Obituaries
• Priscilla A. (Perkins) Barnard, 90, of Brattleboro. Died July 26 at her home, after a brief period of decline. Wife of the late Walter S. Barnard for 35 years. Mother of Sharon A. Barnard of Brattleboro; Alva-Jean Unwin and her husband, Daniel, of Brattleboro; Neal A. Barnard of Springvale, Maine; and the late Warren A. Barnard. Sister of the late Constance Connors. Born in Beverly, Mass., the daughter of the late Emma T. (Raymond) and Harry L. Perkins, she graduated from Beverly High School in 1939, and went on to receive a B.S. in Mathematics from Boston University. She started her career teaching algebra to World War II veterans, and later worked for the Medford (Mass.) Savings Bank in the operations department. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Brattleboro and spent much of her free time volunteering and serving the community. She enjoyed singing in the church choir, serving on multiple church committees, volunteering at The Gathering Place, and knitting baby blankets and caps for various missions and those in need. She had also served on the advisory board of the Anna Howard Shaw Center at Boston University. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Aug. 12 at First United Methodist Church in Brattleboro. Donations to the First United Methodist Church, 18 Town Crier Dr., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or The Gathering Place, 30 Terrace St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Roger Chapman Jr., 79, of Lexington, N.C. Died July 17. Husband of Barbara Tate Chapman of 59 years. Father of Stephen Chapman of Brewster, Mass., the Rev. Bryan Chapman of Garner, N.C., and Lynn Myers of Lexington, N.C. Sister of Linda Ives of Dummerston and the late Emily Newton. Born in Brattleboro, the son of the late Roger and Emily Chapman, he graduated from Brattleboro High School and graduated magna cum laude with an electrical engineering degree from the University of Vermont. He worked for 35 years for Bell Laboratories, and made significant contributions to the Telstar Project, the first communications satellite. Throughout his life, he was continually active in church work, filling many positions. He especially loved singing in the choir. Another of his greatest pleasures was spending time and traveling with his family. Memorial information: A funeral was held on July 21 at Jersey Baptist Church in Lexington, with burial in the church cemetery.
• R. Keith Clarke, M.D., 82, of Brattleboro. Died Aug. 5 of complications of Parkinson's disease. Husband of Nancy E. Humphrey Clarke for nearly 57 years. Father of Jeff Clarke and his wife, Kris, of Anchorage, Alaska; Lynne Lavilette and her husband, Craig, of Burlington; and Jill Trehub and her husband, Ken, of Southborough, Mass. Brother of the late Harold S. Clarke. Born in Richford, the son of the late Harold Storey and Ada (Smith) Clarke, he graduated from Richford High School in 1948, received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont in 1952, and his medical degree from the University of Vermont Medical School in 1955. He completed both an internship and a family practice residency at Worcester City Hospital, and then served his country as a captain in the Army Medical Corps, stationed both at Fort Dix, N.J., and the 20th Station Hospital in Nuremberg, Germany. Returning to Vermont in 1960, he opened his family practice in Brattleboro where he and his wife were drawn to the “friendliness, spirit and progressiveness” of the community and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, where he served on the staff until retiring in 1998. Growing up in Richford left a deep impression on Dr. Clarke, who said, “I grew up in a small Vermont town near the Canadian border and saw firsthand how a family physician can serve the community.” He made community and professional service a priority, serving as a Town Meeting Representative, a Brattleboro Parks & Recreation Board member, and a Vermont State Medical Examiner. He was a past board member of the Southern Vermont Home Health Agency, the Austine School, and the Francis Hicks School. He was past president of the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Family Practice and the Windham County Medical Society, Medical Director at Vernon Green Nursing Home, and House Physician for Holton Home and Windham College among others. He was also a member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club. In 1986, Dr. Clarke was honored as a first recipient of the “Vermont Family Physician of the Year” award from the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Colleague Dr. Robert Backus of Townshend wrote, “What I see in Keith is the nobility of purpose of the unselfish individual who never clamors for attention, but who conscientiously, carefully and conservatively provides true family care for his patients.” He lived an active lifestyle that reflected his love of Vermont. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed golf, tennis, fishing, skiing, hiking, and canoeing with family and friends, hunting with friends, and the annual process of putting up a few cords of hardwood for the winter. Upon retirement, the Clarkes enjoyed traveling to the Northern Rockies, the desert southwest, Alaska, Florida, Bermuda, and the British Isles. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Aug. 12 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Donations to Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, P.O. Box 976, White River Junction, VT 05001, or to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Dr., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Earle Seymour “Buddy” Holland Jr., 73, of Morgan, Vt., and Winter Haven, Fla. Died Aug. 5 at North Country Hospital in Newport, after a brief illness. Husband of Mildred Dix Holland for nearly 53 years. Father of Monique Covey of Wilmington, and Angelique Colford and Earle “Rusty” Holland III of Jacksonville. Brother of Valerie Eldred of Franklin, N.C., and the late Eric and Elwin Holland. Born in Readsboro, the son of the late Earle S. Sr. and Thelma Berard Holland, he attended Drury High School and Whitingham High School. His employment included Deerfield Specialty Papers, operating Holland's Auction Barn in Whitingham, teaching vocational education at Wilmington and Whitingham high schools, mowing cemeteries and Whitingham School, school bus driver for Gerdes Transportation for nearly 20 years, and as a rural route mail carrier. He was president of the Village of Jacksonville, Town of Whitingham town clerk, health officer, zoning administrator, justice of the peace, and servcd on the school board. A Navy veteran, he was a member of American Legion Post 17, Unity Lodge #89 F&AM, Scottish Rites Valley of Brattleboro, Readsboro Baptist Church, Jacksonville Community Church, Jacksonville Couples Club, Whitingham and Morgan historical societies, and active in the Windham County Republican Party. He enjoyed working on his land and in earlier years, he sang with his brothers and recorded Holland Brothers Sing. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Aug. 11 at Our Lady of Fatima in Wilmington, followed by burial in Jacksonville Cemetery. Donations to the Pool Learning Center, Guy Hawkins Cancer Fund, or a charity of one's choice, in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Alice Alma Joslin, 96, of Brattleboro. Died Aug. 6 at Thompson House. Wife of the late Charles Joslin. Mother of Christine Forbes of Brattleboro and the late Joyce Kaiser, and Lee and Donald Joslin. Sister of Carroll Hescock of Norton. Born in West Wardsboro, the daughter of the late Charles and Augusta (Selfous) Hescock, she worked as a cook at logging camps and she helped with her husband's logging business by driving the skidder. She also worked at Vernon Green, the Brattleboro Retreat, and the Candy Kitchen of Putney. She was known for her famous card games. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, reading, and her flowers. Memorial information: A graveside services was held in the West Wardsboro Cemetery on Aug. 10. Donations to the Activities Fund at Thompson House, 80 Maple St. Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Richard Urban Kaufmann, 65, of West Dover. Died Aug. 6 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Catherine Ailes Kaufamann for 29 years. Father of Thomas U. and Mary B. Kaufmann. Brother of Justine Bajardi of O'Fallon, Mo. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., the son of the late Urban and Centa (Albrecht) Kaufmann. After his mother's death, he was raised by his stepmother, Clara (Schmidt) Kaufmann. He attended Our Lady of Assumption Catholic School in the Bronx, graduated from Manhattan Prep School and was a graduate of Manhattan College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War-era. He was the human resource manager for G.S. Precision in Brattleboro, a position he held for 38 years. He loved to cook, especially Sunday dinners for his family. He enjoyed vegetable gardening, raising gladiolas and was an avid New York Yankees and New York Giants fan. He recently joined the Deerfield Valley German Club and was very active in local politics. He was the moderator for the town of Dover and the North Branch Fire District, served on the Dover School Board, and was the president of the West Dover Cemetery Association for many years. He was a member of the Brattleboro Elks, Lodge 1499, American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro and the Knights of Columbus, Leo Council. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Aug. 13 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro, with interment in the family lot in West Dover Cemetery. Donations to the Covenant House or Hope House Ministries, in care of Covey, Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363 and Brigid's Kitchen, in care of St. Michael's Catholic Church.
