College news
• The following local students were named to Ithaca (N.Y.) College Dean's List for the spring 2023 semester: Cassidy Gallivan of West Dover, Mia Graff of Brattleboro, Robyn Jensen of Brattleboro, Alex Lier of Brattleboro, Sophia Renaud of Guilford, and Avery White of Townshend.
• The following local students were named to Southern New Hampshire University's President's List for the summer 2023 semester: Miranda Blake of Vernon, Kobe Bazin of Bellows Falls, Ozzee Haskell of Bellows Falls, and Nolen Donovan of Rockingham.
• Elmira (N.Y.) College recently announced this year's recipients of its annual Key Award. This year's award was given to 783 students in 16 states, including Priya Kitzmiller of Brattleboro and Genevieve Redmond of Guilford. A tradition that goes back to 1935, the Key Award is presented to outstanding students in their junior year of high school or preparatory school.
Obituaries
• Mary Barber, 76. Died Aug. 31, 2023, at her home, after a courageous battle with a terminal illness with her husband of 42 years and the love of her life, Clark Barber, by her side. She was born on Aug. 15, 1947 and raised in Bellows Falls, and she lived in the area until she moved to Concord, New Hampshire at the age of 68. She and Clark had their first date when she was 16 years old; they were reunited later in life and married in 1981. A graduate of Bellows Falls High School, she held a bachelor's degree from Vermont College of Norwich University and an associate's degree from the Community College of Vermont. She was a passionate teacher of reading and held a Reading Recovery certification from the University of Vermont. She taught reading to elementary school children during her 30 years of teaching for both the Westminster and Windsor elementary schools. She was proud to have been listed in the publication Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1998, 2004, and 2005. Prior to her teaching career, Mary Barber was a reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer; the Eagle Times of Claremont, New Hampshire; the Rutland Herald; and the Bellows Falls News-Review. She also worked as an on-air reporter for WBFL radio and produced her own weekly news show, The Rockingham Boardwalk, for FACT-TV. Along with her fierce love of, and dedication to, her family, she was a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox and devoted countless hours to her community, including her many years as a justice of the peace in Rockingham, as a member of Bellows Falls Elks Lodge #1619, as a poll worker for many elections, and as a member of both the Rockingham School Board and Windham Northeast Supervisory Union School Board. In addition to her husband and a brother, Stanley Marino Jr. of Keene, New Hampshire, Mary Barber leaves her daughters, Cheryl Reed Niyangoda (Sujith) of Norwell, Massachusetts and Tammy Armstrong (Jon) of Rockingham; her stepdaughters, Heidi Barber of Marshfield, Massachusetts, and Shelly Barber of Greensboro, North Carolina; her grandchildren, Daniel Armstrong (Samantha), Christopher Armstrong (Olivia), Ethan and Emilia Niyangoda, and Garrett Walker; and many nieces and nephews. She was also blessed to have spent time with her two great-granddaughters, Elanor and Lydia, and to have learned of a great-grandson-to-be. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emma (Baldasaro) and Stanley Marino Sr.; her sister, Rosemarie Shaughnessy; her brother, Joseph Marino; and an older brother who died at birth. Memorial information: A Celebration of Life at the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge, 59 Westminster St., Bellows Falls, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 25 where people can drop in from 1 to 4 p.m. to remember and honor Mary with family and friends. A Facebook event will be posted, and RSVPs will be much appreciated. Her family suggests a children's book donation in her name to the Rockingham Free Public Library or a local children's library of your choice, or a contribution to Grace Episcopal Church, 30 Eastman St., East Concord, NH 03301.
