College news
• On May 7, Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., held its 178th Commencement. Sarah Harlow of Putney graduated with a B.S. in nursing. Harlow graduated magna cum laude as a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society and Colby-Sawyer's Nursing Honor Society. Amy Blazej of Windham graduated with a B.A. in Creative Writing, she graduated cum laude.
School news
• The Governor's Institutes of Vermont have informed Bellows Falls Union High School that eight BFUHS students have been accepted into institutes this summer out of more than 500 Vermont students who applied. The students who were accepted this summer are: Jackson Maiocco, who was accepted into the Young Writers institute at Bennington College; Ali Fox, who was accepted into the Mathematical Sciences institute at the University of Vermont; Ethan Lauricella, who was accepted into the Astronomy institute at Lyndon State College; Mikayla Weinzierl, who was accepted into the Current Issues and Youth Activism institute at the School for International Training; and Simon Bupp-Chickering, Ellie Guyon, Madi Joy, and Zoe Schemm, who have been accepted into the Arts institute at Castleton State College.
• There are also a number of BFUHS students who will be traveling abroad this summer through various programs, including the Experiment in International Living and Rotary Youth Exchange: Paulryan Chipman, Ireland; Jackson Purdy, Tanzania; Ellie Guyon, Cuba and Nicaragua; Arianna Morton, Argentina; Fallon Vancor, Spain; Emily Wunderle, Peru; Sophia Hyslop, Costa Rica; and Anthony Mueller, China.
• Ben Tarleton and Justin Souvanh have been named the Windham Regional Career Center's April students of the month. This honor is typically awarded to just one student monthly, but these two young men have been collaborating very successfully on a project in their Career Center's Filmmaking and Digital Editing class. It was Josh Moyse, one of their film instructors, who recommended them for this award. His Filmmaking class is one of more than 40 dual enrollment courses provided through the Windham Regional Collegiate High School that are offered at the Career Center and Brattleboro Union High School. This program enables students to earn college credits in addition to their high school credits for successfully completing courses that have been proven to match the rigor of college-level work. Tarleton is a resident of Marlboro and a senior at Brattleboro Union High School, which shares its campus with the Career Center. He will be attending Keene State College in the fall and is as yet undecided on his major there. Souvanh, a senior from Brattleboro, is also attending BUHS and, similar to Tarleton, has loved this particular class. He will be attending the University of Vermont in the fall with an intended major of computer science.
Transitions
• The Friends of the Brooks Memorial Library, a volunteer group that supports the library with funding, programming and technology, elected a new slate of board officers for the coming year at their annual meeting on May 8. Joyce Marcel will be the new president. Frankie Gibson will remain as vice-president and Connie Kimball will remain as treasurer. Lisa Fricke will be the new secretary. The Friends are actively seeking new board members. Those interested may contact the board at [email protected].
Obituaries
• Dr. Donald E. Bigelow, 73, formerly of Brattleboro. Died May 1 in Bradenton, Fla. He was born Sept. 19, 1942 in Holden, Mass., the son of the late Chester Ellsworth and Ellen (Sorblom) Bigelow. At the age of four, following his father's Army service in World War II, he and his parents moved to Brattleboro, where he attended local schools and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School with honors in 1960. He then attended Norwich University, where he graduated with a B.S. in biology in 1964 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army. He then went on to optometry school at Pacific University College of Optometry in Forest Grove, Ore., where he graduated in 1967. He spent the following seven years as an Army optometry officer and attained the rank of captain. In 1974, he resigned from the Army and transferred to the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. He accepted an assignment as the first optometrist with the Indian Health Service in Alaska, based at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. In that position, he served throughout Alaska working with Native peoples, an opportunity that he cherished all his life. Following 21 years of federal service, he retired from the USPHS in 1985 at the Naval-equivalent rank of captain. He went on to develop an optometry program for Southcentral Foundation, an Alaska Native health corporation based in Anchorage. He often expressed his fond memories of working for that organization. In his final year with SCF, he served as facility manager at the newly constructed Primary Care Center. In that position he played an important role in the move of the old Alaska Native Medical Center to its new facility in 1997. Don retired in 1998 and left Alaska in a motor home in which he lived for eighteen months before taking up residence in Bradenton. When he wasn't gardening, enjoying a woodworking project, or fishing, his favorite avocation in retirement was serving as editor of Forge, The Bigelow Society Quarterly, which he lovingly crafted for publication for more than four years. His immigrant Bigelow ancestor came to Watertown, Mass., from Wrentham, Suffolk County, England in 1632., making him a 12th-generation American. He is survived by his wife, Susan H. (Elder) Vallejo; his sons, Andrew Ellsworth Bigelow and his wife, Tina, of Bradenton, and Christopher Niles Bigelow, and his wife, Jennifer, of North Bend, WA; his siblings, Dorothy Ellen Pomplin of Port Charlotte, Fla., and Derald Ellsworth Bigelow of Trout Creek, Mont.; and three grandchildren. He is also survived by several cousins, nephews, and nieces as well as stepchildren Tasha and Dax Vallejo. Memorial information: A funeral service was held May 12 at The Church of The Redeemer in Sarasota, Fla., with burial at the Sarasota National Cemetery. Donations to The Salvation Army, 1204 14th St. W, Bradenton, FL 34205.
