Obituaries
• Mathilda Apsit, 94, of Wrentham, Mass. Died Feb. 3 at Pond Home in Wrentham. Wife of the late Albert Apsit for 65 years. Mother of William Apsit and his wife, Grace, of Guelph, Ontario; Elizabeth Angell of Natick, Mass.; Barbara Lantery of Mashpee, Mass.; and Liza “Linda” King and her partner, Rick Neumann, of Brattleboro. Sister of the late John Lekas, Adela Pinkul, and Palmira (Polly) Seaburg. Born at home in South Boston to Lithuanian immigrants Eva (Zaldokas) Lekas and Jacob Lekas, she and her family later moved to Roxbury, where she attended Roxbury Memorial High School for Girls. Although she excelled in her studies and aspired to become a teacher, she graduated during the Great Depression and went directly to work as a secretary in order to help support the family. After she married in 1940, she and her husband moved to her father's six-family home. There, she and her two sisters and their spouses all raised their families with the loving support of Eva and Jacob, now grandparents to nine grandchildren. In 1953, the Apsits moved to Wollaston, Mass, and lived there until 1980 when Mathilda retired from State Street Bank, and Al from The Christian Science Monitor. Then they moved to Franklin, Mass, where they lived for most of their post-retirement years. She loved music, art, and dance, and impressed her family by earning her driver's license at age 64. She was known for her excellent memory and great interest in history and world affairs. She cared greatly about peace, justice, the environment, and education. Despite her modest income, she contributed regularly to many organizations promoting humanitarian efforts. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 10 at Franklin Federated Church. Donations to Franklin Federated Church, 171 Main St., Franklin, MA 02038, or to the hospice of one's choice.
• Richard James “Tink” Austin, 89, of Brattleboro. Died Jan. 31 at Pine Heights Nursing Home. Husband of the late Dorothy “Dottie” (Ratte) Austin for 49 years. Father of Judith A. Schmidt of Pagosa Springs, Colo., Andrea Austin-Coon of Brattleboro, Deborah Austin of Scarborough, Maine, and David M. Austin and his wife, Joanie, of Hinsdale, N.H. Brother of the late Lt. Col. Kenneth S. Austin. Born in Lyndonville, the son of the late James H. and Myrtie (Gaskell) Austin, he graduated from Brattleboro High School, Class of 1941; Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Mass., Class of 1942; and later attended Simmons Floral School of Design in Boston. He flew 35 missions as a B-17 co-pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was stationed in England. Upon returning home, he joined the Air Force Reserve and National Guard. He was a life member of the American Legion, Elks, and VFW. He started his floral design career at Taylor for Flowers and later owned Linden Gardens with Millington Dix. After selling the business, he worked at The Real Estate Group, the Brattleboro Post Office, and Kelleher's Greenhouse in Chesterfield, N.H. He was a forerunner in the development of ski jumping in the Brattleboro area, having jumped at, and been in involved with, Harris Hill Ski Jump for many years. He was an active leader in many community organizations and was a member of Golden Bells at Centre Congregational Church. His vegetable and flower gardens at his home on Chase Street spoke to his artistic sensibilities and love of working the earth. Everyone who walked through the yard marveled at his gardens. His other favorite activities included alpine skiing, sailing, bowling, softball, and golf. His high school yearbook read: “'I am a part of all that I have met.' His good humor follows him wherever he goes. His ready smile has made him many friends in B.H.S. (and elsewhere).” He will be remembered fondly and truly missed. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 6 at American Legion Post No. 5 in Brattleboro. His cremains will be scattered at a date his immediate family have yet to name. Donations to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Rd., Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Chester Rolin “Chet” Carpenter Sr., 86, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 3 in Knoxville, Tenn. Husband of the late Laura Mooney Carpenter for 55 years. Father of Chester R. Carpenter Jr. of Powell, Tenn., and Lynn Perry of Andover. Brother of the late Robert Carpenter, John Carpenter Jr., and Rosella Davis. Born in Brattleboro the son of the late John and Gladys (Smith) Carpenter, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro and attended local public schools. A naval veteran of World War II, he served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater aboard the USS Tutuila, a gunboat, and was honorably