Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), May 25, 2014, a son, Ryan Matthew Dolloph, to Matthew and Michelle Dolloph of Grafton; brother to Jenna Nicole; grandson to Marcia and Ed Furgat of Saxtons River, Darlene and Marcel Boissonnault of Grafton, and George Dolloph of Rockingham; great-grandson to Victoria Fletcher of Saxtons River, and Irene Schaefer of Springfield.
In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), May 24, 2014, a son, Lucas Gregory Stoughton, to Megan (Woods) and Gregory Stoughton of Vernon; grandson to David and DeAnna (Agoes) Woods of Putney, Julie (Stephens) Stoughton of Walpole, N.H., and Daniel Stoughton of Guilford; great-grandson to Edward and Shirley (Eberhardt) Agoes of Putney, Walter and Nancy (Bolden) Stephens of Hinsdale, N.H., and James and Carolyn (Stone) Stoughton of Brattleboro; great-great-grandson to Helen (Baldasaro) Bolden of Hinsdale.
College news
• The following local students will be receiving associate degrees from the Community College of Vermont at its commencement on June 7 on the campus of Norwich University: Evadney Taylor of Londonderry, Lindsey Baker of South Londonderry, April Barcomb of Brattleboro, Alina Semenovich of Brattleboro, Paula Wright of Brattleboro, Rayna Aleshnick of Guilford, Bridget Dale of Brattleboro, Laura Gypson of Brattleboro, Ahmed Jaafar of Brattleboro, Kathleen Mackin of Brattleboro, Meghan Robb of Brattleboro, Megan Stafford of Brattleboro, Abigail Storm of Brattleboro, Andrea Franklin of Guilford, Meredith Muscari of Brattleboro, Shannon Chalmers of Guilford, Susan Klein of Brattleboro, Arthur Smith of Brattleboro, Sarah Merrigan of Brattleboro, Justin Polnack of Brattleboro, Timothy Haineswood of Marlboro, Vicky Butterfield of Brookline, Susan Nichols of Newfane, Genevieve Pennington-Fitzgerald of Putney, Samantha Murphy of Townshend, and Sandra Waters of Vernon.
• Madeline Conley of Dummerston was awarded a B.A. in history (cum laude) from Connecticut College in New London, Conn., at their 96th commencement ceremony on May 18.
• Bridget M. Shea-Gander of Brattleboro was awarded a B.S. in neuroscience (cum laude) at St. Laurence University in Canton, N.Y., on May 18. She was also named to the Dean's List for the spring 2014 semester.
• William Parker of Guilford, a junior majoring in robotics engineering, was named to Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Dean's List for the spring 2014 semester.
• Bryce Bandish of East Dummerston, a junior at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., was recently awarded second place in the Product Services category at the North Country Regional Business Plan Competition. Bandish pitched a plan for “Comfy Pets.”
Obituaries
• Barbara Record Bliss, 77, of Chester, and Zephyrhills, Fla. Died May 20 at the Gulfside Hospice Center in Zephyrhills. Wife of the late Robert A. Bliss. Mother of Deborah Pooler and husband Earl, of Zephyrhills, Fla; Rock Bliss and his girlfriend, Amy Smith, of Chester; and the late Robert C. Bliss. Born in Grafton, the daughter of the late Wayland Record and Virginia Record Fielder, she graduated from Chester High School in 1954 and married her high school sweetheart. She was a longtime member of the American Legion Post 67 Auxiliary, a past president of the Chester Alumni Association, and den mother for the Cub Scouts. She owned and operated two restaurants in Chester, The Village Luncheonette and Bob's Keg and Kettle. She also made wedding cakes in her younger years and later enjoyed doing ceramics and other crafts with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held at the Adams Funeral Home in Chester on Saturday, June 14, at 1 p.m., with a remembrance gathering at The Bliss Farm on High Street. Donations to the Bliss Farm Family Scholarship Fund, One Credit Union, P.O. Box 998, Chester, VT 05143.
