Robtoy to Hess: A Journey of Joy and Tragedy
— A Southwick Time Machine Original | Tribute
Felix H. Robtoy married Eileen M. Baker in the bride’s hometown of St. Albans, Vermont, on April 26, 1941. The ceremony was a joyful spring occasion. The bride carried Easter lilies and wore a princess-style white satin gown with a long tulle veil. Following the wedding, the newlyweds traveled to New York City, Boston, and Springfield, Massachusetts, for their honeymoon before moving to 2994 Main Street in Springfield to begin their married life.
On November 19, 1942, they welcomed their first child, Donna Ann. Donna’s proud parents took her on a trip to Vermont for a few days on May 4, 1943, to meet her paternal grandparents. In 1946, a second daughter, Doreen Jean, was born. Not long afterward, the young family relocated to 19 Prospect Street in Westfield, Massachusetts, where they would put down deeper roots. Several years later, on November 4, 1951, a son, Wayne J. Robtoy, completed the Robtoy family. They later moved nearby to 4 Fritz Avenue.
From a young age, Donna loved music and dancing. She studied at the Barbara Drumm Dance Studio. She performed in various shows, including one on January 14, 1954, where she performed alongside fellow students in a variety show featuring tap, ballet, ballroom dancing, baton twirling, and vocal solos.
Donna graduated from Westfield High School on June 17, 1960, joining 286 fellow classmates in receiving diplomas during ceremonies held at the state armory.
Her father, Felix, was a longtime engineer for the New Haven Railroad (Penn Central) and an active member of the Brotherhood of Engineers. Just weeks after Donna’s graduation, on Sunday, July 31, 1960, he was operating a passenger train approaching a trestle over a tributary of the Park River when he saw several boys on the tracks ahead. Felix immediately sounded the whistle and took action. He applied the emergency brakes, closed the throttle to cut the diesel engine’s power, and threw the sander switch, spreading sand on the rails to reduce wheel slippage. The sequence took only seconds.
The train was traveling about 70 miles per hour, the maximum allowed on that stretch of track according to the State Public Utilities Commission. Despite emergency measures, it could not be stopped in time.
One of the boys, age 11, was struck and killed. The impact threw him approximately 200 feet from the point of contact. He was so badly mangled that his mother was able to identify him only by his clothing. After authorities learned that he had been fingerprinted at his school during Civil Defense registration in 1958, a police identification expert was called in to compare the prints. On Monday, he made a positive identification. The boy would have turned twelve on August 21.
Three other boys were injured and admitted to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. A 12-year-old suffered a broken left elbow when he was struck by the train. Two boys were blown from the trestle, falling about 45 feet to land on a small patch of ground in the river below. One, 15, sustained a broken right shoulder and left foot. The other, 11, suffered a broken right elbow. A fifth boy escaped physical injury.
The train ultimately came to a stop approximately 1,600 feet beyond the point of impact.
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| Miss Donna Robtoy, circa 1964 |
After the reception, the newlyweds left on a trip to the Western United States, with Donna dressed in a maize linen original with a jewel neckline and a contrasting green paisley scarf. Her accessories were in matching emerald, highlighted by a maize hat.
They returned from their honeymoon around August 15, 1964, and settled on Pontoosic Road in Westfield for a short time before moving to Old Feeding Hills Road. On July 25, 1965, they welcomed a baby girl, and on January 30, 1967, a son, Ronald Jr. “Ronnie”.
In 1965, Donna and Ronald celebrated their one-year anniversary at Vincent’s Steak House, a renowned fine-dining destination in West Springfield, Massachusetts, that was a staple in the 1960s dining scene throughout the region. Vincent’s was known for its high-quality and exceptional service. (The building that housed Vincent’s changed hands over the years before eventually being demolished.)
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Vincent’s Steak House, shown circa 1985 Donna and Ronald celebrated their first wedding anniversary there in 1965. |
In 1967, Doreen became engaged, marking another family celebration. The following year, in 1968, Donna and Ronald purchased a home on North Longyard Road in Southwick, Massachusetts.
Tragedy struck the family on May 9, 1969, when, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the vehicle that 19-year-old Robert A. Cekovsky was driving collided with Felix’s automobile at the intersection of Fritz Avenue and Prospect Street in Westfield—at the end of his own street, just steps from the Robtoy home. The impact caused Felix’s driver’s side door to fly open after it slammed into a utility pole, and he was ejected from the vehicle. Injured, dazed, and confused, Felix was able to stand up. He began walking to a neighbor’s house to seek help. Though he was able to reach help immediately after the crash, he succumbed to his injuries at Noble Hospital in Westfield at 1:25 p.m. Cekovsky received minor injuries. He was treated for shock and released from the hospital.
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| Felix's "Death Car" in the foreground. The other vehicle can be seen in the background |
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| Felix's "Death Car" |
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| The car driven by Cekovsky |
On June 27, 1987, Donna and Ronald’s daughter got married at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Southwick. Donna and Ronald eventually parted ways. In 1997, their son, Ronnie, became engaged to Tracy McInerney. They were married in 1999 at Our Lady of the Lake Church.
