Obituaries
• Richard Eugene “Dick” Barrett, 67, of Brattleboro. Died May 11 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in White River Junction. Former husband of Irene Bukowski and Lois Golec. Father of Tanya Barrett of Hinsdale, N.H., and Patty Ann Kirker of Florida. Stepfather of Shawn Golic of Windham, Maine. Brother of Russell Barrett, currently a resident at Harborside-Applewood Healthcare in Winchester, N.H, and the late Ubie and Freddie Barrett. Born in Keene, N.H., the son of the late Howard and Ella (Brown) Barrett, he was raised and educated in Winchester, and was a graduate of Thayer High School. He went on to serve in the Army during the Vietnam War. He was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service and Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and was designated as a sharpshooter. He was discharged from active service in October 1971. He had been employed at C.E. Bradley Labs in Brattleboro for many years, retiring in 2009. Previously, he had worked for Lawrence Leather in Winchester. He was a life member of the VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034, serving on the house committee, and was active for many years in the color guard and joint memorial unit, which performs military honors at funeral services. He also was very active with Post 1034's weekly Bingo program. He also enjoyed bowling and time shared with his family, especially his grandchildren. Memorial information: A graveside committal services with full military honors was conducted May 16 at Locust Ridge Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034, Black Mountain Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Frederick Norwood Bement, 78, of Jamaica. Died May 16 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro, following a long illness. Husband of Antoinette McCune Kennedy for 34 years. Former husband of Paula Bement. Father of Ted, John, Mark, and the late Christopher Bement. Stepfather of Brian, Peter, John, and Andrew Kennedy. Brother of Nancy Chase, Sally Luongo, Margaret Walsh, and Dick Bement. Born in Middletown, N.Y., the son of the late Olive Evelyn (Dickerson) and Henry Norwood Bement, he graduated Pine Bush High School (1952), SUNY-Oneonta (1956), and Columbia University (M.S., 1959; Ed.D, 1967), He was a teacher and school administrator in New York State, and became the energetic and innovative Superintendent of Pine Bush Central School District from 1969 until 1980, and Shelter Island Union Free School District from 1980 through 1986. He also taught as an adjunct professor at New York University, Cannisus College, and SUNY-New Paltz. Upon his retirement in 1986, he moved Jamaica, and held positions at Stratton Mountain and was a licensed real estate broker. He was an active member of the Jamaica Community Church, and served in various capacities, including chairman of the Church Board. He served on the Jamaica Village School Board. He enjoyed cooking, golf, poker, and good jokes. He raised steers, bet on the horses at Saratoga, and played Backgammon in Monte Carlo. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held during the summer. His ashes will be interred at the Pleasant View Cemetery in Jamaica. Donations to the Jamaica Community Church, P.O. Box 287, Jamaica, VT 05343.
• Mayda J. Berg, 63, of Vernon, Died May 16 of cancer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Husband of Leslie “Les” Berg for 42 years. Mother of Christopher Berg and his fiancee, Sherie Lewis of Dummerston, and Emily Vergobbe and her husband, Adam, of Vernon. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Michael and Carolina (Wrobel) Jasienowski, she was raised and educated in Hinsdale, N.H. She was the Salutatorian of the Class of 1967 at Hinsdale High School, where she was also a member of the National Honor Society. She went on to attend Woodbury Associates, where she received her certificate as a paralegal. She worked as a paralegal from 1976 to 1981 for the law firm of Kristensen, Cummings, Murtha & Stewart in Brattleboro. She later worked as a para-educator in the Brattleboro area schools including Vernon Elementary, St. Michael's School, and Academy School in West Brattleboro. She retired in 2005. She enjoyed painting and puzzles, along with motorcycling, traveling, and dancing with her husband. She loved gardening and earned her certificate designating her as a Master Gardener through the University of Vermont Extension. She was a longtime member of the Girl Scouts of America and served as a troop leader in Vernon. She was also a proud member of the Red Hat Society. A devout Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held May 23 at St. Michael's Catholic Church, with burial in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donation to the Dartmouth-Hitchock Norris Cotton Center, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756-0001 or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Pauline Gero Derosia, 83, of Brattleboro. Died May 13 at her home. Wife of James A. Derosia and the late Alfred J. Gero Sr. Mother of Joy Bellville of Guilford; Alfred J. Gero Jr. and his wife, Cindy, of Winchester, N.H.; Ann Kristolaitis and her husband, Arnold, of Winchester; Henry Gero and his wife, Ellen, of Hinsdale, N.H.; Paul Gero and his wife, Norma, of Brattleboro; and the late Dolph J. Gero and Kathy Gero Taylor. Sister of David Johnson of Hinsdale, N.H. Born in Holyoke, Mass., the daughter of Ernest and Pauline Steenbruggen Johnson, she was raised and educated in Vernon, and later graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1946. She worked at H. Margolin and at the Holstein Association for 27 years before she took early retirement to care for her ailing husband, Alfred. After his death, she went to work at The Whistle Stop in Vernon, Sandri's Farm Store in Brattleboro, and Subway in West Brattleboro. She was a member of the VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034 Ladies Auxiliary in Brattleboro. She enjoyed life, family, gardening and reading. Memorial information: A celebration of her life was held on May 19 at VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034. Donations to either to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Association.
