Norbert Stopper

NAUGATUCK-Norbert Alphonse Stopper, 90, of Union City, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, Oct. 31,2009 at Glendale Center after a short illness. For 65 years he was the beloved husband of the late Mary Elizabeth (Borisuck) Stopper, as well as a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Mr. Stopper was born March 17,1919, in Williamsport, Pa., daughter of the late Anthony and Mary (Eck) Stopper. He grew up on the family farm in Williamsport and graduated from Williamsport High School. He joined the U.S. Army in 1942, serving overseas in northern Africa and Europe during World War II. After the war, he was employed by the Naugatuck Footwear Plant, which later became known as Uniroyal Inc., until his retirement.

Mr. Stopper was also well known in Naugatuck for his part-time television repair business. Throughout his retirement, he enjoyed many woodworking projects, creating heirlooms like rocking horses for his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and handcrafting a collection of unique walking canes. He was a parishioner of St. Mary Church in Naugatuck, where his rocking horses were quite popular in the annual holiday bazaar raffle. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed spending summers in Vermont with his late wife during their golden years, where family often visited to relax and unwind in the mountains.

He is survived by a daughter, Loretta Lambert and her husband, Tom, of Oakville; three sons, Martin Stopper, and his wife Adrienne, of Clarks Summit, Pa., Anthony Stopper and his wife, Carol, of Watertown, and Carl Stopper and his wife, Debra, of North Haven; nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by eight brothers and sisters.

His funeral will be held on Wednesday Nov. 4th at 9:30 am from the Alderson Funeral Home of Naugatuck, 201 Meadow St. and proceed to St. Mary's Church 380 North Main St., Union City for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery, Cross St., Naugatuck with full military honors. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday from 8:30am until the procession leaves for church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of Christian Charity, Mailickrodt Convent, 350 Bernardville Rd., Mendham, N.J. 07945 or to a charity of the donor's choice.