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Steven Michael Willette
Jan 14, 2026
SHARON — Steven Michael “Bird” Willette, 76, of Silver Lake Shores, passed away on Dec. 25, 2025, at Vassar Brother Medical Center, with his family at his side.
Steve was born in New York City to Dorman Willette and Ann (Sabol) Willette.
He grew up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, where he fell in love with doowop, a cappella, and all things music.
As a teen he spent summers in Sharon, where he and his family built a cabin near Mudge Pond; he relocated here permanently in the early 90s to raise his children amid the strong community and natural beauty.
Steve was a vocalist, a genuine classic car lover, and a silversmith; he operated a jewelry business with his wife for a number of years, after which he worked as a bus driver, safely driving children for Connecticut Region 1 as well as the Webutuck School.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Maureen; his son, Ryan; and his daughter, Desirée.
The family has chosen to temporarily hold off on memorial services to allow more time for loved ones to join us. Details will be made public as they are decided on.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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Sarah M. Polhemus
Jan 14, 2026
SALISBURY — Sarah M. Polhemus, died peacefully on Dec. 23, 2025, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, Connecticut where she had been a resident for the past four years. Born in Torrington, she was the daughter of A.H. “Hank” Mitchell and Orpha Brown Robinson. She lived in Stamford until 1941, at which time her family relocated to Salisbury, where she lived most of the balance of her life.
“Squeak” (A childhood nickname that stayed with her throughout her life) spent her youth in Salisbury until she left for boarding school at The Northfield School For Girls (Now Northfield Mount Herman School). After graduation, she followed in her mother’s footsteps to Connecticut College. Upon graduation, she headed to New York City where she worked and lived for a number of years, before moving to Wilton, where she started her family. But Salisbury was always home. In 1974, she returned to Salisbury with her family and began working for her family real estate firm, Robinson Real Estate. She worked alongside her mother and sister Louise (“Petie”), eventually partnering with her sister to form Robinson-Polhemus Real Estate. Here she remained for the next three decades, until she retired in 2007.
After retirement, she embarked on her “second career” with various board roles. She served on the board of The Corner Food Pantry and Taconic Learning Center, served as clerk of the Congregational Church for several years and even served as the Salisbury Town Treasurer from 2013-2015.
An outdoors and sports person, she loved her time on the tennis and platform tennis courts, participating in many local tournaments over the years. But her first love was golf – Playing and competing with her course partner and sister Petie and her large circle of golfing friends. In fact, in 1980, she beat her sister Petie just one time in the Sharon Country Club Women’s Golf Championship (Petie won the championship several times and flanked her before and after, but 1980 was “Squeak’s year”!). She continued at Sharon for many years, before calling the Hotchkiss course her home course in later years.
Always wearing a smile and always seeing the positive in everything, she was able to laugh at even the most unsettling situations and never let the negative stuff get her down. A loving, and loved, member of the Salisbury community, she was a family person, first and foremost and her “family” extended to countless people she touched in the community. She was a wealth of knowledge and true storehouse of time as it related to Salisbury and loved sharing funny stories about the old days in our quiet little corner. Some stories were actually hard to believe – by today’s standards – like sledding as a child all the way from the Erickson Farm up on Bunker Hill to Main Street Salisbury, right on the road! but, they were true nonetheless. She loved her home of Salisbury and the many good friends and family with whom she shared her native turf over the decades.
She was predeceased by her brother, Donald L. Mitchell and sisters, Ann R. Noble and Ann M. Van Deusen. She is survived by her sister, Louise W. Robinson of Salisbury, her daughter Sarah Bartle (Tom) and granddaughters, Sandy and Nicki Bartle, all of Wilmington, North Carolina. She is also survived by her son, Freddy Polhemus, of Lakeville, and granddaughters, Emily Polhemus (Conor) of Columbia Falls, Montana, and Katherine Polhemus (Jacob) of Rutland, Vermont.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to The Noble Horizons General Fund.
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George E. Wentworth
Jan 14, 2026
CANAAN — George E. Wentworth, 83, of South Deerfield, passed away peacefully on Jan. 3, surrounded by his three beloved nieces.
