College news
• Clarkson University student Bryce H. Bandish of East Dummerston was part of a winning team at the 2015 New York Business Plan Competition. Bandish, a senior majoring in chemistry, presented Comfy Pets with other Clarkson students. The team won the Undergraduate Excellence Award in Biotechnology /Healthcare.
• Rebecca O'Neill of Westminster, a senior member of the women's rowing team at Bates College, received New England Small College Athletic Conference All-Academic distinction for the spring 2015 season. She is a 2011 graduate of Bellows Falls Union High School and majors in Latin American studies.
• Yan Cheng from Putney was named to the spring 2015 Dean's List at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.
• Willow Coronella of Putney, was awarded a B.S. degree, Cum Laude, from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. on May 16. Through rigorous course work and internships, she was able to complete her degree requirements in three academic years. She is an honors graduate of the Brattleboro Union High School Class of 2012 and a recipient of the Ellen P. Darrow College Scholarship Fund from Putney Central School.
• The following local students were honored for academic achievement in the spring 2015 semester at Castleton State College: Jack DelPriore of Brattleboro, Alex Derosia of Brattleboro, Matthieu Fortier of South Londonderry, Ryan Haselton of South Londonderry, Colby Hescock of Brattleboro, Erin Leblanc of Brattleboro, and Grandon Smith of Londonderry were all named to the Dean's List. Keira Capponcelli of Brookline, Alyson Marcucci of West Dover, Soren Pelz-Walsh of Brattleboro, and Kayla Wood of Dummerston were all named to the President's List.
• Graham Glennon, a Spanish and Sociology/Anthropology major from Brattleboro, was named to the spring 2015 Dean's List at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.
School news
• Casey Manning of Brattleboro was named the Windham Regional Career Center's May 2015 student of the month. She was recommended for this honor by her business teacher, Barbara Vinci, for her work as president of the Career Center's chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). In addition to her local FBLA chapter's presidency, Manning has been the Career Center's student Rotarian representative for the Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary Club. Additionally, she has been the captain of the Brattleboro Union High School varsity softball team as well as a member of its athletic leadership team. Manning took a number of business courses at the Career Center, including sports marketing, accounting, sports management, and international business. She has taken an Introduction to College English course there as well. She graduated from BUHS on June 19 having completed seven dual enrollment college credit courses through the Windham Regional Collegiate High School, a collaborative project involving the Career Center and BUHS. This will enable her to begin her college career with having already earned 21 college credits.
• Twenty-six eighth-graders at Kurn Hattin Homes for Children in Westminster graduated on June 6. The members of the Class of 2015 are: Hailey Bliven of Derby, Maia Brow of Newport, N.H., Shandae Cruz of Holyoke, Mass., Christopher Deitz of Putney, Arianna Delgado Noriega of Queens Village, N.Y., Austen Echavarria of Bronx, N.Y., Cole Gardner-Buisson of White River Junction, Nyjah Harrell of Holyoke, Mass., Robert Houston of Middletown, N.Y., Mikhai Howell of New York City, Destiny Howell of Arverne, N.H., Christopher Jordan of Keene, N.H., Hayley Labrecque of Peterborough, N.H., Justin Lowell of Putney, Lily McAllister of Putney, Jaime Minor of Astoria, N.Y., Kivon Nasta of Jericho, Davion Nieves of Mt. Arlington, N.J., Madison Ramos of West Hartford, Vt., Camriell Raymond of Springfield, Vt., Jayden Rogstad of Chester, Rebekah Rounds of Westminster, Zachary Smith of Putney, David Spencer Jr. of Charlestown, R.I., Takyia Squires of Westminster, and Reginald Watson of Barre.
Transitions
• Brattleboro Memorial Hospital has promoted Robin Heald, currently serving as BMH's Director of Human Resources, to the position of Vice President – Human Resources. Heald began her career at BMH in 1996 as a Compensation and Benefits Manager in the Human Resources Department and has led the department since 2008. Heald jokes that her background before being hired at BMH was in “Banking, Insurance & Beer,” having worked for 11 years at Vermont Bank and Trust Company, eight years with The Richards Group and two years with an Anheuser-Busch distributor. A past president of the Vermont Healthcare Human Resources Association and an active member of the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration and the Society of Human Resource Management, Heald lives in Hinsdale, N.H., with her husband Randy and their four-legged friend, Gus.