discharged from active service in 1946. He was a longtime Brattleboro employee, first at the highway department for five years and later at the water department. He retired as chief water treatment operator in 1989 after 45 dedicated years with the town. He was also an active member of the Brattleboro Fire Department for 42 years, attaining the rank of captain. Throughout the years, many members of the department trained under him on numerous pieces of apparatus, including the department's ladder truck. He was well respected and highly regarded as a truly valuable member of the department. For the past seven years he made his home with his son in Tennessee. He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He also enjoyed candlepin bowling at the former King's Bowling Alley in Brattleboro. Memorial information: Funeral services will take place in the springtime at a date and time to be announced. Burial with full military honors will be in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Brattleboro Fire Department Benevolent Fund, 103 Elliot St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, in care of Chief Michael Bucossi. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Helen Sileski Cray, 85, of Bellows Falls. Died Feb. 4 at Pine Heights in Brattleboro. Wife of the late Daniel H. Cray. Mother of Alison Bullard and her fiancé, Tom Harlow, of Chelsea, Mich. Sister of James Sileski of Colorado, Richard Sileski of Bellows Falls, Amelia Clark of Essex Junction, Pauline Kissell of Saxtons River, Alexandra LaFlam of Essex Junction, Mary Davis of Naugatuck, Conn., and the late Wallace Sileski. Born in North Walpole, N.H., the daughter of Kostanti and Jadwiga (Piluski) Sileski, she was a 1945 graduate of Bellows Falls High School. She was employed at Gay's Express, Holmes Transportation, Kurn Hattin Homes, Bellows Falls Trust, and the Rockingham Free Public Library. She was a very active parishioner of St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls where she decorated the altar, created the church gardens, sang in the choir, and much more. She enjoyed gardening, painting, traveling, cooking, and the companionship of her cats. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Feb. 8 at St. Charles Church with burial to follow at St. Peter's Cemetery in North Walpole, N.H.
• Sylvia Davis, 90, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 9 at Thompson House Nursing Home, where she had resided for the past month. Wife of the late Samuel Davis for 60 years. Mother of Richard Davis and his late wife, Susan, of Guilford, and Ellen Lifsics and her husband, Nathan, of Tulsa, Okla. Sister of the late Robert and Wallace Levy, and Gladys Kaplan. Born in Lowell, Mass., the daughter of the late Morris and Jennie (Lefkovitch) Levy, she graduated from Lowell High School, Class of 1939. She was a devoted wife and mother who took pride in her warm and welcoming home. She and her husband raised their family in Roxbury and Sharon, Mass., until their retirement to Foxboro, Mass., in the mid-1970s. She believed that life was meant to be lived fully as she extended kindness and hospitality in her daily life. She was always making new friends and found it easy to connect with people. A child of the Great Depression, she was guided by principles that helped her to appreciate each day as a gift as well as an opportunity to make the world a better place. Memorial information: There will be a memorial service at Schlossberg and Solomon Memorial Chapel on Friday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. Burial will follow at the Baker Street Cemetery in West Roxbury, Mass.
• Kenneth Gordon Drake, 68, of Sidney, Maine. Died Feb. 6 at Togus (Maine) VA Medical Center. Husband of Sandra (Sadd) Drake. Father of John Drake and his wife, Julie, of Keene, N.H., and Kenneth Drake and his wife, Donna, of Hinsdale, N.H. Brother of the late Waldo Drake. Born in Waterville, Maine, son of the late Waldo and Doris (Bangs) Drake, he graduated from Williams High School in Oakland, Maine. Following high school he joined the Navy, serving during the Vietnam era. He was employed more than 30 years by Keats, Inc., in Keene, N.H., retiring in February 2006. He was a long-time member of Brattleboro American Legion Post No. 5 and the National Rifle Association. A history buff, he collected antiques avidly and was proud of his collection of Civil War memorabilia. He loved antique vehicles, especially his two Corvettes. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved animals, particularly his pets. Memorial information: A graveside service will be in the spring at Sawtelle Cemetery in Sidney. Donations to Waterville Area Humane Society, 100 Webb Rd., Waterville, Maine, 04901.
