Obituaries

Obituaries January 17, 2018

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Thomas W. Almeida

Thomas W. Almeida, 54, of Holland, died on January 5, 2018, in Newport, after a long battle with cancer.

He was born on September 16, 1963, in Weymouth, Massachusetts, the son of Marianne Eovacious Almeida and the late Robert Almeida.

Mr. Almeida was an excellent carpenter who built many different structures including his own home in Holland. He loved snowmobiling, tinkering on his cars, traveling, and camping, including going out to the West Coast. He was a man of many talents including welding, plumbing, electrical, and finish cabinet making.

He is survived by his fiancé, Lynne Drury, of Holland; by his mother Marianne Almeida of Kingston, Massachusetts; and by his sister Terri Ann Almeida and her lifelong companion, William McLaughlin, of Kingston.

He was predeceased by his father Robert Almeida.

A graveside service will be held in the spring at Mead Hill Cemetery in Holland. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Hope Lodge, 237 East Avenue, Burlington, Vermont 05401.

Online condolences can be shared at curtis-britch.com.

 

Reynold R. Choiniere

Reynold R. Choiniere, 88, died on December 21, 2017. He was at home at Michaud Manor with his daughter Sharon at his side.

Mr. Choiniere was born on the family farm in Brownington to Ulric and Clara (Larocque) Choiniere on January 24, 1929. He was the fifth of ten children.

He was predeceased by his parents, Ulric and Clara Choiniere; his brothers: Victor, Raymond, Ovide, Alton, Alcide, and Harvey; his sister Theresa VanZile; and by his sisters-in-law: Florette and Lucille; and his brother-in-law Robert VanZile.

Mr. Choiniere attended schools in Evansville and Brownington. When he was old enough, he got his first job at Braywood Heel in Orleans. He then enlisted in the Merchant Marines at age 17.

On June 1, 1949, he married the former Tillie (Leland) Pierce, and soon after moved to Massachusetts. Over the 15 years of their marriage they had five children.

In the summer of 1965 he moved back to Vermont with his children. Before school started the two youngest children went back to Massachusetts with their mother.

Mr. Choiniere was employed at Ethan Allen in Orleans for over 25 years.

In 1967 he met Esther Alberici, who was a waitress at Don’s Restaurant. After moving to Newport he became very active in the community. In 1969, Mr. Choiniere and Ms. Alberici were married. He became involved with starting the Mini Olympics in Newport with Bob Green. He was involved with the Northeastern Vermont Development Association, which brought senior housing to Newport. They became pillars of the community.

The highlights of Mr. Choiniere’s life were the years he and his wife put together the Christmas dinner for the lonely from 1984 to 2009. His wife died in 1998 and Mr. Choiniere continued the dinner in her honor until he retired in 2009, due to blindness from macular degeneration.

From 1999 to 2003, he served as the mayor of Newport.

Mr. Choiniere is survived by his brother Leonel and his wife, Doris; his sister Claire and her husband, Robert Jannetti; his sisters-in-law Barbara Choiniere, Evelyn Hurlburt, Roberta Choiniere; and Harvey’s wife, Carmella; his children: Sharon, Ronald and his wife, Jeanne, Donna Marcou, Claire Bain, James, and Phyllis Alberici. He had 13 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson, Declan Davis. He also had many nieces and nephews. He was a blessed man with a large family and loved them all.

A graveside service followed by a memorial and luncheon will be held on May 26. More information will be made available.

Online condolences may be shared at www.curtis-britch.com.

 

Everett Carlton Dickinson Jr.

Everett Carlton Dickinson Jr., recently of Derby, formerly of Rockville, Connecticut, died on November 30, 2017, at the age of 88. Having enjoyed a relatively healthy life, he succumbed to one of the culminating effects of dementia, aspiration pneumonia, after a brief hospital stay.

Born an only child to Everett Dickinson Sr. and his wife, Irene (Weber), on June 26, 1929, he lived his entire life in Rockville, except for recently having moved to Vermont to be closer to his two daughters.

He graduated from Rockville High School and spent the majority of his working career at the Rockville post office. Other jobs included stints at factories and the old Plastifoam Company.

