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.
• Richard E. Chase, 75, of Brattleboro, formally of South Windham. Died Feb. 16 at Thompson House. Son of George and Bessie Chase in Grafton. Brother of Herbert Chase of Chester, and Ruth Gale of Brattleboro. Predeceased by siblings Clarence, Earl, Robert, Milford, Donald, George Jr., and Roger Chase, and Alice Cady. Memorial information: A memorial service was March 3 at the Hayes Court Community Room.
• The Rev. David Evans, 94, of Vernon. Died March 2 at home. Former husband of the late Ruth Brown for 29 years. Husband of Barbara Harvey for 39 years. Father of Cheryl Czuba of Haddam, Conn.; Melissa Fountain and her husband, Gary, of Chatham, Va.; the Rev. Holly Evans of Copenhagen, N.Y.; Helen Evans and her husband, Miguel Escobar, of London, England; and Andrew Evans of Brattleboro. Born in Providence, R.I., the son of the late Rev. Irving Evans and the late Emily (Equi) Evans, e graduated from Brown University and the Episcopal Divinity School of Philadelphia. He was a Fellow of the College of Preachers in Washington D.C. For more than four decades, he served churches in Ashton and Newport, R.I., Dover N.H., and Holyoke, Mass. He was rector of St. Paul's Church in Holyoke for 24 years, where he established the St. Paul's Nursery School, the Hamilton Learning Center and a boy's choir. After retiring from St. Paul's Church, he was the minister for seven years at St John's Church in Walpole, N.H., and later served as interim minister at churches in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts. and Connecticut. He was a gifted artist and musician, and played tennis, ice skated and loved to fish into his eighties. He took pride in restoring two old farm houses, built hundreds of feet of stone walls, read biographies, followed the political scene with interest, and wrote poetry and hymns. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held later this month at a time to be announced. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St, Brattleboro, VT 05301; or to the Capital Campaign for St Paul's Church, 485 Appleton St., Holyoke, MA 01040.
• Gregory M. Goldsmith, 50, of Bellows Falls. Died March 2 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Husband of Robyne (Church) Goldsmith. Father of Tania Goldsmith of Hellertown, Pa.; Joel Goldsmith of Brattleboro; and Derek Goldsmith of Bellows Falls. Brother of Brett and Scott Goldsmith of Bellows Falls. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of Priscilla Mason Goldsmith and the late Robert Goldsmith, he was a graduate of Bellows Falls Union High School, served in the Air Force, and worked as a stone mason. He was a quiet gentle soul who loved to travel and always made friends along the way. He was a great magician and artist, working both with stone and on paper. He enjoyed camping and the outdoors and was a most devoted father and husband. Memorial information: A graveside service was held March 5 at the Saxtons River Cemetery.
• Joseph G. Hallett Jr., 90, of West Townshend. Died Feb. 18. Husband of the late Marcia Hallett. Father of Joseph Hallett III of Powers, Ore.; Nancy Hallett of Marlboro, Mass.; Judy Byron of Waterbury, Vt., and David Hallett of Arlington, Vt. Served in World War II as a gunner in the Army Air Force. Was a bank treasurer in Boston, and upon his retirement in 1974, he moved to West Townshend. Memorial information: A private memorial service will be held in the spring.
