OLD LYME— The weather was unseasonably warm and the crowds on Lyme Street, dressed in all manner of costumes, enjoyed a wonderful Halloween night of Trick-or-Treating filled with smiles and good humor everywhere.
Minions formed the heart of the amazing decorations at the Mergy property on Lyme Street.
We hope these photos will help you relive—or create—memories of a very special night …
Could this collection of characters be off to see the Wizard?
Sincere thanks to all our photographers, who were out and about on the streets Thursday night, taking photos galore on our behalf— we appreciate your work enormously: Martha Quaratella, Mike Dickey, Michele Dickey, and another anonymous photographer.
These ghosts were hovering outside LYSB ..
Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau hosted their traditional Halloween Party for little ones in the early evening, but sadly there was no costume parade down Lyme Street this year due to the Early Voting access requirements at Town Hall.
The Archbald family stepped out in style dressed as the cast of ‘Aladdin.’
Hot dog, anyone?
These LYSB Youth Advisory Councillors helped run LYSB’s late afternoon Halloween Party for little ones.
Bob Cope and his son Dillon enjoyed all the fun of the LYSB party before setting off to Trick-or-Treat in their terrific Halloween costumes.
All smiles … well, almost all!
Looks like a donkey was on the hunt for candy?
Halloween isn’t just for the little ‘uns! Great costume, Joe!
Look who’s here!
Ready for action …
The Cooleys welcomed all manner of visitors in front of their Gallery … Photo by Mike Dickey.
… including this outsize spider! Photo by Mike Dickey.
Cecilia Girasoli did not seem especially worried by the terrifying character behind her in the OL-PGN Library’s BookCellar’s Haunted Library! Photo by Michele Dickey.
Scary, scary, scary … Photo by Michele Dickey.
And finally … a spooky farewell to Halloween 2024,
EAST LYME – Donna Lou Wood Byrne, beloved sister, wife, grandmother, aunt, niece, friend, teacher, colleague and all-around wonderful person, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, October 26. She leaves her family and wide circle of friends shocked and grieving at her sudden departure from this life.
… She taught physical education to generations of students in Old Saybrook schools for 39 years where she was greatly admired by her students, parents, fellow faculty and administrators … She … declined nominations for state teacher of the year many times …
Donna met her husband Mick in college, they married in 1977, bought a home in Old Lyme and raised two daughters there. After their high school graduations, they found their dream home on Pattagansett Lake in East Lyme and have lived there for the past 20 years …
In addition to her husband, Donna is survived by her daughter Jacqueline Bressan, her husband Mike and son Reilly, her daughter Marianne Greenwood, her husband Eric and their children Charlotte and Robert, her brother Steve and his wife Carol and her brother David, his wife Alison, and their daughters Samantha, Hayley and Madeline …
The family plans to have a memorial service at the Old Lyme Congregational Church on Saturday, November 2, at 2:30pm followed by a reception in the church hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to the Pattagansett Lake Association, (a 501-3c, P.O. Box 433, East Lyme, 06333), or the charity of your choice …
Celebrating the ribbon-cutting at Chestnut Market are, from left to right, Jim Ward, President, Lyme Old Lyme Food Share Garden; Alvaro Sari*, Territory Manager, Hesham Attia*, Territory Manager, Farris Jamal*, Merchandising Manager, Faheem Jamal*, Director of Operations; Scott Parker*, Director of Facilities; Martha Shoemaker, First Selectwoman, Town of Old Lyme; CT State Representative Devin Carney (R-23rd); Menent Oral*,Territory Manager; Jonathan Pintado*, Store Manager, Cheryl Poirier, Chairwoman, Old Lyme Economic Development Commission; Jude Read, Selectwoman, Town of Old Lyme; Abigail Cerra*, Loyalty Marketing Manager, and Mohammed Hossain*, Director of Purchasing. * denotes an individual employed by Chestnut Market. All photos by Doris Coleman.
