College news
• The following area students were named to the Dean's list for the fall 2013 semester at Keene State College: Brandon Chabot of West Dover, Beth Freeman of Brattleboro, Eric Howley of Jacksonville, Alyson Jones of South Newfane, Jocelyn Lovering of Putney, Melanie Murphy of Dummerston, MacKenzie Prasch of South Londonderry, and Jaclyn Toney of Brattleboro.
• Jonah Stoller, a junior from Brattleboro, and Megan Young, a junior from Guilford, were both named to Beloit (Wis.) College's Dean's List for the fall 2013 semester.
• Amy Blazej of Windham, a creative writing major and member of the class of 2016, and Emma Maki of Putney, a nursing major and member of the class of 2014, were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2013 semester at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H.
• Lisa Moulton of Whitingham, achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average and was named to the President's List at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, for the fall 2013 semester.
Transitions
• The Windham County Sheriff's Office recently promoted key personnel. Deputy First Class Jessica Fellows was promoted to the rank of Detective. Deputy First Class Melissa Martin, along with Deputy George Friend, were promoted to the rank of Corporal. Fellows serves on the Southeastern Unit for Special Investigation and will also assume responsibility for the office's special units, including the Special Investigations Unit and the School Resource Officer unit. Martin will continue to serve Putney and will assume responsibility for the Resident Deputy unit to mentor and lead resident deputies. Friend will continue to serve as the Court Supervisor, and will train and develop new court security deputies.
• Andrew Robinson has joined the Brattleboro Development Credit Corp. (BDCC) staff as the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) Director of Workforce Development. Robinson comes to BDCC from the Vermont Department of Labor, where he was an Employer Resource Consultant.
• Brattleboro OB/GYN welcomes new midwife Heather Ferriera, CNM, WHNP, to their practice. A board-certified nurse midwife, Ferriera is a graduate of Ohio State University with a master's degree in midwifery. She will provide full scope midwifery services as well as gynecologic services.
Obituaries
• Michael Jerome “Jerry” Bills, 66, of Watertown, N.Y. Died Dec. 18, 2013. Husband of Lynne (Labrecque) Bills for nearly 25 years. Brother of Helen B. Boudreau of Guilford and the late Arlene Beebe and Daniel and Lyman “Sonny” Bills Jr. Born in Brattleboro, the son of the late Lyman and Mildred Vosburg Bills, he graduated from St Michael's High School in 1968 and received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He worked as an electrician for Boise Cascade in Brattleboro and Scott Paper Mill in Skowhegan, Maine. Until his retirement, he worked 18 years at Brownsville Paper Mill in Watertown, N.Y. He enjoyed camping and old John Deere tractors. Memorial information: A graveside burial service will be held in Norridgewock, Maine, in the spring. Donations to St Michael's School, Walnut Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• James Russell Weldon “Jim” Faas, 68, of Jamaica. Died Jan. 6 at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H. Husband of Carol Faas. Brother of Peter, John, Tommy, and Mary Shea and the late Charles Weldon Jr. and Harry Weldon. Father of David Faas and his wife Lori Faas; Jamie Faas and his wife, Julie; and Tamara McLaughlin. Stepfather of Becky and Tom Tolbert, Lisa Claussen and Brian Adams, and Wesley and Kelly Ameden. Born in Hartford, Conn., the son of Marie Faas and the late Russell Weldon, he was adopted and raised by his stepfather, the late Charlie Faas. He grew up on Long Island, in Islip, N.Y., after moving from Hartford at age 5. He graduated from West Islip High School in 1963, and from Curry College in 1968. He worked at the American Can Company in Connecticut before moving to Wilmington in 1970. He owned and operated the Shroder Haus until 1978, when he moved to Jamaica and began a successful career in finish carpentry, and more recently in caretaking and home repair in the West River Valley area. A passion for all things related to the water led him to lifeguard duty at Jones Beach on Long Island Sound, sailing at the Babylon Yacht Club, and competitive diving in high school. He had many interests, including football, especially the Giants; traveling by car, not plane; and antiquing with his wife on their many road trips. As a 15-year cancer survivor, he defied the medical odds many times and fought until the end to overcome the effects of a massive heart attack suffered a week before his death. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Jan. 10 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Burial will take place in Jamaica Village Cemetery in the springtime. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 216, Townshend, VT 05353, care of Dr. Robert Backus.