• Milton Hugh “John” Holden, 89, of Putney. Died Feb. 28 at his home. Husband of the late Bernice Linscott for 51 years. Father of Mary Henderson and her husband, Charles, of Brattleboro; and Richard Holden and his wife, Stephanie Case, of Guilford. Brother of Marvin G. Holden and wife, Marguerite, of Middlebury. Predeceased by a son, Milton Hugh Holden, Jr., and two older brothers, Fred J. Holden and George K. Holden. Born at the family farm on Windham Hill in West Townshend, son of Hugh J. and Mildred (Robinson) Holden, je attended school in West Townshend and grew up well acquainted with the work of the family farm. He also lived and worked on the Follett farm in Townshend, during the time it is described in New England Year: A Journal of Vermont Farm Life, by Muriel Follet. At the age of 17, he was hired to work on repairing the extensive damage to the road from the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 during World War II and served stateside until 1943, when he was then honorably discharged to return home because his parents needed help to operate the farm. He had a long and varied career that included dairy farming, logging, driving trucks to collect cans of milk from farms in the West River Valley and deliver to the processing plant; clearing land and operating heavy equipment to build new roads; auto mechanic; setting up and servicing mobile homes; and forklift operator. He was one of the many unsung workers whose labor oiled the daily functions of life and allowed Windham County to grow and flourish. He was hard working and dependable, and possessed a native intelligence, mechanical ability, and creativity. Memorial information: There will be no formal service. A remembrance gathering for immediate family members will take place at their convenience. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Gerald “Jerry” Richard LeFevre, 82, of Bellows Falls. Died March 2 at his home. Husband of Ella (Gilman) LeFevre for nearly 58 years. Father of Joan LeFevre Bort, Mary Hoyt, and Thomas LeFevre, and his wife, Ellen Lederman. Born in Lackawanna, N.Y., the only surviving child of the late Robert and Catherine (McDonald) LeFevre, he grew up in Shrewsbury, Vt., graduating from Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland in 1946. Served as a Vermont State Trooper at the Rockingham barracks for 25 years, retiring in 1982. Started LeFevre Ambulance Service, Inc. out of his home in 1983, and continued working on the ambulances for the next 27 years before his official retirement in October 2009, at which point he was one of the oldest working EMTs in the state of Vermont. Over the course of his 50-plus years of service in the state, he was able to help and make a difference in the lives of many people. He was a member of several different local organizations, such as the Rotary, Knights of Columbus, and the Elks, as well as a long standing member of St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on March 5 at St. Charles Church, with burial at the Westminster New Cemetery. Donations to the charity of one's choice.
• Alan M. “Al” Merz, 82, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 24 at Pine Heights Nursing Home. Husband of Sandra “Sandi” Potvin Nims for 32 years. Stepfather of Jennifer Howard of Brattleboro and Shirley Saunders of Plymouth, Mass. Predeceased by brothers Alfred, James, and Fred Merz, and his stepdaughter, Carrie Ann Nims Plansker. Born in New York City, the son of Alfred H. and Loretta (McCoullough) Merz, he attended schools and some college in New York City, after which he served in the Army during World War II. After the war, he began working at a printing company, learning every aspect of the printing trade. In 1963, he accepted a position at The Book Press in Brattleboro, where he was a manager in sales. Later, he worked for Dix Typesetting in Syracuse, N.Y., and Nimrod Press in Boston. He returned to Brattleboro in 1988 and retired in 1993. During his retirement, he worked part-time with Hunter North as a security officer, a position he thoroughly enjoyed. Was an avid bowler for many years, winning numerous trophies and awards. He was a member and past Master of Brattleboro Lodge #102 F&AM, a past Potentate (1998) of Cairo Shrine Temple in Rutland, a member of Cairo's Legion of Honor and a member of the Shrine Skimobile Unit, and a former member of the Shrine Oriental Band. Also held membership in American Legion Post 5, where he was active up until his health declined. Had a great interest and a wealth of knowledge of history and loved to share thoughts, facts, and books with his physician and good friend, Dr. Robert “Bob” Tortolani. Enjoyed following local, state and national politics and was known for his lively contributions to the Brattleboro Reformer's Letter Box. Was recently baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Keene parish. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held in May. Donation to Pine Heights Activities Fund, 187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or to the Shriner's Orthopedic Hospital, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104-2396. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Elden Halford Mills Jr., 87, of Windham. Died Feb. 14 at Grace Cottage Hospital. Father of Elden H. Mills II. Brother of Dorothy Kirk, and her husband, Larry, of Santee, S.C.; and Marilyn Houston, and her husband, Neal, of Arlington. Predeceased by an older brother, Sid, who was killed in World War II in France. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Elden and Florence Hadley Mills, he was educated in West Hartford, Conn. Was employed for many years with Emhart Co., an engineering firm, engaged in research and development. Was instrumental in attaining several patents. Upon retirement, he moved to Windham, and became known for crafting fine furniture. Memorial information: According to his wishes, there will be no formal service. His family, however, would like to pay tribute to his “other family” of friends, neighbors and staff at the Townshend Dam Diner, where he was a member of the “Old Goat Club.”
