PUTNAM — As the school year nears with July coming to an end, the AAU Basketball Circuit starts to wind down as well. A pair of Putnam Science Academy basketball players have really capitalized on the extra playing time this summer on the AAU circuit with PSA’s Nasserine Williams and Luc Brittan making waves.
Williams has seen her name pop up quite a bit playing for “Mass Elite” piling up a total of 6 offers this summer. While playing for former PSA Mustang and Putnam Clipper, Dino Porcic, who now coaches the AAU team Mass Elite, Williams has seen her game go to the next level receiving offers from: Fairfield University, Rider University, Colgate, St. Bonaventure, Wagner and Idaho State. Nasserine has impressed not only her coaches but several scouts in attendance over the last few weekends competing with her team in showcases around New England and the east coast. Wagner and Idaho State were the last two programs to offer the 6-foot, 2-inch stretch guard this past weekend.  Luc Brittan saw minimal playing time last year on the Prep Boys Basketball team generally coming into the game when the victory was in hand. But with so few returnees from last year’s team, Brittan, whose going into his 3rd year at Putnam Science Academy, could be looking at an extended role this upcoming season. The 6-6 forward from Norwich has had a monster summer playing for The CT Express AAU team and has shown his ability to do a little bit of everything when called upon. Two weeks ago Brittan played in HoopSeen’s “Best of the South” tournament and stole the show posting 3 straight games of double- doubles that included a 24 point, 28 rebound game where he also added 6 assists and 5 blocks. No different this past weekend for Brittan who knocked down five 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 24 points for CT Express during the 17U tournament held by Big Shots. Brittan leads the entire tournament averaging 22 points and 12 rebounds a game. As a physical forward who can rebound and can stretch the floor shooting the 3, I would keep an eye out on PSA’s Luc Brittan this upcoming fall.
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy

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Returning
Chase Anderson, shown with the commemorative ball that he received after scoring his 1,000th career point for Woodstock Academy in February, will return to campus this fall as a postgraduate player. Photo contributed by The Woodstock Academy


Almost all of the students who walked across the stage during commencement ceremonies at The Woodstock Academy in June knew they would be headed into the next stage of their development in a different environment.
But there was one who, despite receiving his high school diploma, knew he was coming back.
Chase Anderson will return this fall as a postgraduate student-athlete at The Woodstock Academy to participate as a member of the Centaurs Blue prep basketball squad.
“It was an odd feeling. I wasn’t sure what to think of it, but I knew about three weeks before I graduated that I was coming back,” Anderson said. “All of my friends are going off to school and stuff so I will have to make some new ones.”
That’s exactly what first-year Woodstock Academy prep basketball Jacque Rivera is hoping Anderson will do.
Like former Centaur high school and post-grad player Sam Majek had done two years before, Anderson can serve as a conduit between the Woodstock Academy student body and the post-grad players who are coming to the campus for a first time.
“I think it’s very important,” Rivera said. “It speaks volumes to our entire community. It’s not often that a kid wants to stay in a community after graduating from high school. It speaks volumes not only athletically, but academically, from a social standpoint, from a holistic development standpoint, and that is what our program and our school, as a whole, is all about. To have a student go through four years here and then decide that he can benefit from an additional year, not only athletically, but academically and socially. We’re excited about having Chase because he knows Woodstock Academy as a student. You can’t put a value on what he brings to the program.”
Rivera added it’s not only his fellow players who will have to learn to get comfortable at Woodstock Academy, but the coach himself, as it will be his first year and he also will rely on Anderson to navigate, not only the school, but the town as a whole.
“He knows this town. He’s from this town. He loves this town. What he learns from me, I’m hoping will be reciprocated because I will be relying on him heavily to teach those things to me,” Rivera said.
Anderson had a very successful four years at Woodstock Academy.
He played basketball, as well as soccer, all four years and was a starter on the varsity basketball team since his sophomore season.
On Feb. 2, Anderson became just the fifth player in the history of the Centaurs’ boys’ basketball program to score his 1,000th career point in a win over Killingly.
The 6-foot, 2-inch guard finished with an 18.3 point per game average including 37 3-pointers.
He finished his high school career by being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Putnam Rotary Club’s annual Senior All-Star shootout.
But Anderson feels he and his game still need some more development.
“I just want (the post-grad experience) to make me more mentally tough. That’s something I lack right now. I want to get in better shape and just become, overall, a better person and player,” Anderson said.
To get ready, Anderson has not exactly been filling the hoops this summer at Woodstock Academy.
“I’ve been working out a lot lately. I haven’t been playing basketball as much, I’m just working on my physicality. I know it’s very physical at the next level. With better teammates, I know I will be able to shoot and score, but I want to prioritize defense over trying to get a shot every possession. I want to be a better all-around player,” Anderson said.
There will be adjustments.
In addition to the increased physical nature of the game, Anderson watched several Woodstock Academy prep games the past couple of years and noted that the pace was much faster than what he was accustomed to in high school.
It will also give him a chance to adjust to a facet of the game that he is not familiar with.
“I like the shot clock because we didn’t have that in high school. The shot clock just fits my game better,” Anderson said.
Rivera is well aware of Anderson’s capabilities as a player.
“I think he’s been able to watch the prep program from a distance and, in terms of what is expected, I think he will be able to adjust quickly. I think he’s ready to take on the challenge. He’s got great size, big shoulders, and what’s most impressive is that the kid competes,” Rivera said.
Rivera liked the fact that Anderson, whether or not he had the ball in his hand or if he was playing in the paint or on the perimeter, was always playing hard.
“I’ve met him a couple of times and I have nothing but great things to say about him, he’s a really good guy. I’m willing to run through a brick wall for him,” Anderson said of Rivera
Majek was rewarded for his decision to stay at Woodstock Academy with the chance to play for a coaching legend, former UConn coach Jim Calhoun, at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, a Division III program.
“I prefer to play Division II. I could have gone and played at a couple of Division III schools this year, but I wanted to expand my options. That’s the big reason why I’m staying another year is to expand those options and, hopefully, be comfortable with where I am going for the next four years. That next four years is going to be a big part of my life,” Anderson said.
 Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy

Mark J. Adams,
Air Force vet
BROOKLYN — Mark John Adams, 47, of Proulx St. died July 25, 2019, after a long Illness.  He was the husband of Holly (Perrin) Adams. Born in 1972 in Putnam, he was the son of John A. Adams of Putnam and Donna J. (Sochor) Hay and her husband Bruce Hay of E. Killingly.
Mark Served in the U.S. Air Force From Jan. 10, 1991, to Jan. 9, 1995, as an Aircrew Life Support Journeyman.  For many years Mark drove for Webco Chemical in Dudley and later drove for M. Provost Trucking.  He served as a firefighter for East Putnam Fire Department, East Brooklyn Fire Department and Putnam Fire Department.  He was a member of the Danielson Veterans Coffee House.  He enjoyed fishing, Viking history, Thor’s Hammer and Odin Raven’s. Marks true passion in life were trucks. As a child he would spend hours watching trucks, dreaming of the day when he actually drive his own.
In addition to his wife and parents, he leaves his children, Alden Adams of Putnam, Kyle Adams of Putnam and Nia Jordan of Brooklyn; his brother, Brian Adams of Putnam; and his sister Karen Ryll (Paul) of Woodstock.
Donations: Putnam Fire Department, 189 Church St., Putnam, CT 0626; or to the Danielson Veterans Coffee House, P.O. Box 3, Danielson, CT 06239 Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Church St. Putnam.

Shane Bourret,
Navy vet
WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Shane Jean-Louis Bourret, 45, died unexpectedly as a result of a violent crime on May 2, 2019, in San Antonio. He was the husband of Miyoko (Yamamoto) Bourret.
Born in 1974 in Findlay, Ohio, he was the son of John (Jean-Louis) Bourret of Montpelier, Va., and Cheryl Ann Iler, of Canton, Ga.
Shane moved to the Atlanta area with his mother in 1988.
He lived in Glen Allen, Va., for a time and graduated in 1992 from Hermitage High School.
He served four years in the Navy at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan and then returned to Atlanta.
He met his wife, Miyoko while serving his country on the USS Hewitt, DD-966, stationed in Japan. They married in Japan and started their life together in Woodstock, Ga., in 1998.
Shane was an adventurer who enjoyed spending time outdoors with his boys, “My Three Sons” as he referred to them.
He experienced adventures in the Navy as well and loved being at sea, visiting ports of numerous countries, interested in local culture and cuisines from which he also developed a love for cooking.
Later employed as an industrial climber, working on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, Shane was able to continue his love of seas, whether high up on the rig watching distant water spouts, or hanging from a harness below the platform watching the waves, the mystery of the waters, or the unpredictability of life, Shane drank it all in.
He’s remembered for his beautiful smile, infectious laugh, and loving heart.
In addition to his wife and parents, Shane leaves three sons, Ian Jean-Louis, 19; Ashton Yukio, 14; Liam Jaden, 10; six half siblings Marah, Michael, Veronica, Jacinta, Jeannine and Johnica; his aunts, Kathy Major, Kim Kalte, Pamela Foreman, Marie Therese Bemis; his uncles Jim Iler, Jeff Iler, Dan Bourret, Luke Bourret; his grandfather, James Iler and his stepmother Kimary Bourret.
The Mass of Christian Burial was July 13 in St. Michael’s the Archangel Catholic Church, Woodstock, Ga.

