Obituaries
• Virginia Stone (Weis) Bourne, 95, of Castine, Maine, died in mid April, just shy of her 96th birthday. She was born in 1930 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. She always considered herself a small town girl and was both glad and proud of it. In 1950, she married Standish Bourne, who survives her. She is also survived by four children: Elizabeth Bourne and Ann Kebbell of Westminster, Sandy (Standish) of Dummerston, and Frederick of Litchfield, Connecticut, and their families. Virginia had six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, step-grandchildren, beloved Labradors and cats. After bringing up her children in five or six states (as dictated by her husband’s employment), Virginia settled in Castine at Moss Acre, an historic house left to her unexpectedly by her great-aunt Molly Dewson and her partner Polly Porter. Virginia and her husband lived there for 50 happy years, preserving its legacy, along with its faulty plumbing, outdated wiring, leaking roof, chipped paint, and so forth. There was endless weeding and planting of old gardens, tackling bittersweet, and mowing lawns with her walk-behind mower. In the winter, she shoveled snow and lugged stove wood, vacuuming and cleaning through all seasons. Virginia was devoted to the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Castine, serving in many capacities. She recruited ministers to fill the pulpit in the years when Castine had only a quarter-time minister from Ellsworth. For more than 20 summers, she hosted annual church picnics at Moss Acre. Over the years, Virginia enjoyed countless gatherings of children, spouses, grandchildren, and family friends of all generations, not to mention tree planters and the L.L. Bean kayakers. In the winter, there was skiing on the carriage roads of Acadia and the paths she helped build at Moss Acre. Let’s not forget her miles on a bicycle, whether in to town with her tennis racquet, or her one expedition over the Deer Isle Bridge, or her many birthday balloon dances for various citizens. She and Stan spent 75 years messing about in boats, hiking in the White Mountains, and canoeing on Maine ponds, passing a love of adventure to their children.Virginia was a busy lady, with a bright smile for everyone. Memorial information: There will be a family service in early June.
• David Arthur Brown, 59, of Wardsboro. Died at home April 25, 2026, surrounded by his family. David was born at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital June 2, 1966, the son of Robert “Bomber” Brown and Carol (Jacques) Brown. He was raised in Jamaica and attended Jamaica Elementary School, Leland & Gray Union High School in Townshend, and the Windham Regional Career Center in Brattleboro, where he studied Forestry. David was his father’s shadow and, at a very young age, learned to love the woods, riding on equipment, and being in the log trucks when he would go to work with his dad. At age 18, he started driving a log truck and was able to purchase his own truck. Then he worked driving trucks for David Chaves Excavating in Londonderry, Claude Dern Blue Ox Trucking in Dorset, and Cersosimo Lumber Company in Vernon for 32 years. In 2012,he moved from being a tractor trailer driver to work at the new Vermont Mulch Company at Cersosimo, where he was the equipment operator for the mulch plant. On Oct. 7, 1989, in Wardsboro, he married Alison L. Bills who survives. The couple celebrated 36 years of marriage together. David loved gardening and every year he raised amazing vegetables and sunflowers. Last year, one of his Gilfeather Turnips weighed 17 pounds which won a prize. David acquired a love of birds, and he took great pride in feeding and watching them daily. He, along with his wife and daughter,loved visiting the ocean to listen to the waves, walk the beach, and catch a sunrise or sunset. He loved watching modified truck and tractor pulls, and he would travel throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York to attend as many as he could with his sons. His greatest love of all was his family and he treasured the time spent with them, especially with his grandkids. They always brought a smile to his face. In addition to his wife, he leaves one daughter, Olivia Couture and husband, Pacey, of Plattsburgh, New York; two sons, Robert Brown and wife, Jenna, of Jamaica, and Andrew Brown and wife, Emily, of Dummerston; a sister, Sally Hescock and husband, Richard, of Wardsboro; one brother, Carl Brown and his partner, Claire, of Pepperell, Massachusetts; two grandchildren, Lorna and Callum;and brothers-in-law, Norman Bills and wife, Melissa, of Wardsboro and Tim Bills and wife, Valerie, of Jamaica. Additionally, he is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and one uncle and aunt. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at the Townshend Dam Pavilion Sunday, May 31. Donations to Grace Cottage Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 1, Townshend, VT 05353; or to the Dartmouth Cancer Center, in care of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, 1 Medical Center Drive (HB 7070), Lebanon, NH 03756. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Kevin Michael Finigan, 76, of Wardsboro. Died peacefully at his home April 22, 2026. By his side, as she has been for five decades, was his beloved wife, Terri. A man of melody, salt air, and steadfast devotion, he was born in Boston on April 27, 1949, to Leonard and Dorothy Nikas. Kevin’s life was defined by the places and people he loved. His heart belonged to the ocean, a passion born during childhood summers in Ogunquit, Maine. It was there, in the local post office, that he met Terri Ann Freres. That chance encounter led to a beautiful 50-year marriage that began Nov. 19, 1976. Kevin made his home in the South Wardsboro community for 47 years, where he and Terri raised their four daughters. Kevin’s legacy is carried forward by his wife, Terri; his daughters Bridget Grabowski, Melanie Finigan, Devin Finigan, and Leah Giacomoni; his nine cherished grandchildren, Morgan, Ian, Keelie, Bailee, Aiden, Annabel, Emmylou, Etta, and Isabella; and great-grandchildren Edward, Oaklen, and Eliza. If you knew Kevin, you knew his music. Whether it was the piano, the banjo, or the squeeze box, Kevin was a lifelong student of song. His curiosity for world music drove him to have an encyclopedic knowledge of artists and genres. He was known for arriving home from a long shift and turning the music up late into the night — a vibrant soundtrack that now lives on in the homes of his children and grandchildren. A graduate of Villanova University (Class of ’72), Kevin devoted 39 years as a chef at the Inn at Saw Mill Farms. In his later years, he spent his summers supporting his daughter, Devin, at her restaurant, Aragosta, in Deer Isle, Maine. He showed his love by using his time to benefit his family, be it by making a meal, or by playing the piano and banjo to his grandchildren looking out on the ocean. He was a tinkerer with a thousand passions and a cutting sense of humor. Memorial information: A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of The Valley Catholic Church in Townshend. A reception will follow in the church’s fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, Kevin would want you to plant flowers in your yard, to bloom each year to enjoy. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Robert George “Bob” Johnson, 83, of Bryans Road, Maryland. Died Jan. 11, 2026, at the Restore Health Rehabilitation Center in White Plains, Maryland. Born on March 8, 1942, in Wilmington, Vermont, he was the son of the late Janice G. and Robert H. Johnson. Bob served in the Air Force during Vietnam and was honorably discharged at the rank of Airman First Class. He then joined the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 10 as an elevator mechanic. Bob was a member of the Perseverance Masonic Lodge Number 208 in Indian Head, Maryland where he was a Master Mason. He also belonged to the VFW and the Loyal Order of the Moose. Bob enjoyed doing yard work and was an avid Washington Commanders and Washington Nationals fan. He always loved “going home” to his beloved Vermont twice a year. In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his first wife, Cathy L. Johnson, and his second wife, Mary K. Johnson. Bob is survived by his son, Jeffrey Johnson (Jennifer) of Suffolk, Virginia; grandchildren Max Johnson (Shannon) of Castle Rock, Colorado, and Ashlee Tibbetts (Izak) of Chesapeake, Virginia; a great granddaughter, Magnolia; a sister, Patricia Payne of Brattleboro, brothers Albert Johnson (Sharon) of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, and Bill Johnson (Stephanie) of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Memorial information: A graveside service with full military honors will be conducted Saturday, May 9, at 1 p.m. in Meeting House Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro. Donations to the American Cancer Society, P. O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Joanne Matthews, 90, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Died April 19, 2026, at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Joanne was born June 9, 1935, in South Reading, the daughter of Gerald Matthews and Beatrice (Stocker) Matthews. She worked at the The Book Press in Brattleboro for many years and she also served as president of the Graphic Communications International Union at the plant. Joanne was predeceased by her parents as well as her sister Sandra Stratton and a son, Wendell Deuso Jr., and a daughter, Valerie Dubiel. Joanne is survived by her son Bruce Deuso and daughters Lynn Cunningham and Lori Raymond, as well as her brother Jerry Matthews and sisters Juanita Sylvester and Nancy Lord. She is also survived by several grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews. Memorial information: There will be a celebration of life scheduled at a later date. Fenton & Hennessey Funeral Home in Bellows Falls is in charge of arrangements.
