Obituaries
Editor's note: The Commons will publish brief biographical information for citizens of Windham County and others, on request, as community news, free of charge.
• Donald M. Austin, 78, of Springfield. Died Sept. 21st at McGirr Nursing Home in Bellows Falls, Husband of the late Mary Ann Ploof. Long time companion of Jacquelyn Haskell. Father of Jim Austin of Rockingham; Joe Austin of Westminster; and Christine Austin of Australia. Brother of Kenneth Austin of Connecticut and Martha Guthrie of Brattleboro. Predeceased by a brother, Lloyd Austin. Served in the Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict. Was a farmer and worked as a bus driver for Chester and Rockingham for many years. He also worked for Montney & Montney, Springfield Fuels and Cota & Cota as a burner man. He was a member of the VFW. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date.
• Ernest Sanford Chabot, 92, of West Dover. Died Sept. 5. Husband of the late Elizabeth Grace Chabot. Father of Guy Chabot and his wife, Patsy, of La Quinta, Calif.; Jeffrey Chabot and his wife, Debbie, of St John, USVI; Paul Chabot of West Dover; and Allyn Chabot of West Dover. Born in Meriden, Conn. Served in the Army as a forward observer during World War II. Worked for International Silver Co. in Meriden, Conn. for more than 35 years. Moved to Vermont in 1968, where he and his family owned and operated the Weathervane Lodge in West Dover until the late 1990s. Loved spending his time running the lodge and cooking up breakfast for the many guests who came to enjoy the Deerfield Valley. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Oct. 9 at 1:30 p.m. at West Dover Congregational Church, with a reception to follow at Allyn's house at the junction of Dover Hill and Dorr Fitch roads, just 300 yards east from the Weathervane Lodge in West Dover.
• Erma T. Getchell, 73, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Sept. 22 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Wife of the Rev. Ronald S. Getchell, former pastor of the North Hinsdale Community Church, for 52 years. Mother of Carolynne Getchell of Brattleboro and the Rev. Stephen Getchell and wife Sophia of Houston, Pa. Born in Mars Hill, Maine. Raised and educated in Mars Hill and went on to attend Zion Bible College. Assisted her husband in pastoring seven churches throughout the tri-state area, including New Brunswick, serving in the capacity of Sunday school administrator and music director. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on Sept. 25 at North Hinsdale Community Church with burial in Oaklawn Cemetery in North Hinsdale. Donations to the National MPS Society, P.O. Box 14686, Durham, NC 27709-4686 or to the North Hinsdale Community Church Missions Fund, P.O. Box 46, 205 Meetinghouse Road, Hinsdale, NH 03451. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• William S. “Bill” Holbrook, 78, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 25 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Joanne Manch for 54 years. Father of Lisa Daniell of Brattleboro, Lori Brunelle and husband John of Dummerston; Lynn Galanes and husband Matthew of Keene; and twin sons, Robert Holbrook of Keene, N.H., and William Holbrook of Brattleboro. Sister of Marjorie O'Neil and husband Chip of Keene. Born in Keene, and graduate of Keene High School, Class of 1950. Served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Tidewater during the Korean Conflict. Worked at various printing companies in the region, including Elliot Kimball and Markem in Keene, and the Book Press and American Stratford in Brattleboro. Coached baseball for several greater Brattleboro youth leagues and enjoyed coaching his two twin sons in baseball. Also played softball in the Brattleboro Men's League for Emerson's. Was a member of the American Legion Brattleboro Post 5 and the B.P.O. Elks, Brattleboro Lodge #1499. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on Sept. 28 on St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro with burial with full military honors in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT. 05302. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Ethel Mary (Benjamin) Martel, 88, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 25 at her home. Wife of Ernest R. Martel for 68 years. Mother of Annette M. Mondeau and her husband William of Brattleboro; and the Rev. Michael Martel and his wife Maria of New Ipswich, N.H. Sister of Hubert Benjamin of Waterbury, Conn.; Clayton Benjamin of Hinsdale, N.H.; David Benjamin of Westfield, Mass.; Eugene Benjamin of Putney; Gerald Benjamin of Brattleboro; Celia Crapo of Windsor Locks, Conn.; and Nancy B. Campbell and Marie Wright, both of Brattleboro. Predecased by siblings Mary, Joseph, Everett, Genevieve, Lawrence and Andrew. Born in Forest, N.Y., the second child of 15 children. Attended schools in Ellenburg, N.Y., before moving to Brattleboro in 1939 with her family at the age of 17. Shortly after moving to Brattleboro, she met her husband, Ernest and were married on his 19th birthday on July 25, 1942, just before he departed to fight in the Pacific during World War II. Worked at various places, including American Optical and The Book Press, before retiring in 1985. Was an outstanding cook and an avid Red Sox fan, and was watching the Sox beat the Yankees on the afternoon of her death. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held on Oct. 1 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT. 05302. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Daniel S. Moody Sr., 56, of Westminster. Died Sept. 22 at home. Son of Helen and the late Frank Moody. Companion on Christine Brosius for 27 years. Father of Denise Brosius and husband, Joe Ripchick of Hopwell, Va.; Steven Brosius of Chester, Va.; Daniel Moody Jr. and Christopher Moody, both of Bellows Falls; Heidi Moody and Misty Moody. Attended schools in Bellows Falls and worked as a self-employed handy man. Memorial information: A private service will be held at the convenience of the family.
• Virginia D. Moore, 76, of North Walpole, N.H. Died Sept. 22 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Wife of the late John J. Moore, Jr. Mother of John Moore III and wife Vickie of Hillsboro, N.H.; and Matthew Moore and his companion Judy Paton of North Springfield. Predeceased by siblings Evelyn Fratto, Janet Forehand and Harold Dowlin Jr. Graduate of Bellows Falls High School, Class of 1952, and Castleton Teachers College, Class of 1956. Was an educator in the Fall Mountain School District from 1967 to 1997, working in Walpole and North Walpole. Was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 37 in Bellows Falls and was a Walpole Library Trustee. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on Sept. 27 at at St. Peters Church in North Walpole, with burial in St. Peters Cemetery. Donations to the Bridge Memorial Library, 48 Main Street, Walpole, NH 03608.
• Capt. Robert L. “Tug” Munoz, 85, of West Brattleboro. Died Sept. 21 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of the late Joan Van Benthusen. Father of Laurie Munoz and her husband Sam of Dummerston. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Capt. Muzoz became very interested in tugboats as a youth and spent many days plying the waters of New York harbor. Joined the Navy during World War II, serving as a bosun's mate on the Liberty ship USS Syrma (AK-134) in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. After the war, he found a job as a deckhand and eventually obtained his captain's license to pilot tugboats around New York harbor. The Muzozs moved to West Brattleboro in 1966, and Capt. Munoz commuted between Ames Hill and New York for the next two decades before retiring in 1987. Was a member of the VFW, the American Legion and the Eagles. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on Sept. 28 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital's “Grateful Patient Fund,” 19 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Jerua F. (Gallup) Prouty, 95, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 19. Wife of the late Lewis W. Prouty. Mother of the late Lewis “Pete” Prouty. Sister of the late John and Richard Gallup. Grandmother of Mark Prouty of Hinsdale, N.H.; Beth Haddock of Gilford, N.H., Lynn Walker of Loudon, N.H. and Dawn Kenny of Guilford. She was a receptionist for Dr. Hopkins and Dr. Gillespie. She was a nature lover, and was especially knowledgeable on birds. She was a member of the First Congregational Church for over 75 years, a lifetime member of the Brattleboro Stamp Club, a member of RSVP for over 25 years and gave many volunteer hours at Linden Lodge, Holton Home and Hilltop House. Memorial information: A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society.
