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.
• John Francis DeAngelis, 94, of Forestville, Conn. Died Jan. 17 at his home. Husband of the late Helen (Sadlowski) DeAngelis for 52 years. Father of Philip DeAngelis and daughter-in-law Sandra of Burlington, Conn.; Karen Rouse and son-in-law Andrew of Andover, Mass.; and Christine St. Jean and son-in-law Thomas Heckel of Dedham, Mass. Brother of Florine Gompf of Fort Belvoir, Va.; and Juliet Baker of Mentor, Ohio. Predeceased by his sisters Bea and Ann, and brothers Angelo and Anthony. Born in Brattleboro, he was the sixth of eight children of Amedeo and Elvira (DiScippio) DeAngelis, who emigrated to Brattleboro in 1902 from Abruzzo, Italy. He attended Brattleboro public schools and is a graduate of Brattleboro High School. After working for a few years in the family shoe shop in Brattleboro, he entered the Army Air Corps as an aircraft mechanic stationed in the Pacific during World War II, achieving the rank of staff sergeant. Following the war, he worked 32 years as a compositor and proofreader for Hildreth Press, which relocated from Brattleboro to Bristol, Conn., from 1950 until his retirement in 1982. He devoted his retirement years to travel with family and friends. He specialized in clockmaking and restoration, woodworking, and stained glass, and created more than 25 original stained glass panels and windows that are permanently installed in homes across New England. Memorial information: Funeral services were held Jan. 22 at St. Matthew's Church in Forestville, burial will follow the funeral at St. Michael's Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to the American Cancer Society, 825 Brook Street, I-91 Tech Center, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, or to American Legion Charities, www.legion.org/donate/american_legion_charities.
• Daniel Patrick Higgins, 86, of Keene, N.H. Died Tuesday, Dec. 21, at Langdon Place of Keene. Husband of Ann Higgins for 45 years. Father of Kathleen Lisai of Westminster; Deborah Higgins of Bellows Falls; Elizabeth Higgins of Bellows Falls; Daniel Higgins Jr. of Wakefield, Mass.; and Julie Patrick of Bellows Falls. Predeceased by a sister, Jean Higgins. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of the late Charles and Jean Dascomb Higgins, he attended St. Charles parochial school and graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1942. During World War II, he served as a staff sergeant in the 15th Air Force, 301st Bomb Group, based in Foggia, Italy. As a tail gunner in a B-17 Flying Fortress, he flew 50 missions into the Rhineland, Central Europe and the Po Valley. After the war, he returned to Vermont to manage his grandfather's Connecticut Valley Orchard in Westminster. In 1964, he moved to Keene, N.H. and worked for Keene Gas, until he retired. He was a member of American Legion Post 4 in Keene. Enjoyed sailing, traveling around the country in his motor home, woodworking, photography, ham radios, and computers. Memorial information: Services will be private. Donations to a humane society or animal rescue group of one's choice.
• Daphne L. (Caudle) Kilbourn-Jacob, 62, of Putney. Died Jan. 10 at her home. Mother of Morgen Kilbourn of North Carolina. Sister of David and wife, Vreni, of Kensington, Conn.; Richard and wife, Sharyn, of Rocky Hill, Conn.; and Millie and husband, Bernie Rosenblatt, of Clinton, Conn. Half-sister of Michael and wife, Ann, of Roosevelt, Utah and Jan of Hamden, Conn. Born in Oakland, Calif., to Adele (Ballantine) and the late James Caudle, she grew up in Middletown, Conn., and attended Windsor Mountain High School. She devoted her life to social work and helping others. She held a B.A. in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She worked in several Connecticut hospitals throughout her life and she also actively volunteered. She was well known for always being proactive about assisting those in need in the community and amongst her friends and family. Memorial information: A memorial service was held at Putney Meadows on Jan. 23. Another memorial will be at the home of Richard Caudle, 34 Grimes Rd., Rocky Hill, CT 06067, on Jan. 29 from 2 to 6 p.m. A private memorial is planned for the spring.
