College news
• Vanessa Brown of Brattleboro was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2017 semester at the University of Maine at Farmington.
• Charlotte Elwell of Brattleboro, a physics major in the Dreyfoos School Of The Arts, was named to the fall 2017 Dean's List at St. Olaf's College in Northfield, Minn.
• Marie S. Dennis of Marlboro earned Dean's List standing for the fifth consecutive trimester at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I., this winter. With a GPA of 3.75, she is completing her junior year this trimester as a Liberal Studies major with a minor in Business. She plans to stay for her MBA.
• Landmark College recently inducted 17 students into its chapters of Phi Theta Kappa and Golden Key international honor societies. Rhiannon Greywolf, Adam Singer, Patrick Blake, Scott Barnick, Nevin Bonak, and Dylan Gebel were selected for Golden Key membership, which only the top 15 percent of college students are eligible for. Inducted into the Beta Alpha Epsilon Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa were Christopher Beaulieu, Mohamed Diaw, Emily King, Adam Campbell, Kyle Deaver, Gabe Rinehart, Marc Lichtenwalner-Seabaugh, Nevin Bonak, Jae Lehan, Nicolaus McEnteer and Schlyer Ryan.
• Ethan Paasche, of Guilford, an economics major and member of the Colgate University Class of 2021, has earned the fall 2017 Dean's Award with Distinction.
Weddings
• State Rep. Mollie S. Burke and Peter Gould of Brattleboro are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter, Maria Michaela Burke Gould, to Joseph Estle Bohling, son of Dianne and Alfred Calvin Bohling Jr., of Columbus Junction, Iowa. Ms. Gould graduated from Brattleboro Union High School and Wesleyan University. She received a M.A. in Latin American studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a M.S. in library and information science from the Simmons School of Library and Information Science. She works as a scholarly communication and copyright librarian at UC-Berkeley. Dr. Bohling graduated from Columbus Junction High School and received a Ph.D in history from UC-Berkeley. He is an assistant professor of history at Portland (Ore.) State University. The wedding took place at the Historic Overlook House in Portland, on Oct. 7, 2017, with the bride's brother, William Orlando Burke Gould, presiding.
Obituaries
• Stephen Brinson Aldridge, 69, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 1, 2018 in Oakland, Calif., about two weeks shy of his 70th birthday. He was born in Brattleboro on March 18, 1948. He had a charismatic character, impressive wit, a love of adventure, travel, and frogs. He taught himself to read and speak Tibetan as a young man, and throughout the rest of his life was a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism and culture. He traveled to England, Nepal, India, and Sikkim collecting, translating, and studying Tibetan texts; and took pilgrimages to mountain temples, caves and monasteries in China. He was known to suddenly break into an accent or dialect from one of the many places he'd visited in “Pythonesque” fashion, delighting those around him. With great determination, he was able to publish his translation of The Incarnation From White Glacier Mountain by Minyag Gonpo (translated by S. Brinson Aldridge) in 2008. He worked as a network specialist for The Permanente Medical Group while residing in Oakland. He was dedicated, eager to learn, and especially helpful to anyone needing technical assistance. Among his many achievements was the successful installation of Active Directory. He enjoyed throwing a quip from Monty Python, Bullwinkle, or Star Trek into conversations, and, as time permitted, built a makeshift device from spare parts that he dubbed Frankenserver, or simply Frankie. He loved to share a hearty dim sum lunch with friends and, for many years, steered the company dragon boat in competitions. Brilliantly, he and his wife Sosan stood up to the challenges of his diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease nine years ago, by continuing to travel the world and explore various cultures on board cruise ships during his final years. He is survived by his loving wife Sosan and her sons Christen and Shelten; his brothers Leslie and Jeremy and their families; and his half-brothers Henry and Geoffrey. He was predeceased by his brother John D. Aldridge, his mother Lanice, and his father John W. Aldridge. Memorial information: No service information provided.