• Howard N. Dunn, 88, of Brattleboro, formerly of Spofford, N.H. Died May 12 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H., following a period of declining health. Husband of the late Mabel (Parsons) Coombs for nearly 44 years. Stepfather of David Coombs and his wife, Charlotte, of Vernon, and the late Barbara Orr. Brother of Melba Osgood of Wethersfield, Conn.; Lawrence Dunn of Charlton, Mass.; and the late Maurice and Aaron Dunn and four sisters: Lena, Mildred, Theresa and Bernice. Born in Westfield, Vt., the son of the late Daniel and Linda (Whipple) Dunn. He attended school in North Troy, and worked on the family farm up until the time it was sold. With his family, he moved to Brattleboro in 1952. He went to work at Woodward Lumber in Brattleboro for eight years until the death of Sheiryl Woodward and, while employed at the mill, served as vice-president of its union. He later worked at the former C.F. Church Company in Brattleboro and the former Book Press where he served as vice-president and president of their union. He retired from the Book Press in 1986 after 26 years with the company. During his retirement he worked on a part-time basis for McClay's Market on Park Avenue in Keene, and later as an associate for the Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. He was a past member of the Keene Moose Club and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Brattleboro Aerie #2445. A devout Catholic, he was a communicant of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Keene, where he served as an usher. He enjoyed attending auctions, collecting antique clocks, crackle glass, Shelley dishes and Hummels. He also enjoyed dancing and country and western music. He played baseball in his youth, and was an avid Boston Red Sox fan. He was very proud of his Irish heritage and his ancestors that included William Whipple, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He enjoyed socializing and was known for his spirit of friendship. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was celebrated on May 18 at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Keene, with burial in Chesterfield West Cemetery. Donations to The Gathering Place, 30 Terrace St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Nadia B. Kondrat, 92, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died May 13 at her home due to complications of Alzheimer's disease. Wife of the late Edward Kondrat for 49 years. Mother of Raymond Kondrat of Morristown, N.Y., Paul Kondrat of Hinsdale, and the late Michelyn A. Kerby. Sister of the late Raymond and Theodore Beruk; and the late Olga Lindholm. Born in Hinsdale, the daughter of the late John and Barbara (Kozyra) Beruk, she was educated in Hinsdale, graduating as Salutatorian of the class of 1936 from Hinsdale High School. During the 1940's, with her husband, she resided in Springfield, Mass. before moving back to Hinsdale at the close of World War II. She then resided in the home that her father built in 1948. She was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a Postmaster for the Hinsdale Post Office, retiring in 1980 following 33 years of service. A devout Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hinsdale, where she was also a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, cooking, entertaining, and time spent with her family. She also enjoyed traveling and visited several countries, including Russia on three separate occasions. Memorial information: Graveside committal rites were May 19 in St. Joseph's Cemetery, where she was laid to rest next to her husband. Donations to the Monadnock Humane Society, P.O. Box 678, Swanzey, NH 03469. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Philex David “Butch” LaFlam, 67, formerly of Brattleboro. Died April 8 in Midway, Ga., after a long illness, on his 67th birthday. Husband of the the late Penelope (Whitmore) Dube) for 31 years. Former husband of Kathleen (Slicer) Sherwin. Father of Brian LaFlam of Midway, Ga.; Kimberly and husband, Herbert Scott, of Bellows Falls; Dennis and wife Nancy LaFlam of Canton, Ohio; Timothy and wife Tracy LaFlam of Winterville, Ga.; and Shane and wife Kristi LaFlam of Colbert, Fla. Brother of Barbara Grover of Holyoke Mass.; Dolores and husband, John Breen of Santa Fe, N.M.; Tom LaFlam of Palm Harbor Fla.; Beverly and husband Donald Farrington of Crofton K.Y.; and Leslie and wife Nancy LaFlam of Aripeka, Fla. Born in Brattleboro, the son of the late Henry “Tom” and Ruth (Gilson) LaFlam, he attended Brattleboro schools, then enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1962. He then continued his military career by going on active duty in the Army. He served in Armor units in Korea and Germany, as well as stateside. After 27 years of service, he retired at the rank of First Sergeant in 1989. After retirement, he made many close friends working at a KOA campground in the Savannah, Ga., area. He always enjoyed the outdoors, caring for his pets, gardening and visiting with family and friends. He will be remembered for his kind and generous heart and his joy in life. Memorial information: Graveside services were held in Midway, Ga. Donations to the charity of one's choice.
