Obituaries
• Arthur Lewis “Art” Brunell, 81, of Washington Terrace, Utah, formerly of Vermont. Died Dec. 6, 2019. He was born in Wardsboro on Aug. 27, 1938, the son of Beatrice Lackey Brunell Wintle and William Brunell, Jr. He was married in 1960 to Judith Shippa. He graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1956. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and served for 11 years. He was employed by the American Paper Company, Northern Utah Glass Company and a partner in Vulcan Storm Windows. He moved to back to Massachusetts where he was a self-employed contractor, returning to Utah in 1992, where he worked for Stock Lumber Company for many years. Art was a Cub Scout leader; coached some teams with Western Boys Baseball Association and was president of the Football League. He enjoyed opera and country music, woodworking, and carpentry. He is survived by his wife, Judy, of Washington Terrace; three sons, Mark Brunell of Kearns, Utah, Scott (Shawna) Brunell of El Granada, Calif., and Dan (Alicia) Brunell of Washington Terrace; as well as nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He also leaves four siblings: Maurice (Barbara) of Ogden, Utah, Martha Ann (Norman) LaMoria of Newfane, Roland Brunell of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Rosalind (Charles) Rucci of Greenfield, Mass., as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Dec. 10 at the Provident Funeral Home in Ogden, Utah.
• Eugene Francis Lehane, 88, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Dec. 11, 2019 at Hillside Village in Keene, N.H. He was born on Canal Street in Hinsdale on Feb. 19, 1931, the son of James and Agnes (Waterman) Lehane. He attended school and lived in Hinsdale most of his life. He proudly served his country in the Vermont National Guard and was stationed in Munich, Germany during the Korean War. Mr. Lehane was a member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Prior to his retirement, he worked 17 years for Appropriate Technology Corp. and Northern Cross Industries. He had also worked for 30 years at the former H. Margolin Company in Brattleboro. In 1974, he married Beverly Young, who predeceased him in 2014. His first marriage to Florence Mary Johnson ended in divorce. Survivors include four sons, Robin Lehane and his wife Nancy of Winchester, N.H., Mark Lehane of Swanzey, Larry Lehane and his wife Irene of Ocean Springs, Miss., and Michael Lehane and his wife Laura of Sinking Spring, Pa.; and four stepchildren, Elmer Paul Wilkins III and his wife Cindy of Cedarville, Ohio, William Wilkins and his wife Margo of Hinsdale, Kathleen Katula of Dummerston, and Carl Wilkins of Dresden, Maine. Additionally, he leaves many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, Scott Francis Lehane; two grandsons, Elmer Paul Wilkins, IV and Jeffrey Wilkins; a sister and brother-in-law, Theresa and George Slicer; and a brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Rita Lehane. Memorial information: Graveside committal services in Pine Grove Cemetery in Hinsdale will be conducted in the springtime, to be announced at a later date. Donations to a charity of one's choice. To sign an online register book, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Pooja Annalee Mishra Meyer, 19, of Guilford. Died Dec. 8, 2019 in a motor vehicle accident. She was born near Delhi, India. Her exact birth date and fate of her birth parents are unknown. On Aug. 25, 2009, she was adopted into our family - the Meyer family (Chris and Patty Meyer, and their two children, Wynona and Aiden). Over the last decade, she had two major annual life celebrations. The first was her birthday on Sept. 18, the birth day that the Delhi orphanage had on record. The second, equally celebrated day was Feb. 12, her Homecoming Day - the day she arrived in the United States into the arms of her new family. Her first school in the United States was Academy School in Brattleboro. She also briefly attended Compass School in Westminster, then Brattleboro Area Middle School. While in high school, she returned to India for a semester to attend the same school from which Chris had graduated, Woodstock School in Mussoorie. She graduated from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 2019. She was on a gap year, caring for people as an LNA at Thompson House in Brattleboro, and had recently decided to enroll at Community College of Vermont for the spring 2020 semester. She also aspired to be a photographer for UNICEF or other international aid organizations. Those who knew her knew a joyful, loving spirit full of sparkle. She enjoyed so much the beauty of nature and deeply loved