College news
• William Bourque of East Dover graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western New England University in Springfield, Mass., with a B.A. in economics on Feb. 15.
• Michelle Sigiel of Newfane recently earned an M.S. in archives management from Simmons College in Boston.
• Zebulon Shippee of West Dover, a member of the class of 2018 majoring in mechanical engineering at Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute, was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in Santa Fe, N.M. The project was titled “Water Sampling Plan for the Pueblo of Santa Ana,” and the goal of this project was to create a water sampling plan comprised of sampling techniques and a water collection device for use during low flow conditions in the Pueblo's rivers.
• Community College of Vermont (CCV) student Moussoumakan Diallo was recently chosen by the Brattleboro Rotary Club Gateway Foundation to receive a $2,500 medical assisting scholarship. She is the third recipient of the Jesse M. Corum IV Scholarship, which was established in 2014 to honor longtime Brattleboro Rotarian Jesse Corum, who died in 2014. CCV's Medical Assisting degree is the only one of its kind in Vermont. It prepares students for the Certified Medical Assistant credential, which is becoming increasingly desirable to healthcare providers across the state. Diallo currently works at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.
• Sabin Litchfield, a member of the Class of 2020 from Jamaica, and Hannah Zorian, a member of the Class of 2017 from Guilford, were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2016 semester at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass.
• Benjamin Dandrea of Brattleboro, a student in the School of Education at the University of Kansas, earned honor roll distinction for the fall 2016 semester.
Transitions
• Robyn O'Brien recently joined the board of directors of the Putney Foodshelf. O'Brien has had a lifelong career in food, as a general manager at a co-op in Maryland, as a consultant at Northeast Cooperatives, and in her current position as general manager at the Putney Co-op. She has worked to remove barriers to food access and helped to pilot a needs-based discount program now used as a blueprint for co-ops across the country. O'Brien will replace board member and volunteer Kelli Moran, who has served the Foodshelf since 2011 and was a member of the 501(c)(3) committee that wrote the bylaws and completed the application for the Foodshelf's nonprofit status.
Obituaries
• Frederick Henry Abrahamsen, 91, of Springfield, Va. Died March 14 at his home, following a period of declining health. He was born in South Weymouth, Mass., on Dec. 30, 1925, to Henry Morton and May (Hughes) Abrahamsen. Several months after he graduated from high school in 1943, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific as an Electronic Technician Mate on the USS Poseidon during World War II. He wrote a memoir of his time in the service many years later, with remarkable recall. He reported that his two years and six months in the Navy was “a great experience,” most of which he enjoyed. His family is very proud of his service, and his name is memorialized in the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. After he was discharged from the Navy in May 1946, he enrolled at Iowa State University on the GI Bill, graduating in 1951 with a major in electrical engineering. He married Ruth Eleanor Pierce, also of South Weymouth, in 1952, and they moved shortly thereafter to Westwood, Mass. He later earned a master's degree from Northeastern University. He spent most of his career as an electrical engineer at Raytheon in the Boston area. His first significant assignment was that of building an experimental new cooking device, ultimately branded as the Radarange, the first commercial microwave oven. The microwave oven was his first love. While he took an assignment developing early heat-seeking missiles to keep from relocating his growing family, when the opportunity arose, he relocated to Fayetteville, Tenn., to run the production of the consumer model of the Radarange for Raytheon's Amana division. In retirement, Fred and Ruth moved to Ashland, Va., where they became active members of the community until Ruth's death in 2005. He downsized within a couple of years and moved to Greenspring in Springfield, Va., where he was only a half-hour from his son Dana and his family, whom he visited regularly. He sang in the chorus at Greenspring for a time and was still playing bridge with Dana and his sons until shortly before his death. In all the towns that Fred called home, he was active in numerous civic, volunteer and church endeavors - Rotary, Boy Scouts (where he was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, their highest honor for volunteers), Ashland Country Club, church usher. Among his proudest activities was his time with the Carlisle Minute Men of Carlisle, Mass., from 1966 to 1976. The Minute Men reenacted Revolutionary War battles throughout the northeast, and he joined thousands of other participants - including President Gerald Ford - at the Old North Bridge in April 1975 for the 200th anniversary of the Shot Heard Round the World. He served as Captain of the Minute Men and Chairman of the Carlisle Bicentennial Commission, and he contributed to Carlisle: Its History and Heritage by Ruth Chamberlin Wilkins, published in 1976. He was always a good, supportive neighbor and remained in contact with many of them for decades. He was widely respected among his fellow employees and staff at Raytheon and Amana and much loved by all who knew him. He instilled in his children a love of country and the values of hard work, loyalty, neighborliness, integrity, and excellence. He is survived by his children: Valerie Abrahamsen of Brattleboro, Dana Abrahamsen and his wife, Joan Moriarty of Vienna, Va., and Laurel and Floyd Ditson of Littleton, Colo; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Memorial information: Burial will be at a later date in Green Cemetery in Carlisle, Mass. No formal services are scheduled, but a celebratory gathering will be held in conjunction with the burial. Donations to the United States Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004.
