Obituaries
• Anna Francis Adams, 87, of Vernon. Died May 19 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Harry Adams for 36 years. Mother of Harry Adams, Jr. of Wilmington, Judith A, Scherlin of Vernon, and Nancy Adams-Waite and her husband, Richard, of Springfield, Mo. Sister of the late Mildred Green and Paul Lonsdale. Born in Springfield, Mass., the daughter of the late Dorcas Shankland and John Lonsdale, she resided with her Aunt Cindy and Uncle Leon Leclaire after the passing of her mother and father. Eventually she moved to Marlboro, residing with her dear uncle, James Shankland, on his farm, and that is where she met her husband. She loved caring for her home and family. She was a lover of animals, especially cats and dogs. She loved flower gardening at her home and had many beautiful flowers. She was an avid reader and loved to read her Bible faithfully on Sundays. Memorial information: At the request of the family, funeral services will be private. She will be interred next to her husband, Harry, in the family lot in Marlboro Center Cemetery. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to the charity of one's choice.
• Frederick Norwood Bement, 78, of Jamaica. Died May 16 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro. Husband of Antoinette McCune (Kennedy) Bement for 34 years. Former husband of Paula Bement. Father of Ted, John, Mark, and the late Christopher Bement. Stepfather of Brian, Peter, John, and Andrew Kennedy. Brother of Nancy Chase, Sally Luongo, Margaret Walsh, and Dick Bement. Born in Middletown, N.Y., the son of the late Olive Evelyn (Dickerson) and Henry Norwood Bement, he graduated from Pine Bush High School in 1952 and was an Eagle Scout. He later took degrees from SUNY-Oneonta (B.S., 1956), and Columbia University (M.S., 1959; Ed.D, 1967). He was a teacher and school administrator in New York State, first as superintendent of Pine Bush Central School District from 1969 until 1980, and then Shelter Island Union Free School District from 1980 through 1986. He also taught as an adjunct professor at New York University, Cannisus College, and SUNY-New Paltz. Following his retirement in 1986, he moved to an older home in Jamaica, with lots of projects. He held positions at Stratton Mountain and was a licensed real estate broker. He was an active member of the Jamaica Community Church, and served in various capacities, including Chairman of the Church Board. He served on the Jamaica Village School Board. He enjoyed cooking, golf, poker, and good jokes. He raised steers, bet on the horses at Saratoga, and played Backgammon in Monte Carlo. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held during the summer. His ashes will be interred at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Jamaica. Donations to the Jamaica Community Church, P.O. Box 287, Jamaica, VT 05343.
• David John Blake, 62, of Rutland. Died unexpectedly at his home. Former husband of Anne Michniewicz. Brother of Tom Blake, the Rev. Peter Blake, Pat Lindahl, Kathy Blake, Pauline O'Brien, MaryBeth Blake, and the late Eileen Blake. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of Katherine and the late John Blake, he graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1968, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. Upon graduation, he went to Castleton State College, where he had an outstanding career on the Spartan basketball team and was named MVP and co-captain his senior year. He graduated from Castleton in 1972 with a B.S. degree in secondary education. For more than 40 years, he was involved with sports as a player, coach and administrator at the high school and college levels. His teaching and coaching career began in 1973 at Burr & Burton Academy in Manchester, where he taught social studies and coached boys' basketball. The Bulldogs won four consecutive state championships from 1976 to 1979. He was an assistant to head coach and mentor George “Gigi” Allard for the first three titles, and was head coach when the Bulldogs won their fourth consecutive championship in 1979. During his 14 years at Burr and Burton, his boys' basketball teams won three more state championships in 1981, 1983, and 1984. He coached the golf team to two state championships, and also coached the girls' varsity softball team to numerous state tournament appearances. In 1987, he accepted a position as assistant mens' basketball coach at St. Michael's College in Colchester. During this time, he earned a Master's Degree in Sports Management from the U.S. Sports Academy in Mobile, Ala. Two years later, he was named assistant men's basketball coach at Champlain College in Burlington. While at Champlain, the men's basketball team advanced to the National Junior College Championships, as well as receiving the No. 3 national ranking in 1990. In 1993, he received his first collegiate head-coaching job at his alma mater, Castleton. He also served as assistant athletic director and athletic director, as he rebuilt the men's basketball program into a competitive one that earned a spot in the NAIA Basketball Tournament. In 1998, he joined the staff of Mill River Union High School in North Clarendon as social studies teacher and assistant girl's basketball coach. He retired in 2008. He received numerous awards throughout his coaching career, but his legacy is evident in the lives of the young men and women he inspired through his teaching and his coaching, as his life was equally enriched by these relationships. Memorial information: Celebrations of his life are pending and will be announced at a later date. Messages of condolence can be e-mailed to the family in care of Anne Michniewicz Blake at [email protected], or Pauline O'Brien at [email protected].
