Obituaries
• Travis Matthew Bacon, 30, of West Brattleboro. Died unexpectedly Oct. 23, 2021 at his home. Travis was born in Brattleboro on September 24, 1991, the son of Matthew D. and Doreen (Wilson) Bacon. He attended Brattleboro public schools and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 2010. He had worked as a machinist for Bradford Machine Co. in Brattleboro, and previously had been employed for Fleming Oil Company and, later, at 7-Eleven on Marlboro Road in West Brattleboro. Travis loved the outdoors, taking nature walks, gardening, working with plants and especially fishing. He was a gifted artist and liked to sketch, a gift he had since childhood. Additionally, he loved to cook, creating his own delicious recipes and dishes. He touched many lives during his short time on earth through his spirit of kindness and generosity. Survivors include his mother and father; maternal grandmother Audrey Wilson of Hinsdale, N.H.; paternal grandmother Nancy Bacon of Dummerston; and several aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends. Travis was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Raymond Wilson and paternal grandfather, Philip Bacon. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at a future date to be announced by the funeral home. A memorial fund has been set up to assist with his funeral expenses. Contributions can be made at www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-other-expenses-for-travis-matthew. To share a memory or send condolences to the family, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Richard Stimpson “Dick” Green, 82, of Brattleboro. Died Oct. 26, 2021 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., following a lengthy period of declining health. Dick was born at home in Brattleboro on August 6, 1939, the son of Harold “Zeke” and Eliza (Stimpson) Green. He was raised and educated in Brattleboro, attending Brattleboro public schools, including Brattleboro Union High School. He went on to proudly serve his country in the Army and, following his honorable discharge from active service, enlisted in the Vermont Army National Guard. Dick had been employed as a machine operator at G.S. Precision in Brattleboro, which he retired from following 26 faithful years with the company. Previously, he had worked at the former APW/Concel Co., Dunham Shoe Co., and Montgomery Ward. He was a life member of the B.P.O. Elks, Brattleboro Lodge 1499 and American Legion Post 5, and was a social member of VFW Carl M. Dessaint Post 1034. Dick enjoyed attending dinner dances and loved to travel. He especially enjoyed bus trips and time spent in Wells, Maine, and the Northeast Kingdom. In 1964, he married Patricia “Pat” Groulx, who survives. Besides his faithful and devoted wife of 57 years, he leaves two daughters, Deborah Brow and Lisa Thomas and her husband Christopher of Brattleboro; grandchildren TJ Russ, Joshua Russ, Scott Brow, and Eric Brow; great-grandchildren Jayden and Lorelei Russ; and a sister, Mary Harris of Florida. Additionally, he leaves many nieces and nephews. Dick was predeceased by a sister, Cynthia Sprague. Memorial information: A memorial service in celebration of his life will be conducted at Community Bible Chapel, 107 Atwood St., on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 10 a.m. Interment in Locust Ridge Cemetery will take place at a later date. Donations to Community Bible Chapel Building Fund, 107 Atwood St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To send condolences, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Donald Ray Landers, 89, of Whitingham. Died peacefully on Oct. 25, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Davenport, Iowa, on Nov. 14, 1931 to John and Ethel Landers. He was a businessman, an avid sports fan, a Korean War Naval veteran, and a loving husband to Karen Riith, whom he married in 1982. Don moved frequently as a child, graduating from Jacksonville Beach High School in Florida in 1948. He went to work for the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta following graduation and attended Georgia State University, receiving a B.A. in business. His enlistment in the Navy in 1951 brought him to the Pacific theater during the Korean War, where his duties as a quartmaster aboard the USS Yorktown were coupled with positions on the Navy football and baseball teams. Don played competitively against fellow service members on Guam and traveled throughout many of the South Pacific islands. He was honorably discharged in 1954. His Navy years brought him many happy memories. Business came naturally to Don, a born salesman. He sold medical supplies for Walpole Labs, among other companies, throughout the southeast before moving to Ridgefield, Conn., in 1968. He actively supported his sons in their many sports and could occasionally be heard letting the refs or umps know when they made a bad call. He was fun, vibrant, great with a story or joke, an incredible athlete and always interested in history. He hunted, made maple syrup, grew delicious blueberries, loved golfing, was an ace with a pool cue, and spent many enjoyable years boating with Karen on Long Island Sound. He lived a full and wonderful life. Don is survived by his wife Karen, of Whitingham. He also leaves behind three sons: Don, Jr of Bessemer, Ala., Dave and his wife, Barbara, of Whitingham, and Bob and his wife BJ of Southlake, Texas. He also adored his nine loving grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents John and Ethel, his brother, John, and his sister, Barbara. Memorial information: A funeral service was held in Whitingham, where Don was laid to final rest with full military honors. Donations to the Whitingham Women's Benevolent Society, where Karen is a member, in care of Covey Allen & Shea Funeral Home, P.O. Box 215, Wilmington, VT 05363. To send personal condolences, visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.
