Obituaries
• Patricia A. Clark, 72, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died July 14 at her home. Wife of the late John H. Clark for nearly 40 years. Mother of Kevin Clark and his wife, Sharon, of Nottingham, N.H.; Michael Clark and his wife, Sally, of Greenfield, Mass.; and Kristen Clark of Hinsdale. Born in New York City, she moved to Valley Stream, L.I., with her family when she was in high school. She graduated from high school in 1957. With her husband, she moved to Whitingham in 1968. She often told stories of her first winter at the old schoolhouse they bought and how cold and homesick she was. The Clarks later moved to Hinsdale in 1980. Even though she came to love both Vermont and New Hampshire, she loved going back on visits to the “Big Apple.” Before moving to Vermont, she had worked for over 10 years in New York City. For the past 31 years, she worked in the Special Education Department at Brattleboro Union High School. Also, in 1984, she and her husband started Clark Landscaping. She loved being outdoors, enjoyed working in her flower gardens, and loved to travel. Every Christmas season, she worked with her husband and son making and decorating balsam wreaths. She especially enjoyed spending time with her beloved family and friends. Memorial information: A celebration of her life was held at her home on July 21. Donations to the Oncology Department at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Ruth M. Curtin, 87, a resident at Vernon Hall for the past three years, formerly of Brattleboro. Died July 17 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Wife of the late James Patrick Curtin for nearly 26 years. Mother of David Curtin and his wife, Edna, of Barnet; Timothy Curtin and his wife, Gerry, of Vernon; Michael Curtin and his wife, Gail, of Gales Ferry, Conn.; Paula Tarrant and her husband, David, of West Newton, Mass.; and Barbara Curtin of Burlington. Sister of the late Miles Denning and Jane Chapman, Bunny Johnson, and Sr. Barbara Denning, S.R.M. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late James and Alice (Miles) Denning, she attended St. Michael's Parochial School and graduated with honors from St. Michael's High School, Class of 1942. For several years, the Curtins lived in both France and Germany before returning to the United States, where they settled in Burlington. Following the death of her husband in 1972, she moved back to Brattleboro and worked in early education at Brattleboro Child Development on Western Avenue, where she was fondly known as “Grammie Ruth.” She retired in 1999. She was a devoted homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great granddaughter. A devout Catholic, she was a communicant at St. Michael's Catholic Church, and a former parishioner at St. Anthony's Parish in Burlington. Among all of her travels, her favorite destination was Ireland, which she visited in 2000. She was very proud of her Irish heritage and enjoyed Irish cultural events. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 21 at St. Anthony's Church in Burlington, with committal rites and burial in Resurrection Park in South Burlington, where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. Donations to St. Brigid's Kitchen, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro,VT 05301; or to the Reformer Christmas Stocking, P.O. Box 703, Brattleboro, VT 05302-0703. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Forrest A. Stone, 73, of Cambridge, N.Y., formerly of Whitingham. Died July 6 of a brain tumor at his second home in Palm Bay, Fla. Husband of Marion “Molly” Eddy Stone for 54 years. Father of Glen William Stone and his wife, Cordelia, of Cambridge, N.Y., and the late Michael Forrest Stone. Brother of Richard Stone of Johnsonville, N.Y., and Robert Stone of River Ranch, Fla., and Wilmington. Born in Greenfield, Mass., the son of the late Homer Glenn and Alice Marcia Butterfield Stone, he grew up in Whitingham and graduated from Whitingham High School in 1956. He is remembered as a devoted husband, father, and friend with his main interest being his home and family. Part of his strong work ethic was his thought that he had to do everything himself. He built two houses, hiring not a single contractor. Because of that same work ethic, he was featured in a newspaper article and received many awards for perfect attendance at Eagle Bridge Machine and Tool in New York as a machinist for 26 years, New England Electric System in Whitingham as Station Operator in the 1970s, and G.S. Precision in Wilmington, running automatic screw machines in the 1960s. He was a member of the Jacksonville Community Church in Vermont, and the West Hoosick Baptist Church in New York, where he served as Deacon, and, in retirement, the Holiday Park Homeowners Association in Palm Bay, Fla. He enjoyed singing in church choirs and with the Good Time Singers. An avid sportsman, he was a lifelong Red Sox fan who could recite every statistic for every player, and enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting. Memorial information: Memorial services will be held at the West Hoosick Baptist Church on Aug. 12 at 2 p.m., and at Holiday Park Recreation Center in Palm Bay, Fla. on Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. Donations to Hospice of Health First, 1900 Dairy Road, W. Melbourne, FL 32904; First Presbyterian Church of Palm Bay, 1080 Port Malabar Blvd., N.E., Palm Bay, FL 32905; West Hoosick Baptist Church, 1349 Buskirk-West Hoosick Road, Buskirk, NY 12028; or the charity of one's choice .
