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.
• The Rev. Monsignor Thomas J. Ball, 77, Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington. Died April 17 at his residence. Born in Dover, N.H., the son of the late William and Elizabeth (Bragg) Ball, he was educated in Somersworth, N.H., schools, St. Anselm College, St. Mary's University and the Blessed Sacrament Seminary. On June 11, 1966, he was ordained a priest by the Most Rev. Robert F. Joyce. His first assignment was St. Charles Parish in Bellows Falls from 1966 to 1971, under the guidance of his mentor, Msgr. Patrick Barry. Other assignments included Christ the King Parish in Rutland from 1971 to 1974, Christ the King Parish in Burlington from 1974 to 1976. He then became pastor of St. Charles Parish from 1976 to 1987 and Rector of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington from 1987 to the present. He served as Dean of Windham County for 10 years, on the Priest Benefit Fund Committee and Vocations Committee. He was a life member of the Knights of Columbus, 3rd degree and served as chaplain of the Knights of Columbus in Bellows Falls and Burlington, and a member of the American Legion and B.P.O.E. 916. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on April 20 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Burlington. Burial will be in the Dougherty, Ball, and Dupuis Family lot in Rollinsford, N.H. Donations to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Renovation Fund, 20 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401.
• Leon J. Farnsworth, 82, of Brattleboro. Died March 23 at Westwood Nursing and Care in Keene, N.H. Brother of the late Norman Farnsworth. Born in Springfield, Mass., the son of the late James and Edna Farnsworth, he served in the Army during World War II. As an artist, he created many wonderful and unique oil paintings, woodcarvings, and dollshouses. He was a member of the American Legion Brattleboro Post 5. Memorial information: A graveside service was held on April 18 in the veterans section of Locust Ridge Cemetery in Brattleboro.
• Susan A. Kamus McCanna, 60, of Walpole, N.H. Died April 15 at Maplewood Home in Westmoreland, N.H. Wife of Jeffrey F. McCanna for 39 years. Mother of Benjamin P. McCanna of Steamboat Springs, Colo. Sister of Robert J. Kamus and his spouse, Patricia Cryder Kamus, of Antes Fort, Pa. Predeceased by her father. Born in Warren, Pa., the eldest child of Frank J. and Marjorie E. Bossert Kamus, she graduated from Jersey Shore High School in 1968. She attended Lock Haven University and Lycoming College, before receiving her Bachelor's (summa cum laude) from Johnson State College. She later earned a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Vermont. For 18 years, she taught Dummerston's Kindergarten children, and did so with great kindness, caring and concern. She died as she lived - with courage, strength, and grace. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at Dummerston Congregational Church on April 23 at 1 p.m. A memorial service is planned in Jersey Shore, Pa., on April 30, beginning at 10 a.m. Internment will be in her family's plot in Woolrich, Pa. Donations to the Dummerston School Endowment Fund or CaringBridge.org.
• Monica Morse, 48, of Guilford. Wife of Charles Morse. Mother of Gabriel Morse. Born in Brook, Ind., she graduated from Worcester (Mass.) State College. She spent 12 years working as a counselor, cook, teacher and mentor at a camp for disadvantaged youth. In 1999, she received her nursing degree and moved to Vermont, working as a pediatric nurse at Springfield Hospital. She loved camping, knitting, and any creative challenge. She was a doer, a leader, a teacher, and an inspiration to all who knew her. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on April 17 at Guilford Community Church. Donations to the Four Winds program of Guilford Central School.
• James W. Perkins, 89, of Dummerston. Died April 12 at his home on April 12. Husband of Shirley Twiss Perkins for 61 years. Father of Laura Marsh of Middlebury, Barbara Wyner, of Belmont, Mass, and David Perkins, of Washington, D.C. Born in Madison, Maine, the son of Charles and Bertha (Jewett) Perkins. In his youth, Jim spent considerable time at Lakewood Theatre, a summer theatre and resort on the shores of Lake Wesserunsett, where his father was a scenic artist for 40 years. There, he worked at the theatre's general store, served as caddie and tennis partner for resort guests, and he often shared the theatre stage with many renowned Broadway actors and actresses, many of whom would later achieve stardom in Hollywood. Graduated from Skowhegan High School, Class of 1939, and attended Bay Path College in Longmeadow, Mass., studying business administration. Near the end of his second year, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving from 1942 to 1946 as an aircraft mechanic and crew chief while stationed in North Africa, Egypt, and Italy. After his service, he attended Boston University under the GI Bill, returning to Lakewood occasionally to visit family. During one of these visits, he met his future wife, who was waitressing at the theatre inn. He graduated from BU in 1951, and after the birth of their first daughter in 1953, the Perkinses moved to Vermont, first settling in Brattleboro before moving to their Dummerston home in 1964. Locally, he worked as an office manager at Templeton Furniture and as a purchasing agent at The Book Press, before taking the position of Field Auditor for the Vermont Department of Employment and Training; a position he held for 20 years. He was a former member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club, a lifetime member of the VFW, and for several years was a Dummerston town auditor. While raising his family in Dummerston, he enjoyed maintaining his homestead, trout fishing in the local streams, walking and working in the woods behind his home, and gardening. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held at the Dummerston Center Cemetery later in the summer.
