College news
• Lisa Janovsky of Jacksonville received a Master of Science in Nursing from Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, following the conclusion of the summer 2024 semester.
• St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, recently welcomed Caroline D. Tarmy of South Londonderry as a member of the Class of 2028. Tarmy attended Stratton Mountain School.
• The University at Albany (N.Y.) is welcoming Cathleen Sullivan of Guilford for the fall 2024 semester. Sullivan is majoring in social welfare-part time (MSW).
Obituaries
• Patience Marion "Pat" Akeley, 89, of Brattleboro. Died Nov. 9, 2024, at Thompson House. Pat was born in Brattleboro on Oct. 3, 1935, the daughter of Leroy and Helen (Wells) Magoon. She attended Brattleboro public schools, graduating from Brattleboro High School with the Class of 1953. Following high school, she went on to attend Mount Ida College in Newton Center, Massachusetts. For several years Pat was employed by the Holstein-Friesian Association, working as a mail clerk. She also worked in the mailroom at the Brattleboro Reformer and previously had been employed at The Book Press in Brattleboro. A quiet, unassuming woman, Pat was known for her pleasant personality and spirit of friendship. She enjoyed the three C's - camping, cooking, and crafts - as well as time shared with her family. On Sept. 3, 1954, in Brattleboro, she married Robert E. Akeley, who predeceased her on April 17, 1997. Survivors include her daughter, Dawn Nebelski of West Halifax; a son, Robert Akeley, Jr. and wife Victoria of Hinsdale, New Hampshire; grandsons, Joel Nebelski and Ultin Akeley; a sister, Margaret York of Sunderland, Massachusetts; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was predeceased by a daughter, Brenda Barcomb; a sister, Nancy Lackey; and two brothers, David and Ernest Magoon. Memorial information: Graveside committal services were conducted Nov. 17 at West Brattleboro Cemetery Donations to Bayada Hospice, 1222 Putney Road, Suite 107, Brattleboro, VT 05301. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Rosemary Eldridge, 85, of Brattleboro. Died at home, with her family at her side, on Nov. 7, 2024, after a period of declining health. She was born on Feb. 20, 1939, in Deerfield, Massachusetts, to Harry and Maude (Elmer) Childs. She was raised in Deerfield, where she graduated in three years as Class Salutatorian from Deerfield High School in 1956. She completed X-ray technician training in Greenfield, Massachusetts, after high school and later, attended Pittsfield (Mass.) Community College. She enjoyed reading, learning, and keeping her mind sharp. In her 70s, she enrolled in an algebra class to further this purpose and in her 80s, learned to meditate. Rosemary worked as both office manager for DeWitt Beverage in Brattleboro and as assistant manager of Morningside Cemetery from 1974 until her retirement in 1998. After retirement, she took immense pride in volunteering at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital for more than 20 years where she made many friends. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and could fix or find almost anything, including on the internet, which led to family referring to her as an "internet search wizard." Rosemary was predeceased in January 2024 by her husband of 60 years, Burt, and is survived by their children, Brenda Mockler and husband Jim of Northfield, Massachusetts, and David Eldridge of Dummerston and fiancée Betsy Robb of Brattleboro; grandchildren Melissa Castonguay and husband Brad, Zachary Thamm and wife Marisa, Jessica Thamm, Brittany Eldridge, and Alyson Eldridge; and great-grandchildren Blissany, Braden, Cameron, Xavier, Evelyn, Charlie, and Jack. Rosemary's sister, Martha, of Greenfield, also survives, as well as several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: Funeral services are private and burial will be in Morningside Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital or the charity of your choice. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Martha Tyler Gouger, 66, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on Nov. 10, 2024, following a lengthy period of declining health and a courageous battle with MS. Martha was born in Brattleboro on Sept. 17, 1958, the daughter of Frederick and Anna (Hubner) Tyler. She was raised and educated in Brattleboro, graduating from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 1976. She went on to attend John Doscher School of Photography in Woodstock, Vermont, returning to Brattleboro where she went to work at Lewis R. Brown Photography on lower Main Street. Martha later was employed as administrative assistant at the Windham Regional Career Center, retiring in 2015 following many years of faithful service. Of her leisure time activities, Martha enjoyed stamp-up, creating holiday greeting cards, bird watching, cooking, and baking, including making beautiful wedding cakes and other delicacies. She also enjoyed travel, especially to Ireland. She was a faithful and devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother. On Sept. 25, 1982, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, she was married to Jeffrey M. Gouger who survives. Besides her husband of 42 years, she leaves one son, Lance Gouger and wife Kristen, and a daughter, Ashley Gouger, all of Brattleboro; two sisters, Kate Tyler of Westminster and Deborah Tyler of Brattleboro; and a brother, Brian Tyler and wife Jill of Brattleboro. Additionally, she is survived by grandchildren Keira Burton, Brayden Gouger, and Malia Gouger; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by one brother, Kevin Tyler. Memorial information: Committal services and burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery took place on Nov. 17. Donations to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 900 South Broadway, 2nd Floor, Denver, CO 80209. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• John F. "Jack" Hipp, Jr., of Brattleboro, died peacefully, surrounded by his wife and family, on Oct. 23, 2024. He was the much-loved husband of Lisa Hipp of Brattleboro and the son of John F. Hipp Sr., and the late Anna (Nancy) Hipp of Warminster, Pennsylvania. In addition to his wife and father, he leaves behind daughters Kathleen (Katie) Hipp and husband Dan of Buckingham, Pennsylvania, Deirdre (Dee) Nichols and husband Matt of Brattleboro, Michelle (Mickey) Hipp of Brattleboro, and daughter Jacqueline (Jackie) Hipp and her partner Matt Sensor of Brookline. He is also survived by sister Theresa Hipp of Warminster; brothers Joseph Hipp and Robert Hipp of Perkasie, Pennsylvania, and Paul Hipp of Santa Monica, California; and six beautiful grandchildren, three nieces, and a nephew. Jack and his wife relocated to Brattleboro in 2022 from Bridgeton, New Jersey, and he spent the time since enjoying the new locale, being close to family, and working on the house. Jack was a great cook; a fearless culinary adventurer who loved having family and friends over, which always revolved around sharing a huge vegan meal. The possibility of a lukewarm reception to the menu never dampened his enthusiasm. What was most important and the thing he loved the most was having that shared experience with family or friends. In his early years during the Seventies, he moved to California, hitchhiking his way there from Pennsylvania as a teenager. He lived in the Ocean Beach community of San Diego. The years he spent there etched the foundation for whom he became going forward. He lived each day consistent with his beliefs; straight from the heart, coming from a place of love. He was an avid reader, thinker, and constant student, a non-conformist and revolutionary whose every intention and action were rooted in his passion for social justice and truth. Jack had a brilliant sense of humor which played out in every way, from his daily interactions with strangers and his wonderful sense of the absurd, to his love of creating art. The yard of his former home in Bridgeton was regularly filled with some kind of installation around each path or corner, making it a magical place to live. You could find an enormous reclining dog made from found bricks, a giant cresting ocean wave made from branches and twigs, or any number of surprises where you would to least expect. He loved to travel and would continue to spend several weeks at least a couple of times a year traveling and visiting his daughters or friends. Jack was always up for an adventure and the best partner for it, whether he was in the driver's seat as a dad, friend, or husband. If you were lucky enough to accompany him on the ride, either literally or figuratively, you would most likely end up with a good story. Jack was, most importantly, so, so proud of his daughters. Any occasion where he would be able to be together with the four of them and later, the grandkids included, was what he genuinely loved the most. Each time there was a full house, he would say, "This is the best day of my life!" Memorial information: The Cremation Society of New Hampshire has been entrusted with arrangements. To view an online tribute, leave a message of condolence or for more information, visit csnh.com.
