College news
• Rio Coursen of Putney was named to the President's List for the fall 2022 semester at Vermont Technical College.
• Lia Clark of Saxtons River, Kathleen Dole of Bellows Falls, and Alex Shriver and Will Taggard of Brattleboro were all named to the Dean's List for the fall 2022 semester at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
• Kiera Noble of Guilford was named to the fall 2022 semester Dean's List at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.
• Ella Vilozny of Brattleboro has made the Dean's List for the fall 2022 semester at Emmanuel College in Boston.
Transitions
• Michael Delpriore has been elected to the Board of Directors at Members 1st Credit Union in North Brattleboro for a three-year term. Delpriore graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1981 and, in 2003, he started Amity Alarm & Security, named after his daughter Amity. He can be seen walking the stairs at Harris Hill Ski Jump, at the gym, or riding his bicycle during the warmer months. He plays several musical instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, and drums.
• Multimedia arts organization Epsilon Spires of Brattleboro added two people to its board of directors: Rob Forman, who will take over as Board Secretary, and George W. Meyers of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Meyers has been the General Manager at Amherst Cinema for 13 years, where he currently co-curates the Bellwether Film Series, while Forman has been a writer, curator, and facilitator in providing forums for experimental musicians and sound artists for over 30 years.
Obituaries
• Gary Lee Carrier, 81, formerly of Brattleboro. Died peacefully on Feb. 10, 2023 in Orono, Maine after a long illness. A beloved son, nephew, husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Gary was a proud Vermonter. Born in Burlington on Sept. 4, 1941, he was the son of Clayton and Estella (Moore) Carrier. Raised in Jacksonville and Brattleboro, Gary graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1959 along with several treasured lifelong friends. He went on to earn a B.A. in history from the University of Vermont in 1963 and an M.Ed. from Keene State College in 1969. In 1965, Gary married Alice Lacoss of Hanover, New Hampshire, in the chapel of Brattleboro's Centre Congregational Church. Gary adored Alice, and they raised their family in Brattleboro, eventually celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends in the church parlor. The Carrier Education Play Area was named in recognition of their many years of dedicated service to the church and the Brattleboro Centre for Children. Gary loved his community and the people in it. Even after moving to Maine to be closer to family, he always thought of Brattleboro as home. He worked for decades at Cersosimo Lumber Company in various roles, from lumber stacker during school vacations to vice president, and he had many fond memories of his coworkers and the Cersosimo family. Outside of his professional life, Gary gave generously of his time and talents. He was active in local government, serving as a Town Meeting Representative and Finance Committee member, and as a member of the Board of Listers. Dedicated throughout his life to his own, his family's, and others' education, Gary was also a longtime member and chairman of the Brattleboro Union High School Board, an Incorporator and Trustee of the Austine School, and a Trustee of Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. He took pride in helping others through his work as a Guardian ad Litem and as a member of the Diversion Board for Youth Services of Windham County. He was involved with many other organizations, including the Windham County Humane Society, Kiwanis, and the Masonic Lodge. Gary loved his friends, downhill and cross-country skiing, Alice's dinner parties, vacations in Rangeley and on Bailey Island, Maine, hunting camp, and the University of Vermont; hiking in the woods, playing golf, riding horses, long exercise walks, and reading mystery novels; following Red Sox baseball, Patriots football, and his daughters' and grandchildren's field hockey, football, basketball, track, and lacrosse teams; and, above all, spending time with his family. He was charming and able to strike up a conversation with anyone, which he often did. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his integrity, work ethic, practicality, and wit, and by his family for the remarkable example that he set for his daughters and grandchildren. Gary is survived by his two devoted daughters, Allison Lucy and her husband John of Orono and Christine Hume of South Portland, Maine; and by five adoring grandchildren: Jack and his fiancée Christine, Thomas, Mark, Erin, and Paige. He is also survived by his sisters Patricia and Pamela, many nieces and nephews, and his orange tabby cat, Buddy. He was predeceased by his wonderful parents, loving wife, sister Penny, brother Peter, dear Patricia (Denton) MacMurtry, and many other loved ones. Memorial information: Services will be held on Saturday, May 13, at 11 a.m., at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, with a reception and private burial to follow. Donations in Gary's memory may be sent to Centre Congregational Church or the Windham County Humane Society.
