Hitting the hoops
With a ball in hand, a group of rising basketball players took to the court inside the Dover Middle/High School gymnasium to test their skills. Photo by Kaitlin Lyle
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Lucille C. Nelson
Feb 11, 2026
SHARON — Lucille C. Nelson, 93, of Sharon Valley passed away Feb. 1, 2026, at Sharon Hospital after a short illness. Her loving family was at her side. She was the wife of the late Edwin O. Nelson.
Lucille was born Nov. 28, 1932, in Vergennes, Vermont, the daughter of the late Eldred Cunningham Sr. and Lilah LaRose Cunningham.
She graduated from Vergennes High School in 1950.
In 1953, Lucille married Eddie Nelson while he was home on medical leave from the United States Army where he was actively serving during the Korean Conflict. The young couple moved to Connecticut in 1960.
In 1970 they bought their home in Sharon where Lucille would reside for the next 55 years.
Lucille began her career at The Hotchkiss School in 1966. Over the years, she held many positions within the school, including work in the mail room and serving as secretary to the Head Master. From 1987 until her retirement in 2006, she served as the Gifts Manager in the Alumni and Development Office, where she was responsible for processing gifts to the school. In recognition of her dedication and service, Lucille received the Independent School Support Staff Distinguished Service Award in 1992 from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) of Washington, D.C. She was deeply devoted to The Hotchkiss School and treasured her school “family.”
Outside of work, Lucille was an avid gardener with a true green thumb. She enjoyed crocheting and knitting, staying active through walking and exercise, and especially looked forward to her Monday night dinners with friends.
Most of all, Lucille treasured time spent with her family, which brought her the greatest joy.
Lucille is survived by her children, Eric (Cindy) Nelson, Diane N. (Peter) Selino and Scott (Bianca) Nelson of Sharon and by her brother, David Cunningham of Vergennes, Vermont. She has 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her children, Lynn, Michael and Jon Nelson; and her grandson, Mark Selino; and her siblings, Eldred Cunningham Jr., Leonard Cunningham (her twin brother), Rosalene Casey, Beverly Peck, and Richard Cunningham.
A graveside service and burial will be held at Ellsworth Cemetery in Sharon, with a reception following in the spring. All are welcome to attend. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sharon Volunteer Ambulance, P.O. Box 357, Sharon, CT 06069. Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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Sara L. Swain
Feb 11, 2026
WATERFORD, N.Y. —Sara L. Swain, 79, of Fonda Road and formerly of Ashley Falls, Massachusetts, passed away at home, peacefully on Feb. 6, 2026. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she was the daughter of the late John Leslie James and Margaret Clayland Reichard.
Sara was employed at Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut for 30 years until she retired in the early 2000’s. She worshipped at the Becket Federated Church in Becket, Massachusetts and the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She enjoyed gardening, loved plants and animals (especially cats) and traveling. She also was very interested in archiving her family’s genealogy, both immediate and extended.
Sara leaves her daughter, Carrie Swain of Waterford (Kurt) and was predeceased by daughter, Samantha Tyer (Bill). She also leaves her sister, Caroline James, her niece, Kristen Dudley, and her grandchildren Gus Gundlach, Seamus and Sophie O’Brien, and Sarah and Daniel Tyer.
A private graveside committal service will be held in Pittsburgh. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Shriners Hospital: donate.shrinerschildrens.org
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Dennis John Parsons
Feb 11, 2026
ANCRAM — Dennis John Parsons, 73, a lifelong area resident died peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at Columbia Memorial Health Center in Hudson, New York. Mr. Parsons worked for ten years at the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Ancram Mill, in Ancram, New York, as a manufacturing operator prior to a work injury that sidelined his career.
Born Dec. 7, 1952, in Sharon, Connecticut, he was the son of the late William Parsons, Sr. and Elizabeth A. (Milton) Swartz. He was educated locally and served his country in the United States Army as a helicopter mechanic during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged following his service.
Mr. Parsons was an avid deer hunter who enjoyed hunting with his son Kyle and playing pool in his spare time. He liked classic hot rod cars in his younger years, especially his VW Beetle and his red 1954 International pickup truck. He very much enjoyed socializing and spending time in recent years with his family and many friends at his garage, a social hotspot in Ancram. He will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.
Mr. Parsons is survived by his son, Kyle L. Burdick and his wife Melissa of Stanfordville, New York; three grandchildren, Jerimiah and Dylan Burdick of Elizaville, New York, and Dominique Burdick of Stanfordville; two brothers, William Parsons and his wife Rosie and David Parsons; two sisters, Pamela Miles and her husband Michael and Kathleen Sigler and her longtime companion Don Bird; his brother-in-law Michael DeWitt and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two sisters, Donna DeWitt of Millerton and Lori Jean Parsons of Pine Plains and several beloved pets.
Visitation, funeral and Visitation, funeral and burial information may be announced at a later date. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Dennis’s honor please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com Arrangements have been entrusted to the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.
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Karl Liebsch
Feb 11, 2026
NORFOLK — Karl Liebsch passed away unexpectedly in his home on Jan. 9, 2026, at the age of 72.
Karl was born on Dec. 2, 1954, in Hamburg, Germany, to Erich and Hedwig Liebsch. He later made his home in the United States, where he built a life grounded in family, hard work, and simple joys. He lived for many years in the village of Southfield in New Marlborough, Massachusetts, and moved to Norfolk, Connecticut in 2024.
Karl proudly served in the United States Air Force as a mechanic, a role that reflected his lifelong passion and talent for working with machines. He graduated from Mount Everett Regional High School in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in 1972.
Following his service, Karl dedicated over 30 years of his career to Becton Dickinson in Canaan, Connecticut, where he was known for his strong work ethic, mechanical skill, and reliability.
Karl had a deep love for cars and everything about them—tinkering, fixing, restoring, and talking about them. He also found peace and pride in his gardens, nurturing flowers with the same care he gave to those around him. A big kid at heart, Karl enjoyed laughter, music, and the simple pleasure of a beautiful summer night spent by a fire pit with good music and good company.
Karl is survived by his daughter, Rebecca Liebsch and her husband Brian Cecchinato;Rebecca’s mother Gail Liebsch;his stepchildren, Michael Eichsted, David Streeter, and Chris Streeter; and his siblings, Ursula Bushey, Renate Heeder, and Eleanor Stowell. And many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his sisters Erica Liebsch and Anne Brooks.
Karl will be remembered for his mechanical mind, gentle heart, and love of life’s simple moments. He leaves behind many who will miss him deeply and carry his memory forward.
A private celebration will be held for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, make a donation to your local VFW in Karl’s honor!
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