• Eva L. Baker, 89, of Leyden, Mass. Died March 15 at her home. She was born in Vienna, Austria, on May 14, 1927, the daughter of John and Margaret (Sptitz) White. She spent the first 12 years of her life in Austria, but was forced to immigrate to England without her parents via the Kindertransport of Jewish children to England prior to the start of World War II. She lived with her English foster parents for the next six years and was reunited with her parents in Brattleboro. It was there that she met David Baker while working at the Holstein Association USA. She and David were married in 1946; Mr. Baker predeceased her in 1996. After joining the Baker family, then living in Guilford, she and David moved to Leyden, where they raised a large family. She overcame many obstacles in her life and succeeded in living to the fullest and contributing to her new community. She was a devoted wife and mother. She worked later in life at Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Mass., as a stat messenger. She was a member of the Leyden Methodist Church, the Leyden Rifle Club, and the Tops Association. She is survived by her children: Andrew Baker and his wife, Linda, of Leyden; Bruce Baker and his wife, Diane, of Bridgewater, Mass.; Christopher Baker and his wife, Barbara, of Cape Cod, Mass.; Faye Baker and her husband, Robert Leidy, of Burlington; Gay Baker and her husband, Michael Holloway, of Leyden; and Hilary Baker and her husband, Scott, of Asheulot, N.H. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: Funeral services were held March 26 at the Kidder Funeral Home in Northfield, Mass. Burial will be in the spring in Baker Cemetery in Guilford. Donations to Dick's Angels for Relay for Life, 45 East Hill Rd. Leyden, MA 01337.
• William J. “Butch” Bell, 63, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died March 11 at his home, following a lengthy illness. Born in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sept. 18, 1953, the son of William and Dolores (Hemingway) Bell, he was raised and educated in Blacksburg, S.C., eventually moving to Brattleboro with his family. He attended Brattleboro Union High School. A proud veteran, he served for four years in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and later re-enlisted in the Army, serving another nine years before his honorable discharge from active service. He had been employed for several years at the former Boise Cascade in Brattleboro, but worked most of his career as a truck driver for T&J Trucking of Bellows Falls and BDR Trucking of Brattleboro. He also worked for a short time as an LNA at the Brattleboro Retreat. Of his leisure time activities, he enjoyed fishing and was an avid Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan. In 1974, he married Diane Inman, who survives. Besides his wife of 42 years, he leaves two sons, Justin J. Bell of Derry, N.H., and Robert W. Bell of Brattleboro; one daughter, Jennifer Bell Colliver of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a half-brother, John L. Martel of Brattleboro; and seven grandchildren, two nieces, and two nephews. Additionally, he leaves his close longtime friend, Michael J. Martell of Keene. He was predeceased by a son, Michael S. Bell, and a granddaughter who died in infancy. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Friday, March 31, at 1 p.m., at VFW Post 1034 on Black Mountain Road in Brattleboro. Donations to Liberty House, Inc., 75 W. Baker St., Manchester, NH 03103, or to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 561 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Pauline R. Bristol, 87, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 14 at Valley Cares in Townshend. Born in Bridgewater Corners, Vt., on Aug. 2, 1929; the daughter of the late Nelson S. and Etta (Read) Rogers, she graduated from Woodstock High School, Class of 1947. She was employed in clerical and secretarial positions at the Holstein Association in Brattleboro, from which she retired in 1992. She loved to square dance and was a member of the Green Mountain Squares. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, and spending time with her family and friends. She is predeceased by her husband, Edwin E. Bristol; a brother, Erwin Rogers; and three sisters, Myrtle McKinstry, Ruth Brown, and Lucy Jillson. She is survived by two sons, Ronald E. Bristol and his wife, Betsy, of Hanover, Pa., and Scott E. Bristol and his wife, Christie Campney Bristol, of Maumelle, Ark.; a sister, Beatrice R. Grover of Brattleboro; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 29 at First Congregational Church of West Brattleboro, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to the First Congregational Church of West Brattleboro, 880 Western Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be offered at www.kerwesterlund.com.
