College news
• Rei Kimura of Brattleboro was named to the spring 2026 Dean’s List at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
• The following local students were named to the President’s List for the spring 2026 semester at Southern New Hampshire University: Lindsay Cunningham of Wilmington, Nathaniel Sanderson of Newfane, Michelle Little of Brattleboro, Niame Diallo of Brattleboro, Madison Morancy of Westminster, Magdalen Hodgson of Brattleboro, and John Senechal and John King of Grafton.
• Ava Cutler of Brattleboro, a member of the Class of 2027, was recently inducted into Lambda Epsilon Sigma, the honor society at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts. The organization recognizes outstanding juniors and seniors who have demonstrated an excitement for learning and sharing their knowledge.
• Alex Lier of Brattleboro was recently elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Ithaca (N.Y.) College.
Transitions
• Brattleboro Savings & Loan (BS&L) has named Don LaFontaine of West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, as their new Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Don comes to BS&L from a career working in local, community banking in New England, including taking on the roles of Treasurer, CIO, and CFO at Connecticut River Bank, and serving as the Controller for Greenfield (Mass.) Savings Bank.
Obituaries
• Edward V. “Eddie” Cogliano Jr., 72, of Canton, Massachusetts, and Dummerston. Died peacefully in the comfort of his Canton home, surrounded by his loving family, on May 13, 2026. He was the beloved husband of Susan E. (Russell) Cogliano, to whom he was wed for nearly 50 years. Eddie was born Dec. 24, 1953, in Norwood, Massachusetts, the loving son of the late Edward V. Sr. and Madeline M. (Paone) Cogliano. Eddie grew up in his hometown of Canton and was a 1972 graduate of Canton High School. He attended the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and, during the time of the Vietnam War, proudly and honorably served his country as a member of the Coast Guard. He was an entrepreneur who spent the majority of his working career in the food industry. With the help of his adoring family, he owned and operated Fast Eddie’s Restaurant, Ice Cream Shop and Bakery in Brattleboro. His success was attributed to his knack for socializing, his genuine love for people, being a great listener, and always being ready to lend anyone a helping hand. He was also the former owner of Family-A-Fare Catering and Canton Donuts in Canton. Eddie was a member of the Canton Knights of Columbus, the Canton American Legion Post 24, and the Massapoag Sportsmen’s Club in Sharon, Massachusetts. Eddie always stayed up to date with current events and news. He was very interested in the subject of history and always had a passion and thirst for knowledge. Eddie had a special love and place in his heart for summer camps, which impacted the lives of many youths throughout the years and could always be counted on to pitch in and revamp their food service. In addition to his beloved wife, he is survived by his devoted sons, Richard E. Cogliano and his wife, Julie, of Dummerston; and Andrew C.V. Cogliano and his wife Courtney, of Mansfield, Massachusetts. He was the cherished and proud grandfather of Hailey S. Cogliano, Ryan M. Cogliano, Logan R.O. Cogliano, and Lillian J. Cogliano. He was the dear brother of Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gerard R. Cogliano and his wife Sharon of Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Elizabeth C. Young and her husband, Jason, of Marlborough, Massachusetts. He was the much-loved nephew of Margaret Mirante of Connecticut and is also survived by his loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. He also leaves behind his numerous Fast Eddie’s family and friends, especially longtime employee Cody Hellus and his cherished Noriyeh Rahmani. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held at a later date in Brattleboro. Donations to Loaves and Fishes, 16 Bradley Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301; St. Brigid’s Kitchen and Pantry, 47 Walnut St., Brattleboro, VT 05301; or to the charity of your choice.
