- William C. Wiley, Pilot, 833rd: June 27, 2008
William C. Wiley was the pilot of the "Oh Miss Agnes" during world war II and served with distinction until he was shot down over Germany near the end of the war. He survived POW camp and returned to the US.
After the war he married Margaret K. Wiley (nee Kurtz) and start a career at Bendix corporation, where he was an experimental physicist and developed many patentable inventions, such as the Channeltron electron multiplier. He worked for Bendix at several locations
until he left to become Vice President for Corporate Research for Leeds and Northrup, a position he held until he retired.
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- Pasquale J. Pagano, Mechanic, 833rd: June 16, 2008
- Pat proudly served his country in WW2 in the "Mighty" Eight Air Force, 486th BG, 833rd Sqd. He was a Life Member in both the 8AFHS and 486th BG Assoc. We attended and enjoyed many reunions from 1978 thru 2000, most notably the first reunion in Sudbury,
England in 1983.
Pat was a devoted husband, wonderful father to his 2 daughters Rosemarie & Claudia and proud grandfather of grandson Billy. We miss him but he will always be with us spiritually.
He had a military funeral and at the end of the service, his youngest sister gave out copies of the Air Force Song and asked everyone to join her & the family in singing the Air Force Song. It was very uplifting and a great send off for Pat
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- Thomas E. Kelly, Pilot, 833rd: March 20, 2008
Tom passed away in Santa Barbara, California. He was born in New York City, on March 5, 1924 to Edward Thomas Kelly, an Alderman for the City of New York, and Anastasia Cecilia Kane. Tom Kelly was a graduate of Regis High School, a Second Lieutenant
Pilot assigned to the 486th Bomber Group, 833rd Bomber Squadron of the 3rd Division of the U.S. 8th Air Force, a graduate from N.Y.U. College of Engineering where he played on the varsity basketball team, and a Boston Celtic. Tom was inducted into the N.Y.U.
Athletics Hall of Fame at N.Y.U. in 1991. Tom spent four decades with The Trane Company, building the KellyTrane Service Agency, a successful business in commercial HVAC sales. Tom served as President of the Board of Education for the Syosset, L.I. Central
School District No. 2 from 1954 to 1958. Tom retired to Santa Barbara, California in 1994.
You can also find info about Tom here
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- Edwin "Jim" Himel, Pilot, 832nd: April 14, 2008
Jim flew his first mission on September 25, and was pressed into service right away, foregoing the standard practice of letting new crews fly with veterans to get them over the shock of their first combat sortie. After flying only a handful of missions
with his crew, Jim replaced replaced LT Goodman, and eventually became a lead pilot. Jim completed his tour after 30 missions.
Following the war Jim became an engineer, settling in his homestate of Mississippi. His home was in Ocean Springs on the Gulf coast, and had been miraculously spared the ravages of Hurricanes Irene, Katrina and the rest.
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- Robert S. Bee, Navigator, Kurbjun crew, 832nd: March 27, 2008
Bob Bee helped Richard Wood publish the history book of the 486th.
Bob was born on September 13, 1916 in Columbus, graduated from North High School in 1935 and attended The Ohio State University. He entered military service in 1941 and served in the infantry. His first assignment was with Company C, 58th Quartermaster
Regiment. He was later accepted into the Air Cadet Training program and graduated as a 2nd Lt. in 1943 as a Bombardier/Navigator. Bob was with the 9th Antisubmarine Squadron flying 38 anti-submarine patrols. When the 9th became the 486th Bombardment Group
(Heavy) he was re-assigned to the 832nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy). He flew 35 combat bombing missions over Germany as a member of LT Karl Kurbjun's Crew. After World War II, he retained his reserve commission and was recalled for duty in Korea in 1951.
After two more years of active duty, he completed 21 years of total military service and retired as a Major. His decorations include: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 4 OLC, Bronze Star, Distinguished Unit Citation, EAME Theater Ribbon with 4 bronze
battle stars, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, American Theater Ribbon with one battle star, ROK Service Medal with 2 bronze battle stars, UN ROK Service Medal, ROK Presidential Unit Citation, and four overseas bars.