Peter E. St. Onge Jr.,
WWII vet
PINNACLE, N.C. — Peter E. St. Onge Jr., 95, died April 6, 2019, at his stepdaughter’s home in Pinnacle.
He was born Dec. 19, 1923, in Putnam, son of the late Peter E. St. Onge Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Schools) St. Onge.
Peter was a proud WWII veteran, who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 till 1946. Peter received a WWII Victory Medal, an Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one bronze service star and the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze service stars. Peter spent most of his military years in the Philippines.
He leaves his wife Doris (Trogdon) St. Onge; his stepdaughter Barbara (David) Tilley; his brothers Robert (Theresa Sypek) St. Onge and Ronald (Connie) St. Onge; his brothers-in-law Clay (Karin) Trogdon and Ray Trogdon; grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Peter was predeceased by his first wife Frances Dupont; his brothers William St. Onge, Charles St. Onge, Armand St. Onge and Arthur St. Onge; his sisters Edna Brown and Jeannette Pierro.
Visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 5 with a Funeral Service at 11 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson, with burial in South Killingly Cemetery.

John J. Warren,
Army vet
EASTFORD — John J. Warren, 75, of Eastford, died July 26 2019, at Hartford Hospital following a short battle with cancer. He was born Nov. 25, 1943, in Putnam, son of the late Kenneth and Bertha (Whipple) Warren.
John grew up on the family farm in Rogers and attended Killingly High School. John proudly served in the U.S. Army for three years during Vietnam and was stationed at Rodriguez U.S. Army Hospital in Puerto Rico where he was an X-ray technician.
Upon completion of his tour of duty he returned home and to work at Rogers Corporation. At the time of his retirement in 2008, John was a production supervisor for Rogers where he worked for 42 years. John loved being on or near the water, he had a boat, often multiple boats, from the time he was 7 years old. He enjoyed fishing, traveling, and was an avid reader. After his wife retired, he and Deb purchased a motorhome and traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada with their dogs. John was a kind and giving man who always put his family and friends first. He had a fondness for all creatures great and small and made sure all of them — deer, birds, fish, and even the chipmunks, in his yard never went hungry.
He leaves his best friend and wife of 35 years, Deb Granger of Eastford; a son, Michael Warren of Danielson; a daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Eric Johnson of Pomfret; two grandchildren, Hannah and Thomas Johnson; uncle, Earl (Bud) Whipple of Voluntown; his mother-in-law, Edna Granger; a brother-in-law and his wife, Richard and Susan Granger; a sister-in-law, Cassandra O’Connor; nieces and nephews; and his constant four-legged companions, Chelsea and Dixie. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by a brother, Arthur Warren.
Visitation is from 11 a.m. to noon Aug. 2 at Gagnon and Costello Funeral Home, 33 Reynolds St., Danielson. A memorial service will follow at the Westfield Congregational Church, Main Street, Danielson. Donations: Companion Pet Rescue, 16 Starwood Cove, Jackson, TN 38305 (www.cprdogs.com); or Connecticut Hospice (www.hospice.com/ways-to-support).

Joan L. Brechin
WOODSTOCK — Joan L. (Hutchinson) Brechin, 86, of Deer Meadow Lane, died July 17, 2019, at Day Kimball Hospital. She was the wife of the late Wendell R. Brechin for 53 years.
Born in 1933 in Quincy, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Warren and Florence (McChesney) Hutchinson. She lived in Dighton, Mass., for 39 years before moving to Woodstock 14 years ago.
Mrs. Brechin taught piano for many years passing on her love of music to many students. She enjoyed all types of music as well as astrology, yoga, doing crossword puzzles, natural healing and writing her poems.
She leaves her children, Jean Aldous (Stephen) of Glocester, R.I., and Sandra Dean of Brooklyn; six grandchildren Matthew Aldous, Megan Doucette (Michael), Emily Aldous, Ryan Aldous, Madison Dean, Hannah Dean; and a great-granddaughter, Charlotte Alice Doucette.
Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 1 in the Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam. Donations: CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Rd., Newington, CT 06111.

