Wilbur J. Widmer

Wilbur J. Widmer, 87, of Storrs passed away in his sleep on the morning of Sunday (April 2, 2006) at his home. He was born on October 20, 1918 in West New York, NJ where he grew up, and was the son of Louisa and Gotfried Widmer. He was a graduate of West New York Memorial High School (1938), The Cooper Union in New York City (1946) and earned a master s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1948). He was a professor at the University of Connecticut in the Civil Engineering department, from 1948 until his retirement in 1988. Additionally, he served the World Health Organization as Sanitary Engineer and Consultant in Pakistan, Brazil, and Egypt. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church since moving to the Storrs area in 1948, and in more recent years was also active in St. Mark s Episcopal Church and the Storrs Congregational Church. The Wilbur J. Widmer Ecumenical Walkway connects the front entrances of St. Thomas and St. Mark s churches, after being dedicated to him in 1995. He is survived by his wife, Pearl Gilmore Widmer, whom he married in 1950. He is also survived by his three sons and their wives, Frederick Widmer and Liz McGandy of Waltham, MA, Wilbur (Bill) Widmer and Jan Narciso of Winter Haven, FL, and Mark Widmer and Pat Palmer of Princeton, NJ. He has two grandsons, Christopher and Cody Widmer, of Winter Haven, FL. His family will receive friends at Potter Funeral Home 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic on Wednesday between 5:00 and 7:00pm. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 1:30pm at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, North Eagleville Rd., Storrs. Interment will follow in Storrs Cemetery. Memorial donations in Wilbur s name may be made to any of the three churches he was active in; St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, St. Mark s Episcopal Church or Storrs Congregational Church. For online memorials and directions, please visit www.potterfh.com .