College news
• Colton Butler of Whitingham was recently recognized at the Elmira (N.Y.) College Rho Mu Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education induction ceremony for outstanding education majors.
Obituaries
• Phyllis A. Benay, 67, of Brattleboro. Died March 13, after seven years living with lung cancer. “Many will remember her as an inspired and brilliant professor at Keene State College, where she taught expository writing and directed the writing center for more than 25 years,” her family writes. “Others knew her as a gardener - tending to her perennials and vegetables with ungloved hands, deep in the soil, cherishing her consultations with the knowledgeable staff of the Walker Farm; or as a birder, leading the Southern Vermont Audubon Society chapter around her marsh in search of wood ducks and thrushes; or as a mother and grandmother, making up songs and poems on the spot, sending the perfect gifts, giving the most comforting hugs. Although she was all of those things, most of us will remember Phyllis as a woman who exuded warmth, relished intellectual debate, and brought people from diverse walks of life together, on her back deck, for food, laughter, and love.” She is survived by her daughter, Erin; her two grandsons, Ari and Ben; her son-in-law, Matthew, her mother, Dorothy, and dozens of friends with whom she shared countless summer evenings of passionate conversation. Memorial information: Her memorial will be held at Wilder Cemetery in Dummerston on May 11 at 11 a.m. Donations to Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society at southeasternvtas.blogspot.com.
• Dolores “Dolly” (Zullo) Curtis, 84, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 13 at her home in Roswell, Ga. Born on May 5, 1934 in Claremont, N.H., she was the daughter of the late Antonio and Congetta (Marro) Zullo. She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1953 and married Richard J. Curtis of Lebanon, N.H., later that year. They spent most of their married life raising their family and living in Brattleboro before retiring to Florida in 1996. “She was known for her great Italian cooking,” her family writes. In addition to her parents, Dolly was preceded in death by five brothers, Rocco, Larky, Fred, Larry, and Patrick; four sisters, Lena, Theresa, Mary, and Louisa; and son-in-law Mike Elliott. Surviving family members include her husband of 65 years; her brother, Pete Zullo; her sister, Rosie Bly; her son, Michael Curtis (Rebecca), of Johns Creek, Ga.; daughters Terri Curtis Elliott of Plymouth, Mass. and Lynn Curtis (Terry Portman) of Lee's Summit, Mo.; three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 19 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Alpharetta, Ga., with burial in the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Ga. Donations to Catholic Charities.
• Lucille F. DeRosia, 83, of Chester. Died March 17. She was born in Wilmington on Dec. 6, 1935, the daughter of Doris (Batchelder) and Henry Forrest Jr. She is survived by her husband, Frederick DeRosia, and her children David (Linda), Gary (Edie), and Mark (Kate). Memorial information: A graveside service in St. Michael Cemetery in Brattleboro in the spring.
• Jonathan Flaccus, 79, of East Dummerston, formerly of Putney. Died Feb. 20 as a result of a stroke. He was the son of Violetta and Kimball Flaccus and raised by his grandparents in rural Pennsylvania, he spent much of his childhood exploring the fields and forests around him. “During his high-school years, he developed a love of music, particularly jazz. Underage but tall, he found ways to get into jazz clubs in Greenwich Village to hear live music and soak up the scene,” his family writes. He graduated from Haverford College during the Vietnam War and, as a conscientious objector, fulfilled his alternative service as a research associate to Humphry Osmond, a psychiatrist who studied the possible medical benefits of psychedelics. He later worked as assistant to Pulitzer Prize–winning financial editor and columnist J. A. Livingston. A skilled photographer and self-taught filmmaker, Flaccus worked in the field until 1974, first as director of the film department at NYU Medical Center. After moving to San Francisco in 1970, he became the supervisor of motion picture production at the University of California. His films won three CINE Golden Eagle awards. In 1976, he purchased and renovated a Victorian house on Main Street in Putney, where he operated the Unique Antique for 38 years, closing in 2014 when Jonathan and his second wife, Marcy Hermansader, moved to East Dummerston. A natural traveler, he hitchhiked annually to California as a student, and he and his first wife, Linda Bryson, traveled for nine months in Europe and North Africa. In 1969, he hitchhiked through most of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. In 1974, he spent 18 months traveling rough in Japan, Indonesia, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia. He later visited Senegal, Gambia, Cameroon, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Cuba. He and Marcy traveled to Japan in 2011 for their honeymoon; together they visited Bali, Trinidad, Tobago, France, Senegal, and Gambia. His last trip was to Iceland in 2017. He served on the Putney Cemetery Commission and on the boards of Sandglass Theater, the Dummerston Historical Society, and the In-Sight Photography Project and assisted other area non-profits, including the Vermont Center for Photography and the Vermont Jazz Center. Memorial information: A concert at the Vermont Jazz Center will be performed in his honor. Donations to the Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, the Dummerston Historical Society, or the American Friends Service Committee.
