Arthur Phinney Obituary

Dr. Arthur O. Phinney Jr. died peacefully in his sleep at home, on December 9th, after a long and full life. He was 97 years old and had been in declining health in recent years. The cause of death was complications from old age. He is survived by his sons, Terry (spouse Helen) and Jonathan (Manley), his daughter, Susan (Robert), and his daughter-in-law, Sue. Another son, Christopher, pre-deceased him. His wife of sixty-two years, Dorothy or Be, died in 2012. Art is also survived by six grandchildren, Barton, Jonathan, Arthur IV, Brooke, Alden, and Clare and two great grandchildren, Declan, and Adelyn. In addition to his immediate family, Dr. Phinney is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and his dear friend Clare Smith.

Art was the middle son of the Reverend Arthur O. Phinney and Lucille Flagg Phinney. He was born in Boston in 1926 and spent his early years in Lynn and Winchester, Massachusetts, where his father was an Episcopal minister. Art had two brothers, Frederick (Fred) who was an Episcopal priest and William (Bill) who was the Head of Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Massachusetts for over fifty years. Bill survives both his brothers.

Dr. Phinney’s early academic years were spent in the Lynn and Winchester public schools. He graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1944. Upon graduation, Art enlisted in the US Navy and became a radar technician. He was stationed in the Philippines and was honorably discharged in 1946. Art was a graduate of Harvard College, Class of 1950 and earned a B.S. in Biochemistry. He was also an athlete during college, swimming on the Harvard Varsity Men’s Swim team.

Art graduated from Columbia University Medical School, College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1953. He did his internship and residency at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. He and his family spent a year in London in 1959 where he had a cardiology fellowship at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Upon their return from England, the Phinney’s moved to Farmington, Connecticut.

While at Harvard, one of Art’s best decisions was to go on a blind date with Be Turnbull. This meeting later led to marriage and a family. Art and Be were married for over 60 years and had a strong and loving partnership, raising a family, entertaining extended family and friends and traveling abroad. Both were active in East African health and education. Art was on the Board of Amref Africa Health (“The Flying Doctors”).

Dr. Phinney was a physician in the Hartford area for almost 40 years. He started as a general practitioner in Farmington, joining the practice of Dr. James Marshall. After eight years, Dr. Phinney specialized in cardiology and moved his office to the Medical Building near Hartford Hospital. For over 30 years, Dr. Phinney grew his cardiology practice from a solo practitioner to one of the largest cardiology practices in the Hartford area. Dr. Phinney was also active with UCONN Medical Center from its start. Using his clinical experience, he helped design the Intensive care unit as he believed that patient care should be managed from a central location and that ICU rooms should be easily accessible for both patients and medical staff.

While Dr. Phinney was a medical professional at his core, he had many hobbies and interests. He loved carpentry and working with his hands. He was famous for saying “it is perfectly good, why throw it out”. Throughout his life, Art tinkered with projects at his workbench. He was an excellent athlete and enjoyed tennis, skiing, sailing, swimming, hiking, and canoeing. He was still swimming in his early 90’s.

Art and his family spent summers on Chappaquiddick Island, Edgartown, Massachusetts where he built a rambling beach house. He finished the interior with the help of his children and babysitters (as apprentices). Art and Be spent many happy years sailing with friends as far north as Newfoundland and as far south as the Caribbean. His profession as a doctor was a bonus on seagoing excursions.

Education was essential to him, and he often remarked that “a good education is really the only thing that you can give your children”.

Religion and music were also priorities for Art. He was a former Senior Warden at St James Episcopal Church in Farmington. His children were confirmed at St James, and most were acolytes and sang in the choir. When he was growing up, Art learned how to play the piano and violin from his mother. As a child, he was a soloist in the boy’s church choir.

