Ginger Bedell
Ginger Petit Bedell died on January 22, 2022, at the age of 50.
She loved her family, crocheting, knitting, and reading. Her handiwork will be remembered for years to come. She will always be with her family and in their hearts.
She is survived by her husband, Lloyd Bedell; daughter Lily; son Matthew; brothers, Warren and Ralph Petit; and sister Patricia Petit.
She was predeceased by her parents, Warren and Madaline Petit; brother James Aiken Sr.; and sister Donna Ameral.
Donations may be sent in her name to: Faith Funeral Home, 165 Brooklyn Street, Morrisville, Vermont 05661, reachable at (802) 888-2865.
David Calderwood
David W. Calderwood, 73, of Newport, died on January 31, 2022, in Newport.
He was born on March 12, 1948, in Burlington, to the late Wesley and Wynona (Deerborn) Calderwood.
David worked as a funeral director in St. Johnsbury. For many years David had been the manager at the Arlington Chapel of the Hanson-Walbridge and Shea Funeral Home, he then went on to become the manager of the Brewster-Shea Funeral Home in Manchester Center and moved to that community where he was also the sexton of the Factory Point Cemetery. He was a member of the Arlington Lions Club.
He enjoyed fishing, photography, and star gazing. He spent many summers at his family’s camp on Joe’s Pond in Danville, fishing, boating, swimming, and water-skiing, which brought him joy and many fond memories.
He is survived by his children Richard Kerr of North Troy, and Heather Walker and her husband, Chad, of Statesboro, Georgia, as well as grandchildren: Makenna, Zachary, Brent, Colin, and Reagan.
Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.
Rebecca Carpenter
Rebecca (Thurber) Carpenter, 83, of Westfield, formerly of Moosup and North Sterling, Connecticut, and Plainfield died on January 21, 2022, at North Country Hospital in Newport.
Rebecca was born February 6, 1938, the daughter of John and Florence (Hibbard) Thurber. While a student at Plainfield High School, Rebecca was part of the cheerleading team, worked as a waitress and later went on to work for the National Life Insurance Company.
On September 6, 1958, Rebecca married Harold Carpenter from Cabot. Harold predeceased Rebecca on December 26, 2017.
Rebecca is survived by her two children: Lisa Samford and husband, Tim, of Granbury Texas, and Merry Hamel and husband, Kevin Paxman, of Westfield. Rebecca is also survived by her two brothers: David Thurber and wife, Diane, of Lyndonville, and Donald Thurber of Williamstown; as well as 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
During her years in North Sterling, Connecticut, Rebecca worked at Superwinch in Putnam while also maintaining a supportive role in the ministry at Line Baptist Church, where her husband, Harold, was pastor.
Rebecca loved music. She played piano and organ and loved listening to her record albums. She completed correspondence courses in art and writing children’s literature. Over the years Rebecca produced many pieces of artwork. She also compiled a book of stories, poems, pictures, and recollections and named it Nonnyfiction and Fictionary.
Rebecca loved to sew, most often sewing for others. She made mittens from old sweaters and donated them to a children’s aid society. Upon her return to Vermont in 2011, she began making shopping bags out of shirts or fabric for a local non-profit thrift store. Rebecca also loved her flower gardens; the summer of 2021 she had the tallest and largest sunflowers she had ever grown. She loved cooking and took great pride in caring for her home. Rebecca loved her family, enjoyed family gatherings and reminiscing about growing up in the farmhouse in Plainfield.
Rebecca was predeceased by her parents: John and Florence Thurber; and her siblings: Roberta (Thurber) Nolan of Plainfield, Myron Thurber of Barre, Hayden Thurber of South Woodbury and Florida, John Thurber of West Franklin, New Hampshire, and Plainfield, and Gordon of Plainfield.
Per Rebecca’s wishes, there will be no funeral service. A memorial service and Interment will take place in the spring or summer of this year at the convenience of family.
