Richard Oliver Hill

Richard Oliver Hill, 72, of Newport Center died on November 8, 2015, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on November 7, 1943, in Newport Center to Clarence and Anita (Collins) Hill. On May 16, 1964, he married Claudette Chenier, who survives him.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, and he was superintendent at the asbestos mine in Eden and Lowell for 28 years. His most recent employment was at Ethan Allen Manufacturing in Orleans for 15 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and going to the beaches in Florida. He loved his family and friends and gatherings.

He is survived by his wife, Claudette Hill, of Newport Center; by his children: Michael Hill and his wife, Christina, of Newport and Venice, Florida, Susan Hill of North Port, Florida, and Monique Ring and her husband, Mark, of Venice; by his grandchildren: Matthew, Joey, Nathan, Mylah, Jesse, Jake, Brittany, Sydney and Schuylar; by his great-granddaughter Kirsten; by his brother Gilbert Hill and his wife, Linda, of Lowell; and by several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his brother Rodney Hill.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family.

On-line condolences at curtis-britch.com.

Elizabeth Jenney

Elizabeth Jenney, 92, of East Charleston, died peacefully after a brief illness on November 11, 2015, surrounded by family at North Country Hospital in Newport.

She was born Margaret Elizabeth Peter in Union City, New Jersey on October 24, 1923, to Charles and Margaret L. Peter (Seggel). Early on she became known as Betty. In 1926 her family moved to Teaneck, New Jersey, where she lived until 1987 when she moved to Vermont.

In the years before the construction of the George Washington Bridge, Teaneck was a rural suburb of New York City. Mrs. Jenney and her sister Connie would walk their doll carriages along U.S. Route 4, which was still under construction.  Both recalled finding Native American arrowheads in the fields near their home. They often reflected on the contrast between the “Roaring Twenties” and the struggles shared by many during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

After graduating from Teaneck High School in 1941, Mrs. Jenney soon became the secretary to the principal of the school, a position she held until 1952. Working at the high school during the years of World War II had its share of emotional highs and lows. Many of her classmates, as well as her first cousin Harry, were lost in the war. But those were times when the country really came together. She loved the music of the “Big Bands” and enjoyed dancing to live performances of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James at places like the legendary Rustic Cabin in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. One dance was particularly memorable for both her and her sister — held at West Point Military Academy on December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor had just been attacked, and no one even knew where Pearl Harbor was!

On November 24, 1948, she married Wells W. Jenney, of Madison, New York, who became the first elementary instrumental music teacher in the Teaneck school system. In 1952 she left her position with the high school to raise a family. Her two sons William and Peter were born in 1953 and 1955, respectively.

In 1958, Ed Kolar, the owner of a boys’ camp in northern Vermont, hired Mr. Jenney to become the camp’s music counselor. Thus began a decades-long relationship with Camp Winape in Morgan. Mrs. Jenney became the camp’s secretary, and her husband eventually became head counselor and then director of the camp. The couple fell in love with Vermont, and the camp was a wonderful experience for their two sons, as well as Mrs. Jenney’s two nephews, and a niece who served as the camp nurse for several years.

Mrs. Jenney developed many great friends over the years in Teaneck, especially in the music world, including her dear friend Joan Witzmann, who later became her next door neighbor in Vermont. While at Camp Winape, she became good friends with Sass Kolar, who taught her to make beautiful holiday crafts and needlepoint, and inspired her interest in gardening. In her later years in Teaneck she grew close to her “spa ladies,” with whom she continued to keep in touch.

When both of her sons were enrolled in school, Mrs. Jenney resumed her career with the Teaneck school system, and coordinated the hiring of substitute teachers for the town. She was able to work at home using a new-fangled machine that allowed teachers to leave a voice message if they needed a substitute.  Those were the days when it was rare to have answering machines in private homes.

Although they enjoyed their life in Teaneck, the couple planned to retire to Vermont and bought property in East Charleston.  Sadly, those plans changed when Mr. Jenney died in June of 1978 at age 58.