• Shirley R. (Lynch) Rayno, 81, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 16 at Pine Heights in Brattleboro. Wife of the late John W. Lynch. Mother of Jerome Lynch and his wife Diane of Vernon; Drena Deslauriers and her husband Gary of Vernon; Morgan Lynch and his wife Amy of Key Largo, Fla.; and Troy Lynch and his wife Dianna of Pittston, Maine. Sister of Wayland Fargo and his wife Barbara of Turners Falls, Mass. Graduate of Greenfield (Mass.) High School. Did secretarial work at the Farm Bureau and the Council on Aging in Brattleboro. Was an accomplished musician with both piano and accordian, and was a church pianist for many years. In later years, she pursued her interests in history and geneology. She was also an active member of the Breast Cancer Survivors group at the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and found great support and friendships there. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at Plainview Cemetery in Leverett, Mass., on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 2 p.m. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, in honor of the many cats she rescued throughout her lifetime.
• Marjorie F. Waryas, 82, of Bellows Falls. Died Sept. 24 at the Maplewood Nursing Home, Westmoreland, N.H. Wife of Walter Waryas for 58 years. Mother of William Waryas and Helen Lindsay, both of California; Mary Graves of Walpole, N.H.. Sister of Richard Stevens of Bellows Falls. Graduate of Charlestown (N.H.) High School. Was a life member of the Polish American Club and a former member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Bellows Falls. Loved to attend weekend Polka dances with her husband, and traveled to Poland and Ireland and made frequent trips to California. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Sept. 29 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls, with burial in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Westminster.
• Richard William Westcott, 82, of Townshend. Died Sept. 22 at his home. Husband of the late Isabelle Wescott. Father of Linda Leavitt and her husband Butch of Townshend; Sandy Westcott of Townshend; Julie Westcott and her companion Michael Ayers of Charlotte, N.C.; and Richard S. Westcott and his wife Lorraine of Newfane. Born in Windham, he was employed for many years at the Joe Danielski mill, and later worked at Cersosimo Lumber Co. until he retired in 1999. Memorial information: A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. Donations to the Grace Cottage Foundation, Townshend, VT 05353. Condolences may be sent to the family via Ker, Westerland and White Funeral Home at www.kerwesterland.com.
• Ruth Y. Worden, 98, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 20 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Walter W. Worden. Mother of Elinor Farrington and husband, Robert of Greenfield, Mass., and Marjorie Guthrie and her husband, Richard, and Dorothy Farnum and her husband, David, all of Brattleboro. Also survived by 10 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great -great-granddaughters.Graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1930, and Bay Path College in Springfield, Mass., where she graduated from with a degree in education. Started her teaching career in Bristol, Vt., and in her earlier years, worked in the offices at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Later was secretary to the superintendant for Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, where she retired from in 1989. She also taught part-time at Brattleboro Union High School. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on Sept. 23 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc. P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), on Sept. 18, 2010, a daughter, Sophia Maria Hall, to Nicole Lee and Adam Hall of Brookline; granddaughter to Tracy Brooks of Brookline, Carlena Lee of Brookline, and Donald and Michelle Hall of Wardsboro; great-granddaughter to Mary Lee of Brattleboro and Nancy Brooks of Newfane; great-great-granddaughter to Esther Robinson of Newfane.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), on Sept. 18, 2010, a son, Dylan Zachary Hazelton, to Katie and Drew Hazelton of Rawsonville; grandson to Ralph and Kathy Coleman and Vicki Dowley.
• On Sept. 14, 2010, a daughter, Marley Jade Foster, to Amanda Foster, granddaughter of Denisha and David Lawrence, and James and Michelle Foster.
Awards and honors
• The Brattleboro Lodge of Masons recently initiated two new Master Masons, Jeffrey Scott Anderson and David Ellis. Anderson is active in the local area and is on staff at the 99 Restaurant on Putney Road. Ellis is owner of Northeast VOIP Networks, a computer service company. He was appointed chaplain of the lodge this past summer.