Another profound loss came in 2007, when Donna’s brother, Wayne J. Robtoy, passed away at the age of 55. He was a teacher in Granville for about sixteen years and served on the Granville Planning Board. He was also a member and trustee of the Granville Federated Church, where his funeral was held on July 27, 2007. (At the end of July of that same year, Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, where Donna and Ronald got married, was torn down.)
Donna continued working in the insurance industry, retiring from Arbella Insurance in 2008.
Donna’s sister, Doreen, passed away at Mercy Hospital in Springfield on April 14, 2012. She was a production planner for the Digital Company of Springfield for about twenty years.
In 2019, Donna’s son, Ronnie, passed away — another devastating loss for the family.
Ronald Sr. passed away peacefully on February 27, 2025.
Donna Ann (Robtoy) Hess died at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield on February 17, 2026. She was survived by her partner, William Reed, her daughter, and many loved ones. Her life, like many recorded in these archives, was marked by joy, sorrow, and deep community ties.
Donna Ann (Robtoy) Hess
November 19, 1942 — February 17, 2026
Author’s Note: One of the central figures in this story, Donna—Felix’s daughter—was my neighbor and babysitter when I was growing up on North Longyard Road in Southwick, Massachusetts. She was a beautiful soul. She sent me postcards from her travels, and I spent many days playing in her yard—she always made me feel like one of her own. Though we lost touch over the years, I often thought of her, and we were able to reconnect briefly by phone several years ago. Remembering her kindness and presence is part of what makes this story so meaningful to share. The world would be better with more people like the extraordinary Donna Hess.
This article is based on original primary-source research, including but not limited to official records, census data, and period newspapers. Southwick Time Machine stories are living documents. Research is ongoing, and this account may evolve as new information comes to light.
The photographs accompanying this story are authentic. In keeping with historical preservation standards, some of the images have been digitally enhanced for clarity and detail, without
altering the original subjects.
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Felix Harry Romboy
October 29, 1915 - May 9, 1969
Eileen Mary (Baker) Romboy
October 27, 1922 - December 7, 1998
Wayne Joseph Robtoy
November 4, 1951 - July 21, 2007
Doreen Jean (Robtoy) Beaulieu
1946 - April 14, 2012
Ronald George Hess, Sr.
June 4, 1941 - February 27, 2025
Ronald George Hess, Jr.
January 30, 1967 - April 11, 2019
Some sources incorrectly state that Felix and Eileen married on June 19, 1941. The 19th is when they applied for a marriage license.
Felix was a Racine, but he chose to use a variation of his mother’s maiden name, which was Robitallie, later changed to Robtoy when her family came to America. Felix came from a large family. His brothers all used the Racine name, except for one who used Root.
One of Felix’s brothers married Eileen’s sister.
Witnesses said Felix was ejected through the driver’s side door upon impact. The local police said he was ejected after his car was pushed into the utility pole.
In 1968, Ronald and Donna purchased a home on North Longyard Road in Southwick, Massachusetts, from Kenneth and Phyllis Gagne.
Ronnie Hess and Tracy McInerney likely met through their employment at Big Y Foods, Inc. He was a grocery manager. She was a benefits coordinator.
On November 23, 1958, Ronald Sr. stopped at a red light in front of Templeton’s Drug as he headed south on Elm Street in Westfield. When the light changed, he released the clutch and struck a 62-year-old woman who was walking in the crosswalk east to west. The woman received cuts and bruises to her left leg and chest. She was treated and released at Noble Hospital.
Ronald Sr. was charged with causing a disturbance. His case went before a judge in September 1961. He changed his original plea of not guilty to nolo, and the complaint was filed.
In 1966, Ronald Sr. was involved in a three-car accident that he apparently caused. He was involved in other car accidents, including one in 1975.
Ronald Sr. also worked in the insurance industry.
Connecticut General Life Insurance was founded in 1865. It merged with the Insurance Company of North America to become CIGNA Healthcare, headquartered on a 287-acre property at 900 Cottage Grove Road in Bloomfield, Connecticut. The company’s historic Wilde Building, constructed between 1954 and 1957, is a well-known landmark. It is a notable example of early suburban commercial office architecture. It won multiple awards over the years and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. Today, CIGNA Healthcare is Cigna Group. The company operates on 30 acres of the original 280 acres after much of the campus was converted into a golf course. The conversion required the demolition of some buildings on the campus.
Connecticut General was headquartered in a Renaissance Revival-style building in Hartford, Connecticut, before building its campus in Bloomfield.
Eileen Robtoy was active in the Prospect Hill PTA.
There are various spellings of Doreen’s middle name.
Ronald Sr. and Donna were known to love camping and music.
Arbella Insurance was founded in New England in 1988. They started as a regional company providing property and casualty insurance.
Barbara Drumm's Dance Studio was founded in 1951. It was located above J. R. King's Super Market on the corner of Elm and Orange Streets in Westfield. When Miss Drumm got married in 1961, it became the Barbara Drumm Mayne Dance Studio. It later taught dance and gymnastics. Barbara (Drumm) Mayne owned her studio for about 40 years. She passed away in 2000.
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