Obituaries
• Roy Eugene Betit, 75, of Whitingham. Died June 23 at his home. Husband of Antoinette (Stone) Betit for nearly 48 years. Father of Hunter J. Betit and Dr. Brent Betit and his wife, Julie, all of Whitingham; Teresa Betit and her husband, Howard Lurie, of Brookline, Mass.; Lisa and husband, Ralph Buchanan, of Whitingham; and Christy Betit and fiancé Aaron Shadwell of Jamaica Plain, Mass. Brother of John, Raphael and Charlie Betit, Maisie Dockum, and Mae Clough. The son of the late Joseph T. and Maisie (Busby) Betit, he was born in the Betit homestead on School Street in Whitingham and received his education in Whitingham schools. Throughout his formative years, and after finishing school, he worked in the extensive J.T. Betit family business for his father, which spanned a number of industries and related jobs: sawyer in the family sawmill; logger; maple syrup maker, working two family sugar lots; farmer, milking a small dairy herd, and haying. He later was an equipment operator and plow truck driver for the Vermont Highway Department and the Whitingham Highway Department. From 1983 until his retirement in 2002, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier. He was an ardent outdoorsman and enthusiastic hunter and fisherman. Though he respected others' beliefs, his own life was built on the conviction that Americans possess the inalienable right to bear arms. He enjoyed hunting trips with friends and family to Montana, Canada, and Maine, and most everywhere in Vermont, and he fished uncountable days by boat, and on land or ice. He was a longtime member and past-president of the Deerfield Valley Sportsmen's Club and, for 15 years, he was also vice president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen. For this and many other signature accomplishments, he was named the DVSC Sportsman of the Year in 1999, a highlight of his life. He was one of the founders of the Whitingham Ambulance Service, where he was an EMT, and a past member of the Whitingham Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a longtime member of the Whitingham Cemetery Commission and director of the Whitingham Historical Society. He had an extremely strong work ethic and was a jack-of-all trades. With a deep love of reading, he was continually learning new things until his last days. He loved his large family, and enjoyed nothing more than getting the “whole fam damily” (his humorous appellation) together for frequent barbecues and bonfires. He was also quietly proud of his children's educational, career, and life attainments. Memorial information: A graveside service was held July 1 at the family lot in Sadawga Cemetery. Donations to the Guy Hawkins Cancer Fund, Whitingham Community Church, or Southwestern Vermont Cancer Center, in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Sylvia “Goldie” Myrtle Kingsley Bodine, 93, of Whitingham. Died June 22 at her home. Wife of the late Arnold W. Kingsley for 63 years, and the late William “Bill” Bodine for nearly 10 years. Mother of Lee Kingsley and his wife, Deborah, of Whitingham; Warren Kingsley and his wife, Tina, of Chateaugay, N.Y.; Connie Burton of Guilford; Sandra Kingsley of Wilmington; and the late Cleon Kingsley and Nancy Smith. Born at home in West Halifax, the youngest daughter of the late Henry and Amanda “Maude” (Bouvier) LaRock, she was raised in Halifax and often spoke of her family as being “as poor as crows.” As a child, she only had one book, a collection of short stories, which she read over and over because she loved to read. She was a star speller and often tells of a district-wide spelling bee for which she won a $5 bill. After finishing elementary school in Halifax, she attended Whitingham High School, but did not graduate due to pressure from her dad who did not think that girls needed an education. She married Mr. Kingsley in 1936, and together they owned a dairy farm in Whitingham. During her earlier years, she was busy raising six children and creating a wonderfully rich and stable home life for her family despite limited means. She enjoyed cake decorating, quilting, sewing, gardening, feeding the birds, and caring for her flowers, both indoors and outdoors in the summer. Family was her biggest focus all her adult life. After the children were grown and on their own, she held many a big family gathering at the farm home, with everyone enjoying great camaraderie along with a table laden with her delicious home-cooked foods. Farm and family obligations kept her pretty close to home, but she once took advantage of the opportunity to go to England with a teaching colleague and afterward she spoke with gratitude many times of this trip. Though she to complete her high school education as a teenager, she was very proud to have earned a GED much later in life, following which she was able to serve many years as a teacher's aide at Whitingham Central School. She found the work very rewarding and was well respected by students, parents, and staff. Before that, she had worked seasonally at Coomb's Candy Kitchen in Jacksonville, She was a member of the Brattleboro Christian Science Church, and previously had attended the Christian Science branch churches in Greenfield and North Adams, Mass. She selflessly served as First Reader for many years in the North Adams church. She also held membership in the Whitingham/Jacksonville Homemaker's Club. where she was president for a couple of years. She also served one term on the Whitingham School Board. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on June 29 at the Municipal Center in Jacksonville, followed by burial in Sadawga Cemetery. Donations to First Church of Christ, Scientist, 57 Putney Rd, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or the Humane Society of the U.S.-Whitingham Animal Care and Control Fund, P.O. Box 619, Jacksonville, VT 05342. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Phyllis Joan Snyder Cote, 69, of Putney. Died June 24 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital following a period of declining health. Wife of the late Gerald Cote for 20 years. Mother of Carrie Martin and her husband, Edward, of Putney, and Kimberly Basinger, also of Putney. Sister of Kenneth Snyder of Enfield, Conn., and the late Harvey “Bobby” Snyder, Jr. Born in Springfield, Mass., the daughter of the late Harvey and Emma (LaMore) Snyder, she was raised and educated in Enfield, Conn., and was a graduate of Enfield High School, Class of 1961. She went on to attend Community College of Vermont, earning an associate's degree in history, and later graduated from Norwich University, where she received her B.A. in psychology. She had been employed as a paraprofessional at Brattleboro Union High School, where she retired after 22 years in education. Previously, with her husband she owned and operated Cote's Store on Route 5 in Putney. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and served as Mother Advisor for the Order of the Rainbow For Girls, Brattleboro Assembly #12. She also was active in the Cub Scouts, where she served as a den mother. A lifelong Methodist, she was a member of First United Methodist Church in Brattleboro. She enjoyed volunteering at St. Michael's School in Brattleboro, assisting with its kindergarten reading program. She also loved to travel and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on June 28 at First United Methodist Church, followed by burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Putney, where she was laid to rest next to her husband. Donations to St. Michael's School, 47 Walnut St. Brattleboro, VT 05301, Putney Volunteer Fire Dept. 14 Main St., Putney, VT 05346, or to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593 Brattleboro, VT 05302. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Weyman Stockton “Stumpy” Crocker, Jr., 87, of Westminster West. Died June 21. Husband of Joanna Campbell Crocker for 63 years. Father of Joanna Crocker, Sheila Crocker Patinkin, Richard Crocker, (Lisa), Daniel Crocker, and Nathalie “Lee” Crocker. Brother of the late Cynthia Bergen. Born in Boston, Mass., in 1924, the son of Weyman S Crocker Sr. and Nathalie Bontecou. He graduated from St. George's School in Newport, R.I., and went on to attend Yale University, receiving his bachelor's degree in engineering. From 1943-1945, he served in the Navy in the Philippines. He was a math and physics teacher at St. George's School, The Fenn School in Concord, Mass., and Kent School. He later attended the University of Vermont, where he completed his master's degree in physics. His first job in engineering was at General Electric, and he also worked at MIT's Instrumentation Laboratories from 1956 to 1961. He continued his career, designing our country's first satellites as a consulting mechanical engineer at GE, Polaroid, and Boeing developing precision optics, precision measurement, and aerospace systems. His most important assignments included the Apollo space project and designing the optics for the periscopes in the Trident submarine. He had a lifelong love of the outdoors, canoeing every possible river in New England. Since he was 6 years old, he knew wanted to be an engineer. He could not resist tinkering and inventing in his machine shop, building, among other things, a tractor out of three cars. He was an enthusiastic inventor and entrepreneur who had several patents in his name. His proudest achievement was his commitment to Alcoholics Anonymous for 21 years, and his establishment of a halfway house for alcoholics in need in Bellows Falls. His charitable work included Warden of St. Marks Episcopal Church in Springfield, serving on the board of the Community High School of Vermont, and advocating in Vermont government for laws and policies for the rehabilitation of alcoholics in prison. Most recently, he traveled from home to lead weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at the Springfield Correctional Center. Memorial information: A memorial service was held at the Westminster West Church on June 25. Donations to Geisel Medical College, Center for Aging, DHMC Development Office, One Medical Center Drive, HB 7070 Lebanon, NH 03756, the Westminster West Congregational Church, or a charity of your choosing.
