Obituaries
• Shirley Lona Gallup Bedard, 83, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 23, 2018 in South Ogden, Utah, following complications from Alzheimer's. She was born on a small farm in Guilford on Aug. 4, 1935 to Richard and Lona Gallup, the youngest of three children. She told stories of being chased by the big turkey there and then refusing to eat it when he was prepared for Thanksgiving. That was her earliest memory at age 3. Her family then moved to Brattleboro, with her father's parents, where they rented an 11-room house on Washington Street. Her mother was her heroine and she admired all she was able to do for their family during World War II. She said they didn't have much, but were rich with friends and therefore had enough. She met her future husband, George “Eddie” Bedard, in grade school and decided he must've liked her when he began chasing her on his bike. They began dating in high school and he would treat her to a movie each weekend and then try to fatten her up with a milkshake. He joined the Navy when he was 17, and they married a year later in 1955 after she graduated from high school. She lived with her parents while he toured far-off countries, like Japan. She was so proud of her sailor boy. When she was pregnant with their first child, she insisted they start her labor so he could see the baby before he had to report back to the ship. It was a long and difficult delivery with only minimal relief from the whiffs of ether they allowed her. At one point, she grabbed the mask, above her head, and took a deep breath knocking herself out. She woke up a mother. They had five children and were married 13 years before they divorced. Now on her own, she spread her wings and learned to drive, bought a second-hand car, and got her first job as teller at First Vermont Bank in Brattleboro. She continued her banking career until she retired at age 70. When the Mormon missionaries first came to teach her daughter the gospel in 1971, Shirley hid in the kitchen and refused to hear their message. Over time, she not only fed all the missionaries in the surrounding area of Brattleboro, but was baptized, with four of her children at the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon in 1972. Three years later, she shocked her extended family when she announced she was selling her home and moving to Utah. Her family and friends thought she was crazy to leave everything behind on such a foolish venture. After loading up the Ryder van and stuffing two dogs and five kids into the truck and car, she waved goodbye and started the journey west. Each night, she cooked dinner on the tailgate of the truck and the kids set up the tent as they traveled to Provo, Utah. She was a modern-day pioneer destined to provide a better life for her family. Her greatest joy found her surrounded by family and sharing in the many moments of their lives. From graduations to weddings, the birth of 20 grandchildren and several housewarmings, farewells, and homecomings, Shirley was found at the center of any celebration. She happily whirled into action from preparation to clean-up, all planned months ahead. Most of all, she gained strength from those around her and found joy and gratitude in time spent together. She served in many church positions where she lived for over 40 years. The youth in Young Women's and Primary programs enjoyed her stories and young spirit. She spent many hours organizing Relief Society events and dinners and serving as a Compassionate Service leader and Visiting Teacher to those around her. They appreciated the light within her that she willingly shared. In later years, she became aware her memory was fading but trusted those who cared for her. She maintained a hopeful spirit and with their love, learned and believed she could do hard things. She is survived by siblings Arlene Houghton of Walpole, N.H., and Franklin (Una) Gallup of Dummerston; her children: Debra (Mark) Rogers, Danny (Amy) Bedard, Diane (Dave) Anderton, Doreen Bedard, and Donna (Doug) Roe; 20 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Richard Atwood and nephew Steven Gallup. Memorial information: Funeral services were held Oct. 27 ar Berg Drawing Room Chapel in Provo. Interment will be at Provo City Cemetery.
• Joyce E. Coleman, 86, of Springfield, Vt. Died Oct. 13, 2018 at the Springfield Health & Rehabilitation Center. She was bore September 21, 1932 in Springfield, the daughter of Henry and Thelma (Rawson) Kingsbury. She married Kenneth Coleman in 1950. He predeceased her in 1999. She was employed as a baker at Stratton Mountain Resort for over 20 years. Joyce was a people person and her job provided all-day contact with other employees whom, she could socialize with and hear the latest news. She volunteered to solicit donations for the Red Cross and always helped at the Grace Cottage Hospital fund raising events. She loved shopping, long rides in the country, and visiting with family and friends. She is survived by two sons, Raymond Coleman and his wife, Josephine, of Springfield and Melvin Coleman and his wife, Grace, of Londonderry; a brother, Durward Kingsbury and his wife, Anita, of Chesterfield, N.H., and six grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her daughter Janice Coleman Page and her sister Elaine Touchette. Memorial information: A graveside service was held Oct. 28 at Rawsonville Cemetery in Jamaica. Donations to the Jamaica Congregational Church or Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend.