• Surat Nuenoom, 48, formerly of Bellows Falls. Died March 16 in Ohio. Husband of Claire Laliberte for more than 15 years. Father of Kassandra Maxfield of Bellows Falls. Stepfather of Angel Wildes of Jacksonville, Fla., Angela Potavin of Goffstown, N.H., and Elizabeth Villemaire of Manchester, N.H. Brother of Yupin Tobin. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, son of the late Samboon and Payuen (Wountei) Nuenoom, he attended schools in Bellows Falls. He joined the Air Force in 1982 and was honorably discharged in 1992. He attended the University of Maryland and Western New England College. He worked for Werner Enterprises, MacSteel, and KBR in support of U.S. forces in the Middle East. At the time of his death, he was an owner-operator of Quality Carriers in Albany, N.Y. He enjoyed traveling, reading, and fishing but, most of all, he loved spending time with his family. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held May 18 at St. Charles Catholic Church in Bellows Falls, with burial at a later date in Berryville, Va. Donations to the Presentation of Mary, in care of Sister Jeanne Perreault, Rivier College, 420 South Main St., Nashua, NH 03060, to be used for an orphanage in the Philippines.
• Robbie P. Robinson, 61, of East Dummerston. Died of cancer on May 17 at his home. Husband of Jerrine “Bitsy” Kelley for 31 years. Father of Tina M. Robinson of Thomasville, N.C. Brother of Butch Robinson of Dummerston and Sparkie Robinson and his wife, Pam, of Brattleboro. Born in Brattleboro, the son of Perle and Evelyn (Fletcher) Robinson, he grew up in Dummerston and attended Dummerston schools and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1969. After serving in the Air Force, he returned to the Brattleboro area, where he held various jobs over the years. He was most recently employed at the Aggregate Division of Cersosimo Industries Inc. He loved to hunt, and enjoyed the camaraderie and storytelling as much as the sport. He also enjoyed golf and was a member at Pine Grove Springs Country Club for several years. He was a member of the F.O.E. # 2445 and American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro. Memorial information: A memorial service at Dummerston Cemetery will be held for the family on a date that has yet to be determined. Donations to the American Cancer Society.
• Shalin Vaidya, 32, formerly of Brattleboro. Died May 13 in San Diego. Son of son of Pratima and and the late Subhash Vaidya. Brother of Kerav Vaidya and his wife, Dorothy, and Monica Vaidya and her partner, Nicholas Russell. Born in Toronto, Ont., the he grew up in Brattleboro, and attended Keene State College and Community College of Vermont. He was living in San Diego for the past few years, but had moved back to Brattleboro recently. He was a deeply curious soul seeking the mysteries of life. To that aim, he became an amateur astronomer, and deeply religious in Hindu spirituality. He attended a retreat at the Swamis Lotus temple in San Diego and was involved in several societies including the National Space Society, and the Astrophysics Society of UCSD. He enjoyed volunteerism, and spent time with military veterans in San Diego. Memorial information: A memorial service was held May 20 in Brattleboro. Donations to the National Space Society or Pupsquad.org for rescue dogs.
College news
• Lucas Annunziata, a Game Art and Animation major from South Londonderry, and Bonnie Bohan and Christina Meyer, Web Development and Design majors from Brattleboro, all received degrees from Champlain College in Burlington on May 5. Annunziata was also named to the Spring 2012 Dean's List.
• Jonathan S. Garland of Dummerston received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., on May 12.
• Alora Korb of Wilmington was one of 78 State University of New York-Oneonta undergraduate students honored as recipients of the college's 2011-2012 Best and Brightest awards at the college's annual Students of Distinction reception on May 9. The awards recognize students who demonstrate outstanding academic engagement, co-curricular engagement, and service to the college and/or local community.
• Bryce H. Bandish of East Dummerston was among nearly 60 students completed The Clarkson School Early College Program at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y. The program provides exceptional high school age students with a full academic year of residency-based interdisciplinary education, typically before they would have graduated high school. Bandish plans to continue at Clarkson, majoring in chemistry.
• Elizabeth M. Shuman of Brattleboro graduated from Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., on May 5.
• Leland Hayford of Wilmington was named to the dean's list for the Spring 2012 semester at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y.
School news
• Several area Vermont Academy students were inducted into the National Honor Society (NHS) in a ceremony held May 18 on the Saxtons River campus. Science department chair Donna Parkhurst-Ascher and English department chair Lorna Schilling, Vermont Academy's NHS sponsors, welcomed senior Jordan Wright (Dummerston), juniors Salty Pennington-Fitzgerald (Putney), Eamon O'Keefe (Walpole), and Mike Reilly (West Chesterfield, N.H.), and sophomores Molly Brennan (Saxtons River) and Rachel Therrien (Alstead, N.H.) into the society.
Awards
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital recently named George Lagro, RN, its 2012 Employee of the Year. During most of his 22 years with BMH, Lagro has primarily worked evenings and has been a night duty nurse since 2001. A native of Randolph, Lagro was originally hired as a nurse assistant in 1989 and obtained his LPN credential from the Thompson School during that time. He left BMH in 1992, then returned a year later and went on to get his RN degree from Vermont Technical College in 1994.
Lagro received multiple nominations from his colleagues for the honor. Danielle Piper wrote of his commitment to patients: “George humbly fulfills his duties to his patients with a generous spirit. The patient comes first and he is quick to respond to his patients' call lights each time they ring.” Angela Dubray, who works the same shift as Lagro, wrote: “George is a great team player and co-worker. When asked for help with something he never hesitates. Everyone wants to work with George.”