Ward McClellan Rockey, 96, Died; Navy Seabee, Loving Great Grandfather

Obituary 

Ward McClellan Rockey, 96, passed away peacefully on October 22nd 2021, surrounded by his family and friends. He was born to McClellan Ward "Chick" Rockey and Celia McDowell Rockey on November 28th, 1924. Ward grew up in Olympia, Washington, in the shadows of the state capital, playing high school sports with brothers Jay and Dean. His father, Chick, coached many of the Olympia High School sports teams from the 1930's through the 1950s. Ward's fondest memories were of the visits to his maternal grandparents' wheat ranch in Molson, Washington near the Canadian border.

In 1942, Ward graduated from Olympia High School, joined the Navy and became a Seabee. He was stationed in Hawaii and served briefly at the end of WWII, building airfields in Japan. Ward then attended Washington State University, where he was president of his fraternity, Sigma Nu, pitched for the Cougars and graduated with a degree in English.

Ward then pursued a career in baseball, reaching the minor leagues as a pitcher for the Spokane Indians. It was during this time he married Lois Janet DeForest. In 1962 he joined the Washington Natural Gas Company as a lobbyist in Seattle. Weekends were spent with the Rockey, LaClair and DeForest families skiing, fishing and frequently visiting the 1962 Seattle World's Fair.

In 1968, Ward moved his family to Westport, Connecticut, where he worked for Consolidated Edison in NYC as the assistant to the Vice President of Public Affairs. He retired at the age of 59 and moved to Rancho Santa Fe, CA with Janet.

In retirement, Ward was an avid reader, golfed daily and had an enviable short game. He eventually shot his age at 71. Throughout his life, he enjoyed the camaraderie of all sports but particularly his morning golf group at Whispering Palms. However, Ward's greatest joy came from his four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Ward is predeceased by his wife, Janet, of 62 years and his brother Jay Rockey of Seattle. He is survived by his children: Robin Anne Davis (Walter) of Louisville, CO; Karen DeForest Rockey (Skip) of Norwalk, CT; Jay Dautin Rockey of Woodland Hills, CA; grandchildren: Lindsay DeForest Davis Neitenbach (Jeff) of Erie, CO; Ashton Anderson Davis Leonard (Brendan) of Kailua, Hawaii; Rachel Marie Rockey of New York City; Michelle Tierney Rockey of Hermosa Beach, CA; great-grandchildren: Eva Marie Neitenbach and Colton Edward Neitenbach; brother Dean Rockey (Frances) of Seattle, WA and many nieces, nephews and friends including Teri Rockey and his longtime caregiver, Kevin Krampe.

Eversource Warns of Higher Winter Heating Bills this Season

Eversource

With global demand for natural gas soaring, gas and electricity prices for the upcoming winter heating season are on the rise. After hitting 10-year lows during the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of natural gas has risen significantly – impacting customers nationwide and across the globe. The driving factors include an increase in global demand during the ongoing economic recovery and a significant drop in U.S. gas supply due to a number of issues including the pandemic and extreme weather in gas-producing states.

In November, the average Eversource natural gas residential heating customer could see a 14%, or $30, increase on their total bill as compared to their average monthly winter heating bill in 2020. Because the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) rate is adjusted monthly, customers can expect to see incremental changes throughout the heating season.

The increasing cost of natural gas will also impact the cost of electricity.

The cost of electricity changes twice a year in Connecticut for Eversource customers. Eversource will file this week new cost of electricity rates applicable to customer bills beginning January 1, 2022. Eversource and other utilities do not earn a profit on the cost of electricity in Connecticut and charge customers only what the company pays generators for electricity. The cost of electricity will likely rise beginning on January 1.

Eversource wants customers to know it is critically important for them to take action now.

“With supply constraints, extreme weather and other challenges related to the pandemic driving up natural gas prices across the globe, our customers do have options to better manage their own energy use and to help pay their energy bills,” said Eversource Executive Vice President, Customer Experience and Energy Strategy Penni Conner. “Connecticut's assistance programs are some of the best in the country and we urge customers to take advantage of options like UniteCT and COVID-19 payment plans while those options are still available.”

Customers are urged to prepare now for higher-than-normal winter bills by taking advantage of programs like Connecticut’s UniteCT and Eversource’s energy efficiency solutions and payment plan options.

Help is available now to pay energy bills

Customers can also learn more about payment programs and enroll online at Eversource.com/BillHelp. Information on energy efficiency programs is available at Eversource.com.

Programs include:

• UniteCT which provides up to $15,000 rental and electricity payment assistance on behalf of Connecticut households financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Operation Fuel is a private, nonprofit energy assistance program for those needing emergency help with their energy bills year round and who aren't receiving other state or federal assistance.

• Enroll in the New Start Program to eliminate portions of your overdue balance by making payments on time each month.

Things customers can do now to save energy:

• Use the Heating Calculator on Eversource.com. This tool allows customers to see how colder weather impacts their energy bill and the small adjustments to their thermostat that will help them save.

• Sign up for a Home Energy Solutions home energy audit. During the audit, a certified technician checks a customer’s home to identify places it can be tightened up to save money and energy. The technician will do on-the-spot improvements like replacing old lighting with LEDs, sealing up drafty doors and windows and closing air gaps around pipes.