• Timothy Jay Long, 52, of Halifax. Died May 21 at home after a nearly three-year battle with brain cancer. Son of Donald and Nancy (Allen) Long. Brother of Pamela Long and her husband, Rick Foley, of Brattleboro, and Christopher Long and his girlfriend Tracy Marino of Halifax. Significant other of Lyn Sperry of West Guilford. Dear friend of Valarie Rozokat of Brattleboro. Born in Hartford, Conn., he moved with his family to southern Vermont when he was six months old. He attended Green Street and Academy schools, and was a 1978 graduate of Brattleboro Union High School. He went on to study music and art at the University of Vermont and Lyndon State College. After college, he transitioned into his father's real estate business, Don Long Realtors, Inc., where he worked with his entire family for over 20 years. Most recently, he worked as a broker for the Masiello Group in Brattleboro. He excelled at baseball, soccer, and tennis. In 1969, he pitched for the Brattleboro Pirates, which won the state Small Fry championship, and played varsity soccer and tennis at BUHS. He was particularly adept at tennis, winning numerous Brattleboro Outing Club championships in singles and doubles, and playing in the state tennis championships as a sophomore. He was greatly admired as a player and instructor by members of the BOC and the Brattleboro Tennis Club. He was drawn to music from age 3 on, when his grandfather, Robert Noel Allen, taught him basic chords first on the piano, and then on banjo and guitar. He played piano by ear, and his natural musical ability translated seamlessly into mastering the guitar by age 16. In his twenties, he played keyboard and lead guitar for the local rock band AB Driver. In his thirties, he jumped into technology and began playing, composing and producing music electronically at his studio in Halifax. After losing a fingertip in a wood splitter accident, he lost his ability to play keyboard and guitar. He became more and more focused on computer technology, electronic music production and digital photography. He treasured the last two decades he spent living in his log cabin in Halifax, and found peace and tranquility communing with nature there. Memorial information: An outdoor memorial service was held May 27 at Hilltop Montessori School. Burial will take place at a later date in the family lot in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery on Orchard Street. Donations to the Tim Long Tennis Scholarship Fund, in care of the BOC, P.O. Box 335 Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to Trinity Lutheran Church, 161 Western Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Michael Allen Raymo, 67, of Wilmington. Died May 18 at his home. Father of Dr. Claire Gudewich and her husband, Vincent, of Frederick, Md.; and Dr. Patricia De Angelis of Annandale, Va. Brother of Richard Raymo of Wilmington, James Raymo of East Dover, Bartley Raymo of Wilmington, and Isabel “Bunny” Rice of Westbrook, Maine. Born in Wilmington, son of the late Richard Paul and Dorothy (Day) Raymo, he graduated from Wilmington High School, class of 1963 and then joined the Army. He retired from active duty in 1983. He served two tours in Germany, as well as serving in Vietnam and Panama. Upon returning to Wilmington, he worked for the Wilmington Police Department as dispatcher, and for the town of Wilmington as a landfill attendant and grass mower. He was a former member of the Wilmington Volunteer Fire Department and was a member of the American Legion Post 15 in Wilmington. He enjoyed the outdoors, especially Somerset Reservoir, and retired to his camp “I Dunno,” which he thoroughly enjoyed. Memorial information: Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 9, at 1 p.m., at Covey & Allen Funeral Home, 44 East Main St., Wilmington. Burial will be in the family lot in Riverview Cemetery in Wilmington, where full military honors will be accorded. Donations to the Wilmington Fire Department.
