Obituaries
• Edwina “Nan” Fletcher deMoulpied, 80, of Colonie, N.Y. Died April 24 at Ellis Hospital after a brief illness. Wife of David K. deMoulpied. Mother of Jeffrey deMoulpied, Melinda Budnowski and David deMoulpied. Sister of Dana Fletcher, Edwin Fletcher, Jr., Jane Whiting and the late Merrill Fletcher. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late Edwin E. and Marie (Stafford) Fletcher, she was a 1950 graduate of Brattleboro High School and devoted 25 years to Russell Sage College in Troy, N.Y. She managed the Russell Sage post office and also worked the college library. Noontimes in downtown Troy included hikes of the “Lunch Bunch” from Sage. Her interests ran the gamut from golf to gardening, but she especially enjoyed reading, visiting beaches on Cape Cod, and her family, especially her grandchildren. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a date and time to be determined. Donations to the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave., Menands, NY 12204 or the Regional Food Bank, 965 Albany Shaker Rd., Latham, NY 12110.
• Diana E. Deni, 98, formerly of Hinsdale, N.H. Died April 20 in Winchester, N.H. Wife of the late Michael “The Popcorn Man” Deni for 52 years. She was born in Holyoke, Mass., the daughter of Frederick and Delina (Gaumont) LaFerrier. Together with her husband, she co-owned and operated an ice cream business, Leslies Store in Orange, Mass. She also had worked in sales at Fair Store in Holyoke, Mass., and the Cinderella Kiddie Shop in Springfield, Mass. She moved to Hinsdale in 1976. She lived her life with faith, hope, and gentleness. She was a devout Catholic and member of the Catholic Daughters. Her hobbies included embroidery, crochet, and piano. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held April 27 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Winchester, N.H., with graveside committal services and interment in St. Jerome Catholic Cemetery in Holyoke, Mass.
• Gerald Owen Ethier, 80, of Chester. Died April 20 after a brief illness. Husband of the late Ruth (Pickford) Ethier and Georgia (Dinger) Ethier. Father of Gary, Michael, Gregg, Lynn, Lori, and Kim Ethier, and the late Glenn Either. Stepfather of Casey and Brandon Blust. Brother of Stephen Ethier. Born in Winchendon, Mass., he worked many years at Merlex Stucco in Orange, Calif., and after retirement, moved to Washington State and then to Vermont. He loved his family and enjoyed the many family gatherings, gardening, and dancing to Big Band and rock and roll music. He also loved to travel. Memorial information: A memorial service was held April 28 at the Chester First Baptist Church, with burial in North Street Cemetery in Chester. Donations to Chester-Andover Family Center, P.O. Box 302, Chester, VT 05143.
• Lois Mary Rivers Fanning, 81, of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Brattleboro. Died April 22. Wife of David S. Fanning for 58 years. Mother of Sandra Pistolich and her husband, Milan; Michael Fanning and his wife, Rebecca; Douglas Fanning and his wife, Chrissy; and Charles Fanning and his wife, Dee. Brother of the late William Rivers. Born in Montpelier, daughter of the late William and Marry Rivers, she graduated from Brattleboro High School with honors in 1948, and from Castleton State College in 1952. She was an elementary school teacher at Canal Street School. She has been a resident of St. Petersburg since 1958. She was a member of St. Jude's Catholic Church and the Dixieland Jazz Society. She was the owner and manager of Northeast Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe from 1975 to 1996. She loved to be with her family, travel, and attend jazz music festivals. She enjoyed dancing, golfing, and being at the beach. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held April 28 at St. Jude's Cathedral Chapel in St. Petersburg. Donations to Hospice, Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Society's Scholarship Fund, or a charity of your choice in her name.
