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In June, “06880” posted a plea from Amanda DeRosa. The Westport mom sought help for her favorite Starbucks worker, a woman in dire straits due to deliver a baby 3 months later.
Readers responded quickly, and generously. Amanda soon gave the woman $4,550 in gift cards, for stores like Buy Buy Baby, Target and Stop & Shop.
On Wednesday — after 3 days in labor — the barista delivered a healthy, 8-pound baby boy. Both are doing well. Amanda, the new mom (and her infant) thank the Westport community for helping start him on a new life!
A new life!
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What would you like to ask candidates in the upcoming local election?
The League of Women Voters Westport is sponsoring 2 debates — and they invite questions from the public.
Sessions are set for the Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Assessment Appeals on October 25, and the Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and Board of Education on October 26. Both begin at 7 p.m.
Questions can be emailed to speechbyrachel@gmail.com.
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This week’s “06880” story on Westport’s efforts to help resettle Afghan refugees in this area contained an error in dates, and an outdated reference.
On Tuesday (September 21, 12 p.m., Christ & Holy Trinity Church), there’s a free, open-to-the-public lecture about the Afghan crisi by Ann O’Brien, director of community engagement for Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services.
On the weekends of September 25-26, October 2-3, 9-10 and 15-16, Greens Farms Congregational Church will accept drop-offs of winter coats, raincoats, and boots for adults, teenagers and children; school supplies and backpacks; new toiletries; cleaning and household supplies, and small appliances. “Boxed and labeled” is appreciated. Furniture and other clothing is not needed.
The IRIS/Westport Rotary Club effort to house and assist a family in East Norwalk includes the United Methodist Church, Temple Israel, Greens Farms Congregational Church, the Religious Society of Friends, Saugatuck Congregational Church, and 15 Westport families identifying as a Muslim community.
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Peter Cuseo — part of a noted Westport family — died at home Tuesday morning. He was 74.
Son of the late Albert R. Cuseo Sr. and Yvonne Cuseo, he was an Army veteran, having served in Vietnam. He worked alongside his family at Albert R. Cuseo Refuse Service and Cuseo Exxon Service Station. He then worked at Masiello Bus Service and the Connecticut Department of Transportation in New Canaan.
Survivors include his wife Teresa; son James Cuseo (Laura), daughter Christina Gudzik (John) and grandchildren Arlo and Riley.
Friends are invited to attend the funeral ceremony and internment Saturday (September 18, at Willowbrook Cemetery395 Main Street Westport, CT. Click here to leave online condolences. Contributions in Peter Cuseo’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society.
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Dennis Gibson died peacefully on Tuesday, surrounded by his family. He was 77.
His family says: “Denny loved people. He was a friendly man who always made time to connect with others, whether at a dinner party, a Staples football game, or on the sidewalk downtown. He was a proud Westporter and loved the friends he made in the town he called home since 1999.”
The Michigan native spent the first years of his life in a house with no toilet — only an outhouse. At 21 years old, in a Grand Rapids home with plumbing, Denny had his first son, David. His son Kevin and daughter Leigh Ann followed shortly after. He committed himself to fatherhood as he moved with his family from Indianapolis to Jacksonville, Bethel, Syracuse, Youngstown and Manhattan.
Denny met the love of his life, Patty Burke, when they were working at General Foods. They married in 1982.
After 23 years at General Foods, the natural salesman struck off on his own, as a successful entrepreneur. He built a business from the ground up alongside his son David.
Nearly 30 years after his first child, Denny had triplets: Jack, Max, and Bo. They will cherish his whippy one-liners and memories of stretching him before his weekly tennis games.
He became Grandpa Denny to Bill, Jenna, Dan, Grace, Ellen, Claire, Daniel, and Delaney, who he loved dearly.
He is survived by his wife Patty; brother Lynn of Grand Rapids; sister Nancy Roberto of Cincinnati; sons David (Sheri) of Coronado California, Kevin (Kris) of Canfield Ohio; daughter Leigh Ann Dwyer (Bob) of Fairfield; sons Jack of Westport, Bo of Brooklyn and Max of New Yor.
Calling hours are today (Friday, September 17, 4 to 8 p.m., Lesko & Polke Funeral Home 1209 Post Road, Fairfield). A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated tomorrow (Saturday, 10 a.m., Church of the Assumption). Interment will be private. Contributions in his name may be made to Tunnel to Towers.
To sign his online guest register, click here.
Denny Gibson
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Elena Nasereddin writes: “The recent heavy rains have helped produce both familiar, fairy-tale mushrooms and large, white skull-shaped forms with Halloween creepiness.” She sent several photos of the ‘shrooms growing on Iris Lane. This one is today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature:
(Photo/Elena Nasereddin)
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And finally … in 1916, World War I German flying ace Manfred von Richthofen (aka “The Red Baron”) won his first aerial combat near Cambrai, France.
