Donald Griffin Pelton

Donald Griffin Pelton, 77, of Windsor, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 4, 2023, surrounded by his family at his home. Born in Hartford on March 17, 1946, son of the late Howard L. and Ruth (Griffin) Pelton, he was a lifelong resident of Windsor and a graduate of Windsor High School, Class of 1964.



After high school, Donald served in the US Army during the Vietnam era and was stationed in Germany. After his honorable discharge, he returned to Windsor and later worked in construction with his brother Lon.



While Donald was home on leave from the service, he met a young woman from France, Jocelyn Marie Carlu, who was hitchhiking with a friend from New York City to Connecticut. The two stayed in touch writing letters and visiting when possible and they married on April 15, 1972. As a young couple, Donald and Jocelyn traveled extensively throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. They took many memorable trips exploring the world together including to Portugal, Spain, Thailand, New Zealand, Morocco, and Jamaica. After settling in Windsor, Donald and Jocelyn built a home together on land Donald's parents had purchased where they raised their daughter and son. Donald loved animals and over the years he and Jocelyn had chickens, rabbits, horses, and llamas on their farm.

Donald was a true outdoorsman caring for his farm, building his own home, splitting wood each season to heat his home for the winter, and hunting and fishing in his spare time. He loved working on his backhoe, drag racing as a young man, and listening to conservative talk shows on AM radio, especially his favorite commentator, Rush Limbaugh.

While his children were growing up, Donald was active in all of their activities, traveling throughout New England attending Melissa's equestrian shows, and Oliver's hockey, soccer, and lacrosse games. He loved being with his whole family, especially at their family camp in Sandisfield, MA. After having grandchildren, he looked forward to spending as much time with them as he could, fishing, skiing, and attending their sporting events.

Most of all, Donald enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, relaxing at home, eating one of his wife's home-cooked meals, especially when it involved "Skunk Sauce" or ended with her famous Strawberry cheese cake.



In addition to his beloved wife of 51 years, Jocelyne Marie (Carlu) Pelton, he leaves two children, Melissa Mol-Pelton and her husband Geert of West Suffield and Oliver C. Pelton and his wife Kelly of Windsor; five grandchildren, Farren Mol, Skylar Mol, and Zander Mol all of West Suffield, and Savannah Tustin and Dylan Pelton both of Windsor; a brother, Lon Pelton and his wife Jane of Windsor; a sister, Linda Durie and her husband David of Sun City, FL; and six nieces and nephews, Laurel Pepin and her husband Louie of Windsor, Holly Pelton and her significant other, Michael Pelletier of Windsor, Heather Habersang and her husband Todd of Windsor, Kent C.L. Avery and his wife Demitra of Portland, ME, Reed Avery of Morgantown, WV, and Lori DeAngelis and her husband Richard of Lakeland FL. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by a nephew, Eric Avery.

Donald was laid to rest after a horse drawn procession in the Pelton family plot in Elm Grove Cemetery in the Poquonock section of Windsor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to The Simon Foundation, Inc., 120 Rescue Lane, Bloomfield, CT 06002 or by visiting, www.thesimonfoundation.org.