Obituaries
• David I. Allen, 81, of Vernon, formerly of Jacksonville. Died Nov. 17 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. He and his wife Cammie had recently relocated to Vernon to be nearer their son, Shawn. Born at home in Jacksonville to Myron W. and Wilhelmina (Aherns) Allen on May 19, 1936, he grew up on the family farm in Jacksonville. He was a 1955 graduate of Whitingham High School, and continued his education at Vermont Agricultural School (now Vermont Tech). Upon graduation, he realized he didn't want to be a farmer and pursued other interests. He worked as a heating technician for Guy Nido for many years and, following retirement, he kept busy with his home repair business and driving buses part-time for Twin Valley High School and the Moover. He was a dedicated member of Unity Lodge #89 F&AM, where he served in every capacity including Master. He had been Lodge secretary since 1988. He was also a dedicated member of the Cairo Temple Shriners of Rutland, where he served as Marshall. He also served as justice of the peace and married several couples, including his granddaughters. Dave enjoyed helping out with Bingo at the Brattleboro Shrine Hall each Monday. He had bowled at the North Star Bowl for over 30 years with one of the original teams in the league, the “Haystackers.” He was an avid gardener and will be remembered for his fantastic sense of humor and being always ready with a joke, and for being a great family man who adored his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He leaves his wife, Cammie (Willett) Allen, whom he married in 1972; sons Mark (Kristina) Allen of Claremont, N.H., and Shawn (Lisa) Allen of Vernon; daughter Jeanne Allen of California; sisters Mary Rauschenbach of Broad Brook, Conn., Stella Stevens of Jacksonville. and Harriet Maynard of Wilmington; six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by brothers Myron Allen Jr. and Richard Allen. Memorial information: A service to celebrate his life, with Masonic Rites, will be held Saturday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m., at the auditorium at Twin Valley High School in Whitingham. Burial will take place in the spring in the Jacksonville Village Cemetery. Donations to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, Mass., in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• James Harold “Jim” Brown, 75, of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 19 at his home. Born in Wilmington on Jan. 31, 1942, the son of Richard and Sarah (Glazier) Brown, he was raised and educated in Brattleboro, graduating from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1960. He worked for many years at the H. Margolin Pocketbook Shop in Brattleboro and, previously, for several years at The Book Press. He also devoted many years as caretaker for his elderly mother prior to her death. For several years, he had attended First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro. He enjoyed hunting as well as puttering around his home. Survivors include one brother, Richard Brown of Dunedin, Fla., and one niece and a nephew. Memorial information: In keeping with his final wishes, there are no services scheduled. Interment in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Putney will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Mary Louise (Druke) Dauphinais, 88, of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 15 at Holton Home, where she had resided since 2010. Mrs. Dauphinais was born and raised on the family farm in Williamsville. She resided in Albany, N.Y., and Hudson, N.H., before returning to Vermont to be closer to family members. She attended a one-room school in Williamsville, graduated from St. Michael's High School in Brattleboro, earned a bachelor's degree from the College of St. Rose in Albany, and received her master's degree from Boston College. She was a teacher in Albany and Hudson for many years before marrying Harvey Dauphinais of Hudson, N.H., in December 1972. She was a devoted and faithful wife and caregiver to her husband, a disabled veteran, until his death in January 1991. She was a lifelong music lover. She volunteered with the Nashua Symphony, and spent many happy hours at the Marlboro Music Festival with her family. At Holton Home, she sang with the chorus. She was a natural teacher, sharing her great love of nature and the world with students, family and friends. She enjoyed sewing, and made many quilts for friends and family members. She was a generous and helpful neighbor and friend. She is survived by her sister, Terry Druke of Portland, Conn.; brothers, Bernard of Brattleboro, Edward of Newfane and John of Kirkville, N.Y.; her stepson, Gerard Dauphinais; as well as six step-grandchildren, and many step great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Josef and Gertrude (Hickethier) Druke; stepsons, Gardener and Harvey; stepdaughter, Roberta Wesson; brothers, Arthur, Joseph, and Charles; and sisters, Gertrude, Sr. Elizabeth D.C., Sr. Mathilda, RSM, Frances, and Barbara. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Donations to Holton Home, 158 Western Avenue, Brattleboro, VT 05301. To sign an online register book or send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Eugene Fontaine, 85, of Bellows Falls. Died Nov. 20. Born on Oct. 19, 1932, the son of Lawrence and Agnes (Freeman) Fontaine, he was a 1951 graduate of Bellows Falls High School and married Dottie Ann O'Connor in 1953. He served in the Navy on the USS Raymond. He worked for MetLife, Mt. Kilburn Paper Products, and was business manager for the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union, which he retired from after 26 years. He was a member of the Rotary and the Knights of Columbus. Gene enjoyed wood working, making pine cone wreaths, and made lots of berry bowls every year for friends and family. He is survived by his children, Susan Tomberg and her husband, Louis, of Bellows Falls, Brian Fontaine and his wife, Yvette, of Lebanon, N.H., Tom Fontaine and his wife, Tammy, of Perkinsville, and Barry Fontaine and his wife, Margaret, of Weatherford, Texas; siblings Bruce Fontaine of Miami, Fla., and Cynthia Kennedy of Granby, Mass.; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, Dottie Ann, and his sons, Daniel, who died in infancy, and Timothy. Memorial information: A funeral mass will be held Saturday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m., at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls, with burial to follow in St. Charles Cemetery.
