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.
• Anna Grace Ayers, 71, of Wardsboro. Died July 3 at Kindred Hospital in Springfield, Mass. Wife of William W. Ayers for 53 years. Mother of Ralph Ayers and his wife, Donna; and Russell Ayers and his wife, Juanita. Sister of Elizabeth Swan, the late David Swan, and the late Lee Mitchell. The daughter of the late Ralph and Grace Drain Swan, she worked as a town auditor for many years. She later was an assistant to the town clerk at the Wardsboro Town Office, where she leaves many friends. She was also the treasurer for the Wardsboro Methodist Church. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Mount Lebanon chapter, in Jamaica and the Ladies Oriental Shrine in Brattleboro. Memorial information: A memorial service was held July 12 at Wardsboro Congregational Church.
• Robert “Steve” Cote, 50, of Brattleboro. Died July 1 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Husband of Lisa M. Norcia for 25 years. Father of Luke and Jake Cote, both of Brattleboro. Predeceased by his brother, Edward Cote. Born in Holyoke, Mass., the son of Robert E. and Carol Neal Cote, he has been a resident of Brattleboro since 1975. Graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1979. Went on to attend Laney Junior College in Oakland, Calif. A carpenter by trade for the last 30 years, he owned and operated his own business, Steve Cote Contractor. Was an ardent outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and time shared with his family. Since his youth, he studied Judo and attained brown belt status. Was a proud member of the National Rifle Association. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 7 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Northern New England Chapter, 175 Ammon Drive, Suite 201, Manchester, NH 03103. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Richard Murley Finn, 77, of Barre Town. Died June 29. Husband of Ruth Angell Finn for 51 years. Father of Charles P. Finn of Chicago, and Carolyn McLeod and her husband, Stephen, of Chelmsford, Mass. Brother of Mary Casey, and her husband, William of Barre, and Deborah Baker and her husband. Dennis, of Brattleboro. Born in Barre City, the son of the late John J. and Mary Murley Finn, he was a lifetime resident of Barre and graduated from Spaulding High School in 1951, St. Anslem College in 1956, and New England School of Law in 1959. Was an assistant Attorney General for the state of Vermont for 20 years, and then had his own private practice in Barre for 22 years. Served as president of the Barre Kiwanis Club, and was president of Vermont Alpine Racing Association. He was a dedicated blood donor, donating over 39 pints. He was an avid skier and golfer, and especially enjoying skiing with his family and teaching his young grandchildren to ski. In his retirement, he volunteered for the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program, giving rides to patients who needed help getting to and from treatment. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 6 at St. Monica Catholic Church in Barre, with burial in Hope Cemetery. Donations to the Woodridge LNA Fund, P.O. Box 550, Barre, VT 05641.
• David C. Gates, 49, of Brattleboro. Died July 4 at McGirr Nursing Home in Bellows Falls. Son of Charles and Margaret Lake Gates of Grafton. Brother of Lisa, of Winter Park, Fla.; and Christopher, of North Granby, Conn. Attended schools in Grafton, Eagle Hill in Hardwick, Mass., and Bellows Falls Union High School. He had a natural ability to understand and repair small engines. He had an interest in steam trains, was a collector of early Edison music, and had a large collection of 16mm films. He was kind, loving, and a gentle man. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 23, at 11 a.m., in the Houghtonville Cemetery, Houghtonville. Donation to Grafton Cares, in care of Cathy Hallock, Townshend Road, Grafton, VT 05146.
• Patricia Ann Geer, 71, of Vernon. Died July 4 at the home of her sister, Verna Haskins, of Regina Vista Road. Wife of the late John R. Geer Sr. for 45 years. Mother of John R. Geer Jr. and wife, Karen, of Anchorage, Alaska; Kimberlee Geer-Curtiss and husband, Sumner, of Vernon; Michaelynn (Geer) Bouthillier and husband, David, of Hartford; and Tina J. (Geer) Laflam and partner, Richard Petrie, of Guilford. Sister of Verna “Sug” Haskins and husband, Sam, of Brattleboro; and Bonnie M. Carey of Bellows Falls. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late Robert and Verna (Struthers) Turner, she was raised and educated in East Dummerston and Brattleboro and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1957. A former resident of Hartland, she had worked for Dartmouth Printing in Hanover, N.H.. Locally, she had been employed at River Valley Credit Union, Chromerics, and at the Book Press. She enjoyed knitting, gardening, flowers, and time shared with her family, especially her grandchildren. Graveside committal services were conducted July 9 in the family lot in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, 17 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Claire Marie Grussing, 76, of Brattleboro, and Venice, Fla. Died July 3 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Wife of Robert Grussing III for 42 years. Stepmother of Robert VI, Theodore, and James Grussing and Suzanne (Grussing) Borichevsky. Born in Derby, the daughter of the late Alfonse and Florence Lussier Laframboise. Was a teacher at the Academy School in Brattleboro for 23 years, mostly as a reading specialist for children. She also taught in schools in Vernon and Arlington in previous years. She loved reading and traveling, she visited all 50 states and was also part of the 251 Club. With her husband, they visited all 251 towns in Vermont in just about 3½ years. Memorial information: A funeral service was held July 8 at Ker Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro.
