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.
• Toni Lynn Bittner, 57, of Westminster. Died March 2 at her home. Partner of Rick Stetson. Mother of Alan Grout Jr. and his wife, Pia, of Keene, N.H. Sister of Martin Bittner and his partner, Shelly Pacheco, of Brattleboro; Alan Bittner of Feeding Hills, Mass.; Deborah Howe and her husband, Christopher, of Keene; Cindy Simoneau and her partner, Ray Montgomery, of Chadbourn, N.C.; Mildred Robinson and her partner, Frank, of Chester; Selena Young and her husband, Mark, of Hinsdale, N.H.; and the late Dale Bittner Jr., and Jean Robinson. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Dale Bittner and the late Beatrice (Petrovsky) Bittner, she attended schools in Westfield, Mass., and worked as a licensed nurse assistant. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and adored her three poodles. She also enjoyed motorcycle riding, shopping, and participating in the Relay for Life. She lived in Florida for nine years and enjoyed the beaches there. Memorial information: Burial will take place in the spring. Donations to the Kingsbury Cancer Center, Court Street, Keene, NH 03431.
• Melinda J. Holden Doyle Bussino, 65, of Westminster West. Died March 4 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Wife of the late Louis Doyle and the late Fred Bussino. Former wife of Roderick H. O'Connor. Mother of Sarah Doyle of Plainville, Conn., and Joseph Doyle of Westminster West. Stepmother of Geoff Doyle and his wife, Megan, of Charlestown, Md.; and Liddy Doyle and her husband, Alan Katzman, of Granby, Conn. Foster mother of Billie-Jo Wilder of Bellows Falls. Born on Easter Sunday in Boston, she was the only child of the late Sharon V. Holden and E. Grace Fitzgerald Holden of Brattleboro, the proprietors of Holden Antiques. She was raised in Brattleboro and attended Brattleboro public schools. She graduated, with honors, from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1964. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Brattleboro. In March 1967, Rev. James Young, then First Baptist's minister, chose her to deliver the sermon in the initial Youth Sunday. She attended Green Mountain Junior College in Poultney for part of a semester, but decided on an undergraduate degree, so she transferred to Keene State College. She graduated from Keene State College in June 1968 with a B.A. in Psychology. She began her professional career working for the Strafford County Community Action Agency in Somersworth, N.H., as an outreach case worker. During her time there, she was effective in local, state and New England-wide anti-poverty advocacy efforts, and was later promoted to a casework supervisor position. In 1976, she and her family moved to Westminster West to settle on the Holden family property. After working at the Putney Post Office and Keith Banjo Tuners in Westminster, she became secretary at the United Methodist Church in Brattleboro in 1985. Her position there led to her involvement in the founding of the Brattleboro Area Drop In Center. She became Executive Director in 1989 and grew the Drop In Center from a small community service to a nationally recognized model for homeless advocacy. She served as a commissioner from Westminster on the Windham Regional Commission since 1995, was Vice Chair for three years, and was serving her fifth term as Chair at the time of her death. In 2008, Melinda won the Housing Hero award at the Vermont Housing Finance Agency's statewide, biennial Vermont Housing Conference. She was the most recent chair of the Vermont Council to End Homelessness. She also served as the Governor's appointee on the Housing and Urban Development Comsolidated Planning Committee and the Vermont Interagency Council on Homelessness. She had previously chaired the State Affordable Housing Coalition, Vermont Protection and Advocacy Board, and the Board of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. She also served on the Westminster Planning Commission. She was an activist, an advocate, a leader, a teacher, a mother, a grandmother, and a friend. She loved her regular swimming, her church activities, and time in the woods of Westminster West. She was a skilled skier since childhood, a love she passed along to all of her children. Her incredible work ethic was matched only by her generosity and commitment to helping those in need. She was an amazing woman who gave selflessly to all those around her. Amongst her many great accomplishments, those she was most proud of were her children. While her life's work was for those without a voice, her greatest joy was in being a mother. Memorial information: Funeral services were held on March 10 at the First Baptist Church. Donations to Brattleboro Area Drop In Center, 60 South Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Dennis Butchko, 65, of Wilmington. Died March 3 after a long battle with cancer. Husband of Betty Butchko. Father of Amy Butchko. Sister of Janet Petrucci of Dallas. