Transitions
• Brattleboro Savings & Loan recently promoted Michele Hackett to the position of vice president, culture officer, and Michael Levock to the role of assistant vice president, network engineering officer. Hackett has been with BS&L for almost 14 years and has worked as the bank's human resource manager for much of that time, handling much of the hiring and payroll requirements. In her new role, she will be providing broader and deeper support to BS&L's senior management team. Levock has been an IT professional for his whole career, having worked at Vermont Academy and Greenwood School prior to coming to BS&L just over 4 years ago. In his new role, he will take a larger part in all of the bank's many technology initiatives.
• Vermont Adult Learning (VAL) recently named Jackie Trepanier as regional director for Windham County overseeing the Brattleboro Learning Center. Trepanier holds an M.A. in Adult Education from Western Kentucky University and is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator. She previously worked in the field of restorative justice and hopes to embed restorative values into her work with VAL.
Obituaries
• Lloyd Michael “Mikey” Austin, 62, of Readsboro. Died on March 29, 2023. He was born on June 2, 1960 to Lloyd and Sally (Graves) Austin in Brattleboro, and attended Brattleboro Union High School before enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1980. Michael faithfully served in the Marine Corps 32nd MAU from 1980 to 1985 and was promoted to Lance Corporal. He was stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, as well as in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Oman. Primarily an infantryman, he was recognized for his honorable service with a Sea Services Deployment Ribbon as a certified advanced diver with five specialties including search and recovery; and earned the Expert Badge for Rifle and Pistol as well as the Good Conduct Medal. He also received a Letter of Appreciation from his commanding officer for his work in Athens, Greece at the House of Affection Orphanage. After his Marine service, Michael worked in carpentry and construction and was a skillful mechanic, millwright, welder, and heavy equipment operator. He worked on the largest water and air pipeline snowmaking system in the United States and was trained in the installation and building of pipelines as well as working with explosives. His life was filled with adventures in hunting, fishing, and mischief making, while quieter times were spent watching films, putting food by, and being with friends and family. He had a remarkable memory for people, places, and history and was proud of his Abenaki ancestry. Michael loved animals; he always had pets and welcomed strays. He was a courageous big-hearted guy with a larger-than-life presence and generous beyond measure. Storytelling came naturally to him and all who met Mikey remembered him always. All will miss him dearly. Michael was predeceased by his parents, and sibling Thomas Carr. He is survived by siblings William Austin, Patricia Austin, Brenda Carr, Barbara Austin Harris, and Brian Hemingway; a nephew, Christian Austin; a niece, Tonna Ballard; an aunt, Martha Guthrie; and many cousins, surrogate family, and friends. Memorial information: To honor Michael's life, his family has organized a graveside memorial service for family, friends and anyone who knew and loved Mikey. The service will be held on Sunday, April 16, at 11 a.m., at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro on Orchard Street, followed by a potluck reception at the Eagles Club in Brattleboro. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• James Lyman Barre, 87, formerly of Brattleboro. Died March 3, 2023 in hospice care in Wilmington, North Carolina, just days after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He was surrounded by his beloved wife Carol and his children. He was predeceased by his son, Michael Ernest Allen Barre, who succumbed to cancer just three months ago, on Dec. 8, 2022. James was born in July 1935 in Brattleboro to Ernest V. Barre and Gladys E. Barre. He married Susan Hebb on December 20, 1956 and together they had three children: Gabriel, Greta, and Michael. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1964, and the General Theological Seminary in New York in 1967 with a Masters in Divinity. He then returned to Vermont where he was rector at St. Mark's in Newport, and assistant to the Dean at St. Paul's Cathedral in Burlington. A few years later he also assisted at Christ Church in Montpelier. He and Susan were divorced in 1972 and in April 1973 he married Carol A. Harman at the Sage Chapel of Northfield School in Massachusetts. He went on to work with the state of Vermont, retiring as Deputy Director of Medicaid in 1988. In retirement, he and Carol adventured around the country in a series of motor homes and spent about eight years alternating between living in the Florida Keys as well as in their “southern home” of Surf City, North Carolina. There they and Carol's mother Eleonora (“Pat”) Harman had designed, built and maintained a home on the beach that weathered many hurricanes. In September 2003, he began a clinical pastoral education program at New Hanover Medical Center and upon graduation, became part of the Chaplaincy program there for two years. Jim will be remembered as a masterful and dramatic preacher, an extremely learned and profoundly philosophical man, a voracious reader, proud father, and caring husband, and will be deeply missed. He is survived by his wife, Carol A. Barre; his son, James Gabriel Barre and his wife, Tricia Paoluccio; his daughter, Greta Louise Barre; his first wife, Hallie Susan Hebb; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family. Memorial information: It is expected that his cremated remains will be buried in his family plot next to his parents and his brother Steve, in a small service in Brattleboro later this year.
