Obituaries

Obituaries 08.21.19

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Ruth Carolyn Williams

Ruth Carolyn Williams, 92, a loving mother and grandmother, died Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at Hanover Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hanover, New Hampshire.  

Ruth was born October 15, 1926, in Derby to Charles and Ethel (Lorimer) Hopkinson.  She graduated from Derby Academy.  On June 26, 1948, she married Joel Emerson Williams.  They raised three sons, Ivan, Michael, and Roderick and two daughters, Mildred and Donna. 

After the death of her husband, Ruth worked at Newport Plastics, Slalom Skiwear, and Vermont Associates.  She lived in Morgan until 2013 when she moved to Virginia to live with her son Ivan.  She made it back to Vermont each year to visit family and friends.  

Ruth was an active member of the Morgan United Church and the Grange.  She enjoyed crochet, embroidery, and sewing.  She took joy in making embroidered quilts for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and crocheting various items for family and friends.  

Ruth is survived by her sons:  Ivan Williams and his wife, Carla, Michael Williams and his wife, Sherry, and Roderick Williams and his wife, Elizabeth; her daughters Mildred Higgins and Donna Goad and her husband, Todd; her grandchildren: Melissa Tyler and her husband, Chad, Harry Williams and his wife, Tonya, Kelley Williams, Jonathan Higgins and his wife, Ashley, Samantha Williams, Joel Williams, Zachary Goad, Brandon Goad, and Trevor Goad; her great-grandchildren:  Hailey Williams, Alia Williams, Nathan Higgins, Natalie Tyler, and Adam Higgins; her niece Judy Bednarz and her husband, Ed; her step-grandchildren: Alicia Gilbert and her husband, Jerry, Alison Wallace and her husband, Chris, Robert Pyer and his wife, Larissa, Sierra Church, Zachary Church, and Elise Baltgalvis; and her step-great-grandchildren: Slade Stroinski, Crystal Gilbert, Elizabeth Wallace, Emma Wallace, Oliva Zorn, Eythan Wallace, and Chandler Zorn.

Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Joel; her father, Charles; her mother, Ethel; her brother Reginald (Reg) Hopkinson; her sisters-in-law Elizabeth (Betty) Hopkinson and Maxine Poyerd; her daughter-in-law Linda Williams, the wife of Ivan; and her son-in-law Dennis Higgins, the husband of Mildred.  

The family would like to thank the staff at Hanover Terrace Health and Rehabilitation Center and Bayada Hospice, for the wonderful care they provided Ruth during the last months of her life.

Funeral services were held on August 18 at the Morgan United Church.

In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to The Morgan United Church at 14 Meade Hill, Morgan, Vermont 05853, in memory of Ruth.

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

Earl D. Laber

Earl D. Laber, 93, of Derby died on Monday, August 12, 2019, in Newport.

He was born on October 15, 1925, in Springfield to Ralph Laber and Agnes Baker Laber.  His father was a machinist, and together he and his wife raised three children.  The family was very proud even though they had very little during the Great Depression and his father had died young in 1937.  This formed a strong determination in Earl’s mind to help his family.  Earl started working young at age 12 and by age 15 had constructed a three story chicken house, researched raising chickens, had opened a charge account at the local grain store, and by age 17 had more than a 1,000 chickens, which he used to supplement the family income.  Earl’s time was spent working to help the family, which formed his mindset for the rest of his life.

Earl went to Springfield High School where he was enrolled in the school’s electrical co-op program, where he worked five weeks at various factories including John T. Slack Company and Vermont Foundries, a defense contractor, and five weeks in class.  He graduated and became an electrician at the foundry receiving a deferment because of this position as an electrician.  Even though his mother did not want him to enlist, he joined the U.S. Navy in 1944, passed the electrical course, and was assigned to the destroyer escort USS Slater DE-766 (now a museum on the water in the Port of Albany, New York).  He served on many trips across the Atlantic, with destroyer escorts protecting the huge convoys, and the Pacific, where he experienced storms that almost sank the ship, German torpedoes, and a typhoon.

