College news
• The following local students were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at the University of Vermont: Alyssa Cote of Bellows Falls, Simon Bupp-Chickering of Saxtons River, Eleanor Guyon of Saxtons River, Zoe Schemm of Saxtons River, Zachary Streeter of Westminster, Eve Pomazi of Brattleboro, John Sawyer Shaw of Brattleboro, Sophie Zimmerman of Guilford, Alexander Bocech of East Dover, Ryan Borgesen of Newfane, Anya Alden of Putney, Eben Collins of Putney, Baxter Cragin of Putney, Jon Spanierman of Putney, Alana Redden of South Newfane, Emily Stockwell of Townshend, Mya Petrie of Vernon, Kyla Lavoy of Wilmington, Elizabeth Adams of West Townshend, Kai Ling Boyd of Wilmington, Magnolia Penkoff of South Londonderry, Jacquelyn Nutter of South Londonderry, Kyra Johnston of Brattleboro, Honour Solari of Guilford, Nina Singleton-Spencer of Newfane, Olivia Reilly of West Townshend, Caleb Thibault of Williamsville, and Caitlin Hunt of Wilmington.
• Ellis Oliver of West Marlboro was named to the Dean's List at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., for the fall 2018 semester.
• Thomas Carroll and Tyler Godin, both of Vernon, were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at Curry College in Milton, Mass.
• Sanderson Kemp of East Dover and Preston Stachelek of Stratton were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at the University of Rhode Island.
• The following local students were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine: Anthony Meuller of Bellows Falls, Bridget Duff of Brattleboro, Kaleigh Orsucci of Grafton, and Quinn Lawrence of Saxtons River.
• Catherine Sikes of Londonderry and Allison Buckley of Bratttleboro were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at Dean College in Franklin, Mass.
• Todd Beyer of Stratton and Nathaniel Tyler of Brattleboro were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.
• Chad Bernard of Jacksonville, a member of the class of 2021 majoring in nursing; Alexandra Harris of Bellows Falls, a member of the class of 2019 majoring in sociology; and Olivia Hoos of West Wardsboro, a member of the class of 2022, all were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H.
• Caleb Paasche, a member of the class of 2020 from Guilford, was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2018 semester at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.
Obituaries
• Robert M. Campbell, 99, of Saxtons River. Died Dec. 23, 2018, just seven weeks shy of his 100th birthday. Despite some mobility issues, he remained fully engaged with the world and his family until just before his death. He was a former Director of Development, Trustee, and Trustee Emeritus at Vermont Academy; he started the first commercial film company in Vermont in 1956. resurrected the Saxtons River Inn in 1974; was a former trustee of The Grammar School in Putney, was a summer resident of Wellfleet, Mass., and a talented sailboat racer, and was a generous supporter of Main Street Arts in Saxtons River. He did all this while being father to 11 children. He was born Feb. 16, 1919 in Brewer, Maine, the only child of Percy Anderson and Ada Mosher Campbell. His father, a native of Litchfield, N.H., was a professor of animal industry at the University of Maine and, shortly after Bob's birth, he took the job of managing Wawa dairy farms in Wawa, Pa. When his father accepted the position as head of feed research at Eastern States Farmers' Exchange, the family moved to Springfield, Mass., where Bob enrolled in Classical High School. A decision to attend Vermont Academy in Saxtons River for his senior year became, in retrospect, a defining turn in his life. He graduated in the Class of 1937 and was accepted to Dartmouth College. Once, returning to school, he and his father set out for Hanover, N.H., they had no idea they were about to be chased up Route 5 by the Hurricane of '38. He recalled arriving at the Common in Hanover to witness undergraduates cheering as each mighty elm slowly succumbed to wind and gravity. He remembered his Dartmouth years with great affection (and thought, many years later, that coeducation was a good thing); he made important lasting friendships and began his interest in photography and film. They were also tumultuous years. A serious illness led to the removal of one kidney and a missed semester. The attack on Pearl Harbor put the college on war footing with year-round classes. So, in 1942, he graduated with both an undergraduate degree and a Masters from the Tuck School of Business. Rejected by both the Navy and Army for medical reasons, he spent the rest of the war years working for Remington Firearms in Bridgeport, Conn. While working in Bridgeport, he met Mary Elizabeth Miller. As the war ended they married and moved to Manhattan, where he worked for Willard pictures, an industrial film company. In 1948, when Vermont Academy offered him the job of Director of Development he returned to Saxtons River with his wife Beth and two children in tow: Robert Jr. and Elizabeth. By 1953, there were five more: Averill, Michael, Peter, Sean, and Margaret. To support his growing family, he took advantage of his New York contacts and began doing freelance film work. In 1956 he turned his part-time filmmaking into a full time occupation. Campbell Films specialized in producing films that supported nonprofit organizations, chiefly schools and colleges. Clients included Dartmouth, MIT, Amherst College, Williams College, Middlebury College, Spelman College, the University of Vermont, and Syracuse University. He was particularly proud of the many films he produced for Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass. His film, The Anne Sullivan Story, about Helen Keller's teacher at Perkins School was a notable film. It was