• Marietta Ann Guthrie, 83, of North Hampton, N.H. Died March 19. Born in Whitehall, N.Y., on March 24, 1935, a daughter of the late James and Armelinda (Scrimo) Sacco. Raised in White River Junction, she graduated from Hartford High School, where she was a member of the band and a star on the girls' basketball team. Following graduation, she worked for AT&T, where she met Kenneth Guthrie, whom she married in 1974. They owned and operated Ken's Pub in West Lebanon, N.H., Scoops Place in Windsor, and K&M Tobacco Shop in Franklin, N.H. She was a communicant of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Hampton, where she was active in the former Catholic Women's Club. “She was an avid Red Sox, Patriots, and Notre Dame football and women's basketball fan,” her family writes. “She enjoyed Bingo, playing the piano, and going to the Oxford Casino and Sea Shell Stage at Hampton Beach in the summers.” In addition to her husband, she leaves her brothers, Jerry Sacco of Queensbury, N.Y., and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and -nephews, and cousins. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Harry, Andrew, Anthony, and Louis Sacco, and her sister Philomena Sacco. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will held Saturday, March 30, at 11 a.m., in Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, 289 Lafayette Road, Hampton, N.H. Burial will be in the spring at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Hartford, Vt. Donations to OLMM Church OutReach Program, 289 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH 03842.
• Preston Robert Mansfield, 25, of Rockingham. Died Feb. 25, surrounded by family, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., of complications from an ongoing illness. Born April 26, 1993, in Essex, Mass., he attended Green Mountain Union High School in Chester. He worked at the Pizza Stone in Chester and enjoyed fishing, driving his car, and music festivals. He leaves his mother and caretaker, Darlene Doane of Rockingham; his father, Erik Mansfield, of Essex, Mass.; his stepfather, Chuck Atwater; sisters Willow Atwater and Devon Mansfield; grandparents Robert and Ida Doane and Mary Posey Mansfield; and aunts, uncles, nieces, and cousins. Memorial information: A celebration of his life was March 24 at the Pizza Stone.
• Mary Catherine McAlister, 80, of Brattleboro. Died March 14. Born in Balintaggart, Dingle, County Wexford, Ireland on Feb. 4, 1939, the daughter of Daniel Patrick and Geraldine Margaret (Crean) Murphy. A former resident of Milford Haven, Dyfed, Wales, she attended nursing school and earned her license to become a state registered nurse. A 44-year resident of Brattleboro, she worked as a nurse's aide at the former Linden Lodge Nursing Home, retiring in 1988. She was a volunteer at the Gathering Place Adult Day Care. A devout Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Michael Roman Catholic Church. “Mary was a passionate gardener and avid reader, and was very proud of her Irish heritage,” her family writes. “Her life centered around her family who meant the world to her.” In 1959, she married H. James McAlister, who died in 2017. She is survived by her son Shamus (Mary) McAlister of Hinsdale, N.H.; daughters Kathryn (Robert) Young of Mansfield, Mass., and Geraldine (Rick) Hopkins of Brunswick, Ga.; four brothers, John and Sylvester Murphy, both of Brattleboro, James Murphy of Hinsdale, and Liam Murphy of Charlotte; three sisters, Kathleen Wellington of Hinsdale, Margaret Bober of Brattleboro, and Bridget Leclaire of Chesterfield, N.H.; five grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; and her beloved cat, Smokey. Two brothers, Donal and Thomas Murphy, and a sister, Geraldine “Dinah” (Murphy) Dromgoole, died previously. Memorial information: A private family service and burial at Locust Ridge Cemetery in Brattleboro takes place May 11. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To send messages of condolence to the family: atamaniuk.com.