Mrs. Jenney went back to work full-time as a secretary in Teaneck’s elementary schools. She especially loved working with the students at Longfellow School, which was exclusively kindergarten and first-grade children. She worked there until her retirement in 1987. During the 1980s she was a print and television model for the Perkins Agency in New York City. She made some appearances on an infomercial show of the time, “FYI,” hosted by the actor Hal Linden.

She made the decision to fulfill the dream of retiring to Vermont and build a home on the property they had bought near Camp Winape, joining her sister and friends who had also made the move to the area. She moved in on October 4, 1987 in the middle of a snowstorm — an exciting welcome to the Green Mountain State! She soon made many new friends and became active in local organizations such as the Four Seasons Garden Club, the Circle of Friends, and the Seymour Lake Association. She also belonged to the “Birthday Girls,” a group of eight close friends who celebrated each other’s special day with luncheons and gift exchanges.

Friends fondly remember Mrs. Jenney hosting a number of “silver teas” at her home for the Four Seasons Garden Club. She loved her own beautiful gardens, and looked forward to going to local greenhouses every spring to pick out the new season’s selections. She learned the skills of flower arranging and for 20 years provided the evergreen arrangements for the holiday open house at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth.

In her later years, she became an avid reader of books. Some of her favorite authors were Archer Mayor and C.J. Box. She participated in a number of book discussions with the Circle of Friends and the Dailey Memorial Library in Derby.

She is survived by her son William Jenney of Plymouth; her son Peter Jenney and his wife, Pam, and grandson Michael Jenney, all of Plano, Texas; her granddaughter Paige Balsamo and her husband, James, and great-grandson Ryder Balsamo, all of Wheat Ridge, Colorado. She is also survived by her sister Constance Colligan and nephew Stephen Colligan, both of East Charleston; by nieces Christine Colligan of New York City, by Margaret Weiss (Steve) of Congers, New York; her nephew Robert Colligan of Cos Cob, Connecticut; grandnieces Joanna, Laura, and Kathryn; and many dear friends.

Mrs. Jenney enjoyed life to the fullest and will be dearly missed by all who knew her. A celebration of her life is planned for late spring or early summer 2016.

Should friends desire, contributions can be made in her name to the Dailey Memorial Library, 101 Junior High Drive, Derby, Vermont 05829.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

Deborah Louise Lemery

Deborah Louise Lemery, 69, of Lowell died on Friday, November 13, 2015 at Birchwood Terrace Healthcare in Burlington.

She was born to Robert and Jessie (Dupras) Lemery on June 12, 1946, in Barre.

Ms. Lemery grew up and attended schools in Chelsea and graduated from Alburgh High School. She later married Frank Jarvis, and they had three children, Todd, Tracy and Tonya. They lived in Alburgh for several years before moving to Lowell, where she lived for 35 years.

She worked in the Lowell Elementary School as a teacher’s aide and lunch manager for several years and later created Debbie’s Designs wreath business, teaching wreath-making and selling wreaths.

She was a member of the St. Ignatius Church and supported activities and fund-raisers for many years, including the Troy Area Lions Club.

She played piano and accordion and gave music lessons to many.

She was very much loved by all who knew her, and she was a pleasure to be around.

She is survived by one brother, Robert (Chug) Lemery Jr. and his wife, Aria, of Alburgh; by her children: Todd and his wife, Meghan, of St. Albans, Tracey and his wife, Jennifer, of East Albany, and Tonya Jarvis and her boyfriend, John St. Onge of Newport; by her grandchildren: Allauna Benware and her fiancé, Ryan Abel, of Newport, Monica Benware of Newport, Paxton, Keenan and Owen Jarvis of St. Albans, Jade Jarvis of East Albany, and Billy and Sabrina Jarvis; by three great-grandchildren: Rhylnd, Abel, Wryder and Waylon Chase; and by her lifetime special friend Donna (Pixie) Lyford of Chelsea, who she grew up with and who has always been there for her.

