Obituaries

In Memoriam: Evelyn Dandrea, Former Bethel Cycle Shop Owner

Evelyn (Clauter) Dandrea, 95, of Stafford Springs, beloved widow of Anthony “Tony” J. Dandrea, entered peacefully into eternal rest surrounded by her loving family on Saturday, August 17, 2013 at St Francis Hospital. She was born in New Brunswick, NJ, on January 27, 1918, a daughter of the late Louis Clauter, Jr. and Dorothea Louise (Rassman) Clauter.

Before moving to Stafford Springs to reside with her granddaughter Lori and her husband David 6 years ago, Evelyn had resided in Danbury for 73 years where she and her late husband, Tony owned and operated Bethel Cycle Shop from 1970 to 1980. Prior to that, they owned the Texaco Gas Station on Route 7 and Tony’s Garage on Federal Road. During the summer she worked at a Girl Scout Camp and had been a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader at St. Peter’s School. Evelyn willingly gave of her time as a volunteer at Danbury Hospital, the Danbury and Brookfield Senior Centers making cakes and pies for their bake sales, and received a 5 year pin for time volunteering for the Red Cross. She belonged to the Daughters of Isabella, Daily Bread, the Brookfield Red Hat Society and the AARP groups in Danbury and Brookfield and loved going on their trips. In her leisure time Evelyn enjoyed square dancing, swimming, knitting, reading, gardening, spending time with her family and friends, along with hanging out with her furry great grandpets.

Evelyn will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, JoAnn Kitlas and her husband, Edward, of Allendale, NJ; her grandchildren, Lori Fortuna and her husband, David, of Stafford Springs, Jeffrey Troccolo and his wife Kelley, of Danbury, Joshua Kitlas and his wife, Kesiena, of Syracuse, NY, Heidi Kitlas and her husband, Jeffrey Simms, of Beacon, NY, Elizabeth Kitlas and her husband, Douglas McGuirk, of Howarth, NJ, and Emily Cofrancesco and her husband, Nicholas, of Toluca Lake, CA; and her two great grandchildren, Lucas Simms and Samuel McGuirk. She was predeceased by her husband, Tony and her daughter, Dorothea “Dotty” Dandrea.

Family and friends may gather at Somers Funeral Home, 354 Main St., Somers, CT Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 10:00 am for a procession to St. Bernards Church, 426 Hazard Ave., Enfield where a Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Evelyn’s life will be held at 11:00 am. Burial will take place at the convenience of Evelyn’s family at a later date. Her family will receive relatives and friends at Somers Funeral Home Wednesday, August 21, 2013 from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, Evelyn’s family requests that donations in her memory be made to St. Jude Tribute Program, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142.

Obituary courtesy of Leete-Stevens Funeral Home.


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