• Walter F. Meyer, 87, of Townshend. Died March 16 at his home, surrounded by his family, following a period of declining health. Born on April 10, 1931 in Astoria (Queens), N.Y., the son of Hans F. and Mary (Lorang) Meyer, he spent his early years in Cranford, N.J., moving to Wardsboro with his family in 1945. A 1949 graduate of Leland & Gray Seminary, he earned a bachelor's degree in animal and dairy husbandry from the University of Vermont. He was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany until his honorable discharge. Upon returning home, he became president and CEO of Mary Meyer Manufacturing Company and guided the firm's growth. An EMT serving on the Grace Cottage Ambulance Service for many years, he was an active volunteer at Grace Cottage Hospital. He was a volunteer firefighter with the Townshend Fire Department, served as a Selectboard member and lister for many years, and was a founding member and a past president of the Townshend Business Association. He was also a member of the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce. He served as a member of the Leland & Gray and Townshend Elementary school boards and was was a longtime parishioner and supporter of Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Townshend. “He enjoyed pen and ink drawing, painting with oils, Townshend history, and keeping up with current events and social media. He enjoyed reading and never stopped learning. He kept up with the latest trends in technology and loved communicating with friends on Facebook,” his family writes. In 1956, while attending art classes in Brattleboro, he met Elaine Austin. The couple exchanged vows a year later. In addition to his wife, he leaves his sons, Christopher (Laurie) of Williston, Kevin (Heidi) of Brattleboro, Steven (Karren) of Newfane, Michael (Denise) of Townshend, and Peter (Holly) of Brookline; a daughter, Linda Bursell (Michael) of Richmond; 18 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. A sister, Lorraine Schoellhorn, died in 2016. “Walter always wanted to help his grandchildren further their education and their careers,” his family writes. “He understood the value of a good education. He always said he graduated from the school of hard knocks. Many local charities knew Walter was an easy target for donations of toys. He was always happy to help and very proud his company was able to aid so many organizations.” Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 23 at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Townshend. Burial in Oakwood Cemetery will take place in the spring. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 216, Townshend, VT 05353 or to Our Lady of the Valley Parish, P.O. Box 246, Putney, VT 05346. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Sally Anne (Keith) Pajala, 72, of Chester. Died March 11 at Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care in Lebanon, N.H., from COPD. Born Nov. 15, 1946, in Simonsville, the daughter of William and Beverly (Huntoon) Keith, she graduated in 1964 from Chester High School and attended Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School in Boston. She worked in Boston as secretary to the vice president of Provident Bank, was employed for many years at Stratton Mountain Group in Bondville, and opened Derry Village Real Estate in South Londonderry. She was property manager of Bigelow Commons in Enfield, Conn., for several years and worked at Country Living Properties in Londonderry. She was a member of the American Legion Post 67 Auxiliary in Chester. She enjoyed golf, sailing, card games, gardening, and crossword puzzles. Survivors include two sons, Gregory Pajala of Winooski and Bradley Pajala of Londonderry; three siblings, Karen Neely of Chester, Jean Petraska of Andover, and James Keith of Londonderry; two grandsons; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and an uncle. She was preceded in death by a brother, William Keith. Memorial information: Service Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m., at First Congregational Church, followed by a reception at American Legion Post 67, both in Chester. Donations to Chester Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 370, Chester, VT 05143.
• James R. “Jim” Perkins, 85, of Wardsboro. Died March 19. Born in Chester on Sept. 7, 1933, the son of Mildred (Duby) and Carroll Perkins Sr., he was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School and Lyndon State College. He taught at Leland & Gray High School, Bellows Falls Middle School, Saxtons River School, and the Wardsboro School. He drove for Arol Ward Jr. in the summers and served in the Navy from 1952 to 1956. A member of American Legion West River Valley Post 16 and the Wardsboro Yoked Parish, he served as a trustee for the Methodist Church in Wardsboro. He was a high school basketball official and soccer coach and also drove school buses for the Jamaica Elementary School. He enjoyed reading, traveling, history, and geography. In 1956, he married Nancy Bell, who survives. He also leaves his children, Thane Perkins (Jodi) of West Wardsboro, Monti Perkins (Michelle) of Wardsboro, Kendi Perkins of Vernon, and Jaree Barber (Earl) of Essex; siblings Robert Perkins of Hinsdale, N.H., and Jeanne A. Bedi of Springfield, Vt.; and 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 23 at the Methodist Church in Wardsboro. Donations may be made to the Methodist Church for its building restoration fund.
• Perry Casey Phoenix, 61, of Townshend. Died peacefully at home surrounded by his beloved family on Jan. 31, while under the care of the Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire. He was born on Oct. 4, 1957 to Edwin William and Lois Casey Phoenix of Stratford, Conn. In 1958, his family moved to Townshend, where he graduated from Leland & Gray Union High School in 1975. Prior to attending Westminster Choir College, focusing on organ performance, he worked as a piano mover and carpenter. He attended the American College in Paris. While working in the Chicago area, he met Janet Lily Cagwin. The couple married in 1982 and built a house across the road from his childhood home. “Perry loved God and loved serving musically in his church,” his family writes. “Over the years, Perry served as a deacon and on the missions committee, as well as working to support the church during construction projects.” He founded and operated Phoenix Roofing for 28 years. His son, Eli, joined him in the business in 2005. Perry loved architecture and was fascinated by the traditional methods of roofing and building. An avid Porsche enthusiast, he took part in many high-performance driver-education events with the Porsche Club of America, where he would drive his 1982 Porsche 911 on the track. In addition to his wife and his mother, he is survived by his brothers Whitney (Marianne), Ned, and Seth; his three children, Eli Christian Phoenix (Kaylina), Abrin Smith (Preston), and Jessica Laughman (Joshua), as well as nine grandchildren. Memorial information: A memorial service and celebration of Perry Phoenix's life will take place at the Townshend Town Hall on Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m.
