Obituaries

Obituaries & services 5.26.21

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Betty Waters

Betty Waters, 97, of Newport Center died on May 21, 2021.

She was born March 7, 1924, in Lynbrook, Long Island, New York, to the late Herbert Greenwood and Ethel Germaine Camp.

Betty graduated from the Berkley School of Business in New York City during World War II.  During this time she joined the USO Hempstead and volunteered with her sister Leila with the Red Cross and Salvation Army, where they played piano and sang for the troops.  Her singing continued with the Robert Shaw Chorale in New York City, which had some famous guest conductors such as Toscanini, Stokowski, and Leonard Bernstein.

On October 24, 1948, she married the late George W. Waters.  After George’s retirement from Shell Oil they moved to Vermont where George was a math teacher at North Country Union High School until his death in 1973.  While in Vermont Betty worked various jobs at places throughout the Newport area, including American Maple, Columbia Forest Products, the Stanstead Journal, the Caledonia Record, the Woodknot Bookstore, Mulkin’s, Citizens Utilities, and the Newport Daily Express.

Betty enjoyed reading, writing, watching “Jeopardy,” and bird watching.  She loved animals, especially dogs, and had several rescues through the years.

Betty was predeceased by her parents and her husband along with her brother Walt Greenwood and stepson Michael Waters.

She is survived by her daughters:  Patt London of Newport Center and Kim Waters and her husband, John Packert, of New York City; her son Barry Waters of Georgia; 15 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff at Newport Health Care Center for the wonderful care Betty received.

There will be a private burial with immediate family.

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

 

Aaron Kevin Rice

Aaron Kevin Rice, 40, died unexpectedly of an accidental fall on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He was born February 5, 1981, in Springfield, Vermont, the son of Kevin and Juanita (Blodgett) Rice.  Aaron graduated from Springfield High School, Class of 2000, playing varsity soccer four years, serving as captain his senior year, and performing in numerous plays with the drama club.

Aaron served in the United States Army Reserve with the 405th Combat Support Hospital, and deployed to Kuwait in Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002 as a medic/surgical tech, achieving the rank of sergeant.  He was awarded the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal and the Exemplary Medal for the Global War on Terrorism.

In 2014 Aaron graduated from Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts, with a bachelor of science degree in geological sciences.  He was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and the Sigma Xi Research Honor Society.  He worked as a surgical technician at North Shore Medical Center before moving to Wilmington, North Carolina, to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where he received a master’s of geoscience degree in May of 2021, presenting a thesis entitled “Lithodemic, Lithologic and Structural Analysis of the Eastern Raleigh terrain in the southern Macon Quadrangle.”  While at UNCW, Aaron was a teaching assistant for summer field courses in West Virginia and New Mexico and winner of the 2018 Earth and Ocean Sciences Patricia Kelly Teaching Award and the 2018 UNCW Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.

Aaron was employed as a geologist with the North Carolina Geological Survey/Piedmont Program.  He authored three abstracts, co-authored seven abstracts, and completed seven geologic maps, including two as the lead mapper, all for the North Carolina Geological Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey.  He was an active member of the Geological Society of America and the North Carolina Geological Society.

He is survived by his parents, Kevin and Juanita Rice, of Springfield; two sisters:  Laura Rice and her fiancé, Jonathan Seder, of Watertown, Massachusetts, and Ami Rice and her son Lucas Kevin Rice of Springfield; by his aunts and uncles:  Wayne and Nancy Rice of Kennesaw, Georgia, Karl and Katie Rice of Nashua, New Hampshire, Brian and Karen Blanchette of South Burlington, Ronald and Mariette Rice of Essex Junction, Ed and Diane Blodgett of Barre, and Andy and Nicky Blodgett of Underhill; by four dear friends he considered brothers:  James Manly, Matt Matush, Warner Smith, and Jeffrey Russeau; as well as numerous cousins, friends and colleagues.

He was predeceased by paternal grandparents Wayne and Frances Rice of Orleans, maternal grandparents Donald and Rena Blodgett, and uncle Lucien Blodgett, all of Barton.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.   At the same time, details of an educational trust for his nephew Lucas will be announced as well as where donations can be made in Aaron’s memory.  The family will be planting a tree in Aaron’s honor as a personal memorial and encourage others to do the same.

