College news
• Olivia McNeely of Townshend and Sebastian Allen of Londonderry both graduated from Ithaca (N.Y.) College in May. McNeely was also named to the spring 2017 Dean's List, as were Averi Parece of Westminster West, Caitlin Galamaga of Townshend, and Elena Tansley of Westminster West.
• Eli Serota of West Dover graduated cum laude from Ithaca College's School of Communications in May with a degree in integrated marketing communications.
• Constantine Benson of West Townshend, a 2017 graduate of Leland & Gray Union High School, was one of 130 high school students from around the Northeast who received a $1,000 “Believe & Achieve” Scholarship from Cumberland Farms. Benson will be attending the University of New Mexico this fall.
Transitions
• Dr. Kenneth Williams had been appointed as dean of SIT Graduate Institute. Dr. Williams completed his doctorate in organization and leadership at Columbia University and his master's degree at the London School of Economics. His interests and research include leadership development, multicultural organizational development, change management, educational administration and reform, and developing learning organizations in NGO and for-profit management. He is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, the American Educational Research Association, and the Academy of Human Resource Development. He has worked, studied, and/or lived in Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Jamaica, Oman, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the UK, the United States, and Zimbabwe.
• Arthur W. Nichols has been appointed as the Brattleboro Retreat's new Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Nichols received a B.A. in Economics from the College of William & Mary and earned his MBA in Finance at the University of Florida at Gainesville's Hough College of Business Administration. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and was named as a 2012 Grassroots Champion by the American Hospital Association. With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare administration, Nichols served most recently from 2004 to 2015 as president and chief executive officer of the 169-bed Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. He joined Cheshire Medical in 1988 and served as CFO until he was appointed as president and CEO in 2004. From 1983 to 1988 he served as Director of Finance at the 600-bed Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, CT. Nichols is also an Army veteran and was a first lieutenant in the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade. He currently resides in Keene, with Patricia, his wife of 38 years. They have three adult children who are married and living and working in New England.
Obituaries
• Rupa Cousins, 75, of East Dummerston. Died July 4 at her home in East Dummerston, from complications of stomach cancer. She was born Bonnie Joyce Gottlieb on Jan. 7, 1942, in New York City, and, following the split of her parents, was called Bonnie Cousins from the age of two. Her mother was Sydney Cousins, who raised her alone while running a successful business in lingerie. Rupa's first love was acting, and she received her B.A. in drama from Syracuse University, where she starred as Juliet in a campus production of the Shakespeare play. She spent most of the 1960s appearing in Off- and Off-Off Broadway productions while supporting herself working retail and occasional modeling jobs. She married in 1967, but that relationship ended in 1972, when she moved to Florida to escape her abusive husband, taking her two-year-old son, Sean. In Florida, she found her real calling, to the paths of spirituality and healing, which she initially followed through the work of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the Alexander Technique, respectively. Her study of both brought her back to New York in 1976, where she was instrumental in starting a meditation center in the name of Rajneesh, as well as in obtaining her license to practice the Technique. In 1982, she started living part-time in West Chesterfield, N.H., which would begin the start of love for this region that would last the rest of her life. In 1987, she bought the house on Canoe Brook Road in East Dummerston. In her 30 years in that house, she continued to travel the two paths of her life widely. Stepping away from Rajneesh (though never discounting the teachings), she found further spiritual inspiration through practice as a Sufi and a Dervish; a renewed interest in her native religion of Judaism; the exploration of the mystical dance, Paneurythymy; and in work with the Brattleboro Area Interfaith Initiative. In healing, she added to her work as an Alexander Technician by studying and practicing the Rubenfeld Synergy, an alternative form of psychotherapy with a focus on the mind-body connection. She was instrumental in starting such local organizations as APOV, the Associated Psychotherapists of Vermont, and Healing Tools. She also became a serious and respected peace worker, spending time locally and abroad working to bring healing to peoples torn asunder by war and hate, and she spent much time fighting for the recognition of Palestine in the name of her own Judaism. Her last days were spent in her home with her son by her side and a community of people helping make those days as beautiful as they could. Her final words to her him were “If you give love, love will be given back to you.” She is survived by her son, Sean Hennessey, and a legacy of love that has touched many. Memorial information: A memorial will be held in her honor at 118 Elliot, located at 118 Elliot St. in Brattleboro, on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 7 to 10 p.m.
