Obituaries

Obituaries July 25, 2012

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Reginald Jerry Aiken

Reginald Jerry Aiken, 65, of Derby died on Saturday, July 14, 2012, in White River Junction.

He was born on August 19, 1946, in Newport Center, son of Kenneth and Grace (Wood) Aiken.

Mr. Aiken entered the United States Army and served his country from 1966 to 1969.  Prior to his retirement, he was employed for many years by Spates Construction.  He held membership with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #798 and the Disabled American Veterans.

He is survived by his children:  Rebecca Aiken and her companion, Chris Patrick, of Albany, and Elizabeth Aiken and her companion, Andrew Gayne, of Woodford, Virginia; two grandchildren:  Thomas and Tyler Hansen of Albany; his brothers and sisters:  Uriel Aiken of St. Johnsbury, Malcolm Aiken of Lyndonville, Ronald Aiken and his wife, Nancy, of Burke Hollow, Ruby Guay of Florida, Audrey Charland and her husband, Donald, of Derby, Marylou Duff of Coventry, and Faith Leonard of West Burke; and by several nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his parents, Kenneth and Grace Aiken; his brothers:  Donald, Durward, and Douglas “Joe” Aiken; and by his sisters:  Annabella Boutin and Madeline Petit.

A celebration of his life with full military honors was held on July 21 in Newport.

Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Disabled American Veterans Association, care of Winston Dowland, Whittier Road, Derby Line, Vermont 05830.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.curtis-britch.com.

Russell Lee Cook Sr.

Russell L. Cook Sr., 62, died on Wednesday, June 18, 2012, in Florida, from complications of cancer, with his family by his side.

He was born on October 10, 1949, in Barton, to Charles Burt and Lorraine (Wheeler) Cook.

Mr. Cook attended Glover Graded School and Barton Graded School and graduated from Enfield High in Connecticut.  After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served honorably for four years.  After returning home from Vietnam, he became an electrical apprentice under his father’s tutelage.  He was a journeyman electrician until he retired for health reasons in 2009.

He married Ruby Wood of Island Pond in June of 1976.  They relocated to Bradenton, Florida, in 1978.  They had two sons:  Jamie and Russell Jr.  Mr. Cook was very active in his sons’ lives.  He coached his sons’ teams for many years in soccer and baseball.  He held leadership positions and even refereed youth soccer.  This support continued with his grandchildren, as he attended and cheered at countless recreational league basketball games.

Later in life, Mr. Cook was active with organizations such as the Moose Lodge, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He devoted countless hours at American Legion Post #312 in Oneco, Florida.  He was proud to wear many hats for the American Legion.  He could be found helping in the office, kitchen, calling bingo, or organizing various charity events, and was honored to have been a past commander for the American Legion.

He is survived by two sons:  Jamie Cook and his wife, Cristi, of North Port, Florida, and Russell Cook Jr. and his wife, Crystal, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; five grandchildren:  Connor, Emily, Ben, Ayden, and William; his mother Lorraine Cook Carter of Newport; two brothers:  David and Larry Cook; two sisters-in-law:  Elizabeth Cook and Linda Cook; an aunt, Wilma Devost; an uncle, Wayne Wheeler; his close cousins:  Chuck Cook and Diane Parenteau; his nieces:  Kristine, Jodie and Kim; and by his nephew Lance.  He was predeceased by his father Charles Burt Cook of Greensboro, and by his step-father Richard Carter of Albany.

A graveside service with full military honors will be held on Saturday, August 11, 2012, at 11 a.m. at the Westlook Cemetery in Glover.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Russell Lee Cook Sr. may be made to Tidewell Hospice, 3355 26th Street W, Bradenton, Florida 34221.

 Irving L. Kimball

Irving L. Kimball, 85, of Salem, New Hampshire, died on Tuesday, July 17, 2012, at Parkland Medical Center in Derry, New Hampshire.

Mr. Kimball was born and educated in Vermont.  He retired from Granite State Electric in Salem after 20 years of service.  He was a member of the Electrical Workers Union Local #326.  He enjoyed tennis, hunting, fishing and playing cribbage.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Patricia (Guenet) Kimball, of Salem; by sons Norman Kimball and his wife, Mary, of Virginia, Ivan Kimball and his wife, Mary, of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, Michael Reed and his wife, Karen, of Salem; three daughters, Phyllis and her husband, Thomas Sherwood, of Exeter, New Hampshire, Karen and her husband, Richard Nault, of Leominster, Massachusetts, Lesley Kimball and her husband, Adam Shlager, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; two sisters, Katherine Stark of Derby and Alma Malshuk of Orleans; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

There will be no funeral services.  Arrangements are by the Douglas and Johnson Funeral Home of Salem.

Contributions in Mr. Kimball’s memory may be made to:  Salemhaven Resident Council Fund, 23 Geremonty Drive, Salem, New Hampshire 03079.