After the war Earl returned to Springfield where he continued as an electrician.  His Navy duty and factory experience provided him in-depth electrical theory and hands-on experience, cementing in his mind that he would find a career in the electrical field.  During the war Springfield was a major contributor to the war effort.  As a machine tool town, it drew many workers including Earl’s future wife, Miriam Brewer, who left her small town of North Derby to find work. 

They were married October 26, 1946, in North Derby, moved to the Northeast Kingdom, and soon after, started a motor rewind business in 1953 named Green Mountain Electric.  By the 1960’s the business under Earl’s guidance switched to electrical wholesale and was renamed Green Mountain Electrical Supply.  Eventually, Miriam, their three sons, and Steve Carpenter joined the company.  Earl retired to take care of Miriam who had Alzheimer’s, caring for her until her death. 

His legacy was watching his children expand and grow Green Mountain Electric Supply from one location in Newport to fourteen locations in the New England area.  He also was instrumental in the creation of the Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Derby, where he served as an elder. 

He enjoyed reading scripture, leading Bible studies, visiting the homes of church members as well as friends, going to camp on Salem Lake, visiting local nursing homes, and he also built many homes for his family.  Earl was a member of the Destroyer Escort Association and the Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church.

His journey was and is about encompassing faith, family values, and work ethics learned during his life as a boy of twelve who lost his father to cancer and the hardship caused by that, the Great Depression, and the war.

He is survived by his children:  Gary Laber and his wife, Jocelyn, of Derby, Scott Laber and his wife, Patricia, of Derby, and Gregg Laber and his wife, Patty, of St. Albans; his grandchildren:  Nathan Laber and his wife, Holly, Seth Morvay and his wife, Kristal, Justin Laber, Ellen Swenson and her husband, Paul, Kurt Laber and his wife, Shelly, Ryan Laber and his wife, Rebekah, Joshua Laber and his wife, Karen, Jenna Jarvis and her husband, Sean, and Jeremy Laber and his wife, Amanda.  He is also survived by 21 great-grandchildren; his sister Avis Augustinovich and her husband, Andrew; his brother-in-law Elwin Brewer; and his sister-in-law Sandra Kalinowski.

He was predeceased by his wife, Miriam; both his parents; his brother Ferris Laber; and his special friend Rita Bowen.

Funeral services were held August 16 at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church.

Should friends desire, donations in his memory may be made to the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum at USS Slater DE-766, P.O. Box 1926, Albany, New York, 12201-1926. 

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

Robert Lawrence Bousquet

Robert Lawrence Bousquet, 85, of Irasburg died on Thursday, August 15, 2019, in Barton.  

He was born on July 29,1933, in Lowell to Azirias Bousquet and Gladys Nadeau Snyder.  On March 6, 2011, he married Joan S. Berwick who survives him.

Robert was a veteran of the U.S. Army having served during the Korean War.  He enjoyed playing country music with family and friends, campfires, golf, winters in Florida, trips to Connecticut, hunting, and fishing.  He was a self-taught guitar and bass player, a talented singer, very patriotic, and loved his family and their get-togethers.  He also hit a hole-in-one at the Barton Golf Course.  He was a member of the American Legion, Orleans post # 23, Central lodge # 62 F&AM, Irasburg.

He is survived by his children:  Robert and his wife, Sarah, Linda and her husband, David, Mark and his wife, Elaine, Joseph, Omer and his wife, Donna, and Tammy and her husband, Blair; his stepchildren:  Susan Patten and her husband, Steve, Robert Fournier and his wife, Frieda, and Richard Fournier and his wife, Mary.  He is also survived by his brother Napolean; many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews; his special niece Rose; Charles Mason and family; and his friends Marcel, Larry and Wanda, and Lawrence Earl.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Pearl Wrightington Bousquet; his brothers:  Roger, Leon, Edward, Omer, and Azirias; his sisters: Reba Cifarelli, Corrine Termini, Grace Appleby, Elizabeth Guyette, and Marion Meiers.  He was also predeceased by two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday August 24, at 3 p.m. at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford and Bouffard Funeral Home at 4670 Darling Hill Road in Newport.  Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday, August 24, from 2 p.m. until the hour of the funeral.  Interment to follow at Irasburg Cemetery with full military honors.

