Obituaries
• William Joseph Bushey III, 36, of Brattleboro. Died unexpectedly on Nov. 13, 2019. He was a lifetime resident of the Brattleboro area. Memorial information: A memorial service was held Nov. 23 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro. His full obituary will be published in a future edition of The Commons. Arrangements were handled by Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Robert E. “Bob” Colburn Sr., 83, of Brattleboro. Died on Nov. 14, 2019 at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, following a brief illness. Bob was born in Brattleboro on Nov. 11, 1936, the son of Delbert “Del” and Elizabeth (Manley) Colburn. He was raised and educated in Brattleboro, graduating from Brattleboro Union High School in 1954. He was schooled in Emmaus, Pa., for servicing and installation of oil burners. Bob was an oil burner technician for many years for oil companies and his own residential heating business in and around Brattleboro. He served his country in the National Guard and during the 1961 “Berlin Crisis,” his unit was activated but the crisis was averted before they were sent overseas. Bob was married to Orella Ferne Woodley for 63 years and they made their home in Springfield, Vt., and Chesterfield, N.H., as well as Brattleboro when they acquired the Manley home and raised their two sons Robert “Rob” Colburn Jr. and Wayne E. Colburn. They enjoyed family vacations to the coast of Maine which always included a visit to Nubble Light. Bob was predeceased by his parents, his son Wayne, and also several aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is survived by his wife, his son Rob, and his grandchildren, Dustin and Wade Colburn. Additionally, he leaves a sister, Diane Colburn, and sisters- and brothers-in-law and nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and cousins. Bob was a longtime member of the B.P.O. Elks, Brattleboro Lodge 1499, American Legion Post 5, and the Brattleboro Historical Society. Memorial information: There will be no calling hours. Following cremation, the family will gather at a later date at Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery where he will be buried in the family plot. Donations to Bayada Hospice, 1222 Putney Rd., Suite #203, Brattleboro, VT 05301, or to the Brattleboro Historical Society, 230 Main St., Suite #301, Brattleboro, VT 05301. Arrangements are in the care of Atamaniuk Funeral Home of Brattleboro.
• Jay C. Golden, 69, of Springfield, Vt. Died Nov. 12, 2019 at Mt. Ascutney Hospital in Windsor. He was born March 20, 1950 in Bellows Falls, the son of Cecil H. ”Jack” and Treva (Holden) Golden. He attended Chester schools, and graduated from Randolph Technical High School in 1968. He served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. In 1989, he married Susan A. Martin and they made their home in North Springfield. Jay was Operations Manager for the Randolph Solid Waste Program, and later was Operations Manager and Truck Driver for Browning-Ferris Industries for many years. He was also a driver for Greg Chico Trucking in Chester. Jay was a member and Past Commander of American Legion Post 67 in Chester. He is survived by his wife, Susan; two sons, Charles Golden (Michelle) of Andover, and Zachary Golden of Burlington; two stepchildren; Brad Aubin (Kristin) of Springfield, and Heather Stewart of North Springfield; four grandchildren; Jayda, Vaylyn, Brenden, and Jenna; two sisters; Wanda Eubank of Andover, and Lani Williams of St. George, S.C., and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother, Wayne Golden. Memorial information: A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date. Donations to Visiting Nurse Association/Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, P.O. Box 881, Brattleboro, VT 05302. Davis Memorial Chapel of Springfield is assisting with arrangements.
• David Edward “Dave” Kuhnert, 78, of Wilmington. Died Nov. 13, 2019, at Southwest Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, surrounded by his wife of 56 years, Ginny Kuhnert, and their three children. He was born in Syracuse, N.Y., on July 23, 1941, to Lester and Anne Kuhnert, the oldest of two sons. Dave turned 78 this summer but, up until last year, he could out-ski men half his age, and he would have been the first to tell you so. He was first introduced to skiing by family friends in the tight-knit community of Dewitt, N.Y., where he grew up. When he reflected on his childhood, he often talked about the adults - parents of friends and his Boy Scout leader - who exposed him to his life-long passions of hiking, camping, and skiing. He felt deep gratitude to these neighbors and mentors who shaped his life in many ways. After graduating from Jamesville-Dewitt High School, he attended Allegheny College in western Pennsylvania. He met his future wife, Ginny, during freshman orientation. Dave loved to tell the story of the day he first set eyes on Ginny in the college cafeteria, when he announced to his football buddies that he was going to sit next to “her.” And that's what he did. The two dated throughout college and were married the week after graduation, in 1963. Dave and Ginny spent their first few years of marriage in Spangdahlem, Germany, where Dave was stationed in the Air Force. They returned to the U.S. in 1966 and lived briefly in Oklahoma and Boston before settling in HoHoKus, N.J., where they raised their three children, Jim, Bill, and Suzanne. Dave, being the “people person” that he was, made a career in executive public relations, working for a number of companies in the tri-state area, while continuing his service in the Air Force Reserve, eventually retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was proud to be an area recruiter for the Air Force Academy and, during Desert Storm, he worked in Manhattan for the Secretary of the Air Force where