• Joseph Earle Crompton, 63, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 25, 2018, four months after a diagnosis of stage four lung cancer. He was born Oct. 29, 1954, the second child and first son of Willard Crompton and Patience Anne Eliot Crompton. He grew up on a small farm in Chesterfield, Mass., with four siblings, in a family culture that was religiously devout (Roman Catholic) and that considered music, poetry, and art to be almost on a par with prayer, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Berkshire foothills. The Bend in the nearby Westfield River was one of Joe's favorite places, and an inspiration for his art throughout his life. He attended the Davenport Elementary School, a four-room schoolhouse, until the eighth grade; then Williamsburg High School. He enrolled at the University of Massachusetts in 1972, but left after one year to seek his true calling. Joe had written poems since he was a child, and now considered writing novels. He started two, one of which had the title of “X,” but this was not to be his path. He needed to be more actively engaged in the real world. Inspired by the work of the nonprofit Bread and Puppet Theater, he moved to Brattleboro to work with a related group, the Beholders Puppet Theater, which was actively protesting the Vietnam War using larger-than-life puppets in street theater. He created masks and puppets as a member of this group, and staged many performances. While working in the studio, he also created masks for dancers in the Brattleboro School of Dance's production of Pulcinella, and created many woodcut prints. He was more interested in making art and protesting injustice than in making a living, and these years were lean and hungry, but he was finding not only his artistic path but the community - Brattleboro - that would be his community for life. Joe met Carole Moody in the summer of 1981. They became friends, enjoying afternoon teas as he walked from work at Linden Lodge to the Beholder's Puppet studio. In 1984 Joe started a business creating masks and papier-mache sculptures in one end of the studio, while Carole made Ukrainian eggs (pysanky) in the other. He sold his work in many stores in New England and at art and craft shows at Haystack and the Stratton Arts Festival. Joe and Carole got married in 1986. Their daughter, Phoebe was born in 1987 and son Jeremiah in 1990. Joe was a quirky and creative father who loved his children dearly. He read, invented stories, played, shared music, and cooked for them every day. In later days he loved arguing politics and discussing literature with both of them. And music! Joe knew so much about music and musicians, which he delighted in sharing with Jeremiah, especially. In 2016, Joe and Carole lost their beloved son, Jeremiah. To avoid painful conversations with friends and strangers alike, Joe began creating and printing postcards which he kept in his shirt pocket. “Enjoy this postcard,” he would say, and hand them a card. To support his art and his family, Joe worked at the Common Ground restaurant for many years. He began working in the Meat Department of the Brattleboro Food Co-op in November 1988. A tireless worker for the rights of employees, Joe helped begin a union drive at the co-op in 2003 with fellow co-op worker Laura Austan. It was, as Laura remembers it, “an ugly fight, but Joe (whom we dubbed 'Captain,') sailed above the fray. He was like Sir Percival, untouchable because of his purity of heart. He would not allow despair. Five years after our union drive, a second drive brought the union we wanted. Joe was happy and proud to be a UFCW Meat Cutter.” Many benefits Co-op workers now enjoy are the result of his work. His father, Willard Crompton (1926-1998), would have been proud: he had been an active union organizer and shop steward for his own union at a casket shop in Florence, Mass. Joe continued to work at the Co-op as the sausage maker until his illness incapacitated him in June. Over the last 30 years, Joe worked on his art every day in various media, formats, and sizes, and finally settled on a format and size that suited him: postcards, which he sold at the Co-op and generously shared with loved ones at family gatherings. While he enjoyed the challenge of creating images in “thrilling black and white,” at the urging of his Aunt Jane Winslow and Uncle Alex Eliot, he finally began using color in his work in 2017. He liked to make pictures of circus performers, ice skaters, jazz musicians, angels, beach scenes, wild geese, and people working and playing. He was a perfectionist who remade his pictures many times until they were right. His final images are filled with his amazing shining spirit. He leaves his wife, Carole Crompton; his daughter Phoebe Jane Crompton-Tidd; stepdaughter Willow Broaddus, son-in-law Jesse Tidd; four siblings: Carrie, Catherine, Nancy, and Samuel Crompton; three grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, and many, many people in the Brattleboro community who loved him. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at the Guilford Community Church on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 11 a.m. Donations to the Barre Workers Center at www.workerscenter.org/donate.
• Januarius J. “Jerry” Gagliardi, 75, Died Oct. 27, 2018. He was born in Tarrytown, N.Y., to the late Genaro and Josephine (Ambrosino) Gagliardi and was a graduate of Sleepy Hollow (N.Y.) High School. He received his Bachelor's degree in education from Pace University, and then served his country from February 1968 to January 1970 in the Army after being drafted during the Vietnam War. There, he received the Bronze Star. In 1971, Jerry was employed by St. Theresa's Parochial School in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., as a teacher, before moving to Brattleboro in 1973. As a teacher in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, he was first at Guilford Central School, where he taught fourth grade until 1978. He later taught third grade in Brattleboro until 1989, when he taught at Brattleboro Union High School. He retired in 2004 as Dean of Students at BUHS. Jerry was a marathon runner, running in many races, including Boston and New York. His greatest running accomplishment was breaking the three hour mark. He was instrumental in starting the Red Clover Rovers running club and coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball and youth basketball. He was also a foster parent, helping many children in need. After his retirement he continued that focus working with Youth Services in Brattleboro. He loved music and Brattleboro, being able to walk around and enjoy the town. Mostly, he enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren. Jerry was predeceased by his wife of 39 years, Carol A. “Pinky” (Ronan) Gagliardi, in 2006; and two brothers, Dominic and Frank Gagliardi. He is survived by his daughter Becky A. Prain and her husband Christopher of Westfield, Mass., and his son Jason P. Gagliardi of Newfane, his partner Holly and her two children; his former daughter-in-law Jenny Gagliardi, four grandchildren, Hayden, Ethan, Hannah Prain and Patrick Gagliardi, his brother Vincent Gagliardi and his wife Mary of Boynton Beach, Fla., and his longtime friend and companion Linda Tummino of Brattleboro. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Stone Church, 210 Main St. Brattleboro, VT. Donations to the Baystate VNA and Hospice, 50 Maple St. Springfield, MA 01102 or to the Holyoke Soldiers Home, 110 Cherry St. Holyoke, MA 01040.
• Joan M. Green, 77, of Vernon. Died Oct. 24, 2018 at her home, following a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Upland, Pa., on May 16, 1941, the daughter of Earl and Christine (Phipps) Moore. As an infant, she lost her father Earl to a tragic industrial accident at the Sun Oil Refinery in Marcus Hook, Pa. She was raised in Boothwyn, Pa., by her mother and loving stepfather, Thomas Pugh, and graduated from Chichester High School. She went on to earn her B.A. in elementary education from West Chester (Pa.) University in 1962. That same year, she married John “Fred” Green, who predeceased her in 2011. For 42 years, she taught first grade at Vernon Elementary School, retiring in 2011. Previously she taught at the Westtown-Thornbury School in West Chester, Pa., where she started her career. Prior to relocating to Vernon, with her husband she resided in Oxford, Pa. Steadfast in her walk of faith, she was a member of Vernon Union Church, where she served as pianist. She was a former member of West Brattleboro Baptist Church, where she was choir director and played piano during Sunday services. Since she was a child, Joan enjoyed summer vacations with her family in Ocean City, N.J., and, more recently, on Martha's Vineyard. Music was a large part ofher life and she played with several music groups in Pennsylvania, as well as directing yearly musical performances and shows at Vernon Elementary School. She was especially proud of her three grandchildren, supporting them in all their endeavors. Survivors include two sons, John Jr. of Galliano, La., and Thomas of Vernon, three grandchildren, a former daughter-in-law, Amy Green of Westboro, Mass., one niece, one nephew, and four great grandchildren. Memorial information: Funeral services will be conducted on Nov. 1, at 11 a.m., at Vernon Union Church. Burial will follow in the Green family lot in Tyler Cemetery where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. Donations to Vernon Union Church, P.O. Box 111, Vernon, VT 05354.To sign