College news
• The following local students at the Community College of Vermont earned associate degrees at the College's 50th commencement on June 3: Andrea G. Given-Vanleeuwen and Matthew A. Morrill of Bellows Falls; Gloria J. Anderson, Mary D. Baker, Cheryl-Ann E. Caldwell-Lahue, Lisa A. Fricke, Bradley Henry, Mary E. Muscari, Eli L. Roberts, Stevie-Tao M. Roberts, Sherianne Stewart, and Leila M. Stone of Brattleboro; Yuri E. Harris of Guilford; Felicia-Jean L. Bowen of Londonderry; Sara E. Whittemore of Marlboro; Eve H. Fritz and Sandy A. Sherman of Newfane; Jacob D. Gauthier, Jeremy M. Kilburn, and Melanie D. White of Putney; Amanda Mae N. Desmarais and Alicia M. Thomas of Saxtons River; Gary B. Grout of South Londonderry; Megan A. LaFlam of Vernon; Erin E. Caldwell of West Halifax; and Allison K. Mazza of Wilmington.
• Elise Huntley of Wilmington earned a B.A. in history and psychology at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan.
• Molly Goodhue of Brattleboro graduated cum laude with a B.A. in liberal studies and elementary education during Emmanuel College's 95th Commencement on May 15 in Boston.
• Lisa Moulton of Whitingham graduated with an M.S. in nursing (family nurse practitioner) from Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.
• Corey Andrews of Brattleboro received a B.A. degree at the May 21 Commencement ceremony at Curry College in Milton, Mass.
• Max Cramp of Williamsville was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2017 semester at Curry College in Milton, Mass.
• Genevieve Pennington-Fitzgerald of Putney was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2017 semester at Springfield (Mass.) College. Pennington-Fitzgerald is studying applied exercise science.
• Connor Tripp of Vernon, a design major at Northeastern University in Boston, was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2017 semester.
• The following local students were named to the Dean's List at Norwich University for the spring 2017 semester: Kidane Zacchary Hypolite of Brattleboro. James Ryan Vinci of Dummerston, Malaysia Ann Goodnow of Vernon, and Arianna Nicole Harrison of Vernon.
• Gabriel Lurz of Brattleboro and Alexandria Reinertson of Whitingham were both named to the Dean's List for the spring 2017 semester at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.
• Caleb Paasche, a member of the Class of 2020 from Guilford, was named to the Dean's List at Bucknell University during the spring 2017 semester.
School news
• The following local students were among the 200 students who graduated May 21 from Northfield Mount Hermon School: Isabelle Magbie of Brattleboro, Eve Pomazi of Brattleboro, Nevada Powers of Brattleboro, Diego Torres of Brattleboro, and Ethan Paasche of Guilford.
Transitions
• Kathryn Inskeep has joined the School for International Training (SIT) as Associate Dean of Assessment and Learning Support. Inskeep comes to SIT from Kean University in New Jersey, where she was director of the Writing Center and an English Department instructor. She holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in English from Drew University, and a B.A. in English from Brigham Young University. At SIT, Inskeep will oversee the office of the registrar, the Donald B. Watt Memorial Library, the Language and Culture Department, assessment, online learning and all activities related to New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation.
Obituaries
• Michael C. “Mike the Barber” Aldrich, 76, of Rockingham. Died May 26 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. He was born March 29, 1941 in Walpole, N.H., the son of Felix and Eileene (Cutler) Aldrich. He attended schools in Walpole, N.H and held a barber's certificate. He formerly worked at Princess Shoe in Keene, N.H., at area paper mills, and in construction, but he was best known for operating Mike's Barber Shop in Bellows Falls. He's been a barber since 1960. He was a member of the Bellows Falls Elks Club, the American Legion and the Polish-American Club, all in Bellows Falls. He enjoyed playing cards, and hunting and fishing. In 2000, he Married Kathleen Chickering Aldrich who survives. He is also survived by his son, Christopher Aldrich and wife Mary Rose of Claremont, N.H. his daughter, Margaret Aldrich of No. Walpole, N.H. two brothers, Ronald Aldrich, John Aldrich and wife Sherry all of Walpole, N.H., one sister Judy Saenz of Charlotte, N.C., two grandchildren Eileen Fletcher of North Walpole, N.H. and Riley Fletcher of Walpole N.H. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews . Mike was predeceased by his parents and a brother, Francis (Buck) Payne. Memorial information: A funeral service was held June 1 at Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls.