• Iver Peterson, 71, of Lawrenceville, N.J., and Townshend. Died Aug. 1 of complications from leukemia. Husband of Chris Peterson. Father of Heath, Kelicia, Holly, and Lars. Brother of Karen, Eric, and Lars. Born in Brattleboro, after graduating from Harvard in 1964, Iver spent several years in Vietnam working for the U.S. Agency for International Development and for The New York Times as a correspondent. He continued his career with the Times at several bureaus throughout the U.S., including Denver and Trenton, N.J. Most recently, he was the public affairs officer at the Jordan International Police Training Center in Amman, Jordan for the Iraqi Police Program, where his wife was the deputy chief of firearms. He loved working on vintage cars at the family farm in Townshend, was drawn to the open road, and spent countless family vacations driving cross-country and camping in the desert. He spent much of his retirement freelancing stories of these travels. He loved to sing around the campfire and in the choir at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville. He was devoted to his family, hard work, the beauty of nature, and driving the car around “just one more bend” to discover what might be there before heading for home or setting up camp. Memorial information: Family and friends will gather in Townshend on Saturday, Aug. 18 to celebrate his life. Donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org.
• Glen J. Prue, 53, of Putney. Died Aug. 3 at his home of cancer. Husband of Katherine Doyle Prue for 14 years. Father of Kyle and Brooke Prue of Dummerston; Tyler Prue and “Jenolie“ of Putney; Erik Prue and Emily Lynds of Bennington; and Chelsea, Courtney and Whitney Prue, all of Putney. Brother of Sheila and Pamela Prue of Brattleboro, and Mark Prue Sr. Born in Bennington, the son of the late William “Pete” Ostrander and Lorraine Prue, he received his education in Bennington where he attended Mount Anthony Union High School. His family was his main interest, and he loved playing softball. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Aug. 11 at Mahar & Son Funeral Home in Bennington, with burial in White Chapel Cemetery in Bennington. Donations for Mr. Prue's family to help with burial expenses may be sent to the funeral home at 628 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201. Condolences may be sent to www.maharandsonfuneralhome.net.
• June Little Record, 90, of Holmes Beach, Fla., and formerly of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 10, following a period of declining health. Wife of the late Donald W. Record for 67 years. Mother of Douglas W. Record of Briny Breezes, Fla., and Dianne R. Lantz of Bradenton, Fla. Sister of Dianne Little Wicker of Yellville, Ark. Born in Haverhill, Mass., the daughter of the late Harold L. and Ann (MacMaster) Little, she was raised and educated in Kennebunk, Maine, and was a graduate of Kennebunk High School, Class of 1939. She also spent many years living in York, Maine and Honolulu, Hawaii. For several years, she worked for Mobile Home Parks and Sales and at Hillwinds Farm, both in Brattleboro. During World War II, she worked for the Ration Board in Portsmouth, N.H. Previously, she had been employed as a telephone operator in the Kennebunk, Biddeford and Lewiston, Maine offices. She enjoyed travel, and created the June Little Record Scholarship at Kennebunk High School. She also created the Record-Little Education Fund to assist members of both families to seek higher education. Memorial information: A graveside service was held Aug. 11 at Meetinghouse Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Rescue, Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Melvina E. Springer, 77, in Brattleboro. Died Aug. 3 at Holton Home in Brattleboro. Mother of Thomas Stockwell of Douglas, Wyo., Richard Stockwell of Putney, and Gladys Barlow and Marianne Rice, both of Putney. Sister of Florence Gadway of Tulsa, Okla., and Rodger Trerice of Rocky Hill, Conn. Born in Greenfield, Mass., she was a homemaker and had worked as a nurse's aide. One of her favorite hobbies was playing Bingo. Memorial information: A funeral service was held on Aug. 9 at Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro.
• Mary Elizabeth Wheeler, 76, formerly of Hinsdale, N.H., and a resident at Pine Heights Nursing Home since April. Died Aug. 4 at the home of her grandson in Wardsboro. following a lengthy illness. Wife of Milton Wheeler Sr. for 40 years, and the late Albert Thelbarge. Mother of Carol Macie of Guilford. Stepmother of Milton Wheeler, Jr. of Hinsdale and Brian Wheeler of Winchester, N.H. Born in Groveton, N.H. the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Marsh) Hopps, she was raised and educated in Groveton, where she attended local schools. For several years, she had been employed at the former Book Press in Brattleboro, but for most of her life, she was a devoted homemaker. She enjoyed fishing, crocheting, and time spent with her family. Memorial information: A graveside memorial service was held Aug. 11 at Oaklawn Cemetery in Hinsdale. Donations to the Oncology Dept at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301.