Obituaries
• Bruce Harold Corwin, 83, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 30 at the Thompson House following an extended illness. Born in Natick, Mass., on Dec. 15, 1933, the son of Harold and Alice (Day) Corwin. He was raised and educated in Bellows Falls and was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School, Class of 1951. He went on to graduate from the University of Maine at Orono in 1955 with a B.A. in music. In 1955, he married Carol Langlois, who survives. His first teaching assignment was in Bennington, where he taught music for two years for the Bennington Rural School System. In 1957, he moved to Brattleboro and was music teacher for the Brattleboro Elementary School District, retiring following more than 38 years of service. In the mid-1960s, he went on sabbatical returning to college, earning his master's degree in counseling from the University of New Hampshire in 1967. For two years, he served in career education in the Newfane/Townshend (West River Valley) School District, later returning to teach instrumental music at Guilford, Putney, Vernon and Dummerston schools, retiring in 1993. During summers, he worked for the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department. Active civically, he served as a Boy Scout leader for West Brattleboro Troop 447, served as a director for the Intercultural Camp sponsored by First Congregational Church, and was a former president in the 1980s of the Brattleboro Winter Carnival. He was also a member and past president of the Brattleboro Kiwanis Club and was an active volunteer in the transportation department at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. A gifted and accomplished musician who played many instruments, he served as band leader and conductor for many years for the American Legion Post 5 Band, was a member for over 70 years of the Grafton Cornet Band, serving 20 years as a director, and was a member of the Chester Brass Band for several years. With his wife, he was a longtime member of First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro serving on the church's physical properties committee. He was known for his easy-going personality and spirit of friendship. He loved music and enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking, gardening, camping and cutting and stacking firewood with his family in the fall. He and Carol also traveled to 31 foreign countries. Besides his devoted wife of 62 years, he leaves one son, John G. Corwin (Linda) of Townsend, Mass., two daughters, Nancy Dwyer (Jeffrey) of Brattleboro and Barbara Wallace (William) of Chesterfield, N.H., six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of his life was held on Nov. 2 at First Congregational Church, with burial in West Brattleboro Cemetery on Mather Road. Donations to First Congregational Church, 880 Western Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301 or the American Legion Band, in care of American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, Attn: Bill Wessel. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Clayton W. “Tony” Fecto, 86, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Oct. 28 at his home. Born in Brattleboro on July 1, 1931, he was raised and educated in Ashuelot, later attending Hinsdale High School. While in high school, he excelled in baseball and was later offered professional contracts with the Boston Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates, which he declined because of family commitments. He was also a member of Hinsdale High School's first varsity basketball team. In 1954, he married Beverly A. Kempton, who survives. He was a shipping manager at the former Boise Cascade paper mill in Brattleboro, which he retired from in 1992 following over 25 years of faithful service with the company. Previously he worked at The Book Press and American Optical, both in Brattleboro. Active civically, he coached both Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball in Hinsdale and helped spearhead the building of the pavilion located in Hinsdale in 1995. He organized the volunteers and local contractors which made the project a success. He was a communicant of St. Joseph's Parish, where he served as a server and greeter. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and golfing, and loved attending the harness horse races at the former Hinsdale Raceway. He also enjoyed puttering around his home keeping a well-groomed lawn and yard. He will be remembered for his delicious peanut butter fudge with chocolate topping. He was a faithful and devoted husband and loving father and grandfather whose life centered around his family. Besides his beloved wife of 63 years, he leaves three sons, Michael Fecto and his wife, Sally, of Sandwich, Mass., Terry Fecto and his wife, Jane, of Surry, N.H., and Stephen Fecto and his wife, Anne, of Hinsdale; two sisters, Ramona Wilcox of Keene and Barbara Porter of Winchester, N.H.; three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Tracy; a sister, Helena, who died in childhood; and five brothers, Albert, Robert, Milan, Clarence, and Richard. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Nov. 4 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hinsdale, with committal rites and burial in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Donations to St. Joseph's Church 35 Brattleboro Rd., Hinsdale, NH 03451; or to the Hinsdale Athletic Dept., 49 School St. , Hinsdale, NH 03451. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Paul R. Gaudette, Jr., 56, of West Brattleboro. Died Oct. 31 at the Vermont Veteran's Home in Bennington, following a lengthy illness. Born in Lowell, Mass., on Nov. 15, 1960, the son of Paul R. and Ellen (Blinkhorn) Gaudette. He was raised and educated in Brattleboro and was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1979. He went on to attend the University of Vermont, later enlisting in the Army in 1981. He wanted to be a pilot from a young age, and made his dream come true in the Army and Army Reserve, where he served proudly for 25 years. He rose from the enlisted ranks all the way to Chief Warrant Officer 4, flying Black Hawk helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. He took part in several Persian Gulf campaigns that included Operation Desert Storm in 1991. He was honorably discharged from active service in 2006. The list of medals he received is long. He flew all over the world and bragged of landing in at least one airport in every state. Of his leisure time activities, he enjoyed working out, hunting, target shooting and time spent with his family, especially his children. Following his honorable discharge from active service, he later became an airline pilot for Compass Airlines, a division of Delta Airlines. He retired in December 2013, following the progressive onset of his illness. He will be remembered for his spirit of friendship and adventure. His unique sense of humor and outgoing manner made him many friends throughout the world. Besides his large extended family, his longtime friends Douglas Beebe, Felix Bonds, and Dan Harris will miss him very much. Survivors include his four children, Xavier Gaudette of Atlanta, Tonek Gaudette of Ft. Washington, Md., Hope Gaudette and Paul R. Gaudette, III, both of Tampa, Fla.; his father, Paul R. Gaudette and wife Christine of Mashpee, Mass.; a sister, Virginia “Ginger” Gaudette of Brattleboro; and a brother, William Gaudette and his wife, Catrina, of Ogunquit, Maine. He is predeceased by his mother, Ellen Blinkhorn-Zaleriatis of Brattleboro. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Nov. 8 at St, Michael's Roman Catholic Church. Committal rites with full Military Honors will be conducted Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center. Donations to The Gathering Place, 30 Terrace St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Howard Graff, 90, of Townshend. Died Oct. 22, following a long respiratory illness. He was born in Milwaukee, Wis., to Myron Graff and Isabelle Damask Graff, on Aug. 10, 1927. He remembered a “particularly good childhood” with his parents and two siblings, Gerald and Connie, moving many times throughout the Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas and Missouri). He graduated from high school in Waukesha, Wis., and then attended Carol College where he was a pre-med student. World War II interrupted his studies, and he joined the Army and was first sent to the University of Wisconsin and then to the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied Japanese. He then spent three years in occupied Europe (Austria). Following his return from the war, he moved to New York City in 1949 where he met his beloved partner, Burt Martinson, with whom he shared a wonderful life for 23 years, until Burt's death in 1971. Their time together was rich with celebration and travel to exotic ports around the world. During his time in New York, he became a very successful photographer, specializing in interior photography with various shelter magazines, such as House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, and Good Housekeeping. Following his career in photography, he worked with renowned furniture designer Karl Springer, promoting his creations to interior designers throughout New York City. In 1978, Howard and his partner, Richard Haas, decided to escape the pace of city life and moved to a farm in Townshend, where they bred and raised Morgan horses for 15 years. During that time, Howard honored a love for beauty, art and antiquity by opening Colt Barn Antiques, He became very active in Vermont Antique Dealers Association and traveled throughout New England displaying his prized possessions at antique shows. An unintended consequence of the “fast lane” life that Howard experienced when living in New York was an unhealthy dependence upon alcohol. When he became aware of its grip on his life, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous where he discovered the true meaning of “happy, joyous, and free” Since his introduction to AA, he enjoyed 40 miraculous years of sobriety in which he dedicated unconditional love and service to countless other recovering alcoholics throughout the West River Valley. Memorial information: A Celebration of Life potluck lunch will be held at the Newbrook Fire Station in Newfane on Saturday, Nov. 11, at noon. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, 185 Grafton Rd., Townshend, VT 05353. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Winnie H. Olmer, 65, of Brattleboro and Halifax. Died Oct. 15, only six short weeks after being diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. He was a much-loved husband, father, “bhaga” (grandpa), chopsbuster, and friend. His immense love of life, openness, compassion, truthfulness, and ever-ready sense of adventure, was shared for over 45 years with his beloved wife and best friend, Ellen Gertzog, as well as his daughter Leza Olmer, son and daughter-in-law Jesse and Hanako Olmer, grandsons Rambo and Axel, and his beloved dog and spirit guide Zoe. Though he enjoyed his travel adventures out West, he was most happy at the home Ellen and Winnie had built themselves, surrounded by the beautiful Vermont woods that he so loved. He had an insatiable desire to learn all things in this world. He had a lifelong interest in and love of music, photography, woodworking, nature and animals, astronomy, science, technology, and “muz visn vi di fus vaksin.” He was a wonderful baker and cook, including his private line of Angus McKillagoy specialties. His quick wit and humor led to a life full of much shared fun, laughter, and love. He gave and taught us so much, and will always be loved and always a very special part of this great cosmos.