To send a message of condolence to the family, please visit www.douglasandjohnson.com.

Cary Jay Scher

Cary Jay Scher, 68, died on Friday, July 13, 2012. 

He had been diagnosed with cancer four weeks before he died.  He was a renowned local market gardener and author of The Ten Week Garden.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Gladys and Lawrence Scher.  He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and earned a bachelor of arts in economics from Long Island University in 1966.

He met his first wife, Linda Larisch, while working for the Department of Justice Welfare in New York City.  They moved to northern Vermont in 1968, part of the “back to the land” movement of the 1960s.  They traveled extensively as well, living in Costa Rica and Mexico City.  It was in Mexico that Mr. Scher’s first son, Ravi, was born, in 1971.

Upon returning to Vermont, he became interested in gardening and soon developed quite a knack for growing excellent produce.  He was encouraged to write a book on gardening by his good friend and founder of The Something Else Press, Dick Higgins.  His book, The Ten Week Garden, which was illustrated, and hand written by Mr. Scher’s wife, Linda, was published in 1973 and it was a great book for growing vegetables in a Zone Three climate.  The book was translated into two foreign languages.  The book was reviewed in the first edition of the Chronicle, dated March 28, 1974.

In 1975, Mr. Scher met Donna Laurin, who became his wife several years later.  They had three sons and a daughter.  They lived a “homesteading” lifestyle on their three acres of land in West Glover, raising vegetables, fruits and small livestock.  After working at several human services jobs, he decided to devote his life to full-time gardening and raising the children while his wife worked.  He became a “market gardener” and sold his vegetables and small fruits for 22 years at the Newport Farmers’ Market where he had a devoted customer base.

He is survived by his 92-year-old mother, Gladys; his sister Fern and her husband, Frank, of Brooklyn, New York; by a special niece, Maggie, and her husband of Chicago; his cousin Karl and his wife, Dee, of New York; his cousin Sheila and her husband, Arnie, of Staten Island, New York; his cousin Stanley and his wife, Harriet, of Florida; and by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.  He will be greatly missed by his five loving children:  Ravi, 41, Justin, 32, Brandon, 28, Tyler, 23, and Jessica, 21.  He leaves two grandsons:  Emilio, 11, and Grayson, 15 months.  He also leaves behind his two best friends:  Donna Laurin of Glover and Sandy Kepler of West Glover.

A celebration of his life will be held at Parker Pie in West Glover on Tuesday, July 31, at 5:30 p.m.

Kristi Henault Wheeler

Kristi Henault Wheeler, 41, of Westfield died on Sunday, July 15, 2012, in Williston, after living with pancreatic cancer for the past two years.

She was born in Stoughton, Massachusetts, on November 14, 1970, and grew up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.  She was the daughter of Barbara (Egan) Henault and the late James A. Henault.  She was the youngest of the Henaults’ six children and attended the Bridgewater schools.  She graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in 1989, and went on to attend Lyndon State College in Vermont.  She graduated in 1993 with a degree in human services counseling.

She put her degree to work in several positions that she held over the next 20 years and ended her career in the employ of the State of Vermont in the Economic Services Division.  She was well known for her professionalism and strong work ethic.

It was in Vermont that she met her beloved husband, Michael Wheeler.  They were married in May of 2000 and together they raised four children who were the pride of Ms. Wheeler’s life.  Her greatest joy was spending time with her family and providing them with a warm and loving home.

She is survived by her husband Michael; her sons:  Nathan, Joshua, and Michael; her daughter Rosemarie; her five siblings and their spouses:  Kathleen Henderson and her husband, Robert, of Wareham, Massachusetts, Karen Crowley and her husband, Michael, of Hinesburg, Steven Henault and his wife, Suzanne, of Middleboro, Massachusetts, James Henault and his wife, Lori, of Middleboro, and Robert Henault and his wife, Kathleen, of Bridgewater; her in-laws, including:  Robert and Joan Wheeler, Anna Henderson, Flo Miller, Peter Wheeler, Robert Wheeler and Janette Wheeler; several nieces and nephews:  Tom Henderson, Dawn (Henderson) Moodie, Mark, Heather and Sam Margolis, Stephanie and Erin Henault, and Corilyn and Zachery Henault; two great-nephews:  Travers and James Moodie; and by one great-niece Sadie Kohlmeyer.

In lieu of flowers, it was her wish that donations be made to either the Hope Lodge, 237 East Avenue, Burlington, Vermont 05401; or to the Vermont Respite House, 99 Allen Brook Lane Williston, Vermont 05495.

Funeral services were held on July 19 in Derby Line, where a Mass of Christian burial was celebrated.  Interment followed in St. Edward’s Cemetery in Derby Line.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.curtis-britch.com.