• Jay Cook, 65, of Brattleboro. Died after a stroke on May 11, 2026, with his wife Julie by his side. He was born in Chicago in 1960 the son of John and Beverlee Cook. He spent his entire life enthusiastically loving his family, music, animals, the four seasons, and connecting to every person he met. As the oldest of six, he delighted in young children and was always the first to volunteer to take a cranky toddler outside for a walk. The Cooks grew up in Storrs, Connecticut. Jay went to E.O. Smith High School and then to Suffield Academy for his 11th and 12th grade years, graduating in 1978. In his late teens and early 20’s Jay spent six summers working at the Hay Harbor Club in Fishers Island, New York, rolling clay tennis courts. During these summers, he made lifelong friends who were known for giving the Island sunsets a standing ovation. Jay attended Middlebury College, where he switched his major from physics to music midway through his junior year. He trained as a classical guitarist; his senior recital included pieces by Andres Segovia and Mason Williams. In his senior year, he was the resident of a college off-campus house, where he met his love, Julie Cunningham. They married in 1987 as part of the now debunked statistic that 60 percent of Middlebury students marry each other. After one carefree year in Boulder, Colorado, they moved to Brattleboro, where their first son Matthew was born. Jay became certified to be a music teacher and taught in the Windham Central School district, at The Neighborhood Schoolhouse in Brattleboro and, for 30 years, at Hilltop Montessori School in Brattleboro. He continued to work as a musician, transitioning from classical to performing jazz, Afro-beat, and most other musical forms. Besides singing, he played bass guitar, percussion, balafon, keyboards, piano, harmonica, upright bass and, for one brief period, a rubboard in a zydeco band. He was curious about all instruments and passionately inspired his students to just start playing. Family was the primary driver of Jay’s life. His daughter Zoe was born in 1992 and, four years later, son Antoine joined the family via adoption at 9 years old. Hiking, camping, in-home dance parties, reading aloud – Jay was down for all of it. The family was completed when 17 year old Matteo joined in 2006 and was legally adopted when he was 21. Jay’s rallying cry to his kids, even on a freezing cold winter morning was: “it’s a beautiful day, why aren’t you outside?” Being a husband was something that Jay took on with serious love. He supported Julie going back to school for social work with two very young kids, and was her greatest cheerleader when she became the Executive Director of Families First in Southern Vermont in 1999. Jay believed in the mission of community inclusion for children and adults with disabilities and expanded into teaching this population. In 2016, Jay was given his greatest gift — the birth of his grandsons Sengbe and Quentin, and four years later, Caiden Jay Cook. He cherished his time with them, continuing the same traditions that he created with his children. On March 12, 2023, after taking his weekly run up Mount Wantastiquet, Jay suffered a major stroke and had emergency brain surgery. It was not immediately clear that he would survive. He became permanently disabled with vision loss, cognitive impairments, and a seizure disorder. There was no one who worked harder at the many therapies he had. Jay went on to return to part-time teaching, to playing gigs, riding his e-bike and running. Amazingly, he became even kinder after his stroke and continued his lifelong practice of talking to people without homes. He would take folks out to dinner, buy them needed clothing, and became their friend. Jay did not give advice, preferring to meet people where they were without judgment. However, if he did pass on his wisdom, it would go like this: Be kind to everyone, no exceptions. Be outside as much as possible. Try not to use your car if you can walk or bike. Play or listen to music everyday. Don’t ever be afraid to break into a dance. Say I love you. Plant a garden. Take a hike during a full moon. Remember that your siblings are your comrades for life. Understand that the needs of children always come first. Start a conversation with elders and vulnerable people. Keep in touch with old friends, always be willing to make a new one. Be besties with your life partner. Find something to laugh about no matter what the circumstances are. Find wonder everywhere. Jay leaves his wife of 39 years, Julie; his son Matthew and daughter-in-law Mekdes of Minneapolis; daughter Zoe and her partner Norm Lira of Portland Maine; son Matteo and fiancée Kiersten Sanok of Greenwich, Connecticut; daughter-in-love Stephanie Dougherty of Wilmington, Delaware; his mother Beverlee Cook of Woodstock; sister Robbin of Philadelphia; brother John and his life partner Jana Lewis of Los Angeles; sisters Deanna and brother-in-law Doug MacDonald of Northampton, Massachusetts, Hillary and brother in law Rees of Crozet, Virginia, and Tobye of Suffield, Connecticut; brother-in-law Ralph Cunningham of Washington, D.C.; grandsons Sengbe, Quentin and Caiden; and 14 adored nieces and nephews. He also leaves cherished friends Tim Coleman and Bob Everingham, who went above and beyond in supporting Jay these past three years. The family is forever grateful for Jay’s caregiver, Evan Lincoln, who gave Jay dignity, respect, and loving care especially in his final months of disease progression. He was predeceased by his beloved son Antoine Jordan, and his father, John Cook. Memorial information: There will be a joyful and music-centered celebration of his life Sunday, May 31, at the Retreat Farm in Brattleboro at 1:30 p.m. Donations to Groundworks Collaborative, 54 South Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301.