• James Kevin “Jimmy” Evans, 17, of Dummerston. Died Feb. 5 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., from injuries sustained in a single-car accident that evening on Upper Dummerston Road in Brattleboro. Son of James H. and Kathy E. (Tyler) Evans. Brother of Tyler Evans, and his wife, Kimberly, of Titusville, N.J., and Kristen Evans of Waterbury. Born in Brattleboro, he attended St. Michael's and Dummerston schools, and was a member of the Class of 2014 at Brattleboro Union High School. He had the distinct honor of being elected ambassador of his auto shop class at the Windham Regional Career Center and was an honors student. He loved the outdoors, particularly hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and dirt biking. He was especially proud of the record carp he helped his brother Tyler catch. He also enjoyed spending time at his family's camp on Island Pond and spending summers working with his grandfather and his dad completing building projects. He started sugaring last spring with more than 800 taps and was looking forward to sugaring this season. Born with a green thumb, he enjoyed both vegetable and flower gardening with his grandmother and sharing his harvest with friends and neighbors. He was a throwback to the 1960s and '70s, and loved the music, lifestyle, and especially the muscle cars of the era, of which he wanted to build one of his own. He was always happy and upbeat and loved to meet people and make new friends. He was known for his big smile and his generosity. With his family, he was a communicant of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Putney. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Feb. 11 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Burial in Dummerston Center Cemetery will take place in the spring when the cemetery reopens. Donations to a special scholarship established at the Windham Regional Career Center for students pursuing automotive careers to Brattleboro Savings & Loan, James K. Evans Automotive Scholarship, 221 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, or to St. Michael's School, 48 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, in care of Elaine Beam, principal. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Mary Catherine Hadley, 92, of Bellows Falls. Died Feb. 1 at Springfield Health and Rehabilitation Center. Wife of the late Lawrence Hadley for 15 years. Mother of Ann Marie and Ken Hadley and the late William, Raymond, and Joan Marie Hadley. Sister of Bernadette Harty. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of George and Catherine (Pierce) Landers, she attended St. Charles School in Bellows Falls, graduating from Bellows Falls High School and the music department of Mount St. Joseph Academy in 1938. Additional musical education included classes at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. She was employed for six years at Jones & Lamson in Springfield before marrying. She taught piano in Bellows Falls from 1962 to 2002 and was the organist at St. Charles Church for 33 years. A member of the St. Charles Rosary Society and the Bellows Falls Country Club, she particularly enjoyed tennis and golf. She especially enjoyed her many close and caring friends and her loving family. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Feb. 6 at St. Charles Church, with burial in St. Charles Cemetery. Donations to the ALS Association, Northern New England Chapter, The Concord Center, 10 Ferry St., Suite 309, Concord, NH 03301, or St. Charles Church, Cherry Hill, Bellows Falls, VT 05101.
• Evelyn Irene (Britton) Howe, 85, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 2 at Thompson House. She was born in Keene daughter of Ervin and Irene (Albee) Britton. She is survived by her children. Deborah (Howe) Walker of Unity, N.H., Stanley Howe and his wife, Tina, of Dummerston, and Carroll Howe and his wife, Connie, and Robert Howe and his wife, Christiane, of Vernon; and a brother, Roger E. Britton of Concord, N.H. Memorial information: No funeral services are planned.
• Keith Meredith Maillard, 53, of West Brattleboro. Died of an asthma attack in his home Feb. 2. Son of Elma Maillard and the late James H. Maillard. Brother of Kyra Maillard Chamberlain. Dear friend of Anne Latchis. Born in New York City, he graduated from The Bronx High School of Science before attending Harvard College, where he was a member of the photography club and the Spee Club, and earned a bachelor degree. He completed graduate studies at Stanford Business School, earning an E.M.P. in 2004. He was a graduate of the San Mateo Leadership Program, was fluent in French, and was a true Francophile in all ways. He served as a principal at JHM & Associates and advised organizations in corporate finance and strategic services. Coop Power of West Hatfield, Mass., a renewable energy cooperative, employed him as a financial planner and adviser at the time of his passing. Previously he was managing director at SG Cowen; director of software and Internet corporate finance practice at Salomon Smith Barney; president of the Hana Bay Group; senior vice president and co-head of mortgage finance at Kidder Peabody; and vice president, financial institutions group at Salomon Brothers on Wall Street in the early 1980s. He moved from San Mateo, Calif., with his rescue dog, Leon, to West Brattleboro in late spring 2011. He loved learning about his new home in Vermont and dove into his rural New England life with creative curiosity. He was a passionate, lifelong learner and a dignified, spiritual man. He was keenly interested in jazz, art, photography, gourmet cooking, French history and culture, animals, and improving the living conditions of children in need. He was particularly concerned with alternative energy businesses. It was to these causes that he applied and freely donated his financial and strategic skills. He was a lifelong, devoted member of the Episcopalian Church and was an active congregant and elected vestry member at St. Michael's in Brattleboro. He had recently joined the board of directors of the Vermont Jazz Center and from its inception was on the planning committee of the Strolling of the Heifers-Slow Living Summit. He was a founding member of the advisory board of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy and chairman of the board of Operation Shanti, also known as the American Society for International Shanti, an organization that feeds and houses destitute women and children who had been living on the street in Mysore, India. A partial list of other nonprofits he had helped includes the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, Interfaith Hospitality Network, and Federation of Alliances Francaises, USA. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 8 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. Donations to The Vermont Jazz Center, 72 Cotton Mill Hill, Brattleboro, VT 05301; Windham County Humane Society; or Operation Shanti, www.operation-shanti.org.
