College news
• Jessica Tatro, a biology major and member of the Class of 2024 from Brattleboro, was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2022 semester at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.
• Paige Starkweather, a liberal arts studies/education major from Brattleboro, was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2022 semester at Endicott College in Beverly, Mass.
• Cassidy Gallivan of West Dover, Amelia Graff of Brattleboro, and Avery White of Townshend were all named to the Dean's List for the spring 2022 semester at Ithaca (N.Y.) College.
• Sam Cowles, a member of the Class of 2022 and an environmental studies major from South Londonderry, was named to the Deans List for the spring 2022 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.
Transitions
• Nick DuBois of Brattleboro recently became the Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club president for the 2022-23 Rotary year. DuBois is employed as an Edward Jones Financial Advisor in Brattleboro and has been active in Rotary since 2002, having previously served as president-elect under outgoing president Mona Williams. Rotary club members serving as officers with DuBois this year are president-elect Diane Hashagen, secretary Staci Leffel, treasurer Katja Mathews, and immediate past president Mona Williams.
Obituaries
• Stephen A. “Steve” Brown, 80, of Newfane. Died July 9, 2022 at home. He was born in 1942 in Wardsboro, and grew up in Newfane. He attended and graduated from Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend and served in the Vermont National Guard for nearly six years. Steve enjoyed spending time hunting, fishing, motorcycling, and snowmobiling with family and friends. One of Steve's greatest joys was his little dachshund, Poppy. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Diane (Styles); son Todd Brown and his wife Tara (Stevens); daughter Melissa Brown; grandchildren Haley and Dylan Brown, Olivia Dorman, and Logan Knapp; sisters Audrey Beaudoin and her husband PJ and Priscilla Fitzpatrick and her husband Willard; brothers Edward and Douglas Brown; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Emma (Tudor) and Clarence A. Brown Sr. and siblings Clarence Brown Jr., and Sheila Brown. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at the NewBrook Fire Station on Route 30 in Newfane on Sunday, July 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Verlaine Ruth Siter Brown, 91, formerly of Newfane. Died July 21, 2022 at Vernon Green from complications of Parkinson's Disease. Verlaine was born on May 18, 1931 in Hackensack, N.J., the daughter of George and Anna (Palmquist) Siter. She was a graduate of Teaneck (N.J.) High School, Class of 1949. She went on to attend Hope College in Holland, Mich., where she received her B.A. in psychology in 1953. For the three years following, she taught English to schoolchildren as a missionary in Japan with the Baptist Church of America. While serving as director of the Worcester (Mass.) Girls Club, she met her husband, the late Carlton M. “Carl” Brown, Jr. They were married in 1957 at the Teaneck Community Church. They raised their three children in Worcester and Holland, Mich., before moving to Vermont in 1969. Carl and Verlaine owned and operated the Log Cabin Gift Shop on Route 30 in Newfane from 1969 to 1980. During the 1970s, she hosted “Good News Club” for children. She also worked for the state of Vermont as an Advocate for the Elderly for several years. After retiring, Verlaine and Carl learned Spanish, and served abroad as missionaries for six years with Calvary International. The couple's missionary posts included Guatemala and Oaxaca, Mexico. For 19 years, Verlaine and Carl continued to share the gospel and raise funds for unreached people groups. Verlaine was a longtime member of Agape Christian Fellowship in Brattleboro, where she served with Carl who was the Elder of Missions. She was a faithful and devoted wife and loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was predeceased by her husband, who died in 2015. She leaves two sons, Carlton M. Brown III (“Matt”) and his wife, Louella, of Northfield, Mass., and Russell Brown and his wife, Jennifer, of Raleigh, N.C.; one daughter, Sarah (“Sally”) Winchester of Townshend, 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, her brother George R. Siter, Jr. and his wife, Shirley, of Soldotna, Alaska, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A service was held at Atamaniuk Funeral Home on July 26, with a private graveside service at Riverview Cemetery in Wilmington. Donations to Branches Pregnancy Resource Center, 26 Birge St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 or to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.