• Oliver William Hutchison, 21, of Brattleboro and Westminster West. Died unexpectedly on Aug. 30, 2023. The beloved son of Lucy Burdo Hutchison and Charlie Hutchison, he was born on June 12, 2002 in Boston, and grew up in Jamaica Plain and Lexington, Massachusetts, before moving to Vermont in his early teens. He attended elementary school in Lexington and Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, Massachusetts, followed by Compass School in Westminster and, briefly, Brattleboro Union High School. He made good friends in all of these places. In 2018, Oliver became sick from the combination of Lyme and black mold poisoning. Over the next five years, he spent much of his time bedridden. He fought tenaciously for his health, researching and implementing every Western and complementary modality he and his parents could find. Oliver was a talented musician who played piano and guitar, composed his own songs, and loved to sing. He was inspired by the guitar skills of John Mayer. While at BUHS, he enjoyed chorus, Madrigals, and sang with the Shoulder Narrows a cappella group. With his innate curiosity, he quickly deciphered how to access the secret cash drawer at the old general store at his Westminster West home and on his own initiative, later converted his road bicycle into an electric one, even while he was sick. Oliver was intensely engaged with science and math and was an all around athlete from the moment he could crawl. He especially loved hockey, as well as hip-hop dancing, basketball and baseball (pitcher), as well as karate and yoga. Oliver's innate love and empathy for humanity and for all those he encountered was enormous. He wanted all to be free from suffering. To that end, he was passionate about social justice, and was especially interested in inventing innovative technologies to create healthy green buildings with clean air so others need not suffer the harmful effects of mold contamination. He was a healer by nature, and learned many naturopathic healing modalities which he implemented for his own healthcare. He held an enormous love and compassion for animals, and always advocated for them. Oliver was a bright light and huge heart to all who knew him in his brief time with us. In addition to his parents, Oliver is survived by loving Burdo aunts, uncles, and cousins in Vermont and Hutchison aunts in England. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Sept. 16 at Dummerston Congregational Church. A private burial will be held at a future date. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society.
• Nancy L. Kelly, 90, formally of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 6, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona after a long illness. "Lisa" to family and friends, she was born May 23, 1932 in Buffalo, New York to Charles N. and Elizabeth Almira (Bardens) Rink. She attended Cornell University, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. On Oct. 28, 1956, she married Richard A. Kelly of Brattleboro. She was a member of the Swift Water Council of Girl Scouts from 1968 to the late 1990s, serving in many capacities. She attended Keene State College, graduating in 1979 with a B. A. in music. Certified in music education, as well as vocal and choral music, she taught at Chester/Andover Elementary and in Rockingham schools. She was organist for First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro from 1975 to 1977 and Wilmington Congregational Church from 1972 to 1975. She loved sewing and quilting, creating many beautiful quilts and clothes. She is survived by sisters Cherry Wells of Pompano Beach, Florida, Carol Cook of Bryant, Texas; sons Christopher Kelly of Manchester, New Hampshire and James Kelly of Tucson; daughter Barbara Kelly of Keene, New Hampshire; and grandchildren Maegan Williams, Jeffrey Williams, Elizabeth Kelly and Austin Kelly. Memorial information: She will be buried at Meeting House Hill cemetery in Brattleboro.
• Beatrice M. (Stowell) Kendall, 90, died on Sept. 9, 2023 at Vernon Homes in Vernon. She was born April 15, 1933 in Wilmington, the daughter of Clifford and Marion Stowell, and attended Wilmington and Brattleboro schools. She married Fredrick Kendall Sr. on April 30, 1951; the marriage ended in divorce in 1966. She worked at the Holstein Association in Brattleboro as a receptionist for 22 years, from which she retired. She liked playing Bingo, dancing, spending time with family, and listening to live bands. She had a love for sharing old family photos and sharing the Stowell family history. Beatrice was more than just a few words. She was amazing, wonderful, sweet, kind, generous, and loving. She was loved by many. She accepted anyone with open arms. If you needed a meal, she fed you. If you needed a place to sleep, she would let you stay with her. She was a very strong willed, independent, sassy, and witty woman. She will be dearly missed by those who knew her. She was predeceased by two brothers, Roy Stowell, and Elias (Sonny) Stowell; a daughter, Sheila (Kendall) McClure; a son, Fredrick Kendall Jr.; a daughter-in-law, Debra Kendall; a son-in-law, Thomas "Mac" McClure; granddaughters Abra Johansen, Natoyia Kendall, and Rachel Lewis; and great granddaughters Audrey Fournier and Cheyanne Boyd. Beatrice is survived by sisters Margaret (Dean) Brown, Lillia (Ginger) Holden, and Gean Schnillinger; her children Nancy (Skip) Lewis, Mike (Tammie) Kendall, Kathy (Adolphus) King, Barry Kendall, Edward Kendall, Curtis Kendall, Glenn Kendall and his partner Tammy Barrett, and Michelle (Martin) Johansen; and her daughter-in-law, Wendy Bell. She is also survived by 25 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Memorial information: A graveside service was held Sept. 15 at West Brattleboro Cemetery. To view an online tribute, leave a message of condolence or for more information, visit www.phaneuf.net.