• John M. Ingram, 76, of Andover, Mass., and Guilford. Died July 6 at Winchester (Mass.) Hospital on July 6. Husband of Patricia (Madden) Ingram for 51 years. Father of Nancy Ingram and husband, William Corvene, of Melrose, Mass.; and Marilyn Noonan and husband, Philip, of Hingham, Mass. Brother of Robert Ingram and wife, Mary, of Walpole, N.H. Graduated from Brattleboro High School and Middlebury College, and worked 18 years at Marshalls Inc., as Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Construction. He eventually established his own real estate consulting firm. The Ingrams traveled the world while he was a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), where served in many capacities including as a member of the board of trustees and as the international chairman in 2001. Memorial information: A funeral service was held July 9 at St. Augustine's Church in Andover, burial will be at West Parish Cemetery in Andover. Donations to Winchester Hospital 41 Highland Ave., Winchester, MA 01890; Habitat for Humanity 121 Habitat St., Americus, GA 31709-3498; or Family Services of Lawrence 430 North Canal St., Lawrence, MA 01840.
• Pearl A. Leonard, 90, of Saxtons River. Died June 22 at Springfield Hospital. Wife of the late Alfred J. Leonard. Mother of Ruby C. Parker of Bellows Falls; and Alfred O. Leonard and Victor A. Leonard, both of Saxtons River. Sister of Letha, Shirley, Alec, Fred, and Richard Lescord. Predeceased by siblings Olive, Dorothy, Faith, and John, and a daughter, Charlotte A. Thompson. Born in Gardner, Mass., the daughter of the late Oliver and Agnes Drake Lescord. Memorial information: A burial service was held July 9 at Saxtons River Cemetery.
• Giovanna “Jean” Patalano, 90, formerly of Bellows Falls. Died July 2 at Cedar Hill Village in Windsor. Wife of the late Giro R. Patalano for 59 years. Mother of lsidore “Tony” Patalano and wife, Christel, of Florida; Ralph Patalano and wife, Cynthia, of Plainfield, N.H.; Dr. Joseph Patalano and wife, Alice, of Richmond; and the late Frank Patalano. Predeceased by siblings Mary Mucerino, Nancy Gulino, Josie DeFatta, and Joseph, Anthony, and Ralph Musumeci. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Isidore and Julia Musumeci, she was the eldest of seven children, graduating from P.S. 29 in Brooklyn in 1938. The Patalanos moved to North Walpole, N.H., in the early 1940s. In 1952, Giovanna and her family moved to Bellows Falls, and remained in the family home for the next half century. She was a leader for Cub Scouts and 4H Club, as well as a Home Demonstration leader. She also worked in the office of Holmes Transportation. After raising her family, she fulfilled her lifelong dream and received her B.S. in Education from St. Joseph the Provider in Rutland. She worked for several years in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union District. In addition, she was a self taught musician, linguist, and artist. She enjoyed playing guitar, and spoke both Italian and German. Upon retirement, she pursued a third career as an artist, art teacher, and active member of several art associations in Vermont and her winter home in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. Her art work graces the homes and workplaces of many people, both locally and beyond. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 7 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls, with burial in St. Charles Cemetery, following the service. Donations to Hospice & Visiting Nurse Alliance of Vermont and New Hampshire, 46 South Main St., White River Junction, VT 05001; or the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, One Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH 03756.