• Sarah Reynolds Edwards, 70, formerly of Brattleboro. Died peacefully in her home in Plainfield, Vermont on March 15, 2023, with her husband and children by her side. Sarah was born Jan. 31, 1953, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, daughter of Joan Edgar and Jackson Lane Edwards Jr., with siblings Joan, Jane, and Jackson. She grew up in Fort Lauderdale, spending summers in Maine on Bustins Island, where she met Heidi Clarke and family, of Sow and Pigs Island. As a teenager, Betty and Eric Clarke invited her to live in their Lexington, Massachusetts home, where she became an unofficial member of the Clarke family and finished high school. Sarah was tenacious. She graduated from Marlboro College in 1978 after initially having received a rejection letter from the admissions department, with the reason being that she “didn't know how to write.” In response to the rejection, she replied that it was due to her inability to write that Marlboro College was in fact the perfect place for her; if she was already good at it, she would have applied elsewhere! The letter convinced them, and she was accepted. She completed her B.S. in biology/ecology, with a focus on ornithology. While at Marlboro, she met her first husband, Tom Toleno, became a stepparent to his sons Tristan and Robban, and a few years later gave birth to their two beloved children, Yves and Elizabeth. Sarah was the owner of two shops in Brattleboro, 101 Main and The Fair Exchange. Her eye for beauty and style were put to use there, bringing a certain much-needed funkiness to town in the late 1980s. In the 1990s, Sarah received her M.A. in organizational behavior from Antioch University New England and served on the Brattleboro Selectboard as well as the Board of Directors for both the Brattleboro Food Co-op and Brattleboro Area Hospice. Sarah's intensity was matched by her irreverence, her sense of purpose, and her joy. She was a woman who truly saw what is breathtaking in the natural beauty of our world, and who never lost her sense of humor. Guided by her ever-present curiosity, she made her way to interesting places and met fascinating people. She had many stories to tell, from a front row seat at the Apollo 11 space launch in 1969, living in Iran when she was 18, attending Jimi Hendrix's last concert on the Isle of Wight in 1970, to marching with Elizabeth at the Million Women's March (twice!) and helping form the conservation ethos for the family project at Long Caye, Belize. Sarah was fully alive. These qualities were some of what caught the attention of Blake Ross, the love of her life, who would become her husband in 1993. Together, they wholly enjoyed a partnership built on respect, humor, joy, and always love. Her passion for free speech, civic engagement, and justice issues led to her work at the Center for Living Democracy in Brattleboro, and then to her successful tenure in the Vermont State Legislature, representing Brattleboro's District 3 from 2000 to 2010. She was a fierce advocate for workers' rights and fought hard for policies focused on nuclear waste disposal, and environmental and social justice. Though the work was serious, it was also exhilarating. Sarah and her colleagues in the trenches became very close friends. She sparkled with purpose and joy in the work and earned the nickname “Lemon Drop” from her compatriots. After leaving the Legislature, she and Blake moved to Columbus, Ohio, to care for family there. In Columbus, she became the Executive Director of Simply Living, a long-lived community organization whose mission is to create a compassionate and sustainable world through personal, community and cultural transformation. She reveled in bringing awareness to sustainable