 

Linda Kay (Beaupre) Gullard

Linda Kay (Beaupre) Gullard, 69, of Ogema, Minnesota, died on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at her home.

Linda Kay Beaupre was born on October 6, 1951, to Paul and Lucille (Erb) Beaupre and was raised in White Earth, Minnesota.  She graduated from Waubun High School in 1969 and then attended the vocational technical college in Detroit Lakes.

Linda was united in marriage to Duane Gullard on March 6, 1976.  The couple lived in Lake Park, Minnesota, before moving to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in 1982.  They later moved to Vermont in early 1993 where they made their home.  She was blessed with four children:  Brandon, Duane, Donna, and Cindy.

Linda and Joe had known each other for many years before starting a relationship in 2013 that was very special to both of them.  Joe tirelessly and lovingly doted on Linda, especially these last few months.  Joe and Linda eventually moved back home to Ogema late 2020.

Linda enjoyed hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and spending time outdoors, traveling, and spending time with family visiting.  She was a member of the Red Hat Society and tended to flower gardens.  She loved dogs, especially Labradors as she and Duane bred and raised them.  She worked with the U.S. Postal Service for approximately 30 years, and was promoted to postmaster in the last decade.  She enjoyed the occasional casino trip where luck seemed to always be on her side.

She was deeply loved, and Linda’s passing will be mourned by her children:  Brandon (Jamie) Wirth of Callaway, Minnesota, Duane Gullard of Centralia, Washington, Donna Hershey of Athol, Idaho, and Cindy Hall-Messier (Dale) of Spirit Lake, Idaho; her siblings:  Cheryl Kjolberg of Ogema and Joel Beaupre (Ruth) of Ogema; her special friend of eight years: Joe Gaboriault of St. Johnsbury; her grandchildren:  Warner and Sharli Wirth, Gavin Gullard, Jeffrey (Courtney) Hershey, April and Jasmine Messier, Kean, Jeffrey Jr., Benny Hershey; and by numerous nieces and nephews, friends and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Lucille Beaupre; her husband, Duane Gullard; her brother William “Billy” Beaupre; her sister Karen Mortenson; her brother-in-law Rodney Kjolberg; her son-in-law Jeff Hershey; and granddaughter Krissy Hershey.

Funeral services were held on May 20 at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Ogema.  Burial was at Lake Park Catholic Cemetery in Lake Park, Minnesota.

 

Elizabeth “Libby” (Pike) Dudley

 

Elizabeth (Libby) Pike Dudley was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.  She left this world peacefully on May 18, 2021, at Bel-Aire Care Center in Newport.

She was born on August 3, 1925, to Clement Eugene and Nettie (Healey) Pike of Irasburg, the youngest of four children.

Libby met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Dudley, at Orleans High School.  After graduation she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend Burdett Secretarial School where she met many lifelong friends who continued to correspond and meet frequently well into their eighties.  While Libby went off to college, Dick enlisted in the Army and served his country in World War II.  Following the war, they married in 1946 and moved to Burlington where Dick completed his degree at UVM.  After graduation they settled in Orleans and raised their four children:  Pam, Chuck, Brad and Lynn.

The Dudleys became longstanding members of the local community where Dick worked with his mother and brother in the family business, the Converse Company.  Libby spent the early years as a full-time mom before becoming a teacher’s aide at Brownington Elementary School, where she left a lasting impression on students and staff.  She was a member of the Orleans Federated Church, Home Dem Club, a 4-H leader, and she served on the Rainbow Apartments board of directors.  During retirement, Libby and Dick enjoyed traveling, golfing, cross-country skiing, playing cribbage, and ballroom dancing.  Libby volunteered at North Country Hospital and the Orleans Elementary School.  She was a lover of poetry and authored numerous poems for significant family events, including a poem about each grandchild.

Libby and Dick spent their summers at the family camp on Shadow Lake.  It was the main

gathering place for family and friends.  Libby loved to swim and ride in her pedal boat and was often seen cycling along Shadow Lake Road on her vintage 1960s banana seat bike visiting fellow campers along the way.

To her eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren she was known as Nana.  She was often present on the sidelines and in the audience cheering for them.

Libby loved to travel and visit family members in different parts of the country.

She was predeceased by her husband, Dick, and son Chuck.