• Lawrence A. “Lonnie” Mathews, 73, of Westminster. Died July 8 at home. Husband of Brenda (Parker) Mathews for nearly 55 years. Father of Priscilla Mathews of Andover, Deborah Carleton of Londonderry, and Candace Sawyer of Westminster. Brother of Stephen Mathews, Joan Larson and Jean Williams, all of Londonderry. Born in Peru, the son of Roy and Maude (McGinn) Mathews, he was educated in Londonderry. He was a truck driver for Leroy Williams, Clyde Prouty and Sons, the town of Londonderry, F.W. Whitcomb, and David Chaves Excavating. For many years, he was self employed with his own truck. He enjoyed NASCAR, trucks, car shows, and bluegrass festivals. Memorial information: A memorial service was held July 15 at the Weston Rod & Gun Club. Burial will be at a later date in Riverside Cemetery in Londonderry. Donations to the Weston Rod & Gun Club, 982 Route 100, Weston, VT 05161.
• Harold “Whit” Whitcomb, 79, of Westminster. Died July 7 at his home. Partner of Marilyn Charlton. Father of Michael Whitcomb of Charlestown, N.H., Matthew Whitcomb of Brattleboro, and the late Mark Whitcomb. Brother of the late Mildred Gilbar. Born in Woodstock, the son of the late Harold E. and Hazel (Rowe) Whitcomb, he graduated from Chester High School in 1951. He served in the Air Force for 20 years, from 1951 to 1971, and was a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed going to Wells Beach and watching the Red Sox and college basketball. Memorial information: No arrangements were announced. Donations to Bayada Hospice, or the Lucy MacKenzie Humane Society, P.O. Box 702, Brownsville, VT 05307.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), July 11, 2012, a son, Johnathan Levi Jillson, to Rebecca (Forbes) and Michael Jillson of Putney; grandson to Darlene Forbes of Guilford, Donald Forbes of West Brattleboro, Kim Jillson of West Brattleboro, and Victor Jillson of Guilford; great-grandson to Patricia and Donald Miller of Guilford, Patricia and Phillip Perkins of West Brattleboro, and Nelson and Marilyn Jillson of Dummerston.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), June 21, 2012, a son, Henry Thomson Richards, to Elizabeth (Martin) and Peter Richards of Brattleboro; grandson to Mark and Liz Richards of Dummerston, and Ted and Louise Martin of New Orleans.
College news
• Michael Herring of Marlboro has graduated from DePaul University in Chicago.
• Brittany Borella of Londonderry and Asah Cramer of Guilford both graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
School news
• Leland & Gray Middle School teacher Frank Rucker was one of 32 Vermont educators to participate in the Vermont Teachers Financial Literacy Summer Institute at Champlain College in Burlington. It is one of the nation's only institutes dedicated to the comprehensive teaching of personal finance in public middle and high school classrooms. Rucker plans to work with the school's administrative team to create a six-week financial literacy program targeted to sixth-graders.