• Al Morgan, 91, of Brattleboro. Died March 3. Husband of the late Martha Falconer Jones. Father of Allen Morgan of Toronto, Canada; Joey Morgan of Brattleboro; and Amy Jane Johnson of Albuquerque, N.M. Attended Bryant High School and New York University. Served as infantryman in the Army's 45th Division during World War II, and later, after being wounded, as a combat correspondent. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Croix de Guerre, and the Purple Heart and saw action in in Italy (the Anzio beachhead), France (landed in the first wave in the invasion in southern France), Germany (was one of first Americans to liberate Dachau) and Austria. He was an innovator in radio programming and a pioneer in live television. At CBS, he was writer-producer of This Is New York, and a writer-producer with the network's documentary unit. At NBC, he was a writer for The Home Show, and from 1961-1968, he was producer of Today and won an Emmy for his work in 1968. At ABC, he was a performer-interviewer on the Late Night Show. He was also a producer at PBS' Children's Television Workshop. He was also a theater and film critic for CBS Radio and reviewed books for the New York Herald Tribune and the Saturday Review of Literature. He was, for a brief period, drama critic for New York magazine and Show Business Illustrated. He was also author of 11 novels - including The Great Man, which was made into a movie in 1956 starring Jose Ferrer - and a playwright whose works included Minor Miracle and Oh Captain!, another collaboration with Ferrer that was a 1958 Tony nominee. He moved to Dummerston from Bronxville, N.Y. in 1977, and served eight years as member and chairman of the Vermont State Library Board. Memorial information: A celebration of his life is planned for later this spring.
• Grace Musgrove, 96, of Barnet, Vt. Died March 2. Wife of the late Norman Palmer Sargent and the late Donald E. Musgrove. Mother of Rebecca Mayer of Barnet and Dianne Edson of Hingham and Pembroke, Mass. Brother of Earl Kathan and Oliver Kathan, both of Newport, N.H. Was valedictorian of the Class of 1931 at Keene, N.H., High School. She continued her education at Keene Normal School (now Keene State College) and later earned a B.S. from Boston University. For many years, she was a dedicated, talented and inspiring teacher at schools in Gilford, N.H., and at Kurn Hattin Homes in Westminster and Saxtons River. She was an active member of Christ's Church in Saxton's River and was known for her lovely tatted snowflakes, which were treasured by family and friends. After her second husband's death, she moved to Barnet to live with her daughter, Rebecca. Memorial information: A memorial service with be held at Christ's Church in Saxtons River, Vermont on a future date. Burial will be in Saxtons River Cemetery. Donations to Christ's Church, P.O. Box 649, Saxtons River, VT 05154.
• Barbara B. Nickerson, 88, of New London, N.H. Died March 1 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Wife of the late Lloyd C. Nickerson for 27 years. Stepmother of Joan Nickerson-Spitzer and her husband, Thomas Spitzer, MD, of Andover, Mass.; Colin Nickerson and his wife, Nancy DeVries, of Barton, Vt.; and Ruth Robbins of Arlington, Va. The daughter of Theodore and Edith (Haynes) Burchards, she was raised on the family dairy farm in West Dover. After graduating from Wilmington High School, she attended Plattsburgh State Normal and Training School, now known as SUNY-Plattsburg, and earned her degree in 1945. After her first teaching job was at an elementary school in Rochester, N.Y, she moved in 1950 to the Edgemont School District in New York's Westchester County, teaching for 30 years at Seeley Place Elementary School and Greenville Elementary. She mostly taught first grade. After her retirement from teaching in 1980, the couple moved to Sandwich, Mass., where they operated a small antique shop. In 1986, the couple moved to Grantham, N.H. Roughly a decade after her husband's death in 1993, she moved to New London, N.H. For nearly a quarter-century, she was an active member of South Congregational Community Church in Newport, N.H. She was an avid follower of current events, who loved to discuss news and politics, often voicing strong opinions. She had an abiding interest in antiques and New England handicrafts. Memorial information: A graveside ceremony will be held at the Cutting Cemetery in Wilmington, just down the road from Barbara's farmhouse birthplace, will be held later this spring. Donations to South Congregational Church, 20 Church St., Newport, NH 03773.
• Stuart Arthur Osborn, 73, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 25 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Former husband of Annette Roydon of Vernon. Longtime companion of Susan Shepherd of Whitingham. Father of Jeremy Stuart Osborn and his wife, Kristin, of Acton, Mass. Brother of Ardis Osborn of Keene, N.H.; Allison Osborn Rowe of Peterborough, N.H.; and Roger Osborn of Groton, Mass. Born in Epsom, N.H., the son of Austin and Evelyn Osborn, he graduating from Keene High School in 1956. He attended Brown University from 1956-60. After a period in the New Hampshire National Guard, he worked as a trainer in harness racing and obtained a racing license as well. In the early 70's he joined the U.S. Postal Service as a rural mail carrier in Vernon, retiring in 2000. Stuart was a Life Master bridge player, playing duplicate bridge in Keene and Brattleboro for decades. He continued his love of horses throughout the years, keeping three Paso Finos. He formed many friendships through his love of bluegrass music, faithfully attending the annual Grey Fox festival every year. Memorial information: An informal memorial service will be held on March 13, at 4 p.m., at the All Souls Unitarian Church in West Brattleboro. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Shirley V. Rabideau, 86, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 3 at Harborside-Applewood Healthcare in Winchester, N.H. Wife of the late Howard Rabideau for 43 years. Mother of Marilyn Gouin and Pamela Barre, both of Brattleboro, and Becky Jacques of Vernon. Sister of Doris Deyo of Seabrook, N.H. Predeceased by a daughter, Diane Avery, two sisters, Thelma Sage and Helen Jarvis, one brother, Porter Nutting, and a great grandson, Tanner Raymond. Born in South Newfane, the daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Wood) Nutting, she graduated from Leland & Gray Seminary. She was a faithful and devoted homemaker whose life centered around her family. On a seasonal basis she worked part-time picking apples at Moore's Orchard in West Brattleboro. She was a member of the VFW Post 1034 Auxiliary and the American Legion Post 5 Auxiliary. She enjoyed fishing, hunting, and sewing. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 7 at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home. Burial in St. Michael's Cemetery will take place later in the spring. Donation to the Make A Wish Foundation of Vermont, 100 Dorset St., Suite 13, South Burlington,VT 05403. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Glenna Faye Vivian, 72, of Abilene, Texas. Died Feb. 28 at home. Wife of Robert L. Vivian Sr. for 51 years. Mother of Robert L. Vivian, Jr. and his wife, Lisa, of Putney; Gregory Vivian of Magdalena, N.M.; and Cynthia Crawford and her husband, Dana. Sister of Jack Easterling and wife, Linda, of Abilene; Wanda Bounds of Lakewood, Wash.; Jenny White and husband, C.L., of Hamlin, Texas; Ruth Rogers and husband, Sam, of Lubbock; Peggy Hollowell and Ruby Blascyk, both of Abilene, Mattie Elliott and husband, Curtis, of Hawley, Texas; and Jane Inskeep and husband, Mike, of Mt. Vernon, Wash. Predeceased by siblings Bob Easterling, Bill Easterling, Dottie Massey, and Mary Joyce Easterling. Born in Avoca, Texas, the daughter of the late Johnny Lucille (Driskill) and James Hillard Easterling. She was a graduate of Avoca High School. She and her husband owned and operated Bob's Ponderosa Restaurant in Dummerston for 25 years. She retired as a manager from New England Telephone in 1992, and then moved back to Texas after the Vivians sold the restaurant. She was passionate about her gardening, cooking, sewing dresses for her niece, quilting, and her annual sister reunion. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Glenna volunteered with the Adaptive Recreation Activities and the Special Olympics. She was a Baptist.Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 4 at Rose Park Activity Building in Abeline. Donations to Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory Street, Abilene, TX 79601. Online condolences may be posted at www.HamilFamilyFuneralHome.com.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Jan. 25, 2011, a daughter, Alayna Rae Fitzpatrick, to Katryna Ballantine and Michael Fitzpatrick Jr. of West Wardsboro; granddaughter to Tammy and Dewey Ballantine, and Missy and Mike Fitzpatrick; great-granddaughter to Priscilla and Willard Fitzpatrick and Laura Brissette.
College news
• Carleen Busick, of Wardsboro, a member of the class of 2013 who is majoring in English, and Monica Speranza of Vernon, a member of the class of 2012 who is majoring in Communication, were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2010 semester at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
School news
• Pine Heights at Brattleboro recently honored Brattleboro Union High School seniors Roza Podlask and Eli Jacobs. One of BUHS' requirements for graduation is each student must volunteer 40 hours of their time to community service. Podlask and Jacobs spent time with residents playing games, such as checkers, assisting with planned activities, and having one-on-one visits that included reading to the residents or assisting in letter writing.