College news
• Haley Covillion of Bellows Falls, a nursing major and member of the Class of 2023, and Thomas Carroll of Vernon, a community education major and member of the Class of 2021, were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2019 semester at Curry College in Milton, Mass.
• Adam Culver of Grafton and Skyler Nupp of Newfane were both named to the Dean's List for the fall 2019 semester at the University of Hartford (Conn.)
• The following local students were named to the fall 2019 Student Honors List at Community College of Vermont: Amanda Reed of Bellows Falls; Peter Carvell, Mark Denio, Christina Howe, Monica Kellar, Alyssa Kelly, Jeffrey Kerylow, Marshall Lazar, Billie Rickey, Jason Shatney, and Ryan Weeks of Brattleboro; Timothy Lahey and Jane Young of Dummerston; Kaylie Rosmarino of Guilford; Erika Miller and Corey Powell of Newfane; Makayla Laflam and Caleb Morris of Putney; Christopher Peck of Townshend; Hannah Gantt and Megan LaFlam of Vernon; Tiffany Allen of Wardsboro; William Bass of West Dover; Lydia Pedigo of Westminster; and Taryn Lawrence, Lisa Ryan, and Melissa Sutton of Wilmington. This honor recognizes part-time students with a 4.0 grade point average.
• The following local students were named to the fall 2019 President's List at Community College of Vermont: Keri Ticino of Bellows Falls, Caitlin Senni and Addison Worsman of Brattleboro, and Melia Allen of Vernon. This honor recognizes full-time students with a 4.0 grade point average.
• The following local students were named to the fall 2019 Dean's List at Community College of Vermont: Dakoda Carter, Abigail Jones, and Mikaela Mellish of Bellows Falls; Zenia Muhammad, Sequoyah Stevens-Mills, and Jessica Weiner of Brattleboro; Megan Rabideau of Dummerston; Jessica Westclark of Grafton; Margaret Lonardo of Guilford; Abigail Lowe of Jamaica; Henna Patel of Ludlow; Mikayla Ching and Jennifer Hunt of Putney; Evan Bernard and Mya Mcauliffe of Townshend; Jade Hicks of Vernon; Ayden Bills of Wardsboro; Codie Wershoven of Whitingham; and Tristen Dionne. Alexandria Felsted, and Cheryl Trudeau of Wilmington. This honor recognizes full-time students with a grade point average between 3.5 and 3.99.
• The following local students were honored for academic achievement in the fall 2019 semester at Northern Vermont University: Rebekka Hunt, Dakotah Luebbert, and Jillian Woodard of Bellows Falls; Rachael Trill of Brattleboro; Haley Frechette of Dummerston; Marissa Schaffer of South Londonderry; and Abigale Buedinger and Hanna Buedinger of Vernon were all named to the Dean's List. Named to the President's List were Emmalee Waite of Brattleboro, Samantha Palmer of Newfane, and Michael Johnson of Stratton.
Obituaries
• Lucy B. Cox Abarno, 100, of Townshend Died Jan. 31, 2020 at Valley Cares Assisted Living, where she was a resident. Lucy was born in Passport Township, N.D., on Sept. 12, 1919, the daughter of the late Joseph S. and Harriet N. Cook Cox . She was predeceased by eight brothers and sisters. Lucy attended school in Berthold, N.D. As a child and young adult, she helped set type at her father's newspaper, The Berthold Tribune. Lucy was a retail business owner, worked various retail jobs and worked for the U.S.Civil Service. She also served in the Marine Corps during World War II. Lucy enjoyed sewing, bingo, card games, word search puzzles, and gardening. She is survived by her children: Robert Abarno (Eleanor) of Silver Spring, Md., Carol Milone (Bob) of Newnan, Ga., and Margaret Barton (Gary) of Londonderry; and six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Memorial information: Graveside funeral services will be held in Glebeview Cemetery in Londonderry later in the spring. There are no visiting hours. Donations to Valley Cares, in care of Brewster-Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 885, Manchester Center, VT 05255.
