College news
• Benjamin Dandrea of Brattleboro was named to the honor roll for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the fall 2013 semester at the University of Kansas.
• McKenzie Bover, Erin Leblanc, David Mahoney, and Soren Pelz-Walsh, all of Brattleboro, recently joined the Castleton State College Mentoring Program, which matches Castleton undergraduates with local fourth and fifth grade students from the Castleton Village School. During weekly informal meetings throughout the academic year, the college student role models provide social support and encouragement for the children to aspire to attend college.
• Daniel Rivers of Brattleboro, a student-athlete at Castleton State College, was recently named to the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Fall All-Academic team. To be honored, a student-athlete must have reached junior academic standing and have competed in a minimum two years of varsity competition at their institution with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50.
• Devon Spirka of Wilmington, a senior at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass., served as captain of the women's basketball team for the 2013-14 season. Nichols sports teams compete in the NCAA's Division III. Captains lead their teams both on and off the playing field as role models and exemplary students.
Obituaries
• Kenneth R. Blood, 91, of Vernon. Died March 3 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Husband of the late Irene (Kramer) Blood. Father of Kenneth C. Blood; six daughters, Karen Vose, Khristine Clement, Kathleen Amidon, Carolyn Lonergan, Dorothea Coutu, and Irene Hebert. Brother of Mary (Blood) Aiken and Dorothy (Blood) Conklin. Born in Putney, the son of the late Reuben and Elsie (Fuller) Blood, he served in the Army during World War II. He worked as a machinist for American Optical and later for Putney Paper Mill before his retirement. He loved the outdoors, including camping, riding his motorcycle and bicycling. Memorial information: A memorial talk will be held on Saturday, March 15, at 2 p.m., at the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, 19 Edward Heights, Brattleboro. Burial will be held in the spring at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Putney. Donations to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 North Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311. Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home of Brattleboro is in charge of arrangements.
• Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Riera Cohn, 96, of Newfane. Died Feb. 24 at the home of John and Gillian Winner, where she resided for the last few years. Wife of the late J. Bradley Cohn. Born in Philadelphia, the only child of the late Francis Joseph Philip Riera and Bess Miller Battersby, she was raised by her grandmother and maiden aunts on her father's side. She attended Covenant of the Sacred Heart, Brown Preparatory School and graduated with the first class from the University of Pennsylvania College of Liberal Arts for Women in 1937 with a B.A. with honors in History. In 1947, she earned an M.A. in History from the Universty of Pennsylvania. Her 10-year teaching career included Ashley Hall in Charleston, S.C. (1937-1941) and Abington (Pa.) Friends School (1941-1947). She changed careers to library science, receiving a M.S. in 1952 from Drexel University. She met J. Bradley Cohn, a patent and trademark lawyer, at American Machine and Foundry and they married in 1954. They sharing a passion for riding and Morgan horses. They especially enjoyed trail riding for both pleasure and competition. In later years, their activities expanded to include Combined Driving competitions. West River Lodge in Brookline became a favorite destination and they eventually purchased the lodge from the Nichols family in 1965. They continued the tradition of escorted trail rides and steak dinner rides. She was secretary of the NewBrook Horse Show for many years. They sold the lodge in 1984, but continued to vacation there under the ownership of John and Gillian Winner. In 1993, the Cohns moved permanently to West Townshend. She was a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and was especially proud of her work on the Scholarship Committee. The Vermont Morgan Horse Association awarded her the Deane C. Davis Award for promoting the Morgan breed. She attended and/or showed at the Eastern Regional Morgan Horse Show in Northampton, Mass. for almost 60 years. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, Grace Cottage Hospital, or the AAUW Scholarship Fund, in care of Gillian Winner, P.O. Box 212, Newfane, VT 05345.
• Mary Bugbee Fullerton, 90, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 25 in Burlington at Fletcher Allen Health Care from complications following surgery. Former wife of George Fullerton. Mother of Michael Fullerston and his wife, Denise Wilder, of North Calais, and Pat Weikart and her husband, Al, of Prescott, Ariz. Sister of the late Charles, Emily and Ruth Bugbee. Born on Cornish, N.H., the youngest child of the late William and Esther Bugbee, she married in 1943 and later divorced. She raised her two children herself while she worked at times as coordinator of the hot lunch program for the Hartland school system, as manager of the kitchen at the Austine School for the Deaf in Brattleboro, and as manager of the cafeteria at the Holstein Association in Brattleboro. She later worked in the records department at the Brattleboro Retreat and eventually retired as switchboard operator at Marlboro College in Marlboro. After retirement, she moved from Brattleboro to Marcellus, N.Y., to be near her daughter's family. In 2013, she returned to Vermont and lived in Montpelier near her son. She loved nature and the outdoors and read extensively about cosmology, geology, English history and much else. She climbed mountains in her younger days and later enjoyed several visits to the Jackson, Wyo., area where she made more lasting friends and also visited a number of national parks. She was also an avid and loyal Red Sox fan and enjoyed auto racing. In her last days, she was very pleased to have lived long enough to see the Daytona 500 race won by her favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Memorial information: At her request, she will be cremated. There will be no service or memorial other than a party planned for Jackson, Wyo., later this year to celebrate her life.