Online condolences and memories of Rebecca can be shared by visiting www.awrfh.com.
Darlene Choquette
Darlene J. Choquette, 67, of Coventry, died on January 31, 2022.
She was born on May 5, 1954, in St. Albans, beloved daughter of Gardner and Madeline (Nutting) Carpenter. On September 30, 1978, she married Richard Choquette, who survives her.
For years she worked as a phlebotomist. Among her hobbies she enjoyed tending to her horse Jed, her other animals, and her flower gardens. She also loved traveling to Maine, the ocean, researching genealogy, and family history. Christmas was her favorite holiday and she enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, Richard, of Coventry; her children: Jason Choquette and his wife, Kelsie, of Coventry, Johnathan Choquette and his wife, Cassie, of Sheldon, and Nicole Choquette and her husband, Billy Grenier, of Lowell; her grandchildren: Jade, Azeriel, Trinity, Scarlett, and Boden Choquette; and by her siblings: Scott Carpenter and his wife, Laura, of Derby Line, Gardner Carpenter and his wife, Denise, of Coventry, and Marlene Messier of Coventry. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Darlene was predeceased by her brothers Terry and Randy Carpenter, and by her brother-in-law Leo Messier.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 5, at 2 p.m. at the Coventry cemetery with Reverend Mike Haddad officiating.
Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.
Paul Essaff
After a brief illness, Paul Essaff, known to many as “Pastor Paul,” died and left his earthly body going home to Jesus on February 3, 2022.
Paul was born in Newport on May 20, 1942, to Louis J. Essaff and Gertrude LaPlante. He lived most of his life in the Newport area, attending Sacred Heart School at St. Mary Star of the Sea. In the many years since, Paul always looked forward to attending his class reunions to connect with old friends.
Paul married Judy Flynn in 1963 and raised two wonderful children, Timothy Essaff of Derby Line and Sherrie Essaff Rediker of Ogden, Quebec, Canada. Judy died and went home to Jesus in 2002, and in October 2005 Paul married Linda Hale, his wife, friend, and ministry partner for the last 16 years.
Paul had a variety of careers in his lifetime. His family owned and operated the East Side Restaurant in Newport, where Paul was regularly a patron — enjoying his favorite cheeseburgers and fries — but never a worker. In his teen years he worked on the Chaput farm and had very fond memories of his experiences there. He also had jobs in a dairy plant, as salesman and then manager of Gladstone Shoes, a carpet and flooring salesman for Montgomery Ward, a self-employed painter, and salesman for St. Johnsbury Paper Company. Eventually, Paul started three local businesses — Northeast Kingdom Placemats, Northeast Kingdom Brochures, and a regional brochure distribution business.
Although he was raised in the Catholic Church, it was not until 1972 that Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ and was born again. Shortly thereafter he and Judy experienced a miracle when Judy was healed. Paul loved Jesus because he knew, believed, and received Jesus’ love for him. He cherished every opportunity to share the message of God’s love and grace for everyone, with everyone.
Paul felt God calling him into ministry, so he and his family moved to Texas for a year in 1975 where he attended Christ for the Nations Institute. After returning to the Northeast Kingdom he founded the River of Life Fellowship Coffee House in Newport, served as an associate and interim pastor of the Church of God, and was interim pastor of Advent Christian Church of Newport and Beebe, Quebec. In 1985, Paul and Judy founded Life in Christ Fellowship in Derby (now Newport) through a series of divine interventions and confirmations. In 1999 Paul was ordained through the Maranatha Ministerial Fellowship.
After Judy died, Paul retired as pastor from Life in Christ. After marrying Linda, they were called to serve as elders at Lighthouse Christian Church in Montpelier and were there for eight years, traveling back and forth from St. Johnsbury. He and Linda also served at First Congregational Church in North Troy for three years, retiring in September 2021. When he was not pastoring fulltime, Paul ministered at various churches across the Northeast Kingdom as a guest preacher.