• Sabrina Duk of Stevens & Associates, P.C., of Brattleboro, recently earned her license to practice as a professional structural engineer in the state of California. Duk has more than five years of experience in design, construction and special inspections. She additionally has 10 years of experience working with Building Information Modeling Systems (BIM) primarily using Revit Structure. With a background in architectural engineering, she has an appreciation for architecture which lends itself to her attention to detail and coordination efforts. Duk's responsibilities at Stevens & Associates include project management, structural analysis, construction document production, structural investigations, and construction administration.
Obituaries
• Lt. Col. (ret.) C. Jay Baldwin, 62, of Brattleboro. Died June 4 in Alaska after he was struck by an aircraft propeller in a ground accident at the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park/Preserve. Husband of Sandra M. Baldwin for 33 years. Father of Robert J. Baldwin, Steve J. Baldwin, Jamie M. Geis, Kimberly Fierstos, and Mark Apuna. Brother of Scott D. Baldwin, Donna D. Berera, and Diane L. Post. Born in Brattleboro, he grew up in Dummerston, where he learned to hunt and fish. He graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1970, and received an appointment to the Air Force Academy, graduating with a degree in astronautical engineering. He earned a glider rating while at the Academy, did his flight training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas, where he became a much-loved T-37 and academics instructor. During his six years in the Air Force, he met the love of his life. The Baldwins got married in 1981 and decided to move to Great Falls, Mont., where the “Big Sky Country” provided him a place to play. He joined Montana Air National Guard and, for 15 years, he honed his fight skills on the T-33, F-106, and F-16. In 1989, Northwest Airlines hired him to fly their Boeing 727 and 747 airliners. Being an incredible husband and a loving father to five children, flying fighters, and holding down a full-time airline job, he still managed to explore the wilds of Montana and pass on his love of hunting and fishing to his kids. He opened his heart to the Lord and obeyed the gospel call with his family at Central Avenue Church of Christ. On retirement from the National Guard. he took his family north to Alaska. There, due to his desire to teach “Survival Flying,” he established Alaska's Cub Training Specialists, an instructional and touring business using his beloved PA-18 Super Cubs. In 2013, he retired from Northwest (now Delta Airlines), and dedicated his time to his true passion of teaching others to fly. His life was devoted to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He planted many seeds, living the life of a man dedicated to God. He joined the Valley Church of Christ family in Wasilla, Alaska, where he grew as well as mentored those around him. MEMORIAL INFORMATION: A celebration of his life was held in Wasilla, Alaska. Donations to the Valley Church of Christ building fund, in care of Robert Kuenning, at church@akvcoc.com.
• Jonathan Lee Bekoff, 56, of Greenfield, Mass. Died June 15 at home. Son of Julie Mazo of Florence, Mass., and Sy Bekoff of Delray Beach, Fla. Sister of Alisa Posesorski of Toronto, Canada. Born in Staten Island, N.Y., he was raised in Montreal, Canada. He also lived in Virginia, Oregon, and Vermont before settling in Greenfield in 1996. He attended the University of Oregon, and worked as a middle school mathematics teacher for 27 years, mostly in Guilford and Brattleboro. He played and collected African, Caribbean, and traditional American music, and loved the outdoors, Asian culture, books, and old movies. Memorial information: New England Funeral & Cremation Center of Springfield, Mass., (www.nefcc.net) is in charge of arrangements.
• Margaret Alice Thompson DiFredo, 98, of Ashville, N.C. Died Sept. 20, 2014 in Ashville. Wife of the late Pelligrino DiFredo. Former wife of the late Paul Thompson. Mother of Judith (Lawrence) Deiley of Boothbay, Maine; Trina (Steven) Janeczek of Bull Shoals, Ark.; and Thomas (Catriana) Thompson of Keene, N.H. Sister of Beatrice Allen of Bellows Falls, Gladys (Charles) Trombley of Broken Arrow, Okla., Russell (Marjory) Allen of Westminster, Jeanne Daisy French of Bellows Falls, and the late William, Walter, Raymond, Francis, and John Allen. Also survived by eight grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-granchildren. Born in Lynn, Mass., the second child of the late Herbert and Louise (Deslex) Allen, she spent most of her working life taking care of children and the elderly. She loved the Lord and she spread the Good News to anyone who would listen. Her favorite pastimes were working in a garden, especially if it contained flowers or raspberry bushes, playing Chinese checkers, collecting stamps, swimming, diving and keeping up with all her many friends. She was generous with her time and her belongings. Memorial information: A memorial service was held June 20 at the Christian Family Circle Church in Westminster. Donations to Charismatic Teaching Ministries (aka Charles Trombley Ministries), 293 W. Ithaca St., Broken Arrow, OK 74012-7930. Arrangements were handled by Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home of Bellows Falls.