• Barry Russell Nutbrown, 57, of Dummerston. Died Jan. 6 after a fire at his home. Father of Becky Lee Nutbrown of Cornish, N.H. Brother of Brenda Kazmierczak and her husband, Stanley, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Nancy Higley and her husband, Craig, of Vernon. Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, he attended elementary school in Lennoxville, Quebec, later graduating from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1974. He went on to attend the Virginia Beach Beauty Academy, earning his diploma as a professional hairdresser. He worked as a hairdresser for several Brattleboro area salons. He had also been employed by C&S Wholesale Grocers and later the former Crystal Limousine Service. An accomplished professional musician, he was a gifted guitarist and was a member of several Brattleboro area bands throughout the years that included The Maple Valley Boys, the Ellie Mae Orchestra, and Patsy Fagan & the Mixers. With his family, he had attended Dummerston Congregational Church. He loved Country & Western music, old-time fiddling and time shared with his family especially his daughter. He was a devoted son who faithfully took care of his elderly father.
• Russell Raymond Nutbrown, 90, of Dummerston Died Jan. 6, after at fire at his home. Husband of the late Joan Dezan for 55 years. Brother of Wayne Nutbrown and Arlene Rothney, both of Sherbrooke, Quebec, and the late Phyllis Robichaud and Gloria Matheson. Born in Huntingville, Quebec, the son of the late Raymond and Jessie (Nutbrown) Nutbrown. He was raised and educated in Huntingville, attending a one-room schoolhouse. He served in the Canadian Army during World War II, stationed in Belgium, Germany and Italy until his honorable discharge from active service in 1946. Following the war, he returned home and purchased a farm with his father located in Lennoxville, Quebec, which they operated for several years. He later moved to Vermont eventually settling on Schoolhouse Road in Dummerston, where he resided with his family for the past 47 years. He worked as a machine operator for Putney Paper Company for many years and, following his retirement, returned to work at C&S Wholesale Grocers for four years. An accomplished musician, he played fiddle with several area bands that included the Jolly Mountaineers. With his wife, he was a regular feature on a radio station in Quebec. In 1976, during the American Bicentennial Celebration in Washington, D.C. with his wife, son and daughter, he was invited to play during the festivities, proudly representing the state of Vermont. In conjunction with his love of music, he also enjoyed gardening, maple sugaring every season, and time shared with his family. With his family, he had attended Dummerston Congregational Church in Dummerston Center.
• Memorial information: Funeral services for Barry and Russell Nutbrown will be conducted at a later date at Dummerston Congregational Church, to be announced by the funeral home. Burial will take place in the Nutbrown family lot in Dummerston Center Cemetery. Donations in their memory to Dummerston Volunteer Fire Department & Rescue, P.O. Box 40, West Dummerston, VT 05357. Arrangements are under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• Eleanore Margaret Lowe Robinson, 90, formerly of Dummerston. Died Dec. 17 at Thompson House in Brattleboro, where she spent the past year. Husband of the late Claude Ora Robinson for 51 years. Mother of Jeanette Iverson and twins Don and Den Robinson. Born to the late Edward and Mary Lowe in Wardsboro, she attended grammar school in Wardsboro and spent her high school years at Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend. Her work life included employment at American Optical in Brattleboro during World War II, Dummerston Elementary School, Dunham Brothers Shoe Co. in Brattleboro, and BDR Trucking. She and her husband later retired to Englewood, Fla. She was widely known for her exquisite art, creating a legacy of color and texture in braided rugs, cross-stitch hangings, afghans, knitted garments, and countless holiday treasures. She enjoyed playing Bingo, Scrabble, and cards, and attending theater. Her yearning for knowledge, adventure, and spiritual understanding led her to Scotland and Ireland to reconnect with her origins, and a journey to the Holy Land in Israel. She also enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean with her husband. Books and flowers also brought much joy to her life. She served as librarian for her Brook to Bay community in Florida, and tended the rose gardens of the Venice Hospice House and Englewood Catholic Church. Memorial information: A family memorial service will be held in the spring. Donations to the Thompson House Activities Fund, 80 Maple St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• John W. Stonebraker, Jr., 75, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Jan. 6 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Born in Pine Grove, Pa., the son of the late John W., Sr. and Catherine (Carr) Stonebraker, he was the husband of Nancy (Bloom) Stonebraker of Hinsdale. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held in the spring in Pennsylvania. Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home of Brattleboro is assisting the family with arrangements.
• Cielle Tewksbury, 75, of Brattleboro. Died Jan. 3 at her home, two months after her diagnosis of lung cancer. Wife of the late Peter “Henry” Tewksbury. Mother of Joshua Tewksbury and Marintha Tewksbury. Sister of Helen Lane, Genia Simpson, and Cynthia Astor. She was born Patricia Virginia Beattie in California, daughter of the late Virginia DeCamp and Douglas Beattie. She was both mercurial and immensely talented. She changed her name five times and, in the course of her life, was an actress, a dancer, a model, a farmer, an artist, a photographer, a mother, a teacher, a poet, and a constant seeker. The daughter of two opera singers, she and her sisters moved often until they settled in Porterville, Calif., in 1940. Her father was a strong supporter of the local playhouse and it was there, at the age of 8, that she started her acting career. She went on to act in several television dramas and, while working in Hollywood, fell in love. After years of working in Hollywood, the Tewksburys decided to quit the “business” and create a life that was quite different than the one they were living. They settled in Vermont in 1965 and bought an old farm in Northfield Falls. They had two children, and learned how to become farmers. Over the next five decades, she lived in Vermont, Canada, and California and Vermont again, working as a farmer, practicing art and photography, and eventually discovering, and devoting her life's work to the study and teaching of Tai Chi. She thought and taught in a wide arc, combining a deep knowledge of world religions and culture with her passion for movement, mythology and symbolism. She taught workshops all over the world, working regularly with collaborators in Germany, Scotland, England, France, and Portugal, and travelling to China. In 2009, she co-authored the book “Healing Gift; Qi Gong in Breast Cancer Recovery” with her close friend, Margret Randolph. Three months before her death, she led a 10-day workshop in Germany and then came home to teach her regular group classes in Putney, Greenfield, and Brattleboro. She was movement, passion, and laughter - a person who never stopped exploring, performing, and going deeper. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Jan. 12 at All Souls Church in West Brattleboro.
• Johannes “John” Wessel, 91, of Brattleboro. Died Jan. 7. Husband of Sophia A. van Hoeven Wessel for nearly 68 years. Father of Willem Wessel of West Chesterfield, N.H., Nellie Hamilton of Hinsdale, N.H., Trixie Stinebring of Spofford, N.H., Joy Trigg of Williston, and Rose Wessel of Cummington, Mass. Born in Zoeterwoude, Holland, the son of the late Willem and Aagje (van Vliet) Wessel, his career in the pipe organ industry began at age 13 ,working for van Leeuwen Pipe Organ Co. in Leiden. It was a profession that he stayed with throughout his life until his retirement in 2002. During World War II, he was able to evade German occupation troops searching for young Dutch men to work in factories. After immigrating to Brattleboro in 1954, he was employed at Estey Organ Co. and, after Estey closed, he continued building, restoring, repairing and maintaining pipe organs throughout Vermont and New England. In addition to maintaining most of the organs in Brattleboro, he moved Estey Opus #1 from its original home in the former Methodist Church on Elliott Street to the new church on Putney Road, and built the organ in St. Michael's Catholic Church on Walnut Street. Memorial information: According to the family's wishes, there will be no public services. Donations to Rescue Inc., PO Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Arrangements are under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• Tom Woodburn, 64, of Madison, Ind. Died on Dec. 29 at his home after a 12-year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Brother of Mary Jean “MJ” Woodburn and her husband, Vincent D. Johnson, of Vernon; Peter Woodburn and his partner, Wayne Kyle, of Madison, Ind.; and the late Jill Woodburn Thevenow. Born in Bradenton, Fla., son of the late W. Frank Woodburn Jr. and M. Jean Lewis Woodburn, he was raised and educated in Madison, where he played percussion in the marching band. He graduated high school in 1967, attended college, and trained as a finish carpenter. He was drafted and served in the Army in Vietnam in 1970-71 and was stationed in Saigon. While there, he took correspondence classes and upon returning to the States, graduated from Vincennes University. His post-graduate education was at Ball State University in a self-designed curriculum of design/carpentry/contracting. After serving in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve in 1975. After 15 years of “flipping houses” and dealing in antiques, he opened “Fillin' Station Liquors” in 1986 with the help of his then-wife, Rebecca Rhoton. As owner, he became involved with The Indiana Beverage Retailers Association, serving on the Board of Directors and acting as lobbyist for the organization. After 25 years of successfully operating the business, he retired in 2011 due to declining health. He was an active community volunteer and a strong advocate and supporter of the highly-successful Madison Ribberfest, which helped to re-brand Madison for a new generation. He was Assistant Chief of the Ryker's Ridge Fire Department, and was named Fireman of the Year in 1995. He was also a member of the American Legion, VFW, the Knights of Columbus, and the Prince of Peace Parish. He was a generous anonymous donor to many nonprofits for the past 30 years. He was a collector of Jeeps and other World War II vehicles and militaria. These interests led to his participation in military parades, air shows, museums, and historical displays. Memorial information: A funeral mass was held Jan. 4 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Madison, followed by a graveside service with full military honors at Woodburn Family Gravesite in Springdale Cemetery in Madison.