 Should friends desire, contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Vermont at 300 Corner Stone Drive, Suite 128, Williston, Vermont 05495.

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

husband, Andrew; his brother-in-law Elwin Brewer; and his sister-in-law Sandra Kalinowski.

He was predeceased by his wife, Miriam; both his parents; his brother Ferris Laber; and his special friend Rita Bowen.

Funeral services were held August 16 at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church.

Should friends desire, donations in his memory may be made to the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum at USS Slater DE-766, P.O. Box 1926, Albany, New York, 12201-1926. 

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

Earline Grace (Lyon) Gray

Earline Grace (Lyon) Gray, 90, of West Charleston died on August 17, 2019, at North Country Hospital.

She was born on February 4, 1929, in St. Johnsbury to Earl Zeus Lyon and Ethel Lovina (Switzer) Lyon, the third of four children.

Earline attended grades one through eight between Barton and Westmore.  She then attended Barton Academy, graduating in 1947.

On October 27, 1947, she married Clayton T. Gray of West Charleston, who predeceased her in 1998.

They had five children together: Reginald Gray of Brookline, New Hampshire, Brian Gray of Sanford, North Carolina, Howard Gray and his wife, Janet, of Savannah, Georgia, Rachel Gray of West Charleston, and Timothy Gray (predeceased in 2003) and his wife, Laura.

She is survived by her brother Dale Lyon of Naples, Florida; her three sisters-in-law; her four children; her 17 grandchildren; her 25 great-grandchildren; and her six great-great-grandchildren; along with many nieces and nephews.

She enjoyed reading, sewing, cooking for her family, and traveling.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday, August 24, at Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford and Bouffard Funeral Home at 37 Lake Road in Newport with pastor Janet Bishop officiating.  Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday, August 24, from 11 a.m. until the hour of the funeral.

Interment will be held at the Brownington Center Cemetery after the service, where Earline will be laid to rest beside her husband of over 50 years.

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

David Kenneth Eastman

David Kenneth Eastman, 59, of Newport Center died on Friday, August 16, 2019, at his home. 

He was born on August 26, 1959, in Newport to Alton and Geraldine (Pettengill) Eastman.  On October 19, 1985, he married the former Laurie Cheney who survives him.

David was a self-employed truck driver for many years.  His hobbies included attending the NASCAR races with Todd and Cindy Willis, skiing, golfing, spending time with his children and grandchildren, and trucking with Laurie.

He is survived by his wife, Laurie Eastman, of Newport Center; by his children Jason Eastman and his wife, Sara, of Newport Center, and Jessie Wright and her husband, Ian, of Barton; by his grandchildren:  Sienna, Jailyn, and Jason Eastman, and Miley and Liam Wright.  He is also survived by his siblings:  Colleen Loomis of Hardwick, Rick Eastman and his wife, Connie, of Newport Center, and Judy Brown of St. Johnsbury; by his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law:  Candy and David LeBlanc of North Troy, Sheryl and Fred Brown of Newport Center, Karen and Bruno Marquis of Newport, Michael and Laurie Cheney of Newport Center, and Jodye and Alan Buck of Newport Center; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friends Andre Patenaude and Mark Forbes.

He was predeceased by his parents; and by his brother Albert Eastman.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, August 26, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford and Bouffard Funeral Home at 37 Lake Road in Newport, followed by funeral services at 4 p.m. with Pastor George Lawson officiating. Interment will follow in Newport Center Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the University of Vermont Medical Center Dialysis Center at 111 Colchester Avenue, Main Campus, Shepardson South, Level 4, Burlington, Vermont 05401. 

Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com. 

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