Sister Lydia Dargie
Sister Lydia Dargie, 85, FCSCJ (Sister Cecile de Marie), a Daughter of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, died after a long illness on July 20, 2016, at the Holy Cross Health Care Center in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Lydia Dargie was born January 2, 1931, in East Ryegate. She was the daughter of Alfred Dargie and Annie (Fillion) Dargie. Lydia Dargie professed her vows with her religious congregation on July 3, 1951. During her 65 years of religious profession Sister Lydia served in various missions in Champlain and Morrisonville, New York; Newport, Burlington, Rutland, and Barton; Colebrook and Littleton, New Hampshire. Since 2013, Sister Lydia had resided at the Holy Cross Health Care Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, due to declining health.
Sister Lydia was a dedicated math teacher for much of her active life. She was especially happy to cheer on students who needed a boost of confidence, and willingly encouraged the arts and crafts — dimensions which she believed enhanced students’ capacity for learning concepts, both in the classroom and in life situations. Students readily stayed connected with her over the years, which Sister Lydia cherished as her teaching transitioned into administration and office work, in either a school setting or in a diocesan center. She loved to grow flowers and marveled at the beauty of nature.
Sister Lydia was predeceased by her parents, and her brother Ernest. She is survived by a brother, Everett, of Springfield, Massachusetts; and a sister, Dora Ward, of St. Johnsbury; by several nieces and nephews, by special niece, Robin Scarbeau of Essex Junction; and by her sisters in the religious community.
To offer condolences, please visit www.RossFuneral.com. Memorial donations in Sister Lydia’s memory may be sent to the Daughters of the Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 226 Grove Street, Littleton, New Hampshire 03561.
Merrill E. Guyette Jr.
Merrill E. Guyette Jr., 77, of Derby, died on July 18, 2016, in Newport.
He was born on June 1, 1939, in Newport, to Merrill and Ruby (Waterman) Guyette Sr. In November of 1964 he married Kathleen Rideout, who survives him. Mr. Guyette entered the United States Air Force and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a foreman for Winterset Construction Company. His hobbies included working on cars and tinkering around the house.
He is survived by his wife, Kathleen Guyette of Derby; by his children: Doug Hillman of Ventura, California, Thomas Bussell and his wife, Patricia Place, of Derby, Tim Bussell and his wife, Cathy, of Derby Line, Don Bussell of Pasorobles, California, Susan Oster and her husband, Mark, of New Paris, Pennsylvania, and Sherry Armstrong of Derby; by 13 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; by his brother Mike Guyette and his wife, Kathy, of Derby; by his sisters: Marilyn Currier of Newport, Muriel Dunn of Rouses Point, New York, Mary Gonyaw of Hartford, Connecticut, and Carol York of Manchester, New Hampshire; by his half-brothers: David Guyette and his wife, Carol, of Newport Center, Robert Guyette of North Troy, and John Guyette and his wife, Lisa, of North Troy. He was predeceased by his half-brother Jimmy Guyette.
Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Mary Wright Halo Foundation, 1073 Upper Quarry Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences can be made at curtis-britch.com.
David Neil Holland
David Neil Holland, 65, of Acton, Massachusetts, died July 19, 2016.
Born March 11, 1951, in Toronto, Ontario, to the late Francis E. and Lucy E. Holland, he grew up in Derby Line. He was educated at Derby Academy and Vermont Academy and graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. He enjoyed being outside; he hunted, fished, played golf, and skied while growing up. He traveled around the world and spent time in Nepal, which was a special place to him. He was a history and special education teacher in the Malden, Massachusetts school system and had a positive impact on many children’s lives in their formative years.
He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Michele B. (Barkett) Holland; twin daughters Emily Ellen Holland and Melissa Margaret Holland; and grandson John Carey Thompson VI, all of Ayer, Massachusetts; by his mother Lucy E. (Hart) Holland of Derby Line; sister Judith Bairstow of Sebastian, Florida; and brother Thomas Holland of Delmar, New York.