businesses and connecting people in Columbus. In 2019, Sarah and Blake moved back to their beloved Vermont, into an apartment in the home of her daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Timothy. In 2021, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and her immediate reaction was “whaddya gonna do?” Though she was up front about the fact that pancreatic cancer is a beastly disease, she was fully aware that she was one of the “lucky” ones, for whom the treatments were not terrible, and life was very good. Rather than dwell on the difficulties of her health situation, she continued to embrace the beauty, humor, and joy of life even when it became apparent that treatments were no longer effective. In the face of that bad news, her response was to tell funny old stories, listen to her favorite music, drink champagne with her family, and make sure her people knew how much she loved them. Sarah's life was shaped by her parents, who predeceased her. She is survived by her husband Blake, son Yves, his wife Lauren, and grandchildren Hamilton and Theodore Toleno of Nashville, Tennessee, and daughter Elizabeth and husband Timothy Llewelyn of Plainfield. Also surviving are her siblings Joan Bottkol, Jane Edwards and Jackson Edwards III, her father-in-law James Patrick Ross, and sister/brother-in-law Sarah Eagleson and Benson Ross; stepsons Tristan and Robban Toleno; and the Clarke siblings, Rebecca (Pogo), Hans, Heidi Palmer, Benjamin, and Abigail Karner. There is much to be learned from Sarah's legacy of effervescent purpose. A transcendent look into her life is represented by the bumper sticker she placed on one of her favorite cars. It read, “Don't Postpone Joy.” Sarah lived this to the end. Memorial information: A celebratory memorial service will be held at 118 Elliot St. in Brattleboro on June 17 from noon to 6 p.m., with a brief group remembrance at 3 p.m. For further details, visit www.forevermissed.com/sarahedwards, where friends are encouraged to post photos and memories. Donations can be made in Sarah's honor to Bayada Hospice, which provided care for her at the end, at 3543 Mountain View Drive, Suite 305, Colchester, VT 05446, or to the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences (VINS), P.O. Box 1281, Quechee, VT 05059, www.vinsweb.org, for her love of science, the natural world, and birds.
• Terri L. Garland, 59, of Wardsboro. Died unexpectedly March 26, 2023 at her home. Terri was born in Townshend on Jan. 26, 1964, the daughter of the late M. Lee and Inez (Streeter) Bills. She attended Wardsboro Elementary School and graduated from Leland & Gray High School in Townshend. Terri was the Town Treasurer in Jamaica for 12 years and was the manager for the Townshend Auction Gallery, manager of Lawrence's Smoke Shop in Townshend, and Town Treasurer in Stratton for many years. Terri enjoyed keeping to herself. She enjoyed her dog Ember, going to casinos, trips to Las Vegas, and vacations with her sister Jackie. She enjoyed watching birds, especially Cardinals and Hummingbirds, and spending time with her family. Terri is survived by her daughter Chelsea Garland of Jacksonville; sister Jacqueline Bedard of Wardsboro; brother Lawrence “Coop” Bills of Stratton; nephews John Bedard and Corey and Cooper Bills; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, great-nieces and great-nephews. Memorial information: A celebration of life for Terri was held April 8 at the Stratton Town Hall. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society or Wardsboro Rescue, in care of Covey, Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215,Wilmington, VT 05363. To send the family personal condolences, visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.