Over the years, he ministered at most of the region’s nursing homes and participated in prison ministry in the state of Vermont until the pandemic. Paul also conducted many funerals throughout the years in his capacity as a minister. He felt blessed by every opportunity to help families dealing with loss by pointing them to Jesus for hope and salvation. Through his words and actions, Paul shared the truth of God’s love for them and encouraged them to find strength through their own relationship with God. He wanted everyone to know the love of God and to be part of God’s family for all eternity.
Paul took several mission trips including to the Los Angeles Dream Center and to the Dominican Republic. He and Linda, with generous donations from their community, sponsored a pastors’ conference in the Dominican Republic in 2015. His last trip to the Dominican Republic included a trip to Haiti and Caicos Islands in 2019. He was planning another trip to Central America in 2020 but was unable to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paul was predeceased by his father Louis; his first wife, Judy; brother-in-law John Sanville; and best friend Bob Lillis.
He is survived by his second wife, Linda; his children: Timothy Essaff and wife, Doris, and Sherrie Essaff Rediker and husband, Paul; grandchildren: Joshua Rediker, Hannah Rediker Dostie and husband, Shane, April Plante and husband, Grady; great-grandchildren: Emma, Ava, and Owen Dostie, and Jackson, Landon, and Theo Plante. Paul was blessed with six brothers and sisters, all of whom survived him: Joann and husband, Jack Anderson; Roland Essaff and wife, Emily; Diane Essaff; David Essaff and wife, Ellen; Carol Sanville; and Michael Essaff. He is also survived by his stepchildren: Robert McGregor and wife, Tracey, and Tennille McGregor Gonyon and husband, Andrew; step-grandchildren: Haven McGregor, Noah Purviance, and Justin, Carter, and Cameron McGregor. Paul also leaves behind a multitude of extended family members, and many, many friends.
One of Paul’s joys in life was to spend time with his family and especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Paul and Linda often video chatted with his great-granddaughters, Emma and Ava, reading them Bible stories, praying with them and singing about Jesus. Because his family was so important to him, Paul researched his Lebanese and Abenaki heritages with his grandson Josh. They traveled to Canada to meet some distant Lebanese relatives and had a wonderful time together. He cherished the time with Josh, meeting their extended family and enjoying an amazing traditional Lebanese feast.
Paul knew and loved so many people. He was a friend to all and always saw the good in others. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. A celebration of life will be held in early June at the Church of God, Derby, with Pastors Janet and Allan Bishop of Life in Christ Fellowship officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Paul’s memory to the church he and Judy founded over 35 years ago: Life in Christ Fellowship, Mortgage Fund, P.O. Box 1114, Newport Vermont 05855.
Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.
Helen Gjessing
Scientist, professor, environmental and community activist Helen Witton Gjessing died on January 29, 2022 in Shelburne.
She is survived by sons: Erland (Jonathan) Gjessing and Eric Kirchoff; daughter Catherine Gjessing; brother David Witton and wife, Irene; daughter-in-law Ilsa Kirchoff; and the extended family of James McCarthy, Bill and Jean Sioss, Kathleen McCarthy, and their siblings and children.
She was predeceased by her husband, Frederick Cheney Gjessing, and her son Craig Kirchoff.
Helen Gjessing was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 22, 1927, and spent most of her formative years in Concord, Massachusetts. Helen was a gifted athlete and played field hockey and basketball and swam competitively. In later years, she learned to play tennis and played well into her 70s. She participated in school choir and retained a deep appreciation for music throughout her life, especially classical chamber music. Helen’s parents were divorced when she was young, and her brother William was killed in the Battle of the Bulge when she was in high school. Helen claimed that she was not a good student and that other family members were geniuses, but her enduring curiosity and intellectual engagement in science, the natural world, history, current events, politics, art, and music were evident throughout her life. She got a bachelor of science from Beloit College in 1950 and a master’s in biology from University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1952.
