Marine Lance Corporal Tyler Owen Griffin returned home to Voluntown, on Monday, April 12. The motorcade, escorted by State Police, Patriot Guard Riders, Leathernecks and Freedom Riders, was greeted by hundreds of townspeople along the route from T.F. Green Airport to Gagne-Piechowski Funeral Home, Jewett City to honor the fallen Marine.
At the funeral home, Young Marines from the Quinebaug Valley, Three Rivers, and Natchaug River chapters gave out American flags. As the procession approached, the Young Marines, ages 8 through high school, stretched a large flag across the street, displaying it at an angle so the motorcade could see it as it turned into the funeral home.
Voluntown residents, Lorie Lavalee and Heidi Dugas held up a Marine Corp flag in honor of Tyler. “It’s the most beautiful flag there is,” said Lorie, “besides the American flag.”
Dan Bargnesi, Norwich, a former Staff Sargeant in the Air Force, came out to pay his respects to Tyler and his family. “He’s one of us – like my son. He died for all of us. A lot of people don’t believe, that but I do.”
State Representative Chris Coutu, an officer in the Army National Guard and founder of AmericanWarrior, and his wife, Neringa, came to show their support. “I’ve been in the military for 16 years and there are not many occasions like this that you get to wear the uniform. I am honored to be able to wear it for Lance Corporal Tyler Griffin,” said Chris, a champion for veterans, “It was a great turnout showing that the community can really pull together.”
The procession was the first of three days of remembrances to honor Tyler. Hundreds more attended a public wake on Tuesday, April 13th. The funeral was held at Voluntown Baptist Church on Wednesday, April 14th. The 100-seat church was packed with friends, family and dignitaries, including Governor M. Jodi Rell and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, while hundreds more listened outside via loudspeaker. A public reception was held after the funeral at Constitution Field, Voluntown.
Tyler was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, April 19th. He was one month into his deployment when he was killed by and IED while fighting on the front lines in Afghanistan. Tyler saved another Marine before he died from his injuries.
From April 19th-23rd, the Voluntown Police Department started a collection for care package items to send to Tyler’s unit at Camp Lejune, Afghanistan.
This issuance in the Legends of Hollywood series honors Katharine Hepburn, one of America’s most fascinating and enduring film stars. Her stamp will go on sale May 12, her birthday, 11 am, at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Old Saybrook.
Born on May 12, 1907, in Hartford, Katharine Houghton Hepburn was the second child and oldest daughter of Dr. Thomas N. Hepburn, a surgeon, and Katharine Houghton, an advocate for women’s rights. Her progressive and freethinking parents contributed greatly to the development of Katharine’s bold and adventurous outlook on life. They encouraged her to take risks, speak her mind, and challenge convention: “I was taught,” she said, “not to be afraid of anything.”
Like her mother before her, Katharine went to Bryn Mawr College, near Philadelphia. While there, she fell in love with acting, and soon after her graduation in 1928, she headed to Baltimore and then Manhattan to pursue a career on the stage. Her father was “heartsick over the fact that I wanted to act,” she wrote many years later in her autobiography, Me: Stories of My Life. Nevertheless, she had made up her mind. With her freckles, mass of red hair, preference for wearing trousers, Katharine stood out in Hollywood.
Over the course of her career, Katharine made more than 40 motion pictures, receiving 12 Academy Award nominations for Best Actress and won four Oscars, and an Emmy.
Katharine’s long, illustrious career-and perhaps even more, her independent personality-inspired three generations of Americans. She was, in particular, a role model for women who chose to live life on their own terms. In the words of her niece Katharine Houghton, she “provided hope and inspiration and courage for a whole new generation of women.”
Katharine Hepburn died on June 29, 2003, at her home in Fenwick, CT. On September 9, 2006, Bryn Mawr College officially opened the Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center to recognize her achievements, as well as those of her activist mother, and to challenge “women to lead publicly engaged lives and to take on important and timely issues affecting women.”
The stamp portrait is a publicity still from the film Woman of the Year (MGM, 1942) by photographer Clarence S. Bull.
Governor M. Jodi Rell announced, on April 10, another expansion of Shore Line East commuter rail service to and from New London beginning May 10 – three additional round-trip trains into and out of New London will be operating on weekdays.
In addition, Gov. Rell said plans call for adding two midday trains once bridge repairs – now under way – are completed over the Miamicock River in East Lyme, and talks with marine operators continue on expansion of weekend service.
“We have already added one new round trip to New London this year and this additional service will give many commuters the options they are looking for,” Gov. Rell said.
Starting May 10, three more trains from New London to New Haven will be added, departing at 6:55 am, 6 pm and 8:35 pm From New Haven to New London, trains will depart at 5:30 am, 4:27 pm and 8:50 pm.
“We have negotiated this new service with our partners at Amtrak and are pleased that we can make these incremental additions to our New London service,” said Joseph F. Marie, Commissioner, Department of Transportation.
Commissioner Marie said the DOT is working with the Connecticut Marine Trades Association to minimize the number of bridge openings required and any impact on the commercial boating industry. “We are rolling out this new service on a gradual basis and are hopeful that we will attract more and more riders,” Commissioner Marie said.
“Amtrak shares the goal of our Connecticut state partners to expand Shore Line East service as a means to provide more rail transportation options for area residents,” said Joseph Boardman, President and CEO, Amtrak.
2009 Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award Recipient Bill Welsh
Groton Utilities is accepting nominations for the seventh annual Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award. The purpose of the award is to honor a member of the community who has contributed his or her time, energy and resources to make the community a better place in which to live and work.
Persons eligible for the award should live in Greater Groton, which encompasses the City of Groton, the Town of Groton, and any of the subdivions or fire districts. The person should exemplify all the qualities suggested by Groton Utilities’ slogan of “Giving back to the community.” One should immediately think of the nominees as generous, committed, and having other admirable qualities, which exemplify service.
Groton Utilities will present the award to the winner on August 6th, at City of Groton Day in Washington Park.
