College news
• Daisy M. Giroux of Brattleboro graduated in December 2024 cum laude with a B.S. in dental hygiene from Wichita (Kansas) State University.
• Makenna Milbauer of Grafton graduated with a B.A. in psychology in December 2024 from the University of South Carolina at Beaufort.
• Alex Shriver of Brattleboro, Broden Walsh of Marlboro, Will Taggard of Brattleboro, and Eben Wagner of Brattleboro were all named to the Dean's List for the fall 2024 semester at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
Obituaries
• Lois E. Diorio, 91, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully at home on Feb. 14, 2025, following a period of declining health. She was surrounded by her loving family and was looking forward to meeting her Lord and greeting loved ones who went before her. Lois was born in Johnstown, New York, on Aug. 16, 1933, the daughter of John and Mildred (Pierce) Smith. She graduated from Johnstown High School near the top of her class. During her earlier years she worked at General Electric, sold Avon products, and enjoyed working and giving health suggestions at the former Llama, Toucan & Crow on Main Street in Brattleboro. Lois also had worked at Future-biotics Vitamin Co., and at Windham Superior Court, later working as a part-time temp in the Brattleboro school system. She also was a waitress at several Brattleboro restaurants and tutored an autistic child for several years, whom she remained in close contact with. When her children were young, she served as a Cub Scout den mother, all while raising her own six children who were all under the age of 12. Once her children moved out of the house, Lois took in boarders from the School for International Training and others who needed a comfortable place to stay. Active civically, she was an active volunteer at the old Brattleboro Food Co-Op on Flat Street, volunteered at Community Action Brattleboro Area (CABA), Brattleboro Memorial Hospital's Café, Brattleboro Area Hospice, and at Brigid's Kitchen. Lois also donated more than 100 gallons of blood over the years to the American Red Cross. A devout Catholic and steadfast in her walk of faith, Lois was a communicant of St. Michael's Catholic Church. Her faith in God, love of family, willingness to serve others, and thirst for learning were the benchmarks of her life. She was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, served as a lector and eucharistic minister, and videotaped the Sunday Mass at St. Michael's. Lois attended many religious retreats and seminars and was active in community outreach programs advocating for the underserved, underprivileged, and those in need. Her pastimes included finishing the crossword puzzles and other word games in the Reformer every day, reading, writing, and painting, some of which she displayed locally. Lois was a very good cook, having won a cooking contest in New York. She also enjoyed feeding the birds and squirrels and watching them from her kitchen window. She was involved with her grandchildren's special events and enjoyed watching them play sports and other activities. Lois was married to Carmine Diorio in Johnstown. Her husband of 30 years predeceased her in October 1982. Survivors include her five children: Francine, Steve (Ann), Tony (Pauline Wilson), Claire, and John; one brother, Leon Smith; 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, and Ron Solberg, a boarder at the family home for 23 years and considered family. She was predeceased by her loving son, Tom. She was truly the matriarch of the family and considered a mom to many. She will be missed tremendously. Memorial information: Friends are invited to call at Atamaniuk Funeral Home on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church. Burial and committal rites will follow in Meeting House Hill Cemetery. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice (191 Canal St.), Brigid's Kitchen (47 Walnut St.) or Bayada Hospice (1222 Putney Rd., Suite 107). To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Elizabeth Arlene "Betty" Elwell, 86, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully on Feb. 13, 2025, at Vernon Green Nursing Home, where she had been a resident since April 2021. Betty was born on Aug. 26, 1938, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the daughter of Evan and Marjorie (Vincellette) Nelson. She was raised and educated in Bridgeport, graduating from Bridgeport Central High School. She went on to graduate from Simmons College prior to going on to attend Columbia's School of Nursing, graduating with her nursing degree. In 1965 Betty moved from Monroe, Connecticut to the Brattleboro area and was employed by the Vermont Health Department, which she retired from in 1996 following many dedicated years of service with the agency. Very active in the Brattleboro community, her civic involvement included serving on the board of the Reformer Christmas Stocking, of which she became chairwoman in 1997, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the AIDS Project of Southern Vermont (APSV) that included volunteering in APSV's Dove project, a monthly food collection program in which local faith communities collect food and other essential items each month for APSV clients. Betty served on the board of the Windham County United Way from 1997 to 2003, and served on the Youth Services Big Brother/Big Sisters Advisory Committee for a number of years. In 1998 the Brattleboro Board of Selectmen appointed her commissioner for the Brattleboro Housing Authority, a position she held until 2003. Betty was a founding member of Brattleboro Area Hospice, an organization that was very special to her. Active