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.
• Ronald L. Bezanson, 62, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 10 at home. Partner of Betty Kimball. Father of Lea Ann Sochin and Crystal Miramontes, both of Jamaica. Brother of Darlene Clark of Townshend;Edward Bezanson, Jr. of Northfield, N.H.; and Chester Bezanson of Andover, N.H. Predeceased by brothers James and John Bezanson. Graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1966. Was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting as well. He liked playing the guitar and entertaining people. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Donations to the American Heart Association.
• Angela Carroll Fleming, 74, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 9. Daughter of the late Richard A. and Mary Alice (Barile) Fleming. Sister of Richard J. Fleming, and her twin sister, Sister Kathleen Fleming, SSJ. Graduate of St. Michael's High School, Class of 1954 and the University of Vermont's School of Dental Hygiene in 1956. Was a dental hygienist for 45 years at the Brattleboro Retreat and the offices of Roy Neumeister, DDS, John Mann, DDS and most recently at Dental Health until her retirement in 2001. She was a lifetime member of the Vermont Dental Hygienist Association. and was a member of the Windham County Cloggers, the Strolling of the Heifers'Committee and the Brattleboro Historical Society. Served as a member of the Diocese of Vermont Rural Ministry Program and as an Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on Oct. 13 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro, with burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery, Donations to St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Condolences may be sent to the family through the Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Kenneth Gordon Howe, 80, of Zephyrhills, Fla., and Westmoreland, N.H. Died Oct. 7 in Westmoreland. Husband of Phylis LaClaire for 44 years. Former husband of Eleanor Brown. Father of Terry Howe and wife Linda of Brattleboro; Patti French and husband Lester of Brattleboro; Lori McDermid and husband Brian of Rockingham; Pamela Wallis of Westmoreland; and Karen Bills of Bellows Falls. Brother of Shirley Collins and Robert “Butch” Howe, both of Hinsdale, N.H. Predeceased by his brothers, William and Clarence. Was born in Hinsdale, and was employed at The Book Press in Brattleboro, where he held many positions until his retirement in 1995. Enjoyed fishing, hunting and camping, and also enjoyed farming his land and was often seen haying his field on his beloved Ford tractor. Memorial information: A graveside service was held Oct. 15 at Spofford Cemetery. Donations to Hospice, P.O. Box 564, 312 Marlboro St., Keene, NH, 03431.
• Dillon Michel Loomis, 21, of Putney. Died Oct. 11 after injuries suffered in an auto accident. Son of Darren and Lisa (Belanger) Loomis. Brother of Darren Loomis, Jr. and Samantha and Tabitha Loomis, all of Putney. Worked for Green Mountain Horse Ranch since the age of 15 and also worked for Engelberth Construction. Loved the outdoors, animals, his family and friends, and people in general. He was a very determined person who always had a smile, an amazing sense of humor, and a passion for life. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Oct. 17 at the Putney Federated Church, with burial in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Putney. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 172 North Main St., Barre, VT 05641-4124.
• Isabel Margaret (MacFarlane) Medved, 98, of Putney. Died Oct. 1 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Al Medved for 72 years. Mother of Stephen Medved of Putney; and Christopher Medved of Gainesville, Fla. Born in Richmond, Wis., she was a home economics major at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She excelled in cooking, baking and tailoring, and at all times was dedicated to maintaining a secure, stable and effective household for her busy family. She enjoyed reading, current events, and restoring antiques. Memorial information: None provided.
• John L. “Joe” Moore, 75, of Readsboro. Died Oct. 10 at the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington. Son of Howard and Dorothy (DeBell) Moore. Husband of Florence Williams for 56 years. Father of Mark Moore and his wife Donna of Wilmington; Randy Moore of Whitingham; Brian Moore and his wife Julie of Wilmington; and Scott Moore and his wife Deidre, also of Wilmington. Brother of David Moore and his wife Kathy of South Newfane; and Marie Williams and her husband Richard of Jacksonville. Predeceased by a brother, Richard Moore. Born in Wilmington, where he attended the Cutting One Room School House. Attended Randolph Agriculture School (now Vermont Tech). Worked as a logger for Cersosimo Lumber, Butt Crafts and Lincoln Haynes in Wilmington. before starting his own logging business in the 1950s. In the 1970s, he owned and operated a sawmill in Indian Lake and Herman, N.Y. Owned and operated Moore Stone and Timber in Wilmington in the 1980s and ran the stone quarry on Shearer Hill in Wilmington. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Oct. 16 at Covey & Allen Funeral Home in Wilmington, with burial in the Intervale Cemetery in Wilmington. Donations to the American Heart Association, c/o Covey & Allen Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sheafuneralhomes.com.
• Lyman Nason Nicholas, 70, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Oct. 9 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Son of the late William “Tiny” Nicholas and Ida (Spaulding) Nicholas. Husband of Esther J. Nicholas. Father of Brent Nicholas and Holly Nicholas. Brother of William “Bill” Nicholas of Scotrun, Pa. Predeceased by siblings Donald B. Nicholas, Paul M. Nicholas and Marylyn Bash. Born in Brattleboro and attended Brattleboro schools. As a teen, he went to work with his father at First Vermont Bank, where he continued his career until 1995 when he retired due to health reasons. Was an avid hunter who always stressed the importance of gun safety, knowledge, and the right to bear arms. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Oct. 16 at Ker Westerlund Funeral Home in Brattleboro, with burial in Morningside Cemetery.