• Jean Marie “Jeannie” Martell, 72, of Springfield, Vt. Died peacefully Feb. 16, 2020 in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her family. Born in Keene, N.H. on April 24, 1947, the daughter of Reginald and Gladys (Sprague) Martell, she had attended the Simmonds School in Keene and later worked as a volunteer for the Meals on Wheels Program in Springfield. She was also active with the Lincoln Street Program. Jeannie was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church and a lifetime member of the VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034 Auxiliary in Brattleboro. She was an avid Elvis Presley fan and had accumulated a vast collection of Elvis memorabilia. Jeannie also loved cats and time shared with her family. Survivors include one sister, Linda Hagg (Lenny) of Keene; a brother, Michael Martell (Tracy) also of Keene; and her adopted family, Lucy Stone and her family, with whom Jeannie made her home. Additionally, she leaves several nieces, nephews and many cousins. She was predeceased by her parents and two brothers, Reginald Arthur Martell, Jr. and Francis Martell. Memorial information: A funeral Mass at St. Michael's Catholic Church will be celebrated at a future date to be announced by the funeral home. Interment will be in the family lot in Evergreen Cemetery in Winchester, N.H. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Georgette Savoy, 89, of Bellows Falls. Died Feb. 5, 2020 at Springfield Health and Rehab. She was born Oct. 20, 1930, the daughter of Joseph and Emma (Arbere) Noel, in New Brunswick, Canada. She attended school in Canada and worked as a nurse for many years. Georgette enjoyed sewing which included making dolls for many years. She also enjoyed traveling with her husband and spending time with her grandchildren. In 1954, she married her husband of 65 years, David Savoy, who survives. She is also survived by her son, Phil Savoy of Westminster; her daughter, Cathy Savoy of Charlestown, N.H.; her sisters, Anita and Emma; her grandchildren, Jessica, Lisa, Lana, Katelyn and Eric; and great-grandson Liam. Georgette was predeceased by her son, Roland Savoy. Memorial information: There are no services planned at this time. Donations to your area Hospice.
• David C. “Stub” Short, 77, of Putney. Died Feb. 18, 2020 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., with his wife and son by his side. He was born on Aug. 9, 1942 in Brattleboro, the son of Lee Short Sr. and Mildred Davis. He was raised and educated in Townshend and then was a longtime resident of Putney. In 1963, Stub married Sharon Frost and they lived and raised a family in Putney. Stub served in the Army and was stationed in Germany. He worked for BDR Transport and then at Cheever Tire until his retirement. He was a member of the Putney Fire Department, where he served as Assistant Fire Chief. Stub was an avid NASCAR fan, enjoyed going to his children's and grandchildren's sporting events, and enjoyed listening to “Willie's Road House.” He is predeceased by his brothers Lee Jr., Robert, and William Short, and his father-in-law Harold Frost. Stub is survived by his wife, Sharon; mother in-law Olive Phelps Frost, children Marcy Short and her partner, Sara Moore, Gregory Short, and Jennifer Short and her partner, Chris Russell. Grandchildren include Sara and Kali Gauthier, Laol Short, and Jacob and Marcus Short. Stub was a very kind and generous husband, father, and grandfather and he will be missed greatly. Memorial information: The Short family invites all who knew Stub to an open house and Celebration of Life at the Putney Fire Station on March 28, 2020, from 1-4 p.m. Donations can be made in Stub's name to American Legion Post 5 Baseball, 32 Linden St., Brattleboro VT 05301, Attn: Steve Martin.
• Carl William Steiner Sr., 84, of Townshend. Died Feb. 16, 2020, surrounded by his loving family, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, N.H. A lifelong Vermonter, Carl was born at home, in Townshend on December 22, 1935. He is survived by his wife and dance partner of 65 years, Eloise M. (Connolly) Steiner; a sister, Rosemarie Lyman, of Maryland; his daughters and their husbands, Barbara and Stuart Coleman of Bondville, Mary Steiner and John Frechette, of Newfane, and Betty Steiner and Dave Lindberg, of Lebanon; his son, Carl Steiner Jr. of Brattleboro; and four grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. Carl was predeceased by his parents, Martha H. (Glassman) and Charles B. Steiner, and a sister, Charlotte Clayton. A member of the International Union of Operating Engineers since 1959, Carl had the mind of an engineer, the hands of a surgeon, the strength of a bull, and the wisdom of a man who held his family close above all. He served his country as a Army mechanic in Germany, from 1956 to 1958. At home, in Vermont, he worked as a logger and as a heavy equipment operator. He helped to build Interstate 91 in Vermont and Interstate 87 in New York, as well as the Townshend and Bald Mountain dams and the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. A charitable and civic minded man, Carl was a charter member of the Vermont Timber Truckers and Producers Association since 1979. He served on the school board of Leland & Gray Union High School District from 1978 to 1982, as a logging instructor at Brattleboro Union High School, as Tree Warden, and as a member of the Townshend Cable TV Club. Carl did a lot with little and ran several small businesses of his own, including Carl Steiner and Son Logging, Steiner Saw Service and, most recently, the 55-head East Hill Bison Farm, in Townshend, a true labor of love on the farm passed down from his parents. His outdoor passions kept him busy hunting, helping others with wells and springs, tending his blackberry bushes, snowmobiling, and beekeeping. Dancing with Eloise was always a joy and they were longtime members of the Maple Leaf Square Dancing Club. Memorial information: A date and time for graveside committal services, at Oakwood Cemetery in Townshend, will be announced in springtime when the cemetery reopens. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital Emergency Department, P.O. Box 216, Townshend, VT 05353, or Townshend Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 627, Townshend, VT 05353. To send messages of condolence to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• David Earle “Sparky” Stewart, 75, formerly of Newfane. Died peacefully Dec. 15, 2019 in his home in Council Bluffs, Iowa, surrounded by loved ones, after a courageous five-month battle with Glioblastoma. Born Aug. 5, 1944 in Newport, R.I., to the late Barbara Louise (Wagner) and Frances Earle Stewart, he graduated Littleton (Mass.) High School in 1962. He then married Jeanne Wilson of Acton, Mass., spent a tour of duty in Germany as an Army intelligence officer, attended Northeastern University, worked at Nuclear Metals in Concord, Mass., served on the Littleton and Concord, Mass., police forces, and joined the Army Reserve. In 1976 he moved his family to Vermont, worked as shop steward/maintenance mechanic at Boise-Cascade in Brattleboro, then for 35 years as a Master Electrician for Dompier Electric and A.L. Tyler & Sons. He was a Newfane town constable, taught hunter safety, and joined the Army National Guard to receive an honorable discharge as a staff sergeant after 20 years' military service. David was a member of the Brattleboro FOE #2445. In 2004, David moved to Iowa and joined the American Legion Rainbow Post 2 in Council Bluffs. David rarely spoke harshly to anyone, and was mostly quiet unless spinning a yarn. In the 1970s and 1980s, Dave could be found most mornings before work, “chewing the fat” around the coffee machine at Patsy's store in Newfane. Those who knew him will remember him for his wry wit, bottomless humor, kind heart, and impish grin. David is survived by fiance, Eleanor Duggan of Council Bluffs, Iowa; daughters Sheri Stewart of Brattleboro, Laurel Stewart and partner, Dawn Rogers, of Stow, Mass.; grandson Braden Stewart-Lynn of Easthampton, Mass; his former wife, Jeanne Stewart, of Hinsdale, N.H.; siblings Willard Stewart and wife, Harriet, of Westfield, Mass., Robert Stewart and his wife, Joyce, of Southgate, Ky., and Elizabeth Stewart and her husband, Jeff Bowman of Renton, Wash. He also leaves many loving cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends across the country. Memorial information: A local celebration of David's life will be announced at a later date.
• Lorraine H. Taylor, 76, of Putney. Died Feb. 17, 2020. Born in Bellows Falls on April 28, 1943, the daughter of Ernest and Julia (Wilis) Beam, she worked at Putney Paper for 45 years. She was a member of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League and was an avid reader who also enjoyed crossword puzzles and cards. She is survived by her son, Charles “Chuck” Taylor III of Danvers, Mass.; her daughter, Janette Taylor of Winchester, N.H; her brothers Leroy Beam of Derry, N.H., William Beam of Severance, Md., and Erwin Beam of Johnson; her sisters Marie Plumly of Guilford and Margaret Shambo of Rutland; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her parents, her husband Charles “Charlie” Taylor, Jr., her son Nathan, and her daughter Tammy. Memorial information: There will be a graveside service Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m., in the Westminster New Cemetery.
• Leonard “Bud” Wilmot, 93, of Kennett Square, Pa. Died Feb. 2, 2020 at Crosslands Retirement Community, where he had lived with his wife, Ella Georgia (Loud) Wilmot. Bud was born and raised in New Bedford, Mass., the only child of Leonard Sr. and Marion Foster (Wilkinson) Wilmot. Bud graduated from Bates College in 1948 and went on to earn a Master of Divinity at Andover Newton Seminary. He later received a master's degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Bud served as the Minister of Christian Education at First Baptist Church of Fall River, Mass., Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, and Calvary Baptist Church in Washington D.C. His professional career culminated at the Educational Ministries of the American Baptist Churches in King of Prussia, Pa. There, he edited curriculum resources for teaching nursery and kindergarten children which were used by churches of 14 denominations in the U.S. and Canada. While in this position, he traveled coast to coast conducting workshops for teachers of young children. In many ways, he was similar to Fred Rogers in his recognition of the personhood of young children, including his own. He was an early member of the North Carolina Kindergarten Association, which worked to promote publicly-funded kindergartens at a time when there were none in North Carolina or much of the South. As the Minister of Christian Education at Myers Park Baptist Church, he founded the “Through the Week School” in 1955 and taught lay people how to work with young children. Many of them found this experience transforming personally and professionally. Throughout his life one of Bud's greatest joys came from traveling. He would spend many hours researching and planning these trips. Bud and his wife, Ella, took numerous cross-country car trips to visit national parks and historic locations in the U.S. and overseas, and participated in nearly 60 Elderhostel (Road Scholar) trips. Bud and Ella enjoyed their life together at Crosslands Retirement Community for nearly 27 years. Bud was an active member in the community and especially enjoyed his work in the library. But Bud really loved Longwood Gardens and was energized by his work as a volunteer docent for 25 years. Bud is survived by his wife of 69 years, Ella Georgia (Loud) Wilmot; his daughters Ruth Ella (William Warriner) of Brattleboro and Martha Ann (Abigail Littlefield) of Westminster West; and his granddaughter Rachael of Philadelphia. Memorial information: There will be a memorial service at Crosslands Retirement Community on Feb. 29. Donations to your local Planned Parenthood Office or the national office at www.plannedparenthood.org, or Andover Newton Seminary. Attn: Development Office, 409 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511.