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.
• Melissa M. “Wichie Poo” Barratt, 31, of Brattleboro. Died July 29. Sister of Erica Duby of Springfield, Sabrina Kingsbury of Winooski, Michelle Duby of Texas, Lorraine Duby and David Barratt Jr. Stepdaughter of Ronald Duby Sr. of New York. The daughter of Sandra Duby and David Barratt Sr., she attended Springfield High School. Memorial information: Funeral arrangements are pending. Donations to Sandra Duby, 119 State St., Apt. 2, Rutland, VT 05701, to help with funeral expenses.
• Emmitt Crapo Brown, 86, of South Londonderry. Died July 31 at Grace Cottage Hospital surrounded by family. Husband of the late Glenna Benson for more than 60 years. Father of Ronald Brown of Dekalb Junction, N.Y., David Brown of Londonderry, Gail (Brown) Sherman of Londonderry, and Michael Brown of Londonderry. Born in Newfane, the youngest son of Albert and Eskie (Crapo) Brown, he served in the Army during World War II. After he returned home, he worked for Cersosimo Lumber Co, Kearley Fuel, Smith's Mill, and was part of the construction team that built Ball Mountain Dam, just to name a few. He enjoyed spending his free time cooking, baking, woodworking and spending quality time with his family. His kind disposition, generous nature and sense of humor will be missed dearly. Memorial information: A private memorial service will be held in Bondville at the convenience of his family. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, in care of Dr. Robert Backus, longtime physician and family friend.
• Michael Joseph Ellison, 59, of Brattleboro. Died July 23. Father of Megan Holt and her husband, John, of Port Royal, S.C. Brother of Murray C. Ellison and his wife, Sandra, of East Dummerston, Matthew J. Ellison of Brattleboro, Mark A. Ellison and his wife, Pamela, of West Wardsboro, Mitchell A. Ellison of Brookline, Morgan E. Ellison and his wife, Jennifer, of West Chesterfield, N.H., and Marjorie L.H. LeClaire of Brattleboro. Stepbrother of William FitzPatrick and wife, Deborah, of Putney; and Michele FitzPatrick of Willow Spring, N.C. Born in Burlington, the son of Murray J. Ellison and Leora Ellen Derby Ellison, he moved to Brattleboro in 1956 and resided mostly in Windham County most of his life. He attended Canal Street School in Brattleboro, West Halifax Elementary School in West Halifax, and attended Brattleboro Union High School as a member of the Class of 1970. He worked as a self-employed carpenter until ill health forced him to retire. Memorial information: Interment will be in the family plot in North Clarendon on Sept. 18 at 10 a.m.
• Arnold M. Fisher, 81, of Rockingham. Died Aug. 1 at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend. Husband of the late Dorothy Cormier and the late Elaine E. Smallheer. Father of Clyde W. Fisher of Rockingham, Bunnell D. Smallheer of Framingham, Mass., Beth Elaine Smallheer, with whom he made his home, and Susan M. Smallheer, also of Rockingham. Brother of the late Theron Fisher, Laura Mayers, Thelma Coburn, and Priscilla Clough. Born in Grafton to the late Elfie Mae (Adams) and Clyde H. Fisher, at the family farm on Fisher Hill, he was a seventh-generation Vermonter. He attended a one-room school in Grafton, was a 1947 graduate of Bellows Falls High School, and was a graduate of the Vermont State School of Agriculture, now Vermont Technical College, in 1949, studying dairy science. He was a dairy farmer all his life, selling his Holstein herd in July 2010 because of declining health and low milk prices. His was the last operating dairy farm in Rockingham. He was happiest on his tractor, baling hay. A private man, he believed strongly in the importance of hard work, which he worked hard to instill in his children. He was a longtime maple sugar maker and member of the Pleasant Valley Grange. He was a lifelong, ardent Red Sox fan. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Aug. 6 at Christ's Church in Saxtons River, with interment in the family plot at the Rockingham Meeting House. Donations to the Amy M. Fisher Scholarship Fund at the Office of Development, Johnson State College, 337 College Hill, Johnson, VT 05656.
• James Peter Gembarowski, 63, of San Antonio, Texas. Died Aug. 3 in San Antonio. Brother of Charles Jerry Gembarowski of Satellite Beach, Fla., Mary Jane Jenkins of Charlestown, N.H., Carol Ann Brown of Rockledge, Fla., and the late Paul Henry and Michael Joseph Gembarowski. Born in Brattleboro to Miroslaw C. Gembarowski and Mary L. Gouger Gembarowski, he attended St. Michael's School in Brattleboro and Hinsdale, N.H., Grammar School. He graduated from Hinsdale High School in 1966. He attended The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford and majored in the french horn. An accomplished musician, Jimmy played the flute and bodhran with St. James Gate, an Irish band based in San Antonio. He was also a professional singer. He was employed by Southern Music Co. in San Antonio. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in San Antonio in late September, followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in San Antonio. More details can be obtained by emailing [email protected].
• Karen Swing Goodlatte, 89, of Putney and Alexandria, Va. Died May 25. Wife of the late Ray Goodlatte for 68 years. Mother of three daughters, Kip, Jill, and Joyce, and a son, the late Dirk Goodlatte. Sister of Gene Castillo and half-brother Raymond Swing. Born to the late Herbert Randolph Swing and Martha Thompson, she grew up in New York City and France, and attended Olivet College, where she met her husband. In 1951, the family moved to Putney, where Karen (as librarian) and Ray worked at the Putney School until retirement in 1982. Enjoyed long walks on back roads of Putney, birding, backpacking, and singing in several choruses. She developed an herbarium at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, where she volunteered for more than 20 years. She was interested in languages: French, Spanish and German, and ASL, and was a loving presence in many people's lives. Memorial information: No information available.