• Henry Leighton “Pete” Nash, Jr., 96, of Punta Gorda, Fla., and Dummerston. Died Feb. 2. Husband of Anne Cassat Nash for 66 years. Father of Betsy Homewood and her husband, Steve, of Rockford, Ill.; Pris Adler and her husband, Paul, of Annapolis, Md.; Barbara Nash of Yarmouth, Maine; and Jennifer Nash of Punta Gorda. Born in Indianapolis, the son of the late Henry Leighton Nash and Helen Adams, he spent most of his formative years in Omaha, Neb., where he graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1934. He attended Bowdoin College in Maine, graduating in 1938 with a degree in economics, and earned his MBA at Harvard Business School in 1940. Following graduate school, he moved to Minneapolis to begin work for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. With World War II in full swing, he was commissioned in the Navy in 1942. His tour of duty took him to the South Pacific, where he served on a Landing Ship, Tank (LST) for two years, After the War, he returned to Northwestern Bell, serving in various positions within the company around the upper Midwest. He was transferred to AT&T in New York City in 1962, relocating his family to Ramsey, N.J. He enjoyed spending time in Maine at his beloved Pond Island, the family's summer home, a love now shared by his daughters and their children. Over the years, he became a devoted gardener on his hillside in Dummerston, where he and his wife retired in 1979. He loved his daily walks along country roads with one of several faithful dogs at his side. Over the years, the Nashes traveled to every continent with the exception of Antarctica, getting oh so close, though, with a cruise around Cape Horn. Summers were spent in Vermont, while winters were spent at their condo in Punta Gorda. He loved to play golf and continued to enjoy the game up until his last days, shooting an 81 just a day after his 96th birthday. A staunch supporter of Bowdoin College, he attended many reunions and looked forward to his 75th this year. Wherever he was, he was involved in service to others: through the Elks Club, for example, or perhaps helping bake pies for the annual Dummerston Apple Pie Festival. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 8 at Burnt Store Presbyterian Church in Florida. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Dummerston Congregational Church. Donations to Dummerston Congregational Church, 32 Park Laughton Rd., East Dummerston, VT 05346.
• Kenneth W. Nims, 73, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 2 at Vernon Green Nursing Home where he had received loving care for more than seven years. Husband of Lorraine (Edridge) Nims for 43 years. Father of Jonathan “Jonny” Nims and his wife, Dawn, of Brattleboro. Born in Greenfield, Mass., the son of the late Clinton W. and Gertrude (Simons) Nims, he was educated in Greenfield schools and attended Leicester Junior College. After a long career in banking, he turned a longtime hobby into the full-time vocation of antiquarian bookseller of old, rare, and out-of-print books. During the 1970s he became very active in book selling and opened his first book shop in a barn at his home. He was one of the original founders of the Vermont Antiquarian Booksellers Association. He spent many happy years as the owner of Brattleboro Books on Elliot Street. Upon his retirement in 1998 he embarked on a new phase in book selling: Internet sales. With his wife's help he shipped books worldwide. He also was a licensed appraiser and auctioneer. He had many interesting hobbies, loved antiques and, since age 5, was an avid license plate collector. He was a great railroad fan and was able to take many rail trips, including going cross country on Amtrak in 1996, prior to his illness. He belonged to the Freemasons, was a lifetime member of Cairo Shrine, was a member of Brattleboro Elks, BPOE #1499 and was a former Rotarian. Memorial information: In keeping with his wishes, there will be no calling hours or formal funeral. The disposition of his ashes will be held by the immediate family at a later date. Donations to the Vernon Advent Christian Home, 61 Greenway Drive, Vernon, VT 05354.
• Evelyn A. Prouty, 99, formerly of West Brattleboro Died Feb. 2 at her home at Emeritus at Fillmore Pond in Bennington. Wife of the late Richard E. Prouty for 62 years. Mother of David W. Prouty and his wife, Joanne, of Pownal, and Douglas E. Prouty and his wife, Shirley, of Keene, N.H. Sister of the late Helen Avery Healey, Marion Avery Jackson, and Richard G. Avery. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late John and Mildred (Phillips) Avery, she graduated from Brattleboro High School, Class of 1932. Following graduation she attended and graduated from Northampton (Mass.) Commercial College. From college until 1940 she was employed at her father's automotive business as a bookkeeper. She was an exceptional seamstress and a handy-work expert who was especially fond of knitting. Her flower gardens and house plants were always colorful, thanks to her talented green thumb. In retirement she and her husband enjoyed playing golf, traveling the U.S, and Canada on Vermont Transit Bus Tours, faithfully following the Red Sox, and each spring going to their camp in Strafford to make maple syrup. She remained in Brattleboro until her health began to fail in April 2009, and moved to Bennington. Memorial information: A graveside committal service is scheduled for Friday, May 3, in the family lot in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to VNA & Hospice of SVHC, 1128 Monument Ave., Bennington, VT 05201. Condolences may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Ernest A. Rueter, 86, of Brattleboro. Died Jan. 31. Husband of Jeanne C. Duemler Rueter for more than 60 years. Father of Allen Rueter of St. Louis, Mo., and Rebecca Rueter of Brattleboro. Brother of the late William and John Rueter. Born in Seattle, he was the fourth of five children of the late William and Kathleen Gorham Rueter. He graduated from Roosevelt High School and served in the Army Air Corps in World War II. He graduated from Carleton College and was president of the National Council of the Pilgrim Fellowship from 1950 to 1952. He met his wife while attending Eden Seminary in St. Louis. His first church was in Nashua, Iowa, from 1952 to 1957, and his second in Evansville, Ind., from 1957 to 1959. As a campus minister at Purdue University from 1959 to 1966, he took students to the 1963 March on Washington. He organized ministers in seven counties to support the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965 and earned a master's degree in sociology. Beginning 1966, he worked in Gary, Ind., for the Human Relations Commission, focusing on moving African-Americans and Hispanics into skilled trades at U.S. Steel. He had many jobs, including insurance sales, fundraising for public television, and teaching sociology at area colleges. His passions were in developing leadership in volunteer organizations, late 19th century American history, and theology. He served on the board of the Northwest Indiana Symphony with a term as president. In Gary Rotary, he founded the district World Affairs Conference for 40 high schools. Beginning in 1967, he researched late 19th century politics. Starting with his great-grandfather, William C. Gorham, he focused on the Erie Canal and its supporters, monopolies, and challenging views of historians. He published “All the Way to Mobile: Securing the Erie Canal As a Competitor and Regulator of the Railroads in the Age of the Trusts” (2012). The Rueters moved to Brattleboro in 2002. At Centre Congregational Church he worked on the farm/food justice program, led study sessions, and was affectionately known for his perseverance and dry wit. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 12 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Donations may be made to Centre Congregational Church, www.centre-church.org, or the Brattleboro Centre for Children, 802-254-0300.
College news
• The following local mechanical engineering technology students were honored for academic excellence during the fall 2012 semester at at the State University of New York at Canton: Daniel S. Elliott of Brookline was named to the President's List; Christopher R. Woodworth of Brattleboro was named to the Dean's List.
• The following students were honored for academic excellence during the fall 2012 semester at Johnson State College: Emily Daigle and Nicole Gagnon of Brattleboro were both named to the President's List. Meghan Hopkins of Brattleboro, Shelby Davis-Lane of Dummerston, Ethan Haddad of Putney, Amanda Bolduc of Whitingham, and Chandler Halbur of Wilmington all were named to the Dean's List.
• Rebeccah Bizon of Brookline, a communications and Spanish major, was named to the Dean's List for fall 2012 at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa.
• Casey A. DeMarsico, a resident of Newfane, received first honors on the Dean's List for the fall 2012 semester at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. Adam P. Boyle of Brattleboro and Daphne L. Kinney-Landis of Guilford earned second honors on Clark's Dean's List.
• Sarah Green of Putney was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2012 semester at the University of Massachusetts at Boston.
• Sam Colleran, a freshman television-radio major from Vernon, and Jacob Huston, a sophomore history major from Brookline, were named to the Dean's List at Ithaca College for fall 2012.