perhaps his favorite, though other films made for Perkins including The Children of The Silent Night were award-winning productions. In 1963 he purchased the Forristal farm at the edge of Saxtons River and worked out of a corner office there, surrounded by the Vermont that had become his home. The addition of Charles, William, Sarah and Matthew brought the total of children to 11. He now had a growing pool of labor and was not afraid to use it. Children were enlisted in various enterprises and property maintenance. They became ditch diggers for water lines, cottage cleaners, toilet fixers, boat maintainers, house and barn painters, production assistants, envelope stuffers, fence builders, hay stackers and, eventually, Christmas tree planters and harvesters. Perhaps his most famous family saying was “be part of the group!” He was always interested in bringing a child back to the fold and eager to come up with new ventures to accomplish that. The Saxtons River Inn could be considered his most successful. In 1973, he purchased the Inn which had become a somewhat derelict private residence in the center of town. He had a chef in his daughter, Averill, and a decorator in his wife, Beth. Others were put to work scraping, painting, and papering. The New York Times gave it flattering coverage and wrote that “it was a kind of super barn raising that lasted a year with the family, townspeople, weekend friends and relatives pitching in.” Its restoration gave the town a new focal point and it became known as a place where patrons from every walk of life gathered. Bob and Beth Campbell were both keenly interested in assuring that Saxtons River was a vital and viable small village and were generous to its causes. They both quietly helped a number of families in their moments of need or opportunity. He loved being sought after for advice and wasn't afraid to say, “you know what you should do.” After a marriage of 71 years, Beth Campbell died in November 2016. Bob was determined to live to 100 and had aspirations to get to 107. He came close. He was determined to live in his own home until the end and, thanks to family and caregivers, he achieved that. Bob Campbell is survived by his 11 children, 12 grandchildren, and six-great grandchildren. Memorial information: There will be a remembrance and memorial service on Feb. 16, at 2 p.m., at the Saxtons River Inn, in Saxtons River. Donations to The Bob and Beth Campbell Art Fund, Vermont Academy, P.O. Box 500, Saxtons River, VT 05154.
• Joyce Jefts, 93, of Springfield, Vt. Died Dec. 24, 2018 at her home. She was born May 5, 1925, in Jamaica, the daughter of Merton and Mildred (Marden) Perry. She graduated from Leland & Gray Seminary in Townshend. In 1956, she married Robert Jefts in Jamaica. She worked at Townshend Furniture building chairs and was employed as a medical secretary in the office of Dr. Smith in Springfield for many years. She was a member of First Congregational Church in Springfield. She enjoyed walking, cross-country skiing, swimming and riding her bicycle. Survivors include her daughter, Melanie Childs, of Springfield, several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert; son, Gary Jefts; and brother, Bud Perry. Memorial information: A graveside service will be held Sunday, May 5, at 11 a.m., in Oakland Cemetery in Springfield. Donations to Springfield Humane Society, 401 Skitchewaug Trail, Springfield, VT 05156.
• Dennis C. O'Brien, 76, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Jan. 6, 2019 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H., after a long battle with cancer. He was born on April 7, 1942, the son of Edward and Beatrice O'Brien of Detroit, Mich. He was raised in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., after the death of his parents. Shortly after, he went off to explore America as a jakey bum and hobo on the train tracks. He was a delightful fellow and natural storyteller of his tall tales. He loved telling stories and embellishing them. Dennis was a Friend of Bill's and helped many people. He was passionate about his program of recovery and touched many lives during his 35 years of sobriety. He enjoyed camping, whittling, fixing watches, and spending time with his family and close friends. He served in the Navy in his early 20s as a hospital corpsman and was honorably discharged. He worked as a painter in the local area for many years, and retired from the Brattleboro Retreat as a mental health worker. He was predeceased by his parents, Edward and Beatrice O'Brien; his previous wife, Patricia Springer; and a grandson. He is survived by his children: Roland O'Brien and wife, Theda, Dennis O'Brien, and Polly O'Brien-Harrington, all of Hoosick Falls, and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his wife of 30 years, Anne O'Brien of Hinsdale, his stepson, Michael Monette of Brattleboro; stepdaughter Jennifer Monette of Bellows Falls, and six step-grandchildren. Memorial information: There will be a celebration of life for Dennis at Centre Congregational Church on Main Street in Brattleboro on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 11:30 a.m.
• James Werle Wycoff, 74, of Vernon. Died Jan. 6, 2019 in Vernon. He was born on July 8, 1944 in Orange, N.J., to Alfred and Marion Wycoff. He married Melanie Wycoff in 1971. After relocating several times, Jim and Melanie moved to Vernon in 1987 to raise their family. He is survived by his wife; his three children, Amanda Howe, James Wycoff, and Melissa Satera; and three granddaughters (with a fourth granddaughter set to arrive this month). Cherished surviving relatives also include his sister-in-law, H. Elizabeth Wycoff, and a nephew, Geoffrey Wycoff. Memorial information: A private memorial will be held with immediate family. Donations to 4PawLuv at 4pawluv.org.