• John D. Miller, 74, of Hinsdale, N.H. Died Oct. 27, 2021 at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H. He was born in Buckland, Mass. on Dec. 13, 1946, the son of Theodore and Thelma (French) Miller. He married to the love of his life, the former Barbara Chamberlain, in 1967. John worked in several area paper mills as a maintenance mechanic. He also worked at Vermont Yankee in the early stages of its construction. In his younger years, he was a coach in the Hinsdale Little League, and was an avid softball player well into his 50s. He loved NASCAR, the Red Sox, and the Patriots. He was a great fan of country music, loving to dance at family and friend functions and get-togethers. John will be sadly missed by his large family and many friends. He is survived by his wife of 54 years and his sons, John Miller Jr. of Chesterfield, N.H. and Jeff Miller, and his daughters, Dawn Titus and her husband, Neal, of Chesterfield, and Shari McQuire and her husband, Harry, of Orono, Maine. He is also survived by his brothers, Roger and his wife Shirley of Ozark, Ala., Norman Sr. and his wife Paula of Northfield, Mass., and his sisters, Diane Nadeau and her husband Dennis, and Julie Seymour and her husband Daniel, both of Hinsdale, as well as five grandchildren, two great-granddaughters and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; siblings Frances Benoit, Georgianna Dingman, and Theodore Miller Sr.; and his beloved dog, Benji. Memorial information: Funeral services with burial in Pine Grove Cemetery in Hinsdale will be private and at the convenience of the family. To send condolences, visit www.kidderfunealhome.com.
• Dianna Maria Scherlin, 66, of Ormond Beach, Fla. Died at home on Oct. 22, 2021, after a long battle with kidney disease. She was born on April 7, 1955, in Brattleboro, the daughter of George and Edna (Carey) Scherlin. She strived for a higher education after graduating Brattlebor Union High School with the Class of 1972. Her accomplishments are vast, including studying Nursing at New Hampshire Technical Institute, earning her master's degrees in both education and administration (nursing) at the University of Massachusetts, Class of 1992, and earned her Doctorate of Nursing degree from Western University of Health Sciences in 2013. Dianna thoroughly enjoyed the ocean, from living on the Pacific Coast in California, to the southeastern coast of Florida. She always looked forward to spending time with her family on the Maine coast, whether it be whale watching, or sightseeing, and she always found the best seafood around. She is survived by her mother, Edna Scherlin of Vernon; her brother, Steven Scherlin and his wife, Shelia, of Arizona; her four children, Donald Stone and his fiancé, Rebecca Higley, of Guilford, Deena Chadwick and her husband, Evan, of Brattleboro, Christopher McLean of Vernon, and Jonathan McLean and his wife, Beth, of Dummerston; her stepson, Charles F. McLean III of Virginia; her nephew, Michael Scherlin of Hinsdale, N.H.; her nieces, Melissa Scherlin of Vernon and Duyan Le of Kentucky; and her beloved grandchildren, Nicole Potter, Nathan Potter, Kaelyn McLean, and Colton Mclean. Additionally, she leaves Kaelyn McLean's mother, Brittany Tuttle, who has been a special friend and an intricate part of Dianna's family. Memorial information: Graveside committal services in Tyler Cemetery in Vernon were held on Oct. 30. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To send condolences, visit www.atamaniuk.com.
• Holli Schilling, 68, of Dover. Died Oct. 22, 2021. While she died too soon and too suddenly, she leaves behind a wonderful legacy. She came from humble origins, having been born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. When she finished high school, she wanted a change of pace and left for New York City to pursue her dream of working in fashion. An education from Fashion Institute of Technology was the beginning of a successful career in the fashion design industry. While on a birthday adventure beyond city limits, she met Murph and began a relationship she didn't know would last nearly 40 years. They fell in love and soon enough she left the city to move in with Murph and raise their daughter. With Murph beside her, Holli built a life for their family in the Deerfield Valley and never left the area. Holli brightened the lives of those who knew her. She was well loved by everyone who knew her. She will be remembered for her beautiful gardens and equally colorful attire. She is survived by her long time partner, Murph, and her daughter, Cati. Memorial information: A celebration of life will be held at the Dover Town Hall on Nov. 13, at 5 p.m., in her name. All who knew her are welcome join in remembering the joy she brought to everyone. Food will be provided, but they ask that everyone bring their own drinks. For anyone who is unable to attend and still wishes to express their condolences, they can reach out to Cati Murphy on Facebook.