Instead of flowers, donations can be made to the Special School for Disabled and Rehabilitation Center in Katmandu, Nepal. The school can be found on Facebook under the name Sabita Upreti Ssdrc, or visit the website at www.ssdrc.org.np/.
Karen Karnes
Karen Karnes, 90, a pioneer of the modern studio pottery movement, known for moving seamlessly between creating functional ware and complex, modernist sculptures, died July 12, at her home in Morgan.
Her death was announced by Ann Stannard, Ms. Karnes’s life companion.
Today Ms. Karnes’s life in art appears preordained. As a young student at Brooklyn College she studied with Serge Chermeyoff, who led her to Black Mountain College and Joseph Albers, then a year in Italy where she met Gio Ponti. She returned in 1950 to study under Charles Harder at Alfred University, and then back to Black Mountain where she became part of one the most important collective art communities of the twentieth century. It was there that Ms. Karnes first gained national attention for imbuing traditional forms with a minimalist design aesthetic. Each cup, bowl and casserole was unique, the previous one inspiring the next, while collectively being part of a singular exploration of form.
In 1954, Ms. Karnes left Black Mountain College with writer/artist MC Richards, pianist David Tudor, composer John Cage, and architect and patron Paul Williams and his wife, writer Vera Williams, to found the Gate Hill Cooperative outside of New York City. This “Black Mountain for adults” became Ms. Karnes’s home for the next 25 years. While at Gate Hill, Ms. Karnes produced a series of press-molded and coiled architecturally-scaled planters, birdbaths, fireplaces, and chairs that announced her originality and creative ambition.
In 1967, at Gate Hill, Ms. Karnes built a salt kiln, a decision that would play a significant role reviving nationally this centuries old technique. From this point her work took off and she began to make some of the most iconic studio ceramics of the era: cut-lidded jars, large scale vases, bowls, moving away from more modest tableware. She said, “[Salt-glazing]…forced me into another place, and once the leap was made, I kept growing.” Her well-known salt-glazed jars with their straightforward rising forms and striated facets of wire cuts on the top of the lids, are one of the longest and most personal explorations of a single form in the field. This model of studio production, in which a popular, iconic, and useful pot undergirds and supports more experimental and evolving bodies of work, is one that many studio potters have employed successfully since.
In the late 1970s, Ms. Karnes left Gate Hill for Vermont. Having moved with Ann Stannard, her companion of many years, Ms. Karnes began making some of her most ambitious work: larger thrown vessels and asymmetrical ones, coil-built over thrown bases. The pots often embraced color: blues, greens and yellows, subtly modified by the wood flame and ash. These works showed a new complexity, moving between commonplace polarities of pot/sculpture, landscape/body, male/female, spiritual/physical, and inside/outside. Several bodies of work followed: massive cut-lidded jars, pots with slits that ran up added hollow bases that might be larger than the body of the vessel itself, and forms with reaching “wings,” also divided by slits. Additionally, she produced forms with added necks, tulipieres, and boulder-like shapes with craters, some open to the inside, some not.
During this period, Ms. Karnes showed at the Garth Clark Gallery in New York City, as well as other leading galleries such as Joanne Rapp, Habitat/Shaw, Ester Saks, and Leedy/Voulkos. She received multiple awards and honors over these years: a National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artist fellowship, The Society of Arts and Crafts (Boston) Medal of Excellence, the Vermont Arts Council Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the American Crafts Council’s Gold Medal, and the Watershed Legends Award.
Her work was the subject of the retrospective exhibition A Chosen Path: The Ceramic Art of Karen Karnes that originated at Arizona State University Art Museum in 2011 and traveled to the Asheville Art Museum, the Currier Museum of Art, the Racine Art Museum and The Crocker Art Museum. Ms. Karnes’s work is in the permanent collections of those five museums and many more including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the American Craft Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Ms. Karnes’s family, friends and neighbors — all are welcome — to join in on a celebration of her art and life on September 11, 2016 at the Unitarian Church (opposite the Irving gas station) in Derby Line, at 4 p.m. — submitted by Kurt Sundstrom and Mark Shapiro.
