College news
• Jem A. Cohen of Brattleboro was awarded a degree in economics and business in the liberal arts at St. Lawrence University's commencement ceremony on May 19 in Canton, New York.
• Owen Ameden of Jamaica, Chace Perkins of Putney, and Arin Bates of West Wardsboro were awarded bachelor's degrees this spring from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York.
• The following local students were honored for academic achievement in the spring 2024 semester at Vermont State University. Named to the President's List were Thad Engstrom Keep of Guilford, Claire Holmes of Wardsboro, Denny Hughes of Guilford, Christopher Leary of Saxtons River, Samantha Martin of Brattleboro, and Jenna Robinson of East Dover. Named to the Dean's List were Ev Bond of Londonderry, Elijah Boucher of Newfane, Rio Coursen of Putney, William Drummey of West Halifax, Makayla Goetz of Townshend, Jason Guerino of Vernon, Trevor Kipp of Brattleboro, and Liam Mallan of Putney.
• Charlotte Croft of West Dover and Addison Kujovsky of South Londonderry were named to the Dean's List for the spring 2024 semester at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.
• Audrey LaMorder of Guilford was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2024 semester at St. Michael's College in Colchester.
• Gabrielle Beal of Wilmington was named to the spring 2024 Dean's List at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Obituaries
• June Evelyn Harris Brown Lawrence, 93, formerly of Brattleboro. Died on July 10, 2024, at Vernon Hall. A lifelong resident of the area, June was born in Brattleboro on Oct. 22, 1930, the daughter of Arland and Huldah (Goodell) Harris. She was raised and educated in Williamsville and, prior to moving to Brattleboro, had been a resident of South Newfane. She had been employed as a nurse's aide at Grace Cottage Hospital, and had worked for Mary Meyer in Townshend, and as a crossing guard in Brattleboro; her two posts included Elliot Street and at the corner of Canal Street and Belmont Avenue. First and foremost, June was a devoted homemaker whose life centered around her family. Steadfast in her lifelong walk of faith, she was a member of Mountain View Seventh Day Adventist Church in Vernon, where she taught Children's Sabbath School and cleaned the church for many years. June was also a member of the Women's Christian Temperence Union. She was first married to Merle Brown, who predeceased her in 1982. She later married Stewart Lawrence in Brattleboro on Oct. 6, 1985. Mr. Lawrence died on April 23, 2015. Survivors include one brother, Dennis Harris and wife Sandra of Vernon; a daughter, Sandra Matteson of Brattleboro; one grandson, Dale Hutchins of Vernon, three great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a son, Jerry Brown; a brother, David Harris; and a sister, Shirley Hurd. Memorial information: Graveside committal services were conducted on July 14 in South Newfane Cemetery. Donations to Mountain View Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1002 Ft. Bridgman Road, Vernon, VT 05354. To send condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Theresa Ann "Terry" Nauceder, 80, of Rockingham. Died June 13, 2024, surrounded by her family, at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She was born Dec. 7, 1943, in Plattsburgh, New York, the daughter of Maurice and Marie (Golden) Monette. Theresa attended Bellows Falls High School, graduating in 1961. Terry was loved by so many. She always had a smile and a wave to greet her friends. She enjoyed the simple pleasures in life: visits from family, cookouts during the summer, and the occasional potluck dinners. Early morning coffee on her deck or in her house when friends would come to visit was a Terry tradition. She also loved meeting her sisters-in-law for coffee at the T-Bird and looked forward to her monthly trips with her sisters to Keene for seafood. She worked sewing stuffed animals for Mary Meyer in Townshend, was a supervisor in the Linen Department at the former Rockingham Memorial Hospital, and was treasurer for the PTA. Terry held the patent for "Terry's Footprints," a small business that made custom aprons that she started once she retired. On June 24, 1961, she married Dennis Nauceder, who died in 2006. Both shared the same birthday of Dec. 7. Terry leaves behind her daughter, Cindy (Bob Wubbenhorst); and her son, Russell (Cindy Nauceder), a daughter-in-law, Julie Nauceder; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; sisters, Verda Raymond and Edith Weidler, and numerous nieces and nephews. Theresa was predeceased by her husband of 45 years, her son, Michael, and two sisters. Memorial information: There are no calling hours. A funeral will take place on Aug. 17, at 10 a.m., at St. Charles Church in Bellows Falls. Burial will follow in St. Charles Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life potluck at American Legion Post 67.