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the son of Margaret (Kotulk) and the late Stephen Butchko, he graduated from Nutley High School in New Jersey and attended Windham College in Putney, graduating in 1968 with a degree in Psychology. He went on to earn a master's in School Administration in 1974, and later earned a certificate of advanced graduate study in administration and planning in 1987. He was the teaching principal at Halifax Elementary School from 1968 to 1971. From 1971 to 1987, he was the teaching principal at Readsboro Central School. He then went back into the classroom full time in 1987 as a seventh- and eighth-grade teacher, until his retirement in 2008. Teaching and helping his students meant a great deal to him and he had a great impact on many of his former student's lives. He was an active member of the Deerfield Valley community for many years. He belonged to the Wilmington Lion's Club, served on the zoning board, and was a member of the Rotary Club. He also volunteered at Mount Snow as an ambassador for more than 20 years. He enjoyed every season, as a passionate skier, an ardent fly fisherman, a hunter, gardener, and watercolorist. He was constantly working in his yard, and appreciated nature in all manifestations. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 7 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Wilmington. Donations be made to either the Dennis Butchko Scholarship Fund via the Rotary Club of the Deerfield Valley, or to Hospice Services at Grace Cottage Hospital, in care of Covey & Allen Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Bernard P. “Bernie” Crosby, 82, of Brattleboro. Died March 8 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., the result of injuries he sustained after being struck by a motor vehicle near his Western Avenue home. Husband of Josephine “Josie” Rupprecht Crosby for more than 63 years. Father of Michael Crosby of Dalton, N.H., Steven Crosby of Westford, Priscilla Galaske of Brattleboro, Jean Weidman of Middlebury, and Mary Ann Lagerberg of Chesterfield, N.H. Brother of the late Joseph Crosby and Catherine Sherman. Born in Cranford, N.J., the son of the late Robert and Alice (Perry) Crosby, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro, graduating from Brattleboro High School. He served in the Navy during World War II and, following his honorable discharge, returned to Brattleboro. He had been employed as a production welder for Filtrine Manufacturing, retiring in 1995. Previously, he worked for many years at the former Crosby Milling Co. in Brattleboro. He was a member of the American Legion Brattleboro Post 5. In his younger years he was very athletic and excelled in basketball, softball and table tennis, coached Little League baseball, and had a passion for his Harley Davidson. He also enjoyed maple sugaring, hunting, fishing, and time shared with his family, especially his grandchildren. He looked forward to his daily walks with his dog Coco. He will be remembered for his gentle soul, incredible patience and being a loving family man. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 14 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Donations to St. Michael's School, 48 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, in care of Elaine Beam, principal, or to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Wilfred H. Deyo, Jr., 82, of West Brattleboro. Died March 5 at Springfield Health & Rehabiltation Center. Brother of Robert T. Deyo and his wife, Carolyn Blake-Deyo, of Springfield. Born in West Brattleboro, the son of the late Wilfred and Belle (Thayer) Deyo, he was a graduate of the West Brattleboro Academy and a 1949 graduate of Brattleboro High School, the last class to graduate from the old high school. He attended St. Joseph the Provider in Rutland and Bennington College in Bennington to become an English teacher at St. Michael's College. At St. Michael's, he helped create the English Language Lab. He also established the English Language Center in Wallingford. In his later years, he worked as a custodian at the Brattleboro Retreat. He loved to hunt and fish and was a very laid back guy whom everyone loved. He was a life member of the NRA and also a member of the VFW and American Legion in Brattleboro. Memorial information: Services will be held at the convenience of the family.
