Obituaries
• Stephen Mark Cartwright, 47, of Brattleboro. Died Dec. 5 at his home. Born in Rochford, in the county of Essex, England, he was most proud to be British, refusing to surrender his British citizenship in spite of living and working here for two-and-a-half decades. He considered his greatest achievement in life to be the birth of his daughter, Hayley Patricia Cartwright, and fatherhood. He was predeceased by his parents who fostered him when he was two years old, Leslie and Patricia Smith. He grew up throughout England in a family of 16. Later in life, he was able to locate his birth mother, Agnes Campbell Russell Brehaut, who survives him. In addition to his teenage daughter, he is survived by his brother, Brian Cartwright, with whom he grew up in Shoeburyness, England, as well as several half-siblings, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom reside in England. He was also predeceased by his birth father, Brian Rodney Stewart Cartwright, before having an opportunity to know him. Well-known on both sides of the Atlantic for his zest for life, he came to the United States as a croupier in 1990 before meeting the mother of his daughter, Lorie Abolafia, to whom he was married from 1992 to 2011. Most recently, he was the sales and marketing director of the Holiday Inn Express in Brattleboro. Prior to that, he held positions at Mount Snow and the Brattleboro Reformer. He always said it was a goal of his to be remembered years after leaving positions of employment, activities, and places of residence for the positive and humorous contributions he made. He succeeded as people often came up to him even years later remarking on, through vivid memories, how he had enriched their lives. He had many interests, all of which he fully engaged in and loved to share with others. If he was interested in something, it was with passion. He was the voice behind the “Brit on Bratt” feature on WTSA-FM. He loved soccer and enjoyed playing on local pickup teams, as well as coaching his daughter to be the best player she could be, passing his wisdom about, and passion for the sport down to her. He was the consummate dog lover, well known for his high regard for his dogs. He loved to read and had many collections. He was an 1980s music and comic book fanatic. He made people smile and laugh wherever he went. People will remember him as the “funny British guy with tattoos,” but even more than this, a man with a kind heart, full of love for his daughter, Hayley. He had a strong relationship with all of the many programs Hayley took part in and was a beloved parent at each of these, especially the Brattleboro School of Dance. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 2, at 2 p.m., at All Souls Church in West Brattleboro. This celebration is open to the community, including friends and family, to honor his life with a celebration of music, storytelling and art. This gathering will be Quaker meeting style, so be prepared to share. All are encouraged to bring photographs and written memories, along with other work which reminds you of Steve. If you have any photographs or videos, email them to [email protected], for a slide show and keepsake. Donations to his daughter's GoFundMe account to help cover the expenses that have fallen directly upon her: bit.ly/gofundme_stevec.
• Karen R. Clark, 59, of Putney. Died Dec. 12 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Daughter of T. Wayne and Helen M. Clark of Eastbrook, Maine. Sister of T. Robert Clark and his wife, Sue, of Washington, N.J.; Ruth E. Rafferty and her husband, Patrick, of East Brunswick, N.J.; and Marilyn S. Geydoshek and her husband, Michael Jr., of Newton, N.J. Also survived by six nieces and nephews and her best friend, Melanie L. Crosby, who has never left her side. Born in Denville, N.J., she was educated in the New Jersey school system, graduating from Warren Hills High School, Class of 1974. She then went on to attend Keystone Junior College in Pennsylvania and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Kean College in New Jersey. She was employed at Community College of Vermont in Brattleboro. She started her work as a faculty member, teaching in the late 1990s. In 2002, she became Coordinator of Academic Services. She not only connected well with the students, but could also untangle most IT issues in a snap. In 2012, she was named VEOP Educator of the Year by her peers. Karen was a member of the College Council, the Computer and Math curriculum committee, and the New England Opportunities Association, helping to plan many conferences. She was a talented crafter who loved stamping, beading, and making her own cards, calendars, paper, etc. She was an avid Harry Potter fan. She enjoyed movies, birding, kayaking, hiking, snowshoeing, and photography, winning prizes from the Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge. She especially loved helping people. She will always be remembered by those who knew her for her willingness to help others. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: Services will be held at a later date. A scholarship fund has been started in her name. Visit the CCV website at www.ccv.edu/giving to donate. Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro is handling arrangements.
