Bess H. Hubbard
Elizabeth Hickey Hubbard passed away peacefully June 11, at her home in Greenwich, surrounded by her family, after a courageous battle with brain cancer. She was 58.
Known to her friends as Bess, she was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, on May 4, 1955. After graduating from Grosse Pointe South High School, she went on to attend Denison University in Ohio where she received a degree in sociology. She attended the University of Pennsylvania where she trained as a paralegal and subsequently worked at Chapman & Cutler in Chicago.
In Chicago, she met George Hubbard, a fellow Denison graduate one year her senior. They were married two years later. The couple settled in Rye in 1984, living first on Mohawk Street in Indian Village and later on Topsail Lane on Milton Point. They raised their three children in Rye. In 2001, they moved to Greenwich.
An active member of the community, Mrs. Hubbard volunteered for Rye Nature Center and the Rye Free Reading Room and was on the board of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. A longtime Twig member, for three years she served as Co-Chair of Volunteers for the PGA Tour’s Buick Classic, which raised funds for United Hospital. She was also a member of the Rye Garden Club.
She later went to work for The Stanwich School, where she served as Director of Development and Director of Admissions. She then assumed the position of Assistant to the Headmaster at Brunswick School, where she served for ten years.
An avid reader, needle pointer, and beach lover, she was also a devoted friend, aunt, sister, wife, and mother.
She is survived by her loving family: her husband of 34 years, George; her children George Jr., Ted, and Libby; a granddaughter, Thea; three siblings; and a large community of friends. She will be dearly missed.
A funeral to celebrate her life was held on June 15 at Rye Presbyterian Church. Donations in her memory may be made to the Bess Hubbard Memorial Scholarship Fund at Brunswick School, 100 Maher Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830, or to the local chapter of the American Red Cross, 99 Indian Field Road, Greenwich, CT 06830.
Nancy Dean Felch
Nancy Dean Felch, a travel professional and world traveler, passed away on April 20 at Carmel Valley Manor in Carmel, California. She was 87.
Born in Sag Harbor, New York, on August 8, 1925, she was the daughter of Howard Brush Dean and Maria Fayhs (Cook) Dean. She was raised in New York City and Sag Harbor. After attending Miss Chapin’s School and graduating from Miss Porter’s School, she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1946.
Nancy Dean met Bill Felch in New York and they were married on August 4, 1945 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in East Hampton, N.Y. In 1951, Mrs. Felch and her family moved to Rye, where her husband practiced internal medicine and she worked as a volunteer chemist at United Hospital.
During the 1950s and 1960s, she was actively involved with the United Hospital Twig charity and was a member of the Rye Garden Club. She and her husband lived in Rye for 37 years. They moved to Carmel in 1988.
In 1967, Mrs. Felch entered the travel business as a retail agent. During her 22 years in the business and for many years afterwards, she traveled extensively, visiting all seven continents. She was a member of the first U.S. group to travel to Mainland China in 1979 with Lindblad Expeditions.
Mrs. Felch is survived by her sons, William Jr. (Virginia) of Stinson Beach, CA, and Robert (Marianne) of Siasconset, MA; her sister, Marianne Dean Hill of Long Island, N.Y.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, William Campbell Felch, who died in Carmel on April 12, 2012; her daughter, Patricia Ann Felch; her brother, Howard Brush Dean Jr.; her granddaughter, Sharon Elizabeth Keyser; and her step-grandson, Zachary Andrew Clayton.
A memorial service and interment will be held at a future date in Siasconset. Memorial gifts may be made to the Carmel Foundation, P. O. Box 1050, Carmel, CA 93921 or the charity of your choice.
Charles Aromando
Charles James Aromando passed away peacefully on June 10, at the age of 89.
Born on September 29, 1923 to Joseph and Virginia Aromando of New York City, he was raised on 116th Street in the shadow of the now famous Rao’s Restaurant. The location was the source of many colorful stories about the “old neighborhood” throughout the years.
After demonstrating early talent in a local drawing contest, he gravitated toward art. After graduating from high school he enlisted in the Army, where his considerable artistic skills were put to use drawing maps and illustrating instructional materials.
Following the war, he attended Pratt Institute and studied under many well-known painters, including Rutledge Bate of the Rockport School. He also took classes at the Art Students League.
In 1948, Mr. Aromando started a career in advertising and married Ines Vastola. Together, they set out from Manhattan and settled in Rye, where they raised four children and made a life.
Throughout his career, he worked at many big agencies in New York City, including BBD&O, where he worked for 14 years, Grey Advertising, and William Esty. He also worked at Wilson, Haight and Welch in Connecticut. A talented art director, he was known for his great sense of design and unique ability as an illustrator.
Over the 40 years he spent in the business, he won nearly every major industry award. It is a testimony to his legendary “ad game” stories and passion for his craft that three of his children followed in his footsteps went into the advertising business.
After his retirement, Mr. Aromando traveled to scenic spots in New England, Florida, Italy, Ireland, and France. Many of these locations became the subjects of paintings. At age 81, he revisited his original love of oils and began painting every day in a studio in Harrison. He went on to have several exhibits of his work, including one at the Rye Free Reading Room. On trips to Block Island, Nantucket, Maine and Rockport, Massachusetts, he could always be found shooting pictures for a future landscape. He was a lover of fine oil painting, especially the Impressionists and the portraits of John Singer Sargent.
His greatest gift was an unfailing enthusiasm for enjoying life. This zest for life and learning never ended. Mr. Aromando was a connoisseur of good food — particularly a plate of oysters from Pemaquid, Maine, an Italian dinner on Arthur Avenue, or a daily breakfast sandwich at Dock Deli. Last fall, on his 89th birthday, he drove up the coast of Maine for a last lobster roll of the season.
An avid sports fan, he faithfully followed the Yankees until his death. He was an attentive and engaged grandfather who relished hearing all of the experiences of his four grandchildren.
All of his wonderful stories will live on through his children, grandchildren, family, and friends. “Our lives may feel emptier without him but we are all richer for Charley being in them,” said his family.
Mr. Aromando is predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Ines. He is survived by his four children: Ginny Smulka and her husband Steve of Santa Fe, Ken Aromando of Port Chester, Cathy Donovan of Harrison, and Patty O’Donnell and her husband Dan of Yarmouth, Maine. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Chris, Maggie, Molly, and Katie; a sister, Josephine, many nieces and nephews; and his cherished companion of eight years, Mary Malfi.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Rye Free Reading Room.
A wake was held on Friday, June 14 from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Graham Funeral Home in Rye. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 15 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the Resurrection.