• Barry W. Gerdes, 76, of Halifax. Died Feb. 28 at Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, Mass., after he suffered a stroke on Feb. 26 while preparing for his morning bus run. Husband of Laura Sumner Gerdes for 52 years. Father of Timothy Gerdes of Tacoma, Wash., and Wendy Musiak and her husband, Jeff, of Federal Way, Wash. Brother of Roger Gerdes and his wife, Joan, of Mercer Island, Wash. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Dr. H. William and Ruth M. Blood Gerdes. He spent his childhood growing up in Queens. He attended Mt. Hermon School, where he enjoyed working on the farm and later transferred to Whitingham High School, graduating in 1956. At a young age, he developed a passion for farming and continued his education at Vermont Agricultural School in Randolph. He started dairy farming in 1958, and enjoyed it until retiring in 1985. He and his wife established Gerdes Transportation in 1968 in Halifax, and over the years, they grew the business and were responsible for transporting thousands of children to and from school each day throughout the Deerfield Valley. The pupils they cared for spanned three generations. He loved to work and, in earlier years, he had worked at E.J. Roberts garage and Coombs Maple Products. He served his community as a Justice of the Peace and as a Selectman, and was a longtime member of the Jacksonville Community Church, where he sang in the choir, and the Jacksonville-Halifax Lions Club. He was also a member of the Couples Club, and a 60-year member of the Guiding Star Grange. He enjoyed many interests, including collecting and preserving old cars, photography, and cultivating beautiful roses. He took great pride in maintaining his farm property, keeping it in immaculate condition. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 5 at Jacksonville Community Church. To honor his memory, the family suggests that you take the time to do something special with a loved one, such as go out to dinner.
• Pamela Jean Gibbs, 68, of Grafton. Died Feb. 27 at her home after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Husband of Ronald Gibbs for 48 years. Mother of Samuel Gibbs and his wife, Christine, of Walpole, N.H.; Scott Gibbs and his wife, Sabrina, of Athens; and Laurel Benoit and her husband Jeremy, of Westmoreland, N.H. Sister of Richard Pomfrey and his wife, Nancy, of Hinsdale, N.H., and Paul Pomfrey of Brookline. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Irene and the late Norman Pomfrey. She graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School in 1963, and went on to marry the love of her life in 1965. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She loved to read and do crossword puzzles. She worked for the Vermont Country Store and the Grafton Village Cheese Company for several years. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held at at later date. Donations may be made to a cancer foundation of one's choice.
• Barbara Vaughan Gonyea, 47, of Guilford, Died Feb. 14 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Significant other of Bob Tier for nearly 20 years. Mother of Andrew Gonyea, Sister of Brenda Vaughan. Half-sister of Brent Vaughan Jr. Stepsister of Denise Reed, Darlene Bradway, and Heather Stone. Born in Troy, N.Y., the daughter of Jeanne Ann Deamer and the late Brent B. Vaughan Sr., she loved being with her grandchildren and adored her great-grandchildren, who will miss her dearly. She had a passion for animals. She will also be missed by many friends. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held May 17, at 11a.m., at the Community Christian Church, 26 Brookline Rd., Athens. Donations can be made to the Athens Church.
• Pauline “Polly” Hennessey, 91, of Bellows Falls. Died March 1 at her home. Wife of the late William H. Hennessey for 64 years. Mother of Michele Garges and her husband, Tony, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Kathleen Hodgdon and her husband, Warner, of Waterford; Martha Deale and her husband, Valentine, of Kensington, Md.; Susan Morse and her husband, Jeffrey, of Barre; Laurence Hennessey and his wife, Susan, of Springfield; and Timothy Hennessey and his wife, Valerie, of Milton. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of the late John and Laura Brace Stone Jr., from the time she was four-years-old, she was raised by her aunt, Beulah Dean. She was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School, Class of 1941. She was a member of the Garden Club, Rockingham Hospital Auxiliary, and the Woman's Club, all of Bellows Falls. She was also a member of the Saxtons River Nature Club, the Saxtons River Young Adults Club, and the Saxtons River PTA. She was a member of St. Edmunds Church Rosary Society in Saxtons River, and St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls. She was employed at the Bellows Falls Trust Company for many years, and owned and operated the Jack and Jill Shop in Bellows Falls. Following that, she worked as the bookkeeper for Hennessey Electric for nearly 35 years. Memorial information: A memorial service will be announced in the spring. Donations to Kurn Hattin Homes or the Rockingham Free Public Library.
• Luetta Holden, 90, of Newfane. Died Feb. 23 at Equinox Terrace in Manchester. Wife of the late Fred J. Holden for 29 years. Mother of Norman Holden and his wife, Maureen, and Larry Holden, both of Newfane, and the late Fred Holden Jr. and Wayne Holden. Sister of Millard Martin of Newfane, Helen Pennell of Brattleboro, and the late Joseph Martin and Frances Bell. Born in Newfane, the daughter of Millard and Pearl J. Daniel Martin, she attended school in Newfane and went to Brattleboro High School. She worked in Brattleboro at CE Bradley Co. and Margolin's pocketbook factory. She moved to Springfield, where she worked at Fellows Gear Shaper, and later moved back to Newfane and worked for Mary Meyer Mfg. in Townshend for 20 years. After her retirement from Mary Meyer, she was a friend and caregiver to Hiram Russ of Jamaica. She was a member of the West Townshend Seventh Day Adventist Church. Some of her greatest enjoyments were traveling, spending time with family and friends, and her little dog Nellie. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Newfane at a date to be announced. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, in care of Robert Backus, MD, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353, or Equinox Terrace, 324 Equinox Terrace Rd., Manchester Center, VT 05255. White Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Townshend is in charge of arrangements.
• Raymond E. Monty Sr., 81, of Alstead, N.H. Died Feb. 27 at home. Husband of the late Kathryn (Allen) Monty for nearly 40 years. Longtime companion of Carlene Frazier. Father of Ray Monty Jr. and his wife, Jeanne, of Bellows Falls; Mark Monty and his wife, Laurie, of Milton; Shawn Monty and his wife, Mary, of New Boston, N.H.; and Kelly Fisher and her husband, Pete, of Essex. One of 16 children, he is survived by his sisters Roberta, Lucille, Bonnie and Betty, and his brother, Paul, and predeceased by the late Marie, Loretta, Francis, Teresa, Annette, Victory, Dennis, Dick, John, and Joe Monty. Born in Schaghticoke, N.Y., the son of Frank E. and Mary J. Monty, he moved to Alstead with his family in 1938, graduating with the class of 1951 from Vilas High School, after winning the state championship in basketball. A lifelong resident of Library Avenue, Ray took a brief sojourn to serve in the Navy from 1951 to 1955, aboard the USS Suisu in the South Pacific. Upon returning to Alstead, he married and went to work for St. Johnsbury Trucking for 32 years, retiring as a dock/dispatch supervisor. A tireless worker, he was loved and respected by co-workers and customers alike. After work, he would often be found coaching a baseball team on Milot Green, or grooming trails and building suspension snowmobile bridges as a founding member of the Tri Town Trailblazers Snowmobile Club. He was always tinkering and coming up with new ideas and contraptions. He loved golf, and was a member of Hooper Golf Club for over 30 years, enjoying many memorable moments and tournaments. Here, he built long lasting friendships. Ray was a member of the American Legion and the Moose Club, both in Bellows Falls, as well as the Alstead Outing Club and VFW, both in Alstead. He was a big fan of the Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots, but reserved his loudest cheers for the Boston Red Sox, and was lucky enough to celebrate their last three championships. He loved to travel and enjoyed snowmobile outings, dances at the Town Hall, golf matches and the like, and was happiest when surrounded by family and friends, and had a lot of both. There was nothing better than to have a big backyard barbecue with loads of friends and family, with kids running every which way. He was a devoted husband and companion, a loving and caring father to his children, a doting grandfather and great-grandfather, a beloved son and brother and a trusted and loyal friend. He will long be remembered for his warm and genial nature, and his quick wit. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 5 at the Third Congregational Church in Alstead. Burial will take place in St. Peter's Cemetery following the service. Donations to Tri Town Trailblazers, P.O. Box 205, Alstead, NH 03602 or Fall Mt. Food Shelf, in care of Mary Lou Huffling, Alstead NH 03602.
• Marguerite N. Stacy, 88, of Hanover, N.H. Died Feb. 28 at her home. Wife of the late Gilbert Stacy for 52 years. Mother of Marcia Kemp of Attleboro, Mass., and Laura Barrett of Hanover, N.H. Sister of Helen Scherlin Dickinson of Wilbraham, Mass. Born in Vernon, the daughter of John and Hazel Thomas Scherlin, her family immigrated from Klockrike Parrish in Ostergotland, Sweden, arriving at Ellis Island in 1912. She got married after World War II, and she and her husband lived their early years in Denver, Colo., and Sacramento, Calif., later residing in Northfield and Deerfield, Mass. She was a librarian at Northfield-Mount Hermon School and Deerfield Academy, where her husband was Director of Physical Plant. She was a youth group leader at the Trinitarian Congregational Church, and a girl scout leader at the “Little House” in Northfield. In 2006, she moved to New Hampshire to live closer to her daughter where she made many new friends in her Quail Hollow neighborhood. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held in the spring at Tyler Cemetery in Vernon. Donations to the Visiting Nurses Association/Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, 66 Benning St., Suite 6, West Lebanon, NH 03784.