College news
• Leah Madore of Williamsville has been inducted into Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York.
• Jessica Tatro of Brattleboro, a biology major in the Class of 2024, has been inducted into the Tau Chapter of the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Scholastic Honor Society for the 2023-24 academic year at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.
• Grace Conety of Brattleboro and Sam Mills of Marlboro were named to the fall 2023 Dean's List at Simmons University in Boston.
• Nieve Whitehouse of Marlboro made the fall 2023 Dean's List at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.
Generations
Five generations of the extended family of Shirley Squires of Guilford, at right, recently posed for photos. Her family members, from left: Donna Rhodes, Jodi Rhodes holding Brooklyn Mae, and Natalie Goss.
Obituaries
• Carolyn A. Dompier, 82, of Brattleboro. Died in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her loving family, on April 19, 2024. Carolyn was born in Brattleboro on June 4, 1941, the daughter of Henry and Mary (Jasienowski) Wojchick. She attended Hinsdale, New Hampshire, public schools and graduated from Hinsdale High School in 1959. She attended the Doerr Academy of Beauty Culture in Springfield, Massachusetts and graduated in 1961. Carolyn later opened her own business, which she operated out of her home. She catered to her elderly clients by traveling to nursing homes and making house calls to those who were unable to travel. Carolyn enjoyed and found great comfort attending church and was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church and was a former parishioner of St. Joseph's Church in Hinsdale. On May 25, 1963, at St. Joseph's Church in Hinsdale, she married Donald S. Dompier. Carolyn loved to spend time and travel with her husband Don, traveling to many places including Niagara Falls for their honeymoon, Dutch Amish Country, New Mexico, Hawaii, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. She loved going to the beach, whether it was Spofford Lake or Hampton Beach. She loved to "people watch," sitting in the sun and floating for hours in the water. She loved flowers and was always puttering around in her flower beds. She loved feeding and watching the birds at her home, especially the cardinals that visited her on a daily basis. She was a caring daughter and spent most Sundays with her mother when she was alive, both shopping and hosting Sunday dinners at her home. She enjoyed spending time with her brothers and sisters and loved her nieces and nephews. However, her greatest joy was becoming a mother and grandmother. She was loving, compassionate, fun, and devoted. She found great joy in planning holiday celebrations for her grandchildren and attending their school and sport functions. She valued family over everything else. Carolyn is survived by her beloved husband of 61 years and their three children and grandchildren: Kenneth Dompier of Chester, Connecticut and his wife Kimberly and their two children Jared and Kamilla; Steven Dompier of Spofford, New Hampshire and his wife Kristi and their two children Jacob and Justin; and Cheri Hill of Brattleboro and her husband Bill and her two children Gregory and William. She also leaves behind her two brothers, Martin Wojchick of Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and Michael Wojchick of Hinsdale, her sister, Janet Faucher of Hinsdale, and her many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Patricia Lord. Memorial information: A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Michael's Catholic Church on April 26, followed by committal rites and burial in the family lot in Christ Church Cemetery in the Algiers section of Guilford. Donations to St. Michael's School or Brigid's Kitchen, 48 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Russell "Russ" Haviland, 82, passed away peacefully in North Haverhill, New Hampshire on April 18, 2024. He was born on in Brattleboro on March 17, 1941, to E. Randall Haviland and Gretchen (Shaw) Haviland. Russ's time was a life well-lived in the mountains of Vermont, fulfilling his dream of raising a big family with his wife of 50 years, Margaret "Peg" Haviland, serving his community as an educator, and farming the land. Russ was a graduate of Brattleboro Union High School, Keene State College, and Fitchburg State College, where he pursued advanced degrees to prepare him for a long career in education. Russ also proudly served in the Army from 1961 to 1964, where he was stationed in Germany. With his education and military service in hand, Russ started his career in education as an industrial arts teacher, where he guided students to discover woodworking, a hobby that he enjoyed all his life. Most in the community knew him as the Director of River Bend Technical Center, formerly known as Oxbow Vocational Center, in Bradford. After retiring in 2003, he stayed busy by driving a school bus and working in his woodshop. He would seek respite every summer on the coast of Maine with his family, enjoying a gin and tonic while overlooking the ocean. Russ loved nothing more than being outdoors. From tending his cows, chickens, and garden on his Brock Hill farm to taking long walks hand-in-hand with Peg. Russ was a dad to five children - Christopher, Samuel, Leslie, Patrick, and Brenna - whom he raised to be hard-working, dedicated, and generous to others. These virtues were passed on to his 10 grandchildren - Kaleb, Colin, Aryana, Jillian, Brodie, Malakai, Bennett, Conor, Charlotte, and Lilah. Russ was known affectionately as "Poppa" by his grandkids, and he cherished the time spent with them at holidays and family gatherings. Russ was predeceased by his wife, Peg, and is survived by his sister, Gretchen "Jane" Jenkins of Naples, Florida, and his brother, Randall Haviland of Portland, Oregon; his children and grandchildren, and his daughters-in-law Lynne Audet Haviland and Ashley Haviland. Memorial information: His life will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18, at 1 p.m., at Ricker Funeral Home in Woodsville, New Hampshire. To offer condolences, visit rickerfh.com.
