Obituaries
• Kenneth Eugene Ameden, 71, of Londonderry. Died Dec. 12, 2016, at the VA Hospital in West Roxbury, Mass. He was born on Dec. 23, 1944, in Springfield, Vt., to the late Eugene and Emma (Kilburn) Ameden. He was raised on the Taylor Farm that his parents operated, attended elementary school in Londonderry, and went on to attend high school in Chester. After high school, he completed a course in heavy equipment mechanics in North Carolina, then went on to enlist in the Air Force, where he served four years, making the rank of staff sergeant. Eventually, he made it back to his hometown where he purchased a piece of property on Boynton Road, and built his forever home. He was an absolute role model in his community, with a heart of gold and an eagerness to help out anyone in need. He also had an incredible love of volunteering, from coaching in the Little League program, to serving 32 years on the fire department. He was a man of few words with a big heart, a great smile, and a twinkle in his eye. He was loved by all. He is survived by his wife, Linda (Stevens) Ameden, whom he was with for 43 years; two sons, Scot Ameden and his wife, Teresa, of Baltimore, Md., James A. Ameden and his wife, Pamela, of Londonderry; two daughters, Sheri Van (Ameden) DeHoek and her husband, Ari, of Holland and Stacy Ameden of Manchester; two brothers, James W. Ameden and his wife, Josie, of Landgrove and Norman Ameden and his wife, Lena, of St. Cloud, Fla; and a sister, Jane (Ameden) Crespo and her husband, Wayne, of Winchendon, Mass. He is also survived by six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, several nephews, and a niece. Memorial information: A celebration of life service will be held at the Second Congregational Church in Londonderry on Jan. 7, at 1 p.m., with a reception following at the Weston Rod and Gun Club in Weston. There will be a burial service in July in the Riverside Cemetery in Londonderry. Donations to the Phoenix Fire Company No. 6, P.O. Box 20, Londonderry, VT 05148.
• Raymond Ernest Butler Sr., 84, formerly of Hinsdale, N.H. and a resident of The Villages, Fla. Died Dec. 18 at The Villages Hospice House. He was born in Hinsdale on Nov. 27, 1932, the son of Ernest and Beatrice (LeCuyer) Butler. He attended school in Hinsdale and graduated in the Class of 1951. He served in the Navy aboard the destroyer USS Wadleigh during the Korean War. After the war, in 1955, he married Dolores (Danna) Butler. He was a resident of Hinsdale most of his life and retired to Florida with his wife in 1999, where they lived the remainder of their lives. He was a general contractor for 40 years building many homes, ski lodges, apartment buildings, and motels. His last project was a new facility for a local credit union. He belonged to the Elks, VFW and American Legion. He was a charter member of the Hinsdale Lions Club, as well as serving as Vice President and President for two years. For the club, he initiated and chaired Halloween dances for teenagers and a parade for the younger generation. He was a member of the Lions Club for 12 years. He enjoyed attending his Naval reunions since 1985 and never missed a year until the death of his wife in 2006. He attended his last reunion in 2008. He leaves behind two sons, Raymond E. Butler Jr. of Lisbon, N.Y., and John M. Butler of Fredericksburg, Va.; two daughters, Jeannette H. Merton of Hinsdale and Joan B. Austin of Somersworth, N.H; four siblings, Edith Brown of Laconia, N.H., Beatrice Mitchell of Hinsdale, N.H., Marguerite Choquette of Massachusetts, and Olin Butler of Brattleboro; eight grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and 19 nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by siblings Ethel Doyle and Edwin Butler. Memorial information: A Catholic prayer service was held Dec. 27 at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Burial in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Hinsdale will take place in the springtime, when the cemetery reopens. Donations to The Villages Hospice House, in care of Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, 601 Casa Bella, The Villages, FL 32162.
