George Randolph Daggett

August 19, 1949 – December 30, 2020

Pomfret – George Randolph “Randy” Daggett, 71, of Fay Road, died on December 30, 2020 at home after a brief illness. Born in Patterson, New Jersey, he was the son of the late George Randolph Daggett, Sr. and Fern (Lewis) Daggett. After his mother’s untimely death when he was a teenager, Randy moved to Webster, Massachusetts to live with his uncle and aunt John and Evelyn Lewis and their family. He graduated from Bartlett High School, where he played varsity basketball and football and sang in the choir.

Randy wed Judith St. Germain in 1969, and soon afterwards they welcomed first a son Christopher and one year later, a daughter Dawn. While supporting his young family with multiple jobs, Randy attended Worcester Junior College before earning bachelor’s degrees in management and secondary education from Nichols College in 1973.

Randy traveled throughout Massachusetts as an account executive for Hallmark Cards from 1977 until 1987 when he purchased Dowe’s Hallmark on Main Street in Danielson. He was a leader in the local business community, where he sold greeting cards, gifts, baseball cards, candy, newspapers and magazines, greeting residents daily with a smile, a piece of news, a joke or a retort until 2004.

After moving to Connecticut, Randy found his true calling as a first responder, serving first as a volunteer fire fighter for the Danielson Fire Department and later South Killingly and Pomfret Fire Departments. He became certified as an E.M.T. and was a member of the Board of Directors of K.B. Ambulance Corps for seven years before being hired as the Administrator and Chief of Service in 2004. Randy was famous for his ability to stretch a dollar. During his tenure as Chief, he grew the nonprofit from a small, volunteer operation with just two ambulances, into a thriving, essential service provider with 26 paid staff and 28 volunteers, that responds to more than 5,000 emergency calls every year for Killingly, Pomfret, Hampton, and Eastford. Since 2018, K.B. paramedics have also annually provided Advanced Life Support to thousands of additional residents of seven towns in the “Quiet Corner.”

One job was never enough for Randy; he always had at least two, a tradition that began in his youth when he held two newspaper delivery routes. In addition to serving the community as a first responder, Randy was a fixture in his adopted hometown of Pomfret. As a part-time member of the Pomfret Parks and Recreation and Public Works staff for more than 10 years, he tended to the town’s green spaces atop a tractor on hot summer days and plowed miles of town roads through snowy winter nights.

Randy is survived by his son Christopher and his wife Shannon of Webster; daughter Dawn and her partner Angela Boone, of Cheverly, Maryland; and grandson Benjamin Daggett, also of Webster. He leaves behind his lifelong friends and fellow Nobles, including his cousin James Lewis, Peter Bolduc and Jay Lamy, and Stanley Ciesla, who remained a trusted and stalwart friend until the end of his life.

Randy is remembered for his dry wit and love of a good joke, especially if it was making fun of his family, friends, co-workers, or politicians. He is also remembered as a tireless worker and a firm leader with a kind heart who through his professional and volunteer service saved many lives, and privately helped countless other people in need. He also leaves behind his beloved family of dedicated staff and volunteer E.M.T.s and paramedics of K. B. Ambulance Corps, many of whom he trained, mentored and nurtured, who will continue his legacy of service and care by responding every day to people in crisis in the Quiet Corner.

To protect the health and safety of the community, Randy requested that no services be held at this time. Please check www.facebook.com/KB.Ambulance/ for details of a safe, socially distant memorial parade in late January. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing in memory of George “Randy” Daggett to K.B. Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 209, Danielson, CT, 06239. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Gilman Funeral Home & Crematory. For memorial guestbook visit www.GilmanAndValade.com.