• Norman E. Hadley, 99, of Jacksonville. Died June 14 at his home, following a lengthy period of declining health. Wife of the late Miriam (Morse) Hadley for 67 years. Father of Ronald and his wife, Elizabeth Hadley, of Norwood, Mass.; Alan and his wife, Isabelle Hadley, of Jacksonville; Candace and her husband, Charles Evans, of Farmington, Conn.; and the late Sandra Hadley. Brother of the late Robert Deckman. Born in Portland, Ore., at the age of 6, his family moved east, first to Reading, Mass., and then to Malden, Mass. He graduated from Malden High School in 1934, with aspirations to attend Massachusetts State College (today's UMass), majoring in agriculture. Due to the Great Depression, college was not possible; he worked a series of odd jobs at the Stuart Theater in Boston as an usher, his aunt's Inn in Jaffrey, N.H., and several dairy and chicken farms. By the time of the 1938 hurricane, he was working at Faulkner & Colony woolen mill in Keene, N.H. In Keene, he met his future wife on a blind date. They were married in 1940 and relocated to Jacksonville in 1943, where they lived on the Elliot C. Morse farm and helped with the dairy farm and milk route. He started learning the electrician's trade, but was called up to serve in the Army during World War II. He was stationed at Camp Hood, Texas, with the 2nd Armored Division. His wife joined him there in 1945 and 1946. Following his Army service, the Hadleys returned to Jacksonville, where they built the home where Norman resided for 69 years, raised a family of three children, and operated an electrical contracting business, Norman E. Hadley & Son, which is still continued by his son, Alan. He worked as the first electrician for Mount Snow, and for many other customers in the Deerfield Valley until he retired at the age of 85. He served his community in many capacities, including auditor, selectman, board of civil authority, and school director for the Town of Whitingham. He also served the Jacksonville Community Church as treasurer, moderator, Sunday School teacher, youth group leader, and was instrumental in the Sunday school building construction project. He was also very active with building maintenance issues for the church for many years. Norman's hobbies included growing a large garden, with potatoes, numerous vegetables, and raspberries. He also enjoyed maple sugaring; building and operating two successive sugarhouses. The Hadleys enjoyed traveling to such destinations as Florida, California, Oregon, Utah, and Illinois. He was an avid reader, especially of newspapers and magazines, and was very knowledgeable about current events on local, national, and international levels. Always willing to help friends and neighbors, he plowed snow for the neighborhood for many years with a succession of tractors and trucks. Always devoted to his family, he frequently helped with their home construction and maintenance projects. He especially enjoyed the many times he and his family spent together. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held at the Jacksonville Community Church on Saturday, June 27, at 10 a.m. A time of fellowship and refreshment will follow in the Sunday school building of the church. Calling hours will be held at the Covey Allen & Shea Family Funeral Home, 44 East Main St., Wilmington, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 26. Donations to the Jacksonville Community Church or Bayada Hospice, in care of the funeral home.
• Mary Patricia Karis, 57, of Brattleboro. Died June 11 at her home from metastasized breast cancer. Former wife of Michael Jaro. Mother of Kobi and Daniel Jaro. Twin sister of Terri Karis. Born in Ladysmith, Wis., the oldest of eight children, she grew up in Menomonie, Wis. She earned a B.S. in recreation, park and leisure studies from the University of Minnesota in 1984 and then worked in wilderness programs in southern Illinois, northern Minnesota and several Western states before moving east to become an Outward Bound instructor in Maine and the Boston area. Her interest in spiritual and emotional growth led her to the Omega Institute, where she was on staff for several years, and to receiving a certificate from the Institute of Core Energetics after completing five years of training in body-oriented psychotherapy. She served as executive director of Animas Valley Institute in Durango, Colo., from 2005 to 2008. At AVI, she had the opportunity to combine her love of the embodied spiritual life with her love of nature. Her final period of work was in administration at the Marlboro College Graduate School in Brattleboro. She excelled at coordinating and organizing people and systems, and helped support the creation of a strong positive learning environment for students, faculty, and staff. Her passion throughout her life was conscious embodiment, and she viewed herself as an apprentice to the wisdom of the body. She will be remembered as a loving and devoted mother, and for being a compassionate, sensitive and perceptive woman of depth and creativity. Memorial information: A memorial celebration and potluck was held June 21 at the Friends Meeting House in Putney.
