Colonel Charles H. Gobrecht III, 82, Died; Staples Grad, Air Force Veteran
Charles H. Gobrecht, III
December 7, 1939 - September 26, 2022
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina - We celebrate the vibrant and full life of Colonel Charles H. Gobrecht III, who passed away peacefully at home on Hilton Head Island, SC on September 26, 2022, with his loving wife Karen Gobrecht at his side. He was welcomed to Heaven by the Lord and by the spirit of his beloved daughter Heather G. Holcomb, who preceded him is death in 2014.
Charles was born in Philadelphia, PA on December 7, 1939, and graduated from Staples High School in Westport, CT. He was an alumnus of The College of William and Mary and upon graduation in 1962 entered the US Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas. While there, he met and married a fellow lieutenant, Karen Marsh. They were assigned together to Kadena AB on Okinawa and traveled extensively throughout the Far East. Upon return to the US and completion of their master degrees at the University of Colorado, Charles served on the faculty for several years at the US Air Force Academy while Karen joined the faculty of the University of Colorado.
In 1974, Charles entered the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA, and was later appointed the Air Force Representative to the US State Department's Senior Seminar in International Affairs. In 1978, he became Air Attache at the American Embassy in London, and in 1986 was the Air Force representative to the 40-nation Conference on Disarmament with rotating postings at the State Department in Washington, the United Nations, and Geneva, Switzerland.
Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1988, Charles followed his passion to enter the sports management business. In 1990 he became Director of Events for ProServ based in Arlington, VA. Two years later Charles became Chief Operating Officer of USA Volleyball, The US Olympic National Governing Body including men's, women's, and beach teams.
In 2005, Charles retired to Hilton Head where he was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church and its Sanctuary Choir. With a deep commitment to the community, Charles held leadership positions in the Military Officers Association of America, the Hilton Head Island Military Veterans Coalition, the Indigo Run Community Owner Association (10 Years), The Golf Club at Indigo Run, the Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE), and the Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head.
Charles enjoyed the game of golf with friends and was known for his relentless exercise routine. He loved to travel. Always curious and ready for the next adventure, Charles lived a very rich life. He was kind, grateful and generous.
Charles will be forever loved and missed by his surviving wife Karen Gobrecht; son, Stephen Van Rensselaer Gobrecht; daughter-in-law, Marsha Hartmetz Gobrecht; son-in-law, Sean Joseph Holcomb; granddaughters, Rachel Elizabeth Gobrecht and Haley Ann Holcomb, and grandson, Ren Alexander Gobrecht.
Memorial services will be held at First Presbyterian Church on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 2:00pm. Burial at Beaufort National Cemetery will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Charles's memory to the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head, P.O. Box 22267,
Hilton Head Island, SC 29925, or the charity of your choice. Islandfuneralhome.com.
Robert “Bob” Weiss Died; “He will be missed by his loving family”
Robert E. Weiss (Bob), 1930 – 2022, died at his home in Westport, CT after an eight-year challenge with Lewy Body Dementia. His family was with him at the time of his passing.
Bob was born in the Bronx and attended James Monroe High School and New York University. He honorably served in the Coast Guard during the Korean War. Bob retired after many decades as president of F.M. Weiss Realty Company. He was an inveterate collector. His passions included antique cars, toys, stamps, tools of every shape and form, and DIY projects (for himself and unsuspecting neighbors).
He will be missed by his loving family: his wife of 67 years, Sylvia Weiss (Adler); his children, Amy Weiss (John Yankovich), Liz Weiss (Timothy Carruthers), and Marian Cherrone (Jim); his grandchildren, Joshua Carruthers, Simon Carruthers, and Andrea Yankovich; and his many friends.
He was predeceased by his older brother, Murray Weiss, and his parents, Albert and Sophia Weiss.
Arline Gertzoff, 76, Died; RTM Member, “true daughter of Westport”
Arline Patricia Gertzoff, 76, passed away peacefully at St. Vincent's Hospital on September 28th from esophageal cancer. Arline is remembered as a true daughter of Westport, a dedicated, tireless volunteer for many organizations that contribute to the vibrancy of the town.
Arline was born in Norwalk. Her family moved to Westport, establishing a local dry-cleaning business, where she often worked after school. Arline was active in The Staples Players and SSTS, the backstage crews, earning the position of Head of Costumes for several productions, and became SSTS President her senior year. As a teen, she drove a sporty Triumph with a daisy on her antenna to announce her cheerful disposition. Arline was a proud graduate of Staples and Westport schools, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees from Boston University in history and education. She taught in New Canaan, and at the International School in Antwerp, Belgium for 25 years, where she was involved with the Model UN.
