Obituaries
• James E.“Buzzy” Buzby III, 70, of Brattleboro. Died peacefully Aug. 26, 2026, at Pine Heights Nursing Home following a lengthy illness. He leaves behind his mother, Marlene Stoddard Cobos; two children, James E. Buzby IV and Kaity Rose Liburd; one brother, Jeff Buzby; and sisters, Julie Baldwin, Jennifer Buzby, Bridget Truelove and Corabeth Broyles. Additionally, Buzzy is survived by many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and his many friends and brothers in Christ. He was predeceased by his father, James E. Buzby Jr, in 2016. Memorial information: A memorial gathering to celebrate his life will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, at noon at 22 King Ave., in Brattleboro. Donations in Buzzy’s name may be made to Mercy Ministries Food Pantry, in care of Agape Christian Fellowship, 30 Canal St., Brattleboro, VT 05301. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Bruce A. Dodge, 64, of Brattleboro. Died Aug. 30, 2026, at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital following a period of declining health. Bruce was born Nov. 9, 1961, in Newport, Rhode Island, the son of Ashley Orville and Etta M. (Akeley) Dodge. He was raised and educated in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, attending public schools including Hinsdale High School. He was employed by the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department for 25 years, primarily working at Living Memorial Park. Previously, for several years, Bruce worked for O’Neil Electric Company in Hinsdale. His last position was with Vermont Inn Pizza on Canal Street, where he worked as a delivery driver. He retired early due to his failing health. Bruce was steadfast in his walk of faith and always kept positive when faced with life’s adversities. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and riding his motorcycle. He also enjoyed time with his family as well as with his beloved Great Pyrenees, “Oso”. Survivors include one brother, Kevin Dodge of Hinsdale; a niece, Jennifer Talbot; nephews, Kevin Dodge, Jr., Luke Dodge Wallace, and Tyler Dodge Harrison; as well as several cousins. He was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Brian Dodge; and his sister, Kolleen Joy Dodge. Memorial information: A memorial gathering will be held at the F.O. Eagles on Chickering Drive Saturday, Oct. 10, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Friends are invited to call at Atamaniuk Funeral Home on Oct. 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. Bruce will be laid to rest in the family lot in West Brattleboro Cemetery on Mather Road. Donations to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Trust Fund, in care of the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept., 1 National Life Drive, Dewey Bldg., Montpelier, VT 05620. To offer condolences, visit atamaniuk.com.
• Jeffrey Allen Emery, 58, of Winchester, New Hampshire, formerly of Dummerston. Died Sept. 6, 2026. Jeff was known for and will always be remembered for his carefree spirit, adventurous nature and kind heart. Born Oct. 23, 1967, he grew up in Dummerston, attended Dummerston School, graduated from Brattleboro Union High School in 1985, and furthered his education at Castleton State College. His professional life included working for H&M Orchards in his youth, 30 years for C&S Wholesale Grocers, followed by 15 years at the Hinsdale Walmart. He was an incredibly dedicated employee, and his attendance was stellar. He was respected and loved by many colleagues. Jeffrey is survived by his wife, Selena (Petrovsky) Emery. They married Oct. 4, 2017, on a beach in Jamaica, and their adventures began. He is also survived by his son, Matthew Emery of Westminster, and daughter, Paula (Emery) McPhee; her husband Chris and their children Evelyn, and Elias of Manchester, New Hampshire, and stepdaughter, Brittany Young, her partner William Bauer, and their children, Ryker and Quentin of Hinsdale, New Hampshire; his parents, Kenneth and Phyllis (MacInnes) Emery of Dummerston, and his sister, Jeannette (Emery) Mills, her husband Rick, and their children, Parker and Sadie, also of Dummerston. Jeff was predeceased by his maternal and paternal grandparents. He was proud of his Scottish heritage. Jeff was a dedicated contributor to his community. He found joy in helping others, as a member and leader of Boy Scouts, through his church, the Grace Christian Fellowship, and supporting many animal shelters and horse rescues. Over the years, Jeff loved his many pets, including some unusual ones; a pot belly pig, ferrets, sugar gliders, and a hedgehog. His son, Matthew, fondly remembers Boy Scout activities like Pinewood Derby races and regattas. His daughter Paula has special memories of attending father-daughter dances together. Jeff’s zest for life was evident in many hobbies. Jeff enjoyed science fiction, particularly Star Wars and Marvel. He could describe with great detail scenes, actors, dates, and facts from and about movies and TV shows. He was a lifelong avid reader, and would become absorbed in books, oblivious to his surroundings. His favorite authors were Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien, and S.E. Hinton. Jeff had many adventures snowmobiling, boating, fishing, zip lining,and parasailing. Although not known as a “bicyclist,” while in high school, Jeffrey rode his bicycle from his home in Dummerston, to his uncle’s home in Lyndonville (approximately 130 miles) in one day. He loved his motorcycles, saying “One was not enough.” As Jeff fought for his life after the diagnosis of a Glioblastoma tumor, one of his favorite musicians, Billy Joel, also had brain surgery, and whose song reminds us “Only the Good Die Young.” Memorial information: A memorial service and pot luck will be held Friday, Sept. 25, at 11 a.m., at Grace Christian Fellowship, 81 Ashuelot St., Winchester. An informal gathering celebrating Jeff’s life, and love for desserts, follows from noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Dummerston Congregational Church, 1535 Middle Rd. Donations in his memory may be made to the Brain Tumor Patient Fund. Checks payable to Dartmouth Health can be sent to: Medical & Healthcare Advancement, Brain Tumor Patient Fund, Dartmouth Health, One Medical Center Drive (HB 7070), Lebanon, NH 03756. For credit card gifts, call 603-653-0700.
