Obituaries
Editor's note: The Commons will publish brief biographical information for citizens of Windham County and others, on request, as community news, free of charge. Traditional full obituaries will eventually be published as news on www.commonsnews.org as we receive them. As community support for the newspaper increases, we will surely reconsider publishing more traditionally complete obituaries in the print newspaper.
• Anthony Joseph “Tony” Blanchette, 90, of Brattleboro. Died July 8 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of the late Amelia Lamb Lavender. Father of Betty Jane Worden and Rosalyn Enos, both of Brattleboro, and Joann Wheeler and husband, Ronald, of Putney. Stepfather of Michael Lavender and wife, Claire, of Brattleboro and Paul Lavender and wife, Debbie, of Mount Vernon, Maine. Predeceased by a stepdaughter, Mary Sanborn; two brothers, Delor and Armand Blanchette; and two sisters, Rose Carpenter and Lucille Majer. Served in the Army during World War II. Was a crossing guard for 22 years at Academy School, and also worked at the former American Optical Co. in Brattleboro up until the closing of the plant. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 12 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Burial with full military honors followed in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home (www.atamaniuk.com.)
• Andrew David Blank, 53, of San Francisco, formerly of Brattleboro. Died on July 7 in Brattleboro. Son of Allan and Chotsie Blank. Brother of Nancy Hammonds and Dr. Debby Blank. Graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy and Middlebury College. Worked in real estate development in the Bay Area and Boston. Memorial information: No services planned. Donations to the UCSF Foundation for the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCSF 1600 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94143
• Tyler Warner Chapman, 25, of Mansfield, Mass., formerly of Brattleboro. Died July 5 in Mansfield. Son of John “Jack” and Debra (Miller) Chapman. Half-brother of John L. Chapman of Walla Walla, Wash., and Elizabeth Gazo and her husband Matthew of Colchester. Graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 2003, and Bryant University. Worked for CVS as an assistant manager in Taunton, Mass., and was a salesman for Covidien and Humanscale in the Boston area. Memorial information: A memorial gathering will be held at VFW Post 1034 on Black Mountain Road on Saturday, July 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. Donations to the charity of one's choice. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home (www.atamaniuk.com.)
• Bernard E. “Bobi” Dix, Jr., 65, of Brattleboro. Died July 8 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H.. Husband of Nicole Gouin Dix for 46 years. Father of Dennis Dix of Reno, Nev.; and Deborah M. Ahlberg, and her husband, Dale of Des Moines, Iowa. Brother of Jacquelyn D. Hill, and her husband, Douglas, of Keene, N.H. Graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1962. Served in the Vermont National Guard and was a member of American Legion Post 5. Worked for 35 years in the financial offices of the Book Press. Memorial information: A memorial gathering was held July 14 at VFW Post 1034 in Brattleboro. Donations to Dummerston Ball Field Fund c/o Claude Gouin, 1102 Kipling Rd, Dummerston, Vt. 05301.
• Sandra Y. Crawford Eggleston, 73, of Wilmington. Died July 4 at Albermarle Hospital in Elizabeth City, N.C. Wife of Robert Eggleston of Manteo, N.C. Former wife of Wallace Sage Jr. Mother of Yvonne Sage Kendrick of Lexington, Ky., and Jared Sage of Manteo, N.C. Sister of Pat Morris of Wilmington. Predeceased by her parents, Andrew and Kathleen Crawford; her brother, Clifford, and her daughter, Andrea (Katie) Whetstone. Graduate of Wilmington High School, Class of 1954, and St. Joseph's Business School, majoring in bookkeeping and secretarial duties. Memorial information: No services are planned at this time. Burial will take place at Riverview Cemetery at a later date.
• Muriel T. Flanders, 91, of Brattleboro. Died July 2 in Lake Helen, Fla. Wife of the late William Flanders. Graduate of Bay Path Business College and worked as a secretary for many years at the Weeks School in Vergennes. Memorial information: A graveside service was held July 9 at Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to First Congregational United Church of Christ, 107 S. Euclid Ave., Lake Helen, FL 32744. Condolences may be sent to the family via Ker-Westerland Funeral Home (www. kerwesterlund.com.)
• Larry Freeman, 75, of Brattleboro. Died June 30 at his home in Las Vegas. Husband of Eva Freeman. Former husband of Carolyn Dutton. Father of Faye, Andy and Greg Freeman. Brother of Art and Jeff Freeman. Predeceased by his parents and a brother, Bob. Graduate of Brattleboro High School, Class of 1952, and Tufts University. Served in the Marine Corps as a pilot, reaching the rank of Major. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to Paralyzed Veterans of America.