Company Highlights its Commitment to Local Communities
OLD LYME, CT — As part of a grand opening celebration, Chestnut Market recently presented the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden (LOLFSG) with a $1250 donation and participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Town of Old Lyme representatives.
The grand opening celebration took place on Friday, Oct. 18, and included a raffle, free giveaways, and a festive environment for customers who stopped by the 85 Halls Rd. location.
The exterior of Chestnut Market at 85 Halls Rd. in Old Lyme.
Chestnut Market is headquartered in New York and recently expanded into Connecticut, with Old Lyme being one of 11 Connecticut locations. The store stocks a number of “grab and go” breakfast and lunch items as well as snacks and beverages. Bags of ice are available for sale inside the store. Chestnut Market accommodated the needs of the Town of Old Lyme by closing its Halls Road location at midnight; many of its other locations are open 24/7.
Chestnut Market’s Director of Operations, Faheem Jamal, stated,: “We’re excited to expand our Connecticut footprint with this location in Old Lyme. With clean, well-maintained restrooms and an emphasis on excellent customer service, we ensure every stop is a pleasant one.” He continued, “Our extensive foodservice program features hot, delicious options for every part of the day and our coffee is served fresh every time with our bean-to-cup program. Add in the Mobil-branded fuel, and we’re proud to offer a top-notch experience from start to finish.”
The interior of of Chestnut Market at 85 Halls Rd. in Old Lyme.
A ribbon-cutting was held at 1 p.m. that included local representatives including State Representative Devin Carney, Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker, Selectwoman Jude Read, and Economic Development Chair Cheryl Poirier. In presenting Chestnut Market a Certificate of Appreciation for its investment in Old Lyme, Poirier noted with the recent renovations and upgrades to the property, the number of employees has gone from two to nine and is expected to grow during the summer season.
Cheryl Poirier, Chairwoman, Old Lyme Economic Development Commission presented Faheem Jamal, Director of Operations at Chestnut Market with a Certificate of Appreciation for its investment in Old Lyme. Others attending the presentation were, from left to right, ScrHesham Attia*, Territory Manager, Scott Parker*, Director of Facilities; Farris Jamal*, Merchandising Manager; Martha Shoemaker, First Selectwoman, Town of Old Lyme; CT State Representative Devin Carney and Jude Read, Selectwoman, Town of Old Lyme. * denotes an individual employed by Chestnut Market.
As part of the grand opening, Chestnut Market presented its $1250 donation to the Lyme-Old Lyme Food Share Garden. An oversized check was on hand to be received by LOLFSG President Jim Ward and Board Member MyLan Sarner. Ward said, “We are honored to have been chosen by Chestnut Market for their community support. Their financial donation will be supporting five vegetable rows for the 2025 growing season. We look forward to their continued support.”
Faheem Jamal, Director of Operations at Chestnut Market presents a check for $1250 to Jim Ward, President, Lyme Old Lyme Food Share Garden. Also present were, from left to right, ScrHesham Attia*, Territory Manager: Martha Shoemaker, First Selectwoman, Town of Old Lyme; CT State Representative Devin Carney and MyLan Sarner, Board Member, Lyme Old Lyme Food Share Garden.To Ward’s right are Farris Jamal*, Merchandising Manager; Jonathan Pintado*, Store Manager; Mohammed Hossain*, Director of Purchasing; and (standing behind) Abigail Cerra, Loyalty Marketing Manager. * denotes an individual employed by Chestnut Market.
Chestnut Market is a family-owned convenience store chain operating 75 locations in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The company states that its values, friendliness, cleanliness and safety attest to its commitment to make an impact in the communities it serves.
Chestnut Market notes that its stores are curated to meet the demands of local customers. It promotes the formation of strategic partnerships ranging from local collaborations to high-tech solutions and offers a wide selection of snacks, beverages and fresh food options.