• Maurice Paul, 78, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 9 in Florida. Husband of Therese Paul for 55 years. Father of Richard, Sylvain and Collette. Grew up in Quebec, and moved to Brattleboro in 1967. He mostly worked in construction. A resident of Zephyrhills, Fla., since 1976, he was employed by the Pasco County Schools as a plant manager at Woodland Elementary. He retired in 1999 after 23 years. Was an avid hockey fan and a lifelong Catholic. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Zephyrhills on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. Burial will be on Nov. 20 in Sutton, Quebec. Donations to Gulfside Hospice, 6117 Trouble Creek Road, New Port Richey, Fla. 34653.
• Robert Edwin “Bob” Ray, 72, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 13 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Husband of Patricia Raymond for 35 years. Former husband of Roberta Crewe. Father of Brenda Sanborn of Guilford and Kevin Ray of Rogers, Alaska. Predecased by a son, Edwin Ray and two half-brothers, Ivan and Donald Johnson. Born in Bridgewater, Vt., he attended Woodstock High School. Served in the Army during the Korean Conflict, stationed stateside until his honorable discharge in 1957. Was a grounds keeper at World Learning in Brattleboro for 15 years, retiring in 2003. Previously worked at the former Book Press in Brattleboro and at the Brattleboro Country Club. Was a member and past master of the Broad Brook Grange in Guilford, held membership in the Pomona Grange and had been a member of the American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro. Memorial information: A graveside funeral service with full military honors was held Oct. 19 at St. Michael's Parish Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT. 05301 or to the Oncology Dept. at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, 17 Belmont Ave., Brattleboro, VT. 05301. Condolences may be sent to the family through the Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Marjorie E. Rounds, 94, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 13 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Wife of the late Guy S. Rounds. Mother of Jerry Rounds and his wife, Alma, of Brattleboro. Predeceased by a son, Douglas S. Rounds, and by siblings Bernard, Melvin, Donald and Richard Fowler and Dorothy Baronoski and Dolores Graham. Born in South Weare, N.H., and had lived in Hinsdale, N.H., and Bellows Falls before moving to Brattleboro in 1942. Worked at the Book Press for 14 years, retiring in 1980. She was a member of the First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro. Enjoyed knitting, reading, and traveling. Memorial information: A graveside funeral service will be held Oct. 23, at 11 a.m., at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro.
• Pauline M. VanNess Turner, 82, of Southwick, Mass, formerly of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 13 at Noble Hospital in Westfield, Mass. Wife of the late Clarence M. Turner for 44 years. Mother of Kenneth W. Turner and his wife Ranay of Southwick. Sister of Harland VanNess of South Newfane, Beverly Coughlin of West Townshend, and Shirley Twitchell of South Londonderry. Predeceased by her sons, Thomas Roland Turner and David Douglas Turner, and a brother, Phillip VanNess. Worked as an assembler at C.E. Bradley in Brattleboro before moving to Southwick over 50 years ago. She was a member of the Southwick Congregational Church. She also was a member of the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and the Council on Aging in Southwick. Memorial information: A graveside funeral service was held Oct. 18 at Pleasant View Cemetery in Jamaica, Donations to the Massachusetts Association for the Blind, 200 Ivy St., Brookline, MA 02446.
• Anne M. (Rivard) Vielleux, 94, of Bellows Falls. Died Oct. 11 at Springfield Hospital. Wife of the late Ormond Kenney and Aldelard Vielleux. Mother of Marlene O'Connor and husband, William, of Bellows Falls; Barbara Partridge and husband, Howard, of Concord, Vt.; Priscilla Brand and husband, Max, of Bellows Falls; and June Shaffer and her husband, Bennie, of Galion, Ohio. Predeceased by siblings Roland, Clement, George and Ernest Rivard, Jean Miller, Juliette Ouellette, Beatrice Smith and Stella Herrick. Born in Nashua, N.H., and worked for Walpole Wire in North Walpole, N.H., Bryant Grinder in Springfield and Simmons Precision in Bellows Falls. She was a life member of the Women of the Moose as well as the American Legion Auxiliary. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held Oct. 16 at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls with burial in St. Charles Cemetery in Westminster.
• Monroe Whitaker, 93, of Tullahoma, Tenn. Died Sept. 14 at the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Monroe Whitaker and wife Carol, of Brattleboro. Husband of the late Sara Vivian Allen. Father of Beverly Fraterrigo and husband Frank of Orlando, Fla. Raised and educated in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he graduated from Central High School in 1934 and the University of Chattanooga in 1938. During high school and college he excelled in athletics and played intercollegiate basketball and football at varsity level. Served as an Army engineer in the Pacific during World War II. Owned and operated a sporting goods store in Daytona Beach, Fla., after the war. Worked for the Social Security Administration for 27 years, retiring in 1983. Active member of Rotary and an avid golfer. He won several club championships and was featured in Sports Illustrated in the late 1980s for making holes-in-one on each of the four par-threes on his home course within the span of a year's time, a feat believed to have never been equaled in the history of the sport. Memorial information: A funeral service was held Sept. 18 at First United Methodist Church in Tullahoma with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery next to his wife of 43 years. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301 or Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, P.O. Box 976, White River Junction, VT 05001-0976.
Births
• In Lebanon, N.H., (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center), Oct. 1, 2010, a daughter, Paisley Bryce Rancourt, to William and Katharine Rancourt of Brattleboro.
• In Boston (Beth Israel Deaconess), Sept. 5, 2010, a son, Eric Albert Dahlheimer, to Sarah (Nowakowski) and David Dahlheimer of Randolph, Mass.; grandson to Stan and Barbara Nowakowski of Brattleboro, and Jim and Carol Dahlheimer of Queensbury, N.Y.; great-grandson to Henry and Gladys Nowakowski of Stamford, Conn., Carl Kritz of Lake George, N.Y., and Richard and Dorothy Groeger of Williamsville, N.Y.