauren, Mia Maryeski and her husband, Jamie Jones, and Allison, Nicholas and Samuel Strout; and two great-grandchildren, Jasper and Phoenix Jones.
He was predeceased by two siblings, Joseph Madara and Elizabeth Snyder.
His family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 pm on Friday at the Impellitteri-Malia Funeral Home, 84 Montauk Avenue, New London. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am on Saturday at St Joseph Church. Interment will be in East Neck Cemetery, Waterford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ralph's memory may be made to the Waterford Historical Society, PO Box 117, Waterford, CT 06385 or the New London Area Food Pantry, 45 Broad St, New London, CT 06320.
Published in The Day on April 7, 2011
He was born Sept 11, 1921, in Tremont, PA, the son of the late Charles and Anna (Ney) Madara. He was educated at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades and later enrolled in the US Merchant Marine Academy. At the outbreak of World War II he enlisted in active duty with the Merchant Marines.
He married the former Mary Walasavage on Aug 23, 1947. at St Stanislaus Church in Minersville, PA. Ralph and Mary moved to Waterford in 1955, where he was employed by Electric Boat in Groton for 33 years as an engineering aide, retiring in 1988.
He served the Town of Waterford for more than 20 years as a member of the Representative Town Meeting, RTM moderator, member of the Board of Selectmen and as chairman of the Ethics Committee. He was a member of the Republican Town Committee.
Ralph was on the board of the Waterford Historical Society where he was also the volunteer blacksmith. He especially enjoyed demonstrating the trade to children during the annual Sheep to Shawl days. He also served on the board of the West Farms Land Trust, a society dedicated to preserving open space in Waterford. The Land Trust honored his service by dedicating a 17-acre tract of land in Waterford as the Madara Woods. Ralph volunteered at the New London Area Food Pantry for more than 20 years, driving his truck to pick up donations and helping distribute food.
After retirement he and Mary traveled across the country several times in their motor home, visiting 48 states, including Alaska. Ralph collected maps of all the states and destinations to help him share their memories with family and friends.
He enjoyed camping, sailing, canoeing, gardening, bird watching, dancing, and fixing anything that was broken, often making the missing part on his metal or wood lathe. He was an accomplished craftsman, having built the first family home in Pennsylvania. He was passionate about propagating jade plants, which he shared with friends and family. He never missed an opportunity to cook a pancake breakfast for family and visitors.
Besides his beloved wife of 63 years, he is survived by five children; Suzanne Maryeski of Waterford and her friend Bill Williams; Bruce and his wife, Susan Madara, of Appleton, ME; Anne Madara and her partner, Patricia Mock, of Framingham, MA; Douglas Madara of Bartlett, NH; and Mary Beth and her husband, Michael Strout, of Waterford, CT; a sister Violet Diehl of Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Theo, Justin and Lauren, Mia Maryeski and her husband, Jamie Jones, and Allison, Nicholas and Samuel Strout; and two great-grandchildren, Jasper and Phoenix Jones.
He was predeceased by two siblings, Joseph Madara and Elizabeth Snyder.
His family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 pm on Friday at the Impellitteri-Malia Funeral Home, 84 Montauk Avenue, New London. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am on Saturday at St Joseph Church. Interment will be in East Neck Cemetery, Waterford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ralph's memory may be made to the Waterford Historical Society, PO Box 117, Waterford, CT 06385 or the New London Area Food Pantry, 45 Broad St, New London, CT 06320.
Published in The Day on April 7, 2011
Ralph Ney Madara, 89, of Niles Hill Road, Waterford, entered eternal life on April 2, 2011, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born Sept 11, 1921, in Tremont, PA, the son of the late Charles and Anna (Ney) Madara. He was educated at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades and later enrolled in the US Merchant Marine Academy. At the outbreak of World War II he enlisted in active duty with the Merchant Marines.
He married the former Mary Walasavage on Aug 23, 1947. at St Stanislaus Church in Minersville, PA. Ralph and Mary moved to Waterford in 1955, where he was employed by Electric Boat in Groton for 33 years as an engineering aide, retiring in 1988.
He served the Town of Waterford for more than 20 years as a member of the Representative Town Meeting, RTM moderator, member of the Board of Selectmen and as chairman of the Ethics Committee. He was a member of the Republican Town Committee.
Ralph was on the board of the Waterford Historical Society where he was also the volunteer blacksmith. He especially enjoyed demonstrating the trade to children during the annual Sheep to Shawl days. He also served on the board of the West Farms Land Trust, a society dedicated to preserving open space in Waterford. The Land Trust honored his service by dedicating a 17-acre tract of land in Waterford as the Madara Woods. Ralph volunteered at the New London Area Food Pantry for more than 20 years, driving his truck to pick up donations and helping distribute food.