After graduating she worked as a laboratory research assistant in Boston, Massachusetts. On September 5, 1955, she married Frederick Gjessing in Glover. The couple moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and then to St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, in 1958. After spending a year in Europe from 1961 to 1962 so that Fred could complete a Fulbright Scholarship studying historic architecture, they returned to St. Thomas. They built a home and Helen started teaching biology part-time at the University of the Virgin Islands.
Helen was an excellent cook, and she and Fred had wonderful parties and meals with friends and family. They had strong family ties and connections to the Northeast Kingdom and vacationed in Glover every summer.
Helen eventually became a tenured professor and taught a number of classes, including genetics and microbiology.
In addition to working full time, Helen raised four children and was a community and environmental activist. She focused on promoting government transparency, protecting the environment and human health, and sustainable development. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters and the recipient of numerous awards including: the League of Women Voters Impact Award, Environmental Rangers Earth Day Award, and the first recipient of the Helen Gjessing Community Service Award. Although she was an introvert, Helen had a great sense of humor, and she was a smart, tenacious, articulate, and outspoken volunteer advocate. She was an inspiration for many young women, as well as men, pursuing the sciences and environmental activism. In 2014, Helen Gjessing moved to Vermont and settled at Wake Robin in Shelburne.
Helen was loved and respected by all who knew her well and she will be missed.
A celebration of life will be scheduled in Vermont at a later date and some time this summer in St. Thomas.
Robert Douglas Simons
Robert Douglas Simons (Bob) died January 20, 2022, at the age of 90. Robert died of a sudden illness at home surrounded by his family.
Robert was born in Irasburg on November 4, 1931. He worked on the family farm for many years. For many years he had pulling horses which he competed with in horse pulls that earned him many awards and ribbons. He worked for many years as herdsman in the barn at Rockingham County Farm in Epping, New Hampshire, then he moved to Cheshire County Farm in Westmoreland, New Hampshire, where he was also a herdsman for over 31 years.
During this time, he married Pauline Richardson, his high school sweetheart. When Robert retired, he moved to Claremont, New Hampshire, with his wife, Pauline. There, he got more horses and gave sleigh rides and wagon rides. Robert also stayed busy around the apartment building where he lived with Pauline. He was always mowing lawns, shoveling snow, picking up apples and acorns, and doing other duties.
Robert was a wonderful husband, amazing dad, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Robert loved his family and welcomed everyone in. He loved horses, cows, fairs, and horse pulls.
Robert was predeceased by his loving wife, Pauline Greta Simons, by his brother Osborne Simons, and his sister Muriel Simons.
Robert’s family consists of two daughters: Sherry Simons and significant other, Tom Noel, of Keene, New Hampshire, and Donna Richardson Chandler and husband, Alan Chandler, of Barrington, New Hampshire; three grandchildren: Amanda LaClair and significant other, Anthony Winship, of Keene, New Hampshire, Nikki Chamberlin and husband, Mike Chamberlin, of Barrington, New Hampshire, Matthew Chandler and wife, Jill Chandler, of St. Albans; three great-grandchildren: Bryce Chandler of Woodbridge, Virginia, Cody Unger of Barrington, New Hampshire, and Madison Chamberlin of Barrington, New Hampshrire. He also has two sisters and three brothers: Lorraine Thomas of Lyndonville, Hubert Simons of Milford, New Hampshire, Albert Simons and significant other, Sharon Nicholls, of Manchester, New Hampshire, Janet McLane of Venice, Florida, and Earl Simons of Brownington; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Graveside services will be held at Lakeview Cemetery on May 14, at 11 a.m. in Westmore. Immediately following there will be a celebration of life at the Westmore town hall.
To view an online obituary, leave a message of condolence or for information please visit www.csnh.com.
Terah Snell
Terah L. Snell, 18, of Derby Line, died on February 5, 2022, at her home.
She was born July 25, 2003 in St. Johnsbury, beloved daughter of Shawn Snell and Jamie (Benware) Snell.