• Catherine (Kay) Goulet Champoli, 91, of Vernon. Died Feb. 25, 2023 at the Jack Byrne Center For Palliative and Hospice Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Catherine was born Nov. 16, 1931, in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the oldest of eight children born to Emma (Nason) Goulet and Louis H. Goulet. Catherine grew up in Woonsocket and left school at an early age to work in a rubber factory to help support her family. In 1952, at age 19, she married the brother of her best friend Joan, and the love of her life, Donald Robert “Don” Champoli, who predeceased her in 2007 in Springfield, Vermont. They raised four children in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Catherine was a stay-at-home mom. An amazing cook and homemaker, during the early years of child-raising she volunteered as a Brownie leader and Catholic catechism teacher, and she belonged to the Ladies Canasta League. She later worked in a number of retail stores. She and her husband loved to dance, entertain friends, travel together and they especially enjoyed time at the beach. They also enjoyed a summer home in Sandwich, Massachusetts, while living the rest of the year in Port Charlotte, Florida. They lost their home during Hurricane Charlie and returned to New England, primarily living in Vermont and Maine. After her husband's death, Catherine lived in Putney and Bridgton, Maine with her children. She also lived in Dunn, North Carolina, before spending her final years at Holton Home in Brattleboro and Vernon Green nursing home. “Everything” was her “favorite.” She enjoyed her life to the fullest, taking great delight in the beauty of nature, reading, music, volunteering, food, and family and friends, which she made easily with her outgoing personality. She is survived by her eldest son Carl H. Champoli and his wife Joyce L. Champoli (Pilcher) of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, D. Gemma Champoli and her partner Karen Zamojski of Brattleboro, Tina Champoli Kelsey and her husband Tom Kelsey of Biloxi, Mississippi, and daughter Sarah Snow Champoli of Bridgton. She also leaves her grandchildren: Aaron Champoli and his wife Nancy of Stedman, North Carolina, Jason Champoli of North Myrtle Beach, Emma C. Champoli and her partner Cote of Brattleboro, Ali Champoli and her husband Yiming of Quincy, Massachusetts, and Anthony Champoli and Angelica Champoli of Bridgton; great-grandchildren Kayla and Colin Champoli of Stedman; her sister Connie Walsh of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and her youngest brother Donald Goulet of Southington, Connecticut. She was predeceased by her son Dale A. Champoli and her great-grandson Casey Champoli, as well as her brothers Louis (Sonny), Arthur, John, and Billy Goulet, and her youngest sister Betty Colvin. Memorial information: In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kay's name to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To share a memory or send condolences to Kay's family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Luella Louise “Lue” French-Stevens, 92, of Westminster. Died Feb. 27, 2023, following a sudden illness. Lue was born on November 4, 1930, in Cambridgeport to Edward (Ned) and Florence (Huntoon) McQuaide; she was the youngest of five children. Lue was a devout Christian and a cornerstone of the Cambridgeport/Athens church. In 1948, Lue married the love of her life, Robert (Bob) French. Lue and Bob went on to have two children, Daniel and Gary. Lue was known as a hard worker, taking on several jobs as life wasn't always easy or kind. She was most proud of her work as a nurse's aide at Rockingham Memorial and Grace Cottage hospitals. She was a mother of two and beloved “Auntie Lue” to many and a friend to all. She loved the Lord, her family, friends, and small children, and especially her beloved pets. In 2016, Lue married Rev. Sherman Stevens of Jacksonville, Florida, where she resided for part of her marriage. She moved back to Vermont following Sherman's death in 2021. Lue was predeceased by her parents, her husbands, her two sons, her sister, Millie, and brothers, Bob, Don and Bill. Lue is survived by many nieces, nephews and dear friends who loved and adored her. Memorial information: A funeral service was held at the Community Christian Church in Athens on March 15. Donations to the Community Christian Church, which Lue loved dearly.
• Grace E. Gunnip, 85, of Brattleboro. Died on March 6, 2023 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. She was born Aug. 2, 1937, in Lunenburg, Vermont, the daughter of Abner and Ellen (Greeley) Howland. In 1957, she married Donald Gunnip at the Roxbury Community Church in Stamford, Connecticut. Grace and her family moved to Brattleboro in 1964 and lived on South Main Street for many years. They attended the United Methodist Church on Elliot Street. Grace started a day care called “Babes & Toddlers” out of her home and took care of many local children. She also worked at the Austine School, Brattleboro Day Care, and Ames Department Store. Grace was a founding member of Windham Child Care Association in 1981, along with Carol Lynch, Cathi Wilkin, Bunny Johnson and Barbara Reed. She has been a member of the United Methodist Church since 1964 and the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Auxiliary, Brattleboro Aerie 2445, since 1985. Grace was also a “Red Hat” member, an RSVP volunteer, and served on the board of the Brattleboro Area Drop-In Center. She enjoyed attending church, organizing tag sales, baking and visiting with her family and friends. Grace was an avid reader. She collected and read many books about John F. Kennedy and his family. Surviving family members include her five children: Betty Lindhal and her husband Carl, of Manchester, New Hampshire, Steven Gunnip and his wife, Deborah, of Rutland, Dennis Gunnip and his wife Joy, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Kathy Patenaude and her husband Brian of Brattleboro, and Rick Gunnip and his partner Cheryl of Guilford. She leaves eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She also leaves many nieces and nephews from the Brattleboro area and northern Vermont. Her niece Carol Lane and family visited her often. Grace was especially close with her first grandson, Robert Shaw. She also leaves many good friends from all over the U.S. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Herbert, her sisters Alyce and Mary Ellen, and her ex-husband, Donald. Memorial information: A celebration of life will be held in the spring. She will be laid to rest with her beloved husband Donald at Meeting House Hill Cemetery. Donations to United Methodist Church, 18 Town Crier Drive, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or Project Feed the Thousands, P.O. Box 8366, North Brattleboro, VT 05304. To share a memory or send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Phillip Joseph “Phil” Haskins, 83, of Brattleboro. Died Tuesday morning, February 28, 2023 at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, following a lengthy period of declining health. A lifelong resident of the area, Phil was born at home in Guilford, one of 16 children, to Carroll and Adella (Goodell) Haskins. He was raised in Brattleboro where he attended public schools, including Brattleboro High School. He enlisted in the Navy in 1957, proudly serving his country until his honorable discharge from active service in 1961. Phil was employed at Cersosimo Lumber Company as a multi-talented mechanic working on any and all types of motors and large equipment. He was known to be able to fix or repair just about anything mechanical. For many years he was independently contracted as a Star Route carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Phil was a hard worker, whether it was working on his home or cars, and he was very clever and talented with his hands. He was a quiet person but with a sharp sense of humor, and much love for his family. Of his leisure time activities, he enjoyed hunting, fishing with his son, Andy, all forms of racing, and especially playing and camping with his grandchildren. On Jan. 28, 1963, at the West Brattleboro Baptist Church, he was married to Carole “Susie” Foley who survives. Besides his wife of 60 years, he leaves his four children: Andrew Haskins of Bellows Falls, Audrey Garfield and Melissa Haskins, both of Brattleboro, and Mindy Haskins Rogers and husband Otis of Northampton, Massachusetts; brothers Howard Haskins and wife Bernadette, Davin Haskins and wife Jerri, Stephen Haskins and partner Gail, Samuel Haskins and wife Verna, and Gary Haskins and partner Lee; sisters June Haskins Doucette and husband Joe, Rachel Haskins, and Rebecca Haskins Edson; grandchildren Adam Haskins Norcia and wife Jenn, Marla Haskins and partner Tim, Alexondra Haskins, Avery Garfield and partner Johan, Madison Garfield, Atticus Rogers, Aiden Haskins and Asher Haskins; and great-grandchildren Emma Norcia, Roselynn Haskins and Addison Garfield. Additionally, Phil leaves many other relatives. He was predeceased by four brothers: Stuart, James, David, and Daniel Haskins; and two sisters, Shirley Scarborough and Jean Haskins Goddard. Memorial information: In keeping with Phil's wishes, there are no calling hours or funeral services scheduled. Burial with full military honors will be conducted later in the springtime in the family lot in Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro when the cemetery reopens. In consideration for Phil's love for animals, donations may be made to Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To send condolences, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Judith Anne “Judy” (Reamon) Ingison, 89, of Brattleboro. Died on July 17, 2022, leaving a legacy of love, great works, inclusivity, lending a helping hand, giving honest feedback, having adventures, and living life to its fullest with an open heart. There was always room at her table, wisdom and wit in her words, and friends became family. She was born June 27, 1933 in Syracuse, New York, and is an alumna of Nottingham High School, where she was a member of Delta Kappa sorority. She became a student at Syracuse University in the College of Home Economics and continued her sorority affiliation while there with Delta Delta Delta. Judy A. Reamon and Malcolm S. Ingison were married Dec. 5, 1953 at the Betts Memorial Universalist Church in Syracuse. Judy worked a variety of jobs that provided the flexibility she wanted to remain an active part of the lives of their four children, and to contribute to her church and community projects. She careered in the travel industry, taking her to many corners of the world, until later in life, when she worked for The Wall Street Journal. Judy enjoyed her grandchildren Kamon (Laura), Heather (Pete), Kia (Raymond), Christina “Tina” (Joseph), Amanda (Mark), Kegan (Thomas), Dillon, Devon, Maxwell “Maxx” and Emma. She also delighted in her great-grandchildren Madisyn, William “Liam”, Gibson, Noah, Lucas, Evelyn, Malcolm, Corinne and Memphis. Judy served churches wherever she lived in many capacities, locally, within the district and nationally with the Unitarian Universalist Association. Additional interests included travel, sailing, singing, baseball (go New York Yankees!), tennis, concerts (music), gardening, bird watching, antiquing, reading, doing New York Times crossword puzzles, and cooking. Judy was known for creative recipes and was generous with cooking advice. Judy came to enjoy camping, and she enjoyed family and friends, eating lobster rolls, and creating beautiful pine cone wreaths and flower arrangements. She had a beautiful collection of cobalt blue bottles and scarves. Judy was a lifelong learner and was knowledgeable on most topics. She is survived by her children and their spouse/partner: Karen and Kirby Sams, Stanley Ingison and Suzanne Snyder, David Ingison and Deb German and Jennifer and Bill Bowes, as well as brother-in-law Walter McMahon, nieces and nephews Lynn & Mike Hanson, Vicki & Marshall Groves, Chris and Trina McMahon, Jenny and Jon Ellis, Deb and John Cardoni, Carol and Bill Chenard, Colin and Patti Burns and their children, grandchildren, and extended family. Friends who became family included Elizabeth and Paul Boyer, and Heather and Tiffany Gibson-Rael and their children. Memorial information: A celebration of life ceremony is planned for Saturday, April 8, at 11 a.m., at All Souls Church in West Brattleboro, with a reception following the service.