• Lt. Col. Philip Leroy Chamberlain (U.S. Army, Ret.), 92, of Port Charlotte, Fla. Died Dec. 16. Born on April 30, 1924 in Jaffrey, N.H., son of Alice and Clifton Chamberlain, he joined the Army in 1943 during World War II. He was involved in the invasion of Okinawa in 1945 and in the Korean War in 1953. He retired from the Army in 1968, after earning the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal during his 25 year of service. He later became the president of Chuck's Marina in Englewood, Fla. A member of the Englewood Kiwanis Club, he held a general class Amateur Radio license, was an ardent fisherman, and loved to play golf. He is survived by his sister, Jesse Hope of Dallas, N.C.; stepdaughter Sandra Astley of Putney; eight grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Iona Pearl Chamberlain, in 2008, his son Robert Chamberlain, stepdaughter Penelope LaFlam, and sister Beverly Chamberlain. Memorial information: His urn will be interred at Sarasota (Fla.) National Cemetery. Donations to the Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans Nursing Home, 21281 Grayton Terrace, Port Charlotte, FL 33954.
• Josephine H. Goss, 89, formerly of Alstead, N.H. Died Dec. 21 at the Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, N.H. She was born on Feb. 6, 1927 in Chesterfield, N.H., the daughter of Rolla and Delia (Lawrence) Smith. She attended school in Charlestown N.H., and worked as an Avon representative for 40 years. She belonged to the Third Congregational Church in Alstead, N.H. where she served as Deacon Emeritus. She married Howard L. Goss in 1946, he predeceased her in 2003. She is survived by her children, Joni Jo Goss and Howard L. Goss II and his wife, Julie; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and her sister Harriett Brooks. She was predeceased by siblings Loren “Snooky” Smith, Loraine Lawrence, and Evelyn Fuller. Memorial information: A celebration of her life was held Dec. 28 at Third Congregational Church. Donations to Third Congregational Church, 14 River St., Alstead, NH 03602.
• Richard Albert Gramling, 84, of West Dover. Died Dec. 15 at Bennington Health & Rehab Center, following a period of declining health. Born in Woodstock on Jan. 24, 1932, the son of Julius J. and Elizabeth F. (Kruse) Gramling, he was raised and educated in Woodstock and attended Woodstock High School. He proudly served his country in the Army during the Korean War. Following his honorable discharge, he began working for K. Ross in West Lebanon, N.H. He later drove a gas delivery truck for Merrill Gas, retiring after 22 faithful years with the company. He was a member of VFW Carl Dessaint Post 1034 in Brattleboro. He had a love for carpentry and enjoyed gardening and time spent with his family, especially his grandchildren whom he loved and adored. In 1971, he married Nancy Tuthill, who survives. Besides his wife, he is survived by three brothers: Gene and Mary Gramling of Troy, Ala., Paul and Betty Gramling of Anaco, La., and Thomas and Lucille Gramling of Ascutney. His children include Richard & Josephine of Ocala, Fla., Charlie & Kimberly of Ocala, Fla., Michele and Timothy of Ocala, Fla., Lisa and Frank of Concord, N.C., Cindy Walley of Rollinsford, N.H., Alan and Lynda Potwin of West Fairlee, Doreen Grover of Havana, Fla., Penny & Rusty Marine of Guilford, Pamela and Michael Nolan of Ocala, Fla., Julie Brock of Biglerville, Pa., Jay Meyer of Putney, and Dottie Jankovich of Tallahassee, Fla. He also leaves 20 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his siblings, Gerard Gramling, Eddie Gramling, Lawerence Gramling, Veronica Morgan, Eleanor Walker, and both his parents. Memorial information: At his request, there will be no formal funeral services. Donations to the VFW Carl Dessaint Post 1034, 40 Black Mountain Rd., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Brenda Joyce Hatt, 67, of Spofford Road in Westmoreland, N.H. Died Dec. 19 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H., of complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, (ALS). Born in Colchester on Jan. 11, 1949, the daughter of Owen and Helen (McClaren) Hutchins, she was raised in Lincoln and later attended Dummerston School. She was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1967. She went on to attend the Thompson School for Practical Nursing in Brattleboro, where she received her Licensed Practical Nurse degree. She was employed for many years at Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, which she retired from. Previously, she worked at Thompson House in Brattleboro. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, working in her garden, and time shared with her family, especially her grandchildren. She also loved to cook and took great pride in her home. In 1999, she married Richard “Rick” Hatt, who survives. She also leaves three sons, Peter Lawrence, William Lawrence, and Michael Lawrence; one stepson, Amos Hatt; three brothers, Jack Hutchins, Owen Hutchins, Jr., and Daniel Hutchins; three sisters, Nancy Farrell, Monica Morris, and Elaine Greenwood; six grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by siblings Virginia Howard, Glenn Hutchins, and Raymond Hutchins. Memorial information: A memorial gathering in celebration of her life was held Dec. 28 at the Westmoreland Fellowship Hall. Donations to the ALS Northern New England Chapter, 10 Ferry Street, Suite 438, Concord, NH 03301. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• George Francis Lewis, 90, of Guilford. Died Dec. 18 after a period of declining health. He was an English teacher at Brattleboro Union High School for 24 years and was a well-known figure in local civic, educational, and Episcopal Church circles. He was a resident of Guilford since 1968. He was a dedicated member of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro for nearly 50 years, and a lifelong lover of the opera. Many no doubt saw Lewis over the years as he drove around Windham County in one of a series of Volvo sedans he owned, always easy to spot thanks to a unique Vermont license plate that read OPERA. Born on Nov. 19, 1926 in Richmondtown, Staten Island, N.Y., the son of Robert Miller Lewis and Louise Betty Charlotte (Arbogast) Lewis, he graduated from New Dorp High School in 1944 and then joined the Army where he served in the final months of World War II, eventually working as the chief clerk of the Office of the Chief of Chaplains in the European Theater during the early days of the post-war occupation. After leaving the service in 1946, he entered Yale University the next year as a pre-ministerial student, graduating in the class of 1951. His growing interest in teaching and his satisfaction, at that time, in acting, which included several appearances on Broadway stages, altered his post- collegiate goal. Settling on a career in education, Lewis taught at The Hackley School in Tarrytown, N.Y. from 1951 to 1956, and in succeeding years at Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia (1956-58), Metairie Park Country Day School (1958-1960) and St. Martin's Protestant Episcopal School (1960-1968), the latter both in New Orleans, La. After a break to return to Yale where he did graduate work in English and education, earning a Master's of Arts in Teaching, he accepted a position in 1968 at BUHS as the first-ever head of the English department, a post in which he served for 21 years until retiring in 1992. During this period, he always said he enjoyed the pleasure and satisfaction of working with many of Windham Southeast's students as well as some of the district's best educators. While teaching in New Orleans in 1960, he met his future wife, Laura Jane Owens. The couple famously impressed each other during their first-ever encounter at a Mardi Gras ball, with an exchange of lines from Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” as they met on the dance floor. In addition to his wife, he is survived by their daughter, Louise Neal Lewis Larsen, his younger sister, Virginia Ohlau of San Andreas, Calif.; two granddaughters and 11 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his older brother, Robert M. Lewis of Fresno, Calif. His passion for opera extended far beyond his personalized license plate. He was a familiar voice on local radio station WKVT with his “Curtain Raiser at the Met” program airing just prior to the weekly Saturday matinee broadcasts of New York's Metropolitan Opera from 1970 to 1994. For many years, he also conducted informational classes for interested community members called Opera for the Non-Musician. They became a much-loved community program and resulted in Lewis leading popular bus trips each year to New York City for theater and opera for adults. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he arranged to chaperone numerous yearly bus trips for BUHS students to visit New York City and see their very first Broadway show or opera, ensuring that BUHS students had these unique cultural experiences. From his arrival in Southern Vermont in 1968 until his death, he was an active member of St. Michael's Episcopal Church where he served in many capacities from senior warden to quiet worshipper. He spent three years as a general examination ordination reader for the national Protestant Episcopal Church, and served on various search committees when St. Michael's occasionally sought new leadership. His church was the major focus of his non-professional life and each new priest assigned to St. Michael's came to know and cherish their friendship with Lewis. Other church-and education-related activities Lewis participated in over the years included serving on the board of both the Christ Church Guilford Society and Christ Church Cemetery Board from 1970 to his death. He was a Brattleboro Union High School board member from 1992 to 1997, and for several years was an examination reader for the national Advanced Placement test in English. From his earlier military service and collegiate studies he belonged to both American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro and the Yale Club of New York City. He was also a founding member of the Vermont teachers' professional standards board and also a founding member of Algiers Fire District No. 1. In his free time outside of all these many other activities, he loved to travel with his wife Laura, taking many trips to New York City and Europe, usually centered on theater-going. Occasionally he and Laura led groups of students on those theater trips to not only Manhattan, but London and Russia. Acting and directing were also lifelong passions for Lewis. As a young man, he performed the lead role in “Harvey” at Yale. His appearances in Broadway casts included productions of “Life With Father” and “Oklahoma!” After settling in Vermont, he acted and directed in local theater for many years, with memorable shows that included a 1976 Bicentennial production of “The Contrast” by Royall Tyler, who wrote the first American comedy. His passion for Shakespeare he passed onto his daughter Louise, and was reflected in the names she chose for his two granddaughters. He was proud to have completed a 100-mile bicycle trip around Vermont once in his later middle- aged years, and from 1992 until his passing was an active member of the Outer Limits health club in Brattleboro. And if anyone was lucky enough to have attended a dinner or cocktail party at Lewis's home they almost certainly enjoyed a terrific meal (he loved to cook and was a gourmet enthusiast), one of his famous perfect Manhattans, a terrific tale about some fascinating event he'd experienced, or all of the above. His cooking pursuits also resulted in tasty treats for friends and family, who will especially miss his Christmas stollen, Easter pound cake and Dutch pot roast. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro. Donations to St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Rena Alice Shippee, 84, formerly of Vernon. Died Dec. 13 at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh, N.Y., following a period of declining health. She was born in Brattleboro on May 8, 1932, the daughter of Stillman and Laura (Matava) Graves. She was raised and educated in Brattleboro and was a graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1951. She was a switchboard operator at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, from which she retired following 25 faithful and dedicated years. Previously, she was a payroll clerk at the former H. Margolin Pocketbook Shop in Brattleboro. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Brattleboro Aerie #2445. While residing in the Brattleboro area, she attended West Brattleboro Baptist Church. She enjoyed gardening and loved to grow roses, her favorite flower. She liked socializing with her many friends at both the Brattleboro and Vernon Senior Centers and time shared with her family, especially her grandchildren. She was also an avid movie buff. In 1961, she married Thurman Shippee, who predeceased her in 1999. Survivors include two daughters, Linda Reid of Shelburne Falls, Mass., and Lisa Shippee of Brattleboro; six sons, David Graves of Lerona, W.Va., Thurman Shippee of Dummerston, Todd Shippee of Peru, NY, Dean Shippee of Vernon, Mark Shippee of Moultonboro, N.H., and Scott Shippee of Derry, N.H. Additionally, she leaves several half-brothers and half-sisters, 12 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a son, Dana Shippee, and a twin brother, David Matava. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of her life will be conducted on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m., at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Calling hours will be Friday, Jan. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Donation to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593 Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Margaret L. (Castagnola) Tummino, 91, of Middleboro, Mass., formerly of Brattleboro, and Johnstown, Pa. Died Dec. 22. She was the wife of the late Lawrence J. Tummino for 68 years and mother of the late Charles Tummino, who is survived by his wife Linda (Price), and son Larry and wife Patricia (Morris). She is survived by her brother, Joseph Castagnola, as well as five grandchildren and two great-granchildren. She was predeceased by her brothers, Anthony and John, and her sister Mary (Brlansky). She was a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. She and her husband were well-known ballroom dancers in the Johnstown area where they performed at the annual musical gala. She was a wonderful seamstress who designed and made her own gowns and was asked to create wedding dresses for many family members and friends. She was also known as a fantastic cook and her Christmas cookies were legendary. Over the years, she worked as an event planner and fitness instructor, and was among the first to demonstrate the value of the latest gadget at the time, known as the microwave. She also worked for a time as the hostess for the restaurant located in the Sheraton hotel, where she got to know Paul Newman while he was in town filming the movie “Slapshot.” Memorial information: Calling hours will be from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, at Atamaniuk Funeral Home, 40 Terrace St., Brattleboro. A funeral Mass will be held Jan. 2, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Committal rites and burial will follow in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Middleboro Council on Aging, 558 Plymouth St., Middleboro, MA 02346; or Coats for Kids, in care of United Way of Windham County, 1 Holstein Place, Brattleboro VT 05301.
• Deborah “Deb” Jean Wood, 64, of Rockingham, Died Dec. 16, one day after her birthday, from complications from an aneurysm. Born on Dec. 15, 1952 in Bellows Falls, the daughter of Gordon “Bub” and Shirley (Hart) Fontaine, she attended St. Charles School and graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1970, where she was an outstanding multi-sport athlete. She was a member of St. Charles Church. In 1986, she married Bryan S. Wood, who survives. She worked at H.A. Manning right out of high school for 16 years as a typesetter. In 1986, she apprenticed under her father to become Transmission and Distribution Coordinator for Green Mountain Power. Later in her career, she was promoted to the position of Field Rep Engineer at GMP until her retirement in 2014. During her years at GMP, she had the pleasure of interacting with thousands of residents of the area that she grew up in. She took great pride in the work she did, and was so proud to continue her father's legacy at GMP. She and her father would spend hours discussing “company” business, as she would consult with him on the many nuances of the GMP grid in Windham County. Once she retired, she enjoyed spending time with her mother on various outings and adventures. With her husband's retirement last year from Landmark College, they were able to spend a wonderful year together working on all the projects they dreamed of doing on their small farm on Rockingham Hill. Her family was incredibly important to her and, while Bryan was the love of her life, the love she had for her grandchildren surpassed all. She had many passions: hunting, fishing, camping, cooking, going out for breakfast, crocheting, antiques, photography, music (especially a good Alan Jackson song), sugaring with family, riding her motorcycle, snowmobiling, watching her grandchildren at Motocross and anything to do with nature and the outdoors. She was a poet, practical joker, a devoted friend, and a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother. She was an incredibly strong and courageous person, except when it came to bats. Besides her husband, she is also survived by her mother; her mother-in-law Edna Hunt; siblings Jim Fontaine and his wife, Jan, of Hyde Park. Pat Wheeler and her husband, Peter, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., brother-in-law, David Hallock of Bellows Falls, Elaine DeBell of North Walpole, N.H., Regina Rockefeller and her husband Andy of Putney, and Jean Fontaine and her partner, Gary Cobb, of Westminster; her children, Becky Wood and her partner, Dale Dickerson, of Bellows Falls, Amy Wheeler of Bellows Falls, and Bethany Ferguson and her husband, Jim, of Springfield; 10 grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her father and her sister, Kathleen Hallock. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Dec. 21 at St Charles Church, with burial in St. Charles Cemetery in Westminster. Donations to the American Cancer Society Windham Relay for Life Team Superhero, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495. Arrangements handled by Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.