Kenneth Butler Jr.
DANIELSON — Kenneth Butler Jr., 62, of Shumway Ave, died unexpectedly July 15, 2019, at home.
Born in 1956 in Trenton, Penn., he was the son of the late Kenneth Butler Sr. and Judith (Davis) Stock.
Kenneth was a mechanic and worked for Frito Lay for many years. Before that, he traveled the roads from the Northeast to the West Coast as a truck driver.
He enjoyed spending time with his family.
He leaves his daughter, Corrine Butler and her fiancé Erik of Putnam; his sister, Terrie Whitney of Maine; two brothers, Kevin Butler Sr. of Putnam and Kurtiss Butler (Karla) of Pennsylvania; his nephew Thomas Whitney (Donna) of Maine, his niece Shannon Colcord (Whitney) (Scott) of Maine, his nephew Kevin Butler Jr. of Putnam, his niece Ranee Brown of Florida, and 10 great-nieces and nephews.
Services are at noon Aug. 3 at Munyan Cemetery in East Putnam. Relatives and friends are invited to Celebration of Kenneth’s Life following his burial from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at The Black Dog Bar & Grille on Park Rd. in Putnam. Donations: American Heart Association. Gilman Funeral Home and Crematory, 104 Church St., Putnam.

Stuart G. Mauer
GROTON — Stuart G. Mauer, of Groton, known as “Skip,” died July 26, 2019, in Waterford. He was the husband of Ann (Montgomery) Mauer. They were married in 2006.
Born in Albany, N.Y., he was the son of Glenn and Betty Mauer. He lived there until moving to Putnam in 1948. He attended Putnam schools, where he played sports and was a member of the school jazz band, marching band and orchestra. He attended Norwich University, Dean College and graduated from University of New Hampshire in 1964.
Following college, he worked at Windham Container in Putnam retiring in 1990 as vice president to pursue his love of being ship captain of charter cruising boats. He owned the “Lady” which was docked in Mystic for many years, before being the captain of the “Valient,” also in Mystic. He retired in 2006 and moved to Maine enjoying speed boats on the many lakes in Maine. They returned to Groton in 2013 to be near family and the ocean.
He leaves his wife Ann; his brother Gordie Mauer (Jeanine); nephews Chad Mauer, and Eric Mauer (Rachell) and their two children Jack and Olivia, also Jen, Rob and Jake Gauthier; stepchildren Lynne Valente, Gwynne Ferguson, Paula Smith, Jon Eccleston and six grandchildren.
Donations: Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter, 200 Executive Boulevard, Suite 4B, Southington, CT 06489. Smith and Walker Funeral Home, 148 Grove St., Putnam.

Tabitha L. Hall
MOOSUP — Tabitha L. Hall, 33, died July 24, 2019, in Oakdale. She was born in Putnam living in Oakdale for the past six months, prior to that living in Baltic, CT. Tabitha was a home healthcare worker for Allied Health Care. She leaves her son Ethan Salony of Danielson; a daughter Bryleigh Purcell of Oakdale; parents Thomas A. Hall and Laurie J. (Perreault) Hall of Sterling; brother Jeremie Hall of Sterling; and her companion Brian Purcell of Oakdale. A Celebration of Life will be announced.  Donations: St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

Elizabeth M. Lataille
QUINEBAUG — Elizabeth M. (Harris) Lataille, 76, died July 22, 2019, at home. She was the wife of the late Richard D. Lataille Sr. who died in 2002.
She was born in Pawtucket, R.I., daughter of the late Edward Harris and Catherine (Mahoney) Harris and lived in Quinebaug since 2005. Prior to that she lived in Hillsborough, N.H.  One of her joys was going to Foxwoods.
She leaves her companion Joseph Boucher of Quinebaug; two sons Richard Lataille Jr. of Uxbridge, Mass., and Raymond Lataille of N. Smithfield, R.I.; two daughters, Michelle Omar (George) of Lincoln, R.I., and Linda L. Perno (Michael) of Webster, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.   She was predeceased by a son, Bruce Lataille; a brother and four sisters, James Harris, Dorothy A. Finman, Catherine Larson, and Jane St. Onge.
A Mass of Christian Burial was July 26 in St. Stephen’s Church, Quinebaug. Donations: St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, Webster.

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