• William Davison Glover, 88, of Marlboro. Died Nov. 16. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 38 years, Barbara Hassler Glover. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 6, 1928, the son of William Curtis and Ruth Longenecker Glover. He was raised in Larchmont, N.Y., and graduated from Mamaroneck High School, Class of 1946. He went on to graduate from the Davenport College of Yale University in 1950, with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. While at Yale, he was on the varsity swim team. Following college, he married the late Susan MacCallum and they had three children. He began his career as a sales engineer, first in Ohio and then in Pennsylvania. Later, the family moved to Fairfield, Conn., where he took over his father's business, Write, Inc. in Bridgeport, Conn., which he ran until its sale in the late 1970s. He was active with his local Episcopal parishes, helping to found St. Timothy's in Fairfield. Throughout his life, he was involved with community and national politics in several roles, including serving a term as Second Selectman in Fairfield. Leisure activities included travel, gourmet cooking, boating, and tennis. He had a great love of architecture and construction, renovating a barn to make the family's home in Fairfield. He was an avid skier and, in 1959, purchased land on Ames Hill in Marlboro to build a vacation cabin that he named Blueberry Patch. He taught the kids to ski on the hills and rope tows of Hogback and Pine Top mountains. It was at the cabin that he developed a great love for Vermont; for Ames Hill and Marlboro; and for South Pond. Over time, he added additional structures on the property, including Blueberry Lodge, a large gathering place for an ever-growing extended family. After retirement, Bill and Barbara began splitting time between Vermont and Arizona, and he pursued his interest in writing. He published a book on Yale Engineering, entitled “STEM at Yale: Up Down Up,” and a second book, “Francis of Assisi: His Legacy to our World,” that he completed just before his death. In addition to his wife, Barbara, he leaves two sons, William Robert (Linda) and John Somers (Mary Custis) Glover, and a daughter, Cynthia Davison Glover, as well as stepsons, Brent Pat (Mary) and Glenn David (Linda) Bazzano, and stepdaughter Donna Jill Goldstein (Harris), and a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, to whom he was completely devoted. He was predeceased by his parents, and his brother, John Curtis Glover. Memorial information: A service in celebration of his life will be held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brattleboro on Monday, Dec. 4, at 10:30 am, with Rector Mary Lindquist officiating. Burial at King's Cemetery in Marlboro immediately follows the service, then a reception at Blueberry Lodge. Donations to the Vermont Land Trust.
• Jeramie Michael Hood, 42, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Nov. 20 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital due to health complications. Born on July 31, 1975, he was a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend to so many. He was a fun-loving free spirit who loved his family and friends with passion. No matter what the circumstances of his life, he was always a friend who would make you laugh, who would cry with you, and would do anything to help one in need. Growing up, he was an avid “Dukes of Hazard” fan and would never miss an episode. He loved watching pro wrestling with his late grandmother, June Jenness. His love for driving began when he was very young - driving the family tractor and often going for rides long before he should have. He was a true friend to many, someone who literally would give you the shirt off of his back and who always provided a place to sleep to many who were in need or down on their luck at one time or another. He was a fan of the New England Patriots and, during the past decade, found great solace in fishing. He leaves his father, Thomas W. Hood of Hinsdale; his mother, Christine Nolan and her husband, Bob, of Chula Vista, Calif.; and sisters Tina McCosker and her husband, Michael, of Hinsdale, and Terri Miller and her husband, Tom, of Hinsdale. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m., at North Hinsdale Community Church, 105 Meetinghouse Rd., under the direction of Pastor Michael T. McCosker. More information, including where to offer condolences and donations, can be found at www.facebook.com/jeramie.hood.