• James F. Clement, 71, of Putney. Died Dec. 8 at his residence. Husband of Khristine (Blood) Clement for 43 years. Brother of Lauria Lake of Brattleboro, Doris Coolbrith of Whitingham, Deloris Young of Vernon, Sam Clement of Brattleboro, Mary Ellen Howland of Georgia, Marion Priest of Boston, Korienne McLean of Orange, Mass., Joe Clement of Hinsdale, N.H., and the late Marjorie Clement, John Clement, Jr., and Barbara Surprise. Born in Charlemont, Mass., the son of the late John E. and Myrtle (Coolbrith) Clement, he was a longtime Putney resident. He was employed at Readboro Chair Shop for many years. He then worked for Putney Paper for more than 40 years, until his retirement. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and loved spending time with his family. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A memorial service was held Dec. 19 at Community Bible Chapel in Brattleboro. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for memorial donations to assist with final expenses. Make checks payable to Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home, 57 High St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be offered at www.kerwesterlund.com.
• Robert C. Covey Sr., 83, of West Dummerston. Died Dec. 7 in Daytona Beach, Fla. He served in the U.S. Navy from September 1950 to July 1954 and retired from The Book Press in Brattleboro in October, 1987. He leaves behind his wife, his sister, Barbara Martino, three children, Deborah Maher, Robert Covey, Jr. and Cynthia Bezanson, four grandchildren, Melissa Butt, Joshua Maher, and Carl and Colby Bezanson, and three great-grandchildren, Cameron and Kylan Butt and Joziah Bezanso. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: No information provided.
• Gene “Hank” C. Davis, 87, of Wilmington. Died Dec. 11 at his home. Husband of Ruth (Akley) Davis for 55 years. Father of Larry Davis and his wife, Karen, of Wilmington; Wanda Davis of West Wardsboro; Karen Farquhar and her husband, Douglas, of Brattleboro; and Carol Lewis and her husband, Paul, of Wilmington. Brother of George Davis and his wife, Virginia, of Wilmington; Michael Davis and his wife, Jill, of Hyannis, Mass.; and the late Bernice Sullivan. Also survived by 11 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Born in Wilmington, the son of the late Lawrence and Annette (Howard) Davis, he attended local schools. He enlisted in the Army and served his country during the Korean Conflict. Upon his discharge, he went to work in the lumber industry, working for Lincoln Haynes for many years and later retiring from Vermont Barn Board in Wilmington. He enjoyed woodworking in his spare time and loved hunting and fishing with his brothers, children and grandchildren. He enjoyed listening to traditional country music, going to Maine. and loved being at home and spending time with his family. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: Graveside funeral services with military honors were held Dec. 21 at Riverview Cemetery in Wilmington. Donations to the American Diabetes Association, in care of Covey-Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Carol Stange Heikkila, 68, of Guilford. Died Dec. 17. Wife of John Heikkila. Mother of Nik and Eric Heikkila. Sister of Elizabeth Jean Dickau. Born in Greenfield, Mass., the daughter of Elizabeth (Grader) and the late Edward Stange, she attended Greenfield High School and Hartwick College, where she earned a B.S. in medical technology in 1969. She taught microbiology at Greenfield Community College in the 1980s and was a substitute teacher at Guilford Central School in the 1990s before moving on to teach at the Meadows School in Brattleboro in the 2000s, all while actively raising her sons at home. She touched many lives and will greatly missed. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Kidder Funeral Home in Northfield, Mass., is in charge of arrangements. To send condolences, visit www.kidderfuneralhome.com.