• Elizabeth “Betty” Gilson, 94, of East Dummerston. Died July 21 at the home of her daughter, with whom she resided. She was born in Rockingham on Dec, 18, 1922; the daughter of the late Albert O. and Mabel (Nicholas) Barnes. She was a lifelong area resident and attended the local school systems. She grew up on the family farm in Westminister West. She was connected to the soil was very proud of her roots; the road leading up to the farm was named after her family. She was employed at American Optical and later as hotel housekeeper. She volunteered with her daughter at the East Dummerston Daycare. She was a wonderful cook who loved to bake, make breads which she always shared, and always made sure every family member had a homemade birthday cake. She enjoyed traveling, attending yard sales, shopping, and hunting. She was a 50-year member of the United Methodist Church and a Golden Eagle member of the Brattleboro Eagle Auxiliary #2445, where she held office at the local, state, and regional levels, including president. She was an extraordinary woman who seized the joy in ordinary days and dealt with any adversity with grace and acceptance, including her diagnosis of blindness and Alzheimers in her later years. She had many friends who loved and supported her. She is predeceased by two spouses, Fred Hoard and William Gilson; a son, Stuart Douglas; two brothers, Albert and Ralph Barnes; and two sisters, Dorothy and Margaret Barnes. She is survived by two daughters, Carol L. Lynch of East Dummerston and Joan Stillwell and her husband, John, of Houston, Mo.; a son, Frank Hoard and his wife, Michele, of Brattleboro; a brother, Donald Barnes and his wife, Elaine, of Saxtons River; 12 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandson, a sister-in-law, Mabel Barnes of Brattleboro; special friend and step-daughter-in-law, Evelyn Hoard; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on July 29 at the Brattleboro Eagles Club #2445. Burial was private. Donations to the Eagles Club, 54 Chickering Dr., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be offered at www.kerwesterlund.com.
• Phyllis Helena Castle Krisher, 86, of Brattleboro .Died July 21, after a lengthy illness. She was born at home in Jamaica on Nov. 11, 1930 (accompanied by her twin brother, Phillip), and was the daughter of Emma Irene (Crowninshield) Castle and John Louis Castle. She attended grade schools in Jamaica and Brookline, and graduated from Leland & Gray Seminary in 1948, where she was an outstanding and aggressive member of the women's basketball team. After graduation, Phyllis worked at Townshend Furniture and at the Mary Meyer Factory. In 1950, she married Air Force Sgt. Gene C. Krisher and they settled in Brattleboro in 1952. She was a homemaker and mother, a lunch room worker at Academy School, and a 25-year employee at New England Telephone. Phyllis and Gene were also 60-year members of First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro, where she participated in many activities, including church suppers and rummage sales. In her retirement years, she enjoyed spending time at the family camp in Holland, Vt., wintering in Florida, and visiting National Parks across the United States. She is survived by her husband of 67 years; daughter Karleen Ruth Hayden (John) of E. Greenbush, N.Y., and son John Roland Krisher of Putney. She is also survived by five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and by special friend and brother-in-law Alfred LaRosa of Keene, N.H. She was predeceased by her parents, sisters Marion Castle Thomas and Marguerite Annie LaRosa, and by twin brother Phillip Alfred Castle. Memorial information: Services will be private at Pleasant View Cemetery in Jamaica, at the convenience of the family. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To offer messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Floyd Kenneth Mack Jr., 85, and Merna Esther (LaMarche) Mack, 91, of North Westminster.
Floyd Mack Jr. died Nov. 25, 2013, at his home while raking leaves. Born Oct. 25, 1928 in Bellows Falls, he was the first born child of Cora (Marlborough) Mack and Floyd Mack Sr. He attended Bellows Falls High School and went on to graduate from Vermont State School of Agriculture in Randolph Center. In 1950, he married Merna Esther LaMarche. He was employed by Hubbard Farms of Walpole, N.H., in 1955, as a hatchery farmhand and truck driver. In 1965 he was promoted to the laboratory, where he worked until retirement in 1990. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, and snowmobiling. He also enjoyed dancing with his wife, and was a remarkably talented dancer. In his later years, he and his wife attended many auctions. His most avid passion was watching football and watching his grandsons play baseball and football for Bellows Falls Union High School. The Patriots were his favorite pro team. He was a good father who took care of his family and is greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
Merna Mack died in her sleep on June 8, 2017, at her son and daughter-in-law's home in Athens. She was born July 20, 1925 in Wardsboro, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Smith) LaMarche. She was a 1944 graduate of Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend. She married Mr. Mack in 1950. He died in 2013 after 63 years of marriage. In her early years, she worked as a bookkeeper for Bills Lumber Co. She also worked at McElroy's Nursing Home in the 1960s. “She was a wonderful mother and enjoyed all the neighborhood kids who stopped by frequently,” her family writes. “Popcorn balls were her specialty on Halloween. She enjoyed vegetable gardening and had beautiful flower gardens around her home. She also enjoyed square dancing with her husband and was an exceptional ballroom dancer. In her later years, she attended many auctions with her husband and took great pleasure watching her grandchildren play baseball and football. She loved all animals, particularly her beloved cat, Ty.”
Mr. and Mrs. Mack are survived by her son, Kevin Mack and wife, Debora, of Athens, and daughters Michele (Coombs) Powlison and her husband, Jim, of Millerton, Pa., and Merrilee Ficken and her husband, Doug, of Ludlow. They are also survived by four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A joint graveyard service for Mr. and Mrs. Mack will be held on Saturday, Aug. 12, at 11 a.m., at the West Wardsboro cemetery. A reception and luncheon will be held after the service at the Town Hall in Wardsboro. Donations to the American Heart Association (heart.org); Springfield Area Adult Day Care Services, 266 River St., Springfield, VT 05156; or to the humane society of your choice.
• Daniel Francis Mahoney, 66, of Wilmington. Died July 27 at his home. Born in Boston on May 2, 1951, the son of Daniel Francis and Mary Rose Mahoney, he attended grade school at St. Patrick's School in Stoneham, Mass., and graduated from Stoneham High School in 1969. He married Joan May Borrelli in 1980, and the young couple moved to Wilmington in 1982, where they raised three children. He worked at Wilmington High School, which later became part of Twin Valley High School, for his entire adult life, and while there, was a friend to many students and colleagues. He loved to fish, learn about his Irish heritage, visit Cape Cod, and laugh and spend time with his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 36 years; his children: Alana Mahoney of Denver, Colo., Dan Mahoney of Newburyport, Mass.; and Alecia and her husband, Ross Turner, of Boston; siblings Mary and her husband, Ed Olsen, of Pepperell, Mass., John Mahoney and his wife, Marge of Stoneham, and Teri Lombardozzi and her husband, Joe, of Sanford, Maine; and many close friends, nieces and nephews who looked up to him and loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his close friend and brother-in-law Donald Borrelli, and his parents Dan and Mary Mahoney. Memorial information: In lieu of a funeral, a party was held in Dan's honor at his home in Wilmington.
• Frances Merrick “Fran” Nevins, 94, of Marlboro. Died July 5 at Thompson House in Brattleboro. Born on Jan. 3, 1923 in Philadelphia to Frances Burke and Stephen Going, she was raised by her loving parents Eldridge Gerry Merrick II and Josephine Collins Merrick in Schenectady N.Y., along with her younger brother, E.G. Merrick III. She graduated from The Putney School, Class of 1941, which she called “a life-changing experience.” There, she met her future husband, John P. Nevins. She went on to attend Bennington College, majoring in literature and poetry and graduated with the Class of 1945. Fran and John Nevins married in 1947 and, in 1948. they were assigned to a post in Haiti with the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Program with the State Department. They enjoyed a 20-year career in the Foreign Service, with assignments in Casablanca (1950-52, when their son John was born), Beirut (1953-59), and Tunis (1960-63). In 1967, following John's retirement from government service, the family returned to the Nevins homestead in Marlboro, where John accepted the position of Head Librarian at Marlboro College, and Fran managed the college bookstore. Over the next three decades, Fran actively engaged the community with her many talents and interests, including the Marlboro Historical Society and choruses with Blanche Moyse and the Brattleboro Music Center. She was devoted to her spiritual life and to the Episcopal Church, and was an active member of St. Mary's in theMountains in Wilmington and, later, at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro. She is survived by her son, John L. Nevins and daughter-in-law Cherrie Corey of Marlboro, grandchildren Rosie Corey Nevins-Alderfer and partner William Nevins-Alderfer of Guilford and Colin Nevins of Maynard, Mass.; great-grandson Griffin Nevins-Alderfer; and nieces Deborah Estes, Joan Schneeweiss, Laurie Winegar, Anne Kellstrom and their families. Memorial information: A service will be held on Saturday, Aug, 19, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Ave., Brattleboro, followed by a potluck luncheon and celebration of Fran's life at the Marlboro Meetinghouse, 254 South Road, Marlboro, beginning about noon. Donations to New England Kurn Hattin Homes in Westminster, The Putney School, or Thompson House in Brattleboro.