• Phyllis Joyce Brandt, 91, of Brattleboro. Died May 8 at Thompson House Nursing Home in Brattleboro. Wife of the late Kenneth Brandt for 61 years. Mother of Ronald Brandt and his wife, Virginia, of Brattleboro and the late Douglas Brandt. Sister of Marilyn Valentine of Seattle. Also survived by five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Born on June 9, 1924 in Ossining, N.Y., the daughter of the late Cyril and Phyllis (Stokes) Valentine, she was raised and educated in Williston Park, L.I., where she graduated from high school. She went on to attend secretarial school, graduating as class valedictorian. Prior to moving to Brattleboro in 1979, she resided in Bay Shore, L.I., with her husband. She worked for 20 years as a secretary for the Bay Shore School System. Locally, she served as secretary for many years at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Steadfast in her walk of faith, she was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Brattleboro. She had been a member of the Sweet Adeline's Chapter of Keene. Memorial information: A memorial service will be conducted Saturday, June 4, at 11 a.m.,. at Trinity Lutheran Church. A reception will follow the services to be held in the church fellowship hall. Donations to Trinity Lutheran Church, 161 Western Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To sign an online register book or send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Janice Carol Eldred, 55, known by many as Emma Grant. Died May 4 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. Born Jan. 12, 1961 at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late June and William Eldred of Hoosick Falls, N.Y. She also became a beloved member of the family of the late John and Hazel Eggers and spent much of her growing-up years in Castleton, N.Y. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class and went on to study at Drew University and New York University. When she discovered the School for International Training in Brattleboro, she felt she had found the perfect fit. It was at SIT that she entered the World Issues Program and completed a semester internship in India. Her experiences there with the Auroville community and the Tamil culture had a profound effect on her life. Being fond of word play, she took the additional name of Emma Grant to connect with the “immi-grant” side of her nature. Even as a young woman in her 20's, she was able to articulate what would become her lifelong passion: “My life knows where it longs to take itself, the soul knows where its work lies, and immersion in another culture, experiencing another language and its subsequent view of reality, for me, is where I shall meet my teachers.” She sought out new learning through all of her travels, writing about her experiences with eloquent reflection. Her interest in travel began in childhood, camping with the Eggers as they explored the country together. Between college semesters, she headed off to jobs in Europe that allowed her to travel through many countries, being particularly fond of her time spent working and living in Switzerland. In the years after her work and travels in India, she journeyed on many an Amtrak train to return to the Pacific Northwest, the West Coast, and her beloved Southwest. Her travels also returned her to Spain and to Mexico and the artisan communities of Oaxaca. She was never happier than when she had a bag packed, visualizing her next adventure. As a citizen of the world, she could not turn away from global problems or the ills of our own society; she carried these deep concerns with her. Yet, she found solace and rejuvenation in the natural world, especially that which surrounded her in Putney, and she found deep connection within a caring community. She