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.
• Howard F. “Howie” Aiken, 52, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Jan. 26 in Keene, N.H. Brother of Mary Whittle and husband, Norman Sr., and Bonnie Aiken, all of Hinsdale, and Holly Franklin and husband, Stanley, of Brattleboro. Additionally he leaves several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A memorial service will be conducted Feb. 2 at 11 a.m. at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Condolences may be sent to www.atamaniuk.com.
• Diane O'Neill Ashworth, 61, of Guilford, Died Jan. 21. Wife of Fred Ashworth for 25 years. Mother of Kelley Mathis of North Carolina, Michelle Chase of Charlestown, N.H., Regina Thibodeau of Shoreham, Shannon Covey of Vernon, and Fred Ashworth Jr. of Barre. Sister of Linda, Sally, Karen, and Johnny O'Neill, and the late Larry Wright Jr. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Hugh O'Neill and the late Mary Stewart, she made many friends in the Guilford Cares and Brattleboro Area Hospice programs. Memorial information: A funeral service was held on Jan. 25 at Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, Guilford Cares, Brattleboro Area Hospice, or the Guilford Community Church.
• Reta Zoe Avery, 90, of Vernon. Died Jan. 21 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Albert D. Avery for nearly 56 years. Mother of Albert “Carroll” Avery of Williamstown and Gary Avery and his wife, Hazel, of West Chesterfield, N.H. Sister of the late Rose Willey of West Rutland, Lucille Howard of Ravenna, Ohio, and Duane Rogers and his wife, Florence, of Randolph Center. One of 16 children of Robert T. and Bessie (Smith) Rogers, she was born in Royalton and excelled in school as a youth. She loved math, so it was natural that she became an accountant and bookkeeper. The local employers that she worked for from the 1960's until her retirement included Rogers Construction Co., Cersosimo Lumber, and Tarmy Lumber. She loved her family and enjoyed the holidays, especially Christmas. Her children and grandchildren always found lots of presents under the Christmas tree. She was a wonderful cook and she also spent a great deal of time attending to her beautiful flower gardens, watching the hummingbirds and butterflies, and enjoying the fresh air. Memorial information: A funeral service was held on Jan. 28 at Asbury United Methodist Church in Chesterfield Center, with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Vernon Green Nursing Home, 61 Greenway Drive, Vernon, VT 05354, or to Rescue, Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Signa Owens Buck, 89, of Westminster. Died Jan. 22 at McGirr Nursing Home in Bellows Falls. Wife of Dr. Ralph Buck for 63 years. Mother of Dr. Owen Buck and wife Donna of Winthrop, Maine and Nancy Adams and husband, Don, of Westminster. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of Edward and Kathleen (Lawlor) Owens, she was a 1940 graduate of Bellows Falls High School. A graduate of Green Mountain College, she moved to New York City where she attended art school, did some modeling on TV game shows, and worked for CBS Television. She was a talented painter and artist, and she enjoyed cooking and traveling. For more than 50 years, the Bucks enjoyed raising and racing harness horses from their Westminster farm. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held in the spring. Donations to the local Humane Society of one's choice.
• Carlton F. “Tink” Clark, 74, of Holland, Vt. Died Jan 20 at his home. Husband of Frances Wright for more than 51 years. Father of John L. Clark and his wife, Gail, of Vernon and Sheila Bartel and her husband, Russell, of Williamsville. Brother of Marion Grimes and her husband, Allen, of New Hampshire, Ellen Robinson and her husband, Patrick, of Newfane, and the late Evelyn Howe. Born in Brattleboro, the son of Carlton and Mabel (Goodell) Clark. He spent most of his life in the southern Vermont area, except for his service in the Navy from 1955-1958, when he was stationed in Guam. He worked for FiberMark for 27 years before retirement. He was also a well driller for Green Mountain Well Co. in the 1960's and was involved in the drilling of a well on top of Mt. Mansfield for the Vermont ETV antenna site. Later, he went on to earn his Vermont state Master Plumber's license. The Clarks vacationed in the Northeast Kingdom for several years before moving to their home in Holland in 2005. He was a tinkerer and could fix almost anything. He enjoyed hunting, snowmobiling, and sugaring with his son and grandson. He was a member of the American Legion Post 21. He was a very good natured man and never complained during his illness. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held at a later date in southern Vermont. Donations to the Orleans-Essex Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, Inc., 46 Lakemont Road, Newport, VT 05855.