Fuel brands across its locations include Exxon, Mobil, Shell and BP. The Old Lyme location carries the Mobil brand.
Natalie (Smith) Garland of North Hill, Needham, Mass. passed away October 21, 2024. Age 93. Formerly of Wellesley …
Devoted mother of Edward R. “Ted” Garland of Natick and fiancée Elizabeth McElroy; Peter T. Garland and wife Melissa of Old Lyme, CT; and Dwight W. Garland and wife Suzanne of Wellesley. Grandmother to Matthew, Katherine, Sally, Shannon, Roger, Madison, Christopher, Michael, and Peter. Great-grandmother to Jamie, Cooper and Benjamin … Predeceased by husband, David …
Natalie was a retired elementary school and special needs teacher in Wellesley for over 20 years …
Memorial Service at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, 207 Washington St. (RT. 16), Wellesley, on Friday, November 8, at 2:00 PM. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Save the Children Fund …
LYME—On October 2, 2024, the birds, squirrels, possums, and other creatures bowed their heads in sorrow as Roberta “Bobbie” Elizabeth Kenyon, the partner and best friend of Ron Denman for over 40 years, passed away peacefully at her home in Lyme, CT.
Bobbie was born on Thursday, August 7, 1952, in Amityville, Long Island, NY, to Phoebe Ruth Dartnall Kenyon and David Eccleston Kenyon. The family later moved to Essex, CT. After graduating from Amityville Memorial High School, Bobbie attended Mitchell College for two years and took art classes intermittently at Middlesex Community College.
Her lifelong friendship with Ron began on a cliff overlooking the Connecticut River during a Kenyon Labs Christmas party on a cold, moonlit December night. They talked and laughed together until sunrise, enjoying each other’s company.
An accomplished artist, Bobbie dedicated herself to various commercial projects, which she cherished. She eventually ventured into glass etching and started her own business, Frost Paintings, initially using M.E.K. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) before transitioning to sandblasting. Bobbie sold her work at Renaissance Faires and art shows throughout New York and New England, often selling out. While she excelled in glass etching, her true passion was in oil and watercolor painting.
Bobbie was also an avid horse enthusiast, raising and training her horse, Kalamac. She loved riding around Essex and Lyme, often amusing neighbors by riding at night—sometimes in just a bikini.
A lover of all animals, Bobbie fed birds, squirrels, raccoons, and possums, and she planted flowers everywhere. Anyone she cherished received a cup of tiger lily seeds to plant. Her vehicles were always stocked with cat food, plants, and sunflower seeds, reflecting her deep affection for cats. Throughout her life, she had many cats, all of whom adored her.
Bobbie designed and built a post-and-beam barn for her horse on her property in Lyme. Later, she and Ron transformed it into a cozy post-and-beam home, where they lived together for over 40 years and where she ultimately passed away.
An avid photographer, Bobbie initially focused on weddings but later documented significant projects. One notable project was Ron’s restoration of the Catboat Dolphin, which continues to charter passengers for daysails in Edgartown. Another was the restoration of Scovil Mills, now known as Scovil Forge in Higganum, CT, which houses various businesses, primarily Kenyon Labs.
During this time, both Bobbie and Ron worked at Kenyon Laboratories. Bobbie excelled at trade shows, and eventually, they purchased Kenyon Labs, turning it into a successful international company.
Bobbie had an incredibly big heart; she was one of the kindest and sweetest people one could ever meet. She dedicated her life to helping others, even during her illness. She was smart, personable, beautiful and exceptionally kind. Bobbie took the time to enjoy life, always stopping to smell the roses and living as a free spirit to the fullest.
She leaves behind her lifelong friend Ron Denman, her brother and sister-in-law, Paul and Joanne Kenyon of Bridport, Vermont, and her cousin Rachel Reid of Shootash, Hampshire. UK.
A celebration of her life will be held soon at the Scovil Forge properties in Higganum, CT. Please contact Ron for more information.
