Family and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Sunday, Jan. 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 E. Main St., Meriden. A Mass of Christian burial will held on Monday, Jan. 30, at 10 a.m. at St. Laurent Church, 121 Camp St., Meriden. Everyone is asked to meet directly at the church. Burial with military honors will be in St. Laurent Cemetery, 1151 Hanover Ave., South Meriden, CT 06451. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children , 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104-2396 or Transportation Fund Sphinx Shriners, P.O. Box 310157, Newington, CT 06131-0157. For online condolences please visit www.jferryfh.com.
MERIDEN - Donald R. Despres, 71, husband of Judith (DeLuca) Despres, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born in Hartford on Dec. 30, 1945, he was a son of the late Albert A. and Delina M. (Pigeon) Despres. A lifelong Meriden resident, making and keeping many friends. He attended St. Laurent School and went on to Mt. St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, R.I., and graduated Platt High School, class of 1964. Mr. Despres served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1971, and was employed by the Southern New England Telephone Company, as a cable splicing technician until he retired. He began working for G4S Secure Integration LLC in 2001 as a network control operator. Don was a member of the Masonic Meridian Lodge 77, Meriden. He especially enjoyed road trips on his Honda Gold Wing with his traveling buddies and visiting new places. Being with family and friends here and in Canada were always good times. He enjoyed fishing with his sons, and spending time in New Hampshire. Don's conversation and humor will be truly missed by his family, friends and breakfast buddies.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his two sons, Steven Despres and wife, Elisa, Scott Despres and wife, Tracey; his granddaughter, Jessica Despres; his sister, Jeanne Schmidt; his brother, Robert Despres and wife, Marie; and his father-in-law, Willard E. DeLuca. Many cousins; nieces, nephews; grandnieces and grandnephews will recall and hold dearly his enthusiastic kidding and laughter.