• Michael Dennis Henry, 62, of Brattleboro. Died Aug. 1 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Husband of Betty Halladay Henry for nearly 38 years. Father of Michael Henry and his wife, Amanda, of Bozeman, Mont., Rebecca Lewis and her husband, David, of Brattleboro, and Douglas Henry of Carnelian Bay, California. Brother of David Henry and his wife, Barbara, and Stephen Henry and his wife, Patricia. Born in Brattleboro, the son of Dwight and the late Florence (Derry) Henry, he graduated from Brattleboro Union High School, attended the University of Vermont and graduated from Windham College with a B.A. (cum laude) in Economics. His working life was devoted to real estate. He worked with Cooke Realty and Berkley and Veller Real Estate, before joining forces with Frank Martocci and opening Martocci and Henry Real Estate, the third largest firm in the state for a number of years. In recent years, his firm, Michael D. Henry & Company, LLC has specialized in commercial real estate throughout New England and eastern New York. He loved his dogs and spent every day on walks in the woods or around the Spruce Street neighborhood, chatting with friends and often stopping in at the yellow store. He was a great reader. He fed the birds and the squirrels, he watered his grass, proud that he finally had a yard full and it sometimes appeared he was watering the driveway, too. He enjoyed pitching to his little friends in the neighborhood and enjoyed many a vigorous water fight. He liked people and was a loyal and sensitive friend to many, enriching their lives as they did his. Skiing was a passion he shared with his children and nothing pleased him more than sharing a beautiful day in the mountains. Some of his fondest memories were of the years he spent coaching Junior and Senior Pro basketball, and Small Fry, Little League, and Babe Ruth baseball. He valued the friendships of the boys and girls he coached and tried his best to influence them in a very positive way that went beyond the rules of the sport. He volunteered with many civic and professional groups. He served as a director of the Vermont Association of Realtors, president of the Brattleboro Housing Development Corporation, chairman of the Brattleboro Planning Commission, umpire for the Brattleboro Little League, founding member and director of the American Hirschsprung's Disease Association, member of the BUHS chain gang, chairman of the BUHS Lights Committee (raising $200,000 to install lighting on athletic fields), and a member of the Mountain Safety Patrol at Mount Snow, among others. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Aug. 5 at Centre Congregational Church. Donations to Ability Plus at Mount Snow, (ski programs for those with disabilities), 39 Mount Snow Rd., West Dover, VT 05356, Attn: Sue Tatem. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Gordon M. Jacobs Jr., 61, of Rockingham. Died July 31 at Springfield Hospital. Husband of Donna Emerson for nearly 33 years. Father of Gordon Jacobs III of Rockingham, Brandy Ellison of Rutland, and the late Jamie Jacobs. Brother of Susan Colby of Walpole, N.H., and the late Tyler Jacobs. Stepbrother of Andrea Dunn of Rockingham, Stephanie Wing of Springfield, and Paul Palumbo of Springfield. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of Gordon M. “Shotgun” Sr. and Dorothy F. (Brown) Jacobs, he graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1967 and attended the North Dakota School of Forestry. He served in the Army, and was a member of the Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. Was employed as an industrial electrical supervisor, most recently with Dartmouth Printing in Hanover, N.H. He previously worked for World Color in Taunton, Mass., Sonnax in Rockingham, Book Press in Brattleboro for 12 years and Jones & Lamson Machine Tool Co. in Springfield for 10 years. He enjoyed Vermont Public Radio, watching football, photography, computers, coin collecting, fishing and science fiction. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Aug. 3 at Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield. Burial will be at a later date. Donations to Vermont Public Radio, 365 Troy Ave., Colchester, VT 05446.
• Diane Marie Merithew, 49, of Brattleboro. Died July 28 at Pine Heights nursing home in Brattleboro. Wife of Wesley Moses. Mother of Christina Moses. Brother of Jimmy Merithew and Linda Pentes. The daughter of Beverly (Ryder) and the late Howard Merithew, she graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1987. She was baptized at the Assembly of God and was a lifelong resident of Brattleboro. Memorial information: A graveside service was held on Aug. 5 at Meeting House Hill cemetery in Brattleboro.
• Janet Putnam Soyer, 90, of Halifax. She was an accomplished harpist, talented painter, creative and energetic spirit, and beloved wife of the late David Soyer. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, she was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and a leading jazz harpist, who can be heard on numerous recordings with Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, and Artie Shaw. She left professional life to support her husband's career as cellist of the Guarneri Quartet. A woman of great beauty, sharp intellect, keen curiosity, strong opinions, and a never-failing sense of humor, she had a gift for gathering friends and connecting people in circles of caring and sharing. Memorial information: Gifts in her memory may be made to the Marlboro Music Festival, 1616 Walnut St. Suite 1600, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
College news
• Kerri-Lyn Munson of West Townshend was named to the President's List at Morrisville (N.Y.) State College for the spring 2011 semester. To be named to the President's List, a student must achieve a perfect 4.0 average for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.
• Daniel S. Elliott of Brookline, a SUNY-Canton Individual Studies major and 1993 graduate of Leland & Gray Union High School, made the President's List for the Spring 2011 semester.
• First-year student Nathan Nichols of Newfane, who is majoring in Physics, and third-year student Katherine Derby of West Dummerston, who is majoring in Business Administration, were both named to the Dean's List for the Spring 2011 semester at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y.
• Peter Chisamore, a Business Adminstration major from Bellows Falls, and Erich Rehbein, a Computer Information Technology major from Putney, were both named to the President's List for the Spring 2011 semester at Southern New Hampshire University.