• Nancy Helen Lord, 78, of South Portland, Maine. Died suddenly May 14, 2026. She was born in Schenectady, New York, on April 23, 1948, to Helen (Alford) Lord and John P. Lord. She grew up in Brattleboro and attended local schools, graduating from Brattleboro Union High School in 1966, and the University of Vermont in 1971 with a degree in psychology. She was married for 12 years to Henry Ellis. They made their home in Connecticut and had two children, Jeffrey and Jennifer. Soon after the birth of her second child, the family relocated to Keene, New Hampshire. She earned an MSW from the University of Connecticut in 1985 and moved to South Portland, where she started her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Maine Medical Center and Southern Maine Dialysis Center, helping patients who were candidates for kidney transplants. Later in her career, she left MMC and worked solely for the interdisciplinary team at the Maine Health Transplant Program. She was passionate about organ donation and facilitated the transplants of hundreds of kidneys in her career, dramatically improving the lives of her patients. She loved the ocean, whether it was walking along the coast, kayaking, taking in the salt air, or remembering fondly her childhood trips to Drake’s Island, Maine. At home, she loved to read and was an excellent cook. She loved attending her children’s musical performances and plays. She loved dogs and talked fondly of her childhood dogs, but the dog that touched her heart the most was her giant yellow lab, Marcus, with whom she loved to take long walks at Fort Williams. When she wasn’t with her dog, she enjoyed kayaking in the marshes around Scarborough and painting beautiful watercolors and charcoal drawings. In her later years, she liked to say she was “bit by the travel bug,” and she spent time traveling on cruise ships across the Atlantic, through Europe, and to Alaska. Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her children and encouraging them to be strong, independent people. She was endlessly proud of them and their accomplishments. She delighted in the happy marriages of her children. Perhaps the greatest joy of the last decade of her life was spending time with her granddaughter, Helen Fenton, and listening to her play the violin. Nancy was predeceased by her parents and a sister, Jane Deubler. She is survived by her children Jeff and his wife Emily of Brewer, Maine, and Jen and wife Liz Fenton and their daughter Helen of Essex Junction, and a sister Susan Flagler and husband Rick of Richmond, New Hampshire. Memorial information: A memorial service for Nancy will be held at Hobbs Funeral Home in South Portland Friday, May 29, at 4 p.m., with visiting hours from 2 to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, consider becoming an organ donor and make your wishes be known to your loved ones.
• Stephen E. “Steve” Miller, 89, of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Died May 6, 2026. Born Dec. 18, 1936, in Providence, Rhode Island, he will be remembered as a boy who followed his dreams and remained loyal to his passions. Steve began his working career as a mechanical engineer, with a degree from the University of Rhode Island. He worked for some big companies, including a move to the west coast for Boeing. However, one of his biggest passions could no longer remain a pastime. He invested in Maple Valley Ski Area in West Dummerston, and became an owner/operator. His love of skiing turned into a fulfilled part of his daily life. Soon after, he realized that transporting snow sports enthusiasts by bus for day trips would increase revenue. That was the birth of New England Action Sports, which became a full-service tour operator, providing day, weekend, and week-long trips to most East Coast resorts. His love of football remained long after his playing days at Providence Country Day School. He later volunteered with the Red Cross not only to provide assistance at local games, but to remain close to the action on the field. This passion for the game carried forth into his last decade as a member of the Ivy League “Chain Gang.” His love of sports cars included a brief stint with racing. It then continued as a hobby, collecting MGs. He spent many hours over the years happily tinkering under every hood and chassis. Of course, never without a cold beer. His passion for Narragansett Bay shined through as a boating member of Pawtuxet Cove Marina, Edgewood Yacht Club, and, lastly, East Greenwich Yacht Club. You could find him on his boat almost every day of the season. Surviving family members include his wife of 63 years, Annette Thayer Miller; daughters Debbie Einstein and Sheri Miller-Bedau; grandchildren Evan H. Einstein, Craig J. Einstein, and Margot Bedau; and his brother, John L. Miller. He was preceded in death by his parents, Himon and Florence Koppelman Miller; and his brother, Robert Miller. Memorial information: A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 6, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Sandcastle Community Clubhouse, 11 Drawbridge Lane, in Attleboro.