• Albert Bligh Hall, 92, of Brattleboro. Died April 23 after a period of declining health at Thompson House, where he had been a resident since 2007. Husband of the late Lousia Gallop Tracy for 15 years, and the late Marie Pike Thomas for 21 years. Former husband of Dorothy Hughes. Father of Willard Hall and his wife, Faye, of Evington, Va., and the late Stephen Hall. Brother of the late Vera Gagnon. Born in Brattleboro, the son of the late Willard Franklin Hail and Louise Teller Halt Albert, he graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1938 and graduated from Northeastern University in 1943. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Marine Corps from 1942 until 1946 as a first lieutenant. His duty stations included the Marshall Islands, Okinawa, and Japan. He received a Purple Heart for being wounded in action at Okinawa. After the war, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, and eventually retired as a major. He served with the Brattleboro Police Department for nearly 28 years, retiring as a sergeant in 1982. He spent many years as a part-time gunsmith and also worked part-time at Galanes. His hobbies included woodchuck hunting, snowmobiling, woodworking, and clocks. One project he was very proud of was repairing the clock on Main Street after it was struck by a car. Memorial information: A graveside service with full military honors will be held at the West Cemetery on Poor Road in Chesterfield, N.H. on Saturday, May 5, at 11 a.m.
• Doris Irene “Dot” Jack, 92, of Brattleboro. Died April 26 at Pine Heights Nursing Home following a period of declining health. Former wife of James B. Jack. Mother of James L. Jack and wife, Opal, of Springfield, Vt., and the late Carole Worden. Sister of Beverly Hanson of Brattleboro, and the late Prentice Putnam and Maxine Andrews. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late Lee and Treva (Roush) Putnam, she was raised and educated in Saxtons River and attended Bellows Falls High School. Prior to moving to Brattleboro she had resided in Bellows Falls, Saxtons River and Springfield. She was employed as a department supervisor in the registration department at the Holstein-Friesian Association, retiring in 1984 following 34 faithful years with the company. She was a communicant of St. Michael's Catholic Church and had been a member of the American Legion Post 5 Auxiliary. She loved her family and cherished time spent with them. Known for being a strong willed and independent person, she enjoyed history and following politics both local and on a national level. Memorial information: A funeral service was held May 1 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in Saxtons River Cemetery. Donations to the Pine Heights Nursing Home Activities Fund, 187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Helen Theresa Kawaky, 97, of Bellows Falls. Died April 24 at Springfield Health & Rehabilitation Center. Wife of the late John Carrol Kawaky for 30 years. Mother of John Kawaky of Westminster. Sister of the late Josephine, Joseph, Cheslof, and Mitchell Prokulewicz, and the late Rose Perham and Mary Nowak.Born in Cavendish, the daughter of Antoni and Mary (Antoniewicz) Prokulewicz, she attended Mount St. Joseph Academy in Rutland. She was employed at Robinson Paper Company in Bellows Falls for more than 50 years, was a founding member of the Ladies of the Bellows Falls Moose Lodge, and loyal member of the Polish American Club, VFW and Sacred Heart Parish. She loved to Polka dance and cook. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held April 28 at St. Peter's Church in North Walpole, N.H., with burial in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Westminster.
• Erminie Elsie Marsh, 83, of Greenfield, Mass. Died April 16. Wife of Howard Marsh. Former wife of Malcolm “Pete” Chapin. Mother of Emma Elias Michaels, Leslie Hensen, Richard Chapin, Kenneth Marsh and the late Terrance Chapin. Stepmother of Richard Marsh. Sister of Beverly Interlande, Natalie Gray, and the late Shirley, Adelbert, and Charles Gerry. Born in Walpole, N.H., the twin daughter of the late Bert and Minnie Gerry, her family soon moved to Dummerston, where she grew up. She attended Brattleboro High School and began working at Sam's Department Store in Brattleboro in 1944, and continued there for 32 years while also caring for her family and following other pursuits. With Mr. Marsh, they owned and ran the Green Door Restaurant in Brattleboro from 1965 until 1973. In 1987, she moved to Greenfield to be near her twin sister Beverly, and she worked at Wilson's Department Store until she retired in 1998. She loved playing Scrabble with Bev, playing cards, gardening, puzzles, reading, television, occasional trips to the casino, and spending time with her family and her cat, Cassie. She had a creative and lively mind, a determined spirit, a generous nature and a kind and loving heart. Memorial information: A celebration of her life is scheduled on Saturday, May 5, from 3 to 6 p.m., at All Soul's Unitarian Universalist Church in Greenfield. Donations to either Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 1414 Physicians Drive, Wilmington, NC 28401, or to Hospice of Franklin County, 329 Conway St., Suite 2 Greenfield, MA 01301.