her family and friends. She even tracked down and re-established active relationships with four friends from her orphanage in India who now live in the United States. Pooja had a passion for the arts, especially photography. Her camera was almost an extension of her body, a separate mode of communication in which she was fluent. Pooja thoroughly embraced and dove deep into her new family during her ten years here. Learning water skiing in the summers and nordic skiing in the winters with Patty's extended family, and camping with Chris's extended family will be treasured memories. She had a special fondness for her grandparents who will miss her dearly. She enveloped us all with her love and ever-optimistic spirit. It was easy to forget how much pain she had been through as a small child and the enormity of the adventure she took coming here. She outshone and conquered so much darkness. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Dec. 15 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Donations to the In-Sight Photography Project, 183 Main St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 To sign an online guestbook with messages of condolence. visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Lora M Rogenski, 91, of Colrain, Mass., formerly of Saxtons River. Died Dec. 9, 2019. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Dec. 19, 1927, the daughter of Benjamin and Charlotte (Libby) Hutchins. She was a graduate of Bellows Falls High School and worked at Mountain Converting, Whitney Blake, and T-Bird Mini Mart. She was a communicant of St Edmund's Church and was an avid Red Sox fan. Lora loved her family and her cat “Lovey.” She is survived by her sons Anthony Rogenski (Joan) of Swanzey, N.H., William Rogenski of Washington, Maine, and Francis Rogenski of Westminster; her daughters Karen Belcher (Keith) of Westminster, Nancy Osswald (Wayne) of Manchester, and Carolyn Niles (Bob) of Colrain; her brothers Thomas, Albert, and Benjamin Hutchins; her grandchildren Wesley, Katie, Dara, Anthony, Kim, Tanya, Mike, William Jr., Kevin, Stacey, Brian, Melissa, Theron, Jesse, Ashley, Benjamin, Mary, and Lindsay; and several great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband, Anthony J. Rogenski. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Dec. 13 at St. Edmund's Church, with burial in the Saxtons River Cemetery. Arrangements were in the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home of Bellows Falls.
• Helen Rosalie Nichols West, 85, of Rockingham. Died Dec. 7, 2019 in Springfield, Vt. She passed quietly, surrounded by family, holding hands with her youngest son Todd. Helen was born the fourth daughter of Albert and Francis (Rogers) Nichols in Searsport, Maine, on Aug. 20, 1934. She graduated from Searsport High School. She worked at Waldo County Hospital in Belfast, Maine, where she would meet her future husband, James West, when he was a patient. They had four sons, Dale (Stephanie) of Decatur, Ga., Scott (Wanda) of Westminster, Laurel (Rebecca) of Lehigh Acres, Fla., and Todd (Carla) of Rockingham. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Helen was predeceased by her husband, twin grandsons Eric and Corey West, and a sister, Ruth Robinson. Helen was a dedicated mom, raising her four sons almost single-handedly as James was often on the road for his job as a truck driver. In the early 1960s, she joined the job market following a work accident that left James in the hospital and out of work for many months. Finally, when James could return to work, Helen was able to continue the job she loved most, that as the mother of her boys. She would do just about anything for her sons except for maybe iron. Helen once said that she “would rather take a spanking than iron.” That was proven true when some baby clothes belonging to her eldest son Dale were found at the bottom of the ironing basket when he was 17. Helen and James began their lives together in Sandy Point, Maine, before moving to Rockingham in 1969. Later years would find them splitting their time between Sebring, Fla., and Swanville, Maine. In Rockingham, Helen would become a member of the Loyal Order of Moose of Bellows Falls and Pleasant Valley Grange. After James's death in 2011, she came back to live in Vermont. There she had the company of two of her sons, most of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren and her best friend, Fat Cat. Memorial information: A date for summer services will be announced later. Donations to the National Parkinson's Foundation or a charity of one's choice. Arrangements are in the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home.