Scott W. Keysar
Scott W. Keysar, 73, died peacefully at his home in Derby early Friday morning in the loving arms of his wife, Sue.
He was born October 25, 1942, in Hartland, Maine, son of the late Berkeley and Marion (Parkman) Keysar (Alley). The family moved to Derby Line in 1948, where Mr. Keysar grew up on Main Street and was known and loved by everyone for his friendly and outgoing personality. His love of all sports began as a member of Doc Stuart’s first Little League team. He was a baseball and basketball player in high school, a hockey goalie in middle age, and an avid Red Sox fan forever. Mr. Keysar graduated from Derby Academy in 1960 and Vermont Technical College in 1962 with a degree in highway engineering. He immediately commenced his career with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, and through his work at District 9, he developed close relationships with fellow employees and town officials. He was responsible for designing, constructing, and securing funding for many highway improvement projects throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Mr. Keysar retired in 2014 after 52 years.
Mr. Keysar met the love of his life, Susan Tetreault, of Newport Center, and they were married on September 30, 1978. They built a home together out of the woods in Derby, raised their sons Stephen and Jason, and enjoyed their many close friends and family members. Mr. Keysar was motivated to see his sons complete college, and find partners, and one of the greatest joys in his life was to spend time with his two grandchildren. Having done all this, may he rest in peace. Mr. Keysar is survived by his wife, Susan; sons Stephen and his wife, Phuong, and children Elliot and Lily of Aurora, Colorado, son Jason and his partner, Sara DeFilippi, of Brooklyn, New York; sister Nancy Porter and husband, Bruce, of Bonita Springs, Florida; and brother Steven Keysar and wife, Karlene, of South Hero. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law: Patricia Laber and her husband, Scott, of Derby, Margaret Derick and husband, Mike, of Newport; by brothers-in-law: Tom Tetreault and wife, Mary, of Newport Center, and Richard Tetreault and wife, Susan, of Newport Center.
Mr. Keysar was a beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews.
Friends may call on Friday July 29, 2016, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, 37 Lake Road, Newport from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by a celebration of his life at 11 a.m., with Pastor Glenn Saaman officiating. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Ronald Holland Dialysis Center, in care of North Country Hospital, 189 Prouty Drive, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences can be made at curtis-britch.com.
Jeremy Michael Maxwell
Jeremy Michael Maxwell, 32, beloved son of Vanessa Raymond and Paul Maxwell, died on July 19, 2016, at his home in Coventry.
Born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom, Mr. Maxwell’s passion for the outdoors was present in everything he did. An avid hunter and fisherman, he enjoyed being in nature and the woods, so it was only fitting that he worked his way up to becoming a foreman with Asplundh Tree Experts. His friends and family fondly remember a smile that never left his face, a kind and generous heart, and a palpable and genuine love for those who were lucky enough to have known him.
He is survived by his fiancé, the absolute love of his life, Katie Ste. Marie; his mother, Vanessa Raymond, and her fiancé, David Palmer; and his father, Paul Maxwell; by his treasured sister Torrie Maxwell, his rock, with whom he shared his soul, and her fiancé, Charles Sanville; by his brother and forever “bud” Brandon Maxwell, who learned and laughed by Jeremy’s side, always looking up to his trusted brother and best friend; by his brothers Paul Maxwell Jr. and Jonah Kontoes; and his sister Ashley Maxwell; by his adored aunt Teresa La Porte and her husband, David; by his cousins: Shane, Tom, Michael, Jay, Jacob, and Linzy; by his nieces and nephews: Payson, Harlee, Bentley, Keagan, Harper, Hailey and Rayna; and by his dog, Remington. He was predeceased by his aunt Melissa Chamberlin and by his grandparents Roland and Estelle Raymond.
Should friends desire, and in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to assist with funeral expenses. Donations can be mailed to: care of Vanessa Raymond, 363 Hugh Herron Road, Saranac, New York 12981.
Online condolences can be shared at curtis-britch.com.
Tom Nelson
Tom Nelson, 79, formerly of Albany and Irasburg, died peacefully on July 16, 2016, at Maple Lane Nursing Home where he had been a resident since May 23.