• Eric Lambert, 33, of Rockingham. Died March 26, 2023 at the Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia,with his family by his side. Eric was born on August 26, 1989 to David and Priscilla Clough Lambert in Springfield. Eric attended elementary and middle school in Bellows Falls and graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School and Austine School for the Deaf in Brattleboro in 2011. Eric worked in the Dining Facility at Vermont Academy and at Lisai's Market. He delivered Meals on Wheels for the Bellows Falls Area Senior Center and groceries for Our Place Drop-In Center in Bellows Falls. He planted flowers at St. Charles Church and at the United Church. Eric shared his kind spirit and freely gave unlimited empathy to everyone. When someone needed help, he immediately responded and assisted with the task. He taught everyone valuable lessons about love and caring for others and how precious life is. Eric was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Arthur and Priscilla Fisher Clough; his paternal grandparents, Ernest and Claire Boudreau Lambert; and his uncle, John M. Lambert. Eric is survived by his parents, David and Priscilla Lambert of Rockingham; brothers David E. Lambert, Jr. (Jenn Shimer) of South Boston, Massachusetts and Michael W. Lambert of Joppatowne, Maryland; sisters, Priscilla E. Seaton (Chris) of Knoxville, Tennessee and Cheryl L. Eddy (James) of Palm City, Florida; and several nieces, nephews and aunts. Memorial information: Visiting hours will take place at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls on Friday, April 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, April 15, at 1 p.m., at United Church in Bellows Falls, followed by a graveside Service at Saxtons River Cemetery. A reception to celebrate Eric's life will be held at the Masonic Temple in Bellows Falls. Donations to the Bellows Falls Area Senior Center, 18 Tuttle St., Bellows Falls, VT 05101, or to the Frances Hicks Memorial Fund, 30 Locust St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. In addition, a penny jar will be available for loose change to be donated to a local nonprofit in honor of Eric's tradition of putting coins in each Sunday.
• Melvin Bruce Leitman died gently in his sleep at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on April 5, 2023 of cancer. A unique man, he was born into a “chaotic household” of parents, siblings, and neighboring cousins in Yonkers, New York. His brother describes it as a household of learning; both parents were teachers. At 13 Melvin drifted away from school, following his curiosity into the woods and shores of the nearby Hudson River. He remained inquisitive about the world, natural and spiritual, and was a devoted reader. In his teens and young adulthood Melvin struggled with mental health challenges, nonetheless making lifelong friendships as he drew people to his sensitivity and gentle, kind nature. He could forever name those to whom he was grateful, for the help they had given him along the way. In the mid-1960s, Melvin and a friend learned about jobs on a farm in Vermont, and they left New York and larked off to Enosburg Falls, working on the farm which was a new experience for this urban young man, living in basic bunk accommodations. But when pay day came there was no payment for their labor. Another young man knew of a commune in Southern Vermont where they could stay while deciding what to do next. So they set off heading south, stopped twice by police for their scruffy appearance, before arriving in Guilford. At Johnson's Pasture, a remote commune, Melvin was accepted for himself. He was interested in the counterculture folks who lived there, and their views on life and politics. Some of the part-time members were well-educated professionals. They purchased the land together, and dreamed of building a Utopian community. Melvin chuckled recently that they weren't a very “cohesive” group, as the dreams had crumbled. But he continued to live there in the rustic house they had all built together, for over 20 years. He served as caretaker, keeping the house neat and in readiness for whenever members appeared for a weekend (no phone.) During that time he learned to drive, and no longer had to ride his bike the 6 miles into town in all weather. With transportation, he found jobs. As group members came less frequently, they arranged for a man to come and live in the house, both to manage the maintenance and provide company for Melvin. Melvin became deeply attached to his companion, who moved on to pursue a relationship and to marry. Melvin moved up into the West River Valley to be closer to his dear friend and his wife. He lived in various towns over 30 years while discovering the pleasure of good coffee and kind friends at The Dam Diner in West Townshend, whose friendship he cherished the rest of his life. He found jobs in which he felt confident, diligently washing dishes in various restaurants over those years, from Putney to Manchester, working for people who respected Melvin's conscientious work ethic. In time, Melvin moved to Brattleboro, and discovered more diner delights and friendships at The Chelsea Royal, Delectably Delicious, and The Flamingo Diner. When he learned he had cancer, Melvin faced his future with determination; two days before he passed away, he drove himself to find a fresh cup of coffee, and smoke his pipe. Melvin leaves his brother Marshall, his devoted brother Spencer and his wife Arnel, and their children. His beloved companion and friend Ed O'Neil predeceased him by 5 months, but was pleased to know that Melvin would be buried beside him. Melvin also leaves very special friendships on the East and West coasts, Ed's wife Ingrid, as well as service providers to whom he was endeared such as Leo and Melanie, Dr. Bob, and especially Ruth and Patty and the Hospice network of extraordinary caregivers. Memorial information: Melvin will be laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery in Townshend on Saturday, April 15, at 11 a.m. He asked friends to bring a memory, funny or annoying about “the grouchy old man,” a song, poem, or a prayer to share together. He said “I would love it. It's not going to reach my ears, but universally, I will love it. If someone wants to play the recorder or other instrument, that's good. Whoever is there and wants to express...honest talk. It will have meaning for me as a universal heart within the spiritual universe."
• Gary Russell Edwin O'Neal, 71, of Ashuelot, New Hampshire. Died March 8, 2023. He was born on April 14, 1951 and, as was written in his Hinsdale High School yearbook, “Gary will go to UNH where he will travel, see the world, then come home and learn how to make toilet paper.” That wasn't his expectation but that was close to what happened. He wasn't the best student but in many ways he was one of the brightest. His nickname “Gustave” was given to him by his French teacher. He used it in founding “Gustave Designs” where Gary left his creative mark on clothing, homes, theater sets, and other creative endeavors. As a senior, he was offered the editorship of the Pacer Student Yearbook that he treated like a job. The result was a completely new format and a model that was copied for years. He was very bright in college and beyond because, like a sponge, he absorbed and retained news, stories, history and ideas from various cultures and people he met. Completely out of the blue, Gary would quote a line from a musical or a little-known worldly fact that always added a joyful spice to any conversation. Gary decided on the University of New Hampshire in part due to a trip organized by a UNH program called Project TRY - a Kennedy/Camelot production. As visual learner, it didn't take long to determine he had ADHD, which remarkably worked in Gary's favor in everything he did. As a talented and juried artist, he poured and donated his talents in so many other venues as well. He appeared onstage infrequently mostly because his preference was to produce shows and design stage sets. His most memorable talent being designing costumes with big hats and the mandatory feather boa. In 1973 he earned his bachelor's degree with emphasis in business, fine arts, and landscape design. He continued his education by studying culinary arts at the University of Dijon in France, where he became an accomplished chef. Few things are as memorable or as enjoyable as a meal prepared by Chef Gustave. While contemplating graduate school with the very real possibility of making his living in New York, a heart-to-heart with his father, Russell O'Neal, reminded him that “see the world, then come home and learn how to make toilet paper” meant just that. Gary returned to the three-generation family business while creating the perfect inventory at Paper Service. He brought his characteristic focus, persistence, and innovation to the mill. He oversaw the installation of an anti-pollution system that took 3 1/2 years. Paper Service went from a polluting paper mill to one of the cleanest mills in the U.S. His life took an unexpected turn when the mill was destroyed during a devastating 2005 flood. While others might have simply walked away from such a loss, Gary assisted in lining up jobs for the remaining mill employees and covered their health insurance until they qualified for coverage in their new jobs. His values and his integrity could not stop him from arranging for his customers to get the products they needed from his paper mill