• Richard B. “Dick” Dowley, 87, of Newfane. Died March 8 at his home. Husband of Sandra Harrington Dowley for nearly 58 years. Father of Dick Dowley, Jr. and his wife, Margaret, of Brattleboro; Timothy Dowley and his wife Christine of Hinsdale, N.H.; and Lori Ethier and her husband, Rick, of Dummerston. Brother of Elizabeth Mecham of Springfield, Mass., and the late Kenneth and Bruce Dowley. Born in Worcester, Mass., the son of the late Kenneth and Olive (Bryant) Dowley, he attended Wilbraham Academy, later graduating from Choate, class of 1943. He enlisted in the Coast Guard during World War II, serving until his honorable discharge in 1946. Following his military service, he attended the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, earning an associate's degree in 1948. With his brother, he co-owned the Kenolie Dairy Farm on River Road. He later was employed at The Book Press in Brattleboro, retiring after 18 years of service. On a part-time basis, he worked for the county, mowing the Newfane Common and providing maintenance for the courthouse in Newfane. Active civically, he was an honorary member of the NewBrook Volunteer Fire Department, where he assisted with the construction of the original fire station, served as a selectman for seven years, and road commissioner for three years. He was sexton of Woodlawn Cemetery for many years, as well as serving as president of the association. He also served as chairman of the annual Heritage Festival for five years. He was a member of American Legion Post 5 and VFW Post 1034 in Brattleboro, and was a 20-year member of the Valley Lions Club. He was also a member of the Newfane Congregational Church, where he served as a deacon for 13 years and church trustee for six years. He enjoyed gardening, needlepoint, and in his later years, art. He loved the ocean and in his younger years he was an excellent skipper, winning many regattas sailing from Martha's Vineyard to Nantucket on the “So Long.” Memorial information: A memorial service was held March 12 at the Newfane Congregational Church. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at a later date. Donations to NewBrook Fire and Rescue, P.O. Box 77, Newfane, VT 05345 or to Newfane Congregational Church, Church Street, Newfane, VT 05345. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Henry L. Hood, M.D., 90, of Exeter, N.H. Died Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Exeter Hospital. Husband of Nancy Hood and the late Jane A. (Steady) Hood. Father of Craig A. Hood and his wife Amy Brnger of Portsmouth, N.H.; Nancy Hood and her husband, Tom Jamison, of Putney; Susan Hood of Keene, N.H.; and Michele Hood and her partner Deb Lukan of Keene. Brother of the late Harriot Booth, Mary Louise Harvey, Roxanna Tillotsen, and Paul Hood. Born in Springfield, Vt., the son of the late Roxie L. (Page) and Paul Kendall Hood, Sr., his family eventually settled in and around Laconia, N.H. where he graduated from high school in 1939. In 1943, he graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Accounting. After graduation, he served in the Army from 1943-46. He was a liaison pilot on the island of Leyte in the Phillipines. One of his tent mates was the battalion surgeon, who with military training suspended, conducted pediatric clinics at a primitive native hospital. Flying him to these clinics and witnessing the miracles he worked for these children inspired Dr. Hood to resume his previously abandoned goal of becoming a doctor. He graduated from Cornell Medical College in 1951, earning the Good Physician Award from his peers. He had originally planned to return to New England and work as a family practitioner, but instead developed an interest in neurosurgery and completed a residency in this specialty at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in 1957. He began his neurosurgical career in 1957 at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., where he founded the department of neurosurgery and served as its director until 1979. In 1974, on the basis of the medical staff's consensus, he was named president of the Geisinger Medial Center. He oversaw years of growth and change that resulted in a multi-institutional health system that was reorganized eventually into the Geisinger Health System Foundation. He served as chief executive officer until his retirement in 1991. He was beloved by patients and employees alike, and in 2008, was honored by the dedication of the Henry Hood Center for Health Research at Geisinger. In 1993, he returned to New England in order to live near his children and grandchildren. He was a phenomenally hard worker who was still able to find the time to encourage his children in the pursuit of their passions. He was good at just about everything he turned his attention to, and was an optimist who never complained, even during the long and difficult illness at the end of his life. Memorial information: Services were held at RiverWoods in Exeter on March 10. Donations to the C-S Genetics Fund, Geisinger Health System Foundation, 100 North Academy Ave., Danville, PA 17822-6019; the Jane Hood Memorial Scholarship Fund, 330 Pine St., Suite 400, Williamsport, PA 17701; Monadnock Family Services, 64 Main St., Keene, N.H. 03431; or The Benevolent Fund at RiverWoods, Exeter, N.H. 03833.
• Bessie May Ryan Irish, 94, of Essex Junction. Died March 8 at Birchwood Nursing Home in Burlington. Wife of the late Robert Irish for 62 years. Mother of Cynthia Badger and her husband, Michael, of Essex Junction; Adrian Irish and his wife, Karen, of Ferrisburgh; Jerry Irish, and his wife, Ginny, of Brattleboro; Dwight and his wife, Debbie of Monkton; Brian Irish of Brattleboro; and the late Michael Irish. Sister of the late Francis, Robert and Charles Ryan, Dorothy Baker, Jessie Webb, Marguerite Hemphill, Gladys Brooks, and an infant sister Marion. Born in Merrimac, Mass., she was the daughter of the late Basil and Bessie May (Deminie) Ryan. She was a member of the Vermont Old Cemetery Association. She retired from Williston Central School, where she was employed as a tutor for the learning disabled. Prior to that, she was employed at the Baird Center for children and as a nurses aide at the Mary Fletcher Hospital. Memorial information: Services were held March 12 at the United Church of Fairfax, with burial in the family lot in Fairfax Plains Cemetery. Donations to the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, in care of Tom Giffin, 61 East Washington St., Rutland, VT 05701.
