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Time for an upgrade
Jun 18, 2025
Photo by Nathan Miller
A crew from Self Made LLC installed LED lights on the clocktower of the Millerton Moviehouse in the Village on Wednesday, June 11. The new LEDs replace old lights that had shone on the clocktower for more than a decade.
Ronald Anthony Orlando
Jun 18, 2025
MILLERTON — Ronald Anthony Orlando, Jr., 59, of Millerton, passed away at home on June 12, 2025, following an eighteen-year battle with bone marrow failure diseases and acute myeloid leukemia. He is survived by his wife Linda Moon Orlando at home; his parents, Ronald and Marlene Orlando, Sr. of Sharon, Connecticut; his son, Nathaniel Orlando; his brother, Todd Orlando of Lincoln Park, New Jersey; three nieces, Jordan, Alex and Avery; his brother-in-law, Robert Moon of Pawling, NY, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Ronald was born on July 10, 1965, in Peekskill, New York. He grew up in Putnam Valley, New York, and graduated from Peekskill High School in 1983. Ronald graduated from Elizabethtown College in 1988 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and from Fordham University in 1989 with a Master’s Degree in Education.
Ronald was previously employed by Putnam County Dept. of Social Services and Dutchess County Dept. of Social Services. At the time of his retirement, he was employed as a probation officer with Dutchess County Probation.
Ronald was a proud Eagle Scout and also served as a Cub Scout leader with his son’s troop. He served on the Millerton Zoning Board for several years due to his interest in his local community. Ronald was a knowledgeable historian with a keen interest in the history of World War II. His other many interests included a love of film noir movies, the TV show Svengoolie, crossword puzzles and curating his many collections of vintage toys and soldiers, movie lobby posters, baseball cards and antique photos and postcards.
Ronald was a wonderful husband, father, son and friend and will be greatly missed. Many thanks to Hudson Valley Hospice for their care. This obituary was lovingly composed by his wife Linda.
Calling hours will take place on Friday, June 20, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. Graveside services and burial will take place on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton, New York. Clergy from Hudson Valley Hospice will officiate. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
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Barbara Ellen Branchina
Jun 18, 2025
LAKEVILLE — Barbara Ellen Branchina passed away on May 31, 2025, in her home in Kennebunk, Maine, after a long illness.
Barbara was born on March 26, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York, to Fred and Ruth Helfst. She later attended Warwick (New York) High School where she met Nick, the love of her life. They were married June 26, 1968. Barb received her B.A. in Education from SUNY, New Paltz.
They later moved to Lakeville where they lived and raised their children for 35 years. Barb was a homemaker for several years, then received her M.S. in Education from Central Connecticut State University. She was an elementary school teacher at Salisbury Central School for many years. Upon retirement, they moved to Kennebunk to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Barbara was a loving mother, grandmother and wife. She had many passions, including interior decorating, literature and mysteries, history, gardening, cooking and baking, and crafting. She was an active member in the Congregational Church in Salisbury, Connecticut, and later at South Congregational Church in Kennebunkport. She and her husband made many friends in Maine and were active members of the Kennebunk Newcomers Club.
Barb is survived by her husband of 57 years, Nick, her daughter, Carly McKinney and her husband John, her son, Nicholas, and four grandchildren, John, Molly, Nicholas and Benjamin, all of Kennebunk, as well as her brother Fredrick Helfst and his family of Glen Rock, New Jersey.
A private family service will be held later in the summer in Kennebunk. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, Scarborough.
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Dorothy Mae Winn Cecchinato
Jun 18, 2025
NORTH CANAAN — Dorothy Mae Winn Cecchinato, 95, passed comfortably and peacefully on June 13, 2025, at Geer Nursing Home. She was born October 4, 1929, in Torrington, the daughter of Leo David Winn and Ester Gertrude (Hart) Winn. She was the oldest of four children growing up in West Cornwall. She attended grammar school at the Cornwall Consolidated School and finally 7-8th grade at the Salisbury Central School. Dorothy graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 1947 and was awarded the Bay Path College Award. Following graduation, she married her high school sweetheart Anthony F. Cecchinato, Sr. They settled in North Canaan and were married for a wonderful 59 years.
Dorothy was very active in sports throughout her life playing softball and basketball through high school and continuing softball on the Canaan Girls softball team. She was an active golfer and bowler participating in these sports into her late 70’s. She enjoyed skiing and would frequent the slopes at Catamount with her husband Anthony throughout the winter. Several ski trips to Colorado are also fond memories for her and the family. She always enjoyed watching sports and with her husband attended numerous sporting events that her three granddaughters participated in all through high school and college.
Her first job was working as a secretary at the General Electric Company in Norfolk. She worked there for 8 years from 1947 to 1955. After GE, and after raising her son, she began working in 1965 at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Regional District One in Falls Village, as the Clerk to the Board for all of the Region One schools. She logged a total of 36 years of service at HVRHS. In 2018, she was one of the first group of Honorees inducted to the HVRHS Wall of Honor. After retirement, she continued supporting activities at HVRHS through her work with the HVRHS Alumni Committee and the Blue and Gold Alumni bulletin. In addition to her career at HVRHS, she worked on the Planning and Zoning Commission in North Canaan and was also the chairman of Housing Authority of North Canaan. She worked on the Democratic Town Committee and was a long time member of the North Canaan Board of Education until she was 90. She was an active member in the Cranford Club for many years in North Canaan.
Dorothy is predeceased by her brother David Hart Winn of Marcellus, New York.
She is survived by two sisters: Marion Elizabeth Winn Staples of New Smyrna Beach, Florida; and Gertrude Lucille Winn (Kroehle) Hunker of Falls Village.
Her son: Anthony F. Cecchinato Jr. and his wife Elizabeth Cecchinato of Litchfield.
Granddaughters: Andrea Leigh (Cecchinato) Calore and husband Dan Calore of Watertown, Connecticut; Ashley Lyn (Cecchinato) Labonte and husband DJ Labonte of Litchfield; and Abagail Elizabeth (Cecchinato) Palesty and husband Alexander Palesty of Woodbury, Connecticut.
Great Grandchildren: Zachary and William Calore; Addison, Harper and Vance Labonte; and Greyson, Jack and Callan Palesty
There will be a church service at the St. Martin of Tours Church of St. Joseph in North Canaan starting at 10 a.m. on Friday June 20, 2025. The burial will be at the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in North Canaan immediately following the service. There will be a reception for family and friends to celebrate her life at a location to be determined following the burial.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers to consider making a donation to the North Canaan Cranford Club.
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