• Keith A. "Keefer" Plummer Sr., 66, of Bellows Falls. Died June 27, 2024, surrounded by loved ones, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire after a tough battle with lung cancer. Keith was the youngest son of Robert Plummer and Lucille (Benoit) Plummer, born on Jan. 3, 1958 in Bellows Falls. He served in the National Guard for a short time in his early years. After breaking his back in 1989, he worked mostly doing odd jobs - mechanic, newspaper delivery and on the pit gate crew at one of his favorite racetracks - Claremont Speedway, to name a few. He was a huge NASCAR fan, and loved music, muscle cars, trucks, and "hippie" vans. He enjoyed fishing, joyrides, boat landing cookouts, models, drip candles, and lobster feasts up in Maine. He had the best singing voice and contagious laugh. He spent many of his days playing horseshoes or climbing mountains with lawnmowers with friends that stayed by his side since his childhood. Keith's life was lived in the fast lane, though. Towards the end, you'd find him taking it easy with his four-legged best friend, Nanook. His legacy truly began when he became a Papa. He was beaming with pride over each one anytime he'd speak of one or spent time with them. He deeply cherished the friendship that grew through his cancer journey with Robert and Kelly Scott. Keith is survived by his unforgotten sons - Keith Plummer Jr and Timothy Plummer; his eldest daughters, Kelly Plummer and partner Robert Hagar, and Kylie Plummer, his son Randall Chastain and wife Paige; bonus son Steven Miller; bonus daughter Holly Miller; and his little girl forever, daughter Heidi Fuller and husband, Barrett. He is also survived by grandchildren Jade, Kiah, Etta, Steven Jr., Skyla, Melody, Audrey, and Nora; siblings Anita Perazzola, Robert Plummer Jr. and wife Susan, and Marie Armstrong; and several nieces and great-nieces, nephews and great-nephews, and cousins and many much-loved friends that were family. Keith is predeceased by his parents; siblings Barbara Williams, Gale Baldwin, and Thomas "Tuffy" Moody; brothers- and sisters-in-law Ronald and Shirley Plummer and Lorenzo Perazzola. Memorial information: A remembrance for Keith will be held at Herricks Cove Boat Landing in Bellows Falls on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 2 p.m. Friends and family all are welcome. Donations to Westminister Animal Hospital, 5052 US 5, Westminster, VT 05158, for Nanook's health needs.
• Oscar Roland Poitras, 69, of Chesterfield, New Hampshire. Died peacefully, surrounded by his children, on July 8, 2024, following a short battle with cancer. He was born on July 10, 1954, in Portland, Maine, the son of the late Oscar and Ella Poitras. After graduating high school, Oscar proudly served in the Army. He was a skilled stone mason, founding his own business Brickworks in East Alstead, New Hampshire. Oscar was widely recognized in the local community for his craftsmanship in dry stonewalls, Rumford fireplaces, and colonial restoration. His work stands as a testament to his dedication and talent. Nature, science, cars and, above all, his family, held a special place in Oscar's heart. Known for his quiet demeanor and unwavering determination he was always ready to lend a helping hand and generously volunteered his time to those in need. Oscar will be dearly missed by all who knew him. His legacy of craftsmanship, kindness, and devotion to family will live on in the hearts of those he touched. He is survived by his loving children: Liberty Poitras of North Providence, Rhode Island; Robin Patnode (Nate Patnode) and granddaughter, Shannon of Townshend; and Tucker Poitras (Asia Colson) of Townshend. Memorial information: A funeral service was held July 13 at Dummerston Congregational Church.
• Marybelle G. Riendeau, 80, of Rockingham. Died June 28, 2024, at Springfield Health and Rehabilitation. She was born on July 24, 1943, in Windsor, the daughter of Francis Gaudette and Lucile Potwin. She graduated high school in Windsor and worked many years for Whitney Blake as a coiler. On May 19, 1962, in St. Edmund Church in Saxtons River, she married Francis Riendeau Sr., who has predeceased her. She is survived by her children: Debbie (Mike) Houle of Athens, Annette (Lee) Beers of Walpole, New Hampshire, and Francis Riendeau Jr. (Corey) of Ford, Virginia. Marybelle is also survived by several grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Memorial information: A graveside service will held on Sunday, July 21, at 2 p.m., at New Westminster Cemetery. Donations to the Chester-Andover Family Center, 908 VT 103, Chester, VT 05143, or the Activities Department of Springfield Health and Rehabilitation, 105 Chester Rd., Springfield, VT 05156.
• Mary Welsh Sandes, 78, of Williamsville. Died on June 24, 2024, at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Mary died from complications of dementia, but her gallows humor continued till the end. Born Jan. 14, 1946 in Columbus, Ohio, to Philip F. and Marilyn Welsh, she grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, where she was joined by eight siblings over the course of 17 years. As the eldest child, she made a name for the family, eliciting shrieks of recognition from the nuns who taught her younger siblings, and always bringing excitement home to the bustling house on West Kirke Street. Over the years, she and her husband Roger hosted many of her younger siblings, providing laissez-faire supervision, showing them the sites, and the sense that anything was possible. In her youth, she attended Ursuline Academy in Bethesda, Maryland, and attended Mills College in California for two years, until she was forced to withdraw by Pinkerton Agency investigators. Mills College's loss proved to be the gain of 1960s New York City culture, and to the future Sandes family. In 1965, Mary enrolled at the Neighborhood Playhouse in Manhattan as a student of Meisner technique acting, and by the luck of the alphabetical draw met several of her life-long best friends including Honor Scott, Shelley Ross, and Roger Sandes. Mary and Roger hit it off immediately, though he was a bit in awe of her. To quote her siblings, friends and Roger himself, she was a "phenome" who dabbled in the most exciting fashion, ideas and performances of the moment, and it was thrilling to be in her circle. Mary and Roger married on June 17, 1967, at St. Joseph's Church in Greenwich Village. Passersby mistook the glamorous couple for television stars. They lived in a duplex on Barrow Street which had once belonged to Aaron Burr; no duels were known to have taken place in this apartment. In the winter, they compensated for its lack of heating by keeping a closet full of vintage fur coats for their guests to don. Their second apartment on Fulton Street was featured in House & Garden magazine, the first of many publications to showcase their creative life together. During a two-year sojourn across England, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy, Mary developed a form of collage of found materials that became her signature medium as a visual artist. Influenced by folk and outsider art, she continued working in this medium for the next 50 years with exhibits up and down the East Coast from Florida to Maine. In 1972, she welcomed her first child, Samuel. After moving to Minnesota another son, Rupert, was born in St. Paul in 1976. In 1978, they moved across the country to Williamsville. In 1981, daughter Louisa was born in the 18th-century farmhouse on the banks of the Rock River where Mary lived the rest of her life. Inspired by the gardens and stately homes she visited with Roger and their children during summer visits to England, Mary cultivated a fabulous garden of her own and her house was always filled with vases exploding with fresh-cut flowers, and flower pots perched on every available surface. She could often be spotted buying flowers at the Farmer's Market and occasionally picking flowers from both public and not-so-public land. Her inimitable aesthetic informed everything she laid her hand to, be it assembling a plate of hors d'oeuvres, upholstering furniture in unique and beautiful fabrics, designing curtains and tablecloths for Roger to sew, or preparing one of the many culinary delights she cooked up for family and friends. A generous hostess, she welcomed countless people into her home and around her dining table over the years, where her cackling laughter predictably punctuated the conversation. Mary had a bottomless vocabulary, a keen wit, and a mischievous streak; she often had a glint in her eye and always found humor in the ups and downs of life. She delighted in wordplay and puns, was a diligent corrector of grammar, and never let the truth get in the way of a good story. She broke her ankle no fewer than three times, but eschewed complaints and physical therapy, two things she found quite tedious. Her missteps earned her nicknames including Ivana Topolovora and Karina Round. Mary was unsentimental, but make no mistake, she was a big-hearted lover, a giver, utterly selfless and kind. A voracious reader and believer in education, she made close friends as a parent at The Grammar School in Putney and volunteered her time to the school community in numerous ways, including fundraising. Also a music lover, she served on the board of the Brattleboro Music Center, and in later years adored listening to the Felice Brothers in concert. She was predeceased by her brothers Philip Welsh and Mark Welsh, sister Margaret Welsh, and sister-in-law Jenny Kearle Welsh. She is survived by her husband, Roger Sandes; children Samuel Dowe-Sandes and wife Caitlin of Marrakech, Morocco, Rupert Sandes of Los Angeles, and Louisa Sandes and husband Charles Sliter of Ridgefield, Connecticut; siblings Monica Welsh and partner Marie Smeriglio of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Nick Welsh of Santa Barbara, California, Joseph Welsh and wife Cindy of St. Michael's, Maryland, Liz Welsh and wife Amy Brodigan of Amherst, Massachusetts, Josh Welsh and wife Bonnie Gavel Welsh of Los Angeles, and brother-in-law Robert Heckman of Brattleboro; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and granddaughter Georgina Dowe-Sandes. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held on Aug. 24, at 1:30 p.m., at the family home in Williamsville.
• Clyde Twitchell Jr., 81, of Whitingham. Died peacefully at his home on July 7, 2024. He was born in Boston on March 15, 1943, to the late and Ruth Fraser and Clyde Twitchell Sr. In 1957, the family farm was moved from Braintree Massachusetts to Whitingham, where Clyde attended and graduated from Whitingham School. Clyde loved the outdoors - fishing and gardening, most, and he made several trips to Colorado to hunt with friends. He loved listening to and watching his grandkids and neighbors' kids playing outside. Riding ATVs and being able to see the next generation start doing these things brought him much enjoyment. He worked at the Hermitage and Haystack resorts, and for John Boyd, but most people know Clyde from working more than 30 years in maintenance at Chimney Hill in Wilmington. He is survived by sons Karl (Jessie) of Whitingham, and Brian (Jeannette) of North East, Maryland; grandchildren Zach, Hailey, James, and Roger (Ashley); great-grandchildren Bradley, Austin, Logan, and Oliver; siblings Carol Twitchell of Cohasset, Massachusetts, Allan (Denise) and David (Pam) of Whitingham, Linda (Bob) Rosado Simpson of Florida, Joseph Rosado of Georgia, and Diana Rosado of Carver, Massachusetts; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins He was preceded in death by his brothers Ronald, Howard, and Brian. Memorial information: Graveside services for Clyde were held July 16 in Sadawga Cemetery. To send condolences, visit sheafuneralhomes.com.
Services
• A funeral Mass for William H. "Willie" Gembarowski will be celebrated Saturday, July 20, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Brattleboro, with committal rites and burial to follow in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Mr. Gembarowski, 74, of Brattleboro, died Dec. 23, 2023. To view his complete obituary, visit atamaniuk.com.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.