• Della Margaret Houle, 93, of Brattleboro. Died March 21 at the Bradley House in Brattleboro, following a short period of declining health. She had been a resident at the facility for over two years. Born in Clinton, N.Y., on Sept. 8, 1923, the daughter of Earl and Edith (Burdo) Pickering, she was raised and educated in New York State before moving to Brattleboro. In 1946, she married Theodore “Jerry” Houle, who predeceased her in 2005. For more than 30 years, she worked at the Book Press in Brattleboro. She later worked part-time at the former Ames Department Store and Price Chopper supermarket. In her earlier years, she worked at the former Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates on Cotton Mill Hill. She was a member of the American Legion Post #5 Auxiliary and the V.F.W. Carl M. Dessaint Post #1034 Auxiliary and a longtime communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. She enjoyed crafts, puzzles collecting dolls, and time shared with her family. Survivors include three sons: Robert Houle of Brattleboro, Michael Houle of Phoenix, Ariz., and Stephen Houle of Bernardston. Additionally she leaves six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by four brothers, Edward, Clarence, Lawrence, and Willard Pickering. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 25 at St. Michael's Catholic Church. Burial in Saint Michael's Parish Cemetery will be in the springtime when the cemetery reopens. Donations to Bradley House, 65 Harris Avenue, Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Robert J. “Robin” Kearley Jr., 70, of Bennington. Died March 12 at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. He was born Oct. 1, 1946, in Townshend, the son of Martha Kearley Sonnenfeld and Robert J. Kearley. He graduated from Leland & Gray, attended the University of Connecticut and later received a degree in horticulture from Vermont Technical College. Following graduation, Mr. Kearley worked at Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, Pa. At age 24, he was diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis. In Coral Gables, Fla., he worked as resident manager of his apartment building and served on the Coral Gables Handicap Advisory Board. Survivors include a sister, Stephanie Jacob of Dorset; a niece, a nephew, two grandnephews; and his caregiver, Robin Bostwick-Houran. Memorial information: A private graveside service will be at a later date in Oakwood Cemetery in Townshend. Memorial contributions may be made to the Vermont Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
• William J. McKinnon Sr., 65, of Shirley, Mass., formerly of Guilford. Died Sunday, March 19 in his home after a long illness, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Lowell, Mass., on June 8, 1951, a son of the late Ernest and Mary (McCarthy) McKinnon, he was a 1969 graduate of Lowell High School and served in the Army. He was an electrician at the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant in Vernon for 35 years. Prior to moving to Shirley three years ago, he lived in Guilford for 33 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and vacationing in Maine, especially Moosehead Lake. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He leaves his wife of 44 years, Joyce M. (Heneault) McKinnon; three sons, William J. McKinnon Jr. and his wife, Aparna Das-McKinnon of Waltham, Mass, Timothy McKinnon and his wife, Emily of Acton, Mass., and Matthew McKinnon of Waltham, Mass; two brothers, Ernest McKinnon of Littleton, Mass., and Peter McKinnon of Poundridge, N.Y.; six sisters, Joan McKinnon of Burlington, Louise McKinnon of Windham, N.H., Annee Lamaje of Shirley, Susan McKinnon of Burlington, Mary McPadden of Underhill, and Donna Dec of Burlington; and three grandchildren. Memorial information: Funeral services will be private. Donations to DAV of Leominster, 100 West St., Leominster, MA 01453.
• Walter Phillip Magoon, 64, of Bondville. Died March 13. Born March 13, 1953 in Bondville, the son of Vera (Kendall) and the late Archie Magoon, he graduated from Leland & Gray Union High School in 1971. He worked as a caretaker for the town of Winhall for many years. Besides his mother, he is survived by brothers Edward Elery Magoon and Arthur Magoon; nieces Tammy Palmer and Wanda Howe; great-nephews Travis and Cody Palmer and Kenny and Trevor Howe, great-niece Carissa Howe; and great-great-niece Paisley Palmer. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to Londonderry Rescue or Winhall Rescue.
