Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Aug. 7, 2014, a son, Cason James Doleszny, to Brittany (Parent) and Aaron Doleszny of Brattleboro; grandson to Cheryl and Joe Parent, and Victoria and John Doleszny.
College news
• Amy Blazej, a creative writing major from Windham, successfully completed Colby-Sawyer College's internship requirement this summer at West River Community Project in West Townshend.
• Jennifer A. Spero of Londonderry, Dustin Powell of Westminster, Rachel F. Hill and Joseph M. Sawyer Shaw of Brattleboro, and Natasha E. Cummings of Windham were all named to the Dean's List for the spring 2014 semester at the University of Rhode Island.
• Jesse Nesbitt of Wilmington is part of the incoming Class of 2018 this fall at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y.
Transitions
• Mondo Mediaworks, a Brattleboro-based content marketing agency, has added two new employees: Shane McFalls as videographer and and Mike Ranellone as curator. McFalls will play an essential role in planning, shooting, and producing video segments, while Ranellone will manage and create written content for clients' social media networks and blogs. McFalls comes to Mondo after five years in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he shot and produced web videos for the ski industry. Originally from Syracuse, N.Y., he studied communication at SUNY-Albany. While earning his bachelor's degree in English and music at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., Ranellone began writing for NYSkiBlog.com and gained valuable skills as an intern with the Eastern Ski Writers Association. His connections in the ski industry led him to Mondo. He grew up in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Obituaries
• Melissa M. Blake, 48, of Dummerston. Died Aug. 18 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Wife of Norman Blake. Mother of Kelly J. Call and her husband, Timothy, of West Brattleboro, Jennifer R. Armstrong and her husband, Emelilo, of Dummerston, Carrie A. Blake of Rensselaer, N.Y., Christine E. Blake of West Brattleboro; Alissa J. Schoebel of New Hampshire, Syndyl L. Jean of Ayer, Mass., Shantyl Guile of California, and Robert Page of New York. Sister of Dr. Terri Rutzen and her husband, Scott, of Michigan. Born in Littleton, N.H., daughter of the late Donna (Lemay) and Merton Edney Jr., she was educated in the Littleton school system. She recently was attending Baker College, working on her Associate's degree and worked as a farm hand at Stoneholm Farm until her illness. She was an avid NASCAR fan, and enjoyed camping, Disneyworld, participating in CB tag, and pandas. Her proudest and greatest achievement in life was her family and friends. She loved all of them unconditionally and would spend every moment she could with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Memorial information: A service will be held at a later date. Donations to help with funeral expenses may be sent Norman Blake in care of Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home, 57 High St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Dorothy G. Creager, 93, of Lake Luzerne, N.Y. Died Aug. 13 at the Home of the Good Shepherd in Glens Falls, N.Y. Wife of the late Herbert Creager. Mother of Renee O'Brien and her husband, Tom; Arthur Creager and his wife, Mary Jean; and Wendy Creager. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., during World War II, she worked at Grumman Aircraft as a riveter. Later, she lived in Valley Stream, N.Y., with her devoted husband and three children. The family summered in their home in Fourth Lake in Lake Luzerne, finally settling in their upstate wonderland. She loved reading and swimming at Fourth Lake beach; she was an avid knitter and a volunteer in 4-H for many years. She recorded books-on-tape for the visually impaired, and always had a pot of coffee awaiting her friends and family. Her years in Lake Luzerne were rich with friends and activities at the Glens Falls Senior Center and Lake Luzerne Senior Center. Memorial information: A funeral was held at the Brewer Funeral Homein Lake Luzerne, N,Y., on Aug 15. Burial took place on Aug. 18. in Mt. Ararat Cemetery in Farmingdale, N.Y. Donations to the Glens Falls Senior Center or the Lake Luzerne Senior Center.
• Malcolm Warner “Mac” Guild, 79, of Cambridgeport. Died Aug. 20 at Springfield Hospital. Husband of the late Mary (MacDonald) Guild for 47 years. Father of Matthew Guild and his wife, Carol, of Bellows Falls; Jeanne Eastman and her husband, Steve, of North Chatham, N.H.; Katherine Kane of Cambridgeport; Linda Milligan, and her husband, Dave, of Ashland, Maine; Susan Miller and her husband, Steve,of Milhousen, Ind.; and Thaddeus Guild and his wife, Jan, of Cambridgeport. Brother of the late Jim Guild. Also surviving is his close friend and companion Karen Walter, with whom he enjoyed traveling and spending time over the past few years. Born in Rutland, son of the late Arthur and Belle (Randall) Guild, he was a boyhood friend and college roommate of the late U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords. He attended Yale University on a ROTC scholarship and served as a Navy pilot. The Guilds moved to Cambridgeport in 1965 and raised their family on a small farm on Atcherson Hollow Road. He worked at IBM in the early years of computers, and then worked for most of his career as manager of data processing at Fellows Gear Shaper in Springfield. He was a member of the Walpole Unitarian Church, the Hitormis Rod & Gun Club, and the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association, and he was very proud of his conservation of 100 acres of land along Atcherson Hollow Road through the Vermont Land Trust. He loved to hike, and he walked the Long Trail in sections over the years. He spent hours walking the trails through the woods near his home, and he was known for his daily 2 a.m. walks and his love of chocolate. Memorial information: Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. Donations to the Walpole Unitarian Church, the Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association, or the Vermont Land Trust.