• Gerald L. “Gerry” Fortier, 74, of Vernon, and a former resident of Guilford for 24 years. Died May 25 at his home following a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Hartford, Conn., on Jan. 24, 1943, the son of George and Alice (Bradway) Fortier, he was raised in East Hartford, where he attended public schools and was a graduate of East Hartford High School, Class of 1961. He went on to earn his associate's degree in purchasing from LaSalle University in Chicago. A proud veteran of the Vietnam War, he served his country with distinction in the Air Force. Following his honorable discharge from active service, he returned home and went to work for Pratt & Whitney and later was employed at Hamilton-Standard. In his earlier years, he worked for the Royal Typewriter Company in Hartford. Following his retirement, he worked on a part-time basis as an independent agent for Texas Refinery Corporation, selling lubricants and oils to the automotive industry in the tri-state area. He held membership in the B.P.O. Elks, Brattleboro Lodge #1499, was a life member of AMVets, and was a member of the American Legion Post 5 in Brattleboro, where he was active with the color guard and memorial unit. In 1983, he married Lucie Galarneau, who survives. With his wife, he attended the Asbury United Methodist Church in Chesterfield, N.H. Besides his wife of 33 years, he leaves one son, Gerald L. Fortier II (Pauline) of Tolland, Conn.; two daughters, Jeanette Herrmann of Four Oaks, N.C. and Anita Fortier of Sidney, Maine; one stepdaughter, Carrie Gebhart (Tony) of South Windsor, Conn.; one sister, Phyllis Mibeck of San Diego; sisters- and brothers-in-law Rona Jennings of Jamestown, N.Y., Shirley Fortier, Enfield, Conn., Gaston and Monique Jacques of East Hartford, and Richard & Laurie Galarneau of Manchester, Conn.; an aunt, Mary Lou Fortier of South Deerfield, Mass.; and 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Additionally, he is survived by many nieces and nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents and two brothers, George Fortier and Richard Jennings. Memorial information: Services will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church in Chesterfield, N.H., on Saturday, June 10, at noon, with visitation at 11 a.m. Following the service, there will be a reception at the American Legion. Burial will be on June 13, at 9 a.m., at the Vermont Veterans Cemetery in Randolph. Donations to Asbury United Methodist Church Building Renovation Fund, 532 Route 63, P.O. Box 148, Chesterfield, NH 03443-0148. To send messages of condolence, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Norma F. Gilman, 89, of Brattleboro. Died last month at her home. She is survived by her children, Ernest J Gilman and his wife, Debbie, of Florida, Kandace G. James of Westminster, Doreen Ponton and her husband, James, of Brattleboro, Bruce C. Gilman and his girlfriend, Karen Mockler, of Vernon, and Christine Durant and her husband, Scott, of Westminster; and four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest J. Gilman, her daughter Louisa, and son-in-law George P. James Jr. Born in Hancock, N.H., she loved to swim. She was a mother and housewife for many years. When she became a widow, she went to work for Vermont National Bank and raised her children alone. She loved to sew and became interested in crafts. She started to do craft fairs with her daughters, and became well known as “The Pot Holder Lady.” She was a blood donor and volunteered at the Senior Center. She also was an auxiliary member of the American Legion and VFW. Memorial information: No service information provided. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302.
• Neil Warren Hale, 75, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died May 26. He was born on June 14, 1941, in Bernardston, Mass., the son of the late Warren Marshall Hale and Madelene Gertrude Hale. He attended schools in Turners Falls, Mass., and joined the Navy in 1958. He served until 1965. He was later employed by Northfield Sand and Gravel/Lane Construction for 34 years. He loved spending time with his family, and enjoyed woodworking, his many hunting trips with his sons and close family friends, fishing, and watching NASCAR, the Patriots, and the Red Sox. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 35 years, Ruth Ann (Jennings) Hale; his children Lynn Parker, Stacey Hale Webster, Brian Hale, William Dean Hadden, Deborah Hrabovsky, James Hadden, and Carolyn Hadden; siblings Noreen Martin, Emelene St. Jean, Edgar (Bim) Collis, Marlene Collis, and Charlene Farris; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 10, from noon to 4 p.m., at The Elks Club on Putney Road in Brattleboro.