• Marilyn Aandahl Johnson, 83, a former resident at Bentley Commons in Keene, N.H. Died Dec. 15 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro. Born in Valley City, N.D., the daughter of the late Fred G. and Luella (Brekke) Aandahl, she started her education in Svea Township, N.D., near the family farm and graduated from Bismarck High School during her father's term as governor. She graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor's degree in Education and was a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. Her work after graduation was in New York City, where she worked in the test kitchen and marketing department for Food Fair, and in Washington, D.C., at the National Geographic Society. She also taught for several years before she had children, after which she was a devoted homemaker whose life was centered around her family. Her pre-retirement years in Atlanta included volunteer work at the offices of Literacy Volunteers and some part-time work. She married Ralph Bertil Johnson in 1957 in Washington. The lion's share of her husband's career was with IBM, and the Johnsons' residences included Haddonfield, N.J., Wilmington, Del., Loma Serena, Calif., Boca Raton, Fla., Roswell, Ga., New Canaan, Conn., and their retirement home in Spofford, N.H., near their young grandchild. In her leisure time, she enjoyed exploring classical music and opera recordings, and the Johnsons often had tickets for part of a concert season in Atlanta. She enjoyed trying out new recipes for her fondly remembered family holiday gatherings, and her daughters enjoy sharing recipes for cookies and Grandma Aandahl's banana bread with others. While residing in Spofford and Keene, the Johnsons attended The United Church of Christ of Keene.She is survived by her daughters Margaret Louise Johnson of Ansonia, Conn., and Pamela Johnson Baldwin, son-in-law G. Gorton Baldwin, III, and granddaughter Harper Lee Baldwin, all of Brattleboro. She was predeceased by her husband in 2008, and by her two sisters, Louise Aandahl Stockman and Margaret Aandahl Moran. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A small private service was held the week of her death, with memorial services to be held at later dates in conjunction with interment of Ralph's and Marilyn's ashes at both family sites in Kew Gardens, N.Y., and Valley City, N.D. Donations to the Brattleboro Music Center, 38 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Arrangements are being handled by Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Paul Howe Kaemmerlen, 91, of Holmes Beach, Fla. Died Dec. 12 at his home. Husband of Maryanne Kaemmerlen for 65 years. Father of Susan Jeffery of Canon City, Colo., Robin May of Windham and Marlboro, and Laurie Murdock who, with her husband, recently moved to Holmes Beach. Brother of Helen Lawrence of Park Forest, Ill. He went to high school in Hudson, N.Y., and spent a year at Dartmouth College before joining the Army during World War II. He was in the 320th Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, and took part in the Normandy invasion, landing on Omaha Beach in France in 1944. He also fought in Belgium and Germany and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he returned to Dartmouth, graduated, and got married. His love of sports and the outdoors led him to become an innkeeper at Mount Snow. He built, owned, and ran three separate ski lodges. He was a founding member of the West Dover Fire Department, a school director, and a director of the former Vermont National Bank. He retained his wry sense of humor almost to the end. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A memorial service will be held in Vermont at a later date.
• Carol Lou (Neustadter) Maglin, 82, of Penacook, N.H., formerly of Peabody, Mass. Died Nov. 29 at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, N.H. Mother of Lawrence Maglin, and his wife Dianne, of New Jersey, Maxine Mosley of Manchester, N.H., and Ami J. Schmid of Brattleboro. Also survived by five grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Daughter of the late Esther (Raphel) and Maurice Neustadter, she attended The Clarke School for Hearing & Speech in Northampton, Mass.; Brighton (Mass.) High School, North Shore Community College in Beverly, Mass., and Northeastern University's School of Cytology in Boston. She worked in many New England hospitals and private labs as a cytotechnologist for 18 years. After retiring in New Hampshire, she worked as a data entry clerk for Providian Financial and NHEEAF. She was a volunteer tutor for Second Start in Concord, N.H. for 12 years. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: There is no service planned. Donations to The Clarke School for Hearing & Speech, 45 Round Hill Rd., Northampton, MA 01060-2199; or Pope Memorial SPCA, 94 Silk Farm Rd., Concord, NH 03301.
