George C. Birdsall
George C. Birdsall, 66, of Newport Center died peacefully in his home on Friday, July 24, 2009.
Mr. Birdsall was born November 27, 1942, in Bridgeton, New Jersey, a son of George E. and Lucy (Pearce) Birdsall.
On April 20, 1968, he married Judi Long, who predeceased him in 2005 after 37 years of marriage.
He was a computer technician for Bell Atlantic Telephone Company with 27 years service. He retired in 1992. He moved to Vermont in 1992 and worked for Northern State Correctional Facility for several years until he retired in 2005.
He was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served in active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was a member of American Legion Post 28 of North Troy.
He is survived by his children Leisa Powers and her husband, Mark, of Greenwich, New Jersey, and Marnie Willis and her husband, Rob, of Newport Center; by three grandchildren: Jeremy and Colin Powers and Yvan Willis; by his mother, Lucy K. Birdsall, of Bridgeton; and by his brother Neil Birdsall of Ocean City, New Jersey. He was predeceased by his father, George E. Birdsall.
A graveside service was held July 28 at the Westfield Cemetery with the Reverend Henry Mlinganisa officiating.
Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Birdsall’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Vermont Division, 121 Connor Way, Suite 240, Williston, Vermont 05495.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.curtis-britch-converse-rushford.com.
Arrangements are by Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Homes.
William “Bill” Emerson Grant
William “Bill” Emerson Grant, 87, of Wantagh, New York, died July 23, 2009, in Newport.
Mr. Grant was born December 15, 1921, a son of Jay Pittman and Helma (Jensen) Grant in Jersey City, New Jersey.
He served his country in World War II in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill stationed in the Pacific Ocean. He was discharged in 1947.
He married Lois Moss on July 2, 1948, and they were happily married for 61 years. His wife predeceased him on April 18.
They made their home in Wantagh, where they raised two children, Keith and Patti. Mr. Grant made his living as a plant supervisor for an injection molding company, while Mrs. Grant taught kindergarten in Copiague schools.
They were charter members of the Levittown Community Church in New York and remained active members throughout their lives.
Mr. Grant began spending summers in Westmore when he was a young boy, and he worked at the Willoughvale Farm when it was a working farm in the 1930s. When he married Lois, they began a lifelong tradition of spending vacations at Lake Willoughby after stopping at Taylor’s Cabins on their way home from their Canadian honeymoon. He and his family spent time at the Willoughvale, Green Acres, Fosters Grove, and finally with the Lukas in Brownington. He was a member of Orleans Country Club for many years. He found great pleasure in the wildlife that Vermont had to offer, especially feeding the birds and chipmunks.
He is survived by his two children, Keith Grant and his wife, Charlotte, and Patti Lukas and her husband, Gary; by seven grandchildren: Kevin Grant and his fiancée, Diana, Thomas Grant and his wife, Calista, Colleen Grant, Nicholas Carrillo and his wife, Meredith, Shaun Carrillo and his fiancée, Valerie, Christopher Lukas and Randy Lukas; and by great-grandson Trevor Grant.
A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at a later date at Levittown Community Church.
Gary Richard Sheltra
Gary Richard Sheltra, 61, died peacefully at his home in North Troy, surrounded by his family and close friends, after a courageous battle with cancer, on July 20, 2009.
Mr. Sheltra was born December 16, 1947, in Westfield, a son of Forrest Sheltra and Lillian (Pope) Baraw.
He was raised in Orleans. He worked on a mink farm as a boy. He served his country as a member of the United States Army and fought in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. He was discharged with honors.
He became a maintenance man and worked at the Kraft/Agri-Mark cheese plant for many, many years. He also worked at Columbia Forest Products, and most recently he was working full time at Jay Peak Ski Resort. He will be missed by all his close friends at Jay Peak.
He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and his dog James. He loved camping, getting away, working on cars, and fixing stuff. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix.
He leaves behind his wife and best friend, Carol Sheltra. He is also survived by two brothers, Tim Baraw of Newport and Steve Baraw of Westfield; by four sisters: Jackie Arel and her husband, Chuck, of Vergennes, Judy Drown of Randolph, Sherryl Sheltra of Newport, and Penny Coe and her husband, Garry, of Newport Center; by five children: Shelley and his wife, Kathy, of Newport Center, Scott and his partner, Melissa, of Troy, Barbara of Newport, and twin sons, Nicholas and Nathan (Sheltra) Burleigh of Windsor; by stepchildren: Michael Stacey and his wife, Natalie, of Fort Knox, Kentucky, Jennifer Messier of Newport, April Stacey and her partner, Todd Daigle, of Westfield, and Kevin Stacey and his wife, Becky, of Morrisville. Through his loving and blended family he leaves behind 16 grandchildren: Justin, Nicholas, Joey, Brianna, Lindsey, Aaron, Nadine, Ashley, Ryan, Cassie, Dillon, Xander, Quinton, Zoey, Travis, and Alexis.
A graveside service was held July 24 at the North Hill Cemetery in Westfield with Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Calvin Kemp officiating with full military honors.
Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Sheltra’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Vermont Division, 121 Connor Way, Suite 240, Williston, Vermont 05495.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.curtis-britch-converse-rushford.com.
Arrangements are by Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Homes.
Beatrice Blanchard Spencer
Beatrice Blanchard Spencer, 71, of Abercorn, Quebec, died July 22, 2009, in Brome-Missisquoi-Perkins Hospital in Cowansville, Quebec.
Mrs. Spencer was born May 20, 1938, in Newport Center, a daughter of William and Augusta (Peters) Blanchard.
She is survived by her daughter Teala Morse and her husband, Reggie, of Abercorn; by her two grandchildren, Michael and Mathew Morse; by her sister Pauline Sweet of Enosburg; by two brothers, Roland Blanchard and his wife, Shirley, of Newport Center and Steve Blanchard of Enosburg; by her nieces and nephews; by her former husband and friend Roy Spencer of Sutton, Quebec; and by other relatives and friends. She was predeceased by her twin sister, Barbara Gerrow, on June 26.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 1, at the Albany Cemetery with the Reverend Nathan Strong officiating.
Should friends desire, contributions in Mrs. Spencer’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Vermont Division, 121 Connor Way, Suite 240, Williston, Vermont 05495.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.curtis-britch-converse-rushford.com.
Arrangements are by Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Homes.
Committal Service
Dr. Stanley H. Kipp
Committal services for Dr. Stanley H. Kipp will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 8, at Pleasantview Cemetery in Orleans.
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