Merrill S. Golden

Merrill S. Golden, 91, of Canterbury Road, New Milford, died Friday, (July 13, 2001) at home. He was the husband of Marjorie Louis Golden, who died in 1996. Mr. Golden was a lifelong resident of New Milford and never lived more than a mile from where he was born. He was born on April 25, 1910, the son of Joseph I. Golden and Eva Effron Golden. He graduated from New Milford High School in 1926 and attended New York University and Lehigh University before joining with his father and his brother, Lawrence Golden, in operating Golden & Sons clothing store on Bank Street in New Milford. After his father's death in 1948, he and his brother continued to run the store until they retired in 1970. His involvement in the New Milford community was extensive. He was a founder of Temple Sholom, and in his later years, he was an active volunteer at New Milford Hospital and the Visiting Nurse Association. Among the organizations he served were the Chamber of Commerce, New Milford Community Ambulance, the New Milford Fire Association, the Lions Club, Water Witch Hose Co. No. 2, the American Legion, the John Pettibone Memorial Scholarship Committee, the Historical Society, the Village Fair Days Committee, the town's 250th Anniversary Committee, in 1957, the New Milford Water Company, and the Advisory Board for the former State National Bank. Mr. Golden was a World War II veteran, serving with the Army Air Corps. He was an avid philatelist and had one of the largest collections of postmarks in the country. He leaves a daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy G. and Kimball Hunt of Bloomfield; a son and daughter-in-law, Louis Golden and Margaret Buchanan of West Hartford; five grandchildren, Eli Hunt of New York City, NY, Regina Hunt of Bloomfield, and James Golden, Daniel Golden and Julia Golden, all of West Hartford; a sister, Ruth Katz of Baldwin, NY; and a brother and sister-in-law, Walter and Nettie Golden of Stamford; a sister-in-law, Naomi Golden of Wellfleet, MA; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, can be made to the Marjorie and Merrill Golden Fund of Temple Sholom, P.O. Box 509, New Milford, 06776; or the charity of the donor's choice. The funeral is Monday, 1 p.m., at Temple Sholom, 122 Kent Road North, New Milford, with the Rabbi Norman Koch officiating. Burial will be in the United Jewish Center Cemetery, Danbury. The family will receive friends at Temple Sholom after 12 Noon on Monday. Mourning will be observed on Tuesday evening, 6-9 p.m., at the Golden-Buchanan Home, 295 North Quaker Lane, West Hartford. Lillis Funeral Home of New Milford is in charge of the arrangements.