Recent Death Notices From Madison: D'Auria, Skelly, Guzzio

MADISON, CT — Below are recent obituaries from Madison:

Louis D'Auria Jr., 78, died Sept. 6. He resided in Madison. A former health care executive, he was an instrumental member of The Healthcare Management Association for more than a decade, serving as President of the Connecticut Chapter from 2006 to 2008.

Pamela Mary (Cryan) Skelly, 71, died Aug. 25 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a battle with cancer. Raised in Fairfield, she taught special education before turning to managing rental properties and hosting parties for the Madison Newcomers group. She was an avid photographer and gardener and served for years as a foster parent for newborns awaiting adoption. She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Robert, three children and three grandchildren.

Robert (Bob) Guzzio, 84, died Aug. 24 at home, two days after his birthday. A mechanical engineer, he spent 35 years as a senior engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, overseeing the design and repair of periscopes on Navy submarines. He organized his own golf league, volunteered as a baseball umpire and was a devoted UConn Huskies basketball fan. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Linda, three children and seven grandchildren.

Robert Edwin Sonnichsen, 75, died Aug. 18 after a two-year battle with cancer. Raised on land off the Post Road that had been in his family for nearly a century, he graduated from Daniel Hand High School and earned a civil engineering degree from UConn. He worked for the state and later FEMA before returning to Madison in 1986, where he served for years on the Wetlands Commission and was a partner at Waldo and Associates in Guilford. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Leesa, two children and four grandchildren.

Marcia Pickett Moran, 92, died July 17 at Artis Senior Living in Branford. A longtime resident of Neck Road, she taught second grade for most of her career at Madison's Ryerson Elementary School and was active for more than 60 years at St. Margaret's Church, where she volunteered for Red Cross blood drives and led the rosary at Madison House. She was predeceased by her husband, Michael, and is survived by three daughters, a son and six grandchildren.

Sylvia P. Phillips, 89, died July 14 at Yale New Haven Hospital. Born and raised in Madison, she owned and ran two downtown clothing stores, The General Store and The Yellow Boutique, and loved painting, gardening and the beach. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Harold, and is survived by three children, three grandchildren, two great-grandsons and a brother.

Stuart Larson, 81, died June 14. He spent his life fishing and boating on Long Island Sound and built his own home from the foundation up. An avid NASCAR fan, he drove to Daytona for years to cheer on Dale Earnhardt. He is survived by his wife, Maryblaise, three daughters and a grandson.