He married Doris Caouette from Southbridge, Massachusetts, on April 16, 1955, and had three children: Irene, Jeanne, and Paul. Irene lives in Morgan. Her three children, Frederick, Spencer, and Heather do as well. Spencer has a daughter, Cadence. Jeanne Dickinson also resides in the Northeast Kingdom. Paul Dickinson and his wife, Linda, live in Alpharetta, Georgia. Paul’s son Samuel is employed in Indiana in the music and computer fields, and his daughter Bailey is finishing college with aspirations of becoming a physician’s assistant.

Prior to meeting Ms. Caouette, Mr. Dickinson joined the army during the Korean War. He was stationed in Japan for almost two years and came home when the war ended.

“Little Duke” enjoyed a lifetime of fishing and hunting. Learning the skills from his mother’s brothers, he could fly fish with the best of them. For years he made his own flies and could pull a fish out of holes where others thought there weren’t any. He was equally gifted when it came to bird and rabbit hunting. He belonged to the Rockville Fish and Game Club and the Manchester Fox and Coon Club. He absolutely loved pheasant hunting and made pheasant cacciatore with the birds he brought home. Rabbits were marinated in a brine and became the German dish hasenpfeffer. A lot of fish were traded for deli meat. He spent many enjoyable afternoons at the clubs, playing cards and swapping stories. His son Paul often went skeet shooting with him, and the two earned many trophies. When a mild stroke affected his ability to shoot right-handed, he taught himself to shoot left-handed, with equal accuracy.

Mr. Dickinson’s second love in life, besides his wife, was time spent with his dogs. He had numerous hunting dogs over the years — beagles, springer spaniels, English setters, and pointers. Peanuts, Snoopy, Brandy, and Lucky were dear to his heart.

His good eye and hand coordination also benefited him when playing horseshoes and ping-pong. He was the eastern Connecticut regional champ in ping-pong one year, and earned numerous trophies in horseshoe tournaments.

He was also an avid gardener. Every summer numerous tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, rhubarb, etc. were produced from his well-kept home garden, and some years from a community garden as well. Mrs. Dickinson made tomato sauce that was enjoyed during the winter. He was extremely proud of his blueberry bushes. Mrs. Dickinson made lots of pies for the freezer, and Mr. Dickinson gave a lot away to his neighbors. He also cut brush and made wreaths one year.

Winter pastimes included photographing birds at his bird feeders. Heaven help the blue jays or starlings that tried to take more than their fair share! When cardinals returned to raise young each summer, he was quite pleased.

Black and white TV had just come out when he was young, and he preferred the good old-fashioned shows like “Gunsmoke,” other westerns, and combat films. Of course the nightly news with Walter Cronkite was a ritual.

A man of few words, he steadfastly met what he felt were his responsibilities and priorities in life. He will be missed by his wife of 62 years, Doris; and his children, especially his first-born, Irene.

 

Anna F. Leland

Anna F. Leland, 94, of Barton, and formerly of Houlton, Maine, died on the morning of January 12, 2018, at the Maple Lane Nursing Home in Barton.

She was born on February 1, 1923. She was the daughter of the late Edwin and Faye (Thompson) Fleming.

In September of 1950 she married George H. Leland who predeceased her in 1994.

She enjoyed playing bridge, flower arranging, and gardening.

She was a member of the Book and Thimble Club, Order of the Eastern Star, a 4-H and cub scouts leader, a member of the Orleans Federated Church, and a past president of her garden club.

Ms. Leland retired from North Country Hospital in Newport as a registered nurse in the emergency room, and district trainer coordinator for EMS services. Early in her career she was a nursing instructor at the New England Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, Massachusetts.

She is survived by her children: Roy Leland of Orleans, Sara Sos and her husband, John, of Belmont, Massachusetts, Edwin Leland and his wife, Karen, of Jupiter, Florida; her sister Marilyn Fleming Lloyd of Skowhegan, Maine; and her brother John Fleming of Ludlow, Maine. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

She was predeceased by her sisters: Ruth Fleming Sanders and Hope Fleming York.

A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family in the spring.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Orleans Federated Church, 34 School Street, Orleans, Vermont 05860.

Online condolences may be shared at www.curtis-britch.com.

 

Joseph Laurent Niper

Joseph Laurent Niper, 81, of Island Pond, died on January 8, 2018, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, due to complications from a stroke. His family was by his side.

He was born on April 1, 1936, in Stanhope, New Jersey, to Berthuel and Dora (Laurent) Niper. His middle name was his mother’s maiden name.