Ms. Lemery’s greatest loves were her home, family and friends. She enjoyed cooking, traveling, playing cards, bingo, scrabble, playing music and family get-togethers, and she loved animals.

As per her wishes, there will be no wake or funeral service. Burial will be private. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a contribution in her memory may do so by contributing to Alzheimers Association of Vermont, 300 Cornerstone Drive, Suite 128, Williston, Vermont 05495.

To send online condolences, please visit www.cremation societycc.com.

Jacquelyn Ann Roese

Jacquelyn Ann Roese, 72, of Island Pond died suddenly on November 2, 2015, at her home.

She was born on April 30, 1943, in Rockville Center, New York, to Joaquin and Isabelle (Brumley) De Ibero.

Mrs. Roese was very active with the Brighton Chamber of Commerce and the Brighton snowmobile club, and she volunteered for 25 years as an aide for the Moriches, New York, nursery school. She loved spending time with her grandchildren at the lake, and she enjoyed snowmobiling and being in the outdoors.

She is survived by her husband, Frederick Roese, of Island Pond; by her children: Michael Roese of Manorville, New York, John Roese and his wife, Karen, of East Moriches, New York, and Barbara Gastarik and her husband, Robert, of Manorville, New York; by her grandchildren: Andrew, Jennifer, Richard, and Rachel; by her sister Ann Jones and her husband, Bill, of Port Saint Lucie, Florida; and by one niece and two nephews. She was predeceased by a brother.

A service was held on November 7. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

Thomas G. Snelgrove

Thomas G. Snelgrove, 75, of Newport Center died peacefully at his home on November 10, 2015, after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born on September 7, 1940, to William and Edith (Gerrard) Snelgrove. He graduated from the Montreal West High School and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Mount Allison College in New Brunswick, Canada.

Mr. Snelgrove was a ski instructor at Jay Peak, where he met his wife. He was also employed by Space Research Corporation and was owner and operator of Snelgrove Transport. For the majority of his life he was an over-the-road truck driver.

He was past exalted ruler of the Elks # 2155, and a member of Cars of Yesteryear. He enjoyed skiing and boating, and in his younger years he raced Flying Dutchman sailboats and played minor league hockey for the Chicago Blackhawks.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 49 years, Dianne (McNeal) Snelgrove, of Newport Center; his daughter Colleen Carman and her husband, Robert, of Naples, Florida; his sons: Trevor Snelgrove of Naples, and Scott Snelgrove and his girlfriend, Debbie Bevins, of Westfield; by his brother Robert Snelgrove and his wife, Jean Simpson, of Toronto, Ontario; by his in-laws: Brian McNeal of Newport, Ron and Rochelle Moss of Zephyrhills, Florida, Baxter and Marie McNeal of Newport, Hugh and Shirley McNeal of Newport, Burton and Gina McNeal of Las Vegas, Nevada, Barry and Suzanne McNeal of Newport, Brent and Sharon McNeal of Reno, Nevada; by his brother-in-law Pat Martin of Bend, Oregon; and his sister-in-law Cindy Snelgrove of Montreal, Quebec. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

He was predeceased by his parents, William Gordon Snelgrove and Edith (Gerrard) Snelgrove; and by his in-laws Darlene (McNeal) Martin and Joan McNeal.

Graveside services were held on November 17 at Pine Hill Cemetery in Derby with the Reverend Kelly Deslauriers officiating. A gathering at the Elks Lodge in Derby followed.

Should friends desire, contributions in his memory can be made to the Mary Halo Foundation, 1071 Upper Quarry Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com. Cards may also be sent to 2517 Vance Hill Road, Newport Center, Vermont 05857.

Roger W. Stewart

Roger W. Stewart, 83, of Lowell died suddenly on November 9, 2015, at his home.

Mr. Stewart never married, but family and friends were the most important things in his life. He leaves many cousins, and very close friends too numerous to mention, who will deeply miss him.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Marjorie Stewart, and his uncle Floyd Stewart.