Terah loved all animals, camping, swimming, campfires, singing and dancing, and making art. She was very proud to be an aunt and a big sister.
She is survived by her mother, Jamie Snell, of Derby Line; her father, Shawn Snell ,of California; her siblings: Aronn Snell of California, Logan Snell of Derby Line, Calista Snell and fiancé, Richard Sprano, of Claremont, New Hampshire, and Natasha Snell of Derby Line; by her grandfather Larry Benware of Derby; her nephew Landon Sprano; her aunt, Meghan Davis of Newport; her uncles: Eric Benware and his wife, Aime, of Newport, and Jonathan Benware of Randolph; cousin Aurora Benware; and by other numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 12, at the Curtis-Britch and Bouffard Funeral Home, 37 Lake Road, Newport. Spring interment will take place in Derby Center Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the Make a Wish Foundation, 6655 Shelburne Road, Suite 300, Shelburne, Vermont 05482.
Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.
Patricia Stryker
Patricia “Tricia” Stryker was born June 28, 1948, and after a life filled with love and adventure, died and was called home by the angels, February 1, 2022.
Patricia leaves behind the following family: daughter Jessica and son-in-law, Randy Desrochers, and their boys: Cameron and Isaac, of Newport Center; stepdaughter Isabella Stryker-Lisitza, husband, Teo, and their children: Choen and Ava, of California; stepdaughter Christine Stryker and her children: Sophia, Bella, and Ashlynd, of California; stepson David Stryker and wife, Deanna, and their children: Patrick, Jordan, and Jodee, of California; stepson Anthony Stryker and wife, Holley, and their children: Bayley and Justin, of Nevada.
Tricia also leaves her sister Carole Chaffee of California; nephew Seth; niece Amber, her children: Madelyn, Logan and Rhoen of California; and niece Christine Chaffee-Tate and husband, Wayne, of Massachusetts.
Tricia also leaves longtime family friends, Kermit Schayltz of California, and Jim Berns of Texas.
Tricia was predeceased by both her brother Phil Chaffee and his wife, Pauline, of Massachusetts, and survived by their children.
Tricia’s husband, Richard Styker, predeceased her in 2014.
Tricia was the daughter of Dr. Clyde and Rachel Chaffee and a graduate of Newport High School and Champlain College. After several years in Newport, raising her beloved daughter Jessica and leaving a lasting impression with co-workers while working at Butterfields, now Tivoli, Tricia decided to take a road trip and ended up in California with her sister Carole. This is where she met the love of her life, her husband, Rich, and a lifetime of adventures and journeys began.
Living first in Sacramento, San Francisco, and then Sutter Creek, California, Tricia learned to love California. Then she was off to Texas, Louisiana, and back home to Newport. Once settled in Newport, Tricia was a welcomed face at the United Church where she volunteered in the bell chorus and at numerous church functions. Recognizing that she had free time on her hands, she became an employee at The Brown Cow where she always had a smile on her face. She made a lasting impression with all her co-workers at “The Cow.”
Tricia then moved to her last home on Kimberly Lane. She loved to sit on the deck, listening to the birds, having a good game of gin rummy while overlooking the lake. These simple pleasures were everything to her. During a game of gin rummy, Tricia told her sister that although she enjoyed all the different areas where she had lived, she would now not want to live anywhere but Newport.”
Rest in peace, Tricia. We know that you are smiling at the end of the rainbow.
There will be a celebration of life for Tricia to be held on February 12 at 11 a.m. at the United Church of Newport. In lieu of flowers, people are invited to send a donation in Tricia’s name to the United Church of Newport, 63 Third Street, Newport, Vermont 05855. Please wear your mask and do not wear black.
Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.
Dorothy Mabel Mason
Dorothy Mabel Mason, 94, of Albany, Vermont died February 5, 2022, in Albany.
Funeral services will be held in the spring at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church and spring burial in East Albany Cemetery.
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