Born on Nov. 21, 1942, in Northampton, Massachusetts to Howard Wentworth and Velma B. McDowell, he was the oldest of their three children and a graduate of Amherst Regional High School Class of 1962.
George was a gentle kindhearted dairy farmer who lived a simple peaceful life valuing his family, his heritage and traditions.
George was born into the Wentworth Family Farm located on Stanley Street in Amherst. He enjoyed a childhood surrounded by generations of dairy farmers. He was active in local 4-H clubs and enjoyed reminiscing about his memories of traveling around the country with his 4-H friends. A favorite tale of his was when he traveled to Waterloo, Iowa to represent his local 4-H club and the Future Farmers of America as a judge at the National Dairy Cattle Congress in 1962.
George and his parents continued their farming legacy in 1964 when they started the Canaan Valley Farm in East Canaan, Connecticut. There they continued milking and breeding registered Ayrshire cattle until 1986 when they returned to Massachusetts to be closer to family.
George worked for Bill Graves of Conway, the Williams family at Mt. Toby Farm in Sunderland and later retired from the Cook Family Farm in Hadley.After retirement he enjoyed visiting with the Cook and West families of Hadley.
Some of George’s favorite pass times were driving through the farms and backroads of Western Massachusetts, grabbing a hot black coffee and his annual trip to the Canadian Dairysale. He could be found visiting family and friends, often delivering fresh vegetables from his garden, and always sharing memories through his cherished family photos. George rarely missed a Hadley Young Men’s Club dinner or the opportunity to celebrate an ARHS class reunion.
He was loving cared for by his nieces and nephews Amy and Shane Stout, Jeff and Mimi Wentworth, Emily and Scott Ewell, and Sarah andGeorge Emery.
George was immensely proud of his great nieces and nephews, Wyatt Bourbeau and Captain Trent Bourbeau, USMC; Savannah and Peyton Emery; Sydney and Reese Ewell; Jake and Tyler Moynihan. He could often be found at their sporting events, school activities, and family celebrations.
George was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Carol Jenks and his niece Stephanie Wentworth.He is survived by brother Arthur Wentworth (Linda), brother-in-law Duane Jenks and partner Kathy LaPointe, and extended family.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m.on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at Kostanski Funeral Home, 1 Kostanski Square, Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376.A calling hour will begin at 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 11 a.m.Burial will take place at Elm Grove Cemetery, 524 Turners Falls Road, Montague immediately following.
Memorial contributions in George’s honor can be made to the Massachusetts Ayrshire Breeders Association in care of Marilyn Donovan, Club Treasurer, PO Box 133, Chesterfield, MA 01012.
For condolences, please visit www.kostanskifuneralhome.com
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Thomas Phillip Brod
Jan 14, 2026
SHARON — Thomas was born in London, England, May 1, 1945.His parents had left Germany in 1938 and arrived in England by way of Prague.Thomas grew up in London and followed his father into the Brod Gallery, specializing in Dutch 17th century paintings and drawings.When he was eighteen, his father sent him to the United States for the first time.His assignment was to travel the country visiting collectors and museums.This would be his first trip, but many would follow.
Thomas loved art, music, travel, skiing, woodworking, and everything that went up in the air (he was a private pilot and also enjoyed flying radio control model airplanes).But there was nothing he loved more than his family.His four children, Alex, Jonathan, Julian and Amelia, their spouses, and his grandchildren.Thomas had Parkinson’s disease for 36 years, which progressively hindered many of his usual activities.But time spent with his family, children, grandchildren and his wife, Brenda, always brought him joy and increased energy.He always had a wry and surprising sense of humor, and laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, or a raised eyebrow, when someone made a joke.
Thomas, Brenda and family lived in Sharon for part of each year, beginning in 1983.In 2018, Thomas and Brenda moved permanently to Sharon.Thomas felt a strong kinship to this area from his first visit.It is where he, and his family, spent many of the happiest moments of their lives.We are glad that his last years were spent here.
Thomas died at home in the early hours of New Year’s day after enjoying a New Year’s dinner with his family.
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