• Linda Ethel French, 68, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 27, 2018 at the Pines at Rutland. She was born on Jan. 17, 1950 in Keene N.H., the daughter of Harold Russell and Ethel Russell Derby. She worked for Lawton Dry Cleaners in Brattleboro for more than 25 years until her retirement. She enjoyed her cats, cooking, crocheting, music, and going to yard sales. Survivors include a daughter, Julie McAllister of Brattleboro; two sons: Reginald French Jr. of Winchester, N.H., and Jeremy French of Putney; a sister Diane Bittner of Brattleboro, four brothers, Robert Russell of Hinsdale, N.H., Raymond Russell of Connecticut, Thomas Neal of Jaffrey, N.H., and Michael Derby of Florida, nine grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her longtime companion Larry T. Davis in 2014. Memorial information: No service information provided. Donations to the American Cancer Society.
• Debra Muzzey Mann, 55, of Springfield. Died March 1, 2018. She was born in Rockingham in 1963 and was a 1981 graduate of Bellows Falls High School. Upon graduating, she worked in the office of J.H. Dunning, then as a housekeeper, and most recently at the SEVCA Good Buy Store in Springfield. She is survived by her parents, Warren and Carolyn Muzzey; her son Travis Mann and his wife, Eliza; her daughter Ali Mann and her fiance, Mike Hamilton; her brother Warren “Ed” Muzzey; and her sister Jane Kirkpatrick and her husband, Robert. Memorial information: A memorial service was held March 8 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls. Burial will take place in the spring.
• Freida (Amidon) Wade, 88, of Westminster. Died Feb. 27, 2018 at her home, following a period of declining health. She was born in Vernon on March 22, 1929, the daughter of Edwin and Myrtle (Akley) Amidon, and attended schools in Vernon and Brattleboro. She was employed at Putney Paper for many years. Her husband of 50 years, Paul E. Wade Sr., died in 2003. She enjoyed working on puzzles, watching cooking shows, her grandchildren, and traveling to New York to see Paul's family. Survivors include her sons, Paul E. Wade Jr. and his wife, Charlene, of Westminster, and Richard A. Stetson of Westminster; a step-daughter, Barbara J. Thirser and her husband Richard of Chesterfield, N.H.; a sister, Roberta Jenna of Guilford; a brother, Reginald Amidon of Brattleboro; seven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by a son, James E. Stetson, and by siblings Edwin and Francis Amidon, Leona Wilcox, Viola Graves, and Ernestine Amidon. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Putney in the spring. Donations to Bayada Hospice of Brattleboro, 1222 Putney Road, Suite 203, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Merrill R. Yeaw, 76, of West Chesterfield, N.H. Died March 5, 2017 at his home. He was born on Sept. 4, 1941 in Brattleboro, son of Warren and Eva (Cooke) Yeaw, and was a graduate of Brattleboro High School with the class of 1960. An Army veteran, he served three years and was stationed in Germany. His wife of 36 years, Linda L. (Ashworth) Yeaw, died in 2001. He was employed as a mechanic at Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant for 27 years, retiring in 2000. He served as the Forest Fire Warden in Chesterfield, and was former fire chief in West Chesterfield for several years. For the past 10 years, Merrill drove the Veteran's Van, transporting veterans to and from the VA Hospital in White River Junction for appointments. He also served as vice president of the New Hampshire State Federation of Forest Fire Warden Associations. He was a fan of the Green Bay Packers and enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles. Survivors include his son, Robert Yeaw and his wife, Heidi, of West Chesterfield; a daughter, Denise Beckwith and her husband, Floyd of Chesapeake, Va.; a sister, Arlene Blum of Guilford; his significant other, Janice Baker of Vernon; two granddaughters and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by seven brothers and sisters. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 10 at Ker Phaneuf Funeral Home in Brattleboro. Burial will be in Chesterfield West Cemetery in the spring. Donations to the Disabled American Veterans Van Fund, 215 North Main St., White River Junction, VT 05009.