• Catrina “Trina” Lynn (Brown) Nuite, 62, of Brattleboro. Died May 16, 2026, surrounded by her children, in Keene, New Hampshire. Catrina was born on Aug. 14, 1963, in Rumford, Maine, to Ross Boothby Brown and Sandra Lee (Spaulding) Kelleher. She moved to Brattleboro for educational opportunities for her children. She took on life with persistence, courage, humor, determination, and grace. These qualities shined through as she navigated single parenting, higher education, and her health. She graduated from Keene State College in 1997 with a B.A. in English, a minor in Early Childhood Development, and a teaching certificate. She served on the board of the Neighborhood Schoolhouse. She worked in special education and cared for people with special needs, teaching people strategies for keeping themselves socially and emotionally regulated. Her children remember her kindness and patience with clients exhibiting challenging behavior. Her friends say she gave sound, well-considered advice and describe her as safe, kind, welcoming and accepting of people. She had a quiet directness with a sense of humor about sexuality, death, disease, and other charged topics. This was a gift for everyone around her. In January 1999, Catrina purchased a house on Washington Street in Brattleboro. When friends needed an emergency place to stay, she opened her home to them. There was lots of room for people in her small house. When her children were teenagers, she put a couch on the front porch and said that any of their friends who didn’t have a safe place could sleep there. Catrina’s artistic talents were expressed in her knitting, gardening, quilting, and clothing design. Catrina had a lifelong spirit of adventure, earning the name Calamity Catrina as a child who liked to climb everything, and then as an adult biking the length of Vermont and across New York state, camping along the way, and hiking, kayaking, and rowing until the end of her life. Catrina is survived by her parents; her children Christopher, Zyla, Amber, Zachary, and Garet; grandchildren Adaline and Herman; siblings Dawn (Andy) Parker and Martin Brown; stepbrothers Sandy (Heather) Goodwin and Larry (Kelly) Goodwin; many extended family members; and her beloved dog, Rusty. Memorial information: The interment of ashes will take place Saturday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. at Meeting House Hill Cemetery, 580 Orchard St., Brattleboro, followed by a noon celebration of life and potluck at the Kiwanis Shelter in Brattleboro’s Living Memorial Park. ASL interpretation will be provided at the interment and celebration of life. Donations can be made to the Vermont Association of the Deaf’s Yolande Henry Community Fund at deafvermont.com/donate, and the Dartmouth Cancer Center at tinyurl.com/trinanuite.
• Charles Russell Nurse, 89, of Chesterfield, New Hampshire. Died peacefully May 21, 2026, in Derry, New Hampshire. He was born July 13, 1936, and spent his working life at American Optical and then Fulflex in Brattleboro. He also served for five years in the Air Force. Charlie was known above all for his love of fishing, hunting, and hiking. It would be hard to have ever hiked the trails of Pisgah Park and not have crossed paths with him on his way to one of the many ponds to go fishing. He was often seen sitting on a bucket ice fishing on the backwaters of the Connecticut River, regardless of the temperature. No summer was complete without a deep sea fishing trip out of Hampton, New Hampshire, on which Charlie would almost always win the pool for the largest fish. Charlie, most often referred to as Pop or Geezer, is survived by his sons Charlie of Chesterfield and Patrick of Grand Isle; his daughters Patricia of North Hero and Valerie of Chesterfield; grandchildren Amy, Jay, Caitlin, and Elyssa; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial information: A private family ceremony will take place in July. In lieu of flowers, spend a day walking and cleaning the trails of Pisgah Park in his memory.