He was born in Albany, on July 2, 1937. He was the son of Allen and Marion (Hoyt) Nelson.
He attended elementary school in Albany and graduated from Craftsbury Academy in 1956. He dedicated his life to farming on the family farm in Albany until he retired on July 2, 1999.
Following his retirement, he lived for 13 years in Orleans before moving to The Meadows housing complex in Irasburg in December 2012.
During his earlier years, he enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, tractor and horse pulls at the county fairs, woodworking, his “coffee club” at Bob’s Quick Stop in Irasburg, and being outdoors. He will fondly be remembered for his easy going, good-natured personality, his integrity and honesty, and his quick, genuine smile.
Mr. Nelson never married or had children of his own, but experienced several special bonds and friendships with his hired hands who worked beside him on the farm, in particular his “right-hand men,” Randy and Raymond Pierce, who have kept in touch with him over the past 30 years. He looked forward to their annual summer visits on their trips back to Vermont. He was also a special part of his nieces’ families: Shelly Morey and her husband, Michael, of Newport; and Sonya Kittredge and her husband, Paul, of Albany. He enjoyed celebrating birthdays and holidays with them. Yankee Swaps will never be the same without him!
He is also survived by his brother Roger and his wife, Beatrice, of Derby Line; by his niece Beccy Hardy, and her husband, John, of Derby Line; by his nephews Scott Nelson of Coventry, Stacey Nelson of Essex, Bill Nelson of Lyndonville; and by several nieces and nephews from Washington State who traveled to Vermont and met him for the first time just three short weeks ago.
Mr. Nelson is also survived by his great-nephews: Benjamin Kittredge, Matthew Kittredge, Scott Nelson Jr., John Curtis Hardy, Thomas Hardy, and Cooper Nelson; great-nieces Tessa Nelson and Jenna Morey; and by his sister-in-law Janet Nelson of Albany.
He was predeceased by his parents; by his brother George Nelson in 2013; and by his sister Ruth Lamotte in 2014.
Donations in his memory can be made to Green Mountain Farm to School, 194 Main Street, Suite 301, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences may be made at www.curtis-britch.com.
Scott E. Perkins
Scott E. Perkins, 44, of West Charleston, died in Lebanon, New Hampshire, on July 19, 2016, after a long illness.
He was born on September 14, 1971, in Newport, a son of Margaret (Bresse) Perkins and the late Gerald Perkins.
He graduated from North Country Union High School. At the age of 16, he started working in the maintenance department at North Country Hospital and rose to obtain the supervisor position. Mr. Perkins really appreciated his fellow workers and the concern that they showed through his illness. He and his companion, Anick, enjoyed going camping with the trailer, traveling to Maine, fishing, and snowmobiling. They also loved his motorcycle, four wheeling, and being with his friends. He would willingly lend a hand to anyone, enjoyed being a jokester, and spending a lot of time with his daughter, Emily, taking great pride in all of her many accomplishments, as she was the center of his life.
He is survived by his companion, Anick Desorcy; his daughter Emily Perkins; his mother, Margaret Perkins; his brother Steven Perkins and his wife, Cresta; by several aunts, uncles, and cousins; by his niece Maleighna; by his nephews: Tyson and Brock, and by grand-nephew Stephen. Mr. Perkins was predeceased by his sister Elizabeth, his father, Gerald, and by grandparents Ralph and Mable Perkins, and Ernest and Lucille Bresse.
Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Mary Wright Halo Foundation, 1073 Upper Quarry Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences can be made at curtis-britch.com.
Kenneth C. Pierce Jr.
Kenneth C. Pierce Jr., 90, of Newport, died on July 23, 2016, at North Country Hospital, with his loving family by his side.
He was born in St. Johnsbury on May 30, 1926, to Kenneth C. Pierce Sr. and Maude (Davis) Pierce. His mother passed away when he was five years old, and he was then raised by his father and stepmother, Ozilda “Rose” (Choquette) Pierce.