• Richard Michael Chase, 65, of Bellows Falls. Died at home on July 18, 2022. Richard was born in Stafford, Conn., on March 25, 1957, the son of Frank and Marion (Conley) Chase. After Richard's father died in 1996, Richard moved to Vermont with his mother and older brother, Charles. Richard was kind and a good friend to many. He enjoyed time at The Gathering Place with his friends doing many of his favorite activities: drawing, crafts, dancing, karaoke and helping by clearing the tables. He took pride in competing in Special Olympics basketball. In his earlier years, Richard was a farmer. He was a hard worker, taking great pride in the jobs he completed. He loved doing outside chores at home, shoveling, and raking. Richard was predeceased by his biological family. He leaves behind longtime friend and caregiver, Michelle Metcalfe and family. He will be deeply missed. Memorial information: Donations in Richard's honor can be made to:The Gathering Place, 30 Terrace St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To share a memory or send condolences to Richard's family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Georgiana (Georgie) Cheney, 89, of Walpole, N.H. Died at her home on July 16, 2022. She was born on July 18, 1933 in Qingdao, China, while her parents were stationed there with the U.S. Navy. Her mother, Katharine Hooker Palmer, had literally taken a “slow boat to China” from San Diego a year earlier to join and then marry her fiancé, Robie Ellis Palmer, in Qingdao. As the daughter of a Naval officer, she moved many times during her youth and graduated from Newton (Mass.) High School. Georgie attended university in Germany and then Seattle, where she graduated from the University of Washington. In 1957, her parents retired to Westminster, while Georgie and her sister, Alex, embraced big city life in Manhattan. They lived in Greenwich Village and Georgie worked at Tiffany & Company. Georgie met her future husband, George Cheney, at a Vermont Academy football game. They were married in Bellows Falls in 1959 and, after short stints in Walpole and Pine Lake, Mich., they eventually settled in Wilton, Conn. for 38 years. In later years, Georgie worked in investment management as a brokerage sales assistant. In 2005, they moved back to Walpole for their retirement. An avid sailor, tennis player and skier, Georgie and her family pursued adventures too numerous to count, and she raised her children to love the ocean and mountains. After decades of family sailing trips throughout Long Island Sound and Cape Cod, Georgie could tell you firsthand where hidden sandbars were and where anchors would likely drag at 2 a.m. Georgie enjoyed gardening, discovering and collecting antique furniture and china, long walks around Walpole with her beloved dog, Mischief, and touring Vermont and New Hampshire back roads in the classic MG and Porsche cars that George restored. She loved Walpole and her time spent with many friends and neighbors, including the Women of Walpole and her book group. Georgie's love and care for her family as a wife, mother and grandmother came first and foremost throughout her lifetime, and she will be greatly missed by all. She leaves behind her husband, George; her children, William Hooker (Cari Lee) of San Diego, Calif., George Andrew (Kerry Armstrong) of Bethesda, Md., and Diamante (Paul Smith) of Sharon, Mass.; two grandsons and five granddaughters; and sister-in-law, Sushma Palmer. She was predeceased by her sister, Alexandra Palmer and brother, Ambassador Robie Marcus “Mark” Palmer. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held for Georgie on Saturday, July 30, at 1 p.m., at the Immanuel Episcopal Church in Bellows Falls, followed by burial in the Immanuel Church Yard Cemetery.
• Rita E. Davidson, 92, formerly of Brattleboro. Died July 17, 2022, with her family at her side, at Vernon Hall, where she had been a resident for the past three years. Rita was born in Johnson on July 16, 1930, the daughter of Alfred and Elmire (Pelletier) Nadeau. She was raised and educated in Johnson, attending public schools, and graduated from Johnson High School with the Class of 1949. A resident of Brattleboro for more than 30 years, she lived a majority of that time on Sunset Lake Road where she raised her family. Rita was known for her steadfast work ethic. She worked numerous jobs throughout her life. From 1969 to 1973, she owned and operated the Red Rooster Restaurant located on Route 9 in West Brattleboro. In conjunction with the day-to-day responsibilities of operating a restaurant, she performed most of the cooking herself. She was known for her delicious dishes and desserts, especially her homemade apple pies. She especially enjoyed preparing a good Sunday afternoon dinner for her family. A very strong and determined woman, Rita was known for her spunky and pleasant personality. You always knew what she was thinking. She enjoyed bowling, dancing, knitting and reading. She was an avid Boston Red Sox and Jeff Gordon fan. More importantly, Rita enjoyed time shared with her family. Survivors include daughters Linda Davidson of Reno, Nev., Debra Irwin (John) of Lake Orion, Mich., and Margie Rounds (Michael) of Hinsdale N.H.; a sister, Yvonne Allen of Johnson; a brother, Maurice Nadeau of California; grandchildren Kim Reeves, Nicole Martinez, Amanda Carter, Meghan Rounds, and Mikaela Rounds; great-grandchildren Cameron Reeves, Arrianna Martinez, and Addison Rounds; and several nieces and nephews. Rita was predeceased by two brothers, Roland and Albert Nadeau, and a sister, Vivianne DeZaine. Memorial information: In keeping with her final wishes, there are no formal services scheduled. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To share a memory or send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Scott Howe, 72, of Ocala, Fla., formerly of South Londonderry. Died July 16, 2022, following a 17 year battle with prostate cancer. Born Aug. 13, 1949 in Springfield, Vt., he was the son of Louise Holton Howe and Seth Arthur Howe of South Londonderry. He was a supporter of the South Londonderry Baptist Church. He attended local schools and had a childhood filled with skiing, horseback riding, adventures at Cole Pond, tooling around The Mill yard in his father's old Willys Jeep and, of course, deer hunting with his childhood friends. He later went on to ski with his compadre, Vince Clark, on one set of skis with 2 sets of bindings. They toured the state showing off their unusual talent and were the feature of a Warren Miller film in the 1970's. He started several riding stables in southern Vermont and went on to have a deep kinship with the Harry O'Rourke family at Pond Hill Ranch, which has endured over 50 years. During the years of Horses for Hire, his longtime friend, Jed Lipsky, suggested they run up to Sugarbush to learn about polo. This started his great passion of playing polo and led to the creation of The West River Polo Club in Vermont. With his personality and passion, he led the club for its duration of over 25 years and scheduled numerous benefit matches for Hildene, Mountain Valley Health Center, Vermont Achievement Center, and many others. On his trips to the Dominican Republic and Casa de Campo, he met many players from all over the world that remained in his friendship all his life. In 1980, he was married to Jennifer Cullen, a daughter of Dr. Charles and Virginia Cullen of Stone Ridge, N.Y., and had two children that were the love and center of his world, Seth and Cullen Howe. While they were growing up, Scott moved into land development, logging, and the gravel business. He gave both of his children a well rounded experience of being able to drive or operate every piece of equipment at his disposal. Upon purchasing a new log truck, he brought it to the house where the kids were able to practice “logs off, logs on” for hours at a time, sharpening their skills for later use in the family business in real estate development. During that time, Scott bought and sold and constructed the infrastructure for a great many properties in Southern Vermont assisted by his boys. Finally, the winters seemed too long and the family began to winter in Aiken, S.C. Here, he started Promise Farms Polo Club and enjoyed polo all year long. Along with Jennifer, Seth, and Cullen, they were able to field their own team and played many mixed chukkers with local friends and pros. Finding the weather still too cold at times in South Carolina led him to purchase the farm of his dreams in Ocala, Fla., so Promise Farms Polo Club moved south. It was here that Scott spent and enjoyed his final years with his family, friends, dogs, and horses. He is survived by his wife and sons; a loving sister, Kathleen (Peter) Cornell; and many friends. He was predeceased by his father, Seth Howe, stepfather Everett West, and his mother, Louise Howe West. Memorial information: A celebration of him and his life will be held at a later date in Florida and Vermont.
• Sean D. Kelley, 59, of Bellows Falls. Died peacefully on July 6, 2022. He was born on March 8, 1963 in New Haven, Conn., the son of the late Fern R. Goodrich and Norman Kelley, and his stepdad, Mike. Sean attended high school in New Haven and worked as a gas attendant in his early years, then attended Netty Trucking School in North Haven, Conn. Sean moved to Vermont to start his 36-year trucking career at Brattleboro Haulage, which later was absorbed by JB Hunt Trucking. He loved his rides on his motorcycles, guns, knives, camping, having parties, and cooking pigs. Sean is survived by two sons from Dawn Colberg: Adam and his wife, Kristi Pierce, and daughters Kaylee and Kylee Kelley, and Alexander and his daughter from Jen, Lilly Ann, his son Colton Kelley from LeAnn Kicza. He is also survived by his brother Dave and his daughters Ashley and Amber Kelley, as well as a bunch of nieces, nephews, and best friends. Memorial information: There will be no services, but the family will hold a pig roast at Adam Kelley's home at 18 Nina Lee Drive in Putney on Saturday, Aug. 27, at 1 p.m.
• Francis Jerome Kelly, 82, of Rockingham. Died July 9, 2022. He was born in Bellows Falls on Nov. 21, 1939. He attended St. Charles Catholic School and was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School, Class of 1957. Afterwards, he joined the Vermont National Guard then enlisted in the Army. His military career brought him and his family to many U.S. states, including Alaska, and an overseas stay in Germany. He was also stationed in South Korea for two tours. He retired at the rank of sergeant major from Fort Lee, Va., in 1988 and returned home. A true Vermonter, he was raised in the local woods, rivers and lakes hunting, fishing, and enjoying all the natural world had to offer. A man of adventure, he instilled a love of the natural world in all his family and friends. Always outside, he was an unofficial steward of the village forest. He loved spending time in the woods cutting, splitting, and stacking wood for the winter. A character like no other, he would always have something witty to say and had many stories to share about his adventures in Alaska and Germany and growing up in Vermont. Francis was predeceased by his parents, Maurice Kelly Sr. and Hortense Baraby; brother Maurice Kelly Jr. and sister Shirley Howard. He is survived by his sister, Patricia Ann Ray, of Jacksonville, Fla., his son Timothy Kelly of South Hadley, Mass., and daughters Joanne Kelly and son-in-law Tom Fuschetto of Marlow, N.H., Christine Kelly-Terena of Bellows Falls, Michelle Kelly of Savannah, Ga., and Mary Kelly and son-in-law Greg Kaiser of Menlo Park, Calif. His beloved grandchildren are Apoema Terena, Amyra Terena, Emöke North and Meroe Kaiser. He was loved by many nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends. Memorial information: Calling hours at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls are Wednesday, Aug. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. He will be buried with full military honors at the Vermont Veterans Cemetery in Randolph on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. Donations to the Vermont Veterans Fund at veterans.vermont.gov/office-veterans-affairs/programs-administered-office-veterans-affairs/vermont-veterans-fund.
Services
• Family and friends are invited to a graveside burial service for Beverly Jean Brown, which will take place on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 3 p.m., at Bennett Cemetery on Schoolhouse Road in East Dummerston (across from the school). Mrs. Brown, 93, of West Dummerston, died on March 8, 2022.