After retirement he and Mary traveled across the country several times in their motor home, visiting 48 states, including Alaska. Ralph collected maps of all the states and destinations to help him share their memories with family and friends.
He enjoyed camping, sailing, canoeing, gardening, bird watching, dancing, and fixing anything that was broken, often making the missing part on his metal or wood lathe. He was an accomplished craftsman, having built the first family home in Pennsylvania. He was passionate about propagating jade plants, which he shared with friends and family. He never missed an opportunity to cook a pancake breakfast for family and visitors.
Besides his beloved wife of 63 years, he is survived by five children; Suzanne Maryeski of Waterford and her friend Bill Williams; Bruce and his wife, Susan Madara, of Appleton, ME; Anne Madara and her partner, Patricia Mock, of Framingham, MA; Douglas Madara of Bartlett, NH; and Mary Beth and her husband, Michael Strout, of Waterford, CT; a sister Violet Diehl of Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Theo, Justin and Lauren, Mia Maryeski and her husband, Jamie Jones, and Allison, Nicholas and Samuel Strout; and two great-grandchildren, Jasper and Phoenix Jones.
He was predeceased by two siblings, Joseph Madara and Elizabeth Snyder.
His family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 pm on Friday at the Impellitteri-Malia Funeral Home, 84 Montauk Avenue, New London. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am on Saturday at St Joseph Church. Interment will be in East Neck Cemetery, Waterford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ralph's memory may be made to the Waterford Historical Society, PO Box 117, Waterford, CT 06385 or the New London Area Food Pantry, 45 Broad St, New London, CT 06320.
Published in The Day on April 7, 2011
He was born Sept 11, 1921, in Tremont, PA, the son of the late Charles and Anna (Ney) Madara. He was educated at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades and later enrolled in the US Merchant Marine Academy. At the outbreak of World War II he enlisted in active duty with the Merchant Marines.
He married the former Mary Walasavage on Aug 23, 1947. at St Stanislaus Church in Minersville, PA. Ralph and Mary moved to Waterford in 1955, where he was employed by Electric Boat in Groton for 33 years as an engineering aide, retiring in 1988.
He served the Town of Waterford for more than 20 years as a member of the Representative Town Meeting, RTM moderator, member of the Board of Selectmen and as chairman of the Ethics Committee. He was a member of the Republican Town Committee.
Ralph was on the board of the Waterford Historical Society where he was also the volunteer blacksmith. He especially enjoyed demonstrating the trade to children during the annual Sheep to Shawl days. He also served on the board of the West Farms Land Trust, a society dedicated to preserving open space in Waterford. The Land Trust honored his service by dedicating a 17-acre tract of land in Waterford as the Madara Woods. Ralph volunteered at the New London Area Food Pantry for more than 20 years, driving his truck to pick up donations and helping distribute food.
After retirement he and Mary traveled across the country several times in their motor home, visiting 48 states, including Alaska. Ralph collected maps of all the states and destinations to help him share their memories with family and friends.
He enjoyed camping, sailing, canoeing, gardening, bird watching, dancing, and fixing anything that was broken, often making the missing part on his metal or wood lathe. He was an accomplished craftsman, having built the first family home in Pennsylvania. He was passionate about propagating jade plants, which he shared with friends and family. He never missed an opportunity to cook a pancake breakfast for family and visitors.
Besides his beloved wife of 63 years, he is survived by five children; Suzanne Maryeski of Waterford and her friend Bill Williams; Bruce and his wife, Susan Madara, of Appleton, ME; Anne Madara and her partner, Patricia Mock, of Framingham, MA; Douglas Madara of Bartlett, NH; and Mary Beth and her husband, Michael Strout, of Waterford, CT; a sister Violet Diehl of Pennsylvania; seven grandchildren, Theo, Justin and Lauren, Mia Maryeski and her husband, Jamie Jones, and Allison, Nicholas and Samuel Strout; and two great-grandchildren, Jasper and Phoenix Jones.
He was predeceased by two siblings, Joseph Madara and Elizabeth Snyder.
His family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 pm on Friday at the Impellitteri-Malia Funeral Home, 84 Montauk Avenue, New London. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am on Saturday at St Joseph Church. Interment will be in East Neck Cemetery, Waterford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ralph's memory may be made to the Waterford Historical Society, PO Box 117, Waterford, CT 06385 or the New London Area Food Pantry, 45 Broad St, New London, CT 06320.
Published in The Day on April 7, 2011
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