competitors. A lifelong supporter of the visual and performing Arts, Gary introduced hundreds of youth to the arts sponsoring artists-in-residence programs and trips abroad that continued for many years. Gary's father could only shake his head in disbelief when elementary and high school students painted the outer and interior walls of the mill with murals and installed art projects at the building. Gary was proud to be the founder of the highly successful Winchester Pickle Festival, private chef and caterer of the Dog Daze Café, and so many countless– often quiet - charitable gestures and gifts for those in need or for those Gary knew had potential and just needed someone to believe in them. His efforts did not go unnoticed. He received a New Hampshire Volunteer of the Year Award from then-governor Jeanne Shaheen during her final year in office and was a recipient of the New Hampshire Business Committee for the Arts Award for his selfless support of the arts. His main love and driving force was his home “Crestwood,” a Scofield Mountain estate in Ashuelot which he considered to be a sanctuary for himself and anyone that came to visit. He hosted year-round weddings, private events and established New Hampshire's smallest bed and breakfast, entertaining guests from throughout the country. It was not uncommon to hear a helicopter picking up or dropping off guests on his perfectly manicured lawn that faced beautiful sunsets at what was truly a magical place created by Gary. In between these events, his home and hearth and his bountiful meals were always there for friends and family. 2009 was the beginning of several health challenges which Gary faced head on. He was quick to respond to one medical issue with the famous 18th century “This Little Piggy” nursery rhyme. Following his toe amputation, he remarked that he no longer had his roast beef toe and with all the toes removed he no longer had a piggy market. Gary's strength during his last few years was possible due to his unflappable sense of humor and the innate ability to see the other side of misfortune as the next step in a good and meaningful life. Gary's final act was peaceful, sitting center stage in his leather wing-back chair in the kitchen with his loving sister Marilyn by his side. One can imagine him saying, “Ah, the show must go on.” You know Gary already had the script for his next act, way beyond Broadway! Gary leaves behind his sister Marilyn O'Neal George, her husband Stephen Hellus of Brattleboro and his Aunt Marilyn (Emily) Harding of Burlington, Massachusetts. Gary was predeceased by his father and mother ,Russell and Eleanor O'Neal. Memorial information: There will be a celebration of life on June 24 at the Winchester (N.H.) School from 1 to 4 p.m. Gary would be honored if you donated to the “Gary O'Neal Musical Theatre Scholarship” supporting student performers who have the talent, work ethic, and technique required to achieve in the triple threat (acting, singing, and dancing) in musical theater. Donations may be sent to The University of New Hampshire Foundation, 9 Edgewood Rd., Durham, NH 03824.
• Natalie A. Patrick, 94, of Westminster. Died peacefully at her home on April 3, 2023. She was born on May 25, 1928, in Randolph, the daughter of Forrest C. and Mildred (Shaw) Aikens of Bethel. Natalie graduated from Whitcomb High School in 1945 and later graduated from the University of Vermont, where she studying music education. She was a gifted musician and artist. On Sept. 28, 1951, she married Vermont State Police Lt. Roger K. Patrick of Richmond. They were happily married for 35 years until his death in 1986, and enjoyed their home and many friends throughout the years. Natalie was a beloved kindergarten teacher in Saxtons River for many years and she also taught music in the district. Natalie was also employed at Kurn Hattin Homes for over 42 years. Music, art, and teaching were always a huge and happy part of her life through which she touched many lives. She was loved by everyone who knew her. Natalie was a kind and gentle soul with a fabulous sense of humor and a wonderful smile. She enjoyed summer days at the ocean in Maine, camping, and playing her piano. Natalie is survived by her daughter, Gail (Robert); her son, John (Julie), granddaughters Jill (Jeb) Interlandi and Justine Anderson, and grandson, Sam (Kayla) Atwood. Natalie became a great-grandmother in December 2022, when she was blessed and overjoyed with her new twin great-grandchildren. Memorial information: Graveside services will be held on Saturday, April 15, at 10 a.m., at Oak Hill Cemetery in Bellows Falls. Donations to the Jada Spaulding Doyle Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of Myriah Clark, Falls Mane Salon, Bellows Falls, VT 05101.