After the military, Bob received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio Statue University, and he pursued a career as a tool and machine designer, retiring in 1978. Throughout the years, he enjoyed golf and gardening. He was a founding member of
the Central Ohio Orchid Society and also raised award-winning African Violets and Amaryllis. Bob was one of 7 original 486ers who met at an impromptu reunion hosted by Linda Walters during a reunion of the 8th AFHS. Following an absence of 7 years, he became
very active with the 486th Bomb Group Association, serving as terms as Commander, Treasurer and Editor. During the time he served as editor and publisher of Dick Woods book, "The War Stories of the O & W: A History of the 486th Bomb Group (Heavy)". His expertise
with computers helped the nascent association build a database to track member information, and organize association records. Bob worked tirelessly putting together reunions and performing his duties as a member of the board for many years. Only when his
wife, Jean, took ill did he step down to allow others to carry on.
Bob also rode herd over a 200 acre family farm in Muskingham County and he was active with his new circle of friends at Wesley Ridge Retirement Community in Reynoldsburg.
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- John (Uzdrowski) Healer, Pilot, Bereman's crew, 832nd:
- [no obit]
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- Joseph C. "Van" Van Dine, Tail Gunner, Dauenhauer's Crew, 833rd: February 19, 2007.
Van, a native of New York, passed away at Fort Bragg, OR, following a short bout with cancer.
At the age of 19 he entered service and completed 34 combat missions as the tail gunner of of LT Dauenhauer's crew. He was the youngest Staff Sergeant on the crew who knew his as "Junior".
Van became a truck driver following the war working for a private firm, then for Blu Boy, and logging trucks for Boise Cascade and G-P, then for Walsh Oil. Following a diagnosis of bladder cancer he and his wife, Ginny, bought their own truck and travelled
together across the country getting jobs with a couple major trucking companies. Ginny and Van eventually settled in Grants Pass, OR, in 1993 where they continued to drive for a few extra years before retiring for good.
Van enjoyed woodworking, and feeding the deer that wandered into his yard.
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- Robert S. "Red" Moore, Flight Engineer, Newsom's Crew, 834th: January 29, 2007
Robert, from Horton Kansas, passed away in Lenexa, KS, on February 29th at the age of 82 after a short battle with cancer.
Bob was a 1943 graduate of Ottawa HS, and was inducted into the Army and flew 35 combat missions.
Following his discharge, Bob attended Ottawa University, earning 11 letters in three sports. He obtained his batchelor's degree in 1949, and went on to graduate school at Colorado State earning his masters in 1954. In 1952 he married his fiance, Joyce
Gullickson
Bob's career in education, and sports spanned 18 years, coaching at several schools and at Friends College, KS, where he served as Athletic Director from 1957 through 1967. He went into his own business with Joyce in 1975 in Portland, OR, retiring for
good in 1995. The following year he was inducted into the Ottawa University Braves Sports Hall of Fame.
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- Kenneth R. Duncan, Radio Operator/Gunner, Himel Crew, 832nd: January 25, 2008
- Ken, born in Cedar Rapids, IA, passed away in Fort Wayne, IN. He was a 1941 graduate of New Castle High. Following the war, Ken became a pharmacist, earning degrees from Dennison and Purdue Universities. He was co-owner of the New Castle Laundry, and
Barney's Pharmacy. He also worked in several New Castle pharmacies.
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- Chester W. Brundage, NCOIC, HFDF Station: January 24, 2008.
- Chester was the Non-commissioned Office-in-Charge of the Station 174 High Frequency Direction Finding station, and later became a founding member of the 486th Bomb Group Association. Following the war he worked as an FAA Air Traffic Controller.
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- Enrique M. "Hank" Huerta, Flight Engineer/Gunner, Fadden's Crew, 834th: January 3, 2008.
- [no obit]
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- John S. Read, Copilot, LT Scheopner's Crew, 835th: January 2008
- John became a minister following the war, and was a father of 5. He was pre-deceased by his granddaughters Amy and Kristin.
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- Leo M. O'Brien, Tail Gunner, Shaw's Crew, 834th: Nov 3, 2007
Leo died at his home.
Born in Heckscherville, he was a son of the late John S. and Catherine Delaney O'Brien.
He was a 1940 graduate of Cass Township High School.
He was a staff sergeant and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three clusters, the Air Combat Action Medal, the European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He served
with the 834th Squadron, flying 32 missions as a tailgunner in B-17s and B-24s from March 1943 to October 1945, including a mission over Germany on Sept. 19, 1944, during which his aircraft crashed in Wetteren, Belgium. He returned to Wetteren 60 years later
where pieces of his aircraft had been found.
He lived in Reedsville since 1989, having lived in Chester Springs for 29 years prior to returning to Schuylkill County. He also resided in Malvern for seven years.
He was employed by the U.S. Postal Service, serving Paoli and retiring as postmaster of Chester Springs in 1982. After retirement, he was employed as a Quality Control Manager for McGrail Manufacturing, Parkesburg.
He was a member of St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Schuylkill Haven. He was and a fourth-degree knight with the Knights of Columbus Chapter of West Chester, as well as Pottsville Council. He was a member of the National Association of Postmasters and
the County Schuylkill Ceili Dancers.
An amazing husband, father and grandfather, he enjoyed traveling, especially in the western states, as well as to many Air Force reunions throughout the country with some of his crew.
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- Andrew N. Arrington, Tail Gunner, Fairhead Crew, 834th: Oct 16, 2007
- Andy was born July 25, 1923 in Chidester, Ark., to Stevens Harmon and Laura Louise Tribble Arrington. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Iowa Park. He and Almeda Ewing were married August 3, 2002 in Iowa Park. Mr. Arrington served in the Air
Force for 20 years. He was a gunner on B24 and B17 bombers with the Fairhead crew, 834th. He also served in the Korean conflict. His hobbies were playing checkers and dominoes, hunting and fishing. After his retirement from the Air Force he worked for Civil
Service as a helicopter mechanic at SAFB.
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- Elvin W. Reynolds, Gunner, Robison's Crew, 832nd: Oct 15, 2007
Elvin W. Reynolds, 86, died at the Columbus Community Hospital. Elvin was born on March 5, 1921, in Lodi, to Ralph and Vera (Bartholomew) Reynolds. He was a 1940 graduate of Lodi High School and the UW Farm Short Course. Elvin was married to Elaine
Brager on Feb. 14, 1941, in Dubuque, Iowa.
Elvin was employed at East Central Breeders in Waupun for 18 years and Wisconsin Herd Management in DeForest for 24 years. He was a city of Columbus alderman for eight years and was mayor for six years. He also served on the Columbus 4th of July Committee
and Miss Columbus Pageant for many years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbus serving as a church elder. Elvin was a licensed realtor and private pilot.
He was a life-member of the 486th Bomb Group; the 8th Air Force Society; American Legion Post 62, and VFW Post 8090 where he was past commander. Elvin was an avid sports fan especially for the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers football.
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- Lesley B. Hull, 832nd, Pilot: Oct 4, 1996
 Les Hull flew 35 combat missions during WWII and was called back to duty for the Korean War. He achieved the status of Senior Command Pilot. Les loved
to fly, and had purchased a light aircraft to fly around the country photographing state Capitols. Les died when his aircraft crashed during this time.
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- William L. Culp, Sr., Base Defence Officer, 76th SC: Sep 27, 2007
Bill, the son of the late Leonard Parks Culp and Caroline Smith Culp, was born in Rock Hill on Feb. 27, 1920. He attended Winthrop Training School and Presbyterian College. He served with the 76th Station Complement, of the 486th Heavy Bombardment
Group as the Base Defence Officer. He flew one combat mission as an observer. He retired as a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He served Winthrop University for 50 years, first as Physical Plant Director and later as Assistant Vice-President for
Campus Renovations and Special Projects. The Culp Chiller Plant at Winthrop was named for him in 1997.
He was a member of the Rotary Club of Rock Hill, and in 1984 he received the highest award a Rotarian can receive, the Paul Harris Fellow Award for Community achievement. He was also on the YMCA Board of Directors, a volunteer cooperative weather observer
for the National Weather Service, a Boy Scout leader, and a Senior Elder at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church. As a member of the SC Football Officials Association, he traveled over the state for almost 50 years refereeing high school football games.
He was the widower of Dorothy Ann Sims Culp and Kathryn Revels Lowther Culp. He was also predeceased by a sister, Marcia C. McCarty and two brothers, Joe Burnett Culp and Lt. CoL James Lewis Culp.
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- Daniel F. H. Milaeger, Gunner, 834th: September 12, 2007
- [no obit]
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- Leon Stiglich, Tail Gunner, Ashley Crew, 835th: August 17, 2007
- [no obit]
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- Krikor George Krikorian, 832nd, Flight Engineer, Coats' crew: August 14, 2007
George was born June 27th, 1916, out in the country near Mount Camel.
His parents were Misak and Roxie Krikorian. Grandma Roxie had baby George when she was seventeen years old. He came second, after his beloved sister Varsen, who passed away August 2006.
George always worked in agriculture, with the exception of December 1942 through June 1945, when he worked in the Army Air Corps as a Technical Sergeant. His title on B-24H and B-17G bombers was “Flight Engineer and Top-Turret Gunner.” He completed 32
missions on J.C. Coats’ crew in the 832nd Squadron of the 486th Heavy Bombardment Group, stationed in Sudbury, Suffolk, England. George lived there March to October 1944.
K.G. Krikorian came home to Fresno holding the Presidential Citation, two European Theatre Battle Stars, four Air Medals, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He preserved all these decorations in a small, cedar dried-fruit box from Simonian’s packing
house. He never spoke about them and didn’t like it when his son, Larry, would ask to see his medals. Yet Lt. Col. Coats called every year.
World War II changed George. His sister Armon Fathy will tell you that he was fun loving, a good big brother, and a good Armenian dancer, before the war. But if you watch the family video tape put together by Kary and Edward Karahadian, George’s nephews,
you will either not see him in the home movies because he is off working hard on the ranch, or he appears in the background, with a cigarette in hand and a haunted look on his face. Our George was not alone; many, many vets wore this expression. George continued
to have war-related nightmares to his ninetieth year. His beloved wife of sixty years, Claire, always helped George to get beyond each night’s trouble.
There were a lot of good days. Some Fourth of July holidays here in Fresno, George and Claire hosted dinner and fireworks out on the ranch; they held Easter egg hunts for the Krikorian and Gahvejian clans, too. In Palm Desert every week George would come
home from the ranch with a whole load of produce in the pickup. He traded grapes for all kinds of other produce—from Coachella Valley dates to dozens and dozens of long stem roses. Yeah, he was a happy man with a batch of assorted produce.
George spent some years working in the canneries during the depression. But most of his career he was a grape ranch foreman. He worked, of course, for Mr. Simonian out in Sanger. In 1964 he took Claire and Larry and moved to Bakersfield area for one unhappy
year during the labor strikes. Then they made their historic move to lovely Palm Desert, California. In the Coachella Valley, George worked for Edward Karahadian, Jr., Ralph Melikian, Richard Peters, Superior Oil of Texas, and, finally, Vladimir Tudor, Jr.,
until George was just shy of 85 years of age.
Krikor George Krikorian simply loved growing food. It was his great passion in life. Hand the man a pair of pruning shears, and watch him go into action. He pruned vines and fruit trees, from pomegranates in Coachella Valley to Vanoosh Ruzgerian’s apricots
in San Gabriel to his mother Roxie’s and brother Sam’s peaches, plums and apricots, too. Weekly he would pull up in front of the Palm Desert house, honk, and begin shouting “Larry”; off load whole crates of asparagus or red bell peppers or pink grapefruit,
and demand “Look at this, will ya?” The grape harvest, to George, was the height of excitement. He was the field man—the grape ranch foreman—and would report with pride, days when over 100,000 boxes of table grapes like Thompsons, Red Flames, and Superiors
got picked. He oversaw armies of laborers—sometimes over 3,000—on sixteen-hour days. And there were a lot of these good days. After work, he would go to bed by 7:00 p.m., exhausted. Yet peaceful sleep continued to elude George.
We ask God Almighty to bless the soul of his servant George for growing food as a way to reverse the destruction of war.
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- Robert Nath, Pilot, 835th: August 2007
- [no obit]
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- Angus E. Lovan, 832nd, Pilot: July 03, 2007.
- LTC Angus “Gus” Lovan, USAF (ret), retired with 28 years of active duty service. He was 89 years old. Since retirement from the Air Force, he worked as a real estate agent and as manager of the Villa’s at Pawley’s Island. He is a former member of the
Litchfield Country Club and was an avid golfer. He graduated from High School in Kentucky and attended two years of college majoring in business administration at the University of Maryland. He served in WWII in England as a B-17 pilot in the 486th Bomb
Group completing 35 missions. During his 28 years of service he was stationed at multiple bases all over the United States, Hawaii, Japan, Germany, and South America. He served in Korea in 1951, being awarded the Bronze Star. This assignment was followed
by tours of duty in Japan, Hawaii, South Carolina and Topeka, Kansas. He was a Command Pilot. He attended the Air Force’s Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He served on the Air Force Inspector General’s Team for Headquarters 9th
Air Force. He completed his service as Commander of the Tactical Air Lift Squadron at Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Lovan was a long standing member of the PICC where he served as treasurer and usher for many years.