• Walda “Sue” Richmond, 83, of Bellows Falls. Died April 29, 2026, on her 83rd birthday, at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She was born April 29, 1943, at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Bellows Falls, daughter of Agnes “Aggie” and Edward S. Zielinski. When Walda was born, she had a shock of black hair spilling over her forehead; the nurses put it up in a ribbon and called the baby “Susie Q.” From then on, everyone called her Susie except at work, where they called her Sue. The name Walda had been her mother’s idea. “She thought it would be a novelty to call me Walda,” said Sue, “but it caused endless problems in school; they thought I was a boy.” Sue graduated from Bellows Falls High School in 1961 and, as her older brother Stanley had done two years before, she graduated as Valedictorian of her class of 110 students. Sue went on to Middlebury College for a few years, where she studied Latin and Greek. After that, she said she “sort of bounced around doing this, that and the other, but I found my true calling doing tax work in 1990 when I got a job at Bridgman Valiante & Villard in Lebanon.” Her mentor and good friend was Peter Valiante; they worked together until 2024. “Those were the best years of my life,” she said. “I loved the work of preparing taxes for individuals and families in the Upper Valley. The hours were killing, but it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I can’t see myself as having done anything else.” Sue married Robert C. Richmond, a research scientist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and later at NASA. They amicably divorced after 40 years of marriage, and have one daughter, Mary Frances Richmond, who they raised in Hanover, New Hampshire, and from whom Sue had been estranged for 20 years. Sue moved back to Bellows Falls after living in Etna, New Hampshire, for several years. Sue counted Peter Valiante, and her paternal first cousins John Zielinski and partner Catherine Miller of Putney, and Cathy Zielinski and her partner John Curry of Bellows Falls, as the biggest influences in her life. She is also survived by her brother Stanley of Charlotte, North Carolina, and her daughter, Dr. Mary Frances Richmond, and a close, large family of cousins, two nieces ,and great-nieces and great-nephews. Memorial information: There will be no services and her cremains will be buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Bellows Falls. Donations to the Kilham Bear Center at kilhambearcenter.org.
• Maida Elizabeth Solomon, 80, died April 15, 2026, at her home in Portland, Maine, with her daughter Keisha at her side. Maida was born on March 8, 1946, the daughter of Peter Herman Solomon, president of Herman Shoe Company, and Barbara Miller Solomon, a Senior Lecturer in History and Literature, an Associate Dean of Radcliffe and later Harvard College, and Director of the Women’s Archive at Radcliffe, which later became the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. Maida was named after her paternal grandmother, a pioneering professor of social work at Simmons College. Maida received a B.A. from Harvard College in 1967. She worked for two years as a social worker in London’s East End. In June 1970, she married Christopher “Kit” St. John. She received a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University in 1971. In 1972, Maida and her husband co-founded and co-directed the Prisoner Community Center, working with the families of prisoners at Vermont State Prison in Windsor. In 1975, she and her husband moved to Dresden, Maine, and adopted their daughter, Keisha. Maida worked for a year for the Dresden Historical Society, preparing exhibits. Maida moved with Keisha to Portland during her divorce in 1978 and worked for two years for the City of Portland as a social work supervisor. In 1980, Maida and Keisha moved to San Francisco. She received an M.A. in Women’s History from the University of California, San Francisco. She then earned a degree and teaching certification in early childhood education and worked for San Francisco schools. In the late 1980s, Maida joined the faculty of the short-residency adult degree program, which had been transferred from Goddard College to the former campus of Vermont College and to Brattleboro. Maida said she found her true calling teaching in the adult degree program. She described her earlier social work as “helping to apply small band-aids to her clients’ problems,” in contrast to the pleasure she found in helping adult students complete long-deferred paths of study and degrees. In 2013, Maida experienced a major stroke, hastening her retirement. A few years later, she relocated to Maine. Maida considered herself fortunate to be able to live in her own apartment, assisted over the past five years by her devoted aide, Chrissie. After suffering further health declines, Maida appreciated visits this past summer from family and friends from near and far. Maida expressed her appreciation that her granddaughter Ava was so present and supportive during her last weeks. Maida was predeceased by her brother Daniel Solomon and nephew Zachary Solomon. Maida leaves her daughter, Keisha Sanchez of Portland, Maine; her grandson, Dequan Sanchez of Bangor, Maine; her granddaughter, Ava Sanchez, and Ava’s father, Bill Bolduc; her brother, Peter, and his wife, Susan Solomon of Toronto, Canada; her sister-in-law, Diane Kenyon of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; nephews Josh Solomon and Raphael Solomon; niece Rachel Solomon; great-nephews and nieces; her former husband, Christopher “Kit” St. John of Brunswick, Maine; and her extended St. John family. Memorial information: In lieu of flowers, contributions toward the expenses of clearing Maida’s apartment would be most welcome, in care of Keisha Sanchez, 29 Old Campus Drive, Portland, ME 04103.
