College news
• Rebecca Lynn Williams of Jamaica recently received a B.A. in elementary education and a B.A. in biology from the University of Rhode Island.
• Matthew Trieber of Bellows Falls and Ava Zizza of Wilmington each received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alabama during its summer commencement ceremonies on Aug. 6.
Obituaries
• David Lyman Castine, 65, of Dummerston. Died Aug. 23, 2022 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was born on July 28, 1957 in Brattleboro to Fred & Elaine (Gabree) Castine. He was raised and educated in Brattleboro, Hinsdale, N.H., and Dummerston and graduated from Hinsdale High School. David served in the Army in his younger years and was stationed in Seattle and South Korea. He later worked for many years at Fulflex in Brattleboro as a machine operator. David loved playing guitar, drawing, and playing cards with his siblings every week. He adored his granddaughters and loved making them laugh with his Donald Duck impression. David is survived by his three children: Amanda Magee and her husband, Joshh, of Stoneham, Mass., Nicholas Castine and his wife, Alice, of Northfield, Mass., and Jennifer Elliot and her husband Andrew of Keene, N.H.; siblings Gary Castine and his wife Linda of Dummerston, Douglas Castine of Vernon, Richard Castine and his wife Carol of Vernon, Kelley VanLeeuwen of Brattleboro, Karen Castine-Shines and her husband Terry of Dummerston, and Arthur “Sonny” Styles of Brattleboro; stepsisters Donna Dunham of Gresham, S.C., Janet Jones and her husband Gary of Keene, Barbara Byrd and her husband Mike of Madisonville, Tenn., and Tina Rea and her husband Dana of Vernon; granddaughters Isla, Evie, and Lucy, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 11 am in St. Michael's Cemetery in Brattleboro, followed by a Celebration of Life at the American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden St., at noon. Donations to the Brattleboro Retreat, 1 Anna Marsh Lane, PO Box 803, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To share a memory or send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Alfred Fred “Skip” Clough, 91, of Vernon. Died Aug. 27, 2022 at Thompson House in Brattleboro. He was born on April 19, 1931, the son of Richard and Dorothy (Wright) Clough. Alfred lived in Northfield, Mass., for the first 17 years of his life, graduating from Northfield High School. In 1948, the family moved to Vernon and started a dairy farm where he worked for 25 years. He then went to work at Smead Lumber Co. for many years until its closure. He finished his career with Price Chopper in Brattleboro, from which he retired. On June 26, 1971, he married the former Patricia Grant. Patricia predeceased him in 2009. He is survived by four stepchildren: Carolyn Squires, Patti Levasseur, Michael Monroe, and Joanne Bonaccorsi and her husband Thomas; eight step-grandchildren and seven step-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Evelyn Walker of Vernon, and niece Joanne Leveille and nephew David Walker, both of Vernon, several cousins, and four grand-nieces and one grand-nephew. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister Marjorie Bistrek. Memorial information: Funeral services were held Sept. 1 at Kidder Funeral Home in Northfield, with burial in Tyler Cemetery in Vernon. Donations in his memory may be made to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Janet F. (Wallace) Cunningham, 92, of Biddeford, Maine. Died on August 23, 2022. Janet was born on July 31, 1930, daughter of Bernard “Sam” Wallace and Marion (Hall) Wallace in Brattleboro. Janet attended Brattleboro schools and was a 1948 graduate of Brattleboro High School. Janet married her husband Richard K. Cunningham on July 12, 1952. She worked as a seamstress and homemaker while raising their four children, and took pride in being a mother and loved spending time as a family. Janet always welcomed all the neighborhood kids into her home and became a second mother to many of them. She loved being surrounded by the kids laughing and playing. Later, when Janet became a grandmother, she would watch her grandkids, have sleepovers, and teach them how to bake delicious treats. She always supported the kids and grandkids, never missing a school, music, or sporting event. Janet loved the outdoors and spent much of her time gardening, skiing, swimming, hiking, and skating. She took pride in her gardens and harvested vegetables, fruit, and fresh flowers. She was known for her homemade jams, relishes, pies, and other goodies she baked for her family from the fruits and vegetables from her garden. In her spare time, she volunteered at the hospital in the coffee shop and at the Red Cross blood drives. She was a member of multiple women's clubs and sewing circles where she made lifelong friends. Janet was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Richard K. Cunningham, son Richard “Dicki” Cunningham, daughter Linda Merrill, and her brother Harold Wallace. She is survived by her son David Cunningham and his wife Barbara of Saco, Maine; daughter Diane Olson and her husband Steve of Brattleboro; son-in-law David Merrill of Old Orchard Beach, Maine; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held on Sept. 11, at 11 a.m., at