Walter James St.Onge, Jr.

Walter James St. Onge Jr., 96, of Winsted, died peacefully at home on February 1, 2022, surrounded by his family.  He was the husband of Doris (Burwell) for 61 years. Walter was born in Torrington on December 16, 1925, the elder twin of Helen Donahue and Walter J. St. Onge Sr.  He was raised in Torrington, graduated from Torrington High School in 1943 and then entered the military.  He served with the United States Army in Italy during World War II, and received both the good conduct medal and victory medal.  Upon his discharge, he attended the University of Maine with his twin brother Charles, was a member of Delta Tau Delta, and graduated in 1951.  While at UMaine he continued with ROTC training and was commissioned an officer in the Army.  He served during the Korean War as an artillery officer stationed in Germany. Upon his discharge from the military, he became a reporter for both the Waterbury Republican and the Torrington Register, made easier since one was a morning paper and the other an evening one.  While working at the Register he met the love of his life, Doris Burwell, who was also a reporter there. They married in 1954.  He later joined the Torrington Company, succeeded his father as the advertising manager, and worked there for 30 years.  He was active in his community, and served on a variety of boards and commissions.  He served three terms on the Winchester Board of Selectmen, was a Justice of the Peace for 17 years, the Republican Registrar of Voters for 10 years, Economic Development Commission for 15 years (chair), Redevelopment Agency for 12 years, Board of Assessment Appeals for 20 years (chair), Board of Tax Review (chair), and Inland Wetlands Commission.  In appreciation for his many years of service as chairman of the EDC, the Town of Winchester named the road into the Industrial Park after him. He was a member of the Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Elks (63 years), Republican Town Committee, and at St. Joseph Church he lectored for over 45 years and also played the organ.  He was a member of the Norfolk Curling Club for many years. He enjoyed politics, golf, gardening, crossword puzzles and cribbage, Cape Cod, the Red Sox, UConn women’s basketball, pipe-smoking, and his grandchildren and their sporting events.  His greatest joy was his family.  He is survived by his children Walter III (Rosemary) of Bedford, Massachusetts, Cynthia Serafini (John) of Winsted, Susan DuBois (Craig) of Torrington and Kathleen St. Onge Chiappetta (Tony) of Toronto, Canada; his grandchildren, Caroline St. Onge Stevens (Mike), Michaela St. Onge (Charlie Stoebe), James St. Onge, Katherine Serafini Wood (Zach), Samuel Serafini, Ali DuBois and Vivian Chiappetta; and his great granddaughter Olivia Stevens, as well as his sisters-in-law Jayne Gustafson, Kay Stafford, Roberta Burwell and Juliet King and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Doris, parents, brother Charlie and sister Connie. The family wishes to thank Susan Blakesley, his aide from Helping Hands Home Care, and Megan Kibbe, his nurse from Foothills Visiting Nurses, for their care and kindness to him. In lieu of flowers, donations in Walter’s memory may be made to the Foothills Visiting Nurse & Home Care, Inc., 32 Union St., Winsted, CT   06098 or Helping Hands Home Care, P.O. Box 888, Winsted, CT   06098. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 7, 2022 at 10:30 am from the Maloney Funeral Home 55 Walnut Street, Winsted to St. Joseph Church for the funeral mass at 11:00am. Burial will be at St. Joseph new Cemetery with military honors. Friends may call at the Maloney Funeral Home on Sunday, February 6, 2022 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

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