He is survived by his brother Sidney Niper and his wife, Linda, of New Jersey. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law: Barbara Niper and Gloria Niper, both of New Jersey.

He was predeceased by his brothers: Edward, and his wife, Linda, John and his wife, Jean, Frank, Peter, Paul “Dale,” and James, all of New Jersey.

He worked at Compac Paper Company. In his free time he would get together with his friends to swim dogs and hunt ’coons in New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. It is in Vermont that he became “Uncle Joe,” to his adopted family, through Fred Moore and Maggie Moore. He moved to Vermont to retire in Island Pond.

Through the years, Mr. Niper came by every night to trade dogs, ride back roads, and go to the barn. He loved hunting and fishing, horses, hunting dogs, and to hang out at the barn and go to horse and pony pulls with his friends and family.

From this adopted family, he was predeceased by Fred Moore of Brownington, and Kevin Twofoot.

He leaves: Fay Moore of Brownington, Maggie Morgan and her husband, Floyd, of Island Pond, William Moore and his wife, Lisa, of Island Pond, Blaine Moore and his wife, Robin, of East Charleston, Dennis Moore and his wife, Claudia, from Hando, Texas, and Sherri Moore and her longtime companion, Dan, from Colebrook, New Hampshire; as well as many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

As per Mr. Niper’s wishes, there will be a memorial gathering in the late spring for all family and friends. Details will be announced at a later date.

 

Paul A. Raybold

Paul A. Raybold, 75, of Brownington, formerly of Harmony Township and Phillipsburg, New Jersey, died on January 3, 2018, at his home, after a long battle with cancer.

He was born on November 28, 1942. He was the son of Magdalene and Lewis Raybold.

He is survived by his wife, Louise Raybold.

Mr. Raybold was a man of many talents. After graduating from Archmere High School he served four years in the U.S. Air Force, serving time in Okinawa during the occupation of Japan. After the service he was a welder at Franklin Steel, a machinist/welder at the former L.A. Fish Company, and drove a school bus for First Student. He was also owner of R&S Enterprises, a precision automotive machine shop and engine rebuilder; a commercial flight engineer; and the apiarist for the state of New Jersey. He was also a member of the Harmony Fire Company. After retiring from the state of New Jersey he moved to Vermont where he enjoyed farming and raising animals on his property.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind his stepdaughters: Erin and Sarah; and a stepson Greg. Interment will be in Phillipsburg.

Mr. Raybold will be sorely missed by his many friends from Vermont, New Jersey, and the surrounding area.

 

Josephine M. Worth

Josephine M. “JoJo” Worth, 97, of Newport, formerly of Island Pond, died on January 9, 2018, in Newport.

She was born on October 4, 1920, in Newark, to James and Margaret (Morgan) Ball. On February 19, 1940, she married Bernard C. Worth who predeceased her.

She graduated from Lyndon Institute in 1938. She was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church in Island Pond and was very active in the choir and Bible study. She enjoyed embroidery, reading the Bible, sliding, snowshoeing, feeding the birds, and working in her flower garden.

She is survived by her children: Gloria Gaboriault of Island Pond, Bernard J. “Deak” Worth of Island Pond, and Gayle Perry of Danville. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Mark Castonguay and his wife, Robin, of Island Pond, Cathy Hilliker and her husband, Todd, of Deleware, Stuart Gaboriault and his wife, Elaine, of Westmore, Paul Gaboriault and his wife, Holly, of Georgia, Stacey Camley of Newport Center, Kristie Bronson of Connecticut, Travis Perry and his wife, Joanne, of Danville, and Angela Payeur and her husband, Matt, of Danville; by nine great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; by her daughter-in-law Sheila Worth of Island Pond; her brother James C. Ball of West Burke; and her sister-in-law Bernice Ball of West Burke.

She was predeceased by her daughter Margaret Castonguay; by her siblings: Everett and Kenneth Ball; and her son-in-law Richard Perry.

Funeral services will be held in the spring at the First Congregational Church in Island Pond. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the First Congregational Church, 21 Middle Street, Island Pond, Vermont 05846; or to the Bel-Aire Activities Fund, 35 Bel-Aire Drive, Newport, Vermont 05855.

Online condolences can be shared at curtis-britch.com.

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