• Robert Edward Cobb Sr., 77, of Hagerstown, Md., formerly of Bellows Falls. Died Jan. 24 at his home. Husband of the late Alice Bradish Cobb. Father of Pamela Schnebly and her husband, John, of Clear Spring, Md.; Patricia Hoover and her husband, Gerald, of Marion, Pa.; Kristina Hoover and her husband, Jeffrey, of Greencastle, Pa.; and Robert E. Cobb Jr. and his wife, Pamela, of Hagerstown, Md. Brother of Bertha Lawrence of Westminister, and the late Bernice Cook and Hollis Cobb. Born in Bellows Falls, he was the son of the Adelbert Romaine Cobb and Mildred Lawrence Cobb, he served in the Air Force for eight years and later served in the Army Reserve for 12 years. He was employed as a maintenance supervisor at Mack Truck, Inc., retiring after 15 years. He later was self-employed as a machine repairmen. He was a member of Morris Frock American Legion Post 42. He was very active in youth sports and was the organizer of the Clear Spring Mid-Maryland Basketball League. He was an avid fisherman and camper, and especially enjoyed traveling and playing golf. Memorial information: A service was held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home in Hagerstown. Memorial services in Vermont will be held on Saturday, March 24, at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Westminster. Donations to Hospice of Washington County, 747 Northern Ave., Hagerstown, MD 21742. Online condolences may be sent to www.douglasfiery.com.
• Millie Ellen Dufresne, 93, of Townshend, formerly of South Londonderry. Died Jan. 20 at Grace Cottage Hospital. Wife of the late Bernard L. Dufresne for 69 years. Mother of Beverly Hescock of Yalaha, Fla, and the late Edward Dufresne. Sister of the late Reba and Orin “Tink” Sparks. Born in Weston, the daughter of Harrison and Mary (Tuttle) Sparks, she was raised and educated in South Londonderry. Memorial information: In accordance with her final wishes, there will be no formal funeral services. Donations to Make-A-Wish Foundation, 100 Dorset St., Suite #13, South Burlington, VT 05403. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Flora Belle McDermott, 89, of Bellows Falls. Died Jan. 22 at Springfield Hospital. Mother of Roberta Shippa and Shirley Earle. Predeceased by her parents, Bert and Edna (Buckman) Picknell, and 10 brothers and sisters. Born in West Windsor, she attended schools in West Windsor and worked as a janitor at Bellows Falls Central Elementary School until retiring at age 62 due to ill health. Memorial information: At her request, there will be no services.
• Benjamin D. Moseley, 22, of Charlestown, N.H. Died Jan. 17 in Spofford from injuries sustained in an automobile accident that evening. Son of Faith Terwilliger, and her husband, George, of Putney, and David W. Moseley and his wife, Michelle, of Charlestown. Brother of Miranda L. Moseley of Putney, Stepbrother of Peter Terwilliger, Rose Terwilliger, and Lou Lou Terwilliger, all of Putney, and Stephanie Kimball of Charlestown. Born in Claremont, N.H., he attended Stevens High School in Claremont until transferring to Brattleboro Union High School, where he was a 2007 graduate. He later attended Bridgewater (Mass.) State College. He was a professional web designer whose work was greatly admired by users and fellow designers alike. At the time of his death, he also worked at the Charlestown House of Pizza. During high school, he was an active athlete. He played soccer and basketball. He competed in cross-country skiing, cross-country running and Ultimate Frisbee. He played trumpet in the high school marching band. In college, he participated on the Debate Team and the Student Council as a class representative. He loved to snowboard, play ping-pong, and debate anyone on a topic he felt strongly about. He read extensively about human rights, politics, animal welfare, education, and psychology. His passion for human rights, particularly women's rights, was strong. Memorial information: A memorial service was held on Jan. 26 at the Friends Meetinghouse in Putney.