• Marshall Michael Wheelock, 83, of Brattleboro. Died April 21, 2026, at Vernon Green Nursing Home. Marshall was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, on September 11, 1942, the oldest child of William and Evelyn (Kall) Wheelock. He grew up in rural West Brattleboro, a country kid who enjoyed fishing and swimming in Ames Hill Brook. He was an active member of the Ames Hill Humdingers 4-H club, raising and showing dairy goats, enjoying summer camp, and eventually earning a trip to the National 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C. A particularly memorable 4-H home improvement project, completed by Marshall and his brother John one summer, was a full-sized in-ground swimming pool, which they dug entirely by hand using only shovels and a whole lot of elbow grease. Marshall attended Academy School in West Brattleboro and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School, Class of 1960. While at BUHS, he was active in drama and debate and excelled in track and field, holding the school record in discus for a number of years. His discus throwing skills also made him Vermont state champion, as well as placing in the top three at the New England track and field in 1960. Marshall attended Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey, for three years, returning to Brattleboro briefly prior to enlisting in the Air Force in 1963, where he trained to be a Russian Intercept Analyst, and was eventually cross-trained as a Morse Code Analyst. He was stationed at Iraklion Air Station on the island of Crete. During his service there, Marshall received the Airman of the Year Award. After his honorable discharge, Marshall returned to Brattleboro and began his career as a Trust Officer at First Vermont Bank and Trust Company. During this time, he also completed his college education, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Keene State College, with a concentration in U.S. History and a minor in Russian language. Marshall was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He served on the church council, as church treasurer, and occasionally shared the pulpit as guest preacher. In 1977, he married Veronica M. Amato, beginning a life of adventure and laughter. They remained devoted to one another for the next 47 years. Marshall purchased Wagner’s Shoe Store, learning a lot about the feet in Brattleboro during his years of ownership. After closing Wagner’s, he joined the Vermont State Tax department as a Tax Field Examiner and Supervisor, auditing business taxes in southern Vermont. During his time there, he was named Tax Department Employee of the Year. He retired in 2008, allowing him even more time for his numerous civic and volunteer activities. Marshall was very dedicated to the community throughout his life. He served on numerous boards and committees, including WSESU, BUHS Board and Finance Committee, Police & Fire Committee, Board of Listers, Representative Town Meeting, Brattleboro Housing Authority, Brattleboro Land Trust, Windham County Humane Society, Frances Hicks Board, and Brooks Memorial Library. Not surprisingly, he and Veronica were co-recipients of the Brattleboro Community Persons Award. Along the way, he and Veronica raised eight puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Puppy No. 5 was even featured on Dateline NBC with the person she was assigned to guide. Marshall was such a proud father when this event occurred. Marshall loved nature all his life. He enjoyed roaming the hills and streams of West Brattleboro around the family home on Hinesburg Road. He was a beekeeper and an enthusiastic gardener. Marshall often said that he loved to play in the dirt. One of Marshall’s favorite hobbies was bird watching. He spent hours and hours on Putney Mountain each fall, counting migrating hawks. During these years, Veronica referred to herself as a “hawk widow.” He was also an avid reader, always with several books in his reading stack. Marshall shared this love with the residents of Bradley House, where he volunteered for several years, providing them with news of the world and even a poem or two. Marshall is survived by his wife of 47 years, Veronica; his sister, Marie Lawrence (Bruce) of West Brattleboro; his brother John Wheelock, of Ramona, California; brother-in-law Anthony Amato (Regis) of Northfield, Massachusetts, and sisters-in-law Teresa Hall (Ken) of Rensselaer Falls, New York, and Mary Lou Johnston of Mesa, Arizona. He was predeceased by his sister-in-law Naomi Wheelock and brothers-in-law Art and Pat. Marshall also leaves several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Memorial information: There will be no funeral service. A celebration of Marshall’s life will be held at a date to be determined. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT, 05302; or to Windham & Windsor Housing Trust, 68 Birge St., Brattleboro, VT, 05301. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
Services
• Graveside committal services for Steven James “Stevie” Fusco will be conducted in Williamsville Cemetery Saturday, May 13, at 10:30 a.m. Mr. Fusco, 56, of Marlboro, died peacefully Dec. 13, 2025. To view his full obituary or offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• A funeral Mass for George “Stoney” Stone Jr. will be held Wednesday, May 20, at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro. Burial with full military honors will follow at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Mr. Stone, 101, of Brattleboro, a decorated World War II veteran, died peacefully at his home Feb. 6, 2026. To send condolences to the family, visit phaneuf.net.
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