• Michael E. "Mike" Kendall, 65, died on April 15, 2024. He was born in Bellows Falls on Nov. 3, 1957, the fourth of 10 children to Frederick Sr. and Beatrice (Stowell) Kendall. On June 26, 1979, at Centre Congregational Church, he married the love of his life, Tammie Clement, who survives. They built a beautiful life that took them and their daughters many places. Mike was a family man and his family meant the world to him. His greatest accomplishments in life were his three daughters, all whom survive: Denise (Dj) Bell, Sarah (Mark) Hamilton, and Michaela (Ryan) Stone, all of Brattleboro. He leaves behind his nine grandchildren whom he loved greatly: Anthony, Harmony, and Taylor Bell; Katelynn, Kyle, and Tyke Hamilton; Landon, Elias and Emma Stone; as well as his eight great-grandchildren. His hobbies included riding the back roads and enjoying the scenery and wildlife. He also enjoyed classic cars and spending time showing his grandchildren that "they don't make 'em like they used to." His latest classic was a 1946 Ford Coupe which he bought from a longtime friend and "the coolest part of it was the cut out in the trunk for moonshine." He owned and operated Affordable Towing for more 24 years before his health made him retire. Many would attest that if you made friends with Mike, you were a friend for life. Mike was predeceased by his dad in February 2003, his mom in September 2014, his oldest sister Sheila McClure in December 2019, his older brother Frederick Jr. in April 2021, and many nieces and nephews. He leaves behind his siblings Nancy (Skip) Lewis of Tennessee, Kathy (Adolphus) King of Brattleboro, Barry Kendall of Alabama, Edward Kendall of New York, Curtis Kendall of Brattleboro, Glenn Kendall of Guilford, and his baby sister Michelle (Martin Sr.) Johansen of Hinsdale, New Hampshire. He also leaves his in-laws, whom he loved, like his own siblings, Tina Taylor, Martha Clement, and Jodi Clement, all of Brattleboro, Maggie Bird of Westminster, and Jerome Clement Jr. of White River Junction, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. Memorial information: Services will be held Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m., at West Brattleboro Baptist Church, with burial to follow at Mather Road Cemetery. A celebration of his life will follow burial. Donations to the charity of one's choice. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Susan A.K. Kern, 80, of Dummerston. Died peacefully at her home on Nov. 13, 2023. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 2, 1943 to William Amassa and Alice May (Santimaw) Keene, she was predeceased by her son, Nathaniel L. Kern, and survived by her husband, Louis J. Kern, with whom she shared 56 loving years of marriage, by her sister, Bette A. (Keene) Kendrick, her nieces Emilia K. McCool and Lydia K, Robillard, and their daughters Eleanor and Lillian McCool, and Avery Robillard. She attended Classical High School and Clark University (B.A., 1965), majoring in biology. Post-graduation, not relishing a lab career as Mors rodentiae, she elected to pursue a career in library science, maximizing her previous experience as high school page in the Worcester Public Library and four years as library assistant at Clark University. She earned her MLS in 1967 at Simmons College in Boston. Susan was an extraordinary woman. A staunch second-wave feminist, she freely endorsed female equality, personal agency, and absolute bodily autonomy. In a career of more than 50 years, capped by a tenure of 20 years as the director of the Uniondale, New York, Public Library, she made her libraries a broadly inclusive center of the community - a refuge for those without shelter, an island of calm for the harassed and overworked, a fount of information for seekers, a source of entertainment, and a safe gathering place for community groups. Committed to demographic diversity, she lived in a neighborhood abandoned by white flight, and consistently hired a wide range of staff - African-American, Guianese, Chinese, Bolivian, Ecuadoran, Puerto-Rican, and Jamaican, as well as disabled associates. She made the library space available for community meetings ranging from the Italo Balbo Lodge (Sons of Italy) to the League of Women Voters. She created an annual community celebration day that brought together the full range of diversity represented in the town. During her directorial tenure, she undertook a major renovation of the library, ultimately functioning, as a result of construction consultancy pretermission, as on-site construction supervisor. She also served the community as a member of the Uniondale Community Council and an associate and advisor to the town program for disadvantaged youths. In retirement, she served as chair of the library board of the Lydia Pratt Taft Library in West Dummerston. Susan was a deeply committed and caring woman who put the needs and interests of others above her own. In a progressively darkening world, she never gave up hope. She will be sorely missed by colleagues, friends, and family. Memorial information: Those wishing to honor Susan's memory may contribute to the scholarship established in her name. Make checks payable to Clark University and send to: University Advancement, 950 Main St., Worcester, MA 01610. Please indicate that your gift is in memory of Susan Kern '65 for the Susan A. Keene Kern '65 & Gail A. Anderson '65 Memorial Scholarship Fund.