•Annette Lilley Pestle, 88, formerly of Brattleboro. Died July 7 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Ray Pestle Jr., long-time UVM Extension Agent for Windham County, for 61 years. Mother of John Pestle and his wife, Penelope, of Green Valley, Ariz.; and Carol Goodnow and her husband, Leonard, of Spofford, N.H. Sister of the late Dorothy Lilley. Stepdaughter of the late John Cabana. Born in Bakersfield, the daughter of the late Mabel Doane Maynard and Benjamin Harrison Lilley. The family farmed in the Bakersfield area and only had horses for farm work and transportation. She graduated from Montpelier Seminary (now part of Norwich University), where she worked for her room and board. She then attended Vermont College (also part of Norwich) for two years prior to transferring to the University of Vermont. She graduated from UVM in 1944, where she met her husband. She then taught school in Sheldon for a year. In 1945, the Pestles moved to Brattleboro, where they were wed. They lived in the same house on Southern Avenue from 1951 until 2006, when they went into assisted living at Hilltop House. Mr. Pestle died later that year, and Annette moved to Vernon Green in 2008. Her life revolved around her family, Centre Congregational Church, her husband's work, and animals. At the church, she was a member for 66 years (over a third of the life of the church), a Deaconess, a part of Women's Fellowship, served on many of its committees, taught Sunday School, occasionally played the Chapel organ, and was chairwoman of the Building and Grounds Committee. She often accompanied her husband on his visits to farms and to out-of-town events. She was active in Home Demonstration groups and was excellent at baking, desserts and canning. In fact, her recipe for tomato juice cocktail appears in the classic work on preserving foods, Putting Food By. She was never fazed by new things: At age 48, she got a car and learned to drive. The same year, she took the necessary classes to return to teaching as a teacher's aide at Green Street School. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on July 12 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Donations to the Memorial Fund of Centre Congregational Church, 193 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Vernon Chester Winn, 95, of Princeton, N.J., and Guilford. Died July 4 in San Diego. Husband of Nadine Sencevicky for 63 years. Father of Emily Winn-Deen and her husband, Ronald; and Karen Winn and her husband, Joseph Carr. Born in Torrington, Conn., the only son of Chester Garfield Winn and Louise Janke Winn, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For the majority of his professional life, he worked for Hercules Inc. in Parlin, N.J., rising from power engineer to assistant plant manager. In 1954, he was one of the first industrial representatives appointed to the New Jersey Air Pollution Control Commission, and later served as Hercules' pollution control specialist. In that capacity, he was instrumental in development of an energy efficient method to produce nitric acid, and in 1961, received U.S. patent #3,003,851 for his innovative design. Upon retirement, the Winns split their time between Princeton and Guilford, where they had summered for many years. He spent many hours restoring the 19th century farmhouse in Vermont, as well as indulging his love for antique furniture. Under a special state grant program, he also restored the adjacent barn that was subsequently granted a Vermont historic barn designation. He was an avid golfer and counted among his proudest moments winning an amateur tournament at Wentworth By-The-Sea in Portsmouth, N.H., and scoring a hole-in-one at the Brentwood golf course in Keene, N.H. Memorial information: Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on July 16 at All Saints' Church in Princeton. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Donations to All Saints Chapel, 16 All Saints Rd., Princeton, NJ 08540; or the Guilford Historical Society, 236 School Rd. Guilford, VT 05301.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), July 3, 2011, a son, Benjamin James Ethier, to Jamie (Somers) and Wesley Ethier of Brattleboro; grandson to Barbara and Tony Somers, and Kathleen and Mike Ethier.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), June 30, 2011, a daughter, Emma Marie Norcia, to Jennifer (Hemingway) and Adam Haskins-Norcia of West Brattleboro; granddaughter to Sharon Hemingway, Earl Hemingway, Melissa Haskins, and Michael and Jennifer Norcia; great-granddaughter to Martha Hemingway, Phil and Sue Haskins, Judith Norcia, and Donald and Lorraine Hemingway.
• In Keene, N.H., (Cheshire Medical Center), June 23, 2011, a son, Kaleb Haedyn, to Krystle Clark and Benjamin Marsh of Winchester, N.H.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), April 12, 2011, a son, Caeden Tyler Toussaint, to Jamie Hallock and Zeb Toussaint of Bellows Falls; grandson to William and Kim Hallock, Bob and Debbie Wright, and Norman Toussaint.
College news
• Joshua Ziperstein of Brattleboro received a Doctor of Medicine from the School of Medicine of Emory University in Atlanta, at its 166th commencement ceremony on May 9.
• Elizabeth Rinaldi, a Speech Communication major from Jacksonville, was named to the President's List at State University of New York-Potsdam.
• Helena Gomez of Londonderry, was named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 term at Providence College.
• The following students at the Community College of Vermont achieved honors status for the Spring 2011 semester: Tanya Mayhew and Arthur Smith of Brattleboro, Quinn Field of Putney, Naomi Kramer, of Dummerston, and Stacey Woods of Whitingham were all named to the Dean's List. Angela Givens of Brattleboro and Susan Nichols of Newfane was named to the President's List.
School news
• Juniors Katherine Gabriel of Grafton and Sela Wang of Putney were both named to the Honor Roll for the Spring 2011 term at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn.