February 2026

December 4th, 1974 -February 23rd, 2026

Lucas Carroll, proud Army veteran, departed this earthly plain early Monday morning after a long and valiant battle with prostate cancer. Devoted father to Morrigan Carroll of Middletown and loving fiancé to Stacey Prince of Portland, Lucas was an avid D&D and darts player who enjoyed hikes, Jeep drives, and attending all the concerts in the land. He will be sorely missed by dear childhood friends Christopher Lucas and Bill Collins among many others. Lucas is survived by his father & stepmother Al & Marilyn, brothers Jay (Lisa), Bryan, Jeremy (Becky), many nieces and nephews, and Stacey’s son Logan Prince.

Please join us to celebrate Lucas’s life at the Eagles Club at 64 Stack Street in Middletown at 1pm on Sunday, March 1st. Wear your best Dungeons & Dragons, Disney, or his favorite colors of blue or purple gear!

Isabelle G. (Isabel) Downing, 95 of Portland, CT passed peacefully at home on Sunday February 15, 2026. She was born on February 27, 1930 to the late Dominic and Lucille (Cordone) Natale. She was the beloved wife to her late husband, Robert K. Downing. Isabel was a lifelong parishioner of St Mary's Church in Portland. St Mary's is where she was baptized, went to school and got married. She had a strong faith in God and attended mass services regularly. 

After getting married, she and Bob bought their beautiful home in 1956, where they started a family and raised their four children. When her children were young, she became a Dutch Maid salesperson, hosting home parties and selling Dutch Maid clothing. She loved it and it was her first taste of being a somewhat entrepreneur working on her own terms. Many years later, she started working for the City of Middletown, as a school secretary at Farm Hill School, where she worked for 10 years. One day, Isabel and two of her teacher friends got together to wallpaper one of their rooms. They had fun, worked well together and had the idea to moonlight as wallpaper hangers. Eventually, the teachers fell away and she was left standing alone. Isabel still had the vision, the passion, and the drive to do this. She was determined to start a wallpapering business, but needed some help. This is when she turned to her daughter Joan, who had just graduated from High School in 1982. And, that was the beginning of " Paper Dolls Wallpapering" and it is still in business to this day. She worked hard and built a very successful business. Isabel made her way to the top and became a true entrepreneur. After losing her oldest daughter Nancy at age 47 to cancer in 2003, Isabel slowly started to retire and handed the business over to Joan. After getting off the ladder, she still wanted something to do. She became an Avon Representative selling Avon products to her family and friends and also, volunteered at the Portland Senior Center for many years.

She enjoyed bowling with the women on her bowling team, playing cards with other friends, and getting together with the Bunco ladies once a month. She loved a good laugh with her friends and family. Isabel loved to cook and gather with her family on holidays and weekends. 

Isabel was a loving soul who would do anything for anybody. She was a rock and inspiration to all of us, her immediate family, her siblings, nieces, nephews and friends. She truly loved and appreciated everyone who was in her life.

Isabel is survived by her son, Ray Downing, her daughters, Marjorie and her husband Walter Rode, Joan and her husband Danny Witherell, her grandchildren Jared and his wife Michele, Justin and Lillie Downing, her great grandchildren Arlo and Lyra Downing. Isabel is predeceased by her husband Robert Downing and her daughter Nancy Downing.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 7that 10 a.m. in the Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland. Burial will be in the State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday, March 7th from 8:30 until the time of service.

Arthur R. Tuttle, 66, of Portland, CT, passed away from cancer at home on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026.

Born and raised in East Hampton, CT, Art had a lifelong love of the outdoors. He was an avid fisherman and hunter, who proudly served as president and a life time member of the Belltown Sportsmen’s Club, where his grandfather was one of the founding members.

A true “jack of all trades,” Art could fix just about anything. He was also a talented potter and glass artist, and a longtime member of Wesleyan Potters in Middletown, where he was the building and grounds co-chair for many years. Art believed in always doing the right thing, making people laugh, and always lending a hand to those who needed it.

He was passionate about music and loved going to concerts. On weekends during racing season, you could always find him watching NASCAR, cheering on Joey #22.

Above all, Art valued his family. His family was the most important thing to him. He loved his wife, two daughters, his two sons-in-laws (who he considered his sons), and his two grandchildren more than anything in the world and was incredibly proud of them. He loved spending time with them sometimes as the quiet observer or sneaking candy to the grandkids. Telling them really corny dad jokes and playing his music way too loud. 

Art is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 43 years, Cheryl Schoell Tuttle of Portland; his daughter, Chrystal and husband, Justin Goodson of East Hampton, CT, and daughter, Jessica and husband, Michael Siavrakas of Cheshire, CT; and his beloved grandchildren, Harper Goodson and Michael Gus Siavrakas, who will always remember him as “Papa.”

To be friends with Art was a friend for life. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 21stat 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church, 554 Main St., Portland. Burial will be at a later date in Swedish Cemetery, Portland. 

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his memory to the ACLU. www.aclu.org or NORML https://norml.org

The Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland is in charge of arrangements.