Jenny D. Charkales, 80, of Stamford , passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at Greenwich Hospital. She was born in Skoura, a small town outside of Sparta, Greece on May 14, 1944 to the late Constantine and Panayota Condos Prattas.
Jenny and her family immigrated from Greece to Montreal, Canada to Stamford, CT when she was a teenager. To say she loved fiercely is an understatement. She was the glue that taught her loved ones the meaning of life, family. That is how she lived every day, loving, protecting, supporting and laughing. Everywhere she went she made friends.
Jenny is survived by her loving children, George A. Charkales and his wife Lisa and Kelly Charkales Floreno and her husband Joseph, as well as her grandchildren, Julia Rende Charkales and Andrew G. Charkales.
Besides her parents, Jenny was predeceased by her husband, Andrew G. Charkales in 2021 and her sister, Sophie Wilson.
Family and friends may call at the Church of the Archangels, 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford on Thursday, August 1, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 PM with a Trisagion service at 6:30 PM. A funeral service will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 2, 2024. Interment will follow at Woodland Cemetery, Woodland Place, Stamford.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jenny’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com

Joseph Peter Valentine, Jr., 76 of Darien, CT passed away on February 13th. Born in Stamford, CT on May 21, 1947 to the late Joseph and Grace (Scalise) Valentine. Joe is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia (Barosky) Valentine, his brother Bobby Valentine (Junko) of Stamford, his children, Tricia of Norwalk, Joe (Kim) of Lafayette Hill, PA, Anthony (Jennifer) of Avon, Brian (Lisa) of Greenwich, his grandchildren, Samantha, Jessica, Jake, Connor, and Alissa, his brothers-in-law, Stanley Barosky (d. Angela) and Robert Barosky (Lori). Joe is also survived by several nephews and extended family.

Joe grew up in Stamford, where he attended J.M. Wright Technical School. He was the star catcher on the baseball team and the king of his senior prom. After graduating as a Tool and Die Maker, he served six years as part of the National Guard-Battery C 2nd Battalion 192nd Division. After marrying his high school sweetheart, Patricia, they settled in Darien to start a family. He then opened his own business, Joe Valentine Machine Company. Joe worked there with his wife for 47 years. Joe was a 3rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus Council 41 in Stamford.

When he wasn’t working, he loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, attending sporting events, school plays, and dance recitals. His motto was always family first. He enjoyed many vacations spent with family and friends.

When he wasn’t napping on his favorite couch with remote in hand, he enjoyed watching baseball, Blue Bloods or Law and Order. He was a Mets season ticket holder for more than 20 years but wasn’t a true fan until his brother became the manager.

Joe will be remembered for his kindness and generosity along with his willingness to help others. One of his greatest attributes was making friendships that would last a lifetime.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Tuesday, February 20th from 4 PM to 8 PM at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT. A funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, February 21st at 10:00 AM at St. John Catholic Church, 1986 Post Rd, in Darien, CT. In lieu of flowers the family asks you donate to either St. Jude’s or Shriners Hospital.

To leave a condolence message online please visit www.cognetta.com.

Helen “Chick” Legato, a lifelong Stamford resident passed away peacefully at the age of 99 on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. She was born on July 5, 1925 to the late George and Theodosia (Theofanakis) Chalikis.

She was a faithful and devoted Greek Orthodox Christian attending both the Annunciation and Church of the Archangels. After graduation from Stamford High School in 1943 she worked as a machinist mate at Yale and Towne. After the war she was trained as a nursing aide at Stamford Hospital and also worked for Conde Nast Publishing Company in Greenwich. In 1947 she married her high school sweetheart, the late Annunzio “Legs” Legato. She was an avid sportswoman, and accomplished bowler and bocce player and loved to entertain all by playing her harmonica, especially during the Christmas holiday.

Helen is survived by her son, the Rev. Fr. Patric Legato and wife Evangeline; her daughters, Mary Legato and Elaine Legato-Maar; her sister, Ann Ventsias; grandchildren Theodosia and Michel-Gabrielle; great grandchildren Nicholas, Elissa and Keilani; and several nieces, nephews and friends. In addition to her parents Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Annunzio Legato; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Constantine Chalikis (Irene), Alexander Chalikis (Tula) and Emmanuel Chalikis (Julia); her sister, Evanthia Green; brother-in-law, Constantine Ventsias; granddaughter, Eliana Cruz; and son-in-law Michael Quinones.

Pubic visitation will be held at the Church of the Archangels Greek Orthodox Church, 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT on Monday, July 22, 2024 from 10 to 11AM with Helen’s funeral service scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM. A procession to Fairfield Memorial Park in Stamford, CT will immediately follow the service. Services will be presided by Rev. Frs. Harry Pappas, Evangelos Evangelides, and Patric Legato.

Helen will be truly missed by her family and friends. May her memory be eternal!

To leave condolence messages online please visit the family guestbook hosted on www.cognetta.com.

Walter S. Casey of Stamford, a U.S. Navy veteran whose military service was among his proudest accomplishments, died peacefully on July 11 at Stamford Hospital, surrounded by family. He was 93 and had been in declining health.
Walter was the last and youngest of four children of Joseph A. and Mary Kelly Casey, Irish immigrants who raised their family on Grigg Street in Greenwich, CT., when the street was a mostly Irish enclave.
As a boy, he used to hang around the vaudeville theater on Greenwich Avenue, which later became a movie theater and today is a retail store. There, Walter met such performers as Tallulah Bankhead, Lucille Ball, Ray Bolger, and Bob Hope and collected their autographs.
Walter graduated from Greenwich High School in 1950, where he received a certificate of merit for outstanding photography, which became a lifelong hobby. He joined the U.S. Navy as a seaman in 1951, serving at the submarine base in Groton, CT. when the USS Nautilus was launched, and then at the Boston Navy Yard, where he took care of reserve ships for aircraft carriers. Honorably discharged from the Navy in 1954, he received a National Defense Service Medal and the veterans’ wartime service medal from the state of Connecticut.
Returning to civilian life, Walter worked for 32 years as a custodian at North Street School and four other Greenwich schools. He was an inveterate storyteller and a beloved fixture at family gatherings. He loved to tinker around the house and was an avid newspaper reader, keenly alert to domestic political developments and entertainment gossip.
Rarely without a Navy cap and jacket, Walter was involved in and honored by many local military veterans’ and fraternal organizations, including Ancient Order of Hibernians (50 years), Knights of Columbus (fourth degree), Byram Veterans (color guard), American Legion Post 29 and Red Men’s Home Assn. One year, he was grand marshal of the Memorial Day parade.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Gostomski Casey; a daughter, Maureen Casey Lucier; a granddaughter, Samantha Lucier; seven nieces and nephews; and several grand nieces and nephews.
The viewing will be Friday, July 19, from 9-10:30 a.m. at Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Ave., Stamford, CT., 06902, with a prayer service at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at St. John’s Cemetery, Darien, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Nathaniel Witherell Nursing Home or Knights of Columbus, both in Greenwich, CT.