• James A. West, 78, of Rockingham and Sebring, Fla. Died in Florida on March 28. Husband of Helen West for 57 years. Father of Dale and wife, Stephanie, of Miami; Scott and his wife, Wanda, of Westminster; Laurel and wife, Rebecca, of Charlestown, N.H.; and Todd and wife, Carla, of Rockingham. Brother of Phyllis Hall of Stockton Springs, Maine, and Lillian Bishop of Sebring, Fla. Predeceased by two sisters, Helen Smith and Caroline Perkins. Born in Stockton Springs, the son of Albert and Delia West, he was trucker all of his adult life, West worked for several Maine companies including Merrill Transport in Searsport, Scott Motor in Belfast, and Eastern Fine Paper in Brewer. In 1968, he moved to Rockingham, and drove for St. Johnsbury Trucking until it closed in 1993. As a driver, he had more than 4.5 million miles under his belt and 23 safe driving commendations. He met his wife at Waldo County Hospital in Belfast, Maine, when he sought treatment for a broken foot and she was serving as an X-ray assistant. In retirement, the Wests became snowbirds, spending summers in Maine and winters in Florida, along with stops to visit family in Vermont. Summers were consumed traveling around New England to show his restored pride and joy, his 1938 Chevy truck. Winters in Sebring found him with a collection of “St. Jay” Trucking retirees and car show fans. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls on April 23 at 2 p.m., with a gather for family and friends immediately following at the Westminster Fire Station. Donations to the St. Johnsbury Retirees Scholarship Fund, c/o Irene Howe, 1160 Salido Ave, Lady Lake, FL 32159.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), April 12, 2011, a son, Emmett Andre Adams, to Kevin and Elizabeth Adams of Wilmington; grandson to Annabel Tobey of Jacksonville and Greg and Brenda Adams of Wilmington.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), April 5, 2011, a daughter, Addison Lee Hallock, to Kathy and Adam Hallock of Westminster; granddaughter to Donna and Larry Wentzel and Kathy and David Hallock.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), April 2, 2011, a son, Porter Dickson Roy Williamson, to Allison (Guptill) and David Williamson of Marlboro; grandson to Patsy and George Williamson and Rob and Laura Guptill.
• In Keene, N.H., (Cheshire Medical Center), April 1, 2011, a son, Karter Vernon, to Dana Vosburgh and Kyle Pierce Jr. of Bellows Falls.
• On March 29, 2011, a daughter, Lilly Avah Suponski, to Stephen and Michelle (Emerson) Suponski of Wilmington; granddaughter to Steven and Martha Emerson of Cummington, Mass., and Francis and Marie Suponski of South Newfane; great-granddaughter to Jane and the late Alvah “Pete” Emerson of Cummington, the late Walter and Ruth Steins of Huntington, Mass., the late Lillian and Francis Suponski, and Wanda and the late Joseph Katiewicz, all of Stratford, Conn.
• In Thessaloniki, Greece, (Genesis Hospital), March 4, 2011, a son, Dylan Ozan Shearer Demir, to Jennifer and Hakan Shearer Demir of Pristina, Kosovo, and Dummerston; grandson to Thomas and Patricia Shearer of Northfield, Mass., and Cemil and Aysel Demir of Ankara, Turkey; great-grandson to Harriett Grover of Tampa, Fla.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Dec. 11, 2010, a son, Bodhi Ananda Kilts, to Sarah (Raleigh) and Thomas Kilts of Putney.
College news
• Kiera Lewis of Putney, presented A Cursory Account: Against the Civic Conception of Nation, at the 25th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research held at Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y., from March 31 to April 2. Selection to the conference was competitive, and Lewis was among 3,000 students representing some 440 colleges and universities nationwide.
The undergraduate researchers presented work from a broad array of subject areas, including the humanities, social sciences and many professional fields as well as the fine and performing arts. In addition to oral presentations and poster sessions, the conference included a visual arts component along with dance, drama/theater and music performances.
School news
• Sela Wang of Putney, a junior at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn., was presented with the Coaches' Award for Girls' Swimming.