at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, she was a founding member of the hospital's Candy Stripe Program. Betty was the recipient of Brattleboro Savings & Loan Association's Community Person of the month in April 2004 in a special ceremony held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church where, at the time, she volunteered as an office assistant. She also was active with numerous fundraising campaigns throughout the years that included Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts fundraisers. In 1996, Betty was involved in a Brattleboro community health assessment program, representing the Vermont Department of Health, sponsored by Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Betty epitomized volunteerism within the Brattleboro community and Windham County. She offered assistance to the less fortunate and enriched the lives of many. She will be remembered for her generosity and spirit of friendship. A woman of faith and devotion, she was a communicant of St. Michael's Episcopal Church. Betty was first married to Richard Lolatte Sr. She later married Corwin "Corky" Elwell in 1995 in a small ceremony for family and close friends held in Brattleboro. Her husband of 27 years predeceased her on June 4, 2022. Betty loved a good party and enjoyed socializing and, for many years, she and Corky were active members of Splash on Wantastiquet Drive, where she enjoyed swimming and spending time during the summer months. Survivors include her three children: sons, Richard "Bud" Lolatte (Carol) of Brattleboro and Timothy Lolatte of New Hampshire, and daughter Kristen Lolatte of Bowdenham, Maine; four stepchildren, Cathleen Piantadosi (Pompeo) of Asti, Italy, Christine Elwell of Indianapolis, Indiana, Colleen Piantadosi (Nicola) of Asti, Italy, and Peter Elwell (Wendy) of Brattleboro; and four grandchildren from her first marriage and five grandchildren from her marriage to Corwin Elwell. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of her life will be conducted at Saint Michael's Episcopal Church on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow the services to be held in the church's undercroft. Donations to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Richard Henry Hamilton, 102, of Marlboro. Died peacefully at home on Feb. 19, 2025, after a brief period of declining health as a result of a fall. He was born in Brattleboro on Sept. 28, 1922, the third of five children of Ray Elliot Hamilton and Madge (Taylor) Hamilton. He was raised in a multigenerational household on the original Hamilton farm in West Brattleboro on the Marlboro town line. There was no electricity until the mid-1940s. In his primary years, he attended Academy School. During his first year, the school bus was a horse-drawn wagon. He was a graduate of Brattleboro High School class of 1940. During high school, he was a member of the Future Farmers of America and worked concession stands at football games, the Harris Hill ski jump, and the ski hill in West Brattleboro. He was employed part-time at Eastern States Farmers Exchange in Brattleboro and began a poultry raising business through 4-H. Starting with day-old chicks, he raised broilers, pullets, and roasting chickens. Many late hours involved preparing his oven-ready roasters for the market. He was proud to have purchased a 1940 Ford convertible with earnings from his poultry enterprise. He often drove Miss Joyce White in that convertible to mow his father's grave in West Brattleboro. Richard was drafted in 1942 and spent a year traveling the country on troop trains training for different specialties. He served with the Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945 as a radio operator/mechanic, and gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. He was with the 91st Bomb Group, 401st Squadron, 8th Air Force, stationed at Bassingbourn, England. On July 20, 1944, on his ninth mission over Germany, his plane was attacked by enemy fighters. Four crew were killed in action. With a wing of his plane shot off and the bomb bay in flames, he was one five crew members who bailed out of the burning plane and parachuted into Nazi Germany. Landing in a wheat field, he was captured and endured the wrath of the angry villagers and spent ten months as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft IV near the Baltic Sea in what is now Poland. That day, he realized he had lost his freedom. As the Russian army advanced westward, his German captors evacuated Stalag Luft IV on Feb. 6, 1945. For the next 77 days, he was forced to march through the snow with inadequate clothing for the conditions. He endured many hardships in the cold winter - dysentery, frostbitten feet, little personal hygiene, hunger and body lice - until he was liberated by the Russians on April 24, 1945. When reaching American lines, he was hospitalized at Camp Lucky Strike with yellow jaundice. When well enough to travel, he left Le Havre, France, on a Liberty Ship bound for America. He returned to Brattleboro on July 8, 1945, and a month later, on Aug. 8, 1945, he married Joyce White. Theirs was a love story. Joyce's father, Harold White, offered the newlyweds a business at Hogback to operate at what would become the Skyline Restaurant. Richard went to Fanny Farmer Cooking School in Boston on the G. I. Bill. On his return, he was the cook and Joyce was the waitress until children began to arrive. Four daughters in five years provided future waitresses. George Hughes, a bachelor, whose family was already friends with the Hamilton family, lived a mile east of the Skyline. He offered the newlyweds a home in exchange for help with his farming during his advancing years. They accepted and Richard spent his time farming and running the Skyline. They loved the farm and took great care of it. Most of Dick and Joyce's lifelong work was operating Skyline Restaurant until their retirement in 1994 after 48 years. They employed more than 1,000 people over the years. To many, he was a father figure. Customers and employees became lifelong friends. Skyline was a major part of their social life which they thoroughly enjoyed. For many years, he hosted breakfasts after Easter sunrise services. Neighbors were the work crew. More than 225 people from 13 towns were served before opening hours. At Skyline, he created many flower and herbal gardens and carefully nourished each one. He took great pride in the grounds around the restaurant and at their home. There were flowers alternating with garden vegetables in the window boxes for the amusement of the dining room guests. There were bird feeders that were active with many species that also delighted the guests. After their retirement in 1994, the Hamiltons were privileged to travel abroad to Switzerland, Austria, Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland with their dear friends, Betty and Whitney Stuart. He spoke at many schools and organizations to share the importance of the freedom that the American flag represented to him. He was interviewed for the National World War II Museum in New Orleans and the Library of Congress's Veterans Project. He was interviewed several times for newspaper articles and television news, especially during programs he attended on National POW/MIA Recognition Day in September. He was featured as a Super Senior by WCAX-TV. Richard was a life member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War and was commander of the Vermont Chapter for the last 20 years. He was a member of the Caterpillar Club, a national organization of individuals whose lives were spared by an emergency parachute jump from an aircraft. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1034, American Legion Post 5, the Disabled American Veterans, and the 8th Air Force Historical Society. He was a life member of the Valley of Southern Vermont Scottish Rite Freemasons. He was trustee of the Marlboro Meeting House, and honorary trustee of the Marlboro Historical Society. He was a member of the Thursday Night Club and hosted several hymn sings and sleigh rides. His experience as a prisoner of war led him to the Bible and the King James version of Psalm 91, which he memorized and could recite up until the end. He read many newspapers and magazines and read the Brattleboro Reformer on his iPad. He was a member of Gideons International for 26 years and participated in many Bible distributions to hotels, motels, prisons, schools and colleges. He met with a Gideon men's prayer meeting every Friday morning. At the age of 102 he was still active. He attended men's breakfasts, senior lunches, and veterans' dinners. In July 2024, at age 101, the Army's 101st Airborne Division bestowed on him honorary paratrooper status and lifetime membership during a Building Bridges dinner with veterans at the American Legion in Brattleboro. He served the town of Marlboro as Constable, Tax Collector, Justice of the Peace, School Director, and Selectman. In 2001, he and Joyce were selected to be Grand Marshals of the Brattleboro High School Alumni Parade. He was a devoted husband and loving caregiver for his wife, Joyce, during her time with brain cancer. She predeceased him on February 20, 2005, after 59.5 years of marriage. He was a devoted father to his four daughters and loved family, home and the property he inherited. He loved hunting and alpine skiing. He was proud to wear his 80+ ski club patch on his jacket and proud of the 8th Air Force decals on the tips of his skis. In March 2006, he was privileged to be on a four-generational ski day at Stratton and to ski with his daughter Becky, grandson Roland, and great-granddaughter Alyssa. He faithfully wound the Marlboro Meeting House steeple clock each week for many years until his 90th year when he had a hip replacement. He was thankful to the Lord for all his blessings. He inspired and encouraged all who knew him. He leaves four daughters, Marcia L. Hamilton of Marlboro, Rebecca L. Mroczek (Dave), of Northfield, Massachusetts, Barbara T. Giard (Steve), of Marlboro, and Karla H. Bills (Michael) of Marlboro. He leaves grandchildren Erika R. Bachand (Matthew), Roland R. Rylander (Bobbie Jo), Molly Boisvert (Pete), Belle T. Skwirut of Wilmington, Jonathan R. Tyler (Veronica), Morgan L. Bills (Melinda), and Cody H. Bills (Allison); and great-grandchildren Alyssa L. Rylander, Lukas T. Rylander, Carson D. Rylander, Damon J. Bachand, Benjamin D. Bachand, Jessica E. Bachand, Hayden F. Skwirut, Haleiah I. Skwirut, Solomon F. Sakellar, Sawyer R. Bills, Wesley M. Bills, Jory J. Bills, Boden L. Bills, and Ethan A. Bills. He was predeceased by his siblings Alice H. Martin, Joseph E. Hamilton, R. Edward Hamilton, and Howard C. Hamilton. He left one surviving sister-in-law, Diane White Matthews, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorial information: Visiting hours will be on Sunday, March 2, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Atamaniuk Funeral Home in Brattleboro. A graveside service with full military honors will take place on Wednesday, May 14, at 11 a.m. at King Cemetery in Marlboro, followed by a memorial service at 1 p.m. at the Marlboro Meeting House. Donations to the Marlboro Meeting House, Joyce W. Hamilton Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 64, Marlboro, VT 05344, or Gideons International, Windham County Camp, P. O. Box 2335, West Brattleboro, VT, 05303.
• Jonmichael Scott McManus-Murphy, 22, died unexpectedly on Feb. 17, 2025, in Brattleboro. He was born on Dec. 16, 2002, in Brattleboro, son of Carol (Perrigo) McManus of Brattleboro and the late Raymond Murphy of Southaven, Mississippi. Jonmichael graduated with high honors from Brattleboro Union High School in 2021. He was an active child who enjoyed many sports and activities including soccer, baseball, skateboarding, swimming, fishing, and camping. He cherished road trips with his family to visit relatives and explore new parts of the country. From a young age, he was drawn to music, especially percussion and singing. In high school, he began composing his own music and performed at BrattRock in 2018. He continued composing and performing music until his death. To his mother, he was a miracle and a blessing who pushed his way into this world and kept her on her toes with his energetic free spirit and his animated nature. He brought her many smiles and tears of joy. She is forever grateful that he chose her as his mother, and she was truly his biggest fan. He will always be her "little man" and one of her greatest joys. Jonmichael will be remembered by his family and friends as a person with an adventurous spirit and an inquisitive mind. He loved pulling pranks and making people smile. He also had a philosophical side, asking deep questions about the meaning of life and his place in the world, and he strove to make positive change. He had a caring nature, which he expressed to everyone he met and to animals of all species, especially his beloved cats Cheese and Rose. He formed many relationships with people in the community, most recently those without housing. If he could have, he would have opened his doors to all. In addition to his father, Jonmichael was predeceased by his grandparents Troy and Emma Murphy, Lois Perrigo, and Merton Davis; uncles John Perrigo, and Doug and Chris Murphy, and brother Nathan Shaffer. He is survived by his mother Carol McManus; sisters Honnee McManus, Marilee Murphy, Alison Dixon, Christa Harty, JoAnne Welch, and Maryann Call; brothers Nicholas Ahlgren, David Weeks, Corey Russell, and Paul Kickery; grandmother Ellen Schwartz; aunts Angela Perrigo, Dennise Neilson, Skyler Wind, Bre Abul, and Michele Curran-Wells; uncles Scott Perrigo (Crystal), Michael Murphy, Gary Murphy (Vickie), Ted Addison (Cheryl), and Fabio Gaveri (Beatrice); cousins Jennifer, Kelley, and Debra French, Ben and Garrett Murphy, Jim Norton (Sherry), and Matthew and Carolyn Norton, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and other beloved family members and friends. Memorial information: Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Ker Phaneuf Funeral Home, 57 High St., Brattleboro. Additional visitation will be from 1-2 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 27, at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, to be immediately followed by a funeral service. Donations to Groundworks Collaborative, P.O. Box 370, Brattleboro, VT 05302 (groundworksvt.org). To offer condolences, visit phaneuf.net.
• Gordon A. "Gordo" Moore, 47, of Bellows Falls. Died suddenly at his home on Feb. 10, 2025. Gordon was born on July 6, 1977, in Manhattan, Kansas, to Craig Moore and Debra (Langlais) Brown, married to David Brown. Gordon attended Bellows Falls Union High School and graduated with the Class of 1997. Gordon dedicated most of his life to working at Athens Pizza in Bellows Falls. He recently was a corrections officer with the state of Vermont's prison system. Gordon was a hard worker and a very kind soul and had a smile and laugh that would light up a room. He also had an enormous shoe and hat collection. He was truly a friend to all who knew him. Gordon is survived by his mother, his daughter, Jordan Moore of South Carolina, and a brother, Johnny Caracofe. Gordon is also survived by his many friends that turn into family. Memorial information: Burial will take place in the spring at Pleasant View Cemetery in Ludlow, Vermont.
• Charleen Morrill, 67, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully in her sleep on Feb. 6, 2025. Charleen was born Dec. 4, 1957, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, the fourth child of Janice and Phillips B. Morrill. She is survived by her sisters, Heidi of Alachua, Florida, and Robin of Rye, New Hampshire. She was preceded in death by her brother, Phillips B. Morrill Jr. Charleen graduated in 1976 from North Middlesex Regional High School in Townsend, Massachusetts, and went on to work at Sears Automotive in Leominster, Massachusetts. She moved to Athens, Tennessee, where she resided for decades working as a rural carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. Memorial information: Burial will take place at a later late at the convenience of the family.