• Dolores Klaich, 86, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully on March 8, 2023, International Women's Day, in her Brattleboro home where she had lived since 2004 after a long residency in East Hampton, New York. Dolores was a retired journalist, editor, and educator who worked as a reporter for Life magazine in the 1960s. Later, she developed and implemented an HIV-AIDS curriculum that was used for much of the 1980s by health care professionals and communities alike during the first decades of that epidemic. Thereafter, she did freelance work, publishing books and articles, with an emphasis on gay, lesbian, and feminist issues. Her book Woman Plus Woman: Attitudes Toward Lesbianism (1974) was widely used in some of the first Women's Studies programs. Throughout her life, Dolores participated in citizen activism for various social, environmental, and anti-war efforts. This was a natural pathway for a “pink diaper baby” inspired by her Socialist parents. In her last years, she supported the Death with Dignity movement, choosing for herself, after a long period of declining health, Medical Aid in Dying under Vermont's legislative Act 39 permitting this kind of care. Dolores devoted her professional and personal life to the Jewish principle of tikkun olam: work done to repair the world. Memorial information: None provided.
• Lorraine Cote Miller, 80, of Westminster. Died Feb 24, 2023, in the home she loved so much, surrounded by the family she loved so much. She was born Nov. 20, 1942, in Concord, Vermont. She graduated from Concord High School in 1960 and from Sheldon Academy of Beauty Culture in 1961. She began her career in North Walpole and Bellows Falls, where she met her husband, Dick Miller. They were married in 1965 and remained happily together for 57 years. While working as a hairdresser and helping thousands of people look and feel their best, she raised her family and became deeply involved in her community. She belonged to the Greater Falls Women's Club, volunteered at Park Place and Westminster Cares, and served on the board of the Westminster Institute. In 2021, she and Dick were awarded Westminster Citizens of the Year. She loved spending time outdoors with friends and family. She especially loved skiing, kayaking, and hiking, and there is a well worn track on the roads and trails around their home from daily walking and snowshoeing. Lori and Dick traveled around the US and Canada by motorcycle and found adventure and friends around the globe. Lori expressed her creative gifts in her oil and watercolor paintings, handicrafts, and gardens. She earned the title of Vermont Master Gardener and was a member of the Saxtons River Art Guild. She attended Saint Charles Church, singing in the choir, and she spent many mornings tending the gardens there. Lori leaves behind her husband, Dick; her sons, Todd (Cathy) and Troy (Christina); her brother, Paul; her sisters, Priscilla, and Linda; and her grandchildren, Apollo and Nyx. She was predeceased by her parents, Louise and Raymond Cote, and her brother, Richard Cote. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held March 11 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls. Donations to Westminster Cares, 3534 US 5, Westminster, VT 05158 (westminstercares.org) or to Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire, 88 Prospect St., White River Jct, VT 05001 (vnhcare.org).
• Kenneth Clay Unwin Sr., 64, of Athens. Died unexpectedly at home on Jan. 26, 2023, where he lived for many years with his life partner, Pamela Amidon. He was born April 15, 1958, in Brattleboro to the late Anna Belle Moffitt and the late Carrol Dennis Unwin. Kenneth worked for many years as a logger, retiring from Independent Partners of Williamsville. His hobbies included hunting and fishing. He also loved spending time with his family and his beloved dog, Duke, his cat, Buddy, and many other pets throughout his life. Kenneth was always humble and kind, and always willing to lend a hand in any way he could. He was a friend to many and all loved him. He will be dearly missed. Besides his lifelong partner, he is survived by his children Kenneth Clay Unwin Jr., and his wife Shannon Unwin of Wilmington, Jesse Earl Unwin of Athens, Krystal Ann Unwin of Athens, and Sarah Jean Euber of Dummerston, along with several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Kenneth is also survived by his lifelong best friend, James Johnson and his wife, Susan Johnson of Coventry. He leaves behind three sisters, Carol Williams of Brookfield, Massachusetts, Pauline Hubbard, of Ware, Massachusetts, and Diane King of Brattleboro, along with many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 18, from 4 to 5 p.m., at Community Christian Church in Athens.