She is survived by her children:  Pamela Downer of Newport, Brad (Corrine) Dudley of Irasburg, and Lynn (Terry) Brennan of South Burlington; her daughter-in-law Terry Dudley of Orleans; and special friend Agnes Sears of Lyndonville.  She is also survived by her grandchildren:  Kirstina Bean, Greg Downer, Wendy Leithead, Tricia Doran, Jonathan Dudley, Travis Dudley, Zach Leach, and Beth Hibshman.

Special thanks to the caring staff at Bel-Aire Center in Newport.

There will be a family graveside service for Libby and Dick at the Irasburg cemetery on July 2 at 10 a.m.  It will be followed by a public celebration of Libby’s life at 11 a.m. at the Irasburg United Church.

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

Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

 

Melvin D. Brownstein

Melvin D. Brownstein, 94, of Wernersville, Pennsylvania, died on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at Phoebe Berks Health Care Center.

He was the husband of the late Muriel (Apfelberg) Brownstein, who died January 31, 2014.  Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Brownstein was the son of the late Alex and Anna (Horenstein) Brownstein.

He served in the United States Navy during World War II.  He highly valued democracy and especially First Amendment rights.  He fully supported the fight against fascism, yet his aversion to killing led him to serve as a medic, rather than a soldier.  His passion for social justice, led him into social work in Jewish community centers in Philadelphia and Chicago, into community organizing with street gangs on the south side of Chicago, and eventually to teaching as a professor of social administration at Temple University where he worked for 20 years before retiring in 1990.

He was passionate about life and learning, was insatiably curious about the world, and he reverenced nature, human dignity and education.  His children tell of the many kitchen lessons about life, philosophy and the world, and hard-bound encyclopedias strewn around the dinner table after the dishes were cleared.  He loved snowshoeing, ping pong, classical and jazz music, poetry, Jewish and political history, travel with Elder Hostel and ice cream.  He was an avid supporter of racial justice and the peaceful side of the Black Lives Matter movement.

He is survived by his children:  Ted M. Brownstein, husband of Christine Brownstein of Lake Worth, Florida, Carl B. Brownstein of Shelton, Washington, and Ruth M. Brownstein, spouse of Loretta Pellissier of Olympia, Washington; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Mr. Brownstein was preceded in death by his son Andrew D. Brownstein.

Online condolences may be made at www.whelanschwartz.com.

 

Henry J. Abel Jr.

Henry J. Abel Jr., 75, of Newport died on May 23, 2021, at his home with his loving family by his side.

He was born on February 28, 1946, in Newport to Henry Abel Sr. and Elsie (Farrar) Abel.  On December 18, 1982, he married Janelle Sykes, who survives him.

Henry was a veteran of the United States Air Force.  He was a sheriff’s deputy for the Orleans County Sheriff for over 25 years.  He was also the former owner of Bowen’s Taxi, and he worked at the Newport Car Wash and Derby Walmart.

He is also survived by his mother, Elsie Abel, of Newport; his children:  Lori Farina and her husband, David, of Derby, Todd Abel and his wife, Crystal, of Newport, Tammi Cross and her husband, Robert, of Newport, and Ryan Abel and his girlfriend, Allauna Benware, of Derby; numerous grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; his uncle Ernie Farrar; and his good friends Al Lambert and Jessie Elliott.

He was predeceased by his father, Henry Abel Sr.

A celebration of life will be held at the convenience of the family.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 28, at the Curtis-Britch and Bouffard Funeral Home, 4670 Darling Hill, Newport.

If friends desire memorial contributions in Henry’s name may be made to the North Country Hospital Ron Holland Dialysis Center, care of Wendy Franklin, Development Office, 189 Prouty Drive, Newport, Vermont 05855.

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

 

Graveside and committal services

 

Leonard James Lizotte

A graveside service for Leonard James Lizotte will be held on Thursday, June 3, at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic cemetery.

 

Juliette Stevens

Committal services for Juliette Stevens will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, at the Lakeview Cemetery in Westmore with the Reverend Curtis Miller officiating.

 

Betty Limlaw

A graveside service for Betty Limlaw will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 29, at the Derby Center Cemetery with Pastor George Lawson officiating.

 

Austin Slayton

A graveside service for Austin Slayton will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, at the North Hill Cemetery in Westfield with military honors.

 

 

 

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