Peter Nilson of Durham, a former Westport resident, died June 21 at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown after a long illness. He was 82.

Peter Nilson: Staples grad. Contributed photo

He was born on April 7, 1937 in New Haven and raised in Westport. He attended Westport public schools and graduated from Staples High School in 1955.

He married Maria Nilson in 1962 with whom he enjoyed 56 years of a happy and devoted marriage. When his children were young, Peter ran the Westport Fence Company. Later he worked as a diesel mechanic for L.H. Gault & Sons, an oil, sand, and gravel company based in Westport.

He was a wonderful, loving and dedicated husband, father and grandfather. He enjoyed nothing more than being surrounded by his family for holidays, special occasions or picnics.

Barbara A. O’Connell, known to her family as Bink, of Westport died June 6 at home after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 60.

Barbara O’Connell: technology trainer. Contributed photo

Born on May 12, 1959, she spent her early years in Darien, later graduating from Weston High School and Manhattanville College where she majored in economics and English literature.

A lover of computers and technology especially the early Apple, she pursued a career focused on technology training and education.

She held positions at IBM, NYNEX, and Vanstar and ultimately was a director at eCoreXperience where she loved developing online learning materials.

Jean L. (Fournier) Henry of Woodbridge, a former Westport resident, died June 10 at Griffin Hospital, Derby. She was 86.

Jean Henry: former Westporter. Contributed photo

Born in Norwalk on July 9, 1932, she was the daughter of the late David and Maryanne Schmeltz Fournier. She had been employed by the former GFK Company of Mamaroneck, New York, where she served as vice president before her retirement with many years of faithful and dedicated service.

She was proud to have belonged to the Westport Republican Town Committee for many years. She was a woman of great faith and was a longtime member of Assumption Church in Westport.

Upon moving to Coachman Square at Woodbridge in 2012, she was welcomed with open arms and built many lasting friendships. She will be forever remembered as the life of the party and found great enjoyment socializing and attending the theater.

Joseph Louis Boland of Grand Rapids, Michigan, a former Westport resident, died June 2 after a long illness. He was 82.

Joseph Boland:  Staples graduate.  Contributed photo

Born in Englewood, New Jersey to the late Joseph L. and Dorothy (French) Boland, he attended schools there and in Westport. He was an Eagle Scout, and a graduate of Staples High School, where he and his tennis partner were the Connecticut State doubles champions in 1955.

He graduated from Middlebury College with a BA in 1959 and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega. In 1960, he moved to Alaska where he worked as the director of public relations for Alaska Methodist University in Anchorage.

He later returned to New York City and served as president of Boland, Briggs and Varley Advertising Agency.

Charles Clark Reid, a celebrated American watercolor painter, died June 1 at his Green’s Farms home in Westport. He was 81.

Charles Reid: celebrated watercolor artist. Contributed photo

Through an almost 60-year career, he worked as a fine artist, illustrator, author and teacher. He was a member of the National Academy of Design and the Century Association.

His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, and is included in the permanent collections of Smith College, Brigham Young University, the Century Club, the Yellowstone Art Center, and the National Academy of Design. He also wrote 11 instructional books on painting.

Born Aug. 12, 1937 in Cambridge, New York, he was educated at the South Kent School in Kent and attended the University of Vermont and the Art Students League in New York City. He insisted that his most valued educational achievement was his Eagle Scout badge.