• William Robert “Bill” Dennen, 71, formerly of Vernon. Died June 27 at home in Apex, N.C., after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. Husband of Janet (Sautter) Dennen. Father of Troy Dennen and his wife, Leann, of Scarborough, Maine; Ashley (Dennen) Ranaldi and husband, Robert, of Wellesley, Mass.; and Kirsten (Dennen) Abel and her husband, John, of Apex, N.C. Born in Fitchburg, Mass., the son of the late Charles and Ellen (Colbert) Dennen, he graduated St. Bernard's High School in 1958. He then went on to attend Stockbridge School of Agriculture, where he earned his associate's degree in 1962; the University of Tennessee, where he earned his B.S, in 1967; and the University of Vermont, where he earned his master's in 1974. He was an educator in Vermont for 33 years. His first position was as a teacher of agriculture at Thetford Academy. In 1969, he and his family relocated to Vernon, and he took a position of agriculture teacher at Brattleboro Union High School. It was a position he thoroughly enjoyed, and he was voted Vermont's Outstanding Teacher of Agriculture in 1974. In 1976, he took a position in Vocational Guidance at Brattleboro Area Vocational Center, now the Windham Regional Career Center. In 1983 , he took over the principal/director position at the Career Center, a position he held until his retirement in 2000. He was a community minded person, and was proud to be a lifelong Republican. He was active in several activities and organizations, such as the Jaycees (in his early years), Brattleboro Rotary Club, the Vernon Fire Department, and the Vernon Police Department, where he held a part-time job for 16 years. He served on the Vernon Selectboard and was town moderator for 10 years. His hobbies included canoeing, kayaking, playing golf, and fishing with his family. His greatest passion was flying. He obtained his private pilot's license and flew his Cessna around the area. He was especially proud of his 1997 flying trip with his wife in Australia, where they spent three weeks flying the Outback in a Cessna 172. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at the West Village Meeting House in West Brattleboro on July 13 at 5 p.m. Donations to the Windham Regional Career Center, Attn: Joyce Rathbun, 80 Atwood St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Barbara R. LaFlam Grover, 71, of Holyoke, Mass. Died May 12 at Holyoke Medical Center after a long struggle with cancer. Wife of Terry Grover. Mother of Rick and his wife, Debbie, of Holyoke; Christopher (Joe) and his wife, Cindy, of Eureka Springs, Ark.; Terri Jeanne Harper of Holyoke; Jon and his wife Angela, of Windham, Maine; James and his wife, Christine, of Mt. Home, Ark.; and the late Thomas Grover. Sister of Dolores and husband, John Breen, of Santa Fe, N.M.; Beverly and her husband, Donald Farrington, in Hopkinsville, Ky.; Tom LaFlam in Tarpon Springs, Fla.; Leslie LaFlam and his wife Nancy in Aripeka, Fla.; and the late Philex “Butch” LaFlam. Born in Brattleboro, she was the daughter of the late Henry (Tom) and Ruth Gilson LaFlam, she attended Brattleboro schools and after she got married, lived in Washington D.C., for several years before settling in Jay, Maine. She earned her Associate's degree from Mid-State College in Augusta, Maine. She also lived in Hopkinsville, Ky., for several years, where she was manager for Goodwill Industries. She later managed a Goodwill store in Santa Fe. She loved meeting people, helping others, traveling and seeing other parts of the country, and being able to visit family and friends all around the United States, before retiring to Holyoke, where she enjoyed her cats, books and her family. Memorial information: A celebration of her life was held in Holyoke for the family. Donations to the charity of ones choice.