committed herself to a simple, sustainable lifestyle and lived a life that was meaningful and kind. Over the years, she worked at the Common Ground Restaurant in Brattleboro, the Putney Food Co-op, and Walnut Ridge Farm. Most significantly, she was a caregiver to many of the people and animals of her community, though it was known that cats were her animal of choice. She is survived by her sisters Faye Mihuta and her husband, James, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and June Horton and her husband, Allan, of Wilmington, Mass., and her extended family. Memorial information: There will be a private family memorial service and also a community celebration of Janice's life to be held June 18 at the Friends Meeting House in Putney, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. ([email protected]). Contributions may be made in Janice's memory to the Q'ewar Project, a Peruvian women's initiative she supported (www.qewar.com), or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
• Geraldine S. ”Gerry” Harrington, 81, of Brattleboro. Died May 7 at her home, following a period of declining health. Wife of Bruce Harrington for 32 years. Mother of Philip, Gerald, Ralph, and David Harrington, Sister of Arlene Georgina and her husband, Elliot, of Brattleboro, James M. Searles Jr. of West Virginia, and the late Eugene Searles, Patricia Barrett, Corrine Langmaid, and Pauline Corey. Born in Brattleboro on Dec. 16, 1934, the daughter of James and Frances (Mullet) Searles, she attended Canal Street and Green Street schools, and was a graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1951. She went on to attend Bronz Beauty Academy in Greenfield, Mass. She owned and operated Gerry's Cut & Curl on Canal Street, initially establishing her salon on Linden Street. She retired from hairdressing following 42 years in the profession. She was a former communicant of St. Michael's Catholic Church and was a former member of the Daughters of Isabella, Ave Maria Circle #128. More recently, she attended Cornerstone Baptist Church on Elliot Street. A woman of faith, she enjoyed reading her Bible, daily devotionals and spending time with her family. She had a fascination for Israel and Egypt and several years ago had visited both countries. Memorial information: In accordance with her final wishes, there are no formal funeral services scheduled. Burial of her cremated remains will be in Riverside Cemetery in Brookline. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To sign an online register book or send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Carrie Pearl “Kay” (Cashin) Lynch, 96, of Quincy, Mass., formerly of Bellows Falls. Died May 9 after a brief illness at the W.B. Rice Eventide Home in Quincy, where she was a resident for the past 2 1/2 years. Born July 12, 1919 in Somerville, Mass., she was predeceased by her parents, Arthur and Sarah (Curran) Cashin; brother Walter E. Cashin of Walpole, N.H.; and her husband of almost 70 years, John (Red) Edmund Lynch Sr. She moved to Bellows Falls with her parents in 1937 and got married in 1939. She was a communicant at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls for more than 50 years. She was a homemaker who enjoyed family life and get-togethers with close friends. Her favorite hobbies were reading and cooking but, most of all, watching Red Sox games. Survivors include her sons John E. Lynch Jr. and James “Jim” Lynch, daughters Karen Bicknell and Brenda Moran, 10 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A graveside service was held May 14 at St. Charles Cemetery. Donations to Kurn Hattin Homes for Children, P.O. Box 127, Westminster, VT 05158. Arrangements were under the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home of Bellows Falls.