• Charles Jay “Chuck” Larson, 81, of Middlebury. Died at the Addison Respite Care Home located in the Porter Medical Center in Middlebury. Husband of the late Audrey (Strickland) Larson, the late Mary Louise Simane, and the late Althea McBean. Father of Robin Larson and David Larson and his wife, Judith. Stepfather of Paul and Janice Ballou, Mary Beth and Philip Drumheller, and Kristin and Bill Benton. Brother of Harold and Bill Larson. Born in Middletown, Conn., he graduated from Portland (Conn.) High School in 1944. After serving in the Air Force Reserve from December 1944 to July 1946, he attended the University of Connecticut where he graduated with a degree in Animal Science. He then earned an M.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1949. He returned to work on his family's dairy farm for a short time before beginning an illustrious career with the Holstein-Friesian Association in Brattleboro from 1950 to 1979. After serving as its Executive Director, he joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture where he served in both Poland (1979-1982) and Venezuela (1982-1984) as an agricultural trade officer. From 1984 to 1987, he was the CEO of a export company that facilitated opening many foreign markets to domestic livestock producers. Memorial information: A funeral service was held June 19 at Addison Community Baptist Church. Donations to Addison Respite Care Home at Porter Medical Center, 115 Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT 05753.
• Ruth A. Marine, 96, of Brattleboro. Died June 15 at Thompson House, following a period of declining health. Wife of the late Harold F. “Fred” Marine for 42 years. Mother of David Marine and his wife, Denise, of Holden, Mass., and the late Lynda Ann Moore. Born in Brattleboro, the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Manning) Staples, she was raised in Brattleboro. She attended St. Michael's Parochial School and was a graduate of St. Michael's High School, Class of 1939. She worked in the dietary department at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, which she retired from in 2002 following over 28 years of faithful and devoted service at BMH. Previously, she had been employed for Trico Vending and in the cafeteria at Brattleboro Union High School. In her earlier years, she worked for Bud Stebbins at the former Tom Thumb Snack Shop on Main Street. She was known for her spirit of friendship and pleasant personality. A woman of faith, she was a lifelong communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. She enjoyed taking bus trips, visiting with her friends, and time shared with her family. She especially enjoyed her home on Edward Heights, where she resided for 62 years. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was held on June 18, with committal rites and burial in St. Michael's Parish Cemetery. Donations to St. Michael's School, 48 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301, Attn: Elaine Beam, Principal, or to the Thompson House Nursing Home Activities Fund, 80 Maple St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. Arrangements were handled by Atamaniuk Funeral Home.
• James L. Nicholson III, 66, formerly of Brattleboro. Died May 18 in Taunton, Mass. He was born and raised in Revere, Mass., the son of Elizabeth A. and James Nicholson Jr. Following his graduation from Revere High School, he served four years in the Navy before beginning his career as a boilermaker, following in his father's footsteps. He lived most of his adult life in Brattleboro, where he and his second wife, Diane (Hastings) Nicholson, raised their three children until her death in 1997, when he returned to Massachusetts. In 2000, James remarried and settled in Taunton. He is survived by his wife of 15 years, three children and two step-children. He had three brothers and a sister, in addition to several nieces and nephews. Memorial information: Funeral arrangements were at the discretion of the family.
• Frederick J. Supprise Sr., 69, of Brattleboro. Died June 11 at the Samuel Elliot Apartments, where he lived for the past 10 years. He is survived by his spouse, Victor P. Monette, daughter Darlene, son Todd, niece Nellie and her husband Sam, cousins Sam and Pat Clement, and close friends Beverly Hanson, Frank and Jenny Palmer, Paul and Sue Hitchcock, and Laura Lake. Born in Brattleboro, he attended Brattleboro Union High School. He was active in the Samuel Elliot Association and helped many tenants with transportation, shopping, and doctor appointments. Memorial information: Funeral services were private for the family, and handled by Ker-Westerlund Funeral Home of Brattleboro. He would ask that he be remembered with a smile and laughter, and to say a 'Hail Mary' for him.
• Anthony “Tony” Woodward, 40, of Brattleboro. Died May 9. Son of Sandra (Coughlin) Woodward and the late George Wilder. Brother of Willard Woodward of Springfield, Vt., David Freckleton of West Brattleboro and Ava Maria Woodward Monette of Dummerston. Best friend of Paul Kickery Sr. of Brattleboro. Memorial information: A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m., at First Baptist Church, Main Street, Brattleboro, followed by burial in Morningside Cemetery. A reception will be held afterwards at the church.