• Phyllis Violet Howard, 102, of Jamaica. Died June 13 at Pine Heights in Brattleboro. Sister of the late Charles Howard, Ethelyn Lindquist, and Alberta Harris. Born in Jamaica, the daughter of the late Ernest and Emma Howard, she went to Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend. She worked as a caregiver, stitcher and cook. She was a member of West Townshend Seventh day Adventist Church, and was Sabbath School secretary. She enjoyed gardening and quilt making. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held July 21 at 2 p.m. at West Townshend Seventh Day Adventist Church, with burial in East Jamaica Cemetery. Donations to West Townshend Seventh Day Adventist Church, P.O. Box 1069, West Townshend, VT 05359.
• Marya Lebensohn Huseby, 68, of Westminster West. Died at her home on May 23 after a four-month struggle with pancreatic cancer. Former wife of Sven Husesby for 32 years. Mother of Kaia and Johs, of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Danbury, Conn. Sister of twin brother Jeremy of New York City and Valerie and Lucia, of Vergennes, and San Anselmo, Calif. Born in Washington, D.C., daughter of the late Mary Bates and Zigmond Lebensohn, she grew up in Washington and quickly developed an intense interest in movement that led her to Bard College, where she majored in modern dance. In 1967, she began teaching dance at The Putney School, where she met her husband, then a young history teacher. They married in 1969. She taught dance for more than 25 years at The Putney School. Throughout her years at Putney, she was deeply appreciated. In the words of one former student, “She was inspiring in many ways, but was especially memorable for her warmth, kindness and grace. She had a gift for seeing beauty and possibilities in people.” She was a founding member of Collaboration Danceworks Company and performed throughout Vermont from 1975 until 1981. She also taught classes for young children for many years, at local schools and through the Brattleboro Music Center's summer arts program. She loved to travel, work in her garden, and take walks with friends on the back roads of Westminster West. She was a superb cook and loved to have friends over for dinner and conversation. Memorial information: A memorial service for family and friends will be held on July 14 at 11 a.m. at her home in Westminster West.
• Barbara Ann Riendeau, 81, of Brattleboro. Died June 26 at Hilltop House on Bradley Avenue. Sister of Betty Lou Bolster of Rochester, N.H., and the late Margaret Hamilton. Born in Saxtons River, the daughter of the late Peter and Doris Spooner Riendeau, she was raised and educated in Saxtons River. Prior to moving to Hilltop House, her home for the last 22 years, she had resided in Vernon for more than 20 years. She had worked in several different homes throughout the years. A quiet unassuming woman, she was known for her kindly spirit and wonderful sense of humor. She enjoyed poetry, reading, writing, scrapbooking, playing card games and Bingo, going out for lunch, and keeping her autograph book. Memorial information: A graveside service was held on June 29 at Chesterfield West Cemetery on Poor Road. Donations to Hilltop House, 65 Harris Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or Brattleboro Area Hospice, P.O. Box 1053, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Richard E. “Dick” Shaw, 77, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died June 21 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Maria DeSantis for nearly 51 years. Father of Richard E. Shaw Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Litchfield, N.H., and Anthony J. Shaw and his wife, Kristin, of Goffstown, N.H. Brother of the late Patricia Lombard and Robert Shaw. Born in Orange, Mass., the son of Earl and Ethel (Griffin) Shaw, he was a graduate of Orange High School, Class of 1952, where he was a standout athlete. He went on to attend Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H., and later American International College in Springfield, Mass. He served in the Air Force from 1954-1958, and was