• Shimon Malin, 79, of Brattleboro. Died March 17 after 25 years with Parkinson's disease. Born on July 21, 1937, in Tel Aviv, his parents, Menashe and Irena, had emigrated from Poland in 1935. His father was an engineer for the city of Tel Aviv, and he fought with the British Army in Italy and North Africa during World War II. Shimon's sister, Masha, was born in 1946. Shimon became interested in physics at an early age, first attempting to read a popular version of Einstein's theory of relativity when he was seven years old. He graduated from Hebrew University in Jerusalem with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1958, and then received his Master's degree from the Weitzmann Institute of Science in 1960. He served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces from 1960 to 1963, in the unit that prepared for the army's first computer. He married Tova Borkovsky in 1960, received a fellowship from the Japanese government, and he and Tova then spent two years in Japan, from 1963 to 1965. They moved to the United States in 1965, and Shimon earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1968. The family moved to Hamilton, N.Y., where Shimon was hired as an Assistant Professor at Colgate University in 1968. He taught at Colgate until 1977, at Ben Gurion University in Israel from 1977 to 1980, and again at Colgate from 1980 until he retired in 2007. Shimon and Tova relocated to Southern Vermont in 1985, and Shimon commuted weekly to Colgate. His research was published in numerous articles in professional journals and in two books written in collaboration with Moshe Carmeli: Representations of the Rotation and Lorentz Groups (1976), and Theory of Spinors (2000). Throughout his academic career, he maintained a strong interest in philosophy. He developed a course on physics and philosophy that led him to write a book for non-scientists, Nature Loves to Hide: Quantum Physics and the Nature of Reality - A Western Perspective (2001). Questions of meaning were a central part of Shimon's inquiry throughout his adult life. He engaged with practices, teachers, and groups that would accompany him in an evolving search for deeper awareness and understanding. This search is evident in a selection of essays, The Eye that Sees Itself, published in 2004 and a selection of poetry, Playful Metaphysical Poems-Armchair or High Ladder: Am I Here?, published in 2007. He also enjoyed ping-pong, hiking, literature, painting, and listening to music. He is lovingly remembered by his wife Tova; his sister Masha; his children Nadav, Yonatan, and Daniella; his daughters-in-law Janice and Diana and son-in-law Zachary; and his granddaughters Michaela, Avivah, Sarah, Hannah, and Naomi. Memorial information: Donations in Mr. Malin's memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org), the Parkinson's Foundation (www.parkinson.org), or the International Campaign for Tibet (www.savetibet.org).
• Lawrence Gregg “Larry” Miller, 78, of Chesterfield, N.H. Died March 22 at Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, N.H., following a period of declining health. Born in Asheville, N.C., on May 14, 1938, the son of Leonard Paul and Effie Salter Miller, he was raised and educated in Asheville and continued on to college to receive his B.A. in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1960. After moving to Annandale, Va., and taking a job with the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA), he met his future wife and mother to his children, Sandra Lee Morris. They were married in 1969. For more than 35 years, he worked as a cartographer for the DMA. Together with Sandra, they raised two daughters, enjoyed many family vacations, movies, plays, and various outdoor activities including family camping trips. He loved dinner theaters, old movies, and music - he was a very talented writer, artist, and musician and played French horn in his high school and college marching bands. He and his wife lived out much of their retirement in the countryside of Culpeper, Va., before they moved to Chesterfield in 2008 after their daughter Kim gave birth to twin girls. In life, he was a kind, likeable, soft-spoken Southern gentleman who was liked by all who knew him. Besides his wife of 47 years, he leaves two daughters, Kimberly Miller King and her husband, Peter, of Walpole, N.H., and Lisa Miller Baldini, and her husband, James, of Lanchester, England, and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Marilyn Miller Plemmons, in 2016, but his Alzheimer's disease spared him the realization of this terrible loss. Memorial information: Funeral services were conducted March 25 at St. John's Episcopal Church in Walpole, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org.