• Joseph G. Specht, 66, of Whitingham. Died Oct. 30 at his home. Born on May 27, 1951 in Queens, N.Y., to the late Joseph FX and Eileen (Sanderson) Specht, he was one of nine children. Educated in schools on Long Island, he was a graduate of Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa. He met the love of his life on the stroke of midnight with a New Year's Eve kiss in 1981. He and Ann Coleman were married on June 3, 1989 in Ontario. He was fortunate in that he was able to combine his love of the outdoors, sports, and writing with his livelihood. He never met a road or trail he didn't want to ski or bike. Throughout the 1980s, he was director of the Hermitage Cross Country Ski Center. He also participated in the Birkebeiner Skate 50-kilometer race. As a tour leader for Vermont Bike Tours, he then went on to race bikes as part of the Stowe Shimano Cycling Team. He and wife Ann worked together for many decades at their Smoothie business, as well as building their Shaklee business. Joe was a freelance writer for sports publications of Rodale Press. At the time of his retirement, he was a realtor for Four Seasons Sotheby's International Realty. An active member of the Whitingham-Halifax Lions' Club, Joe initiated the Hungry Lion Bike Tour, a fundraiser for local food banks. He was the recipient of the prestigious Melvin Jones Award in 2017. He is survived by his wife Ann, her mother and two sisters, his two sisters, six brothers, 16 nieces and nephews, and eight great-nieces and great-nephews. Memorial information: There are no calling hours. A celebration of his life will be held at a future date at the convenience of the family. To leave condolences and share photos of his life, go to caringbridge.org. Memorial donations may be made to Hungry Lion Bike Tour Fund Raiser at www.Pledgereg.com/155957.
• Neil Deming Taylor, 38, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 29, after 10 courageous years living with the challenges of brain cancer and the blindness that resulted from it. He was an inspiration to all who knew him, affirming the fact that overwhelming loss cannot win out over determination and resolve to live life to the fullest. When one part of his life ended, he forged a new one that included adventure, physical and intellectual challenges, and deep connections with others. He spent time at The Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Mass., in order to learn the skills to live independently, earned certification in massage therapy through Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center in Rutland, spent time rock and ice climbing with Paradox Sports, opened his own business, The Blind Masseur, on High Street, and became a voice and advocate for the disabled through his many speaking engagements, some in conjunction with his close friend, Laura Momaney, who uses a wheelchair. In December 2016, he published his memoir, The Life We Got: Losing Sight and Gaining Vision, co-authored with his mother. He grew up in Westminster West where he attended the neighborhood's two-room schoolhouse before attending Westminster Center School and Bellows Falls Middle School. He is a graduate of The Putney School, attended the University of Vermont, and received a B.A. in sociology from University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif. He leaves his life partner and love of his life, Katy Keenan of Brattleboro, his parents, Jim and Alison Taylor of Brattleboro, his sister, Jessica Taylor and her husband, Kurt Lynch of Putney, and his twin brother, Jackson Taylor and his wife Sarah of Long Island, N.Y.; five nieces and nephews, 17 cousins, 15 aunts and uncles, his devoted clients. and a wide circle of friends. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at the Currier Center on the campus of The Putney School on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m. Donations to The Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 60 Kimball Ave., South Burlington, VT 05403 (vabvi.org/make-a-donation) or Paradox Sports, NE Division, P.O. Box 273, Eldorado Springs, CO 80025 (paradoxsports.org/donate).
• Pennie A. Temple, 55, of Putney. Died Oct. 21 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro, following complications of diabetes and vascular disease. Born in Plattsburgh, N.Y., on June 20, 1962, the daughter of Lillian (Supernault) Collins, she was raised and educated in Putney and was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1980. In 1981, she married Bradley E. Temple, who survives. Before her illness, she was employed as a data entry specialist working at C&S Wholesale Grocers. Previously, she worked at World Learning in Brattleboro for 19 years, working in both the Print Shop and the Study Abroad Program. She was an avid Bingo player and also enjoyed computer games, needlepoint, and crocheting. Besides her devoted husband of 36 years, she leaves one daughter, Heather Traudt of Brattleboro; one son, Eric Temple of Putney; two sisters, Donna Maynard of Hinsdale, N.H. and Nancy Fischer of Albany, N.Y.; and one brother, Harold Donivan of Spofford, N.H. Additionally, she leaves three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter, Julie Marie, who died at birth; one sister, V. Dawn Bush; and a brother, Marvin Collins Jr. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Nov. 4 at Green Mountain Chapel in Brattleboro. Burial will be at a later date in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Putney. Donations to the Putney Volunteer Fire Dept., 14 Main St., Putney, VT 05346. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.