Obituaries

Obituaries & Services 7.6.22

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Savannah Bradshaw

Savannah Bradshaw, born April 8, 1971, in St. Johnsbury, died on June 22, 2022, after five days in the intensive care unit at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, New Hampshire. She died in the arms of her father, David Bradshaw. Her daughter, 14-year-old Ella Jane Romero, and her grandmother Deborah Hay were en route back to Vermont from a trip abroad.

Savannah was a master of loving generosity and BLING. When she was not struggling with her many years of acute jaw pain, her heart, humor, compassion, and spirit guided her within every interaction. Her effortless motherhood as a single parent was exemplary for many women and mothers. She was a devoted student of yoga and studied with Casey Baraw at Inspired Yoga in Newport.

Her spirit is present in the lives of those who knew and loved her.

 

Martha E. Brenek

Martha E. Brenek, 88, of Lowell, died peacefully on July 1, 2022, in Newport. She was born on March 23, 1934, in Griswold, Connecticut, to Margaret (McDonald) and Frank Burke Sr.

Mrs. Brenek was an inspector for the food industry for many years. Among her hobbies, she enjoyed traveling to Alaska, camping, sewing, cooking, baking, and taking care of animals. She loved her grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Don Brenek, of Lowell; by her children: Diane Manning and her husband, Ron, of North Franklin, Connecticut, Lori Balczun and her husband, Paul, of North Franklin, and Kenneth Brenek of California. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Tyler and Brian Balczun, Shawn and Joshua Manning, and Jessica Todd and her husband, Brian; her brother Harvey Burke and his wife, Brenda, of Lowell, sister-in-law Marilyn Brenek of Canterbury, Connecticut, several great-grandchildren, and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her son Paul Brenek, and her following siblings: Frank Burke Jr., Edmond, James, Margaret, Ruth, Mary, and Ann.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 11, at St. Mary’s Church in Jewett City, Connecticut, at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lisbon, Connecticut.

Martha is a name that dates back to the first century and is derived from the Aramaic word meaning a lady. It is usually associated with a woman of wifely virtues, in allusion to the biblical Martha who was the patron saint of housewives. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Vermont, 300 Corner Stone Drive, Suite 130, Williston, Vermont 05495. Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.

 

Esther Christy Metras

The Metras family’s beloved grandmother and mother, Mrs. Esther Christy Metras, 75, of Derby, died suddenly July 3, 2022, at her home.

She was born December 28, 1946, at the Fox Farm in Derby, a daughter of Matthewson John Wood and Irene Eliza Bushaw Wood. On July 17, 1965, she married Moise R. Metras, who predeceased her in 2003.

Mrs. Metras was retired and was a devoted grandmother of six and mother of three. She worked at Ethan Allen and Bogner. She loved spending time with her family, strolling along the beach, and watching sunsets. She was thoughtfully generous and made amazing meals for all to enjoy.

She is survived by the following children: Joyce Oliver of Mount Airy, Maryland, Roger Metras and wife, Meg, of Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and Jason Metras of Newport. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Thomas and Sarah Oliver, Rachel and Lindsay Metras, and Jeremiah Liberty and Brady Metras. She is survived by four sisters: Sylvia Ward of Newport, Cecile Lucas of Newport, Linda Jones of North Dakota and Loraine Webber of East Haven.

She was predeceased by six brothers: Wallace, Gerald, Rudy, Dale, Matt, and Kenneth Wood.

Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, July 11, at the Church of God, 295 Crawford Road, Derby, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. with the Reverend Laurence Wall officiating.

Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-7023.

 

Prudence Putnam Frost Baker

Prudence Putnam Frost Baker, 89, died at her home in Waterbury Center surrounded by her family on June 10, 2022. Born in Littleton, Massachusetts, on July 24, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Sherman Clark and Ruth (Miles) Frost. Her parents owned an apple orchard, known as Colonial Orchards, persevering through the Great Depression, two hurricanes and several crop killing frosts. Ruth also operated an early education program from their home starting in 1934, caring for as many as 43 children during World War II so mothers could go to work. Although Prue did not have any siblings, the home was always full of children.

Throughout her childhood, Prue spent summers at her grandparents’ camp on Willoughby Lake in Westmore with her grandparents and her cousins. The extended family spent countless hours swimming, canoeing, and rowing on the lake or hiking the surrounding mountains. In high school, Prue taught swimming lessons at Long Lake in Littleton and was issued a wool bathing suit to wear while on the job. Prue graduated from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, in 1954 with a major in zoology. She continued her education at Sargent College of Boston University to become a certified physical therapist.

She met her husband, Richard Nichols Baker, while he was stationed at Fort Devens during the Korean War, and, on June 15, 1957, they were married in Littleton. After living in Quenemo, Kansas, for a year while Richard finished his studies at Baker University, they moved back to Massachusetts where their son, Joel, was born. In 1967, the family moved to Waterbury Center and Charity was born soon after. Amity joined the family a few years later and all three children grew up in Waterbury Center.

After serving as a physical therapist in area nursing homes and at the Waterbury State Hospital for a few years, Prue joined the staff at Central Vermont Home Health and worked from its offices in Waterbury and Berlin until her retirement. For decades, she traveled back roads in Lamoille, Washington, and Orange counties in all kinds of weather to help her patients regain mobility and stay in their homes.

Prue had an open and kind heart and used it to improve the lives of others outside of work, too. She was active as a youth with the Littleton Congregational Church, and, after moving to Vermont, joined the Waterbury Center Community Church and served on many committees through the years. In addition, she served as a coordinator for the Waterbury area CROP (Christian Rural Overseas Program) Hunger Walk, Green Up Day and was member of Revitalizing Waterbury in its early days.

In her leisure time, Prue loved music, travel, and time spent outdoors. She was an active member of church choirs throughout her life, kept her children occupied during long car trips by teaching them rounds to sing, and loved singing with the Montpelier-based Onion River Chorus for many years. She introduced her children and grandchildren to the places she loved as a child in the Northeast Kingdom and never lost her sense of wonder and joy in the world around her. She explored many places in Europe and the Americas by motorcycle, car, train, plane, and ship with friends and family.

When her health began its slow decline in recent years, daughter Charity returned to Waterbury Center to help her stay in her home. She is survived by her son, Joel Baker, and his wife, Michelle, of Waterbury Center and their children, Adrian of Brooklyn, New York, and Marlena of Auburndale, Massachusetts; daughter, Charity Baker of Waterbury Center; Amity Baker and her husband, Michael Brown, of Burlington. She was predeceased by, Richard, in March 2001.

A celebration of Prue’s life will be held from the Waterbury Center Community Church on Saturday, July 9, at 11 a.m. Interment will take place at Maple Street Cemetery in Waterbury Center at the convenience of the family.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Waterbury Center Community Church, P.O. Box 216, Waterbury Center, Vermont 05677; the Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, Vermont 05641-5369, or to NorthWoods Stewardship Center, P.O. Box 220, East Charleston, Vermont 05833.

 

SERVICES

Terrance Ames

   Funeral services for Terrance Ames will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, at the Derby Community Church with Reverend John Genco and Pastor Mike Haddad officiating. Interment will follow at Mead Hill Cemetery in Holland with full military honors.

John Parry Jr.

   A graveside service for John (Jack) Parry Jr. will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, at the Irasburg Village Cemetery with full military honors.

Dolores Lantagne

     A Mass of Christian burial for Dolores Lantagne will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 8, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Newport. Interment to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Newport.

Dorothy J. Lougee

The family of Dorothy J. Lougee has postponed the graveside ceremony for her, originally scheduled for July 23.

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