• David Edward Newell, 49, of Spofford, N.H. Died March 17 at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, after a long illness due to a heart condition. Born in Burlington on Feb. 19, 1968, the son of Harold E. and Jean M. (Decker) Newell of Dummerston, he spent his childhood in the family home in West Dummerston, attended Dummerston Elementary School, and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1986. While growing up he was very active with cross country skiing, competing in the Bill Koch Ski League. He participated on the baseball and soccer teams for the Dummerston School. At the age of five, he showed great musical talent playing drums and joined the Valley Band in many concerts and parades throughout the tri-state area. He began to play the alto saxophone at the elementary level and was a member of the BUHS Band and concert band during high school. As Drum Major, he led the band in the Washington Cherry Blossom Festival and laid a wreath at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. After high school, he attended Vermont Technical College in Randolph and was employed at various local construction companies. In the early 1990s, he began driving for Brattleboro Haulage and did so for more than 15 years. He participated in transporting water to New York City after the 9/11 attacks and traveled in the caravan to Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. In 2004, he was promoted to Safety Supervisor and held that position for Brattleboro Haulage and J. B. Hunt, Inc. until 2015, when his health forced him into retirement. He enjoyed fishing, boating, kayaking, spending time at the family cottage on Lake Seymour, gardening, gourmet cooking and watching the Patriots. He also enjoyed creating and building. He was a member of the West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department as Safety Officer until he moved to Spofford in 2014. He was thoughtful, kind, understanding, and always ready to lend a helping hand. His family was most important to him and he always put their needs before his own. He is survived by his son, Lucas Ryan Newell; a daughter, Samantha Rose Newell; partner Sheri B. Perkins, parents Harold and Jean Newell, sister Deborah Newell-Robinson and her husband, Russell Robinson, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and friends. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held April 2, at 2 p.m., at West Dummerston Baptist Church, with a reception following at the Shrine Temple in Brattleboro. Donations to the West Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department, in care of Treasurer Maria Glabach, 32 Nourse Hollow Rd, Dummerston, VT 05301. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Howard G. Rumrill, 88, of Rockingham. Died March 20. Born in Alstead, N.H., on May 29, 1928, the son of Harry and Lottie (Kimball) Rumrill, he attended schools in Alstead and Bellows Falls. He served in the Army during the Korean War, and worked for St. Johnsbury Trucking for nearly 39 years. He was a member of the VFW, the Elks, and the Polish American Club. He enjoyed gardening, taking care of his ducks, snowmobiling, and the outdoors. He loved most the time spent with his children. In 1956, he married Patricia Billado, who predeceased him. He is survived by his sons Gary, Patrick, Roland, and Rodney; his daughter, Linda Howland; his sister, Jean Yake of Chester; 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents; an infant son, Howard, Jr.; his son, Rodrick; and many siblings. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 24 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Wilfred “Will” Therrien, 83, of Whitingham. Died March 8 at his home, following a long illness. He was born in Stamford, Vt., to Archie and Delina (Gelinas) Therrien, on Oct. 25, 1933. He leaves his wife of 63 years, Helen (Jillson) Therrien. They were married Feb. 13, 1954, in Cheshire, Mass., on a day with a temperature of 32 degrees below zero. They had seven children, five sons and two daughters. He was a self-employed general contractor who taught his children to ride bicycles, play ball, and swim. He was an avid reader, enjoyed hunting and fishing, and loved sugaring with his son, Paul. He leaves six of his children, having been predeceased by his youngest son, Scott, in 2014. They are: Steven and Kathy (King) of Stamford; Paul and Kimberly (Dalrymple) of Brattleboro; Mary of Whitingham; James and Diane (King) of Stamford; Lois of Springfield, Va.; John of Whitingham, VT; and Scott's widow, Robin (Squiers), of Vernon. He also leaves 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Rita Foote and Elena Galeski, his brothers Ernest, Arthur and Robert, and many nieces, nephews and in-laws. He is predeceased by his sisters Doris Ryan and Clara Simon, and his brother Donald. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date.
• Mildred M. “Millie” Timney, 94, of Vernon. Died March 21 at Pine Heights in Brattleboro. Born in Boston on Oct. 19, 1922, the daughter of the late Jesse and Elizabeth (McGeffigen) LaFreniere, she was employed for many years at Vernon Green Nursing Home as the head housekeeper. She enjoyed traveling, attending tag sales, vacationing at Hampton Beach, and loved spending time with her family. She was very proud to receive her driver's license at the age of 65. She is predeceased by her husband, Frank Timney, Sr. She is survived by three daughters, Kathy and Stephen of Brattleboro, Patty and Robert of Dummerston and Colleen of Richland, Wash.; a son, Francis and Sue of Brattleboro; eight grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Memorial information: Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, March 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home, 57 High St., Brattleboro. A funeral Mass of Christian Burial will held Thursday, March 30, at 11 a.m., at St Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 47 Walnut St, Brattleboro. Burial will be at North Cemetery in Vernon in the spring. Donations may be made to Pine Heights at Brattleboro, 187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or to the Vernon Seniors, 567 Governor Hunt Rd, Vernon, VT 05354.