• Denny Partridge, 79, of East Hardwick. Died suddenly May 2, 2026, en route to visit dear friends in Paris. She was a woman who never stopped seeking and creating — from leading feminist theater conferences in Nicaragua to sewing doll clothes for her daughter, from building original productions with students in Dhaka to writing historical novels for young people. Her careers as both theater maker and teacher brought international recognition for her directing talent, her tireless commitment to students and her gift for bringing theater to widely diverse communities. She made plays with everyone — undergraduates, professionals, children — and everywhere from the parks of the Bay Area, to town halls throughout New England, to maximum security prisons in New York state. As chair of the undergraduate theater department at Barnard College/Columbia University in New York City for 14 years, Denny taught theater in and out of the classroom, directing students in both classical works and avant-garde productions. Previously, she’d held similar positions at Vassar College and at Antioch College. Her Vassar production of Caryl Churchill and David Lan’s A Mouthful of Birds was selected for the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival in 1993. But Denny didn’t just teach theater. She took her students out of traditional academic settings to make theater purposeful — to connect people who would never otherwise meet, to tell stories that would otherwise go untold, to ask who was omitted from the story, and to bring real life to center stage. She taught students how to be theater workers — how to book tours, run lights, create with purpose, and work collaboratively. Her rarest gift was the ability to truly see people and to remain unwaveringly curious about their lives and passions, supporting them throughout their professional careers. She helped colleagues, students and friends alike identify and realize their biggest dreams and potential. Beyond the university, Denny received numerous grants and fellowships, including two Fulbright Fellowships to teach and build original productions in Taiwan and Bangladesh. She also taught at the National Dramatic Institute in Stockholm and for the Bard Prison Initiative, and collaborated with theater comrades in France, Mexico, Italy, England, Japan, China, and India. A true global citizen, Denny thrived on her peripatetic life. Her remarkable childhood spent in places as far-flung as Iceland and the Philippines shaped a directing practice that, while grounded in the Western traditions she loved, was never bound by them. Her theater followed her appetite across the world. Named Irene Denny Partridge, and known as Denny, she was born in Miami. The second of four children, she spent much of her childhood traveling the globe to the places her father was assigned as a U.S. Naval officer. Her mother, Cora Cheney Partridge, was a prolific children’s book author. The family’s stateside home base was in Windham, Vermont. Early on, Denny developed expertise in costumes, sets, playwriting and directing in neighborhood theaters she established wherever the family landed. Later, she boarded at the Kent School in Connecticut before earning a B.A. at Boston University, where she was named an Outstanding Theater Graduate, and an M.A. in directing at Carnegie Mellon University, as the sole woman in her cohort to graduate. She joined the renowned San Francisco Mime Troupe, working for six years as a director, designer, producer and collective member. The Mime Troupe, which performed in city parks and toured across the U.S. and in Europe and Mexico, was known for its radical and sharp-witted political satire. It was there that Denny met Steve Friedman, a playwright and actor who became her artistic and life partner and, in 2010 her husband, in a relationship lasting almost 50 years, until his death in 2018. In 1976, the two moved to New York City, where Denny founded Modern Times Theater, a multiracial troupe supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs. During her 10 years with the theater, she directed and designed many new plays written by Steve, including Homeland, Hibakusha: Stories from Hiroshima, and The Bread and Roses Play. Denny and Steve continued to collaborate professionally throughout their life together. In 2012, Denny directed Candide, a theatrical version written by Steve from the novella by Voltaire, at the Schauspiel Hannover theater in Hanover, Germany. She directed The Lear Lesson, an original play by Steve at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it was nominated for a Fringe First award. After their daughter took on the family theater name “Modern Times” for her own work, Denny and Steve wrote and performed as Mud Time Theater. In Vermont, where they settled in the early 2000s to be close to their grandchildren, they brought original two-person plays based on local history —Mildred Taken Crazy and The Nine Questions — to towns across the state. Denny lived in more than 25 places over the course of her life and she had a gift for finding the right home for whatever chapter she was in and an exquisite eye for furnishing it: her essential books, beautiful dishes used for her incredible cooking, art and mementos from her rich life, and always room for friends and family. At the same time, she believed in packing light, and in keeping it moving. Most recently, Denny had been working toward publishing novels for young people, honing her skills by enrolling in the Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she received an MFA in Creative Writing, and joining writers workshops. She completed a full-length novel that tells the imagined story of her real-life ancestor who was hanged for witchcraft, and was in the process of writing another about a traveling theater troupe stuck in northeastern Vermont during the Flood of 1927. Her grandchildren intend to complete this novel in her honor. Denny is survived by her daughter, Rose Friedman; grandchildren Josephine Lander and Charlie Lander; son-in-law Justin Lander; siblings Alan Partridge (Carolyn), Waring Partridge (Carmen), and Marika Partridge (Larry); many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless collaborators and friends. Memorial information: A celebration of her life will be held in early September in Vermont. Donations in her memory can be made to The Civic Standard in Hardwick, Vermont (thecivicstandard.org).
