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.
• Edward George “Ed” Anderson, 62, of Brattleboro. Died June 22 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Christine “Chris” Wells for 38 years. Father of Michelle Anderson and her fiancee, Michael McNally, of Putnam, Conn.; and Gloria Anderson of Brattleboro. Born in Washington, D.C., the son of Francis and Jayne Holton Anderson, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro and was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1967. Served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, and was a member of the VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034 in Brattleboro. He was employed for many years by the Putney Central School, a position he thoroughly enjoyed. Additionally, he worked part-time at Brooks Memorial Library. He tried hard to help others, as well as to get people to laugh with his quick wit. He enjoyed jazz, reading (especially true crime and history), cars (he was a proud owner of a 1980 Corvette), and loved animals. Memorial information: A memorial service will take place on July 6 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brattleboro, with burial of his urn with full military honors in the Anderson family lot in Morningside Cemetery. Donations to a charity of one's choice. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Michelle A. Clayton, 48, of Bellows Falls. Died June 24, at her home. Mother of Jathniel Marie Weiss. Sister of Kimberly S. Pollard of Greene, Maine; Heidi M. Hitchcock and husband, Bobby, of Bellows Falls; and Holly J. Bumps of Swanton. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of Phyllis Franklin and the late Kenneth Clayton Jr., she was a graduate of Bellows Falls Union High School and attended Woodbury College and Community College of Vermont for paralegal studies and business management. She worked as an office manager for Green Mountain Railroad, and as a real estate agent for Century 21. She loved to go to church and enjoyed swimming, reading, camping, and walking her dog, Regal Angel, but she was essentially a homebody. Memorial information: A funeral service was held June 30 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Clyde O. Cole, 75, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died June 22 at his home. Husband of Shirley James for nearly 48 years. Father of David Cole and Timothy Cole, both of Florida, Alice Cole of Oregon, and the late William Cole. Brother of Clarence Cole of Hinsdale, N.H., and the late Calvin and Charles Cole and the late Alice LaRosa. Born in Troy, Vt., the son of the late William and Hazel (Merrill) Cole, he served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He had been employed at Janos Technology in Townshend for 20 years and retired prior to the company's move to Keene, N.H. He also worked for Tri-State Plumbing. Previously, he was a self-employed general contractor. He was a former member of the F.O. Eagles, Brattleboro Aerie #2445. He was a big supporter of the Brattleboro Heat, a local women's softball team of which he was involved in many fundraising events, many of which he spearheaded. He enjoyed the outdoors and working with the family sawmill and various woodworking projects. Memorial information: Graveside committal services with military honors were conducted June 29 in Evergreen Cemetery in Winchester, N.H.
• Raymond “Mike” Farnsworth, 84, a former resident of Brattleboro. Died June 17 in Winter Haven, Fla. Husband of the late Lessie King for 44 years and Marion Whitaker for 18 years. Born in Montpelier, the son of the late Rollie and Sarah Halsall Farnsworth, he attended Spaulding High School in Barre and later graduated from Brattleboro High School, Class of 1949. Mike worked at the former American Optical in Brattleboro for 11 years, and was manager of the former American Stratford for 33 years, retiring in May of 1992 following 33 years with the company. Steadfast in his walk of faith, he was a member of the First Christian Church in Winter Haven. He was kind, generous and loving, and a friend to everyone he met. He enjoyed photography and golf. Memorial information: Funeral services were held July 2 at Guilford Community Church with burial in West Brattleboro Cemetery. Donations to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Grace W. Hall, 90, a former resident of both Brattleboro, and Keene, N.H. Died June 24 at Vernon Green Nursing Home Wife of the late Elwin Hall and the late Ernest Parsons Sr. Mother of Viola “Vi” Medor and her companion, Don Landry, of Andover, Conn.; Polly Virian Humphreys and husband, Gary, of Sugar Mountain, N.C.; Barbara Wright and husband, David, of Brattleboro; and Ernie Parsons, Jr. of Barre. Born in Dummerston, the daughter of the late Willard and Pauline Dodge, she was raised and educated in Dummerston and Brattleboro, where she attended public schools. She worked at Rockingham Memorial Hospital and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, which she retired from in 1988. Previously, she had been employed at the Brattleboro Retreat and the Gibson-Aiken Center. She volunteered for the American Red Cross, Cheshire County Chapter, in Keene. She was a member of the VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034 Auxiliary, where she served as president and district president, and also held membership in the American Legion Auxiliary, Brattleboro Post 5. She enjoyed dancing, cooking, and time shared with her family. Memorial information: A memorial service took place on June 28 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in Monadnock View Cemetery in Keene. Donations to American Red Cross, Cheshire County Chapter, 83 Court St, Keene, N.H. 03431-3453. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Patricia M. McCormick, 87, of Burlington, a former resident of Brattleboro. Died June 23at Starr Farm Nursing Center in Burlington. Wife of the late Thomas A. “Spider” McCormick for 65 years. Mother of Thomas A. McCormick and wife, Deborah, of Montpelier; Bruce M. McCormick and wife Margaret of Windsor, Conn.; Susan M. Mongeon and husband, Edward, of Essex Junction; and the late Charles McCormack. Born in New Hartford, Conn., on July 25, 1923 the daughter of the late Herbert and Margarite (Ferris) Maxfield, she was raised and educated in New Hartford and graduated valedictorian of the Gilbert School in Winsted, Conn., Class of 1941. Attended the University of Vermont, where she received a B.S. in Chemistry in 1944. Was employed as a science department assistant at Brattleboro Union High School from 1970 until her retirement in 1987. Was active with the Brattleboro Home Demonstrators Group, and also served as a Girl Scout leader. She was a former member of First Baptist Church in Brattleboro. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed travel and knitting. While a resident at Starr Farm, she was very active with floral arranging for the facility, a talent appreciated by both the staff and other residents. Memorial information: A funeral service was held July 6 at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to The Charles H. Butterfield Award, which is given to an outstanding student in science and the arts, in care of Steve Perrin, B.U.H.S., 131 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Ida B. Morrisseau, 68, of Fair Haven, N.Y. Died June 27 at Leroy Village Green Nursing Home. Mother of Karla Ronco, Michelle Spiotta and Pierre, Michael, and Marcel Morriseau. Sister of Aurelius and Umberto DiBernardo, and Louisa Asperas. Predeceased by a son, Bill Morriseau, and a sister, Mary Thibodeau.Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of the late Mary and Giuseppe DiBernardo, he traveled and lived in many areas of the United States, including Bellows Falls, Boulder, Colo., and Juneau, Alaska, but the place she called home for over 35 years was Fair Haven, N.Y. She and her business, Giuseppe's Sub and Pizza Shop, were local icons in Fair Haven, serving up food and friendship for more than 30 years. In the winters, she could be found braving the famous “lake effect” storms, driving the school bus for Red Creek Central Schools. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 2 at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Fair Haven, with burial in Springbrook Cemetery in Sterling, N.Y. Donations to the Bill Morrisseau Memorial Scholarship Fund for graduates of Red Creek High School, in care of Pierre Morrisseau, 300 Salt Springs St., Fayetteville, NY 13066.
• Priscilla Grace Yeaw Smith, 78, formerly of Brattleboro. Died June 22 in Fort Collins, Colo. Wife of the late Robert Smith for 26 years. Mother of Jeffrey and his companion, Lynne Mulhern, of East Dover; Lesley Murray and her husband, Lester, of Fort Collins; and Peter and his wife, Kimberly, of St. Albans. Born in Williamsville, the daughter of the late Earl Frank and Lillian Mae Trevorrow Yeaw, she attended East Dover schools and graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1949. Graduated from the Fletcher Allen Hospital School of Nursing in Burlington in 1953. Growing up in East Dover, she worked with her mother hosting guests at her parents' home, Pleasant View Farm. In 1948, when the farm burned to the ground, it provided the impetus for forming the East Dover Volunteer Fire Department. She worked as a registered nurse at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Brightlook Hospital in St. Johnsbury, and Gifford Memorial Hospital in Randolph between 1953 and 1961. In addition, she worked for various doctors and clinics in the Randolph area. She loved to discuss politics, and was a staunch Democrat. Throughout her life, she was an animal lover and advocate. As a young girl, she wished to become a veterinarian. She was eventually was able to blend these loves in her work with the Randolph Animal Hospital. Her three decades of service to the town of Randolph included 26 years as Health Officer, and as well as stints on the Planning Commission, the Board of Civil Authority, and the Police Committee. She was also active with the Red Cross Blood Bank, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and Rotary. She was a bright and curious woman and prided herself on her ability to learn anything she needed. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 24, at 2 p.m. at Day Funeral Home in Randolph, with a graveside service to be held on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 11 a.m., at the Dover Center Cemetery. Donations to your local humane societies, Hospice, the Alzheimer's Association or the East Dover Volunteer Fire Department. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.dayfunerals.com.