• Irma Nina Weinzierl, 72, of Rockingham. Died Feb. 13 in Fort Myers, Fla. She was born Aug. 30, 1944 in New York City, the daughter of Gelino and Sandra (Blier) Michelini. In 1966, she married John J. Weinzierl. She was employed in human resources as a community outreach specialist with HCRS in Springfield, for 30 years. She volunteered with Meals on Wheels and taught Sunday school. She was an avid flower and vegetable gardener. Survivors include her husband, of Rockingham; two children, David Weinzierl of Bellows Falls and Julie Strong of Saxtons River; a brother, James Michelini, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and a half-brother, William Tarn, of Farmington, Conn.; six grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 29, at 11 a.m., at Athens Christian Community Church. Burial will follow in Meeting House Cemetery in Rockingham. Donations to Athens Christian Community Church Missions Fund, 1 Miller Road, Athens, VT 05143.
• Margaret Putnam Wesley, 90, of Middlebury. Died March 18 at Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, almost two weeks to the hour after the death of her husband, John. The daughter of the late Frank and Jessie (Archibald) Putnam, she was born at home on Nov. 12, 1926 in Bethel in the 1830 farmhouse still occupied by her sister. She had a healthy farm girl's upbringing that taught her respect for the land and all the creatures on it, a sunny outlook she cultivated her entire life. Some of her closest childhood friends were other members of the extended Putnam clan throughout the White River Valley in Windsor County, who have gathered annually on the last Sunday in July for the Putnam Picnic, a family reunion celebrated regularly since 1929. Following her graduation from Whitcomb High School, where “Captain Put” was a high-scoring leader of the basketball team, she entered the University of Vermont in 1945. When John Wesley succeeded in opening her locker after chemistry class, he forever won the key to her heart. Lest he lose her to the lure of transcontinental flight, he dashed to Massachusetts where she was beginning a stewardess training course and begged her to marry him, and she did in 1947. After settling in Middlebury, where John spent a long career as a high school teacher, Margaret and John raised six children, and took great joy in watching close family ties knit together their nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, with another great grandchild due in June. Her character was inseparable from her instinctual need to be of service, whether to her family, her church or her community. She was a member of the Middlebury United Methodist Church, chairing the United Methodist Women for decades, and heading up their renowned rummage sale. When she retired from singing in the choir, the celebration took note that her tenure of more than 60 years equaled Queen Elizabeth's reign. Margaret's volunteer work included RSVP and Helen Porter, where among many other duties she enjoyed calling Bingo every week. Eventually her diligence and compassion as a volunteer prompted the offer of employment at Porter Medical Center in discharge planning. When Margaret and John came to Helen Porter to spend their last weeks together, many staff commented on her role in creating the culture of compassionate care for which that vital community resource is now so widely known. Together with John, Margaret gloried in an active life, marked by camping trips, canoeing, maple sugar making, square dance calling, ballroom dancing, and countless songfests with family and friends. For years, she knit a colorful pair of “Grandma Marg” socks to celebrate each family member's birthday, no two ever alike. She wrote letters and cards every day and constantly whistled and hummed in rhythm to her life. She is survived by her sister, Loraine Putnam of Bethel, by her daughter Patricia J. Wesley and husband Garry Schaedel of Burlington, by her sons, John P. Wesley and wife Julie Peterson of Brattleboro, Charles S. Wesley and wife Jennifer Joy of Loudon, N.H., Edward F. Wesley of Lincoln, and Richard P. Wesley and his girlfriend Robin Higginbotham of West New York, N.J., and by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her daughter Barbara L. Wesley and her sister Louise; by her husband John W. Wesley, who died on March 4, 2017; and by daughter-in-law Jean Stilley, who died on March 9, 2017. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Sunday, April 2, at 1 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Middlebury. Memorial contributions may be made to Addison County Home Health and Hospice, Helen Porter Health Care and Rehabilitation Services, or the United Methodist Church of Middlebury.