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- Ralph R. "Dick" Covert, 832nd, Radio, Dolan crew: June 13, 2007
Dick was the radio operator for the Dolan crew, and was taken prisoner when the crew had to abandon their aircraft on April 10, 1945.
Dick was a retired postal worker. He originally enlisted in the infantry and later transferred to the air corps. He remained in the Army following his repatriation and rose to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
Dick was buried at the Culpeper National Cemetery, Culpeper, VA with full military honors rendered by VFW ost 2524, with an honor guard from the American Legion Post 330.
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- Thomas Simpson, 833rd, Yochem Crew: May 19, 2007
- [no obit]
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- Harry G. Johnson, Radio Operator/Gunner, Santa Anna's Crew, 832nd: March 11, 2007
Harry flew 34 combat missions as the radio operator for the Santa Anna crew, and a life member of the 486th BGA. Following the war he worked for AT&T and Southwestern Bell Telephone for 30 years. He retired in 1984 and worked in sales for Dixie Printing
until retiring for good in April 2001
Harry was a member of the St. Peter's Catholic Church Parish Council, a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Telephone Pioneers and the Elks Club. Her served on the Joplin, MO, city councel from 1978 to 1982.
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- William H. Long, 835th, Copilot, George Crew: March 8, 2007
- Bill Long joined the Army Air Force in 1942 and after earning his wings he found himself with the 486th Bomb Group preparing for war overseas. The George Crew was shot down on July 1st, but Bill was not with his crew that day. His crewmate, Sam Lum,
was also not aboard, but later went down with the Adler crew, joining 3 of his crewmates in already captivity. Sadly, William watched helplessly as he watched from another aircraft whose crew he was helping train. William finished with 35 combat missions.
Five of his crewmates evaded capture, and were returned to the ZOI. Bill later made the transition to B-17s, and finished his tour of duty.
Following the war, Bill remained in the Air Force and rose to the rank of Colonel before retiring in 1966. He was
an avid sailor, and enjoyed yachting up and down the Potomac in his retirement.
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- William J. Zeli, 835th, Bombardier, G. Smith crew: February 15, 2007
- William and his crew made 35, after which, William returned home to live a long, full, productive life. He was born in Marianna, PA on February 14, 1921, son of the late Vincent and Laura Caterina Zeli. He was a member of the first graduating class of
North Belle Vernon High School in 1939. He joined the United States Army Air Corps, and was commissioned to a Second Lieutenant in Big Springs, Texas, in 1943. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Captain in 1959. His awards include the Distinguished
Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He was a retired employee of the former Continental Can Corporation in West Mifflin, PA. He was a member of St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church of Belle Vernon, PA, and former member of the Belle Vernon Golden Agers and the
St. Vincent DePaul Society.
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- Lee Dunman Carlile, 832nd, Tail Gunner, Thompson's Crew: January 24, 2007
- Lee, a former resident of Alameda, CA, was born May 25, 1922 in Richmond, CA. He was the beloved husband of Cecelia Carlile and step-father to Mark and Brian Richards.
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- Lee completed 22 missions as a member of the Thompson Crew, 832nd. He was co-owner of the Brass Rail Restaurant for over 17 years in Alameda, CA. Lee also worked for ARAMCO Oil Company in Saudi Arabia for over 7 years. Long standing member of the Alameda
Elks Lodge. He was a history buff and veracious viewer of WWII documentaries. Lee will be remembered for his hospitable personality and loyalty to friends.
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- Lewis Adelard Bedard, 835th, Pilot: January 19, 2007
- Lewis was born on July 29, 1920 to Lewis A. and Gladys (Downs) Bedard, Sr. in Jamaica Plain. He was a graduate of Dedham High School, Class of 1938 and attended Northeastern University.
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- Lewis entered the USAAF and served with the 835th as a pilot, completing 35 missions, and earning promotion to First Lieutenant. Following the war he became a drafting engineer and manager at the Foxboro Company where he worked for 35 years, retiring
in 1983. He had been a Foxboro, MA resident for fifty eight years.
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- Lewis was a trumpet and melophone musician. He was a member of the Stone Street Strummers and Norwood AARP Irregulars. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus 6063 Council of Foxboro and was a founder of the Knights of Columbus Farm Stand.
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