• Albert Basil “Jerry” Jerard, 95, of West Brattleboro. Died March 6 at home. Husband of Lucille Clara Bristol for more than 72 years. Father of Albert III and his wife, Frances, of Chesterfield, N.H.; Robert and his wife, Charlene, of Durham, N.H.; Stephen and his wife, Renata, of Grapevine, Texas; Carolyn Jerard and husband, Craig Lawler, of Acworth, N.H.; Mary Kenny and husband, Matthew of East Burke; Deborah Jerard and husband, Roger Hirt, of Middlesex; and the late Paul Jerard. Brother of Carlton Haddad of Hamden, Conn.; Carolyn Barone of Upland, Calif.; Virginia McClure of Laguna Hills, Calif.; Margaret (Spaulding) Bascom of Acworth, N.H.; and the late Mary D. Haddad. Born in Haverhill, Mass., the son of the late Grace (Reed) and Albert Jerard, he grew up in Newport and Acworth, N.H., and graduated from Tilton School before attending Bates College and graduating from the University of Vermont in 1939. He was employed as a salesman by Real Silk Hosiery Co. in Elmira, N.Y., and then as a draftsman at Fellows Gearshaper in Springfield during World War II, before moving to Brattleboro in 1947. He was a Certified Life Underwriter for New York Life Insurance Co., and served a year as president of the Vermont life underwriters. He was active in the community as a member of the Kiwanis Club, and served as a Brooks Memorial Library trustee. In retirement, he spent many happy hours going to auctions, flea markets, and yard sales. His interests included fountain pens, postcards, collector plates, and his informal lawn mower sales and repair business. He co-authored a book on milk bottles from Vermont and New Hampshire dairies, and attended pen and bottle shows from Los Angeles to Philadelphia well into his 80s. He was a philosopher who loved a good discussion (and telling a good joke), and had a lively interest in and knowledge of many things, from mechanics to politics. He had been a member of the First Congregational Church (UCC) and, in the 1950s, he was a devoted member of the First Church of Christ Scientist and remained a seeker of truth all his life. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m., at First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro. A reception will follow the service to be held in the church fellowship hall. Donations to Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Frank Ellsworth Jones II, 92, of Grafton. Died Feb. 16 at Vernon Advent Christian Home. Husband of the late Dolores Meissner-Proctor and the late Ruby Evelyn Remick. Father of Laura Elaine Berglund, Frank Ellsworth Jones III, Genevieve Gallagher, Marcy Ellsworth Jones and the late Frank Ellsworth Jones IV. Brother of the late Ernestine Stewart. Born in Grafton, the son of the late Marcellus (Bill) Ellsworth Jones and Laura Ruth Prouty, he attended Chester High School, but left to start work early. In his early days, he worked in the woods in logging camps. He also for a time worked in the machine shops in Springfield. As he was so independent, he had to work for himself and therefore started a small machinery/construction business in Grafton. Ultimately, he became head of maintenance for The Windham Foundation for the remainder of his working years. He was also road commissioner in Grafton for many years and was a Forest Fire Warden for several decades. He very much enjoyed teaching hunter safety classes. He had a great passion for guns and hunting and knew virtually every inch of ground in the township of Grafton. He enjoyed bird hunting with friends and family. In later years, he enjoyed deer hunting at camp, especially with some of his grandchildren. He was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a collector of Winchester rifles. The true love of his life was Grafton. He enjoyed playing trumpet and cornet in the Grafton Cornet Band. He was considerate of those in town who were less fortunate and would plow their driveways or help them however they needed it without charge. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held at the Houghtonville Cemetery on May 5 at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow at noon at the Chapel in Grafton. Donations to the Grafton Church, the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department, and the Vernon Advent Christian Home.
