OLD LYME—James Francis Ward Jr. of Old Lyme, passed away Jan. 6, 2025, at Yale New Haven Hospital. Born in Pittsfield, Mass., he was the son of the late James Ward and Noreen Deyo Ward.
Jim was a cherished partner to Sheila McTigue-Ward of Old Lyme and a loving father to Meghan Danko (Dan) of Franklin and Ethan Harris of Old Lyme. He was also an energetic and devoted grandfather of Brooke and Reagan Danko. Finally, he was a beloved brother to Kathleen Pascale of Clinton and Timothy Ward of North Branford, and uncle to numerous nieces and nephews.
For Jim, stewardship-caring for the people and the planet-was the core of a meaningful life. His dedication to sustainability, education, and community upliftment was unwavering, but he didn’t wear that commitment like a heavy burden. Instead, Jim carried it with a light touch and a playful grin, always ready to share a laugh or start a silly game, especially with kids. His life was proof that deep purpose and deep joy could walk hand in hand.
Jim earned his Bachelor of Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University and a Master’s in Educational Technology from the University of Connecticut. His career began as a social worker, shifted to auto body work, then transitioned into education, where he served as a teacher, coach and Technology Coordinator at Voluntown Elementary School for numerous years.
Jim’s passion for gardening and food justice led him to establish the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG), where the community grows fresh produce for local food banks. LOLFSG volunteers have donated thousands of pounds of vegetables, while the garden also has become an inclusive hub for learning and new friendships.
Those who knew Jim describe him as gentle, unassuming, and endlessly creative-a man who could work with his hands as skillfully as he could with his mind. Jim found joy in hiking and his imagination blossomed in the woods; his hikes were typically followed by a flurry of activity in the kitchen or the workshop. He was a source of inspiration, a builder of dreams, and a steadfast friend. In short, good things happened whenever Jim was around. (And many things happened when Jim was around because he never stopped moving!) Jim’s legacy lives on in the thriving garden he helped cultivate, the people he inspired, and the enduring example of stewardship he embodied. His impact will be felt for generations.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory can be made to the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden or Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries to continue the work that was so close to his heart. A celebration of Jim’s life will be held at a later date, where family and friends will gather to honor his memory.
Jim’s legacy is a powerful reminder that caring for others and the world around us can create a lasting ripple of good.
Tessa Lark has been named Artistic Director of the Moab Music Festival. She will continue as Artistic Director of Musical Masterworks in Old Lyme. Photo by Richard Bowditch.
MOAB, UT/OLD LYME, CT — On Jan. 6, 2025, the Moab Music Festival (MMF) announced that violinist Tessa Lark has been named its next Artistic Director. Co-Founding Directors Michael Barrett and Leslie Tomkins will be stepping back from the award-winning Festival (MMF) after 33 years; Lark’s role will combine the co-founders’ artistic responsibilities.
Lark currently serves as Artistic Director of the Musical Masterworks concert series in Old Lyme, Conn. and will continue in that role. Asked her reaction to Lark’s appointment, Alden Rockwell Murphy, President of the Musical Masterworks Board of Directors, told LymeLine exclusively, “”We are very excited for Tessa!” commenting further, “She now joins the ranks of distinguished visionary artists who hold multiple artistic directorships, and we congratulate her on this remarkable achievement.”
Rockwell Murphy emphasized, “Her [Lark’s] dedication to Musical Masterworks remains unwavering. With her artistry and passion, she will undoubtedly continue to enrich both the Musical Masterworks and Moab communities, making them brighter and more vibrant for all.”
Moab Festival Board of Trustees President Anne Wilson said, “While it is bittersweet to be moving on to the next chapter of artistic leadership, we are grateful to have had our founders’ direction, guidance, and support in choosing their successor. This extraordinary festival is well positioned for the future, with the strong foundation they built, and their long and exemplary tenure.”
Wilson continued, “We are delighted to welcome Tessa as the Festival’s next Artistic Director. Her long history as a Festival violinist, coupled with her immense talent and creativity, make her a perfect fit. We are excited to see Tessa’s vision unfold, and work together to usher in a new generation of world-class music in concert with the landscape® experiences, for which the Festival has become famous.”
Since her Festival debut in 2016, Lark has delighted audiences with her technical mastery, stylistic fluidity, and welcoming spirit. She boasts a Grammy- nomination for Best Classical Instrumental Solo for her recording of Sky, the violin concerto Michael Torke wrote for her. She has been engaged by the San Francisco, Seattle, and BBC Symphonies, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw.
A recipient of Lincoln Center’s most prestigious honor for emerging artists, the Hunt Family Award, she also received a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, an Avery Fisher Career Grant, and top prize at the Naumburg International Violin Competition. She serves as a Co-Host/Creative of From the Top, NPR’s famed showcase for young classical musicians, and is
During Moab’s 2024 season, Lark performed works from her latest album, The Stradgrass Sessions, which pays homage to her love for both Bluegrass and classical music, and her idyllic Kentucky upbringing. The variety of styles presented on the album offers a small window into her fresh take on Festival programming, enhancing what audiences have come to expect from the Festival over the last three decades.
As Lark explains, “I’ve already fallen in love many times over with the Moab Music Festival and what makes the community unique: the impactful relationships that Michael Barrett and Leslie Tomkins have forged through their loving leadership, the symbiosis of new classical music with canonical favorites, the complex network of the Native cultures of the region, and the presence of myriad musical styles.”
She added, “I take genuine pleasure in personally connecting with folks from all backgrounds, and am passionate about creating spaces that joyfully embrace both musical and spiritual confluence. What makes the Festival extraordinary is also my ultimate life goal: relishing nature and music, all at once. Sharing that heaven-on-earth with others is a dream come true.”
Under the direction of Tomkins and Barrett, MMF has gained an award-winning national and international reputation, growing from a grassroots organization in a geodesic dome in 1992 to a globally respected institution attracting world-class artists and patrons who want to experience music among southeast Utah’s stunning red rock landscape. The founders were a critical part of selecting the incoming artistic director who will usher in the next generation of leadership as they become Directors Emeriti.
“I am beyond excited to be handing the reins of the Moab Music Festival to Tessa Lark,” shares Music Director Emeritus Michael Barrett. “I’ve known Tessa for nearly 20 years and have watched with admiration as she has fulfilled the promise of her immense talent in such creative and unexpected ways. It brings me great satisfaction that she has agreed to become Artistic Director. She has a finger on the pulse of musical life in America, and I’m certain her instinct and artistry will guide the Festival toward the synthesis of art, nature, and community Leslie and I first imagined 33 years ago.
As Artistic Director Emerita, Leslie Tomkins commented, “It has been a great honor and privilege to create and lead this organization for over three decades. Tessa came to mind immediately when considering a successor. She is a spectacular artist who brings joy and endless creativity to her playing and shines in musical genres beyond classical. Music in concert with the landscape distinguishes the Moab Music Festival from all others. Tessa has a deep connection to that special alchemy, and I look forward to seeing the Festival thrive and evolve under her imaginative, thoughtful leadership.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Jan. 6, 2025 by the Moab Music Festival.
Members of the Old Lyme Police Department stand either side of Georgios Sirigos (center) after his Jan. 8 graduation from the CT Police Academy. All photos courtesy of Town of Old Lyme..
OLD LYME—The Town of Old Lyme has announced that its newest Police Academy recruit, Georgios Sirigos, graduated from the 383rd session at the Connecticut Police Academy on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker (right) and Resident State Trooper Matthew Weber stand with Sirigios (center) after his graduation.
The ceremony took place at Welte Auditorium at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn.
Georgios Sirigios receives the Chief Luciano Award from Chief Roberto Rosado of the Meriden Police Department.
During the ceremony, Sirigos was presented with the Chief Luciano Award by Chief Roberto Rosado of the Meriden Police Department. This award is given to the recruit who maintains the highest GPA throughout his training at the academy.
Sirigios celebrates with his family after his graduation.
Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker commented, “The Town of Old Lyme is very pleased to have Georgios as part of their Police Department. He will begin his field training in Old Lyme next week.”
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Jan. 8, by the Town of Old Lyme.
STONINGTON, CT—Stephen Owen Monson, 76, of Stonington, CT passed away on December 11, 2024, after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. He is survived by his daughter Kimberly Monson, granddaughters Elisabeth Monson Viera and Renee Monson Viera, son in law Michael Viera, honorary son and apprentice Chris O’Grady, his two sisters, Julia Launer and Dale Naehr, nephews, Joe and Greg Naehr and nieces Katie Launer-Felty and Krislyn Launer.
Stephen’s greatest loves were his work in carpentry, his daughter, his granddaughters, horseshoes, beer and the German Club. He was very proud of being a Veteran and his service as a Sonarman in the Navy. Stephen had a child-like enthusiasm, was terminally optimistic and never met a parade or fireworks display he didn’t like. To many he was quiet, but with those that paid attention he had an understated wit that was both quick and hilarious. He was stubborn and fiery; he fought to the end and will be genuinely missed by those who took the time to get to know him.
A short gravesite service will be held on Friday January 3rd, 11 am at Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, CT with a potluck gathering of friends and family at the Social Society Frohsinn directly after.
ESSEX/OLD LYME —Essex Savings Bank has been awarded three gold medals in the Commercial Record’s 17th annual “CR’s Best” readers’ poll. The awards are in these categories: Best Commercial Lending in Banking, Best Community Bank in Banking, and Best Financing in Commercial Real Estate.
One of Essex Savings Bank’s six offices is located in Old Lyme.
The survey, which includes dozens of Connecticut institutions related to banking and real estate, focuses on loyalty and satisfaction. The organizer of the contest, The Commercial Record, has provided Connecticut real estate and financial news since its founding in 1882.
Essex Savings Bank President and CEO Diane Arnold notes that the bank is humbled and honored to receive such high praise from its community. She adds, “We’re tremendously proud to receive this recognition from our customers. The Commercial Record is a well-respected publication in the Connecticut financial and real estate industry, and we thank them for organizing this contest. We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional service in 2025.”
Essex Savings Bank is an FDIC-insured, state-chartered, mutual savings bank established in 1851. The Bank serves the Connecticut River Valley and shoreline with six offices in the area. The remaining offices, excluding the Old Lyme one, are in Essex (2), Chester, Madison, and Old Saybrook. Together the offices provide a full complement of personal and business banking.
Financial, estate, insurance, and retirement planning are offered throughout the state by the Bank’s Trust Division, Essex Trust, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Essex Financial Services, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor.
Editor’s Note: This article is based on a press release issued Dec. 30, 2024 by Essex Savings Bank.
