College news
• Kacie St. Onge of Brattleboro recently received a B.S. degree from Curry College in Milton, Mass.
• Hollie Landfried of Brattleboro recently received a B.S. degree in information technology from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
• The following local students were named to the spring 2016 Dean's List at Champlain College in Burlington: Kevin Ameden of Jamaica, Cuyler Cunningham of Brattleboro, Aubrie Gillam of Putney, John Houk of Brattleboro, and Jeremy Root of Vernon.
• Christiana Strysko, a nursing student from Wilmington, was named to the Provost's List at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Okla.
Obituaries
• Catherine A. Adams, 81, of Brattleboro. Died July 25 at Pine Heights Nursing Home in Brattleboro where she had been a resident for the past 4 1/2 years. She was born in Coventry, R.I., on March 9, 1935, the daughter of the late Arthur and Catherine (O'Neill) Rathbun. She was raised and educated in Coventry and remained there to raise her family until 1985, when she moved to Vermont. She had been employed as a Licensed Nurses Assistant at Hopkins Health Center in Rhode Island for several years. She was the first person in the state of Rhode Island to become an LNA. She was also a devoted homemaker who loved her family deeply, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed trips to Foxwoods, playing Bingo, and crafts, mostly needlepoint. Her husband, Millard Filmore Sisson, Sr. predeceased her several years ago. Survivors include four daughters, Mildred “Millie” Lawlor of Brattleboro, Roberta Cennamo-Lemois of West Warwick, R.I., Janice Sisson of Cavendish, and Kimberly Chase of Newport, N.H.; and two sons, Millard “Butch” Sisson, Jr. and Michael Sisson, both of Rhode Island. She also leaves 20 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren,and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter, Brenda Pennell, and 12 siblings. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, at 1 p.m., at West Brattleboro Baptist Church. Donations to Pine Heights Activities Fund, 187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• William Joseph Burns, 93, of Litchfield, Conn. Died July 23 at his home. Born on Aug. 31, 1922, the son of the late Joseph R. and Lillian (Hopps) Burns, he was raised in Thomaston and attended Thomaston High School. Before enlisting in the Marine Corps, he worked at Warren McArthur in Bantam, Conn., where he met his future wife, Augusta Casadei Burns. They wed in 1947 and were married for 67 years until her death in 2014. During his service in World War II, he saw action against Japanese forces in Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian before serving with the occupation force after Japan's surrender. After being discharged on Christmas Eve, 1945, he worked at the Torrington Manufacturing Co. until he opened his business, Bill's Package Store in Litchfield, which he ran from 1957 until he retired in 1989. He was proud to have served 61 years in the Knights of Columbus as a 4th degree Knight and served as Grand Knight for 3 terms with the St. Anthony's Council 56, Litchfield. He was also a 50- year member of American Legion Post 27 and a 40-plus year member of the BPOE Lodge 372. He enjoyed spending time with all his grandchildren. He is survived by three children: Susan E. Hiner of Brattleboro, William F. Burns and his wife, Kathy, of Bantam, and Gina L. Burns of Hardwick, Mass. He is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A funeral Mass was held Aug. 2 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Litchfield, with burial with military honors in St. Anthony Cemetery. Donations to St. Anthony's Church of Padua Church, P. O. box 97, Litchfield, CT 06759.
• Matthew Lee Cochran, 35, of Prescott, Ariz., formerly of Brattleboro. Died July 25 in a work-related accident. Born on Aug, 13, 1979, in Brattleboro, traditional academics were difficult for Matt. But, by the sheer force of his determination and with the support of educators who honored his way of learning, he graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1998, and from Prescott College in 2013. He had an indomitable spirit with unwavering honesty, and was a teacher to all. He was a man of wonderfully contrasting qualities: gentle yet determined; loving yet independent; stoic yet vulnerable. He was a straight talker who could distill a situation into its very essence in just a few words, popping out phrases that were funny, poignant and pointed. An active member of AA, he had just celebrated his 13th year of sobriety, bringing to his community his wit, wisdom, and steady support for others in recovery. On his own journey, he learned to recognize and accept both his strengths and his weaknesses. He is survived by his parents, Lorni and Jock Cochran; his siblings, Jamie Motum, Liza Cochran, and Jones Cochran; and a wide circle of family and friends. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A memorial service for family and friends will be held Thursday, Aug. 4, at 5 p.m., at the Cochran home in Guilford. A potluck dinner will follow. Donations to “One in Ten,” a memorial foundation being created in his name to support people in recovery. Send checks to: One in Ten, in care of Darcey Brown, 2931 East Bench Road, Moab, UT, 84532.