• Sandra L. Lanou, 62, of Bellows Falls. Died March 7 at Springfield Hospital after a long battle with ALS. Mother of James Lanou and his wife, Bethany, Joe Lanou, Mickey Leitgeb, and Jackie Lanou. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of the late Robert Leitgeb and Phyllis Gadreault, she was a 1967 graduate of Bellows Falls High School and attended the Community College of Vermont. She worked at 5C Day Care, Southeastern Vermont Community Action, Buffum's supermarket, and was employed at Sonnax for the past 10 years. She enjoyed NASCAR, going to the beach, playing scratch tickets, Bingo, and Texas Hold 'em, and watching her children race cars. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 13 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls. Donations to ALS Guardian Angels, 33761 Limerick Lane, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675.
• Carolyn E. Moon, 84, of Shelburne, formerly of West Brattleboro. Died Feb. 26 at Wake Robin retirement community in Shelburne. Wife of the late Bernard C. Moon. Sister of the late Leete Eckstrom. Aunt of Alison Ekstrom of Annapolis, Md., and Robin Ekstrom of Putney. Born in Brattleboro on Dec. 16, 1927, after her grandfather braved an epic drive on washed-out roads to rescue her pregnant mother, Helen P. Ekstrom, and her brother from Montpelier during the epic 1927 flood. In 1945, she graduated from Brattleboro High School, where she played trumpet in the school band. She enjoyed learning printing in the high school diversified industries course and worked at Shaw Press. She was admitted to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where she earned a scholarship and graduated with honors in 1947, the only woman in her class. For many years, her cars sported the license plate “RIT 47.” At age 20, she was featured in the Brattleboro Reformer as the youngest woman in New England to be a print shop foreman, at Middlebury College. RIT recruited her in 1949 to teach printing and mechanical arts. Returning veterans were, in her words, “a rough bunch of guys who looked out for” their young female teacher. In 1949, Case-Hoyt Printers in Rochester hired her and she worked there for 23 years as assistant director of mechanical arts and assistant director of sales. Her specialty was fine-tuning printed color to match originals, including Andy Warhol and other living artists who were quite particular about the final product. In 1977, she was awarded the nationally recognized Graphic Arts Prize for her work with Betsy Wyeth on the book “Wyeth at Kuerners” by Betsy James Wyeth and Andrew Wyeth. She also used her mechanical skills to build her own furniture and an early Hi-Fi stereo. In late 1976, Carolyn returned to Brattleboro, and married her high school friend, Bernard. After “retiring,” she enjoyed friends and golf, and putting up several buildings with her mother. Later, she worked devotedly taking care of her mother, her mother's great friend, two aging aunts, and her husband after he was severely injured in a traffic accident. For 12 years, as a member of the First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro, she spent a considerable amount of time building dollhouses and furniture and making HO train layouts as fundraisers for their annual Christmas bazaar. In May 2009, she chose to move to Wake Robin, where she loved to play pool, and became a member of the “Sawdust Sisterhood.” As one of the sisters, she enjoyed time in the woodworking shop building park benches, four toy barns for Shelburne Museum, and sailboat whirligigs. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at the First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro on Saturday, March 17 at 1 p.m. A reception at the same location will follow; all are welcome. By her request, she will be interred in a private service at Meetinghouse Hill cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353.
• Francis “Kevin” O'Connor, 78, of Newport, N.H. Died March 2 at New London (N.H.) Hospital. Husband of Jean Ryan O'Connor for 58 years. Father of Anne Chapman and her husband, Russell, of Lyndonville; Linda O'Connor of Newport; Sean O'Connor and his wife, Teri, of St. Johnsbury; and Erin Gyles and her husband, Bruce, of Newport. Brother of the late Claire Heise and Terry Longe. Born in Brattleboro, the son of the late Michael and Annie (Ryan) Connors, he attended St. Michael's High School and served in the Navy from 1951 to 1954 aboard the destroyer USS Hawkins. He worked at the Book Press and American Strafford in Brattleboro for 27 years, and then worked 11 years as a security guard at Vermont Yankee, retiring in 1992. He was a member of the BPOE in Brattleboro, and enjoyed bowling and golfing with his son. Mostly, he loved spending time with his wife and children. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro on March 6. Donations to St. Patrick/St. Joachim Church, 32 Beech St., Newport, NH 03773, or St. Michael's School, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, in care of Elaine Bean, principal.