• Stanley C. “Stan” Ryan, 54, of Vonore, Tenn. Died unexpectedly March 13 at his home, following a period of declining health. Born in Brattleboro on Aug. 8, 1964, the son of Audrey Craig and Charles “Butch” Ryan, he attended the former Frances Hicks School and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School. While at Francis Hicks, he enjoyed taking part in the annual Special Olympics Games. With his father, he relocated to Tennessee, where he has lived for the past 20 years. “Throughout his life, Stan overcame many challenges and always had a positive attitude. He never complained and took the occasional bumps in life with stride,” his family writes. While in Brattleboro, he was active with Rescue Inc.'s local Explorers Post He enjoyed spending time at Rescue's headquarters as well as at Brattleboro Fire Department's Central Station, where his father served. He had a fascination for trains and rail travel and had several model train sets, which he enjoyed collecting. He also enjoyed bowling and attending NASCAR races, communicating with his friends on Facebook, and spending time with his family. Survivors include his mother, Audrey Craig, of Maryville; a daughter, Delores Greenleaf, of Springfield, Vt.; three sisters, Robin Sullivan (Terry), and Patricia O'Connor (Gary), all of Tennessee, and Lisa Clayton (Terry), of Pensacola, Fla.; a brother, James Ryan of Vernon; three grandchildren; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, a great niece and great nephews. His father and grandparents Charles “Chuck” and Doris Ryan died earlier. Memorial information: Graveside committal services were held March 23 at Clarks Grove Cemetery in Maryville. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Kirk Handley Winchester, 66, of Townshend. Died unexpectedly on March 17 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass. Born in West Hartford, Conn., on July 14, 1952, the son of Robert Curtis and Florence Joan (Handley) Winchester, he was born, raised, and educated in Hingham, graduating from Hingham High School. He attended Boston University and graduated with a B.A. in experimental psychology from McGill University. He moved to Vermont in the 1970s. He also co-owned Windham Flowers on Main Street in Brattleboro, with his wife, Sally, whom he married in 1989. He was first married to Constance Marr of South Yarmouth, the mother of his two daughters. He was employed as manager of professional astronomy for Omega Optical in Brattleboro from 2001 until his death. Previously, he was a development officer at Kurn Hattin Homes in Westminster and a sales manager for Janos Technology in Townshend. “Kirk loved music, playing the guitar, and singing with his family. He attended the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969, which profoundly influenced his life. He was a World War II history buff and avid model builder, particularly of allied naval ships and tanks. He built a massive collection of models, including a stunning rendition of the HMS Victory in 1:84 scale.” His family describes him as an enthusiast of gems and minerals, a voracious reader, a fount of knowledge on any number of subjects, an avid vegetable gardener, enchanted by the natural world, an accomplished actor with Actors Theatre Playhouse for nearly 40 years, a devoted husband and father. In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Sarah Handley Winchester of Shaftsbury and Devan Marr Winchester (Iain F. Tweedy) of Townshend; siblings Steven Curtis Winchester of Sarasota, Fla., and Lynn Winchester of West Brattleboro; many nieces and nephews; and his dogs Teddy, Remy, and Joey. Memorial information: Kirk Winchester will be interred alongside generations of his family dating back to the early 1800s in a private family ceremony at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Littleton, Mass. sometime this spring. “Kirk was a generous organ donor and his family encourages everyone to check that box on their driver's license,” his family writes. “His final selfless act will benefit many.” Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to German Shorthair Pointer Rescue of New England, P.O. Box 5731, Wakefield, RI 02880. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
Services
• Funeral services with military honors for Richard E. Williams, who died Dec. 21, 2018 in Zephyr Hills, Fla., will be held Saturday, March 30, at 11 a.m., at the Jacksonville Community Church. Interment will be held later in the spring.
• A memorial service and celebration for James C. Cappy of Brattleboro, who died on Jan. 18, 2019, will be held on Sunday, March 31, at 1 p.m., at the Stone Church, 210 Main St., Brattleboro. Donations may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center at bit.ly/JimCappy.