Family Log-In

Click Here

Deacon Kenneth Edward Stroud, 95, of Southbury and previously of Newtown went to the Lord peacefully June 3, 2016 at his home in Heritage Crest, Southbury surrounded by his loving family. He would have been 96 years old on his next birthday in July. He was born and raised in southern England, the son of a village policeman and housewife, Thomas and Edith Stroud. Ken was predeceased by his elder brother, Reginald Stroud. Kenneth was a gifted musician and scholar, winning many school prizes and playing the church organ, when his feet could barely reach the pedals. In 1940, Ken enlisted in the RAF and was sent to serve in the Far East to set up radar facilities for the British. He was captured soon after arriving and held as a prisoner of war by the Japanese for over 3 years in Java. The account of his ordeal was published in a book “Prisoner of War Number 2378” written in collaboration with his son Adrian Stroud. Once repatriated, Ken returned to Weymouth, England to work with the General Post Office (GPO) as a telephone lineman. Here is where he met his future bride, Mary Patricia Mason, “Pat” to her friends and family. Married in 1947, the couple set off on an adventure that would take them to Canada, on into the United States by way of New England, then North Carolina, then New Jersey before ending up in Newtown. An electrical engineer by profession, Ken spent his career in telephony and satellite communications and, holds a valuable patent that revolutionized how we communicate today.

Baptized an Anglican, he converted to Catholicism after marrying Pat, which began a life-long devotion to the Church. While living in New Jersey, post Vatican II, the Diaconate was created by Pope John XXIII and Ken enrolled in one of the first Diaconate classes in the Archdiocese of Newark. He first served at St. Luke’s parish in Waldwick, NJ and later, until his retirement, at St. Rose of Lima in Newtown, CT where he performed hundreds of baptisms and weddings, including those of his children and grandchildren. He sang in the St. Rose choir along with Pat and as a team, post retirement from ITT, began their ministry to the sick and elderly volunteering with Hospice and Meals on Wheels while Ken stepped up his duties as Deacon. He retired as deacon at St. Rose a few years ago and was named Deacon Emeritus by William Lori, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport. He continued on as a member of the choir until his recent illness. His beloved wife, Pat, left this world to become our heavenly angel in 2004. Deacon Ken is survived by his five children: Susan Stroud of MD, Dominic Stroud of TX, Adrian Stroud and wife Laura, of FL, Clare Joaquin and husband Charles (Bucky), of NJ and Simon Stroud and wife, Linda Lee, of NC. His daughter-in-law, Joy Stroud, predeceased him in 2015. He was blessed with eleven grandchildren: Nora & Erica Seggel; Jason Stroud; John, Chris and Stephanie Stroud; Lena Joaquin, Megan Joaquin Puso and their brother, Kyle; Dana Marek Scozzafava and Joseph Marek; and, great-grandchildren Rhys Seggel, Madeleine, Lucas and Charlotte Stroud and Gwenevere and Fiona Scozzafava and Addison Marek. Friends may attend calling hours to be held at St. Rose of Lima Church, 46 Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT on Wednesday June 8th from 4:00pm to 9:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be concelebrated on Thursday, June 9th at 12 noon in St. Rose of Lima Church, Msgr. Robert Weiss, Pastor will be the homilist. Interment will follow in St. Rose Cemetery, Sandy Hook. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Regional Hospice and Homecare of Western CT, 30 Milestone Road, Danbury, CT 06810 www.regionalhospicect.org Funeral arrangements are in care of the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main St., Newtown. To leave an online condolence visit www.honanfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deacon Kenneth Edward Stroud, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.