• Mark L. LaValley, 54, of Brattleboro. Died, surrounded by his family and friends, on Nov. 9, 2024, after a short period of declining health. Mark was born on March 9, 1970, in Brattleboro, and spent most of his life in and around the Brattleboro area. Mark was a wonderful father to his children, Samantha LaValley, Mark J. LaValley, Cassandra LaValley, Gage (Hall) LaValley, Jordan LaValley, Elexis LaValley, and Teagan LaValley. Mark was an avid hunter who also enjoyed fishing, as well as barbecues and fires with family and friends. He spent many years playing softball on local teams and enjoyed the outdoors. However, what he loved the most was his children. Mark was predeceased by his mother, Hazel L. LaValley. He is survived by his partner, Cassie Davis, and her three children, Caleb Reale, Ava Lucken and James Lucken; his father, James G. LaValley; and siblings Peggy Winchester, Melissa Butts, and James H. LaValley. Memorial information: Mark was buried next to his mother at the West Brattleboro Cemetery on Mather Road on Nov. 17. To offer condolences, visit phaneuf.net.
• Thomas Edward "Eddie Mac" McKenzie, 80, died March 28, 2024, at FirstHealth Hospice House in Moore County, North Carolina. Eddie was born in Moore County Hospital to the late Edward and Mildred McKenzie of Southern Pines, North Carolina, on Aug. 9, 1943. He grew up in Southern Pines, attended Southern Pines High School while playing golf at the Elks Club, and went on to East Carolina University for a short time. Although he excelled at most sports, Eddie had a passion for golf and served as a 25-year, much-in-demand member of the elite caddie staff at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. His experience stretches to the PGA and LPGA Tours. Tom Stewart of Old Sport & Gallery in Pinehurst called Eddie Mac "the best caddie in Moore County and a true philosopher. He helps you see the golf course in an entirely different light. No. 2 was a puzzle that I couldn't crack until Eddie Mac was by my side." According to Eddie Mac, "Our job is to enhance the experience of playing a wonderful, historic golf course. We help golfers with the subtleties of the greens, with playing the right shots around the greens. A good caddie also relaxes the player. The point is, we're out here to play 18 holes and have fun. This is a hard golf course. It takes its toll. I tell a guy if he's disgusted with the last hole, 'Hey, it's like your first girlfriend. Unless you marry her, she's history. She's done. Forget it and enjoy the rest of the day.'" A voracious reader, when not on the golf course, Eddie could always be found with a book in his hand. Calling himself a "luddite by choice," Eddie preferred a flip phone to a smart phone, a stereo to a TV, and an old-timey answering machine, whose message he changed every day, and would be as likely to quote Marcus Aurelius as the lyrics from "As Time Goes By." Sometimes the message would be a simple "If you're not having fun, it's probably your fault." Eddie's connection to Brattleboro goes back to the 1970s. Eddie opened or helped to open two notable Brattleboro restaurants, the Moles Eye Café, located in the basement of the Brooks House, and the Jolly Butcher, which was located on Western Avenue in West Brattleboro. In March 1980, he renovated a diner located on Elliott Street called the Night Owl, which was brought to Brattleboro in 1955 from Worcester, Massachusetts. With assistance from Canadian friends, Tom and Jeanne Buckley, and loans from Community Action Brattleboro Area (CABA) and the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Eddie reopened the diner in February 1980 under the name of his friends, T.J. Buckley's, which is still in operation today. Eddie is survived by his sister, Gwen Huff, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and his very special friend, Suzanne Coleman, of Southern Pines. Eddie was predeceased by his siblings Ralph McKenzie and Donna Kimbrell. Memorial information: None provided.