• Gloria S. Levine, 88, of West Dover. Died July 2 of injuries sustained in a car accident. Wife of Jerry Levine for 68 years. Mother of son Bari and his wife, Linda, of Cottonwood Heights, Utah; Michael, and his life partner, Nancy O'Hara of New York City, and David, of Bangkok, Thailand. With her husband, they opened the Hayloft Gallery in West Dover and was the official proprietor and artistic force until its closing in 2009. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. at the Dover Town Hall. Donations to Friends of Dover Free Library, P.O. Box 267, East Dover, VT 05341. Condolences may be sent to the family via Covey & Allen Funeral Home (www.sheafuneralhomes.com.).
• Michael Gilbert “Mike” Miner, 57, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died June 21 at UMass Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., following injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident in Winchester, N.H., on June 19. Husband of Norma Dixon. Stepfather of John Hansen of Canterbury, Conn. Brother of Thomas Miner of Keene, N.H., and Cathy Underwood of Fitzwilliam, N.H. Was a finish painter for Bensons Woodworking and Design in Brattleboro and previously worked for Tyler Electric and Massello Employment Agency in Brattleboro. Was an experienced motorcyclist who had a lifelong love affair with Harley-Davidsons. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held July 24 at at Agape Christian Fellowship on Canal Street in Brattleboro with Pastor Michael Gantt, officiating. A reception will follow the services. Donations to Winchester Volunteer Ambulance Service, Parker Street, Winchester, NH 03470, or to the Monadnock Humane Society, West Swanzey, NH 03469. Condolences may be sent to the family via Atamaniuk Funeral Home (www.atamaniuk.com.)
• Laura Prendergast, 79, of North Walpole, N.H. Died July 7 at Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, N.H. Wife of John Prendergast for 57 years. Mother of Deborah Smith and husband, Jack, of Springfield, Vt., Linda Stewart and husband, Bill, of Charlestown, N.H., and Mary Kinson and husband, Ken, of Charlestown, N.H. Sister of Arthur Willard, of Rockingham; Beryl Jackson of Springfield, Mass.; and Gracie Parrott of North Walpole, N.H. Predeceased by her parents and siblings Ralph Willard and Irene Willard. A graduate of Bellows Falls High School, she worked for J & L Tool and was a member of American Legion Post 37 Auxiliary and a past member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 12 at St. Peter's Church in North Walpole, N.H., with burial in St Peter's Cemetery. Donations to the American Cancer Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495.
• Janet G. Purdie, 85, of Brattleboro. Died July 9 at Holton Home in Brattleboro. Former wife of Donald Purdie. Mother of Catherine Ann Purdie and her husband Andy Reichsman of Marlboro and Martha Carter of Towson, Md. Sister of Susan Cotton, of Ithaca, N.Y. Graduate of Case Western and worked as a social worker in many capacities, primarily for the Baltimore City School system. Memorial information: A memorial service was at Holton Home on July 12. Donations to Holton Home. Condolences may be sent to the family via Ker-Westerland Funeral Home (www. kerwesterlund.com.)
• Lionel Agustus Sharlow, 80, of Brattleboro. Died July 6 at his home. Husband of Thelma Jacobs Sharlow. Former husband of Evelyn Shaffer. Father of Connie Yeardon and husband, Alan, of Cherry Valley, N.Y.; Kate Legates of Oswego, N.Y., Deborah Germain and husband, Tommy, of Oswego, N.Y.; and James Sharlow, of Oswego, N.Y. Stepfather of Betty McGinn and partner, Dominique, of Frederick, Md.; Arthur Jacobs and wife, Katrina, of Brattleboro; Randy Jacobs and wife, Biz Dana, of Hinsdale, N.H. and Colleen Jacobs of Brattleboro. Predeceased by a daughter, Susan Dryden; and siblings Constance Sharlow, Wilma Sharlow, Martha Boucher, Frieda Cutrie and Delbert Sharlow. Was a restauranteur in New York before working at the Brattleboro Retreat, and was a member of the Elks Club and the Dummerston Grange. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held July 10 at at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro. Donations to Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Condolences may be sent to the family via Ker-Westerland Funeral Home (www. kerwesterlund.com.)
College news
• Two local students were named to the Dean's List at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for the spring 2010 semester. Carleen M. Busick of Wardsboro is a member of the Class of 2013 and is majoring in English/Literature Concentration. Monica A. Speranza of Vernon is a member of the Class of 2012 and is majoring in Communications/Journalism.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), July 2, 2010, a son, Briar Samuel Cutting, to Desiree Tetreault and Tyson Cutting of Guilford; grandson to Denise LaRock and Lori Nelson of Guilford, Roxanne Tetreault of Brattleboro, and Phillip Cutting and Sharon Basoli of Guilford; great-grandson to Bernice LaRock of Guilford and the late Bernie LaRock.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), June 27, 2010, a son, Jackson Parker Patno, to Emily (Sheldon) and Joseph Patno of Vernon; grandson to Kathy and John Wehner, Macy Holmquist and Chris Parker, and Paul Sheldon; great-grandson to David and Millie Harris, Lin Macy, Phil Holmquist and Dora Sprague, and Rex and Mary Sheldon.