Mr. Pierce married Mary Jean Blake on May 15, 1948. To this union were born three children, who along with his loving wife of 68 years, survive him: Daniel Pierce and his wife, Cindy, of Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Cathryn Comar and her husband, Jim, of East Dorset, and Susan Wright and her husband, Roy, of Derby. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Trish Pierce White, Jessup Pierce, Ryan Comar, Amy Comar Pickering, and Devan, Damen and Taylor Wright; along with eight great-grandchildren: Judah, Aliyah and Sarayah White, Jack Pierce, Lily Comar, Corbin Pickering, and Brody and Myles Wright. He is also survived by a sister, Penny Flood of Newport; and by a brother, David Pierce of Northfield, Massachusetts; and by numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. Pierce was predeceased by his parents, and by two brothers, Ronald and Winthrop.
Prior to his marriage, Mr. Pierce served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army. He was part of the U.S. mainland Japan Assault Force, and was aboard a troop ship when the Japanese surrendered. He was then stationed in Nara, Japan, to help the Japanese people reorganize their lives following the war. Following the war, Mr. Pierce worked for the railroad for a short time, and tried his hand at owning his own log truck, which proved to be less than safe or profitable.
However, following his marriage to Ms. Blake, he still pursued his passion for trucking and drove the highways and byways of Vermont and New England for the majority of his life. He hauled grain for Eastern States Farmer’s Exchange, hauled milk for Earl Hackett, and Nelson Farms, and then asphalt for Pike Industries in his later years. He was the first bulk tank milk driver hired by H.P. Hood Milk Company, and eventually became manager of their truck fleet in Newport. When Hood’s sold their truck fleet, Mr. Pierce became a field man for Northern Farms Milk Coop until their closing. Needless to say, Mr. Pierce knew every road in Orleans County and beyond, and knew just about every farmer as well.
Mr. Pierce was also a volunteer fire fighter for the Newport City Fire Department and Ambulance Squad for many years, and was always out the door when the fire whistle blew or the “red phone” rang at the house. He was a member of the American Legion Post 21, and the United Church of Newport.
Mr. Pierce loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He loved going to his deer camp on Bald Mountain every November, and spent many hours playing cribbage with his hunting buddies and father.
However, the pride of his life was his summer cottage on Lake Seymour where he and Mrs. Pierce spent every summer for the last 50 years. During his later years, he loved to sit on his front porch and watch the boats come and go. He especially loved it when his grandson and best friend, Ryan Comar, with whom he had a unique and special relationship, restored his old boat and would take him out on the lake fishing once again.
In his retirement, Mr. Pierce never forgot his community, donating many hours as a volunteer at North Country Hospital, and driving veterans back and forth from White River Junction in the Disabled American Veterans van. Mr. Pierce was very social and had the “gift of gab” and loved meeting and talking with anyone and everyone.
Mr. Pierce loved his family and will be greatly missed.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27 at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, 4670 Darling Hill Road, in Newport.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 28 at the United Church of Newport. Interment will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the West Village Cemetary in West Charleston with full military honors.
Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Mary Wright Halo Foundation, 1073 Upper Clyde Street, Newport, Vermont 05855, or to the United Church of Newport, Third Street, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.
Laurette A. Woodworth
Laurette A. Woodworth, 72, of North Troy, died on July 20, 2016, in Newport.
She was born on April 12, 1944, in Jay. She was the daughter of Ernest and Beatrice (Voyer) Mayhew.
Ms. Woodworth was a wonderful cook, always reading cookbooks and trying new recipes. She also loved doing word search puzzles, enjoyed her cats, and cared for her yard.
She is survived by her brothers Raymond Mayhew and his wife, Debbie, of North Troy, and Marcel Mayhew and his wife, Kathy, of Jay; by her sister Mary Jane LaPan of Jay; and also by numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved to visit with.
She was predeceased by her parents, and by her husband, Glover Woodworth.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ms. Woodworth’s name to her sister Mary Jane LaPan, P.O. Box 85, North Troy, Vermont 05859, to help defray expenses.
Online condolences may be made at www.curtis-britch.com
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