The Aspire community lost four individuals in February and March. We extend our sympathies to all who knew and worked with them.
Jack Barnes
Jack passed away suddenly in March. Jack had recently moved to Wilton along with three housemates from his previous home in Greenfield, NH where he had lived for many years. Jack was an active man with great curiosity who loved to explore his environment. He enjoyed his new home and the opportunity to experience new places and activities. He will be missed deeply not only by his family and housemates but the Aspire employees who supported him for many years. Here’s a link to Jack’s obituary, written by his family.
Kim Deschamps
Kim Deschamps passed away on February 21, 2021 after a courageous battle with multiple medical issues. She was a fighter! Kim was one of the original people who resided at Glen Parkway. Kim will be best remembered for her purple hair, good sense of humor, and smile. She loved to cook, but also to dine and order out at restaurants. Italian cuisine was her favorite. She loved to shop and go to the library and the movies. Kim enjoyed arts and crafts, playing games on her tablet, and listening to music. She was an active member of the ACTION Advocacy Group and was elected the group’s president last year. Kim loved to help others, and she was a friend and jokester to many. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
William M.
William passed away on March 10, 2021. Billy, as he was more commonly known, enjoyed being one of the guys whether they were working on cars, doing construction, or playing a casual game of basketball. Though Billy did not communicate verbally very much, with some sign language and gestures he always got his point across. He had definite opinions on the way things, decorations, and furniture should be, and he made his opinion known! Billy loved good food and especially chips and cookies. He was supported by licensee John Lawson at the Waterbury Community Companion Home. Billy is remembered by many Aspire employees as a very sweet individual who had many great relationships with his support staff. He was 60 years old.
Frank R.
Frank passed away on March 13, 2021. He was one of those kind souls that everyone admired from the moment they met him. He had a great big smile, a terrific laugh and an amazing sense of humor. His personality was larger than life, always commanding a room. He was not shy about letting you know when something bothered him and would persist until there was a clear resolution.
Frank was always trying to make people laugh. He knew when the mood needed to be lightened. And sometimes he just felt like engaging in tomfoolery. Mike Hall recalls, “I’ll never forget the first time I met Frank years ago. I had just taken over the program, replacing one of his favorite people, Cheryl. Frank was very direct and told me that I had big shoes to fill and if I didn’t do a good job, he would let me know immediately and my supervisor as well. He then looked at me, winked and said ‘Oh Mike, I’m just messing with you and testing you out, I’m sure you’ll do just fine.’”
Frank took on a big responsibility in assisting his brother over the years. When Walter started to have memory issues, Frank was always there for him helping him with whatever he needed. He was dedicated and loyal to all of his friends, but there was a special bond between the brothers, one that was never broken. It was a really special thing to witness.
Frank also loved current events, receiving 5-6 daily newspapers. There was not a thing going on in the world that Frank did not know something about. His biggest passion was his sports teams. He was always ready to talk about the Yankees and the Giants. He loved to go to Yankee Stadium to watch a game. During his earlier days, he coached baseball, an experience that always had a special place in his heart.
Frank has certainly left a large hole in our hearts with his passing. We will remember him as one of the kindest people we have ever met, and more than that, how he made all of us better people.