• Ronald "Peanut" Morris, 76, of Westminster. Died at home on Feb. 15, 2025. Peanut was born in Fairfield, Vermont, on Nov. 9, 1948, to Kenneth Morris and Barbara (Robtoy) Morris. He worked for the state of Vermont in highway maintenance for 31 years. On July 10, 1993, he married Monica (Hutchins) Morris, who survives. Peanut is also survived by his daughter, Ronda Morris, his granddaughter Hannah Sheldrick of North Carolina; his grandson Alex Sheldrick of Middlebury, and his brother Bernard of Barre. He was predeceased by his parents and a sister, Marilyn Braley. Memorial information: A funeral service took place on Feb. 24 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls, with burial at New Westminster Cemetery.
• James Joseph Murgida, 80, died in his sleep in the comfort of his home on Feb. 5, 2025. Jim was born in Lynn, Massachuetts, on Dec. 20, 1944, the son of Vincenzo James and Phyllis (Spinazzola) Murgida. Jim was a graduate of Danvers (Mass.) High School and of Northeastern University. He served in the Army and was a proud Vietnam veteran. Jim relocated to Brattleboro in the early 1970s with New England Telephone. He worked for C & S Wholesale Grocers and retired from Webster Trucking in 2022. Jim was an avid sports enthusiast and excelled at sports trivia. He was a player and coach for the BFHC softball team for more than 40 years, despite hating practice. He was extremely competitive and liked nothing better than to defeat his wife Millie in their daily cribbage games. Jim leaves behind his devoted wife, Millie; son Anthony "Tony" Murgida; daughter-in-law Heather; grandson Anthony Jr., "AJ" of Chepachet, Rhode Island; sister Jean Aikens and her husband Alex of Hilton Head, South Carolina; sister-in-law Allison Childs; brother-in-law Kevin; and nieces Felicia, Abigail, and Paige. He also leaves behind his incredibly special "brother" kidney donor, Justin Howe of West Swanzey, New Hampshire, who gave Jim precious more years of life; two very special friends Andrew Miller and Dr. Robert Tortolani of Brattleboro; and his very dedicated golden retriever, Jack, and Maine Coon cat, Floki. Memorial information: A funeral service was held on Feb. 23 at Cheshire Family Funeral Home in Keene, New Hampshire, followed by a private burial service. Donations to the Monadnock Humane Society, 101 West Swanzey Rd., Swanzey, NH 03446
• Judith Cross "Judy" Myrick, 93, formerly of Brattleboro. Died on Feb. 8, 2025. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Nov. 8, 1931, to Stanley Fletcher Cross and Marjorie Cocking Cross. She earned a B.A. from the University of Manitoba and pursued journalism in New York City at Columbia University in 1953. During that year, she met and later married her husband, Allen Myrick, who was studying at nearby Union Theological Seminary. The Myricks spent nine months in South Africa studying languages and race relations before becoming missionaries with the United Church of Christ. From 1958 to 1968, they lived and taught at the Federal Theological Seminary in Alice, South Africa, while raising their three children. Returning to the U.S. in 1968, Allen served as a minister in Hamden, Connecticut, and Kent, Ohio, while Judy worked as a community organizer in New Haven and later taught journalism at Kent State University. She became a U.S. citizen in 1973 and also served as a director for the United Church Board for World Ministries. In 1984, the Myricks returned to missionary service, spending a decade in Zimbabwe, where Judy taught at a high school for indigent students and worked with the YWCA. They retired in 1994, eventually settling in Brattleboro, and later Connecticut. After her beloved Allen died in December of 2020, Judy moved to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, to be closer to her daughter. Judy was a dedicated advocate for social justice, volunteering with Loaves and Fishes, Vermont Adult Learning, the League of Women Voters, and the American Association of University Women, during her time in Brattleboro. She is survived by her children Becky Myrick, Helen Davis (Dale), and Philip Myrick (Thea), six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Memorial information: Gifts in her memory may be made to Wider Church Ministries, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Ave., East Cleveland, OH 44115.
Birthdays
• Join family and friends celebrating Irvin Stowell's 90th Birthday with refreshments and cake on Sunday, March 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Townshend Church on the Common. If you are unable to attend and wish to send a card, send it to Irvin P. Stowell, 704 Grafton Rd., Townshend, VT 05353.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.