• Susal Stebbins Collins, 57, of Dummerston. Died July 15 after a yearlong battle with a debilitating illness. Born in Minneapolis, Minn., she graduated with a B.A. in 1980 from the St. Louis Conservatory of Music (oboe performance) and in political science from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2010, she earned an M.A. in Intercultural Management from the School of International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro. She was a passionate human being with unbounded generosity and kindness. All who knew her experienced her absolute commitment to alternative energy, social justice, peace, and anti-nuclear power movements. She worked for many years as a lobbyist for the Minnesota chapter of the National Organization for Women, and was awarded their Susan B. Anthony “Failure is Impossible” Award for her work on behalf of women's rights. The award emphasized her “great strategizing and negotiating skills” in the legislature as well as her “never-ending optimism.” In 2001, Susal joined the University of Wisconsin Tibetan Language Program in Kathmandu, Nepal. She worked there for three years as a journalist, photographer, and editor. She also served as the Director of Nun's Welfare at the Arya Tara School for Buddhist nuns. Her stunning photographs from this period have been featured in several galleries in Oregon, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Vermont. Upon her return to the United States in 2004, she continued to deepen her work with the Buddhist community. In the Lam Te Dhyana School of Thich Nhat Hanh, she was accorded the dharma name “Joyful Connection of the Heart.” All who knew her would agree that the name suited her perfectly. Once she got her degree at SIT, Susal taught courses in intercultural competence, social change, and practitioner inquiry methods. She is remembered for her spirit and dedication to SIT's students and mission and for her passionate commitment to social justice and humanistic values. With characteristic enthusiasm and commitment, she also served on the Restorative Justice Panel at the Brattleboro Community Justice Center. In 2011, Susal became a Regional Trainer in the Transition Town Movement, and she helped to found a transition group in Dummerston. She also worked with Marlboro Productions to assist in the international distribution to community activists of the award winning film “Taking Root” that tells the story of the Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, Nobel Laureate and SIT Trustee. In 2012, she joined the staff of Hampshire College, as the Contemplative Life Advisor. She supported students in the practice of meditation and mindfulness, and held community mindfulness gatherings designed to explore right understanding, right intention, and right action to advance social justice and sustainability. She is survived by her husband, William Collins; her mother, K. Ann Stebbins; two sisters, Beth Ann Stebbins and her husband, Douglas Brown, and Kara Lynn Stebbins and her husband, Al Ferro. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert (Bob) Stebbins. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: Transition Dummerston will hold a potluck supper and life celebration on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016 at the Evening Star Grange, 1008 East West Rd., in Dummerston Center from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Donations to Karuna Shechen (karuna-shechen.org/how-to-help), based in Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal, to support earthquake relief.
• Hazel Marrion Deyo, 84, of Brattleboro. Died July 27. Born in Williamsville on Nov. 29, 1931, the daughter of the late James and Jennie (Martocci) Marrion, she grew up in Brattleboro. She graduated from St. Michael's School and later married Robert “Punky” Deyo. The Deyos relocated to Windsor, Conn., and then spent a couple of years in Florida, before returning to Brattleboro to live out their sunset years. In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by a brother, Francis Marrion, and her husband. She is survived by two sons, Robert Deyo and his wife, Sandra, and Michael Deyo and his wife, Bonnie. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A graveside service was held Aug. 2 at St. Michael's Cemetery in Brattleboro.
• Marcia W. Farmer, 86, of Ascutney, formerly of Newfane. Died July 21 at her home. Born July 16, 1930 in Hampton, N.Y., the daughter of Harold and Dorothy (Douglas) Whitaker, she was raised in Newfane and graduated from Brattleboro High School. She was the first woman to graduate from Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, earning her associate's degree. She married Samuel F. Farmer in Newfane in 1963 and they moved to Ascutney. She was employed as an X-ray technician at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Mount Ascutney Hospital, and Springfield Hospital. She retired from Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor in 1999. She was an avid horseback rider and was a member of the Hartland Riding Club and the Blue Mountain Riding Club in Windsor. She loved outside activities, including snowmobiling, skiing, fishing, and gardening. Her favorite thing was spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was an avid Boston sports fan, supporting the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, and one brother, John Whitaker. Survivors include her daughter, Catherine Henault and her husband, Peter, of Perkinsville; one stepson, David Farmer and his wife, Shelley, of Anchorage, Alaska; two grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; one great-grandson; and one brother, Raymond Whitaker and his wife, Betty, of Panton. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A funeral service was held July 27 at Knight Funeral Home in Windsor, with committal services in Woodlawn Cemetery in Newfane. Donations to Bayada Hospice in Norwich, or to the American Cancer Society.
• Linda Beth Haltinner, 63, of Saxtons River. Died July 16 after a nearly four-year journey with metastatic breast cancer. Spouse of Cynthia N. Moore. Mother of Lucas Balamuth, Adam Balamuth and his wife, Angela, and Daniel Ewald. Sister of Dennis Haltinner and his wife, Joanna; Bruce and Brian Haltinner; Lisa Jameson and her husband, Tim; and the late Brent Haltinner. Born Nov. 10, 1952, in Appleton, Wis., daughter of Betty Verone (Reichard) Haltinner and the late Donald Owen Haltinner, she was an extraordinary woman, mother, partner, sister, healer, teacher, and artist. She leaves a legacy in the hearts and souls of those she touched, literally and figuratively. Those of us who know her life story from the very beginning agree that she was truly a love child. Her young parents were passionately in love with one another and were overjoyed with their first born child. Throughout her lifetime, she embodied and cultivated that love and passion in all aspects of her life, in both action and attitude. She had an exquisitely beautiful ability to make everyone she spent time with feel seen, special, and connected. Her spirituality was at the core of her being, and played a large role in her work and all aspects of her life. At various times, she considered studying theology and becoming a member of the clergy, but ultimately, she chose to create a ministry in health care because she believed that “Love is truly the only thing that heals.” After receiving her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin in nutrition and biochemistry, she attended New York Chiropractic College and received her Doctor of Chiropractic in 1981. She described the decision to become a chiropractor as an opportunity to use physical touch as a means of “bringing people back into their remembrance of their wholeness and thus to allow healing to occur.” In 1985, she and her young family moved to Saxtons River from Long Island. There, she established her chiropractic practice that would later become the catalyst for her vision of Sojourns Community Clinic which she founded in December 2000. In founding Sojourns, she wove together her skill as a healer with her expertise in functional and biological medicine and her passion for integrative, client-centric care and created a model of healthcare based on partnering with patients and walking with them as a guide on their healing path. As founder, medical director, and lead practitioner, she served as the charismatic leader, visionary and mentor of Sojourns until her retirement in 2015. Her guidance and inspiration are woven into the fabric of the clinic and will continue to guide and shape the practice forever more. She delighted in the dance of parenting, treasured the opportunity to collaborate with other gifted practitioners and her clients, and was an inspiring friend, sibling and spouse. Her passion and delight in the physical world was manifest in her artistic accomplishments as well. She was an exuberant gardener and loved to spend her free time burrowing in the dirt, attending to her glorious garden beds. After nearly 30 years of developing and perfecting her gardens at home, she started anew after her initial cancer diagnosis when she designed and created an extensive peony labyrinth as a sanctuary and healing practice. She was also an accomplished writer and an extraordinary paper artist. Her origami creations can be found throughout the clinic, and in the homes of loved ones, and reflect years of dedicated exploration of pushing the limits of paper folding and sculpting. She was not afraid to die. In fact, she used to say that “we don't die, just our bodies do, our spirit and our energy live on eternally.” She died as she lived; with extraordinary grace, beauty, peacefulness, presence and faith. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 4 p.m., at The Putney School, with a reception and display of Linda's origami creations to follow. Donations to Sojourns Community Health Clinic, 4923 US Route 5, Westminster, VT 05158.
• Paul Francesco Ricci, 73, of Westminster West. Died July 27 after a brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Debbie Cohen, and his beloved Shih Tzu dogs, Babette and Cyrano, and his cat Sal. Born in New York City to Sylvia and Edward Ricci, he toured the United States as a folk dancer and then as a professional ballet dancer. He joined the ballroom dance world, dancing competitively with his wife and opening a dance studio, “Limelight” in Concord, Mass.. Recently, he performed with the Brattleboro School of Dance in their annual Nutcracker Ballet. He was a philosopher, Buddhist, astrologer, linguist, writer, teacher, accountant, and admired dancer. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: Donations in his memory may be made to Westminster Cares, P.O. 312, Westminster, VT 05158.