Meeting House Hill Cemetery. A celebration of life will follow at American Legion Post 5, 32 Linden Street, Brattleboro,. To send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Pascal Deblois, 80, of Readsboro. Died at his home on Aug. 22, 2022, following an extended illness. Born in St. Cyprien, Quebec on April 6, 1942, he was one of 13 children born to Albert and Marianne Deblois. Pascal worked for many years for Barkus Excavating in Readsboro and, for most of his life, he worked as a logger in the timber industry. He also was a handyman and did sheetrock and taping work. He was a member of the Readsboro American Legion, where he was active in the Color Guard, and the Readsboro Lions Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards, pitching horseshoes, and time spent with his family. He leaves his sons Randy Deblois of Wilmington and Ricky and Barbara Deblois of Adell, Wisc., and their mother Phyllis Deblois, granddaughter Hannah Deblois, and great-grandchild Julian Mederois. He is also survived by his sisters residing in Canada (Jacqueline, Rejen and Claire), and his friend and companion Harriet Conarroe. Memorial information: A service was held on Aug. 27 at Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home in Wilmington. Donations to either the Readsboro American Legion or Readsboro Lions Club, in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Dana Fletcher Sr., 89, of West Brattleboro. Died unexpectedly on August 24, 2022 at Pine Heights nursing home in Brattleboro. A lifelong resident, Dana was born in Brattleboro on March 28, 1933, the son of Edwin and Marie (Stafford) Fletcher Sr. He attended Brattleboro High School and entered the Air Force right out of school. He served stateside during the Korean War as a military policeman and was honorably discharged in 1954. Dana was a truck driver for many years, driving for C.E. Bradley Laboratories. Prior to that, he drove for Deerfield Plastics Co. in Deerfield, Mass. and Puffer's. In his earlier years, he was a Brattleboro police officer and part-time game warden. He also owned and operated the former Fisherman's Net on Elliot Street along with his wife. Dana was a devoted husband and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose life centered around his family. He enjoyed vacations and trips to the seacoast of Maine with his family, as well as hunting and fishing. On May 21, 1955, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, he married Patricia Garrity who predeceased him on April 2, 2021. They shared 65 years together. Dana leaves nine children: Dana Jr. (Deborah), Daniel Sr. (Kim,) and Duane (Kim), all of Vernon; Dennis (Celine), David, and Donald (Wendy), all of Brattleboro; Douglas of Florida, Maybeth Gilson (Steve) of Winchester, N.H., and Diana Fletcher (Meredith) of Poultney; one brother, Edwin “Butch” Fletcher of New Hampshire; one sister, Emma “Jane” Whiting of Massachusetts; 17 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by one brother, Merrill Fletcher of New Hampshire, one sister, Edwina “Tiny” deMoulpied of New York, and one great-grandson, Tyler Carpenter of Vermont. Memorial information: Committal rites and burial with full military honors will be conducted Saturday, Sept. 24, at 11 a.m. in West Brattleboro Cemetery on Mather Road, where he will be laid to rest beside his wife. Donations to Brigid's Kitchen, in care of St. Michael's Church, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 or St. Michael's School, 48 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Arthur Allyn “Al” Friis, 73, of Brattleboro. Died on Aug. 4, 2022 following a multi-year battle with colon cancer and subsequent complications. He was born Nov. 4, 1948 in Kingston, Mass., the son of Arthur and Joyce Friis. Known by his friends as Al (prefixed by either “Crazy,” “Weird,” or “Uncle”), he was well-known at his favorite haunts like Mocha Joe's, Turn It Up!, and Lynde Motorsports. Al graduated from Silver Lake Regional High School in Kingston with an interest in pursuing art. Though he did not attend college, you could see his lifelong interest reflected in his collection of paintings, his modified Volkswagen bug that he loved to park in downtown Brattleboro on Gallery Walk nights, and the VW trike he was building, among other never-ending projects. In his youth, Al was active in Boy Scouts, receiving the “God and Country” award at age 15. In 1965, he was recognized with an honorable mention in the annual technical drawings competition at Northeastern University graphic science department. During his career, he worked as an engineer, welder, construction worker and mechanic and used all of those skills to weave his life in southern Vermont for more than 20 years. Al successfully put the challenges of substance-abuse behind him, living a substance-free life for the past 40 years. Al was predeceased by his parents and his brother Robert. He leaves behind, in good hands, his longtime feline friend, Cole. Memorial information: Graveside services will be held at the West Guilford Cemetery on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. Words of remembrance will be welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Windham County Humane Society, or buy a meal for someone down on their luck.
• Douglas Herbert “Doug” Reed, 82, of Newfane. Died Jan. 22, 2022 at Bennington Health & Rehabilitation Center.From the moment he took his first paper route as a kid, Doug always knew he was going to be in the newspaper business. His love for journalism took him throughout the world. His readers lived vicariously through the stories he told - whether it was flying with the Blue Angels or visiting with heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey opining about a young fighter named Rocky Marciano, Doug had the talent to bring any story to life. Born in St. Albans on Aug. 24, 1939, the only son of Herbert and Gladys Driver Reed, his work ethic was established at an early age as his father left the family to serve with the Marine Corps during World War II. Completing daily chores and helping the family was expected. That upbringing served him well throughout his life. A graduate of Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, Doug attended Boston University, where he studied journalism for a year before following in his father's footsteps and enlisting in the Marine Corps. His brief but distinguished military career brought him to the Carolinas, California, and Okinawa, where he served as editor of the 3rd Marine Division newspaper. He was discharged as a lance corporal in 1964 and returned to St. Albans, where he worked as a reporter for the St. Albans Messenger. His next stop would be Keene, N.H., where he worked for the Keene Sentinel as a reporter and photographer for several years. His journey then brought him to Attleboro, Mass., where he served as managing editor after the North Attleborough Chronicle and Attleboro Sun merged. He spent about 15 years there before leaving. He later founded the North Attleborough Free Press, where he worked as editor and publisher until his retirement in 2005. Community was important to Doug and he spent time volunteering throughout his life. He was a founding member of the Hillside Adult Daycare Program in Attleboro. He coached Little League baseball in Attleboro for years and also served as umpire and was a member of the Board of Directors. Years later he would spend many a summer traveling to Cooperstown, N.Y., to watch his grandsons play in baseball tournaments. He loved sports, especially baseball and football, and was a season ticket holder of the New England Patriots for years. His love for baseball was spawned in childhood when he played in Little League and had occasion to venture to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox. After moving to Vermont, Doug was involved with his church and sang with the choir at the First United Methodist Church in Brattleboro, where he was a member for more than three decades. He loved to cook and did so on many occasions for church suppers. He was a member of the Marine Corps League and was a member of the color guard, often attending events honoring veterans. He regularly donated blood and platelets to the American Red Cross and had done so for more than three decades. Doug won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career from The Associated Press and the New England Press Association (NEPA) and was inducted into the freshman class of the NEPA Newspaper Hall of Fame. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal by the Marine Corps and, on his 80th birthday, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Marine Corps League. Memorial Day was an important day for Doug. He was a proud American who loved his country and passed down that love to his children and grandchildren. Doug is survived by his wife, Phyllis, whom he married in 1991; his three children: William Reed of Attleboro, Kellie Reed McCarthy and her husband Jay of Foxborough, Mass., and Jennifer Reed of Wilmington, N.C.; Phyllis's children: Chris, John, and Patricia Lucas; and grandchildren Rachael Lentz, Cameron and Colin Fiorentino, Shane and Meaghan McCarthy, and Wyatt and Warren Lucas. He was predeceased by his sister, Gwen White, and his granddaughter. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 1 p.m., at First United Methodist Church on Town Crier Drive in Brattleboro.