• Daniel J. Sullivan, Sr., 80, of Mattapoisett, Mass., formerly of Bellows Falls. Died Dec. 16. Husband of Carmen for 27 years. Combined they had nine children: Kim Polky, Kelly Morgado, Kathy Gubernat, James Sullivan, Marie Shapiro, Daniel Sullivan, Terry Simonson, Arthur Moore and Tony Moore. As their family grew with marriages, there were 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Raised in Bellows Falls, the son of the late John and Grace Sullivan, he served as a firefighter in the Air Force. Once out of the service. he started working with a start-up company, Thermo Electron. As the company grew, so did his responsibilities. He was with Thermo for over 40 years and the friends he made there were lifelong. In the early 1960s, he bought a piece of land in Mattapoisett and built a cottage for his family to spend their summers. His favorite place was Goose City Rod and Gun Club in East Dover, a hunting camp that he and his brothers built when they were young men. He eventually turned it into a retreat where he, Carmen, and their family spent so much time. He loved to drive the winding roads of Vermont. Each town seemed to bring a new story of time spent there with friends. Together, he and Carmen travelled to Spain, Alaska, Ireland and Mexico. He looked forward to spending time in Florida with Carmen and their friends each winter. He lived his life to the fullest. He was an amazing friend, always the first one there when help was needed. He was quick with a joke or story, he loved to make people laugh. He was always up for an adventure, and those who knew him each have their favorite Dan story to tell. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A funeral Mass was held Dec. 22 at St. Anthony's Church in Mattapoisett. Donations to the charity of one's choice.
• Kenneth A. Tuttle, 74, of Stratton. Died Nov. 24 in Bennington. Husband of Elke (Cobb) Tuttle. Father of Kenneth A. Tuttle II. Stepfather of Kelly Ameden and April Chase. Born in Hartford, Conn., the son of the late Elmer and Eleanor (Gilman) Tuttle, his career in the Navy spanned 20 years, in which he served during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. After retiring from the Navy, he was employed as a security guard at Stratton Mountain Resort, Mount Snow, and Haystack. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: At his request, there will be no services. Burial will be in Ball Cemetery in Stratton. Donations to either The Wounded Warrior Project or the Windham County Humane Society, in care of the Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363. To send condolences, visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.
• Michalina Marian “Miki” Wasung, 70, of Townshend. Died Dec. 7 at home.Born in Newark, N.J., she attended schools in Springfield and Chatham, N.J., graduating from Chatham High School and Beloit (Wis.) College in Beloit. She studied abroad in Europe and did graduate work at the University of South Carolina and received a Master of Education degree from Keene State College. She traveled throughout the country, living in Cambridge, Mass. and the San Francisco Bay Area before finally settling in Vermont. Since she was a young girl, she spent vacations at the Jersey Shore in Belmar and loved to walk the boardwalks and later enjoyed visiting her parents in southern Arizona. A true lifelong learner, she was a voracious reader, especially loving intelligent mysteries and history. She was a gifted artist who made the world more beautiful through many mediums from quilting, sewing and knitting to her extensive gardens which bloomed from early spring to late fall. She especially delighted in daffodils and cherished her dogs. She helped start Little Valley Nursery School in Townshend and was involved in the Townshend School Club. She served the Town of Townshend for many years as Town Treasurer. She was a wonderfully unique individual who was always true to herself and was happy to help people. She wrote thousands of postcards to family and friends and was an amazing and beloved Babcia to her three grandchildren, reading to her grandson almost every night up until her death. She is survived by her daughter, Ellenka Wasung-Lott, her husband Robert Wilson and their children Henry, Saza, and Lulu, all of Townshend, her sister and brother-in-law, Marya & Paul Klee of Lyme, N.H., and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. She was predeceased by her mother, Michalina Wasung and her longtime companion, Howard Lott. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A celebration of her life will be held in mid-August 2016. Donations to the Free Care Fund at Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353.
• Thomas C. Woodward, 68, of Westminster. Died Dec. 13 at home. Husband of Lyanne Woodward. Father of Patrick Woodward and his partner, Amy, of Charlestown, N.H., and the late Christopher Woodward. Sister of Martha Judson and her husband, Robert, of Exeter, N.H. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Born in Bellows Falls, the son of the late Philip and Marjorie Morrison Woodward, he graduated from Walpole (N.H.) High School and lived in Walpole for many years. A skilled plumber and electrician, he was the owner of Woodward & Sons Plumbing and Heating. He was an instructor at the Springfield Vocational & Technical Center, and was a patient teacher to his apprentices and students. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A graveside service was held at Walpole Cemetery on Dec. 19. Donations to the Walpole Historical Society, P.O. Box 292, Walpole, NH 03608.