Wal Jarvis of Portland left us peacefully after a long and bravely fought battle with cancer, passing on January 31st, at the age of 79. He was born in Hartford on May 10th, 1945 to Penny and William Jarvis. Wal spent most of his life as a Portland resident residing on the Penfield family farm.
Wal Jarvis worked his entire career in what was then, a fourth-generation family manufacturing business. Wal attended Choate where he excelled at athletics. He then went on to graduate from Boston University. He later attended the OPM Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School. Wal went to work in Lynn, MA before moving to Rochester, NH, eventually moving back to Portland, CT. where he was named President of Jarvis Airfoil, Inc. He modernized and grew his business, including an expansion into the medical implant manufacturing industry by starting Jarvis Surgical, Inc. Wal Jarvis retired in 2015 after successfully dividing and passing his businesses down to his two sons, the fifth generation of Jarvis owner/operators. He is remembered by all who worked with him as committed and caring, an owner who always made time for his employees and never hesitated to roll up his sleeves when another hand was needed.
An avid traveler, Wal and Hedy continued to visit remote parts of the world after his retirement. He rode an elephant, canoed in Vietnam, fished in Mexico and drove the Autobahn. Wal regularly attended Nascar Championship races with his dear friend Henry Colangelo. An accomplished amateur race-car driver, Wal was happiest when experiencing the challenge of the traction and turns on the racetrack. Whether it was skipping over the chop on Long Island Sound in his Cigarette boat or driving his highly modified 911 race car into Big Bend at the end of Lime Rock Park’s Sam Posey Straight, where he regularly felt the Joy of speed.
Wal Jarvis is survived by his wife Hedy Gaebel Jarvis of Portland, his two sons; Jason P. Jarvis of West Hartford and Clayton F. Jarvis of Easthampton, MA; his stepdaughter Victoria Tchetchet of Portland; and his two brothers; Penfield Jarvis of West Hartford, and Marshall Jarvis of York Harbor, ME., as well as many loved nieces and nephews. Wal Jarvis was the patriarch of a large blended family including ten Grandchildren and two Great Grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Judy.
Wal’s family would like to thank everyone at Masonicare for taking such wonderful care of Wal during his time with them. A very special thanks goes to Wal’s care giver Emanuel Ayidana who was with him every day. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 18th at Trinity Episcopal Church, 345 Main St., Portland. Burial will follow at Center Cemetery, Portland. Friends may call at the Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland on Monday, February 17th from 4 to 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Portland Food Bank or St. Vincent DePaul of Middletown.
Claudia R. (Halibozek) Marquis, 82, of Portland ,passed away on January 23rd, after a brief illness. Claudia was born in Middletown on July 5th, 1942, the daughter of the late Edward W. Halibozek and Rosa (Lawrence) Halibozek. She was predeceased by her brother Edward F.
Halibozek and wife Alice. She grew up in Portland and made that her home while raising Claude S. Marquis, her son. She leaves behind her son Claude, his wife Debbie, and grandsons Bud McMicken, wife Mattie and Erick Marquis and fiancé Kaylee; also, two great grandchildren James and Ana. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and cousins who loved her dearly. She leaves behind a special niece, Lizzy, who she truly adored. She was a member of St Mary’s church in Portland and retired from First National stores as a meat department processor.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, February 15th in St. Mary’s Church at 10 a.m. Burial will be in the family plot in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Portland. Friends may call at the Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland on Friday, February 14th from 5 to 7 p.m.
Ronald John Muskatallo, 83, of Portland, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 24th at Middlesex Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He was born on October 27th, 1941, the son of the late John and Evelyn Muskatallo. Being a lifelong resident of Portland, he spent his youth and his senior years at Jobs Pond. He worked at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft CANEL (where he met his wife), The Travelers and The Hartford. He loved to hunt, especially at "Rainey Weekend ", the guy's hunting camp in Maine, where he insisted they keep the tractor running at all costs. He was a member of the Portland Fish and Game Club and helped plan his Class of 1959 class reunions. An avid Red Sox fan he also loved the UCONN Women's Basketball Team. He was at all of his grandchildren's functions cheering them on. Ron was an avid sailor, sailing for over 40 years with his wife on their sailboat, JARRO, going to Block, Massachusetts and Maine. In 1994 and 2003 they joined the "Caribbean 1500" and sailed off shore to the Caribbean to live aboard for several months making wonderful friends and memories. The past few winters were spent in a condo enjoying the warmth in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. He will be missed by everyone who knew him, especially his wife. He is survived by his wife, Jane Domingue, his son Ronnie and wife Carla, grandson John and wife Luka, and granddaughters Erin and Alex Denoyelle. He was predeceased by his parents and his brothers, David and Norman.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 11th at 10 a.m. in the Portland Memorial Funeral Home, 231 Main St., Portland. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday, February 10th from 5 to 7 p.m. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Portland.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his name to the Radiology Department at Middlesex Hospital, 28 Crescent Street, Middletown, CT 06457.