• William (Bill) Koutrakos, 83, of Windham. Died Nov. 9 in Charlottesville, Va. Born in Port Jefferson, N.Y., on March 27, 1934, he attended Cornell University in the early 1950s before serving in the Army, then returned to his family's hotel and restaurant business in Port Jefferson. He moved to Vermont in the late 1960s and lived there until moving to Virginia in 2013. Bill was an active civil servant in Windham, a vocal advocate for education, and an involved member of his church. He loved food, family, friends, and everything about Vermont. He is survived by his wife, Donna Koutrakos; his children, Terry Glover and Kristina Koutrakos, and their beloved spouses, Julie Glover and Luke Omand; his six grandchildren and two great grandchildren; and dozens of cherished cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. Memorial information: A celebration of his life was held in Windham on Nov. 27 at the Windham Meeting House. Donations to JAUNT of Charlottesville (www.ridejaunt.org) and the Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org).
• Ralph G. Melroy, 84, of West Dummerston. Died Nov. 15 at his home, following a period of declining health. Born in Summit, N.J., on July 3, 1933, the son of Karl and Mary (Beers) Melroy, he was raised and educated in Summit and was a graduate of Summit High School, Class of 1951. He went on to attend Rutgers University. He proudly served his country in the Army, enlisting in 1953 and was honorably discharged from active service at the rank of corporal in 1955. In 1958, he married Myrna Joan Fletcher. His faithful and devoted wife of 59 years predeceased him on Oct. 3, 2017. He was an accountant for Barrows Coal Company in Brattleboro from 1970 until his retirement in 1998. Previously, he worked as a manager for Snelling and Snelling in Brattleboro, a senior accountant for Jersey Central Power & Light Company, and for Humble Oil & Refining Co. in New York as a junior accountant. He was a member of the Brattleboro Rotary Club and the American Legion and, with his wife, a member of Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. He loved nature, feeding birds and puttering around his home. He also enjoyed photography and golf. Survivors include his two children: son Lee C. Melroy of Hinsdale, N.H., and daughter, Laura M. Nanof and her husband, John, of Goffstown, N.H.; five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by five brothers and a sister. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of his life will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 9, at noon, at Centre Congregational Church. A reception will follow the services in the church's fellowship hall. Donations to Dummerston Cares, P.O. Box 302, Dummerston, VT 05357, or to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To sign an online register book or send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Marlene Semeraro Juscen-Long, 86, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 7 at her home in Burlingame, Calif. Born on Aug. 5, 1931 in Brattleboro, the daughter of William and Sally (Perkins) Semeraro, she graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1949. She went on to study at Lasell College in Newton, Mass., where she received an A.A. in art in 1951. She was an avid oil painter and dedicated connoisseur and collector of all things eclectic and interesting. She had a passion for antiques. Her love of art and creativity continued throughout her life. She painted many self portraits, portraits and caricatures of family members, and many interesting still life subjects. She covered the walls in her home of more than 50 years with a variety of her own and other's artwork. Marlene could pick up a sketch book at any time and draw something beautiful. A self-described “Cat Lady,” she was also interested in fashion, and fashion drawings. While at Lasell, she worked as a fashion illustrator, and won a top prize in an international French dress design contest. She left Vermont in 1958 and relocated with her new husband Benny to San Diego, Calif., before eventually settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she resided for more than 55 years. She always considered herself a “transplanted Vermonter.” She struggled with narcolepsy for most of her life. After her official diagnosis at the age of 28, she became a champion for research and herself was the subject of many sleep studies conducted at Stanford University. She was one of the founding members of the American Narcolepsy Association in 1975, a support and information sharing organization now known as the Narcolepsy Network. She was a prolific writer and wrote a series of “sleep” poems documenting her journey through life as a “sleepy” person. She kept journals which included narcolepsy musings, and could sleep anywhere, at anytime. She was an avid environmentalist, animal lover, and an original feminist. In the early 1970s, she was an active member of the Women's Center in San Mateo, Calif., part of the early women's liberation movement in the Bay Area, and wrote a column for their monthly newsletter. She was well read and opinionated. She was equally passionate about Mother Earth and was a member of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC). She reveled in the beauty of nature and the world around her. She loved her garden, beautiful trees, and bumble bees. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend, and confidant. She was always there if you were in need. She was a good listener. She was witty and loved classic movies and Masterpiece Theatre. She was adored by all and will be missed terribly by her two daughters Megan Juscen Leveille and Holly Juscen-Di Fuccia, son-in-law Vincenzo Di Fuccia, granddaughter Kristin Leveille, grandson Ryan Leveille, sister Elsa Morissette, many beloved nieces and nephews, and numerous treasured friends. She was predeceased by her first husband Benjamin (Benny) Juscen, second husband David R. Long, and her sister Mikell Semeraro Palmer. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will be held in early December in California. Interment will be in St. Michael's Cemetery in Brattleboro, at a later date. Donations to the Peninsula Humane Society (peninsulahumanesociety.org) or the NRDC (act.nrdc.org).