• Roger Glenn Rehbein, 76, of Putney. Died May 19, 2026, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, following a lengthy illness. He was born April 25, 1950, in Queens, New York, the son of Robert and Adele (Englert) Rehbein Sr. At an early age, Roger moved with his family to Brattleboro. He attended local public schools and graduated from Brattleboro Union High School with the Class of 1968. In 1970, he went to work at The Book Press in Brattleboro, which he retired from as sales manager in 1998, following 28 dedicated and faithful years with the company. Roger enjoyed skiing and was a member of the Brattleboro Ski Patrol and played hockey with his Book Press co-workers. He also enjoyed music and, for many years, was the drummer for the former well-known area band, the Don Ashworth Trio. He enjoyed boating with his family on the Connecticut River, traveling, camping, and visits to area amusement and theme parks where he loved riding the roller coasters. Roger was also an auto racing fan who followed NASCAR and Formula 1, as well as being a fan of WWE wrestling. On March 20, 1970, at Community Bible Chapel in Brattleboro, he was married to Susan Cleveland, who survives. The couple initially met at Living Memorial Park in 1966. Besides his faithful and devoted wife of 56 years, he leaves three children: daughter Casandra Clark and husband, Jeffry, of Peterborough, New Hampshire; and sons Erich Rehbein and his wife, Sylvia Thompson, of Calais, and Matthew Rehbein of Putney; a brother, Robert Rehbein Jr. and life partner, Ginger Turner, of Bennington; grandchildren Jackson, Erich, and Brady Clark; and his mother-in-law, Beverly Cleveland of Brattleboro. Additionally, he is survived by many nieces, nephews, and several cousins. Memorial information: A service in celebration of his life will be held at a future date to be announced by the funeral home. Donations to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To offer condolences to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Brenda Lee Sanborn, 64, of Guilford. Died peacefully in the comfort of her home, with her family by her side, May 16, 2026, following an 11-year battle against cancer. Brenda was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, June 11, 1961, the daughter of Robert and Roberta (Crewe) Ray. She was raised and educated in White River Junction and later moved to Brattleboro when she was 16 to attend Brattleboro Union High School. Brenda worked at C&S Wholesale Grocers in Brattleboro as a purchaser. She retired early due to her failing health following more than 35 faithful and dedicated years of service. Previously, she worked as a sales associate at the former Ames Department Store on Putney Road. Brenda loved trips to the seacoast of Maine, visiting flea markets, had a deep love for animals, but most importantly spending time with her family. Brenda will be remembered for her positive, optimistic outlook on life, her pleasant personality, her courage in facing adversity, and her spirit of friendship. She exchanged wedding vows in Guilford with Richard D. Sanborn, who survives. Brenda leaves one daughter, Amy Martin of Guilford, a son, Adam Martin of New York, a stepdaughter, Nicole Sanborn of Agawam, Massachusetts, and a stepson, Rich Sanborn of Brattleboro; sisters Maryann May of Sullivan, New Hampshire, and Lynda Shand (David) of Grand Isle; one brother, Kevin Ray (Sheryl) of Arkansas; a stepsister, Vicki Longley (Roy) of Canaan, New Hampshire; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Additionally, she is survived by aunts, uncles, many nieces, nephews, several cousins, and a stepmother. She was predeceased by her parents and two brothers, Edwin Ray and Steven Malcher.Memorial information: A memorial gathering to celebrate her life will be held at a future date to be announced by the funeral home. Donations to Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, VT 05302; or Rescue Inc., P.O. Box 593, Brattleboro, VT 05302. To offer condolences to the family, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Pauline M. Thurber, 99, of Guilford. Died peacefully at home April 22, 2026. She was born at home in Ashuelot, New Hampshire, on March 6, 1927, the daughter of Bernice Eleanor Smart and Charles Albert Graham. For many years, she worked for AT&T as an operator, later becoming a supervisor, before retiring in 1987. Pauline loved the outdoors and still mowed her own lawn well into her 80s. She loved company and especially her family. Pauline had a love of traveling to Maine, and to Florida with her friend, George Stone. On March 6, 1948, she married Roland A. Thurber, who predeceased her January 29, 1983, after nearly 35 years of marriage. She was also predeceased by her brother, Charles Graham; and sisters Leah Whipple and Mavis Young. Survivors include her daughter, Donna Tyler of Keene, New Hampshire; and sons Alan Thurber of Guilford and Kenneth Thurber of Lunenburg, Vermont. She also leaves behind many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Memorial information: At Pauline’s request, there will no public services. A private burial service will be held at a later date.
Services
• A celebration of life for Norman Wright will be held on Saturday, June 6, at 1 p.m, at the Westminster West Congregational Church. All are invited to join the family for light refreshments afterward.
• A celebration of life for Thaddeus “Thad” Betts will be held Saturday, June 6, from noon to 3 p.m., at 31 Dover Rd. (the former Williamsville Church), Williamsville. Thad died peacefully at home Feb. 16, 2026. Food and drink will be served. Raise a toast to a life well lived and share your memories of Thad.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.