• Mary Agnes Mulhern, 72, of Whitehall, N.Y. Died Jan. 22 in a motor vehicle accident in Wells. Wife of the late Peter Buonocore for 19 years. Sister of Eileen Lawrence and her husband, Joseph, of Brattleboro, and Kathleen Mulhern of Iowa. Born in New York, the daughter of the late Robert and Margaret “Rita” (Boylan) Mulhern, she attended Long Island College School of Nursing. Following graduation, she served on the Catholic Medical Mission Board in Africa for two years. She was employed by Nassau Hospital and Flushing Hospital on Long Island for several years before moving to Vermont in 1969, where she worked at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. She later moved to Whitehall. She especially enjoyed concerts and lectures, and she was a generous person who enjoyed life. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on Jan. 26 at Our Lady of Hope in Whitehall. Another memorial mass was celebrated at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro on Jan. 27, with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations may be made to Rescue Inc., 541 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Barbara Anne (Hestowski) (Banford) Parker, 67, of Vernon. Died Jan. 19 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, N.H. Mother of Rachelle (Banford) and her husband, Dean Vanier; Lucille Banford and her fiance Richard Burke; Kristen Parker; David Banford Jr. and fiance Bonnie Willette; Shane Banford and his wife, Carrie; Harold “JR” Parker, and his wife Melanie; Bobbie-Joel Parker and his girlfriend, Crystal; and the late Brian Banford. Sister of Sylvia M. (Helstowski) Tobey of Vernon. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Edward G. and Eleanor D. (Dottie) Helstowski of East Dover, she graduated from Wilmington High School. She later settled in East Dover, then moved to Bratttleboro. Her love of horses took her to Putney, where she started Rocky Top Stables, giving trail rides and lessons. For the past six years, she resided in Vernon with her sister Sylvia and her horses. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, barbecues, puzzles, and bird watching. She loved horses, dogs and cats, cooking, and country & western music and movies. She devoted much of her time and energy taking care of children and pets of other families as if they were her own. She spent time at the Vernon Free Library, selecting her favorite books as she loved to read. She was a member of various animal rescue chapters had a tremendous passion for cats and dogs. She loved to hunt and fish, and proudly taught her children the same. She was also an adept mechanic, and loved tinkering with old cars. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Feb. 4 at noon at First Methodist Church, 18 Town Crier Drive, Brattleboro. A potluck reception will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 54 Chickering Drive, Brattleboro, to honor her life and celebrate her love of cooking for others. Donations to the Vernon Free Library, Monadnock Humane Society, or the Windham County Humane Society.
• Margaret “Peggy” E. Smith, 100, of Greenfield, Mass. Died Jan. 24 at Buckley Healthcare Center in Greenfield. Wife of the late Otho O. Smith. Mother of the late Warner “Chub” Smith. Born in Vernon, the daughter of the late Charles L. and Margaret (Palmer) Spears. She was educated in Vernon schools and was a graduate of Brattleboro High School. She worked early in life at local restaurants, including the Weldon Hotel in Greenfield and the Northfield Inn as a waitress. She also was a driver for Mr. Emerson, a local business man in Brattleboro. During World War II, she drove oil delivery truck in Bellows Falls to support the war effort. She was known affectionately as the local taxi in high school, having access to an automobile. She worked many years at Pro Brush Co. in Florence, Mass., from where she retired. Her goal was to live to 100 years old and live independently which she did until very recently. She enjoyed crossword and jigsaw puzzles, playing cards and board games with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was known for her exquisite gardens, complete with birdbaths. Memorial information: Funeral services will be in the spring at a time to be announced with burial to follow in Tyler Cemetery in Vernon. Donations to FCHCC Meals on Wheels, 330 Montague City Rd., Turners Falls, MA 01376, or Catholic Charities, 24 West Chester St. Worcester, MA. 01605. Condolences may be sent to Kidder Funeral Home at www.kidderfuneralhome.com.
• Alice Melvina Thayer, 80, of South Burlington. Died Jan. 12 in Burlington. Daughter of the late Howard and Grace (Pratt) Thayer. Sister of the late Anna Thayer Buckland. Aunt of Holly Buckland Parker and her husband, Collin, of Essex Junction. Born in Brattleboro, she graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1949. In 1952, she graduated from the Jackson Von Ludau School of Fashion Design in Boston. She later earned her bachelor's degrees from the University of Vermont in English, sociology, and anthropology in 1967, and a master's degree in English as a Second Language from St. Michael's College in Colchester in 1970. Before entering the world of higher education, she pursued a career in fine art and costume design, working as a consultant in fashion merchandising at Bonwit Teller in Boston. She later taught fashion and costume design at the Vermont Institute for Special Studies in Putney. She was an associate professor at St. Michael's College from 1955 until 2003, specializing in international communication. In her many years of service, she touched the lives of literally thousands of international students from almost every country around the world. She will be remembered for her quiet sense of humor, her love of teaching, and the devoted attention she paid to her students. Memorial information: Burial will take place at the convenience of the family in Locust Ridge Cemetery in Brattleboro.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Brattleboro Memorial Hospital), Dec. 10, 2011, a daughter, Gianna Sophia Arre, to Leslie Albano-Arre of Brattleboro, and Mark Arre of Hartford, Conn.; granddaughter to Don and Shiela Albano of West Dover.
College news
• Elizabeth Rinaldi, a Speech Communication major from Jacksonville, was recently named to the President's List at the State University of New York at Potsdam. To achieve this honor, each student must satisfactorily complete 12 numerically-graded semester hours with a minimum grade point average of 3.5.
• Samantha Harris, a first-year Classics major from Brattleboro, and Megan Majonen, a first-year Exploratory major from Guilford, were both named to the Fall 2011 Dean's List at St. Michael's College in Colchester.
• Kerry A. Howard of Londonderry, a member of the class of 2015, was named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2011 semester at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass.