College news
• The following local residents graduated from Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology in Fall 2013: Tucker Kilburn of Westminster received an A.A. in arts and imaging studies from RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and Joshua Kramer of Putney received a B.S. in computer engineering from RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering.
School news
• Cassie Bratton, a Wilmington junior, has been named the February 2014 Windham Regional Career Center Student of the Month. She was nominated for this award by Dennis Hamilton, her Forestry instructor, Marty Litch, her Career and College Readiness teacher, and by Jen Connor, her Technical English teacher. Her Career Center teachers think highly of Bratton. Connor said that Bratton is consistently helpful to others in class and is very self-motivated, cultivating “great workplace skills.” Litch highlighted Bratton's natural curiosity and her eagerness to help out fellow students. Hamilton stressed her helpfulness as well, mentioning an Future Farmers of America concession stand that she constructed at home on her own time. She also recently assisted in touring groups of eighth-graders through Career Center programs. Bratton also has a busy life outside of school. She is a snowboarding instructor at Mount Snow and additionally leads trail rides and exercises horses at Flames Stables in Wilmington, where she boards her own horse. She also competes in local gymkhana equestrian timed speed events such as barrel racing and pole bending. She's not sure yet what she'll pursue in college, though she's investigating the Equine Studies program at Vermont Technical College. She may be interested in a career in law enforcement as well, and expects that her courses next year will help her make that decision.
Obituaries
• Christina Amsden, 62, of Rockingham. Died Feb. 25 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Wife of Duane Amsden for nearly 45 years. Mother of Phill R. Amsden of Rockingham. Sister of Margaret Morse of Reading. Born in Bellows Falls, the daughter of Robert and Lillian (Corbeil) Morse, she graduated from Bellows Falls High School, Class of 1969. She was employed as a secretary in the Bellows Falls school system for a few years. She worked for Legal Aid in Springfield, and later as a legal secretary with the Kissell & Massucco Law Office in Bellows Falls. She was also co-owner, with her husband, of 20/20 Video in Bellows Falls. She was a member of the Bellows Falls Country Club. She enjoyed golf, Bingo, and playing Internet games. She also enjoyed wintering in Deltona, Fla. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Donations to the A.S.P.C.A., 424 E. 92nd Street, New York, NY 10128-6804; or to the American Cancer Society, Vermont Affiliate, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield.
• Susan Marie Wright Bristol, 54, of Putney. Died Feb. 22 at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend, after a long illness. Partner of Douglas Boyd of Putney. Mother of Joshua Bristol of Reading and Erica Johnson of Williamstown. Sister of Laura Rotkowski of Holly Hill, Fla., and Patricia Wright of Springfield. Daughter of Nancy (DeCamp) and the late Douglas Wright, she graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School and earned a degree from Community College of Vermont in early childhood education. She worked for Head Start in Springfield and, most recently, for Landmark College in Putney. Memorial information: A funeral service was held March 1 at the United Church of Christ in Bellows Falls. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353.
• Elizabeth Jane “Betty” Riera Cohn, 96, of Newfane. Died Feb. 24 at the home of John and Gillian Winner, where she resided for the last few years. Wife of the late J. Bradley Cohn. Born in Philadelphia, the only child of the late Francis Joseph Philip Riera and Bess Miller Battersby, she was raised by her grandmother and maiden aunts on her father's side. She attended Covenant of the Sacred Heart, Brown Preparatory School and graduated with the first class from the University of Pennsylvania College of Liberal Arts for Women in 1937 with a B.A. with honors in History. In 1947, she earned a M.A. in History from the Universty of Pennsylvania. Her 10-year teaching career included Ashley Hall in Charleston, S.C. (1937-1941) and Abington (Pa.) Friends School (1941-1947). She changed careers to library science, receiving a M.S. in 1952 from Drexel University. She met J. Bradley Cohn, a patent and trademark lawyer, at American Machine and Foundry and they married in 1954. They sharing a passion for riding and Morgan horses. They especially enjoyed trail riding for both pleasure and competition. In later years, their activities expanded to include Combined Driving competitions. West River Lodge in Brookline became a favorite destination and they eventually purchased the lodge from the Nichols family in 1965. They continued the tradition of escorted trail rides and steak dinner rides. She was secretary of the Newbrook Horse Show for many years. They sold the lodge in 1984, but continued to vacation there under the ownership of John and Gillian Winner. In 1993, the Cohns moved permanently to West Townshend. She was a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and was especially proud of her work on the Scholarship Committee. The Vermont Morgan Horse Association awarded her the Deane C. Davis Award for promoting the Morgan breed. She attended and/or showed at the Eastern Regional Morgan Horse Show in Northampton, Mass. for almost 60 years. Memorial information: A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, Grace Cottage Hospital, or the AAUW Scholarship Fund, in care of Gillian Winner, P.O. Box 212, Newfane, VT 05345.
• Helen E. Derry, 85, of Townshend. Died Feb. 21 at West River Senior Housing in Townshend. Wife of the late Leslie E. Derry. Mother of Carol J. Isham and her husband, Stan, of Plattsmouth, Neb.; Barbara A. Lewis and her husband, Tom, of Alexandria, Va.; Kathleen M. Marden and her husband, Bob, of Evington, Va.; and Leslie “Skip” E. Derry Jr. and his wife, Kristen, of Townshend. Sister of Philip R. Perkins and his wife, Pat, and Roger L. Perkins and his wife, Freida, all of Brattleboro; Isabel E. Madore of Dummerston, and Nancy G. Haskins of Keene, N.H., the late Ralph Perkins, Richard Perkins, Phyllis E. Haskell, and Elizabeth Haskins. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of the late Elmer and Esther (Johnson) Thomas, she was a lifelong area resident and was educated in the local school system. She enjoyed knitting, sewing, and loved spending time with her family. Memorial information: Funeral services and burial will take place in the spring. Donations to Bayada Home Healthcare, 23 Marlboro Rd., Suite 101, Brattleboro, VT 05301; or Valley Cares, 457 Grafton Rd., Townshend, VT 05353. Arrangements are under the direction of Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• John James Feifel Sr., 84, of Williamsville. Died Feb. 20 at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend. Husband of Elva Jean Keiper Feifel for 58 years. Father of Jeffrey Feifel and his wife, Elizabeth, of Hamburg, N.Y.; Randy J. Feifel of Brewster, N.Y.; John J. Feifel Jr. of Sunset, Utah; Karen Detmers and her husband, Kirby, of Easthampton, Mass. Brother of George Feifel III. Born in Allentown, Pa., the son of George Feifel Jr. and Mildred Frankenfield Feifel, he was a fireman with the Allentown Fire Department and Bethlehem Steel until relocating to Freeport, N.Y. in 1962. Once in New York, he worked as a custodian for the Plainedge School District, until securing a position as head custodian with BOCES for Nassau County, from which he retired in 1984. Following retirement, he and his family moved to Williamsville, where he lived out the remainder of his life. During his time there, he served as Newfane's zoning administrator for many years, as well as sewer officer, deputy health officer, Development Review Board member, and Planning Commission member, all the while, serving proudly with the Williamsville/South Newfane Fire Department. Not only was he a dedicated and passionate fireman, but a soldier as well. From 1950 to 1975, John served his country with distinction in the Army and Army National Guard in Pennsylvania and New York. He was honorably discharged in 1975 as sergeant first class, having served as platoon sergeant. He spent many months in Korea during the war, including time spent providing fire support to the Marines at the Chosin Reservoir. He was airborne qualified as a paratrooper and won many marksmanship awards. He was an avid camper, devoted Cub Scout leader, train lover and collector, a fan of western movies and Big Band music, and a keen crossword puzzle solver. He enjoyed trips to Maine and Georgia, visits with his family, and his routine Saturday excursions to Brattleboro and Hinsdale. He will be fondly remembered for his cheerful smile, his gift of gab, and his general kindness. His jokes and Army stories will be greatly missed as will his sense of humor, which was with him right until the very end. Memorial information: A funeral, with military honors, will be held at the Newfane Congregational Church on Sunday, March 9, at 2 p.m. A celebration of his life will follow immediately at NewBrook Fire & Rescue on Route 30 on Newfane until 6 p.m. Donations to the Williamsville/South Newfane Fire Department, P.O. Box 92, Williamsville, VT 05362, or Newfane Congregational Church, P.O. Box 27, Newfane, VT 05345.
• Kenneth Jones, 51, of Bellows Falls. Died Feb. 22 at Fletcher Allen Medical Center in Burlington. Brother of Flossie Ruth Jones and Mary Lugenia (Walter) Brown of Bronx, N.Y.; Sara Louise (Isimeme) Ajogbor; Gloria (John Williams) Edwards and Doris Helen Jones of Mt. Vernon, N.Y.; Gladys (Woodrow Jr.) Atkinson of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Florie (Larry) Richardson of Lugoff, S.C.; Louana (Richard) Shepard of Elgin, S.C.; and Carrie Jones Ivey and Lewis Jones Jr. of Bellows Falls. Born in Camden, S.C., the son of Simmlean and the late Lewis Jones Sr., was educated in the local schools of Lugoff, S.C. After graduating from Lugoff-Elgin High School, he was employed at Richtex Brickyard, Diamant Boart of America, and Shoney's. In 2001, he relocated to Bellows Falls, where he was employed at Melsur and Heath Care and Rehabilitation Services. He had been most recently employed at Whitney Blake Company until his health failed and he retired on Jan. 11, 2014. He was a skilled cook who could change any recipe into a delicious gourmet meal. He was loved by all who knew him, and developed a special bond with all his nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Feb. 24 at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Barbara H. Mounts, 66, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 24 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital after a long struggle with cancer. Wife of the late Clark Mounts. Sister of John T. Haneman of Wilmington, David G. Haneman of Concord, N.H., Wendy Gilvey of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and Lydia “Lil” Haneman of Marblehead, Mass. Born in New York City, the daughter of John and Isabel Wayland Haneman, she was raised and educated in New York and attended the Barbizon School of Design in Manhattan. A former resident of Long Island, she moved to Brattleboro 25 years ago. She was employed at the Brattleboro Retreat and previously worked as a Licensed Nursing Assistant at Eden Park Nursing Home. She enjoyed both flower and vegetable gardening, loved nature, and was a high spirited walker. She was a natural teacher who brought forth the best in others. Known for her optimistic spirit, she was known for her remarkable inner strength. For several years, she volunteered her time reading to the blind. Memorial information: A memorial service will take place at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Ruth Lurie Leibowitz Quist, 99, of Brattleboro. Died Feb. 16 at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Born in Plainfield, N.J., daughter of the late Gutman and Lena Mary Lurie, she graduated from the American Hospital Nursing School in Chicago in 1936 as a registered nurse. She enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps in 1943, and was stationed in Atlanta, Ga., in an amputation center. In 1997 she attended the dedication of the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, honoring all women who have served in the military. She met her first husband, Oscar Leibowitz, a pharmacist, while they were stationed in the Army in New Jersey. They married in 1945 and had two children, Sue and Lee. They ran the Windham Drug Store on Main Street in Brattleboro and were original members of the Jewish community in Brattleboro. Mr. Leibowitz died in 1967. She then worked for a time as a nurse at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and then as director of Linden Lodge in Brattleboro. She belonged to the Brattleboro Area Nurses Association and the Floral Arts Society for many years. She was predeceased by five older siblings. Memorial information: A memorial service will take place on May 2. Donations to the Brattleboro Senior Center, Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community, and the Vermont Jazz Center. Arrangements are under the direction of Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home.