College news
• Morgan K. Brooke-deBock of Brattleboro has been named to second honors on the Dean's List at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. This selection marks outstanding academic achievement during the fall 2019 semester.
School news
• Seven student-musicians from Brattleboro Union High School earned acceptance into honors ensembles sponsored by the New England Music Festival Association (NEMFA). The students auditioned for this distinction at the NEMFA Solo and Ensemble Festival held at Hartford High School in December. The NEMFA Concert Festival was scheduled to take place from March 19-21 in Hanover, N.H., but was canceled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was slated to include about 375 of the most talented high school musicians from throughout New England playing in three ensembles. BUHS students who were accepted into the NEMFA Chorus included soprano Ella Aquadro, tenor Virgil Neddenriep, and basses Jonah Johnson and Jordan Roach. Clarinetist Hope Thibault was accepted into the New England Band. Flutist Caitlin Sullivan and timpanist Sebastian Paquette were accepted into the orchestra. This was the third NEMFA acceptance for Paquette, the second for Aquadro and Roach, and the first for Neddenriep, Johnson, Thibault, and Sullivan.
Obituaries
• Anthony Church, 56, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 20, 2020, in Syracuse, Utah, while surrounded by family and his love, Trish Kennerly. Known to some as Andy and others as Tony, he was born July 26, 1963 in Bellows Falls, the third child of Frances Belczak Church and the late Lawrence Anthony Church. Andy grew up in Brattleboro with his surviving siblings Robyne, Gail, Joan, Margret, and Patrick, until he joined the Air Force in 1979. As an aircraft mechanic and crew chief, “Big Boots” Tony excelled in his job, made lifelong friends and, after retiring at the rank of master sergeant, settled in Utah with his surviving children Jason, Forrest, and Emelia. He went on to serve in the Air Force civil service, applying his active duty knowledge and tinkering with his many home projects. No matter the name he was known by, he will be remembered as loving, friendly to all, and a devoted father who was proud of his three children. Memorial information: Condolences may be sent to the family at www.aaronsmortuary.com.
• Sharon A. Dean, 63, of Brattleboro. Died March 17, 2020 at the Gill Odd Fellows Home in Ludlow. She was born Feb. 8, 1957 to Anita Beswick and David Dean. Sharon is survived by her father, of Indiana; daughter Heather Poor and her husband, Neil, of Guilford; grandsons Samuel and Daniel Poor of Guilford; son Richie Tuttle and girlfriend, Erica Smith, of West Dummerston; brothers Bryan and Mark Younger, both of Brattleboro, and several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family.
• Lawrence Parker, 50, of Bellows Falls. Died March 17, 2020. Born in Bellows Falls on March 5, 1970, the son of Ruby (Leonard) and Wayne E. Parker, he attended school in Bellows Falls and graduated from Springfield High School. He worked at Athens Pizza in Bellows Falls for 30 years. He loved watching demolition derbies and chatting with friends about everything. He is survived by his mother, Ruby Parker, of Bellows Falls; sisters Tina Bridge (Aaron) and Sonya Parker of Bellows Falls and Margaret Nichols (PJ) of Brattleboro; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father, Wayne Parker. Memorial information: Services will be held at a later date to be announced. Donations can be made in care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster St., Bellows Falls, VT 05101.
• Esther Ann Reynolds, 76, of Vernon. Died March 21, 2020 at Poet Seat Nursing Home in Greenfield, Mass. Esther was born in Grafton on Sept. 4, 1943, the daughter of Harland and Catherine (Walsh) Rounds. She was raised and educated in Grafton, where she attended public schools. She was a seamstress for most of her working years, employed at the former Margolin's Pocketbook Shop, Body & Soul Retail Store on Main Street, and for Appropriate Technology Company. Her last place of employment was with Omega Optical, which she retired from in 2010. During her earlier years, Esther worked at the former Root's Pharmacy. For several years, she attended Vernon Union Church. She enjoyed baking, travel, and time spent with her family. In 1963, she married Clark Reynolds, who predeceased her in 1989. Survivors include two daughters, Wanda Boyd of Guilford and Kathy Chan of Tahoe City, Calif.; two grandchildren, Ella and Charley Chan; three sisters, Bernice Woodard, Inez Brooks, and Jean Wright; and two brothers, Henry and Joe Rounds.Additionally, she leaves many nieces and nephews. Besides her husband she was predeceased by a son, Gary Reynolds; and 12 siblings: Florence Kearney, Gladys Wood, Helen Rounds, Baby Rounds, Harland, Jr., Donald, Franklin, Richard, John, Bob, Wayne, and Billy Rounds. Memorial information: Due to the current pandemic, services will be for the immediate family only with burial in Christ Church Cemetery in Algiers, where she will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband. Donations to Rescue, Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302, or to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send messages of condolence to the Reynolds family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Heinrich “Hank” Tschernitz, 91, of Londonderry. Died March 17, 2020, after a brief illness, 12 days before his 92nd birthday. Hank was born in Lienz, Austria, on March 29, 1928. Nearing the end of his formal education, he began his colorful lifelong hospitality career working in Switzerland, Germany, Venezuela, San Francisco, Boston, New York, and Palm Beach, before landing in Vermont at the Toll Gate Lodge in 1959. He truly fell in love with Vermont and it was to become his home for much of his life. Hank met his true love, Frances, at the Liftline Lodge at Stratton Mountain. They were married for 41 years. Together they became the proprietors of the Three Clock Inn in South Londonderry. Hank, a gourmet chef, kept up his end by producing glorious dinners for his clientele, while Frances saw to the elegant ambiance of “the front of the house,” as Hank would put it. Together, they created an outstanding dining experience that will long be remembered. Many of their staff and customers became lifelong friends. He was the master when it came to hunting chanterelle mushrooms in his Vermont hills, and that gave him great pleasure. Hank spoke at least five languages and possessed incredible knowledge about world history. He was a very entertaining storyteller, with impeccable details and a robust delivery. To have known Hank was an absolute gift and he will be greatly missed. Hank was predeceased by his parents and his wife, Frances (Weckerle) Tschernitz; and leaves his sister, Waltraud Moser, as well as cousins and many dear friends all over the world. Memorial information: A celebration of Hank's life will be held this summer.