• Leah Caitlin Rosin-Pritchard, 36, of Westminster. Died suddenly on April 3, 2023 at her place of work. After Leah graduated from North Kingstown (R.I.) High School in 2004, she went on a wonderful journey of education, entrepreneurship, travel, horticulture and culinary mastery - living in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Leah coached volleyball at Middletown (R.I.) High School, owned and operated Leah's Recipe, LLC, produced medical cannabis, taught adult cooking classes, cooked regularly for the community at the MLK Center in Newport, Rhode Island and co-founded the Jamestown (R.I.) Farmers' Market. Leah went on to earn her Bachelor's in Social Work from Rhode Island College, and earned her MSW degree from Tulane University with a certificate in disaster and collective trauma. Leah dedicated her life to the service and betterment of others, most recently as a shelter coordinator at Groundworks Collaborative's Morningside House. Leah grew up in Jamestown, Rhode Island. She and her family home were an integral part of the island community, always welcoming a broad group of friends, and family members with an open door. Leah excelled at academics, always graduating in the top tier of her class and clearly bound to make a difference in the world and leave an impact. She poured her seemingly endless energy into many jobs, activities, events, and hobbies, always keeping busy while still somehow managing to bake everyone's birthday cakes, drop off care packages and stay up-to-date on newly released music for her sidebar DJ career. Service to others was a core part of Leah's upbringing, and when she realized her calling into social work, it was a natural fit and progression of her life's mission. She spent the last couple years of her life working serving the Brattleboro community, where she strove to better the lives of shelter residents and offer a compassionate hand. Leah's green thumb and solid work ethic served her well while diving into homestead life. Most recently, Leah and her partner Alex bought a small property in Westminster, where they grew vegetables, raised goats and chickens, and quickly learned the art of making goat milk products. Leah was the warmth and light in every room she entered. As a dedicated daughter, sister, and friend, she nurtured her community with her culinary talents, deep listening, and thoughtful care-taking. Gifts were Leah's love language. She always arrived with a thoughtful offering in hand– usually home-baked and always perfectly suited to the recipient. As a capable, brilliant and beautiful woman, Leah supported her family, friends, co-workers and community with every breath. Leah loved her parents and brother deeply, and the generosity of spirit that was the keystone of her personality was a direct reflection of their parents' loving upbringing. This was exemplified by the in-home care she and Alex provided for her paternal-grandmother during the pandemic. Leah walked through life with integrity and love, and everyone who knew her is better for it. She is survived by partner, Alex Margolies; her parents Paula Rosin and Dave Pritchard; her brother, Evan Rosin-Pritchard; sister-in-law Afia Dansoaah and newborn niece Zhuri. Leah also leaves behind a close-knit extended family of beloved aunts and uncles - Andrea and Mario Mattia; Marian Rosin; Chris Pritchard and Chuck Bell, Lisa Pritchard and Ken Dolbashian - and cousins Jen, Niki, Ari, Kai and Oona - with whom she shared rich memories, along with a dear friend community. A wake will be held on the beach at Fort Getty, Jamestown, on Saturday, April 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. To honor Leah's memory, the family asks that you practice compassion, empathy, and kindness and, as her great-grandmother used to say, “Be ever mindful of the needs of others.”
Services
• An inurnment service for Sonya Majdak Searles will be held at St. Michael's Cemetery in Brattleboro on Saturday, April 15, at noon, where Sonya will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband “Gene” Eugene Searles. A celebration of life luncheon will follow at American Legion Post 5 on Linden Street in Brattleboro. Family and friends are kindly invited to attend. Mrs. Searles, 87, died on March 20, 2022.
• The life of Janette Neubauer will be celebrated on Saturday, May 6, at 1 p.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, 161 Western Ave., Brattleboro. A reception will follow, with details to be announced. Mrs. Neubauer died on Nov. 15, 2022, at her home in Brattleboro.