Obituary of Cecil Stanley Card

Cecil Stanley Card, 91, of Westbrook, passed away peacefully on Saturday March 5th at Middlesex Health Care Center joining his beloved wife Janet, who passed away five months ago. Cecil was born in Searsport, Maine on April 29, 1924, the son of Cecil and Etta Card. He attended local schools and Bowdoin College until called to serve in the Army during WWII. As a paratrooper in the 507th regimen, 82nd Airborne, he participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded and spent two months in a French hospital where he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. In 2014 he received a Knighthood of the Legion of Honor, France's highest decoration. One of Cecil's most treasured activities for many years was his annual trip with Janet to the 507th reunions at various locations around the country. After the war Cecil met his wife of 67 years, Janet Reynolds, and began his work at Orkil. This company was later bought out by General Electric and Cecil served as a field service supervisor for 27 years. Cecil loved the ocean and his boats and spent many hours fishing in Long Island Sound and beyond. He was a handyman around the house and could fix anything. His found golf ball collection was second to none, as he loved to walk miles with his Labrador Retriever along the golf course on the edge of his property. Cecil and Janet spent many weeks each year camping in their various trailers and RV's, traveling the country and visiting all 48 contiguous states. Cecil was a lifetime member of the Elks, and a longtime member of the First Church of Christ, Congregational in Clinton where he was a deacon, a member of the Every Member Canvas and actively involved in the church fair. Cecil is survived by his daughters Candace Casale (fiance George Sima) of Haddam and Priscilla O'Connell (Paul) of Middletown and his son Robert (Adriana) of Sugar Hill, Georgia. Also his grandchildren Katherine (Michael) Tabak of Cromwell, Robert Casale (partner Monica Nowosadko) of Higganum, Matthew and Jonathan O'Connell of Middletown, Valerie (Greg) Esteban of Shanghai, China, Allison Card of Smyrna, Georgia and Emily Card of Sugar Hill, Georgia and his great grandchildren Alexis and Preston Tabak of Cromwell, as well as his former son-in-law Gene Casale of Clinton. He also leaves several brothers and sisters; Nancy Cole, Judy Staples, Stephen Card, Lois Connelly, Susan Fraser and Marguerite Stranahan and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife, Janet Margaret Reynolds Card, two grandchildren Michael and Sarah O'Connell, a brother Reginald Card and a sister Ethel Morris. The family would like to thank Middlesex Health Care Center for their loving care and, most recently, Athena Hospice Care. A memorial service in celebration of Cecil's life will be held on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at the First Church of Christ in Clinton at 10:00 am. Burial will be private at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The First Church of Christ, Congregational, 55 Church Road, Clinton, CT 06413 or to the Westbrook Ambulance Association, 1316 Boston Post Road Westbrook, CT 06498. Arrangements by Robinson Wright Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook.