College news
• Mariah Lesure of Vernon was named to Castleton State College's women's lacrosse roster for the 2015 season.
School news
• The following area students were recently honored at Vermont Academy winter sports awards ceremony: Cam Wright of West Dummerston received the boys' varsity hockey team's Daniel MacFayden Award, given annually to that member of the team who has made the greatest contribution. Domenic Senerchia of Walpole, N.H., received the team's Most Improved Player award. Cara Linder of Townshend received the girls' varsity basketball team's Greatest Contribution award, given to the player who has made the greatest contribution to the team. Allysun Erunski of Chesterfield, N.H., received the team's Most Valuable Player award. Jamie Lumley of Putney received the Peter J. MacKenzie Ski Program Award, given annually to a member of the VA ski program whose quiet determination and perseverance reflect the honor at Vermont Academy and it's ski program. This is considered the highest award of the snow sports program. Dariel Echanis of Saxtons River received the nordic ski team's Most Improved Skier award and Katy Brennan of Saxtons River was named the Most Valuable Female Rider for the snowboard team. Nevie McOwen of Brattleboro received the dance team's Greatest Contribution award and Corrina Hardesty of Saxtons River was named Most Dedicated in Theater Tech.
Obituaries
• Lucinda Dorcas Fournier, 100, formerly of Brattleboro and Springfield, Vt. Died March 10 at Valley Cares in Townshend, where she had been a resident for the past three years. Wife of the late Patrick A. Fournier for 50 years. Mother of Jeanne Bristol and her husband, Donald, of Dummerston; Mary Bart of Bow, N.H.; Nancy Fournier and her husband Michael Langman of Putney; Catherine Fournier and her husband, Richard Chapin, of Guilford; Lucinda Scott and husband, William, of North Springfield; Patrick Fournier and wife, Jane, of Casper, Wyo.; David Fournier and his wife, Nonie, of Dummerston; Stephen Fournier of Mills, Wyo.; Thomas Fournier of Springfield, Vt.; Bernard Fournier and his wife, Cecile, of Saxtons River; and the late Joseph Henry Fournier. Also survived by 19 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Predeceased by five siblings. Born in Richford, the daughter of the late Andrew and Ida (LaPlant) McAllister, she was raised and educated in Richford and attended Richford High School. She was a caring and dedicated licensed nursing assistant employed for several years at the former Waterbury State Hospital. She also worked at the former Cutler's Nursing Home in Springfield. Mrs. Fournier retired in 1979. A devoted homemaker, she was a loving and faithful wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother whose life centered around her family. She was an avid reader, followed Vermont politics, and enjoyed history, walking, gardening, berry picking, cooking, and canning. She also cherished time spent with her family. A devout Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church and a former parishioner of St. Mary's Church in Springfield. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 17 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Committal rites and burial in St. Mary's Cemetery in Springfield will be held in the springtime when the cemetery reopens. Donations to Valley Cares, Inc., P.O. Box 341, Townshend, VT 05353. Arrangements were under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Alfred “Butch” J. Gero, 63, of Winchester, N.H. Died March 7 at his home, following a long courageous battle with cancer. Husband of Cindy T. (Partridge) Gero. Father of Cassie L. Herrick and her husband, Ben, of Swanzey, N.H.; Serena N. Miller and her husband Jeffrey of Greenville, Pa.; and James B. Gero, of Troy, N.H. Stepfather of Shannon M. Minor and her companion, Dwayne Rector, of Winchester. Brother of Joy Bellville of Guilford; Ann Kristolaitis and her husband, Arnold, of Winchester; Henry Gero and his wife, Ellen, of Hinsdale, N.H.; Paul Gero and his companion, Norma Arsenault of Brattleboro; and the late Dolph Gero and Kathryn Taylor. Born in Brattleboro, the son of Alfred J. and Pauline (Johnson) Gero Sr., he was a graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1969. For more than 30 years, he devoted his life to the protection of the community in which he lived, serving on the Hinsdale and Winchester police departments. He also worked for Markem in Keene. He was a very hard-working man who put himself into his work 100 percent, and then some. If he wasn't busy working, he was probably spending time with his children, his grandchildren, or his multitude of friends hunting or doing something outside. He was an animal lover and especially loved his dogs, Moose and Butch, and his cat, Smokey. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 14 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Donations to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, Brookline, MA. 02445.
• Lt. Col. Prentice Fisk Hammond Sr. (Ret.), 82, of Bartonsville. Died March 8 at his home. Husband of Teresa (Snarski) Hammond. Father of Prentice Jr; William, and his wife Patricia; Barbara and her husband, James Kolodziej; Mary and her husband, Clint Spaar; Everett and his wife Kimberlie; Susan; Kimberly and her husband John Austin; and Norris and his wife, Christina. Twin brother of Patricia “Petie” Olin and her husband, Richard. Brother of the late Roger and Guernsey Hammond. Son of the late Zeona Fisk and Norris Roger Hammond, he was born in Bellows Falls (or, as Petie always said, she kicked him out first). A graduate of Bellows Falls High School in 1950, he worked for several years at the Standard Paper Co. before he was drafted into the Army in January 1953, and began an incredible journey of dedicated and honorable service to his country. He served with distinction for 20 years in France, Germany, Korea, and Okinawa, in addition to many domestic assignments. He also served two tours in Vietnam in 1967-68 and 1970-71. Before being drafted, he escorted his twin sister on a double date. She suggested he invite Teresa Snarski to be his date - the three had been friends since starting first grade together at the one room schoolhouse in Bartonsville. While Petie's date did not end well, Teresa and Prentice married in June 1955, and they enjoyed nearly 60 wonderful years together. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers until his retirement in February 1973. On his first overseas trip to his posting to France, he was assigned as the Health Officer and he became seasick the moment the troop ship departed Brooklyn Navy Yard. He described the 10 days at sea as the worst in his life. Teresa, meanwhile, had a wonderful crossing as Prentice kept watch over their infant son, Prentice, Jr. the first of eight children. In December 1967, he was assigned to the Post Engineers in Saigon, Vietnam, where he was in charge of in-house facilities for the 20,000 U.S. military and allied forces stationed there. He earned the first of three Bronze Stars during the Tet Offensive in February 1968. During his second tour, he served as Deputy Northern District Engineer and was responsible for supervising Army engineers in Central Vietnam. As Installation Engineer in Da Nang, he also oversaw the transfer of facilities to the Republic of Vietnam as the U.S. began to withdraw. After retiring from the military, he returned to Bartonsville with his family and began a second career as the Town Manager of Chester. He was quickly tested in his new job during the flood of June 1973, which destroyed 11 bridges and many miles of roads throughout the town. He served the town of Chester for 21 years. He was also very active in the community, including starting races at Rockingham Swim meets and being a part of the Chain Gang for Bellows Falls Union High School and the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl Tournaments. He was an avid golfer at the Bellows Falls Country Club, and even served a term as President of the Board. He bowled in the Springfield Tuesday League; was a member of American Legion Post 67, the Masons, and the Springfield Elks Club He organized the Black, White, and Dusty, and Shrine golf tournaments; loved to fish and go to his hunting camp; and traveled with Teresa to Europe and to military reunions in the U.S. He could often be seen in Chester taking morning coffee with the boys at the diner. Although Parkinson's Disease curtailed many of his activities, it could not keep him from playing in his Thursday night poker game, something he looked forward to every week. He began tapping the maples on his land in the spring of 1974. The Covered Bridge Sugar House has been going ever since. He would have been happy to know that the sap was finally running on the day he died. Memorial information: A funeral service was held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Chester on March 14. Donations to American Legion Post 67 in Chester or St. Joseph's Church in Chester, where Prentice was known as the most faithful of the non-Catholic attendees.
• Morton (Shine) McAllister, 88, of Brattleboro. Died March 9 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Peggy McAllister for 55 years. Father of Daniel, Donald (Sandy), Rex (Julie), Liz Perkins, Tammy Gosselin, and Kim (Clyde) Winters. Brother of Marjorie Paquette, Norman McAllister and his wife, Pat; and the late Virginia, Sam, Maynard, and Everett McAllister. Son of the late Leslie and Beatrice McAllister of Richford. Also survived by 13 grandchildren, eight great-granchildren, his beloved dogs Penny and Toby, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A memorial service was held March 15 at the Elks Home in Brattleboro.
• Lorraine May Neff, 85, of Keene, N.H. Died March 11 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene. Wife of Alonzo W. Neff Sr. for 58 years. Mother of Catherine Neff of Waterbury; Carleen Ashley and her husband, Chuck, of Waterbury; Alonzo W. Neff, Jr. and his wife, Carol, of Chester; Cheryl Sellner and her husband, Kent, of Niskayuna, N.Y.; Laurie Neff of Keene; Lisa Harmon and her husband, William Sr., of Saxtons River; Linnea Davis of Swanzey, N.H.; and Mary Schemm and her husband, Robert, of Whitehall, Md. Sister of Irene Muka and her husband, Lewis, of Leyden, Mass., and the late Anna Woods and Francis Dompier. Born in Keene, the daughter of the late Gilbert and Catherine (Walker) Dompier, she attended St. Joseph Regional School and was a 1948 graduate of Keene High School. She was a library aide at Bellows Falls Middle School for more than 15 years, and lived in Saxtons River for 42 years before moving back to Keene in 2011. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 17 at St. Bernard's Church in Keene. Burial will take place later in the spring at St. Charles Cemetery in Westminster.
• Peter Spencer Petty, 73, of Townshend. Died March 9, his 73rd birthday, at Maplewood Nursing Home in Wesmoreland, N.H., of Frontotemporal Degeneration, a disease with no known cure, which challenged him for more than 10 years. Wife of Elisa “Lee” Ruland for more than 50 years. Father of Kristen Petty Bills, Kirk Petty and his wife, Margaret Nixon, of Townshend, and Kerrin Petty-Nilsson and her husband, Jorgen, of Forshaga, Sweden. Sister of Karlann (Kay) Monahan and the late Spencer and Jordan Petty. Born in Theresa, N.Y., the son of the late Oliver W. Petty and Doris Neylon. He grew up in Patchogue, N.Y., graduating in 1960 from Patchogue High School where he lettered in track, cross-country running and basketball. He received B.S and M.Ed. degrees from Springfield College and did advanced studies in Life Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and the University of Vermont. In 1964, he moved to Vermont with his bride and they raised their children on East Hill in Townshend, where they lived for 30 years. He taught chemistry, physics and biology at Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend and then Life Sciences at Bellows Falls Union High School. He coached both track and cross country running at the high school level. He loved living in the country and spent much of his time in the outdoors. For many happy summers, he worked as an ocean lifeguard at Fire Island, New York. He later taught cross country skiing in Vermont. Upon his retirement from teaching in 1996, he and Lee moved to Westport, N.Y., on Lake Champlain for 12 years, returning to Townshend in 2008. From 2007 to 2011, they spent winters in North Port, Florida. He loved hunting above all, but also enjoyed surf casting, sailing, paddling, relaxing at the beach and spending time with family and friends at his camp, Eagle Watch, on the Saranac River near Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held later at the family's convenience. Eternal Blessings of Guilford is handling his cremation. Donation to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), 290 King of Prussia Rd., Radnor, PA 19087, the Activities Department at Maplewood Nursing Home, Westmoreland, N.H., or the “Aging Gracefully” initiative at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend.
• Susan Elizabeth Keese Pyatak, 67, of South Newfane. Died March 7 after a complicated and devastating illness triggered by the flu. Wife of John “Bud” Pyatak for 38 years. Mother of Annie Faith Noonan and Christopher John Pyatak. Brother of James Patrick Keese, III. Born in Philadelphia, daughter of the late James P. Keese, Jr. and Lois Elaine (Steel) Keese, her early years were spent in Drexel Hill and Radnor, Pa. She had a happy childhood and was loved deeply by her parents. She had a special bond with her grandmother and namesake Elizabeth Truesdale Steel, whose spunk she inherited and refined, and her grandfather Everett Baker Steel, whose constant presence at the piano ensured that her early life was filled with music. She was a gifted storyteller. She fell in love with writing at an early age and felt called to share the power of words with others. This gift was expressed in prose, poetry, and music. In her teenage years, she was rarely seen without her guitar. She was also a gifted artist who was able to create beautiful images in various media. She graduated from Radnor High School in 1965 and went on to study at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio. The changes happening in the 1960s were an irresistible pull, however, and she moved to New York City to follow her dream of being a writer. She got close with activist friends who drew her to San Francisco, where she became a pivotal part of the counter-cultural revolution and was involved with the Diggers, an innovative community-action group based in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. She then moved to Black Bear Ranch, an influential commune in northern California, and later moved to New Mexico, where she lived alone in a remote cabin without running water. After her daughter was born, she moved to New England to a commune in New Hampshire, and met her husband, Bud. The family lived in rural Connecticut for several years, where their son was born, before moving to Brattleboro, and then settling in South Newfane. In Vermont, she became an accomplished writer and reporter and a beloved member of her local and statewide community. From 1986 to 1993, she was editor-in-chief of Potash Hill, the Marlboro College Alumni Magazine. Her “No Stone Unturned” column, published in the Rutland Herald and the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus Sunday Magazine between 1995 and 2003, won several awards. Topics she explored included family life, natural history, gardening, culture, and society. She served as a creative writing workshop leader for many years, participating as an instructor, panelist, and coach at various school and college programs. She was perhaps best known by Vermonters as a reporter and producer for Vermont Public Radio, and her segments would sometimes air on National Public Radio. She covered southern Vermont for VPR from 2002 until her death and won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for her reporting. Her freelance work appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Vermont Life, Orion, Yankee magazine, the Brattleboro Reformer, American Profile, and other publications. In addition to her writing, her great loves were gardening, taking walks and spending time in nature, reading, drawing, being near the ocean, and enjoying her husband, children, grandchildren, and other family and friends. Memorial information: A potluck memorial celebration was held March 14 at the Grange Hall in Williamsville. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice and the Vermont Foodbank.
• Doris Wheeler Stone, 92, of Brattleboro, formerly of Madison, Florham Park and Chatham, N.J. Died March 4 at the home of her daughter, Sally, in Brattleboro. Mother of Arthur Stone of Haddonfield, N.J., Carolyn Stone-SanFilippo and her husband, Steven SanFilippo of New Providence, N.J., Liz Adams of Putney, and Sally Stone of Brattleboro. Sister of Mary Locke, Elizabeth Hughes, and the late Thomas and Jane Wheeler. Born in Stephentown, N.Y., one of five children of the late Beatrice Briggs and Thomas Wheeler, she was a 1946 graduate of the University of Iowa School of Nursing. She spent most of her professional life involved in nursing's many aspects, from supervising graduate students in Iowa to training interns from Rutgers University. She was accepted into New Jersey's first pediatric nurse practitioner program in 1973. She declined a prestigious offer to teach at Yale University so she could stay close to family. She worked for the Madison Health Dept. in Madison, N.J. as a public health nurse and also conducted baby clinics. She worked from 1966 to 1986. After retiring she continued her work as a board member for United Way. She began a “second part-time job,” working 37 hours a week for Bollinger Insurance. She retired from that in 2005. She loved gardening, spending time with family, visiting the family farm and traveling. One of her biggest highlights was driving cross-country with her daughter and granddaughter, visiting all the national parks along their route. Memorial information: A private funeral service will be held at a later date. Interment will take place in the family lot in Stephentown, N.Y.