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.
• Dennis Amidon Sr., 55, of Athens. Died April 3. Husband of Pamela Johnson. Former husband of Susan Moffit. Father of Norman Amidon of Putney, Dennis Amidon Jr. of Athens, Scott Amidon of Bellows Falls, and Chrissana Christiansen of Rockingham. Brother of John Amidon of Winchester, N.H., and Frances Amidon Jr. of Florida. Predeceased by a sister, Donna Broxson, and a son, Todd Amidon. Born in Brattleboro, son of Frances Amidon and the late Shirley Stewart. Loved to collect CDs, DVDs, records, and other things and enjoyed flea markets, yard sales, and spending time with his family. Memorial information: A gathering was held at his son Norman's home in Putney on April 13. A graveside service will be held later in the spring.
• David Haskins Backus II, 72, of Sonoma, Calif. Died March 29. Father of Jonathan Madsen Backus of Ontario, Canada. Brother of Dr. Robert Backus, and his wife Carol, of Wardsboro. Born in Los Angeles to the late David Haskins Backus and Marian Frances Wolcott, he grew up in Los Angeles and moved with his family to the Napa Valley in 1953 where he graduated from high school. Received a degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Berkley and went on to get his Masters from the University of California at San Francisco and his Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona. He was gifted with an exceptionally high IQ, a love of all people and a special fondness for, and an understanding of, jazz and Delta Blues, which he shared with his listeners on his radio show in California. He was completely without prejudice accepting each human being as they were, and his life was about learning and being with friends. Memorial information: At his request, there will be no formal services. Inurnment will be in the family plot at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, Calif. Donations to the charity/cause of your choice.
• Donna Marie Jenkins Batson, 60, of Putney. Died April 5 at her home. Wife of the late Lester Jenkins and the late Arlo E. Batson. Mother of Dennis M. Avery of Barton, Carl A. Gardner of Texas, and Jennifer Rebecca Witham of Brattleboro. Sister of Steven Avery, Lee Avery Jr., and Ruth Nelson. Predeceased by a son, David A. Gardner, and two sisters, Judy Ackley and Kathy Ward. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late Lee W. and Alice (Durant) Avery Sr., she was a longtime resident of the area and enjoyed good times and people. She held many different jobs, including working for a trucking company where she said she had the most fun. Memorial information: A graveside memorial service was held on April 11 at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Fredrick W. “Fred” Bliss, 64, of Ormond Beach, Fla., formerly of Vernon. Died April 4 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Husband of LuAnne Clink for 25 years. Former husband of Cindy Phillips. Father of Derek Bliss and wife Melissa of Hinsdale, N.H., Shawn Bliss of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Trevor Bliss of Ormond Beach. Brother of Debbi McNicholas of Barre. Born in Holyoke, Mass., the son of Roberta Piquette and the late Wilbur Bliss, he graduated from Hinsdale High School, Class of 1965. Served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. Was owner/manager with his wife of Bliss Tech LLC, a computer consulting business based in Ormond Beach. He was also employed by Fibermark, Inc. of Brattleboro, joining the company when it was owned by Boise Cascade. Previously, he had worked for at the former Book Press in Brattleboro. Was active with the Brattleboro Hockey Association, where he served as a coach, referee, and board member. Enjoyed sailing, Formula 1 racing, motorcycles, golfing, and time shared with his family. During his earlier years, he was active with the ski jumping program in the greater Brattleboro area. Memorial information: Funeral services were held April 9 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. Burial with full military honors will take place in the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center at a later date. Donations to a charity of one's choice. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Blanche Eileen Carpenter, 93, formerly of Jacksonville. Died April 1 at West River Valley Assisted Living in Townshend. Wife of the late Kenneth Carpenter for 20 years. Sister of Madeline Purrington and her husband, Charles, of Augusta, Ga., and Paul Miner of Shelburne Falls, Mass. Born in Wilmington, the daughter of Theodore Joseph and Virginia Marie (LaFrancis) Miner, she graduated from Whitingham High School in 1935 and attended St. Joseph's Business College in Bennington. She was employed as an office manager by R.S. Roberts in Brattleboro for 18 years and retired from Hartwin Motors in Greenfield, Mass., in 1987 after 27 years of service. Enjoyed making crafts and sewing, was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Wilmington, and loved her home and cherished time with her family. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Wilmington later in the spring, with burial in Jacksonville Village Cemetery. Donations to the Whitingham Ambulance Service, in care of Covey & Allen Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05201. Messages of condolence may be sent to www.sheafuneralhomes.com.
• Larry Allen Fogg, 55, of West Townshend. Died April 2. Husband of Lisa Place Johnson. Father of Lonnie Place, Jesse Johnson, Amanda Fogg, Dan Fogg, and Eric Gowey. Brother of Leonard, Douglas and Benjamin Fogg. Predeceased by a sister, Linda Fowler. Born in Bridgeport Conn., the son of the late Leonard and Alice Fogg, he graduated from Shelton (Conn.) High School in Shelton, Conn., and later moved to Vermont with his family to ski and live life at a slower pace. Was a skilled carpenter his entire life, and for many years,he worked for Rob Davie of SugarLoaf Construction. He loved spending time with friends and family, sunsets, the yearly family trips to Hampton Beach, mowing the lawn, swimming, carpentry and road trips. Memorial information: A memorial service and a celebration of his life will be held at Bootsy's Grille in Townshend on April 16 at 11 a.m. For more information, call 802-444-9003.
• Eileen Jane Mayo, 82, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died April 2 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. Wife of the late Frank Johnson and the late Edward Mayo. Mother of Keith Johnson of Brattleboro and Eric Richardson of California. Predeceased by her sister, Jeannie Richardson. Born in Franklin, N.H., the daughter of the late John and Sarah (Sweet) Manchester, she was a resident of Hinsdale for the past 30 years. She lived previously in Guilford. She was a devoted homemaker who took much pride in her home. In her earlier years, she worked at the Brattleboro Retreat. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 5 in Brattleboro. Memorial information: Burial in Pine Grove Cemetery in Hinsdale will take place later in the spring when the cemetery reopens. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Messages of condolence may be sent to Atamaniuk Funeral Home at www.atamaniuk.com.
• Shirley M. Schommer, 82, of Newfane. Died March 21 at Thompson House in Brattleboro. Husband of Bill Schommer. Mother of Sara, and her husband Howard, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Her life was one of many interests, of which antiques and politics were high on the list. As Windham County Democratic Chair, she achieved her goal of being a delegate to a national convention in 1980 and 1984. While living in New Rochelle, N.Y., she lived across the street from a prominent Mafia figure known as “Harry the Hat,” and became involved in an undercover operation which later inspired a 1979 Disney movie, The North Avenue Irregulars. Her more than 45 years as an antique dealer was her great love, and she was a careful buyer and good business woman. Enjoyed jazz, bridge, gardening, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband in the Caribbean. Memorial information: A memorial services was held at the Newfane Congregational Church on April 9. Donations to the Diabetes Association and Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation.
Births
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), March 16, 2011, a son, Jace Edwin Phoenix, to Kaylina (Laughman) and Eli Phoenix of Townshend; grandson to Perry and Janet Phoenix of Townshend, and Fred and Sharon Laughman of Brookline.
• In Brattleboro (Memorial Hospital), Dec. 23, 2010, a son, Sawyer Evan Corbeil, to Jessica (Leclaire) and Shane Corbeil of Brattleboro; grandson to Edward and Sheri Leclaire of Brattleboro, and Gary and Nola Corbeil of Vernon; great-grandson to Marcel and Dorothy Leclaire of Zephyrhills, Fla., Joseph and Doris Jutras of Bakersfield and Hugh and Carolyn Jones of Hinsdale, N.H.
College news
• Wilson Schreiber of Westminster has been named Vermont Technical College's 2011 Student Engineer of the Year. He will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electromechanical Engineering Technology. Schreiber was honored by Gov. Peter Shumlin at the annual Engineers' Week awards ceremony held in the Ceremonial Office of the State House in Montpelier, as well as at a banquet dinner held in Burlington in February.
Schreiber, who was awarded the college's Technician of the Year award in 2009, is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the International Honor Society of the Two Year College and Tau Alpha Pi, the National Honor Society of Engineering Technology. He is currently project manager for the NASA CubeSat Ground Control Electromechanical Senior Project.
While pursuing his bachelor's degree, Schreiber also interned at DEKA Research and Development, catching the eye and interest of its founder, Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. Following graduation, Schreiber plans to attend graduate school.
• Alora D.M. Korb of Wilmington was inducted to SUNY-Oneonta chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, a freshman honor society for students with grade-point averages of at least 3.5 during their first semester or year in college.