• Aaron Alan Massari, 72, of Brattleboro. Died Sept. 5, 2026, at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. He was born April 2, 1954, in Readsboro, son of Silvano Cesare Massari and Jean Edith (Hubley) Massari. Aaron graduated from Whitingham High School with the class of 1972, where he was state champion in gymnastics. He served in the Massachusetts National Guard for 16 years. At the time of his death, Aaron was serving as an EMT for Deerfield Valley Rescue, where he had worked for many years. He had also worked at Sprague Electric in North Adams, Massachusetts, and had operated his own carpentry business on the side; along with time working at Home Depot and Mount Snow. Aaron enjoyed flying his drone and also enjoyed telling stories among friends and family. Survivors include three brothers, Wayne Massari (Pamela) of Rutland, Peter Massari (Lorrie) of Brattleboro, and Joni Massari (Noreen) of Guilford; and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves his pet Macaw, Jake, who has been his companion for 35 years. He was predeceased by brothers Michael and Paul Massari. Memorial information: A private graveside service for Aaron will be held in the Village Cemetery in Readsboro. Donations to Deerfield Valley Rescue, 22 Stowe Hill Rd. Wilmington, VT 05363.
• Sharon Elizabeth Reynolds, 72, of Newfane. Died on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2026, at her home,in the loving embrace of Bernie, her husband and partner for most of the last five decades. Sharon had endured a number of serious health conditions and equally demanding treatment plans over the last several years. The cumulative effect of these eventually became too much for her. Sharon was born May 2, 1953, in Brattleboro to Arthur and Jeanne (Avery) White. At the time, her parents were in their late forties and her three brothers, and two sisters ranged in age from 11 to 25. She was preceded in death by all the members of her birth family. She also lost her first grandson, Anthony, to SIDS in 1993, and her very close friend, Linda, died suddenly in 2008. Sharon’s father was a stone mason and a carpenter. When she was a young girl, her family spent part of the year in Vermont and part of the year in Florida to provide for a longer building season. By the time she was a teenager, her father had died and she lived in Newfane and Brattleboro with various family members. She attended Brattleboro Union High School, where she met and became good friends with Bernie (the two of them never dated). Three weeks after they graduated in June 1971, he caught the garter at her first wedding. Six and a half years later, after taking very different life paths, chance brought them back together at Alice’s Restaurant on Elliot Street. She was recently divorced and had two young daughters. Their friendship quickly rekindled and sparks flew. The rest, as they say, was history. In the fall of 1979, Sharon started classes at New Hampshire Vocational Institute at Claremont and later completed her degree as a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). For several years, she worked as a COTA in Vermont before moving with her family to the Puget Sound region of Washington State. There, she continued in this field for the next 15 years. She went on to become the treatment director for groups of long-term care facilities. In the 1990s, Sharon went back to school at Western Washington University, where she earned a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees. In late 1999, she came back to Newfane and started a new career as a special education director. For 10 years before she retired in 2018, she was director of student support services at Windham Northeast Supervisory Union. Sharon had a love of music and enjoyed singing, dancing, and attending live shows. She had a number of passions in her life. She loved to swim and to be on or around the water. She said that she could swim before she could walk. She liked to be out in the world. One time she drove from Vermont to Washington alone. On another occasion, she traveled from Seattle to Brattleboro by rail. Closer to home, she would often spend the day cruising local roads, going to diners, flea markets, fairs, thrift stores, and rummage sales. More than anything else, Sharon cherished those who were in her wide circle of friends and family. She cared deeply for many people and truly embraced the concept of unconditional love. Sharon is survived by her husband, Bernie, and daughters Lisa and Tricia, both in Washington. She leaves granddaughters Kaylah, Aeryal, Maddy, Bethany, and Morgan, all in Washington; a grandson, Christian, currently serving in the Navy, and a great-grandson, Charlie. She has a number of nieces and nephews in various parts of the country and a special great-niece, Kaycee, in Florida. Sharon was close to her sister-in-law, Pat, and longtime friends Mark, Nancy, Jessie,and Allison. Memorial information: Sharon requested there not be any formal services. Parties, potlucks, and gatherings of people she cared for, however, always made her happy. On Feb. 14, 2027 (the first anniversary of her death), at 1 p.m., there will be just such an event at the NewBrook Firehouse on Route 30 in Newfane. Refreshments will be provided, and potluck dishes are welcome, as well as memories, stories, pictures, good wishes, and hugs.
• Rick Charles Wortman, 67, of Bellows Falls. Died Aug. 31, 2026, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, from an injury that he sustained from a fall. Rick was born August 22, 1959. He enjoyed the simple things in life. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and flooring installer. Rick also had a passion for yard sales and antique hunting, always enjoying the excitement of finding something special and unexpected. He was once known as one of the best pool players in Rutland. Rick will be deeply missed by his mother, Priscilla Wortman of Rutland; his partner, Lori Nadeau; son Dillion Wortman; daughter Jordan Wortman; stepchildren Christopher and Carrie Nadeau; brother Brian Wortman, sisters-in-law Tracey, Tammy, and Linda Wortman; and nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Richard Clifford Wortman, and brothers, Gary Wortman and Wayne Wortman. Rick leaves behind memories that will remain in the hearts of those who knew him. Memorial information: At the family’s request, there will be no funeral services.
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