• Sandra Jean Otero, 73, of Northfield, Massachusetts, and Brattleboro. Died Nov. 12, 2024, with her family at her side, following a courageous battle with cancer. Sandra was born in Brattleboro on May 16, 1951, the daughter of Alwin and Helen (Smith) Holloway. She was raised and educated in Northfield, graduating from Pioneer Valley Regional High School, Class of 1969. Following high school, Sandra attended Framingham School of Business and, in her later years, took business courses at Community College of Vermont. She was employed at Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation from 1999 until her retirement on April 15, 2016. Previously, she worked for Joseph Pieciak & Company, and Datatronics, both in Brattleboro. She enjoyed walking, was an avid reader, liked to crochet, and through the years made baby blankets that she generously donated to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Birthing Center and Nursery as well as to the Branches Pregnancy Center on Birge Street. Sandra also enjoyed making visits to Amish Country in Pennsylvania and trips to the coast of Maine, her favorite destination being Nubble Lighthouse in York. On Nov. 1, 1969, in Northfield, she married Genaro Otero, who predeceased her on Oct. 4, 2004. Survivors include daughters Gena Burgoyne and her husband Aaron of Brattleboro and Brenda Otero of Barre; sisters Jane Moquin of Bernardston, Massachusetts, and Patricia Holloway of Northfield; six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a sister, June Amidon. Memorial information: Graveside committal services will be conducted Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m. in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Donald Louis Skekel, 73, of Brattleboro. Died unexpectedly at his home in on Oct. 30, 2024. Don was born Aug. 31, 1951, in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to the late Donald and Wanetta (Krah) Skekel. He graduated from Westinghouse Memorial High School in 1969. Don married his former wife, Edie Davis, in 1973. They lived in Coal Center, Pennsylvania for 28 years. He worked at Dravo Company in Neville Island, Pennsylvania; Hillman Barge in Brownsville, Pennsylvania; and was an operating engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the Masons and an Elder at First Presbyterian Church in California, Pennsylvania, and president of a chapter of CHADD (Children and Adults with ADD). After his divorce, Don moved to Vermont to attend college and finish his bachelor's degree in psychology at Vermont College of Norwich University. He then enrolled in the graduate program at Antioch University New England to complete his education toward becoming a licensed mental health and substance abuse counselor. He was so proud of walking the steps to receive his master's in 2007. During the time spent achieving both degrees, he worked for Hannaford Supermarket. He volunteered at the Brattleboro Area Drop-In Center's food shelf and shelter, and was on the board of Directors of Southeastern Vermont Community Action. He worked at the Phoenix House helping individuals in the correctional legal system gain a sense of independence as they entered society once leaving incarceration. Once he gained licensure status, he opened a small private practice working with adults to gain a stronger perspective of self-empowerment. He dealt with Attention Deficit Disorder himself and desired to help others through the frustration and symptoms of ADHD. He attended many training courses over the years to learn to better his profession, including attending training on EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) specific to assisting individuals with deep trauma to heal from distressing life experiences. He was an amazing man and kind to all, and will be missed by close friends and family. He is survived by a sister, Arlene Pierce of Florida; two nephews, Russell (Sheryl) Pierce of Alaska and Todd (Julie) Pierce of Illinois and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Ronald Skekel of Louisiana. Memorial information: None provided.