• Joan Ada (Braman) Morse, 84, of Vernon. Died April 19, 2024 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Joan was born in Clarksburg, Massachusetts, on June 18, 1939, to Walter Alfred and Anna Rose (Duverney) Braman. Joan attended Drury High School in North Adams, Massachusetts, and received her GED from Greenfield Community College. Later, she lived with her sister, Anna Rose Spagnolo and her husband, Joseph, in North Adams. Joan met her husband, Eugene Leland Morse, the son of Wendell and Hilma (Bishop) Morse, at a Morse's Barn Dance in Whitingham, and later got married on Oct. 17, 1959, at the Burrington Hill Ski Resort in Whitingham. They would reside in Readsboro, Jacksonville, and Vernon. Joan had worked for the Readsboro Chair Factory (Vermont Hardwoods), Vernon Green Nursing Home, and Clear Solutions. She enjoyed country music, feeding the birds, cooking, and growing plants. She was predeceased by sisters Kathleen (1931), Loretta (1932), Dorothy Mazza (2008), and Anna Spagnolo (2011); brothers Eugene "Bill" (1995), Walter Jr. "Bud" (2007), and Leo (2011); and half-brother Mitchell (2015). She is survived by her daughter, Linda Morse of Vernon; a sister-in-law, Roberta M. Kellogg of White River Junction; grandchildren Michael Evans of Brattleboro, Elizabeth VanDeMar of Halfmoon, New York, and Jonathan (Samantha) Gallup of Winchester, New Hampshire; and four great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A graveside service took place on April 28 at Sadawga Cemetery in Whitingham.
• David Carl "Dicker'' Noyes, 69, of Bellows Falls. Died on April 20, 2024. David was born to Arnold J. and E. Carroll (Chadwick) Noyes on Feb. 28, 1955 in Bellows Falls. David attended school in Bellows Falls and graduated from Bellows Falls Union High School in 1973. On Oct. 12, 1991 he married Laurie (French) Noyes. His working career included F.W. Whitcomb, Community Feed, Gays Fuel Service, and Cota and Cota, from which he retired in 2018. David's biggest joys were his home, of which he was a proud fourth-generation owner, his family, and his trucks, tractors, and motorcycle. He is survived by his wife, Laurie; his daughter, Ella (Noyes) Cademartori (Elijah); his stepchildren Philip Clark (Thersea), and Alison (Clark) Amidon (Jesse); siblings Richard (Dotsie), John (Elaine), Ellen Allman (Robert), Nancy Tenney (Edwin), and Linda Noyes; and eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Memorial information: A memorial service was held April 27 at his favorite place, 6 Noyes Road. Donations may be sent to the Bellows Falls Alumni Association Scholarship Fund in Dicker's memory at P.O, Box 172, Bellows Falls, VT 05101. Arrangements were under the care of Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home.
Services
• Graveside committal services for Norma A. Ives will be conducted in Meetinghouse Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro on Friday, May 10, at 10 a.m. Norma, 86, of Huckle Hill Road, died peacefully in the comfort of her home with her family by her side on Jan. 4, 2024, following a period of declining health. To view her full obituary and offer condolences to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Graveside committal services with full military honors for Robert J. "Bob" Kenney will be conducted Saturday, May 11, at 11 a.m., in Tyler Cemetery in Vernon. Bob, 88, of Central Park Road, died Nov. 4, 2023, in the comfort of his home. To view his full obituary and offer condolences to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Join family and friends for a Celebration of Life for Douglas John "Doug" Kroc on Saturday, May 11, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Brattleboro Country Club. Doug, 71, of West Dummerston, died peacefully at home on Sept. 25, 2023. To view an online tribute, send condolences, or for more information, visit csnh.com.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.