He was born in Lowell on August 23, 1932. He graduated from Newport Center High School in 1950.

In 1993 he retired after 40 years working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Conservation Service (SCS), now called USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. He had an amazing work ethic and was just a wealth of information for those he worked with. He was very well respected in SCS, both by the farmers in Orleans County and by staff statewide.

After his retirement, he spent time working in the woods, and became well know for building birdhouses and wishing wells. Mr. Stewart, also a dairy farmer, owned Hi-Lo Farm and was very proud of his award winning registered Jerseys. He was active in the Top of Vermont Jersey Club and helped on the spring sale. He sold many animals in Jersey sales.

Mr. Stewart served as a justice of the peace and a lister for the town of Lowell. He also served as Orleans County Farm Bureau president in the early seventies.

He enjoyed going out to dine with his many friends, especially breakfast. In his earlier years he enjoyed hunting. He couldn’t wait for fall when basketball season would begin. He attended games at the local high schools where he had a permanent seat. And he loved attending and following UVM girls basketball.

Mr. Stewart was like a grandfather to many children and loved to spend time with them. He was a supporter of Orleans County 4-H and for many years served as a director on the Orleans County Fair Association board. He was always willing to help with building projects, and his expertise was greatly appreciated. He worked on several buildings at the fairgrounds and volunteered for many years, selling tickets during the fair and other special events, or manning the 4-H building.

He spent time helping the Chamberlins with their sugaring operation, and traveled to Eastern States Exposition and the Fryeburg Fair, where he enjoyed meeting people and explaining agriculture to them. He loved attending the horse pulling competitions.

A funeral is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, at the Lowell Congregational Church. Calling hours start at 10 a.m. The service is at 11 a.m. followed by burial in the Mountain View Cemetery in Lowell.

In lieu of flowers, donations can made to the Vermont Student Development Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 2000, Winooski, Vermont 05404 for an Orleans County 4-H Youth Scholarship in Mr. Stewart’s name.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

Robert Edward Tubbert

On Veterans Day, November 11, 2015, another member of the Greatest Generation was lost. Robert Edward Tubbert, 94, died peacefully in comfort at Derby Green Nursing Home in Derby.

Mr. Tubbert was known to his friends as Bob, to his grandsons as Gramps, and to his extended Meunier grandchildren family as Mr. T.

He moved to Vermont in 2009 to live with his daughter Gail. He lived in an apartment attached to his daughter’s house, which he nicknamed “perch.” Mr. Tubbert fell in his apartment recently and was unable to return to his home.

He was born in Syracuse, New York, to William and Harriet Tubbert. He was the youngest of three boys, each a year apart. He loved to tell stories of his childhood growing up in Syracuse and the antics he and his brothers got into.

Mr. Tubbert was drafted into the Air Force during World War II and was trained as an airplane mechanic. He was stationed in Alaska on the Aleutian Islands. He wanted to be a pilot but was refused because he was colorblind.

He married his teenage sweetheart, Betty Jane Wright, on August 28, 1945. They lived in Bridgeport, New York, where Betty had grown up and where Mr. Tubbert lived during the summer months on Oneida Lake.

He was honorably discharged from the service at the end of World War II. Good jobs were hard to find. He eventually found a job at Carrier Air Conditioning in Syracuse. Over the years he worked his way up to plant manager, where he remained until his retirement.

Mr. Tubbert was an avid hunter, fisherman and golfer. He liked to spend hours in his woodworking shop. Playing cards was his passion.  He loved a good cigar. He was a Mason and achieved lifetime memberships after 65 years of service.

He retired at the age of 61 with his wife, Betty. They spent summers in New York and winters in Florida. They loved to spend time with friends golfing and playing cards. In their retirement years they spent many hours with their grandsons Jon and Nate.

Sadly, Mr. Tubbert was predeceased by his wife in 2008. He will be greatly missed by his daughter Gail and her husband, Bob Meunier; by his grandson Jon Meunier and his wife, Amanda; by his great-granddaughters Abigail, June and Rose Meunier; and by Nate Meunier and his friend, Ashley Robishaw-Morin.

Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Interment will take place in Pine Plains Cemetery in Kirkville, New York.

Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Pope Frontier Animal Society, 502 Strawberry Acres, Newport, Vermont 05855.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

Maida Blanche Hinman Webster

Maida Blanche Hinman Webster died on November 12, 2015, at Ledgeview Assisted Living in Cumberland Foreside, Maine.

She was born on May 1, 1923, in Newport. The daughter of Carrol and Blanche Hinman, she attended schools in Newport. She married Kenneth Webster on September 2, 1945. She was a member of the Chapter 25 North Star of Island Pond. After moving to Yarmouth, Maine, she worked as a baker for Yarmouth High School. She loved to knit, sew, and care for her family.

Mrs. Webster was predeceased by three brothers: Carrol Paul Hinman of Springfield, Massachusetts; David Hinman, who died in World War II; and John Hinman of Newport. She was also predeceased by her sister Terol Myers of Newport.

She is survived by her three sons and daughters-in-law: Doug and Janet of Morris, Connecticut, Bruce and Nancy of Colchester, and Steve and Kathy of Otisfield, Maine; by six grandchildren; and by 11 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service in Mrs. Webster’s honor will be held on Saturday, November 21, at Gracelawn Memorial Park in Auburn, Maine.

Mary Patricia Yanacheak

Mary Patricia Yanacheak (née Kennedy), 62, of Brownington died on November 9, 2015, in the company of her friends and family. She had suffered from amyloidosis for seven years, a rare, painful, and debilitating disease. Her death was neither painless nor serene, but she was surrounded by people she loved and who loved her.

Ms. Yanacheak was born on October 24, 1953, to Viola and Allen Kennedy at a U.S. Army base in Heidelberg, Germany. She was the youngest of five children, and the family soon moved to Holden, Massachusetts. As a child, she found her greatest peace in nature. Throughout her life she spent much of her free time hiking in the woods, binoculars at the ready, and a German shepherd at her side.

A lover of animals, Ms. Yanacheak worked at several animal shelters and always kept several pets. In her early adulthood, she often worked as a bartender. Her most meaningful vocation was in the service to animals, and later in life to the maintenance and well-being of her expansive perennial flower gardens.

Jason Kennedy, her only child, was born in 1982. She felt she lost the opportunity to pursue higher education for herself, so she actively fostered her son’s lifelong love of learning.

In March 1992, she married David Yanacheak in Michigan, where she lived until moving to the Northeast Kingdom in 2001. In her later years, Mr. Yanacheak was her constant caretaker and life support.

People remember Ms. Yanacheak best for her resilient spirit. She outlived a death sentence by seven years, and stayed active in the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary Post #23, book groups, gravestone restoration, and gardening. She was self-reliant by nature, and was a powerful example of a strong female role model.

She is survived by her husband, David, of Brownington; her son Jason Kennedy and her daughter-in-law Khayreyah Wahaab of Auckland, New Zealand; by her sisters Gail Kennedy of Holden, Massachusetts, Sharon Harmon of Princeton, Massachusetts, and Nancy Desrosiers of Falmouth, Massachusetts; by her brother Roy Kennedy of Jefferson, Massachusetts; by her stepdaughter Marnie Yanacheak; and by her granddaughter Rita Gabriela Fuentes Yanacheak of Littleton, Colorado. It should be acknowledged that two of her closest friends have been like family to her: Diane Wunderlich of Flushing, Michigan, and Marsha Cherington of Brownington.

We all hope that she finds peace in the form of a great library in the woods as her Eden. We love you.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her honor to the Felines and Friends Foundation: http://www.fffvt.org/how-you-can-help/donate.

Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home at 4670 Darling Hill Road in Newport. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 13, at the Brownington Village Congregational Church. Interment will follow in the Brownington Village Cemetery.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.