stationed in Japan. At the time of his passing, he was employed as tax collector for the town of Hinsdale, a position he held for the past 17 years. Previously, he worked as a sales representative for the former Gurnsey Distributors of Keene and Globe Distributors of Manchester. For several years, he worked for Sherwin Williams Paint, managing the company's Brattleboro store location. Active civically, Mr. Shaw served on the budget committee in Hinsdale, which he chaired for several years. He was a longtime member of the Hinsdale Lions Club and the Orange Lodge of Masons. He enjoyed golf, spectator sports and following his grandson's sports accomplishments. Memorial information: A memorial Mass was held on June 27 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hinsdale, followed by burial with full military honors in Gethsemane Cemetery in Athol, Mass. Donations to a charity of one's choice. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Kenneth F. Smith, 93, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died June 26 in Townshend at his camp. Husband of the late Elizabeth “Betty” Richards for 12 years. Father of Barbara A. Sullivan and her husband, Dan, of Hinsdale; Paula S. Miller and her husband, Norman, of Northfield, Mass.; Donald K. Smith and his wife, Barbara, of Guilford; Jennifer M. Hosmer and her husband, Mike, of Hinsdale; Debra L. Frederick of Manchester, N.H.; and the late Helen M. Wetherby. Brother of Mary A. Howe and Martha M. Zuverino, both of Hinsdale, and the late Ruth, Bernard, Paul, and William Smith. Born in Watertown, N.Y., the son of the late Nellie (Green) and Jesse Smith, he was educated in Watertown and Winchester, leaving after completing the eighth grade as so many of his generation did. He served in the Army during World War II and was honorably discharged at the rank of Tech-3. He worked for the Winn Plumbing Company in Chesterfield, N.H., for more than 20 years before retiring in 1980. After he retired, he took a part-time position working for his daughter, Stephanie Schryba, at the Townshend Dam Diner. He was a local fixture in the diner, doing whatever needed to be done. He will be missed by the customers who became his friends over the years. He could be found watching baseball on television or at the fields. In his younger years he liked to hunt. He was an avid card player. He was a member of VFW Post 1034 in Brattleboro and was a post commander for three terms. For much of the past 30 years, he was a seasonal resident at the Bald Mountain Camp Grounds in Townshend. Memorial information: A graveside service with full military honors was held July 2 at Evergreen Cemetery in Winchester, N.H. Donations to Hospice and Community Services (HCS), 390 Marlboro Rd. Keene, NH. 03431.
• Gloria Spanko, 87, of Brattleboro. Died June 21, at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Wife of the late Edward Spanko. Mother of Janet Rasmussen of Vernon and Jill Deaett of Hinsdale N.H. Sister of Nancy Brennan of Hampstead, N.C., and the late Eugene Crokus, Jr. Born in Wantagh, N.Y., the daughter of the late Eugene and Marcella Crokus, she was a graduate of Freeport High School in Long Island, N.Y. After graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper at Keyes Fibre Co. in New York City, where she met her husband. They lived in Wantagh until 1981, when they fulfilled their dream of moving to Vermont, settling in West Brattleboro. She moved to Vernon Hall in 2009. She was an active participant in the Catholic church, at both St. James parish on Long Island and St. Michael's in Brattleboro. She embraced all of life with enthusiasm and curiosity and loved being part of the lives of her family and friends. She particularly enjoyed being near the ocean and the mountains and was an avid reader and a New York Yankees fan. Her ability to transcend her physical limitations with grace and humor will be remembered by all who knew her. Memorial information: A memorial Mass was held on June 27 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to Vernon Hall, 13 Greenway Drive, Vernon VT 05354.