• Take advantage of the Kill-A-Watt electricity usage meter, which shows how much power is being used by most home devices. The Kill-A-Watt kits are available for borrowing from nearly 200 libraries around the state. A list of participating libraries can be found at Eversource.com, here.

Additional tips for keeping energy costs down in the winter:

• Switch to LED lights. The energy efficient bulbs run cooler and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent lights.

• Set programmable or smart thermostats as low as is comfortable when at home and awake, and lower when sleeping or away from home. Every degree lower on the thermostat saves about two percent on the heating bill.

• Weatherize the home by caulking and weather-stripping all doors and windows. Also use locks on windows to make them tighter and draft resistant. Insulate or increase the amount of insulation in the attic, basement and outside walls. Some common signs of air leaks include drafts around closed windows or doors, visible gaps or peeling paint around window or door trims, openings where water pipes or wiring leave or enter the house, or noticeable discoloration of attic insulation.

• Close the fireplace damper when not in use.

• Keep shades and curtains open during the day on the south side of your home to allow solar heating. Close them at night to retain heat.

• Have the home heating system serviced once a year and regularly replace furnace filters. During the heating season, change or clean furnace filters once a month.

• Keep baseboard heaters and radiators clean, and make sure they aren’t blocked by furniture, carpets or drapes.

Westport Reports No COVID-19 Cases Today

The Westport-Weston Health District reported no new COVID-19 cases for Westport over the past 24 hours. The State’s daily test positivity rate down to 1.82% while hospitalizations were up 11.

• Westport total positive or probable cases: 2,144 cases.

• Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 32 deaths.

• State Daily Test Positivity: 1.82% [down from 2.64%]

• State Hospitalizations: 215 patients [+11]

Westport Election: Full Results

From the Connecticut Secretary of the State

First Selectman:

1. Jennifer S. Tooker & Andrea L. Moore: 4,237 votes | 50.03%

2. Jonathan Steinberg & Candice Savin: 4,168 votes | 49.21%

3. TJ Elgin & Louis E. D'Onofrio, Jr.: 64 votes | 0.76%

Board of Finance:

1. Brian Stern: 5,207 Votes | 36.50%

2. Lee Caney: 4,959 votes | 34.76%

3. Michael Keller: 4,100 votes | 28.74%

Board of Education:

1. Kevin Christie: 5,097 Votes | 28.06%

2. Christina Torres: 5,177 Votes | 28.50%

3. Robert Harrington: 3,850 Votes | 21.19%

4. Dorie Hordon: 3,913 Votes | 21.54%

5. Alma Sarelli: 130 Votes | 0.72%

Board of Assessment Appeals:

1. Lynette Pineda: 4,547 Votes | 36.49%

2. Ifeseyi Gayle: 4,445 Votes | 35.67%

3. Joseph Sledge: 3,470 Votes | 27.84%

Planning & Zoning Commission:

1. Danielle Dobin: 4,857 Votes | 24.83% / Save Westport Now: 539 Votes | 2.76%

2. Michael Cammeyer: 4,585 Votes | 23.44% / Save Westport Now: 510 Votes | 2.61%

3. Neil Cohn: 4,477 Votes | 22.89% / Save Westport Now: 446 Votes | 2.28%

4. Jack Whittle: 3,360 Votes | 17.18%

5. Ron Corwin: 786 Votes | 4.02%

Zoning Board of Appeals (Uncontested):

• Josh Newman

• Amy Wistreich

RTM District 1:

1. Liz Milwe: 436 Votes | 23.06%

2. Matthew Mandell: 360 Votes | 19.04%

3. Chris Tait: 337 Votes | 17.82%

4. Kristin Mott Purcell: 277 Votes | 14.65%

5. Abby Tolan: 253 Votes | 13.38%

6. Rick Jaffe: 228 | 12.06%

RTM District 2 (Uncontested):

• Jay Keenan

• Harris Falk

• Louis Mall

• Christine Meiers Schatz

RTM District 3:

1. Jimmy Izzo: 403 Votes | 23.90%

2. Mark Friedman: 353 Votes | 20.94%

3. Don O'Day: 350 Votes | 20.76%

4. Arline P. Gertzoff: 328 Votes | 19.45%

5. Ross Burkhardt: 252 Votes | 14.95%

RTM District 4 (Uncontested):

• Andrew Colabella

• James Bairaktaris

• Noah Hammond

• Jeffrey N. Wieser

RTM District 5 (Uncontested):

• Peter Gold

• Dick Lowenstein

• Karen A. Kramer

• Claudia Shaum

RTM District 6 (Uncontested):

• Candace Banks

• Seth Braunstein

• Jessica Bram

• Cathy Talmadge

RTM District 7 (Uncontested):

• Brandi Briggs

• Jack Klinge

• Ellen Lautenberg

• Lauren Karpf

RTM District 8 (Uncontested):

• Wendy Goldwyn Batteau

• Lisa Newman

• Stephen Shackelford

• Rachel Steel Cohn

RTM District 9:

1. Kristin Schneeman: 427 Votes | 20.02%

2. Nancy Kail: 401 Votes | 18.80%

3. Sal Liccione: 347 Votes | 16.27%

4. Lori Church: 343 Votes | 16.08%

5. Clark Thiemann: 315 Votes | 14.77%

6. Marla J. Cowden: 300 Votes | 14.06%