• Trevor Moore, 30, of Brookline. Died May 12 of cancer complications, after a 13-year battle with the disease. He is survived by his mother, Barbara Bristol, sister Emily Moore, brother-in-law Gero Dolfus, and aunts, uncles, and cousins. Born Jan. 10, 1986, at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, he attended Newfane Elementary, Leland & Gray Union High School, and the Windham Regional Career Center. He was diagnosed with stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma at age 17. After a successful round of treatments, and a bone marrow transplant (the first of three he would receive), he went on to attend Nashville Auto Diesel College in Nashville, Tenn. Moving to Nashville was a dream for someone who loved country music, good whiskey, and trucks. He enjoyed learning automotive collision repair and welding. After graduation, he moved back home to Vermont. He never married, but always had love in his life. His belief in love kept him going, even when his days were tough. As his disease ebbed and flowed, he made plans, hoping for a bright future. He fought every day and enjoyed happiness when it shone upon him. He took opportunities to travel, to the Maine coast, to northern Vermont, and out to Minneapolis several times to spend a few weeks with his sister, Emily. He had a dry wit and a generous sense of humor. He loved to be outdoors, whipping around the woods on a 4-wheeler with his friends and cousins. He was a bright and curious guy who never shied away from trying something new. He believed in service to others, as a first responder and volunteer firefighter with NewBrook Fire and Rescue. A lover of animals, he adopted dogs from the Humane Society, including his yellow lab Felix, who would even visit him in hospice care at Grace Cottage Hospital, where he spent his final days. He had a big heart and a brave soul. To those lucky to know him, he was a hero. His grit and endurance were admirable. After years of treatments, medications, and side effects, he did not complain. He continued to work hard in physical therapy and take any opportunity to be outside working on his projects, despite physical limitations. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held at Dover Center Cemetery on Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m., followed by a celebration of his life at 1 p.m. at NewBrook Fire and Rescue in Newfane. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, 916 West River Rd., Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Ashlynn Faith Harris Nilges, 22. Died May 8. Born on Sept. 6, 1993 to Guy Edward and Tammy Lynn (Whitney) Harris, she was nurtured and cared for by Carol Harris Nilges. Ashlynn struggled with multiple health issues all of her life, and got through it all with a smile that rewarded anyone who knew her. She loved to visit Hannaford's and the Dummerston covered bridge. She is survived by her mother Carol (Harris) Nilges, her birth parents, Guy and Tammy Harris; a sister, Natasha and a brother, Zabin all of Oshkosh, Neb. Also, two older brothers, Keith and Yerania Nilges and their children Yachne, Keith, and Gabriel of Townshend, and Hans, Rebecca, and William Nilges of Massillon, Ohio. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held Wednesday, May 18, at 1 p.m., at the Christian Community Church in Athens. Arrangements are in the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home.
• Ian A. Tkaczyk, 27, of Dummerston. Died May 5 at his home. Born in Greenfield, Mass., on July 22, 1988, he attended St. Michael's School in Brattleboro and went on to graduate from Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Class of 2006. He continued his education by completing coursework at Penn State University. While attending Vermont Academy, he excelled in soccer, and competed in several regional competitions and championships. For the past two years he had been employed as a prep cook for A Vermont Table, a catering company based in Putney. Previously, he worked for BRW Electronics in Brattleboro and for the Vermont Bread Company. He was raised Catholic and attended St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. He lived life to the fullest and enjoyed spending time with his many friends. In conjunction with his love for soccer, he enjoyed playing video games. Survivors include his mother, Lori Tkaczyk of Tampa, Fla.; a sister, Lesley Tkaczyk and her fiancé Kevin Miller of Coconut Creek, Fla. He was predeceased by his father, Brian Tkaczyk. Memorial information: There are no formal funeral services scheduled. A visitation and prayer service was held May 11 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Donations to Vermont Academy Advancement Office, P.O. Box 500, Saxtons River, VT, 05154, or to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT, 05302.
• Jeffrey Menard Wilson, 53, of Rockingham. Died May 6 after a courageous battle with cancer. Husband of Heather Lord Wilson for 23 years. Father of Peyton and Trevor Wilson. Born on Aug, 28, 1962 in Wolfeboro, N.H., the son of the late Sandra and Bernie Wilson, he graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School in 1980 and attended Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire. After college, he served his country in the Air Force, he worked at Newsbank in Chester for more than 20 years and considered his co-workers not only friends but his second family. Over the past five years, he became an avid gardener and took tremendous pride in his green thumb. He was most noted for his active involvement in the youth of the community. He coached in the Bellows Falls Junior League for 15 years, he coached Rockingham Rec basketball, he coached Freshman Basketball at BFUHS, and youth soccer for many years. He also served on the Rockingham Recreation Committee and was instrumental in the successful completion of the new Rec Center. He believed that sports were a way of connecting with the area youth and he was far more than a volunteer coach, but was a role model to so many kids and families. Most important in his life was his genuine love, devotion and commitment to his family. Memorial information: A gathering to celebrate his life was held May 14 at the Masonic Temple in Bellows Falls. Donations to the Bellows Falls Junior League or Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire.
• A graveside memorial for family and friends of Doris I. Spicer will be held after burial at Riverside Cemetery in Brookline on Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow at The New England House in Brattleboro. Mrs. Spicer, 95, a lifetime resident of the Brookline and Brattleboro areas and, most recently, of Virginia, died on February 15, 2016 at the home of her daughter.