• Russell Arthur “Russ” Kotfila, 73, of Westmoreland, N.H. Died Aug. 17 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Husband of Ann M. Britton for 49 years. Father of Stephen of Hadley, Mass., and David of Granby, Mass., Kim Lyons of Conway, Mass., and Jennifer Chancellor of Northampton, Mass. Brother of Mark Kotfila of Chelmsford, Mass., Judith Merrick of Windsor, Conn., Christine Manning and Deanna Dunn, both of Holyoke, Mass., and Theresa McAndrew of Westfield, Mass. Born in Holyoke, the son of the late Maxie and Jane (Brulinski) Kotfila. He was raised and educated in Holyoke, graduating from Holyoke High School, Class of 1959. He also attended Holyoke Community College, where he majored in history. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War, stationed in Germany. He worked in the automotive industry and owned and operated his own wholesale auto business, R&D Camelot Associates, based in New Hampshire, where he retired from in 2007. Previously, he worked as a general manager for several large car dealerships in the greater Western Massachusetts area for more than 30 years. Prior to moving to Westmoreland with his family 15 years ago, he was a former resident of Amherst, Mass. Active civically, he was one of the founders and served as president of the Calvin Coolidge Commemorative Committee, based in Northampton. He was also very active with the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce where he served a term as President. While in Massachusetts, he was a member of the Knights of Columbus and VFW. He also held membership in the Westmoreland Lions Club. More recently, he served as a selectman for the town of Westmoreland and was caretaker for Canoe Meadow Cemetery, a historic burial ground near his home in Westmoreland. With his wife, he was a communicant of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro. He was a history buff known for his vast knowledge that spanned all of the ages. He enjoyed Christmas music (year round), gardening, raising chickens, and time spent with his family. A proud American, he stood firm in both his religious and political convictions. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Aug. 22 at St. Michael's Catholic Church. Interment will be in Canoe Meadow Cemetery at the convenience of the family. Donations to Smile Train U.S.A., 41 Madison Ave., 28th Floor, New York, NY 10010, or to Jericho Bureau for Exceptional Children & Adults, 537 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Arrangements are under the care of Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Elizabeth Dorothea “Lee” Sorensen, 98, of Dummerston. Died Aug. 20 at her home. Wife of the late Philip E. Sorensen for 52 years. Mother of Thomas Sorensen of Newfane, Catherine Gayle and her husband, Bill, of Chester Springs, Pa., Patricia Maio and her husband, Bob, of Brewster, N.Y., and Elizabeth Wessel and husband. Woody of Orange, Calif., and the late Philip and John Sorensen. Sister of the late Mary, James, Margaret, Katherine, and John Lawler. Born in Bronx, N.Y., the daughter of the late James and Catherine (Carter) Lawler, she was raised in New York where she attended public schools. She was employed in various positions working at Schulte's; one of the last of the great secondhand bookstores in New York's Union Square, which was her favorite. The Sorensens purchased Loyal's Lodge Motel in Brattleboro in 1970. Their unique hospitality in this family-run business led to its success as well as many long-lasting friendships. In 1975, they purchased Lawrence's Smoke House in Newfane. The corn cob smoking of the hams and cheeses was perfected and expanded. The Sorensens retired in 1984. Known for her art of letter writing, she was most beloved for her uncanny ability to remember friends and family for every birthday and special occasion throughout the years. Her priority in life was her family, and she created many cherished memories for family and friends through her kind and thoughtful ways. She enjoyed old movies, crossword puzzles, and was engaged in politics. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held Nov. 1, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353. Arrangements are under the care of Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• Douglas Warren “Doug” Williams, 62, of East Fairfield. Died July 6 at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington after a battle with multiple myeloma. Husband of Jane Brummer for 37 years. Father of Erin and her husband, Alex, of New York City, and Maxwell and his wife, Julianne, of Los Angeles. Born in Townshend, the son of June and the late Lawrence Williams, he grew up in Newfane, and attended Leland & Gray Seminary, graduating in 1969. He was an autodidact and an incredibly intellectual man with a stout curiosity. A self-taught architect, he built a beautiful house for his family, where he lived happily for over 30 years. Known far and wide for his crackling, dry wit, he was often the life of the party, but it was his warmth and kindness that always shone through. Growing up with three brothers - David, Dennis, and his late identical twin, Donald - he was something of a troublemaker, and tales of mischief speckled stories of his early days. He learned about working with wood from his father, a logger, and about being gentle and loving from his mother, who fed her boys with her famous cooking. He was proud of being a Vermonter from a family who had been in the state for many generations. In his career, he was a talented carpenter and a hardworking tradesman. One of his first jobs out of high school was as a miller at the last working water-powered grist mill in Vermont, a position which earned him a feature article in Vermont Life. He was heavily involved in several construction companies, including Moose Creek Restoration, a progressive company that was featured in Mother Jones magazine. He was passionate about traditional Vermont architecture, and was involved in the building or restoration of several notable buildings and covered bridges. His compassion was evident in his later career, when he went to work for the Weatherization Assistance Program, taking great pride in helping low-income Vermonters improve the energy efficiency of their homes. He was very active in the local community, serving as Chair of the Fairfield School Board for many years. His hobbies included maple sugaring and fishing at camp, in the cabin he built at Averill Lakes in the Northeast Kingdom. But the most important activity he pursued was his family, and he was extremely proud of his children's professional accomplishments. Memorial information: A memorial of remembrance was held at the Meeting House on the Green in East Fairfield on July 12.