• John E. “Jack” Rooney, 84, of Bellows Falls. Died March 3 at the VA Hospital in White River Junction. Brother of Larry Rooney of Newport, Vt., and the late Thomas, James and Bernard Rooney. Brother in-law of Millicent Rooney of Weybridge. Born in Schenectady, N.Y., the son of the late Waldo T. Rooney and Irene C. Shanley. He grew up in Newport, attending then Eastside Elementary and Newport High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He served in the Navy during World War II, and attended St. Michael's College under the G.I. Bill until enlisting in the Air Force during the Korean War. After serving his country, he worked for a number of years with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company in Hartford, Conn. In 1970, he moved to Bellows Falls, where he became part-owner of the Meatland nightclub. He later became steward and bartender at the American Legion. Very easy going, witty and warm hearted, he enjoyed golfing, watching thoroughbred racing, trips to his native Ireland and being an active member of the American Legion, Elks Club, and the Polish American Club in Bellows Falls where he had many close friends. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 12 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls, with burial in Oak Hill Cemetery in Bellows Falls.
• Alfred L. “Skip” Root, 93, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 29. Former husband of Martha (Gilson) Root. Father of Peter Root and his wife, Jaclyn, of Guilford; Delia Zagoreos and her husband, Anthony, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Diane Gerry and her husband, Glenn, of Hinsdale, N.H. Brother of Albert and Donald Root, Delia Hamblin, Sylvia Ogsbury, Ilene Bridges, and Erma Crowell. Son of the late Adolphus and Olivine (Nadeau) Root, he was the third child in a family of 10 - five girls and five boys - he attended a one-room schoolhouse thru eighth grade in Halifax, before moving to Brattleboro in the late 1930s and living there for more than 73 years. He served in the Army as a mechanic assigned to the Signal Corps in Germany during World War II and was honorably discharged. After the war, he went into the trucking business. He started in a partnership with Earl Grover and one truck, but soon bought out Grover's share. He owned and operated A.L. Root Transportation, Inc., a lumber hauler serving points in New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Quebec. He retired at the age of 75. In his retirement, he enjoyed antique clocks and toys, both of which he had very keen knowledge. He also enjoyed dancing at the singles clubs in Keene, N.H. and watching baseball games. He was a very good storyteller about his early days in Halifax, Brattleboro, and the war. He loved attending the Root annual family reunion. He was a member of American Legion, Brattleboro Post 5. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, March 24, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. A private burial will follow in the spring. Donations to the Brain Injury Association of Vermont, P.O. Box 482, Waterbury, VT 05676. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Feb. 24, 2012, a son, Gavin Robert Krahn, to Courtney (Giknis) and Benjamin Krahn of Saxtons River; grandson to Robert Giknis, Laura St. George, and Mary Krahn.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Feb. 20, 2012, a son, Korbin Michael Tkaczyk, to Michael and Erin Tkaczyk of Guilford; grandson to Michael Tkaczyk Jr. of Guilford, Cindy Symons of Brattleboro, Tom and Joan Redin of Marlborough, N.H., and Daniel Hescock of Wardsboro; great-grandson to Glennis Hescock of Wardsboro and Joann Liller of Stratton.
• In Burlington (Fletcher Allen Hospital), Feb. 15, 2012, a son, Oliver Allan Cady, to Jenny (Sands) and Jacob Cady of Westford.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Feb. 8, 2012, a daughter, Meadow Ismay Sanderson, to Jennifer (Young) and Michael Sanderson of Putney; granddaughter to William and Elizabeth Young and Michael P. Sanderson and Janice Walker.
College news
• The following local students were named to the Fall 2011 Dean's List at Vermont Technical College: Julia A. Deuso of Hinsdale, N.H.; Aimee M. Streeter of Bellows Falls; Hannah R. Curtin of Brattleboro; Holly J. Meyer of Brookline; Eric Bliznak of Guilford; Nicole D. Martinez of Jacksonville; Mindy A. Ellis and Margaret A. Ogden of Putney; and James P. Follett and Thomas J. Manton of Wilmington. Jessica J. Thomson of West Dover was named to the school's President's List.
Awards
• Peter “Fish” Case of WKVT Radio in Brattleboro was honored recently by the New England division of the American Cancer Society with the 2012 Sandra C. Labaree Volunteer Values Award. Case, who created the “Hope on the Slopes” fundraiser at Mount Snow and was co-chair of the Windham County Relay for Life, was one of five Vermont volunteers to receive the award.