an online register book or send messages of e-condolence to the Green family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Leora F. Landman, 98, of Jamaica. Died Oct. 18, 2018 at Valley Cares in Townshend. Born Feb. 14, 1920 in Weston, she was the daughter of Leon and Grace Felton Cheney and graduated from Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend. She was married to Raymond C. Landman for 67 years, he died in 2009. She held many jobs during her lifetime, one of which was at Stratton Mountain ski area for many years. She was known to her friends there as “Momma Lee.” She is survived by her daughter, Mona Lyman and Sprague Lyons, of Fort Myers, Fla., grandchildren Judi and Joey Robison, Kathy Coleman, Bill and Katrina Coleman, and Doug and April Lyman; and 10 great-grandchildren. Memorial information: Services will be held at the convenience of the families. Donations to American Veterinary Services, 720 VT Route 30, Newfane, VT 05345.
• Lois Jean Pease, 84, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 21, 2018 at her home. She was born in Ludlow, Vt., on Feb. 6, 1934; the daughter of Alan and Alice (Tapper) Barton. She was raised and educated in Ludlow and was a graduate of Black River High School. She moved to Brattleboro following high school and went to work at the Brattleboro Retreat, where she completed their LPN nursing program. Over the years, Lois's nursing career took her to Linden Lodge Nursing Home, Eden Park, Thompson House, and Vernon Green. Even after retirement, she stayed active in nursing, working private duty in the Brattleboro area. She was a kind and compassionate person, who went above and beyond in taking care of her patients. In 1961 she married the love of her life, Warren B. Pease, who survives. Lois was an active woman who always had a twinkle in her eye. She leaves behind a host of friends in the Greater Brattleboro Area Senior Bowling League, as well as at Curves. An ardent animal lover, she fed the backyard birds every winter, and cared for neighbors' pets when they were away. Her nurturing spirit will be sorely missed by all creatures, great and small. She was a former member of Centre Congregational Church and, in her earlier years, was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Bingham Chapter #30 in Brattleboro. Besides her husband of 57 years she leaves one daughter, Brenda McGowen of Bellows Falls; one brother, Howard Barton of Ludlow; two grandsons, a great granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her beloved cat, Mitzi. She was predeceased by a granddaughter, Elizabeth McGowan and three sisters, Patty Weiserman, Betty Wright and Marilyn Walker. Memorial information: In keeping with her final wishes, there are no funeral services planned. She will be buried in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery at a future date. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To sign an online register book, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Brandon Lee Porter, 27, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Oct. 5, 2018 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., of a very brief and unexpected illness. He was born on July 9, 1991 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. He attended elementary and high school in Hinsdale, but graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School in 2010. He enjoyed working on cars and motorcycles, but his passion was dirt biking. He started riding when he was 4, and was an excellent and experienced motorcyclist. He loved his fast cars as well. Brandon was caring, loving, full of life, active, and determined; a smart, but stubborn, young man who loved his daughter, Aubry Lee, more than anyone. He loved and treasured family and friends very much. Brandon was a remarkable young man who was loved and cherished by so many, and will forever be in the hearts and memories of all who knew him. He is survived by his daughter, Aubry Lee; father Jeffery Lee Porter and wife, Josephine, of Hinsdale; mother Rachael Lee Gauthier (Bostwick) and husband, Bruce, of Brattleboro; grandfather Raymond Porter of Brattleboro; grandmother Judith Jacobson (Aldrich) of Winchester, N.H.; grandfather Steve A. Bostwick of Falmouth, Mass.; and grandmother Donna Lee Carreiro (Bostwick, Bowlin) of Brattleboro.