• Patrick A. “Pat” Butler, 36, of Brattleboro. Died May 22 in Brattleboro at the home of one of his friends. Son of Richard and Rebecca (Moyer) Butler. Brother of Matthew Butler and his fiancé, Sadie Stone, of Fitzwilliam, N.H. He was raised in Brattleboro, attending Academy and Green Street Schools. He was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1998. For the past 16 years he had been employed as a clerk at Hannaford supermarket on Putney Road, where he was loved and respected by his fellow employees, the management, and customers. He thoroughly enjoyed his work at the grocery store and will be remembered for his spirit of friendship and his smile. He was active for many years with the Vermont Special Olympics Program and was a member of the Special Olympics basketball team, the Windham Wizards for the past eight seasons. This past year, the Wizards won the gold medal during the state championships. With his family, he was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. Of his other leisure time activities, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing basketball, video games, and spending time with his family and friends. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held June 2 at St. Michael's Catholic Church, with committal rites and burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Vermont Special Olympics Basketball Program, 16 Gregory Drive, Suite 2, South Burlington, VT 05403. Arrangements were under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• Daniel Ezra Caldwell, 41, formerly of Putney. Died May 24, after six years with cancer. Husband of Hillary (Nanney) Caldwell for nearly five years. Brother of Zachary and Sam Caldwell and Thomas and Mary Bartlett. The son of Sheridan and Edward Bartlett. he grew up in Putney and, after graduating from the Buxton School in Williamstown, Mass., lived in El Salvador for a year during the post-conflict reconstruction, working in a woodworking shop with ex-combatants. He attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, first focusing on art and design but then moving into modern dance. After graduating, he danced for Momix and Gabriel Masson Dance, then spent a year in a masters program at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. On returning to New York, he choreographed and performed with his own company, had work commissioned by universities in Belgium and Holland, performed in festivals in Europe and the US, and worked as artist-in-residence at Sarah Lawrence and at dance workshops in Lima, Peru. For almost 10 years, he taught at DanceSpace NY, later Dance New Amsterdam. In 2007, he moved from dance to bike building, quickly becoming a respected custom builder and designer of his elegant Fast Boy Cycles. Memorial information: A funeral service will be announced on www.fastboycycles.com and www.teachingcancertocry.com.
• Josef A. DeMuzio, 93, of Bellows Falls. Died May 22 at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend. Husband of the late Shirley (Hilliard) DeMuzio for 52 years. Father of Richard DeMuzio of Bellows Falls, Linda Keene of Orlando, Fla., and Carol Fredette of Schwenksville, Pa. Brother of Bernadine Calabrese of Westport, Conn., and the late Anita Hilliard. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of the late Camillo and Jennie G. Fiorey DeMuzio, he was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School and the University of New Hampshire. He served in the Navy during World War ll, and later founded the Dari Joy in 1952, which he operated until his retirement at age 88. He was an avid hunter and loved his family, especially his grandchildren. He wintered in Orlando, Fla., at the home of his daughter, for many years. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 12, at 1 p.m., at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Ann Wittchen Goodfellow, 84, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 27, 2013 from heart failure. Former wife of the late Ronald Davidson Goodfellow. Mother of Aaron Goodfellow of Baltimore, and Sarah Goodfellow of Atlanta. Born in Hammond, Ind., she moved to Brattleboro in 1984 to study at the School for International Training, where she earned a Masters of Teaching. Memorial information: A memorial service at the Friends Meeting House in Putney on June 7 at 6 p.m. All are welcome to attend.
• George L. Houghton, 66, of Dummerston. Died May 26 at his home, following a brief illness. Husband of Emilia (Falcetti) Houghton for nearly 10 years and the late Donna (Pond) Houghton for 30 years. Father of Eric Houghton and wife, Michelle, of Dummerston. Stepfather of Peter and Joseph Palombella of Holyoke, Mass. Brother of Ruth Barton and her husband, Merrill, of Dummerston; Linda Arsenault of St. James City, Fla.; and Betty Ann Hayden and her husband, Robert, of Westfield, Mass. The son of John and Mildred Mortimer Houghton, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro, graduating from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1966. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War, and later was employed by the Vermont Department of Transportation for 34 years, working as a patrolman. He retired from his position in 2006, and then worked several years for Steve Glabach Contractors. He held membership in American Legion Post 5 and the VFW Carl Dessaint Post 1034, both in Brattleboro. He was known by all as a “jack of all trades,” and enjoyed maple sugaring and puttering around his property. Memorial information: A memorial gathering was held May 31 at the F.O. Eagles Aerie #1246 in Brattleboro. Donations to West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Dept., PO Box 40, West Dummerston, VT 05357. Arrangements were under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• Priscilla K. Rollins, 77, of Mashpee, Mass. Died May 22 at Falmouth Hospital. Wife of the late Philip A. Rollins, former District Attorney of Cape Cod and the Islands. Mother of Philip A. Rollins Jr. of East Dummerston, Priscilla “Sam” Davis and her husband, John, of Ipswich, Mass., and the late Allison Rollins. Sister of Sally Baum and the late Jack Kingston. Born in Newton, Mass., one of three children of the late John and Ruth (Hopkinson) Kingston, she was raised in Watertown, Mass. She was a graduate of Pembroke University with a major course of study in music and went on to become a first grade teacher. Her career started in Norwell and Needham before she and her family moved to Mashpee in 1966. She taught first grade in the Mashpee Public Schools, where she worked for 27 years until her retirement. She provided a wonderful, loving home and childhood for her three children. She enjoyed golfing and playing bridge at New Seabury. In her retirement, she continued to follow her passion of helping the youth in the Mashpee community. She started the Alison Rollins Scholarship Foundation Trust and was a key member in building the Mashpee Scholarship Foundation Trust. She was a volunteer for a variety of organizations, including the New Seabury Women's Club, Mashpee PTA, and Meals on Wheels. She loved spending time with her friends and family. She appreciated the little things in life, and was passionate about learning and curious to try new things. Memorial information: A funeral service was held May 30, at St. Barnabas Memorial Church in Falmouth, Mass. Burial was private. Donations to the Alison Rollins Scholarship Foundation Trust, 23 Sand Dollar Lane, Mashpee, MA 02649; the Stephen R. Baum Foundation, 6 Woodside Rd. Winchester, MA 01890; or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 26 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004.
• Howard L. Ryan Jr., 81, of Rindge, N.H., formerly of Brattleboro. Died May 22. Husband of Carol Ryan. Father of Loren Ryan of Pownal, Richard Ryan of Readsboro, Mark Ryan of Colorado, Greg Ryan and his wife, Teresa, of Oklahoma, and the late Juanita Ryan. Brother of the late Loren, David, and William Ryan. Born in Fletcher, Vt., the son of the late Howard L. and Florence I. Guyette Ryan, he fought in the Korean War for two years. Upon coming home from Korea, he spent seven months in the VA Hospital in White River Junction. He attended the Vermont School of Agriculture, graduating in 1956. He was employed as a truck driver for 27 years at A.L. Root Transportation before his retirement. He was a member of American Legion Post 5 and VFW Post 1034 in Brattleboro. He enjoyed traveling to visit family and friends, going to the beach, and swimming, often being the only one in the water in April and October. His greatest hobby and passion was his 1963 C-500 antique truck, which he drove in the Brattleboro Veterans parade and attended many truck shows with. Memorial information: A graveside service was held June 1 at Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Office of Development, Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607. Arrangements were under the direction of Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home.
• Harold Edward “Bud” Wenker Jr., 88, of Brattleboro. Died May 24. Husband of Irene Sorensen Wenker for 39 years and the late Elizabeth O. Wenker. Father of Debbie Valetine and her husband, David, of Vineland, N.J.; Dorothy Gagnon and her husband, Don, of Stratford, Conn.; Keith Sorensen and his fiance, Susan Pawluk, of Farmington, Conn.; Sharon Richters and her husband, Edward, of Windsor, Conn.; James F. Wenker and his wife, Annette, of Windsor, Conn.; and the late Carolun Wenker. Brother of William Anderson Wenker. Once a farmer in Pennsylvania, he was a Naval veteran of World War II. After the war, he worked as a quality control engineer at Schick in Milford, Conn. He also worked as a vocational education teacher at Eli Whitney Technical School. He was the commodore of the Indian Neck Yacht Club of Branford. They boated often until they discovered Vermont and the lifestyle and friendships that have endured for the remainder of his life. He was a volunteer of Grace Cottage Hospital, both as greeter and medical courier to Brattleboro. When not working in his garden, playing his trombone, golfing, bowling, or regaling his friends with his quick wit, he loved designing handcrafted wooden toys for his grandchildren. He was a caring and loving husband who enjoyed entertaining his many friends. He could appreciate a quiet moment sitting and reading or enjoying the beautiful wildlife that presented itself just outside his window or he could organize an elaborate birthday celebration for Irene that was acted out with gusto. In all areas of his life he honored the code of honesty, doing what's best for others and a work ethic surpassed by no one we know of. Memorial information: A funeral service was held May 30 at Newfane Congregational Church. Burial was private. Donations to the American Heart Association of Vermont affiliate, or NewBrook Fire & Rescue Department, P.O. Box 77, Newfane, VT 05345.