Donat Carol Marchand died at home Tuesday evening several weeks before his 91st birthday. Born in Westmore, Vermont on May 5, 1934, to Donat J. and Blanche Marchand, he attended St. Joseph’s school in Lowell, Mass. and La Salette Seminary in New Hampshire.
The family moved to Taftville, CT, where he graduated from Norwich Free Academy. He attended the University of Connecticut and received a BS degree, summa cum laude, from the School of Business Administration. He then attended Harvard Law School and received his Law Degree in June 1958.
He married Janet Hartinger in 1958, and they moved to Madison, Wisconsin where he was assigned to Truax Air Force Base to complete his ROTC requirements. Encouraged to stay in the military, he agreed if he got a good assignment to complete his service in Europe. Don accepted a posting to Wiesbaden, Germany, headquarters of USAFE, and moved there with his wife.
It proved to be a wonderful experience, allowing time to travel in Europe, especially in France and Italy. His three children, Patrice, John and James, were all born in the U.S. Military Hospital there. Many friends stopped to visit when they came to Europe.
When Don’s military commitment was finished, it was time to return to the United States to start civilian life. He was very fortunate to be offered a job in Greenwich with the firm, Parker, Badger and Fisher. He later moved to the firm of Ivey, Barnum and O’Mara where he remained until his retirement.
He truly loved being in Greenwich and was active locally. In earlier years, he coached Little League Baseball at North Street School when his boys were there. He also served on the RTM and was a member of the Board of Trustees at Sacred Heart School which his daughter attended from seventh through twelfth grade.
Don was always active in the law. He was President of the Greenwich Bar Association and later the Connecticut Bar Association. His goal there was to encourage fellow members to do as much pro bono service as they could for those needing it. He also earned a Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University in 1967.
Don also served as Chair of the Board of Greenwich Library during the time they were searching for an architect to design the new wing. It gave him an opportunity to visit many other libraries and increased his appreciation for ours in Greenwich. He served on the Board of Pathways and was involved in that organization’s acquiring a new residential building on Brookridge Drive.
Don enjoyed years of playing tennis on the Milbrook Club’s courts which included matches with other clubs in Fairfield County. He also loved skiing in Vermont with his family and grandchildren and spent winter weekends and holidays there.
For his family, he was a joy for us to live and be with. He truly loved his profession and all his activities! He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Janet, his children, Patrice (and William) Bradbury, John (and Joanne) Marchand, James and two grandchildren, Katherine and Christopher Bradbury.
A mass will be held on Wednesday morning, March 26 at 11:00am, at St. Michael’s Church in Greenwich. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in his memory, to the Greenwich Library or to Pathways.org of Greenwich, CT.