• Jeannette M. Rumrill, 78, of Bellows Falls. Died May 19 at her home surrounded by her family. Wife of the late Bernard Rumrill for 35 years. Mother of Gail M. Schuman, Dolores Hemingway, Mary Jane Haskell, and Debi Davis. Sister of Lorenzo Brilliant Jr., Rita Belisle, Venise Covell, Constance Dawson, and the late Joanne Cover. Born in Athol, Mass., the daughter of the late Lorenzo and Mary Jane (Labbe) Brilliant, she was a cook, waitress, and cashier for Brilliant's Bakery with her father in Bellows Falls. She was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose in Bellows Falls. Memorial information: A graveside memorial service was held May 24 in the St. Charles Cemetery in Westminster.
• An open house in celebration of the life of Andrew J. “Drew” Rodgers of Rockingham, who died March 26, will be held Sunday, June 3, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at The Dish on Main Street in Saxtons River. Friends are invited to don their favorite T-shirts and share memories, stories and light refreshments. Information or directions: [email protected].
Births
• In Barre, (Central Vermont Hospital), May 18, 2012, a daughter, Sydney Irene, to Kevin Moore and Melinda Grover; granddaughter to Michael J. Grover of Northfield and Doreen Cota of Hardwick; great-granddaughter to Rosemary Haselton of Brattleboro and the late Richard A. Grover Sr.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), May 5, 2012, a daughter, Emma Suzanne Petty, to Amy B. Wood and Daemon Petty of Guilford; granddaughter of Douglas Wood; John Petty and Ellen Proshansky; Andrea Matthews and Tom Toleno; Stephen “Bart” Bevis and the late Nancy C. Bevis.
• In Keene, N.H., (Cheshire Medical Center), May 3, 2012, a son, Brenden Michael Burke, to Shaylyn R. Burke of Bellows Falls; grandson to Wendy and Michael Burke of Bellows Falls; great-grandson to Christine Cretelle of Putney, Jack Adams of Bellows Falls and Marj Adams of Saxtons River.
In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), May 2, 2012, twin sons, Landon Everett Stone and Elias William Stone, to Michaela (Kendall) and Ryan Stone of Brattleboro; grandsons to Michael and Tammie Kendall and Ronald and Shari-Anne Stone, all of Brattleboro.
College news
• Evan Carroll of Saxtons River received a B.A. degree, and Ripley Sager of South Londonderry received a B.S. degree Cum Laude from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., during the college's 101st commencement on May 19.
• Local residents were recognized for achievements in academics and service at Honors Day ceremonies at the University of Vermont earlier this spring.
Britt Lilienthal of South Newfane received the Outstanding Senior Award, presented by the Art Department. Anna Wright of Windham received the John Dewey Award, presented by the Psychology Department.
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences presented the Scholastic Recognition Award to Aimee A. Bailey of Londonderry and Travis J. Gervais of Wardsboro, the Superior Performance Award to Amanda L. Bousquet of Putney, and the Triona Wilder Marno-Ferree Memorial Award to Clarice R. Brewer of Putney.
The Physics Department inducted Richard W. Kenyon of Brattleboro into the Sigma Pi Sigma Honor Society.
• Rosa Palmeri, a theater major from Putney, was named to the University of Evansville Dean's List for academic achievements during the Spring 2012 semester.