Arline enjoyed people, the arts, travel, good food and wine, and Belgian chocolate. Students and friends from around the world stayed in touch with her. She returned to Westport in 1979 to help care for her mother and dove into her community activism. She loved Westport and took great pride in its history and contributions. She was filled with local lore and stories, emphatically setting the record straight on Westport history with people newer to town.
For 20 years Arline was a tireless poll worker with the Westport League of Women Voters. Active with Westport's Democratic Town Committee, she co-chaired the Community Outreach Committee. Arline served on the Board of the Democratic Women of Westport, and in 2016 received the DTC Dora Stuttman Campaign Leadership Award. She was a familiar face and trusted cashier at the Library Book Sales, and a longtime member of the United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut (UNASWCT), often bringing interesting speakers and dialogue to the community.
One of Arline's favorite activities was jUNe Day, an event that for more than 55 years floods the Steinkraus Bridge with colorful flags from around the world and welcomes UN delegates and staff annually to Westport for a day of food, fun and friendship. Serving on the Board of Directors as Membership Chair, Arline was currently Treasurer of UNASWCT, and on the Advisory body for the national UN Association headquartered in Washington DC.
Long-time friend Melody James noted, "Arline earned a seat at the leadership table of our town the old-fashioned way: through volunteerism, pitching in, and showing up. She was a Doer. You could count on her. True in high school; true in 2022." When Arline died, she was serving a third term as an elected District 3 member on Westport's non-partisan Representative Town Meeting (the RTM).
Arline Gertzoff is remembered as a life-time democrat, committed to social justice, with great ability to reach across political divides. Another classmate remarked, "Arline was a connector. She had the ability to connect with different types of people, across age, sex, class, race, religious and nationality lines. She was the thread that joined together a very wide community. A great gift."
Once returning to Westport, Arline became the lead Coordinator for her Staples Class of '64, orchestrating several class reunions. At the 50th Reunion she appeared with her arms full of roses to cast on Long Island Sound for fallen classmates. She was the confidante, the treasurer, the detail master, who tracked marriages, divorces, deaths, births, and career changes. Arline supported her friends and local artists, showing up frequently to their performances and exhibits. She possessed a fierce loyalty to her friends and their accomplishments. Arline was a leading voice to establish the "Laddie Lawrence Track" at Staples High School, dedicated in 2021, challenging the argument that a great teacher and coach could only be honored after they died. She worked tirelessly for her classmate, a beloved coach at Staples, to be honored, by organizing a Letters of Support campaign from around the country.
Her friend Jennifer Johnson called her "a lifetime Westporter, and truly a citizen of the world. She was a...champion of democracy and international understanding." DTC Chair, Mark Friedman said, "Through her work, she strengthened the fabric of our civil society and touched the lives of people in Westport and around the world, creating a family of friends and admirers, imbuing her friendships with insight, wit and love."
Arline was predeceased by her father, Donald, mother, Marion, and her brother, Stewart. She is survived by cousins Steven Gertzoff of Florida, and Ken Bean of Colorado and their families. A Memorial Service is planned for November 12th, at 2:30 pm at the Westport Town Hall.
Elmer Stannard, 89, Died; Purple Heart Recipient, Staples High Graduate
Elmer E. Stannard, 89 of Wilton, passed away peacefully on October 2, 2022 surrounded by family members.
He was born in Ridgefield, CT to Helen Minnerly Stannard and Elmer Wilton Stannard. Upon graduating from Staples High School in Westport, Elmer joined the United States Marine Corps where he fought in the Korean War and received the Purple Heart. After service, he went on to work for his father as a plumber and eventually took over the business Stannard Plumbing & Heating in 1985. In his free time he was an accomplished skeet shooter who won numerous competitions.
Elmer is survived by his devoted wife of 65 years, Nan Pat Carusone Stannard, his daughter Debbie Cowic and husband Brian, 4 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, 1 niece and 2 nephews.
A Funeral Service will take place for Elmer on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Bouton Funeral Home, 31 West Church St. Georgetown (Wilton) CT 06829. Interment will immediately follow at Hillside Cemetery, Wilton. Friends may greet the family from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011 Washington, DC 20090-6011 or https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate . To offer online condolences to the family, please visit www.boutonfuneralhome.com