• Paul D. Van Gelder, 92, formerly of Newfane, Died Oct. 14, 2018. Beloved husband of Merrilyn L. (Greeley) Van Gelder, recently celebrating 67 years of marriage. Devoted father of Paula Van Gelder and Betsy Mariere, both of Cambridge, Mass., Martha Van Gelder of Denver, and Brett Van Gelder of Winchester, Mass. Loving grandfather of Wesley Mariere, Louis Mariere, Lindsay Van Gelder and Cole Van Gelder. Son of the late Grace (Davidson) and John Van Gelder and youngest brother of the late Clara, John, and Catherine Van Gelder. Further survived by his extended loving family, community members, and his church family at the Newfane Congregational Church. A proud Army veteran of World War II, Private First Class Paul D. Van Gelder served in the European Theater of Operations, receiving a Bronze Star for meritorious achievement and a Presidential Unit Citation as a member of the 3rd Battalion, 397th Infantry Regiment, of the 100th Division, which fought in the final offensive against the Germans in 1944 and 1945. He also served in the Army of Occupation following V-E Day, engaged in helping forced laborers and refugees in Germany return to their home nations. After the war, he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and spent his career in sales and distribution management for U.S. Motors, a division of Emerson Electric. Skiing drew him, and the Van Gelder family, to Newfane. There, they built a small vacation home on the West River, enjoying every season in Vermont. Upon retirement, Paul and Merrilyn left Connecticut and built their dream home on Route 30, spending thirty years as part of the community, and operating the “Auntie M's Attic” antique shop. He was founder and first president of the Newfane Business Association, formed to help promote local businesses and raise funds for community projects. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m., at Newfane Congregational Church. Donations to the veteran's organization of your choice, or reach out to recognize or assist an individual veteran in your community.
• George Herbert Webster, 87, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 18, 2018 at his home in Thousand Oaks, Calif., after a recent stroke. He was born July 31, 1931 in Newport, N.H., to G. Howard and Theresa Pecor Webster. He graduated in 1949 from Towle High School in Newport, where he played varsity basketball. He was introduced to the love of his life, Dorothy Juscen, in 1950. When she turned down his marriage proposal, he joined the Navy and served during the Korean Conflict in the Mediterranean. Dorothy soon changed her mind, and they were married in 1952. After discharge in January 1955 as an Electrician's Mate First Class, he became employed by New England Power Company, from which he retired in 1991. George worked his way up from Governor Attendant to Superintendent of the hydroelectric power stations on the Connecticut River. The Websters settled into their first home in Brattleboro, where they raised their only child, Lillian Webster Lennox. In 1977, the Websters moved to Monroe, N.H., when George accepted a promotion into management at New England Power. While there, the Websters enjoyed summers at their camp on Harvey Lake in Barnet, Vermont. Shortly before retirement, the Websters returned to the Brattleboro area, moving to Hinsdale, N.H. In 1991, George and Dorothy fulfilled their lifelong dream of retiring to Florida, settling in Fort Myers. While there, George improved his golf game, scoring more than one “hole in one,” and they volunteered together in their local parish. In addition, they tutored children of immigrant families through the Guadalupe Center. In 2008, George and Dorothy moved to Camarillo, California to be near their daughter. After his first stroke in 2015, he moved into Family Care Cottage in Thousand Oaks. George enjoyed staying in touch with his buddies from the Rolling Pin donut shop, “baseball and burgers” on Saturdays with his daughter and her family, and sci-fi and action movies with his daughter, Lillian. His life was marked by acts of kindness to family and neighbors alike. After clearing the snow at their family home in Brattleboro, he would venture off to the homes of elderly neighbors, clearing their walks and driveways for them. In later years, he gathered up neighbors who couldn't drive themselves to Mass, providing a much needed ride for the “old folks.” At church in Florida, he was the volunteer handyman, dearly missed by the priest when they moved away. He lost the love of his life in 2016 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. He was predeceased by his siblings, Richard Eddy, Arlene Eddy, Jean Webster Patten, and Betty Webster Merrill. He is survived by his daughter, Lillian; four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Memorial information: The Rite of Committal will be at St. Michael's Parish Cemetery in Brattleboro on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m., with a reception following at the home of Tina Squires, George's niece.