I was shocked but mostly saddened today as my eyes glanced at the front page to see a photo of Pat Smith, now formerly of the Brattleboro Reformer.
I have known Pat for nearly a decade, but mostly in her professional life as a staff member. She has been my Reformer “right arm” and always my “go to” person for as long as I can remember: fielding questions, pointing me in the right direction when I couldn't navigate the newspaper's website, and passing along my frequent Letter Box commentary to those who get them into print.
So for now, I will miss her prompt responses to my inquiries and willingness to help at any turn. I will wish her only the best as she is moved along to enter the next phase of her journey of life.
Pat, you were a mainstay at the Reformer, and I for one will miss you. I wish you blue skies and sunny days ahead - maybe even time to put your feet up with a good book or to just enjoy sleeping in each morning. Who knows? But rest assured: you were always one reliable person whom I could count on at the Brattleboro Reformer.
We were the freshmen, the Brattleboro Union High School Class of 1964, and then we were the graduates and weren't we all so glad for that long-anticipated event to arrive. Once our graduation ceremony concluded, we quickly scattered in our own directions without thought to the fact that we...
In anticipation of our 50th Brattleboro Union High School Reunion, June 20-22, 2014, the class of 1964 organizing committee is interested in locating our missing classmates: James Guyette, Barbara McKinnon, Cathy Miller, Randal Sage, Harry Starkey, Gerald Stillings, Christopher Wellman, and Daniel Wilsey. If you are aware of any...
It was an ordinary day, Thursday, Oct. 10. I was somewhat distracted, and after parking my car in the Municipal Center lot, I walked away with my great-granddaughter on my hip to undertake some errands. What I didn't realize at that moment was that I had left my wallet on the back of my car. Thank you to Fran Timney, an employee of our Department of Public Works, for his quick thinking and integrity for returning my wallet to the...
I can only imagine this headline: Local woman killed while walking on Williams Street. And the story would go on to say: “Local resident Susan Avery, 66, of Whetstone Drive, was struck and killed on impact this morning while taking her daily early-morning walk. The driver who hit Avery was estimated to be traveling at 55 m.p.h. in a posted 25 m.p.h. zone. Charges are pending. “This was not her first brush with a moving vehicle. While walking on Canal...
I was reading today's local daily paper and came upon a well-written and informative obituary, one that described the life of the individual with careful thought. Included in one of the paragraphs was a detailed list of surviving relatives, complete with names and addresses. As I continued to read, my telephone rang. When I answered “hello,” the male voice on the other end of the line said, “Hi, Grandma, how are you today?” Well, I was immediately alerted because none...
As we move into December and along our journey into the holiday season, I think that one of the greatest joys to experience is unconditional love, especially from one's family. Recently, I returned to Albuquerque for a birthday visit with my 89-year-old mother. When I arrived, there she was at the door, greeting me with a smile, a hug, and a kiss. As the visit progressed, she kept me very busy with odds and ends of errands and projects. During...
So the question remains: Will there be a forum for those in opposition to the Crowell Lot for the proposed skatepark? According to an article in The Commons [“Meeting gathers skatepark ideas,” Oct. 3], “the School Board, the Selectboard and the Development Review Board have all signed off on the project as it now stands and all would have to be consulted if there were major changes.” How did this pass through the hands of these committees without public input?