Edwin Hebb Obituary

Edwin Gordon Hebb, Jr., affectionately known as Captain, Guppy, Dad, and Ed, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2023, at the age of 95. He was the husband of the late Janice McCone Hebb. Born on May 9, 1928, in Burlington, Vermont, Ed lived a long and rewarding life. Ed spent his youth in Bellows Falls, Vermont before he enlistedin the United States Army during the Korean War. From 1950 to 1952, he served his country in active ground combat with the 45th Infantry, 180th Regiment, Third Battalion as a Sergeant 1st Class. For his service, Ed was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. Following his return from Korea, Ed attended the University of Vermont (UVM). He enjoyed his time at UVM, serving as President of Sigma Nu Fraternity. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in 1956, he pursued his Juris Doctorate at Georgetown Law School, which he completed in 1959. During his time at law school, Ed met the love of his life, Janice McCone. As Janice was a West Hartford native, upon Ed’s graduation, he headed north to start his life with his bride-to-be.Janice and Ed’s 60-year marriage started in West Hartford, where they raised their three daughters, Jennifer, Sarah, and Ginger. In their later years, Janice and Ed enjoyed time in Westerly, Rhode Island and Vero Beach, Florida. Their devotion to each other was everlasting, with Ed right by Janice’s side as she battled Alzheimer’s. Ten years into his legal career, Ed met Richard Gitlin; together they established the law firm of Hebb & Gitlin. Ed took great pride in growing the “H & G” family. By the time the firm merged with Bingham Dana in 1999, Hebb & Gitlin had grown to 55 attorneys with offices in Hartford and London. Ed practiced exclusively in Hartford, where he built a distinguished career as a trial attorney. He loved the courtroom. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Ed was deeply involved in public service. He brought his legal skills to TheEpiscopal Diocese of Connecticut, having served as Vice Chancellor and Chancellor from 1975 to 2008. Ed initiated the Conference for the Province One Chancellors and enjoyed the professional exchange and fellowship of the group. In honor of Ed’s faithful and valuable service to the Episcopal Diocese, he was bestowed the honorary title of Canon in 2008. Ed was also involved in local and state politics for many years, having proudly served on the West Hartford Corporation Council from 1972 to 1974. In 1974, Ed was elected Chairman of the West Hartford Republican Party and subsequently served two terms. Ed was an avid sailor and experienced great joy on the water. He spent many summers aboard Troika along with his reluctant first mate, Janice, and his able crew of daughters. Ed was an active member of the Watch Hill Yacht Club, where he eventually served as Commodore. Throughout the years, he shared his love of sailing with his buddies by taking Troika on annual cruises to the Chesapeake Bay. In his final years of sailing, Ed enjoyed the comradery of the Watch Hill 15 skippers – regardless of how he placed in the weekly races. Ed enjoyed walking the beaches of Rhode Island and Florida, always looking to add to his impressive collection of sea glass. The only thing that rivaled this collection was his large assortment of bow ties. Whether in the courtroom, at the Canoe Club, or at church, Ed was rarely seen without one. Ed was a lifelong learner which was evident in his pursuit of many interests. He was a lover of poetry and the opera, a lecturer on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and an adult student of the violin. He also enjoyed jogging with his loyal companion, Tundra, skiing with his family at Okemo, and exploring his Vermont roots with family time at the Sugar House in Putney. Ed will be greatly missed by his three daughters, their spouses,and his seven grandchildren. He leaves behind Jennifer (Nick) Daukas of Glastonbury, Connecticut, and Jennifer’s children Molly (Chris) Desmarais and Sarah (Taylor) Phillips; Sarah (John) Quirk of Harwich Port, Massachusetts, and their children Madeline (Colby) Hart, Meredith Quirk, and Johnny Quirk; and Ginger (Rob) Lynn of Glastonbury, and their children GarrettLynn and Katie Lynn. Ed also leaves behind four great-grandchildren: Henry and Charlotte Hart, Jackson Phillips, and Olivia Desmarais. Ed was pre-deceased by his parents, Edwin Gordon Hebb and Elizabeth Clarke Chamberlin, as well as his brother, Angus Hebb. He is survived by his brother’s wife, Karin Hebb. His family wishes to thank the many kind caregivers at Seabury who made the last chapter of his life warm and comforting. They would also like to thank the Masonicare Hospice Care Team. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Episcopal Church in CT, 290 Pratt Street, Box 52, Meriden, CT 06450. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, January 10, at 11:00 a.m. at St. James’s Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT. A reception will follow at the church. For condolences or directions please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.