• Elizabeth Dent “Betsey” Uptegrove, 88, formerly of Jamaica. Died June 13 at Thompson House in Brattleboro. Wife of William Edgar Uptegrove for nearly 65 years. The daughter of Paul R. Doolin and Elizabeth Whelchel Doolin, she grew up in Cambridge, Mass., and attended the Buckingham School through seventh grade, then attended The Putney School from 1935-1940, starting as an eighth grader in the first year of the school. After high school, she lived with a French Canadian farm family on Isle d'Orleans, located near Quebec City in the St. Lawrence River, teaching English at the local elementary school. In the following years, she attended Bryn Mawr College and University of Vermont, and graduated from UVM under an accelerated program in 1944 with a degree in secondary education. She taught high school English first in Newport Center and later in Brandon. She also worked briefly for the Vermont Printing Company in Brattleboro. From the late 1940s through the mid-1970s, the Uptegroves lived in Brooklyn, Westchester County, and Rochester, N.Y., where they raised their family. She was active in the League of Women Voters and her daughters' Girl Scout troops. The family came to Vermont every summer and many weekends, staying at their un-modernized farmhouse in Jamaica. The Uptegroves settled in that house year-round in 1975. They kept a draft horse and several saddle horses. Betsey described her occupation as “self-employed environmentalist.” She was active in several organizations, including Stop Uranium Mining, Stratton Area Citizens Committee, Vermont Natural Resources Council, and West River Watershed Alliance, among others. She initiated and won the first upgraded stream classification in Vermont to protect the pristine waters of Kidder Brook on the eastern slopes of Stratton Mountain. For many years, the Uptegroves participated in the Watershed Alliance's monthly water testing on streams in the northern reaches of the West River watershed. She enjoyed reading poetry, making and listening to music of many genres, gardening, photography, cooking, canoeing, horseback riding, camping, walking in the woods, skiing, and caring for animals. She also sang with West River Valley Chorus. She read the newspaper regularly and was an amateur scholar of Shakespeare's plays. Memorial information: “A Gathering to Remember Betsey” will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m., at the Jamaica Town Hall on Route 30. Donations to Vermont Natural Resources Council in Montpelier, or to Thompson House in Brattleboro.
College news
• The following Brattleboro residents graduated from the University of Hartford in May: Cassandra Willette graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music, Jessalyn Mattson-Gemmell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, and Anthony Speranza graduated with a Graduate Professional Diploma in saxophone performance.
• Katherine Derby of West Dummerston has graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y.
• Frances Wilson of Dummerston received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations/Global Affairs with High Honors from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla.
• Erica Lynn McAllister of Putney recently graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
• Elfreida Hirsch of Putney was named to the Spring 2012 Dean's List at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C.
• Michaela Tietz of Townshend was named to the Dean's List at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., for the spring 2012 semester. Tietz, a member of the Class of 2015, is an undeclared major.
• Lindsey K. Hunterwolf, formerly of Putney, was one of 465 seniors who graduated from Colby College on May 20, receiving a bachelor of arts degree at an outdoor commencement in Waterville, Maine, where former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was the speaker.
School news
• Katherine Gabriel of Grafton and Sela Wang on Putney graduated from Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn. Gabriel was named to the Honor Roll for the spring semester, while Wang received High Honors. Ethan Lawrence, a freshman from Grafton, also was named to the Honor Roll.
• The Board of the Moore Free Library in Newfane recently announced the recipients of the 2012 Robert L. Crowell Scholarships, generously funded by the family of Robert L. Crowell, and awarded to residents of Newfane, Williamsville, South Newfane, and Brookline who will enter college in the fall. The winners, all graduating seniors at Leland & Gray Union High School, are: Olivia Capponcelli, Keene State College; Luke Darling, Landmark College; Phoebe Gunther-Mohr, Bard College; Alyson Jones, Keene State College; Emmet Mahdavi, Bard College; Julia Miramontes, Rhode Island College; and Jessica Young, University of Vermont.