• John Sommer, 76, of Dummerston. Died Nov. 11 after a long and gallant struggle against multiple myeloma. He had decided to forego further ameliorative treatment in part to protest drug company policies and the unsustainable drain of the elderly's health costs on U.S. government budgets. He was the Dean of the Study Abroad Program at the School for International Training from 1981-1999. Raised in Montclair, N.J., he received his B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1963, and his M.A. from Johns Hopkins School for International Studies (SAIS) in 1968. His career, dedicated to advancing international understanding and development, began as a volunteer building schools in South Vietnam with International Voluntary Services (IVS). His 1969 book, Viet Nam-The Unheard Voices, co-authored with Don Luce, chronicled a growing concern about U.S. action in Vietnam during the late sixties. From 1970-1975, he served with the Ford Foundation in New Delhi, India, and from 1975-1980, in Washington, D.C., where he had senior positions at the Peace Corps and USAID. In 1981 he moved to Vermont to become SIT's first Dean of the Study Abroad program. Under his leadership over 14,000 students participated in over 40 countries; in his honor, SIT established a scholarship in his name. In 2001, he served as Vice President of Eisenhower Fellowships, an exchange program for emerging world leaders based in Philadelphia. He returned in 2007 to Dummerston, relishing the beloved view from his deck, swims under the covered bridge, and the excellence of the community's musical offerings, especially Marlboro and the Brattleboro Music Center. His love of chocolate and puns followed him wherever he went. In addition to his devoted children, Julia, of Maplewood, N.J., and Paul, of Danville, Pa., their spouses Alex and Sarah; and five beloved grandchildren, he leaves behind his partner, Ann Wright-Parsons, of Brattleboro, his former wife, Wendy Solmssen Sommer of Washington, D.C., and his brother, Peter, of Atlanta. Memorial information: Gifts in his memory may be made to the Unitarian Universalist Association's Holdeen India Program, where he served as Chairman of the Advisory Board.
• Adam Jeffrey Robert Vergobbe, 41, of Vernon. Died Nov. 14 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Born in Jasper, Ind., the son of Robert and Theresa (Mayer) Vergobbe, and Jeffrey Seger, he was raised and educated in Scituate, Mass., and was a graduate of Scituate High School, Class of 1994. He went on to attend Norwich University and later proudly served as a corporal in the Marine Corps ,where he was stationed stateside until his honorable discharge in 2004. He began his career at C&S Wholesale Grocers, working in payroll, human resources, and warehouse operations. He became an IT project manager at Dartmouth College and Baystate Health Systems. He proudly owned award-winning Faithful Few Tattoo on Putney Road in Brattleboro. Steadfast in his walk of faith, he passionately shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone who would listen. He went out of his way to help anyone in need and was a friend of Bill W. He had a keen listening ear and wisdom beyond his years to share. He was a biker in every sense of the word. He lived to ride his motorcycle and reveled in the fellowship and brotherhood of the biker community. He was a member of River Valley Riders, Cornerstone Motorcycle Ministry, and the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club. He recently attained his goal of membership in the Springfield Hells Angels MC. He married his bride, Emily Berg, in 2008. Together they raised Alexus Theresa Vergobbe and Robert Michael Vergobbe II. He is also survived by his parents, a sister, Carin Sharigian and her husband, Matthew; a half-brother, Charles Seger, brother-in-law Christopher Berg and his wife, Sherie; several nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Memorial information: A memorial service was conducted Nov. 25 at the Vernon Elementary School. Donations may be made to his children's college funds, in care of Edward Jones, 21 Mohawk Trail, Suite 9, Greenfield, MA 01301. To sign an online register book or send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.