• Leslee J. Kozyra, 63, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Died unexpectedly at her home on Sept. 12, 2023, following a period of declining health. A lifelong resident of the area, Leslee was born in Brattleboro on April 25, 1960, the daughter of Norman and Roberta (Madden) Johnson. She attended Brattleboro public schools and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1978. For many years, she was manager of her family's business, Putney Road Market & Deli, helping run the store up until the business closed in 2017. Previously, she assisted with the day-to-day operation of her mother's child day care, Whetstone Day Care, on Williams Street. Leslee was a woman of faith and formerly attended Community Bible Chapel and Agape Christian Fellowship, both in Brattleboro. Of her leisure time activities, she enjoyed visiting and spending time at the beach, with Hampton Beach one of her favorites. She also enjoyed travel, taking cruises, collecting paintings, and working on puzzles. She also cherished time spent with her family, especially her two granddaughters. On Sept. 6, 1997, in Hinsdale, she was married to Roger Kozyra, who predeceased her on Aug. 12, 2011. Survivors include her mother, Roberta Johnson Young of Brattleboro; one daughter, Kaylah Hemlow and her husband Charles of Hinsdale; two granddaughters, Kiley and Aubrey Hemlow; brothers Mark Johnson of Port Charlotte, Florida, Andrew Johnson of Newfane, and Matthew Johnson and his wife Vickki of Brattleboro; one sister, Lisa Weatherhead and her husband Paul of Guilford; and her companion of several years, Phil Laclair of Hinsdale. Additionally, she leaves several nieces, nephews and cousins. Leslee was predeceased by her father. Memorial information: Graveside committal services will be conducted Sunday, Sept. 24, at 2 p.m., in Saint Joseph's Cemetery on Plain Road in Hinsdale. A reception will follow the committal to be held at the Eagles Club on Chickering Drive. Friends are invited to call at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Donations to Monadnock Humane Society, 101 West Swanzey Rd., Swanzey, NH 03446. To share a memory or send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Claudia Mary Voight, 73, of Windham. Died in an act of violence on Feb. 20, 2023 in Windham. It is not how her story was supposed to end after a life spent helping anyone in need. She always swerved for chipmunks darting across the road. She strictly forbade anyone from disturbing her freakishly large porch spiders. And even after swearing the inn was full when childhood hamsters spontaneously multiplied overnight, she was nonetheless rendered powerless by the sad eyes of a homeless old dog named Teddy with a balding butt and cataracts. (He moved in the next day.) Every little life mattered to her, and she loved every living thing. And that is why her family says they will never understand why she, a gentle, kind, and sensitive soul beloved by all, was stolen from them. Born and raised in Milford, Connecticut, Claudia grew up fishing the sandy shores of Point Beach with siblings Audrey, Sherrie, Larry, Linda, and Heidi. Though she spent the last 23 years of her life in Vermont, her heart was always at home on the water, and she cherished old friendships from her Milford High School, Steak and Ale, and softball days. She believed in the afterlife, and her family is comforted to think she's reunited with her parents, Apolonia and Lawrence Cortland Williams, and her first love, husband Douglas Brages, with whom she had two sons, Christopher and James. She was fiercely proud of Doug's service in Vietnam, and for years after his passing, she would listen to audio letters he'd sent her from war to soothe her aching heart. She found love again with Kurt Voight, remarried and raised their three daughters Gretchen, Heidi and Victoria on the beaches of Woodmont. A talented quilter and artist, her creative talents gave us an unfair advantage in the annual Woodmont Day costume parades, downtown Milford window painting, and Walnut Beach sand castle building contests. She forged a unique career as an artisan and ran her own business producing craft fairs and expos across New England. After moving to Vermont in 2000, she put her sales and marketing expertise to work at Mount Snow, Stratton, and Killington ski resorts. She passionately believed everyone can and should help make the world a better, kinder place, and she led by example volunteering for nonprofits, including the Special Olympics World Games, and the Miss Connecticut and Miss Vermont Scholarship Organizations. She proudly served in several roles with the Milford Oyster Festival, eventually as President. She bragged about the fudge recipe she had perfected over a lifetime, but her greatest pride and joy was being "Grandma CC" to Apolonia, Violet, Leonidas, Christopher, Alexa, Haylee, and Douglas James. In her later years, she enjoyed the quiet peace of her front porch in Windham, hand feeding birds, tending to her prized hostas, and resting in a hammock with a good book and cold glass of Chardonnay. She loved bluegrass, picking her banjo, singing along with local bands. Forever a free spirit and child of the 1960s, you knew she was at her happiest when she would let out a high pitched "whoop!" while dancing anywhere the music moved her. Memorial information: A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23, at 3 p.m., at Woodmont United Church of Christ, 1000 New Haven Ave., Milford. All are welcome. A live stream will be available on the church's website. Memorial donations can be made to the United Way of Milford and the Alexander Jordan Jamieson Foundation, helping at-risk youth through musical mentorship.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.