• Nathalie E. Nelson, 98, of Walpole, N.H. Died April 22 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Wife of the late Edward Nelson. Mother of Tim Nelson and his wife, Mary, of Leesburg, Fla., and the late Marguerite Nelson. Sister of the late William, Catherine, Alice, Dorothy, Anna, and Adriane Delaney. Born in North Walpole, N.H., the daughter of the late William and Hannah (Beasley) Delaney, she was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School. She worked for Alfred Killeen Law Office, Whitney Blake, and Brennan Weldment. She was a member of the Walpole Senior Citizens and the Altar Rosary Society at St. Peter's Church. She was a communicant of St. Peter's Church and was always very active in her faith. She was very active in Democratic Party politics and was supervisor of the check list in North Walpole. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held April 30 at St. Peter's Church in North Walpole, with burial in St. Peter's Cemetery. Donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Rd., 2nd Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, or to New England Kurn Hattin Homes, P.O. Box 127, Westminster, VT 05158.
• Ervin D. Price Jr., 70, of Whitingham. Died April 24 at Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Mass. Husband of Toni (Burdick) Price. Father of Amy Reynolds and Jessica Betit of Whitingham, and Jason Chasse of Brattleboro. Stepfather of Dennis Burdick and Jamie Gore, both of Texas. Brother of Ron Price of New Iberia, La.; James Price and Jerry Price, both of Conway, Mass.; Carol James of Swanzey, N.H.; Linda Baker of Greenfield; and the late Dennis Price. Born in Greenfield, the son of the late Ervin D. and Gertrude (Hocumb) Price Sr., he grew up in Conway, where he attended local schools. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War. In earlier years, he worked as a farmer. Later, he worked at Mayhew Steel Products in Shelburne Falls, Mass. With his love of farming and the outdoors, he enjoyed being in his fields with his dogs whenever he could. He loved spending time with his family and friends in the fields. He also enjoyed bird watching and looking out for his favorite, the cardinal. Memorial information: An informal remembrance service was held at his property on Kentfield Road on April 28. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Johnnie Ray “Pops” Shaffer, 66, of Port St John, Fla. Died April 25. Husband of Ann Shaffer for 42 years. Father of Johnnie Jr., Rusty, Paul, Janet and Renae. Predeceased by a son, Travis. Born in Pie, W.Va., the son of John Guy and Madeline (Jones) Shaffer, he grew up in Bellows Falls, Vt. and moved to Port St. John in 1988. He was a member of American Legion Post 37 in Bellows Falls and the First United Methodist Church in Port St. John. He drove tractor trailer trucks coast to coast and received many safety awards. He also had his own body shops, and specialized in custom work using his hands to mold and shape metals into one-of-a-kind vehicles. Memorial information: A funeral service was held April 27 at the First United Methodist Church in Port St. John.
College news
• Four local students were recognized for their academic achievements at Vermont Technical College's annual Student Honors Convocation on April 12. Julia A. Dueso of Hinsdale, N.H., and Krishna D. Flanders of Brattleboro were elected to Phi Theta Kappa. Brittney A. Gendreau of Guilford was elected to the Sigma Phi Alpha Honor Society, and Mindy A. Ellis of Putney was elected to Tau Alpha Pi.
• Aaron Bos-Lun of Westminster, son of Michelle and Ron Bos-Lun, will graduate this month from Wheaton College with honors. His Bachelor of Arts degree includes a double major in Political Science and History and double minor in African and African Diaspora Studies and European History.
• Evan Gloeckner, a senior from West Dover, received Digital Film Making's Most Excellent Producer Award from Champlain College's Division of Communication and Creative Media during a recent awards dinner honoring students for outstanding efforts within their field of study over the past academic year.
Honors
• The Brattleboro Lodge of Freemasons installed officers for 2012-13. Immediate Past Master Robert Baldauf presided over the installation with the assistance of Most Worshipful Past Grand Master of Vermont Masons Brian Carley serving as installing Marshal.
Lodge officers are Worshipful Master Ron Nichols, Senior Deacon Jeff Anderson, Chaplin Phillip Bailey, Treasurer Ed Morse, Secretary Gerry Bitner-Taylor, Senior Warden Brent LaDeau, and Junior Warden Jon Hall.