• John Joseph "Jackie" Vaughan, 94, of Townshend. Died peacefully in his assisted living apartment at Valley Village on Oct. 30, 2024."Jackie," as he was affectionately nicknamed when he was a young boy, was born in Boston on March 2, 1930, to Nellie Meany Vaughan and Michael Vaughan, both of whom were born and raised in Ireland. As a 10-year-old, he earned money delivering newspapers to and around Forest Hills Cemetery and Seminary in Jamaica Plain, just outside Boston. Many of those on his bike route were doctors and nurses from local hospitals. John had many stories about this time in his life, beloved memories that never faded and that gave him great pleasure to share with others. Some were of him and his best friend, a doctor's son, and their boyhood antics flirting with the girls in a local nursing school. The matron at the front desk was not impressed. Other stories were of times in the Catholic school he attended. The time he tugged on a girl's hair which made her cry out did not impress the nun teaching the class. The fun of it always showed up on John's face every time he would recall those times. As a young man, John attended Stanford University for four years on a football scholarship where he played right halfback. He also majored in biology, earning an impressive 3.8 grade point average. At that time, his father worked as a crew coordinator and supervisor in New York City for Turner Construction Company, including working on the construction of the Chrysler Building. John worked for Turner during the summers. John went on to join the Marine Corps, training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. His 12 years in the Marines included four years served during the Korean Conflict where, as an officer, he led his unit of men into the major campaign known as the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in 1950. Trapped by Chinese forces in this remote territory of the region, they had to fight the enemy in temperatures that regularly fell to 25 degrees below zero. It was there that John was wounded in both the head and shoulder. It took five months in the hospital to recover from his wounds. John seldom spoke of these times, only to recall the voices of the dying soldiers, and how his men remained with him throughout his life. After the war, John worked at the Pentagon as a public information communications officer. He spent a few years there, and then moved on to civilian life where he found work with Squibb Pharmaceutical Company, travellng nationally and internationally to sell their products. Later, his career path found John selling medical tools developed by Dr. John Bookwalter of Putney for his revolutionary surgical retractor system. John traveled all over this country demonstrating how they work, and instructing doctors how to use them for a wide variety of operations. The friendship and mutual respect he developed with doctors and surgeons often earned him an open invitation into the operating room as a spectator, which he gladly would accept. He made great friends with skilled doctors and staff members in major hospitals along the way, always speaking most highly of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He would always let people he encountered know that they should seek the medical help they need from the facilities there, ever emphasizing that their life was worth it. John retired to Putney, living there for more than a decade before spending his final year at Valley Village in Townshend. Loving friends, new and old, knew John as a gentleman and a Marine veteran, greatly appreciating the array of his life's experiences, and all his wonderful stories. Memorial information: There will be a celebration of John's life in the Putney area in the Spring, after which he will be returned to Forest Hills Cemetery where he will be laid to rest alongside his parents, just as he had planned. For those who would like to do something in John's honor, remember our American military service personnel, those who have been laid to rest, those who are retired, and those who are on active duty. Their dedication to serve and protect freedom deserves our respect and our support always.
• Constance A. "Connie" Weldon, 91, of Townshend. Died Nov. 7, 2024, at Grace Cottage Hospital following a period of declining health. Connie was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, on November 17, 1932, the daughter of James and Sophie (Romanos) Ziter. She attended parochial school in North Adams before moving with her family to Littleton, New Hampshire, where she graduated from Littleton High School, Class of 1950. She was employed at the Holstein-Friesian Association, which she retired from as a supervisor in 1991 following many years of faithful service. Connie then went to work for nearly a decade in the Hanes outlet store in Brattleboro, retiring from her position in 2012. Active fraternally, she was a past president of B.P.O. Elks Emblem Club #517 and was a past president of the state of Vermont Emblem Club. Connie also held membership in the Brattleboro Women's Evening Club, where she served a term as president, and was an active member of the Daughters of Isabella, Ave Maria Circle #128, where she served in several offices. A devout lifelong Catholic, she was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. On Dec. 10, 1951, at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Littleton, Connie married William Weldon. Her devoted husband of 58 years predeceased her on Nov. 18, 2009. Survivors include her four children, Donna Allen (Wayne) of Townshend, Marlene Longe (Rory) of Westminster, Dale Ann Weldon of Elizabethton, Tennessee, and William J. Weldon (Carri) of Destin, Florida; 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great nephews. Connie was predeceased by one sister, Marlene Ziter. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on Nov. 16 at St. Michael's Catholic Church, followed by burial in the Ziter family lot in Southview Cemetery in North Adams. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, 185 Grafton Rd., Townshend, VT 05353. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.