• Mary Lou (Morrell) Schmidt, 94, of Dummerston. Died peacefully in her living room at her home at Elysian Hills on Oct. 23, 2021, while holding the hand of her husband, Bill. She took charge of her life by stopping eating and drinking six weeks earlier. She was concerned about what continuing life would mean given the compromised health she had as a result of MS and other conditions. She envisioned a dim future lacking in quality and purpose for herself and Bill as her primary caregiver. Having had a rich and full life, and not fearing death, she decided it was time for her to move on. Mary Lou came into the world at home, in North Wales, Pa., on March 23, 1927, the daughter of J. Carroll and Helen Louise (Stilz) Johnston, the youngest of four siblings. At a young age, she moved with her family to a dairy farm in Kulpsville, Pa., where she continued her early interest in horses and discovered her love of the land. As a teenager, Mary Lou purchased her first two Morgan mares with money she had earned working on the farm. She graduated from George School, a Quaker school in Newtown, Pa., and went on to earn an associate's degree in business at Beaver College. She played varsity basketball at both George School and Beaver College. Following college, she was employed as manager of the bookkeeping department at the Hatfield National Bank. In 1948, she married Leigh Morrell, also a graduate of George School. They had three children and in 1959, the family moved to Dummerston, where they established a Morgan horse breeding/training farm and built the first indoor arena in Vermont. The marriage ended in 1970 and Mary Lou retained ownership of the farm, which she renamed Elysian Hills. The next phase of Mary Lou's life went in a totally new direction. In 1971, she was asked by the Dummerston Selectboard to serve on the Planning Commission and to also serve as the town representative to the Windham Regional Commission (WRC). Taking on ownership of the farm, she leased the fields to a farmer and, over the next several years, rented the buildings for various businesses, and developed many units of mini-storage. With the arrival of JC Penney to Brattleboro in 1974, Mary Lou was the first locally hired person as office and personnel manager. During the next several decades, Mary Lou was on the executive board of WRC, served on the board of the then-Southern Vermont MS Society, was town representative on the Brattleboro Development Credit Corp. board, and served on the board of the Southeast Vermont Home Health Agency. She was an original trustee (1974) of Prospect Hill Pasture in Dummerston. In 1975, Mary Lou married Bill Schmidt in a Quaker ceremony at Elysian Hills. Together, they established a Christmas tree farm, which continued after the farm was sold in 2014. She truly loved the Christmas tree business and thoroughly enjoyed all of the people she met while growing and selling Christmas trees and related products. It was a highlight of her life. During this time she was on the board of the New Hampshire-Vermont Christmas Tree Association, and had served as president for two years at the time the farm was sold. In 1992, Mary Lou and Bill placed a conservation easement on Elysian Hills with the Vermont Land Trust, protecting it forever for agriculture and forestry uses and ensuring that it would forever be owned only by a farmer. In addition to the easement, one of Mary Lou's major projects during this part of her life was the protection of the Gilfeather Turnip, which she discovered through a friend, in 1978. To protect the identity of this special Vermont vegetable, she trademarked the name and, with assistance from the University of Vermont, had this turnip and its seed forever identified with Vermont. She also registered the seed and turnip with Vermont Agency of Agriculture as an heirloom vegetable. The seed was sold retail in packets and wholesale in bulk to five seed companies. After 20 years, this business was sold in 2004 to Dutton Berry Farm. With the wonderful research and work done by the Wardsboro Library and Elementary School, the Gilfeather Turnip became the Vermont State Vegetable in 2016. She is survived by her loving husband of 46 years, her best friend and caregiver, Bill; a daughter, Camilla (Morrell) Cartwright of West Brattleboro; a son, Leigh and Alexa Morrell of Colrain, Mass., and their children, Cristen Rosinski; and Justin and Kim Morrell of Brattleboro, and their children Liam and Izzy Lou; Sean and Amanda Morrell of Milford, N.H., and their children Caileigh and Mackenzie; Evan Morrell; Erin (Morrell) and Zachary Harris and their son Zachariah; son Tim and Jane Morrell of West Brookfield, Mass., and their daughter Melissa Morrell and her partner Kevin Blane of West Brookfield, and their daughter Hallie; stepdaughter Susan (Schmidt) and Tony Harrington oif Woodenville, Wash.; and stepson Paul and Kathy Schmidt of Jackson, Wyo., and his son Wyatt; and four nieces and one nephew. She was predeceased by her birth family, one son-in-law, and one nephew. Memorial information: A celebration of Mary Lou's life will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Evening Star Grange in Dummerston Center. She requested all those who come not wear black or midnight blue, but informal clothing ideally with some red somewhere in it. Red was her favorite color. Come prepared to share stories that make people smile or laugh. In addition, a Zoom-based celebration will be held Sunday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at zoom.us/j/2419000813. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302; Dummerston Cares, P.O. Box 302, West Dummerston, VT 05357; or the Dummerston Prospect Hill Fund, Town of Dummerston, 1523 Middle Rd, East Dummerston, VT 05346.