he played a significant role in planning the 1991 Ticker Tape Parade on Broadway. He was a devoted father who, from the moment his children were old enough to strap on a pair of skis or carry a backpack, brought them on weekend adventures in the Catskills and Adirondacks, where he loved to camp, fish, and hike. After retirement, Dave and Ginny moved to Wilmington, where Dave began a second career as a ski instructor at Haystack Mountain and, for the past many years, Mount Snow. Anyone who had the opportunity to ski with Dave, or simply talk with him about skiing, knows that skiing was his greatest passion. He loved everything about it: discovering new techniques, seeing someone improve their own technique by making one simple adjustment “that changed the whole thing,” and the feeling and freedom of being on skis. But when we once asked him what he enjoyed most about the sport, his eyes lit up as he said: “That you can always get better.” Dave also loved the friends he made on the ski hill, namely, the community of ski instructors at Mount Snow. He was also devoted to his tennis group that met at Apple Hill in the summer. He was a prolific woodcarver who created and shared, over the past three decades, hundreds of caricatures, with a special affinity for Santa Claus. He also loved playing the piano, boating on Harriman Reservoir, and spending time with his six grandchildren. Even though he wasn't a person who outwardly showed his emotions, his love for his family was deeply felt and they say it's hard to imagine life without his steady, upbeat presence. Dave loved to tell stories, about his own life and the people he met along the way. Even though he was quite a talker, there are many things he never shared with words that were passed to those watching the way he lived. Dave was curious; he loved to learn, meet new people, and discover new things. During a time of life when many people slow down, Dave got more involved. After Dave and Ginny moved to Vermont, he joined the tennis group, helped publish several editions of the Deerfield Valley Uncovered calendar, served on the Wilmington Design Review Board, and became an avid kayaker. When it became harder and harder to spend time on the ski hill, he focused on improving his carving and piano technique. And most recently, as he became less mobile, he re-discovered a childhood interest in stamp collecting. He spent more time thinking about what he “could do” than what he couldn't. Memorial information: At his request, because he wasn't much of a funeral-goer himself, the family will not be holding a public service. To honor his memory, he'd suggest grabbing your skis and making a day of it. Or consider making a Memorial Contribution to the Mount Snow Adaptive Ski Program at www.adaptiveatsnow.org, as this was to be his next adventure.
• Junellen (Hawthorne) Lott, 93, of Newfane. Died peacefully on Nov. 13, 2019. Born May 5, 1926 in Glen Ridge, N.J., the only child of Junior and Ellen (Edland) Hawthorne, she spent a happy childhood in New Jersey, spending summers swimming at Indian Lake. After high school, Junellen became a Powers model in New York City, and bought her parents a 600-acre farm on what is now Lost Mile Road in Newfane. One winter, photographer Andre de Dienes shot a cover story for Parade magazine at the Hawthorne Farm which included Junellen shining boots and walking her beloved horse, Lady Dundee. While serving in the war, her future husband, Norman Lott, saw one of her magazine covers, and told his fellow soldiers, “When I get home, I'm going to marry that girl.” They got married in 1946 and together they raised four children in Essex Fells, N.J., spending every school holiday at her parents' farm. In the mid-1960s, the family purchased Townshend Furniture Company and moved to southern Vermont. While running Townshend Furniture, Junellen slowly incorporated the antiques she acquired at flea markets and auctions into the showroom, eventually opening Harmonyville Antiques. In the 1980s, Norm and Junellen started spending their winters in the Florida Keys, where they spent their time playing golf, fishing on their boat and spending time with their friends. Later in life, Junellen became a Bridge Grand Master, played a mean game of Blackjack and practiced yoga. She was always quick with a quip, loved to laugh and was up for any adventure. She is survived by her daughter, Junellen Clausheide of Montague, Prince Edward Island, her daughter-in-law Susan Lott of Newfane, her grandsons Adam and Ryan VanIderstine, Jared Tarbell, Kailen and Brenton Lott, and Jesse Calusheide, her granddaughter Ellenka Wasung-Lott, five great-grandchildren, and one great great-grandson. She was predeceased by the love of her life, her husband Norm; her sons Howard and Steven, her daughter Randi, and her grandson Jamis. Memorial information: None provided.
• Ruth P. Stevens, 100, of Westminster. Died Nov. 19, 2019 at Sterling House surrounded by her dear friends and beloved dog, Bo. Ruth was born in Brandon on Oct. 20, 1919, the daughter of Clarence and Chloe (Moore) Douglas. She attended school in Brandon and worked as a dietary supervisor at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital for 33 years. Ruth was a faithful member of the Immanuel Episcopal Church, where she recently celebrated her 100th birthday with her church family and longtime friends. Ruth spent the last three years of her life at Sterling House - a place she called “home.” She was always thankful and grateful for the wonderful care she received. Ruth will be forever remembered and always in our hearts. Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Robert Stevens, and her parents. Memorial information: There will be a graveside service in the East Clarendon Cemetery in the springtime. Arrangements are in the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home.