• Nellie Katherine Frink Thompson, 88, of Vernon. Died June 30 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Former wife of the late Ray Miller and the late William Thompson. Mother of R. Steven Miller and wife, Bonnie, of Daphne, Ala.; and Dorothy Bregon and husband, Joseph, of Vernon. Sister of Lyle Frink of Vernon; Ruth Chickering, Eleanor Babbit and Dottie Rose Turner, all of Putney; Bertha Tracey of Brookline; Gladys Trombley of Castalia, N.C.; and Marion Cushman of Chester. Predeceased by siblings Alice Rogers, Esther Dunham, and William Frink. Born in Barnard, the daughter of the late Lyle and Katherine (Cowdry) Frink, she was raised in Barnard and Westminster West where she attended public schools. For many years, she had been employed by Whitney-Blake in Bellows Falls. She later moved to Crestview, Fla., from 1989 to 2005, and worked for the Okaloosa County School Department, which she retired from in 1996. She was a member of the Campden Assembly of God Church in Laurel Hill, Fla., and more recently had attended Pioneer Baptist Church in Chesterfield, N.H. She was an avid reader and enjoyed quilting, crocheting, knitting, travel, and time shared with her family. Memorial information: Graveside committal services will be conducted Saturday, July 16, at 10 a.m. in Westminster West Cemetery. Donations to Pioneer Baptist Church P.O. Box 6187, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Barbara “Nana” Vancor, 78, of Bellows Falls. Died June 26 in Springfield Hospital. Wife of Norm Vancor for 51 years. Mother of Edward Vancor and wife, Lisa, and Kevin and wife, Gloria, all of Bellows Falls; Jean Monty and husband, Raymond Jr., of Bellows Falls, and Catherine Furgat and husband, Gary, of Saxtons River. Predeceased by siblings Joseph, John, Thomas, Edward, Walter, Robert, and William Scanlon, and Eleanor Butler, Ruth Nichols, and Elizabeth Surprise. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of John and Elizabeth McEvoy Scanlon, she was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School and worked as a telephone operator for 30 years. She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers and worked for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. She loved her cat Chuckie, Bingo, knitting for charities, and she was the biggest Red Sox and BF Terriers fan. She loved all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and kept an open door for the children of the neighborhood. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 1 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls, with burial in Saxtons River Cemetery.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), June 25, 2011, a daughter, Kailyn Rae Hartwell, to Amber DiBona and Joshua Hartwell of Dummerston; granddaughter to Linda and Herbert Tirrell of Addison, Va., Douglas Hartwell of Unity, N.H., and Vali Hecht of West Brattleboro; great-granddaughter to Doreen and Rodney Winchester of West Brattleboro, and Harold and Rachel Hartwell of Bernardston, Mass.
• In Manchester, N.H., (Catholic Medical Center) June 22, 2011, a son, Kilton Stewart Johansen, to Courtney Klein Johansen and Martin Johansen of Derry, N.H.; grandson to Kim Klein and Margaret Linnell of Irasburg, Madeline Dix Klein of Jacksonville, and Martin and Michelle Johansen of West Brattleboro; great-grandson to Larry and Jean Johansen of Sanford, N.C.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), June 14, 2011, a son, Trevor Andrew Bacon, to Heather (Petersen) and Andrew Bacon of Putney; grandson to Steve Petersen of Guilford, Cheryl Cunningham of Dunnellon, Fla., and Paul and Kathy Bacon of Dummerston.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), May 25, 2011, a son, Jerick Edward LaFleur, to Dominique Brough and Justin Edward LaFleur of Westminster; grandson to Diana and Christopher Brough, Karen Kirkwood, James Edward LaFleur and Barbara Lois Sisco, Eleanor Sisco, and William Kirkwood.
College news
• The following area residents recently graduated from Ithaca (N.Y) College: Kiera Lewis, daughter of James Lewis and Lynette Lewis of Brattleboro, received a degree from the School of Humanities and Sciences; Robert Anderson, son of Bruce Anderson and Andrea Anderson of West Wardsboro, received a degree from the School of Business. Lewis was also named to Ithaca's Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester.
• The following area residents recently graduated from Champlain College in Burlington: Kayla White, of Brattleboro, received an AS degree in Radiography; Angelica Ferris, of Brattleboro, received a BS degree in Marketing; Samantha Snow, of West Dover, received a BS degree in Criminal Justice; Brendan Anson-Pritchard, of Wilmington, received a BS degree in International Business; Michael Squindo, of Wilmington, received a BS degree in Social Work; and Katherine Wilson, a resident of Westminster, received a BS degree in International Business.
Wilson, a major in International Business, was named to the Spring 2011 Trustees Scholar List for her academic achievements. She, and Snow, were also named to the President's List, given to students who maintain a 4.0 grade point average.
Ferris and Anson-Pritchard were named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester. Other area residents who made the Dean's List included Lucas Annunziata of South Londonderry, who is majoring in Game Art and Animation; Heather Barrett of Brattleboro, who is majoring in Mass Communication; Angelica Ferris of Brattleboro, who is majoring in Marketing.
• Audrey F. Wallace, of West Dover, was named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.
• William J. Pettengill Jr., of Guilford, graduated from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, on May 22, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in economics and anthropology. He was also named to the Dean's List.
• The following area residents recently were named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester at Johnson State College: Vanessa Perry of Bellows Falls, Jessica Brodeur of Brookline, Brendon Vincent of Stratton, and Nina Markiw of West Brattleboro.
• Christopher Rancourt of Brattleboro was named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester at Bowling Green (Ohio) State University.
• The following area residents recently were named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester at the University of New Hampshire: Nicholas Haskell of Brattleboro earned Highest Honors, Robert Meyer of Brattleboro earned High Honors, Kvehl McDermott of Putney earned Highest Honors, and Amanda Oles of Vernon earned Highest Honors.