• Alicia Kelly, 74, of Bellows Falls. Died May 25. Born in Quincy, Mass., on June 14, 1942, daughter of George and Delphine (Wrye) Boyd, she was an Ada Comstock Scholar and graduate of Smith College. She worked as a companion with Senior Solutions, and as a children's librarian. She was a member of the Bellows Falls Woman's Club and the Saxtons River Nature Club, and was a supporter of Main Street Arts. Art and creativity were her passion. She is survived by her son, Timothy Kelly, of South Hadley, Mass.; her daughters Joanne Kelly and Tom Fuschetto of Marlow, N.H., Christine Kelly Terena of Bellows Falls, Michelle Kelly and Wesley North of Savannah, Ga., and Mary Kelly and Greg Kaiser of Menlo Park, Calif.; her brothers Roger Boyd and Jean Marie of Norton, Mass., Philip Boyd of Florida, and Joseph Boyd and Anne of Woodstock; and four grandchildren. Memorial information: Calling hours are Saturday, June 17, from noon to 2 p.m. at Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls. Donations to the Friends of the Rockingham Library would be appreciated. Donations can be made online at rockinghamlibrary.org/fol.html.
• Nina Hobbs Singleton, 73, of Brattleboro. Died May 15 at Thompson House in Brattleboro, due to complications from Alzheimer's Disease. She was born on June 18, 1943, in Gainesville, Fla., to her beloved parents, Georgia and Horton H. Hobbs, Jr. She lived in Charlottesville, Va. for 17 years, and attended Queens College in Charlotte and George Washington University. In 1963, she married Tom Singleton, her high school sweetheart, whom she met when she was 13. The Singletons lived in Hessigheim, Germany, Simsbury, Conn., then Ardmore, Pa. where Tom worked in banking and Nina worked for 20 years in management at CIGNA. She retired to Cape May Point, N.J. in 1998 to dedicate her energies to her family, especially her grandchildren. Every summer, she arranged her schedule so that she had a week for each of her six grandchildren at the beach. In addition to enjoying the beach, she devoted her time to community involvement and friends. Named class wit by her high school graduating class, she maintained a sharp sense of humor and insatiable curiosity. She was a voracious reader, often reading a book a day. A woman of many talents, she pursued an array of interests through the years, including gardening, macrobiotic cooking, birding, and genealogy. She lovingly knitted many hats, blankets, sweaters, and mittens for her grandchildren. Her lifetime membership with the New Jersey Audubon Society reflects her love of birds and other creatures and her concern for environmental protection. Throughout her life, she enjoyed cooking for others. Ever a generous caretaker, she nursed several friends and family members through serious illnesses and hard times. In Cape May Point, she was very active in meditation and led a meditation group in her home. In 2012, she moved with her husband to Brattleboro to be closer to family. She is survived by her husband; son and daughter-in-law, Rhine Singleton and April Claggett of Dublin, N.H.; daughter and son-in-law Stephanie and Randy Gaboriault of Media, Pa.; daughter Lyssa Singleton of Newfane; and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Horton H. Hobbs III. Memorial information: A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, June 30, at 2:30 p.m. at the Stone Church, 210 Main Street, Brattleboro. A reception will follow. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601 or www.alz.org.
Services
• A memorial service for Walter P. Magoon of Bondville, who died on March 13, 2017, will be held on Saturday, June 10, at 1 p.m., at Bondville Cemetery.
• A memorial service for Wendi Lynn (Boudreau) Mackin of Erving, Mass., who died Feb. 1, 2007, will be conducted Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m., at Guilford Community Church. A reception in the church fellowship hall will follow the services.
• Graveside committal services with full military honors for Francis C. “Bud” Rau of Hinsdale, N.H., who died Dec. 3, 2016, will be conducted Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m., in Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Hinsdale.
• Committal rites and burial for Dorothy Gilson Morris Mudd, who died Dec. 1, 2016, will be held Saturday, June 17, at 3 p.m., in West Hill Cemetery in Putney. A gathering will follow at The Gleanery, also in Putney. Contact Karen Ioffredo at 703-891-3707, 703-801-0275 or kli@rlmcpa.com for further details.
• The family of Ralph Coleman, who died Nov. 27, 2016, invite friends and family to a celebration of his life at the Rafters Barn, 180 Derrybrook Road, Rawsonville, on Sunday, June 25, at noon. Per Ralph's wishes, this will be a casual service including his favorite country music and stories and remembrances from his friends. A potluck meal with follow. Bring your favorite dish and memories of Ralph to share.