 Dale M. Willey

Dale M. Willey, 72, of Lowell, died suddenly of a heart attack on July 18, 2012, at his home.

He was born September 12, 1939, in Brighton, a son of Harold and Ella (Judd) Willey.

He was a veteran of the Vietnam War.  On October 10, 1959, he married Sadie Cutting, who survives him.  Mr. Willey was employed as a heavy equipment operator for most of his career with Blow & Cote Inc., of Morrisville.  He retired in 2011 with Gravel Brothers in Wolcott.

He held membership with the American Legion in Morrisville.  Mr. Willey loved hunting, fishing, gardening and working on his gentleman’s farm.  His grandchildren were the light of his life during his later years.

He is survived by his wife, Sadie Willey, of Lowell; by his children:  Anita Gagner and her husband, Mark, of Eden, Brian Willey of New York City, and Darcy Patch and her husband, Jeremiah, of Eden Mills; by his grandchildren:  Emily, D.H., and Joseph Gagner, and Sidney, Caleb, and Casey Patch; by the following siblings:  Marilyn Curtis and her husband, William, of Newport, Paul Willey and his wife, Mary, of North Adams, Massachusetts, Harold Willey Jr. of Derby, Wayne Willey and his wife, Patricia, of Florida, Donald Willey of Massachusetts, Roger Willey and his wife, Deborah, of Lowell, and Brent Willey and his wife, Judy, of Troy; by sisters-in-law Linda Willey of Wolcott and Beverly Willey of Williamstown; by his former sisters-in-law Susan of Massachusetts and Avis of Enosburg; by numerous nieces, and nephews; and by great-nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a son, Craig Willey, in 1987 and by three brothers, Bruce, David, and Larry Willey.

Funeral services were held at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home on July 23.  Interment followed in Mountain View Cemetery in Lowell with full military honors.

Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Vermont Division, Inc., 55 Day Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495.

Online condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website at www.curtis-britch.com.

Richard D. Wright

 Richard Danforth Wright died on Friday, June 29, 2012, in Newport.

He was born in Albany, New York, on June 2, 1933.  He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Williams College and two master of arts degrees, including one from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.  He was a lifelong student and a teacher of many different subjects, including English at North Country Union High School until his retirement.  He was a scholar for the Vermont Council on the Humanities and the Vermont Center for the Book, and led reading discussion groups at many libraries.  He taught meditation classes for the Wellness Center and many years of free classes on meditation and non-denominational spiritual subjects for the nonprofit Center for Awakening in Derby Line.

He and his wife, Pat, have lived in Derby Line since 1973, where they have a book and gift shop called Tranquil Things.  In that community, Mr. Wright helped organize the Bicentennial Celebration, was an officer and later executive director of the North Country Concert Association that then organized four concerts a year at the Haskell Opera House, was in the past a chairman of the board at the First Universalist Church and an officer of the nonprofit Quemont-Verbec Craft Center and School, that at that time brought together Vermont and Quebec craft students and teachers for summer classes.  He loved the natural world and participated in many Vermont Earth Institute reading and discussion programs.

He was also a dowser and had been a trustee for the American Society of Dowsers and an editor of their journal, The American Dowser, to which he often contributed articles.  With T. Edward Ross II, in the mid-’80s, he organized a two-day dowsing school focused on dowsing as mind reach that brought many people with medical and scientific backgrounds to Danville.  He gave many dowsing talks and participated in the symposia on dowsing and consciousness that he and his wife organized as part of three annual dowsing conventions they planned.  He had two published books, The Divining Mind, written with Terry Ross, and The Divining Heart, Dowsing and Spiritual Unfoldment, written with his wife, both books published by Inner Traditions International.  He leaves behind two unpublished manuscripts, one on the formal retreat process and another on similar lessons learned in raising three sheltie siblings.  He read widely and wrote many reviews of new books.

He was also the stepfather and guardian for a disabled son, Michael.

He enjoyed a great many things, including collecting books (with a special interest in Sherlock Holmes-related ones), films, and Irish music, and playing the autoharp and the native flute.  He took great pleasure over the years from the companionship of wonderful dogs — two collies, and five shelties, and he felt blessed by many dear friends.  He was a loyal, hard-working, humorous, gentle and kind man who was valued very highly by those who came to know him.  They will miss his physical presence greatly:  as the Irish say, “His like will not be seen again.”

Services

Amanda Sanborne Krieble

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Amanda Sanborne Krieble will be held on Saturday, August 4, at 3 p.m., at the Westmore Community Church in Westmore with Chaplain Kurt Geib officiating.  A reception will follow in the Community House directly after the service.

Bernard R. “Bernie” Henault

 A celebration of the life of Bernard R. “Bernie” Henault will be held on Saturday, July 28, at the Vermont State House cafeteria in Montpelier from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  There will be a potluck lunch, so everyone should bring a dish and a story to tell about Bernie.

 

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