• Mary Hemingway Lemay, 78, of East Barre. Died Jan. 14 at Cape Cod Hospital. Daughter of Raymond and Harriet Hemingway of Saxtons River. Mother of Donald James Perkins and daughter-in-law Katy of Cape Cod. Predeceased by her three brothers, Ralph, Russell and Kenneth. Graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1950, and worked for more than 30 years in the Defender General and Attorney General's Office for the state of Vermont. Memorial information: A graveside service was held at Saxtons River Cemetery on Jan. 22. Donations to the Diabetes Foundation.
• Theresa Elaine Johnson, 77, of Dummerston. Died Jan. 18 at her home. Wife of the late Roy H. Johnson for 51 years. Mother of Roy H. Johnson Jr. and his wife, Kathy, of Hinsdale, N.H. Predeceased by a son, Dale A. Johnson, and a daughter, Jane S. Johnson. Born in Langdon, N.H., the daughter of the late Albert and Stella (Mosher) Dinsmore, she graduated from Vilas High School in Alstead, N.H. Was the owner and operator of a home cleaning service. She will be remembered for baking and her gardening. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Jan. 22 at Ker Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Burial will be later this spring next to her husband.
• Peter F. Kelly, 67, of Rockingham. Died Jan. 12, at Pine Heights in Brattleboro. Father of Jason and Eileen Kelly. Born in Port Chester, N.Y., son of William and Antoinette D'Agostinis Kelly. He attended schools in New York and served in the Navy on the USS Intrepid. Worked for St. Johnsbury Trucking and was a member of the Polish American Club, the Elks, and the American Legion, all in Bellows Falls. He loved fishing and ice fishing. Memorial information: Calling hours were held Jan. 21 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Marguerite “Pete” Nadeau, 89, of Rockingham. Died Jan. 10 at her home. Wife of the late Ernest J. Nadeau. Mother of Ernest “Bud” Nadeau Jr. of Lower Bartonsville; Marigene Purcell of Garnett, Kan.; Jerrilyn Gomez of Springfield, Vt.; and Judith Lidie of Bellows Falls. Sister of Alice Manley and Betty Hall. Also survived by 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Born in Rockingham, the daughter of Harvey and Jeanne Hunter Garrapy. Worked at NewsBank (formerly Readex) in Chester for 43 years, retiring at the age of 83. She was an avid reader, and at the age of 76, she learned how to use the computer and spent many happy hours learning about the world around her. Memorial information: A celebration of her life was held Jan. 22 at the American Legion in Chester.
• Delphine “Del” Dearborn Palmore, 90, of Bellows Falls. Died Jan. 14 at her home. Wife of the late George R. Dearborn and the late James E. Palmore. Mother of Peter Dearborn, and his wife, Debi, of Bellows Falls; and Denise Lathrop and Craig Kimball of New Haven, Vt.. Stepmother of Donald Palmore and wife, Karen, of Bristol, Vt.; and Glen Palmore of Burlington. Sister of Laurence Duclos of Connecticut. Born in Lincoln, Vt., daughter of Noah J. and Leah Highter Duclos. She attended schools in Lincoln and was a social worker for the elderly for many years. Was also a volunteer at Proctor Hospital's Round Robin Gift Shop. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Jan. 18 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Bristol, with burial in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
• Jeremy Kaye Paulus, 79, of Walpole, N.H. Died Jan. 17 at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend. Husband of Aine O'Brien for 27 years. Predceceased by a sister, Gretchen Ackerman. Born in Quincy, Mass., the only son of Kaye and Eleanor Paulus. Attended both Thayer Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy, and went on to Harvard College where he acquired a degree in Literature and History. After brief stints at a publishing house in Boston and Yankee Magazine in Dublin, he took a job in Monrovia, Liberia, where he remained for 18 months. At the end of his contract in Monrovia and captivated by the lure of the sea, he spent the next 30 years split between traveling the globe with the Merchant Marine and his Townshend hilltop “farm.” After he retired from the sea, he decided to pursue his long-time dream of publishing a small-town newspaper, and so The Walpole Gazette was born. He was an avid reader, loved his music, and had a wealth of information that he was always eager to share. Memorial information: A memorial service was held at St. Peter's Church in North Walpole on Jan. 22. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, in care of Dr. Robert Backus, 185 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT 05353.
• Karen Jill Potter, 60, of Walpole, N.H. Died Jan. 20 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Daughter of the late Ralph and Frances Potter of Walpole, N.H. Sister of Edward and Bruce Potter of Walpole, N.H. Attended Fall Mountain Regional High School and went on to further her education at the University of New Hampshire. In 1969, she accepted a position at Lyon Travel Agency in Brattleboro. Through hard work and dedication, she went on to become president of the company and co-proprietor with Mark Richards. She traveled the world, sharing a few excursions with her nieces. Was an avid gardener who enjoyed collecting unique plants and maintaining her extraordinary gardens. She had a love of cooking and enjoyed preparing creative meals for her family, whom she loved dearly. Memorial information: Services were held Jan. 24 at the Congregational Church in Walpole.
• Bernard Amos Putnam, 91, of Brattleboro. Died Jan. 15 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of the late Albena LaFountain for 68 years. Father of Paul Putnam and wife, Pat, of Dummerston; Michael Putnam and wife, Linda, of Guilford; and Robert Putnam of Guilford. Predeceased by siblings Clyde, Francis and Clarence Putnam, and Edith McLean. Born in Williamsville, the son of Earl W. and Lillie B. (Hewett) Putnam, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro and was a graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1937. Served in the Army in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. He was taken captive and was a prisoner of war from 1944 until April 1945. In 1956, with his brother Clarence, he established Putnam Brothers Carpentry and built a number of houses in the greater Brattleboro area. He later purchased Brown & Roberts Hardware with partner Les Neal in August 1970, eventually purchasing the former Montgomery Ward building on Main Street and locating the business there in 1975. He was a member of American Legion Post 5 and the National POW's, Vermont Chapter 1. Enjoyed hunting, gardening, woodworking and puttering around his home. Up until his death, he cut his own firewood. Memorial information: A private graveside committal service was held in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• James “Slim Jim” Roy, 74, of West Chesterfield, N.H. Died Jan. 15. Son of the late Adonias and Lillian Roy. Husband of Claudia Roy for 42 years. Brother of Joseph, William, Barbara, Beverly and Cynthia Roy. Joined the Army in 1953 and saw service in Korea and Germany as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. He is a life member of the DAV and VFW, and a member of American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro. He worked for A. E. Martel in Keene, N.H., and also The Book Press of Brattleboro, before he retired and took to shuttling cars for Thrifty Car Rental and Rountree Ford. He was the caretaker for Somerset campground, and spent many a summer there with his dog, Dryfus, and his wife. He enjoyed tubing, fishing, hunting, picking berries, and cooking over an open fire pit. He had a real affection for his Ford trucks, gardening, canning and always made people smile with his jokes and storytelling. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Jan. 19 at Ker Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro.
• Georgia M. Schultz, 86, of Putney. Died Jan. 14. Wife of the late Allen Fletcher Schultz. Mother of Ida and Bill Monday of Inverness, Fla.; Georgia and Richard Smith of Inverness, Fla.; Arnold Schultz of Schnecksville, Pa.; Verlane Bastien of Brattleboro; Bernard and Claudia Wood of West Chesterfield, N.H.; Brent and April Waterman of Dummerston; and William Schultz of Putney. Sister of Edith Gould of Putney and James Church of Zephyrhills, Fla. Predeceased by a son, Allen Schultz Jr., and siblings Marion Brown, Beatrice Schultz, Cora Coombs, Carolyn Farewell, Lucy Gale, Marie Santee, Lloyd Church and George Church, Jr. Born in Enfield, N.H., the daughter of George Church and Viola Moody Church. Lived for many years in New London, Conn., before moving to the family farm in Williamsville. Also lived in Winchester, N.H., Brattleboro, and Saxtons River, before finally settling in Putney. She loved Putney and the community there. She had a love for all animals, saving many cats, dogs, birds and chickens along the way. She especially loved her dog, Bryer, who still resides in Putney. She loved to sew, bird watch, and feed people who came to visit from her huge garden. Worked for many years at The Book Press, before starting a career in nursing at Linden Lodge and Eden Park in Brattleboro. Memorial information: A memorial service was held at the white church on Kimball Hill in Putney on Jan. 22.
• Leah Claire Short, 16, of East Dummerston. Died Jan. 17 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Daughter of Terry and Kelly Merrigan Short. Sister of Katelyn Short of Brattleboro, and Tessa Short and Anna Short of East Dummerston. Raised and educated in Dummerston and was a sophomore at Brattleboro Union High School. She was an exceptional, grade-A student at the high school. Active in varsity sports, she was selected to play on the varsity soccer team as a freshman and also played on the varsity basketball team. In 2008, she traveled to the Netherlands to play soccer with the Brattleboro Storm U14 girls soccer team. She was a sweet, kind, loving, and compassionate girl with a very outgoing personality. She cherished time with her many friends as well as with her family. She was a member of the Windham Community Bible Chapel in Dummerston and had plans to travel to Haiti this year to assist the many children and orphans in need. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Jan. 22 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to The Children of Haiti, Hartline Ministries, P.O. Box 898, Sunnyside, WA 98944. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Olga Julia Zaluzny, 88, of Vernon. Died Jan. 16 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro, where she had been a resident for the past 11 years. Wife of Michael Zaluzny for 44 years. Born in Bronx, N.Y., the daughter of John and Julia Frey Kosta. She was raised and educated in the Bronx, attending local schools. She later moved to Vernon in 1964. While in New York, she was a bookkeeper for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. for 23 years. She enjoyed cooking, canning, and sewing, and took great pride in her home. With her husband, she had attended Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church in South Deerfield, Mass. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Jan. 20 at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church, with burial in Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery in Whately, Mass., to take place in the spring. Donations to Pine Heights Activities Fund, 187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Jan. 7, 2011, a son, Robert Christopher George, to Alicia M. Thomas and Robert S. George of Bellows Falls; grandson to Brenda M. Thomson-Barbour of Bellows Falls, Christopher M. Thomas of Brattleboro, Richard P. Barbour of Westminster, Susan and Jeff Kratz of Charlestown, N.H.; great-grandson to Alice D. Thomas of Brattleboro, Mary and Robert George of Raleigh, N.C., and the late Madeline Thomson.
College news
• The following area residents have been named to the Fall 2010 Dean's List at Champlain College in Burlington: Samantha Snow, a criminal justice major from West Dover; Heather Barrett, a mass communications major from Brattleboro; Bonnie Bohan, a web development and design major from Brattleboro; Brendan Anson-Pritchard, an international business major from Wilmington; and Angelica Ferris, a marketing major from Brattleboro.
• Michaela Tietz of Townshend has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship at Elmira (N.Y.) College. The college awards in excess of $14.5 million in Honor Scholarships each year. Scholarships are awarded regardless of financial need, and are renewable based on full-time status and continuous enrollment for three additional years with the appropriate grade point average.
• Alora Korb, of Wilmington, earned a perfect grade point average of 4.0 during the fall 2010 semester at the State University of New York at Oneonta and has been named to the college's Provost's List. Of the more than 5,800 undergraduates enrolled at the college, 135 qualified for the fall 2010 Provost's List by earning a perfect GPA while carrying a course load of at least 12 semester hours.