Archive - Aug 2008 - Obituaries

Dorothy R. (Chynoweth) McGrath

MIDDLEBURY — Dorothy R. (Chynoweth) McGrath, 86, of Middlebury and formerly of Stoneham and Wakefield, Mass., died on  Aug. 25, 2008. She lived the last two years at the Helen Porter Special Care Unit.

She was born in Malden, Mass., on June 28, 1922, the daughter of Paul and Bessie Chynoweth.

She graduated from Stoneham (Mass.) High School, where she met her husband, John F. McGrath, and from Westbrook Junior College in Westbrook, Maine.  After working as an executive secretary, she enjoyed traveling, bridge and visiting with her lifelong friends.

She is survived by two sons, Robert J. McGrath and his wife, Grace, of Middlebury, and Richard P. McGrath and his wife, Karen, of Ballston Lake, N.Y.; and five grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband.

Visiting hours were held  last Friday at the McDonald Funeral Home in Wakefield, Mass., followed by private burial services. Donations in her memory may be made to one’s favorite charity.

Henriette Lerner-Hahn

MIDDLEBURY — Henriette Lerner-Hahn, 84, of Middlebury died on Monday, Aug. 25, of injuries resulting from a single-car accident.

She was predeceased by her husband, the artist Joseph Hahn, on Oct. 31, 2007.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Sanderson’s Funeral Service. A public burial will be held at the Middlebury West Cemetery, adjacent to Middlebury College on Route 30, at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Donations may be directed in to Hospice Volunteer Services, P.O. Box 772, Middlebury, VT 05753.

A full obituary will appear in a future issue of the Addison Independent.

Robin L. Thurston

LEICESTER- Robin L. Thurston, 52, of Sandy Point Lane, died Monday, Aug. 25, 2008, at her home following a long illness.  Born in Cleveland July 18, 1956, she was the daughter of James R. Thompson and the late Beatrice J. (Sweiger) Thompson.

 Robin moved here from Middlebury two years ago where she had lived for several years.

 She served in the United States Navy 1985-1986, and was a waitress at Two Brothers Tavern of Middlebury prior to her illness.

 Robin was a very caring person and will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.

 Family members include her husband, Charles R. Thurston of Leicester; four sons, Christopher M. Thompson of Massachusetts, Charles R. “CJ” Thurston, Jr. and his wife, Renee, of Germany, James R. Thurston of Vermont, and Steven A. Thurston of Vermont; one daughter, Danette M. Lizzini of Ohio; three sisters, Brenda K. Kociuba and Tonya J. Fortesque, both of Ohio, and Salena A. Tartaglia of Virginia; her father of Ohio, and four grandchildren, Samantha Markley, Megen Lizzini, Cheo Rosas and Danyana Rosas, all of Ohio.

 She was predeceased by her mother.

 A memorial service will be conducted Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. at Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home, 117 South Main St., Middlebury, with the Rev. Ronald Reiling, pastor of Green Mountain Gospel Chapel, officiating.

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

Anthony Elias (Tony) Thomas

BRISTOL — Anthony Elias (Tony) Thomas, 96, died Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, at Addison House in Middlebury. He was born April 1, 1912, in Ticonderoga, N.Y., the son of Elias and Sarah (Hubbard) Thomas.

Warren B. Slocum

MIDDLEBURY — Warren B. Slocum, 83, of Middlebury died Thursday, Aug. 21, at Porter Medical Center. He was born in Middlebury on April 29, 1925.

The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 29, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, followed by a graveside interment service. A reception will follow at the Slocum residence in Chipman Park.

A full obituary will follow in a future edition of the Addison Independent.

Rachel M. Burnett

VERGENNES — Rachel M. Burnett, 91, died on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, at Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Middlebury.  She was born Nov. 2, 1916, in Ferrisburgh, the daughter of Philip and Ellen (Porter) Ryder.

 She is survived by her two daughters, Sandra Brace of Panton and Janice Wanzer of Ohio; a sister, Marjorie Bushey of Middlebury; a brother, William Ryder of Ferrisburgh; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, Charlie; a son, David; five sisters; a brother; a son-in-law; and two granddaughters.

A graveside service was held on Friday, Aug. 22, at Prospect Cemetery in Vergennes.

Memorial contributions may be made to Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, 30 Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT 05753.

Helga Neuse Whitcomb

SOUTH BURLINGTON — Helga Neuse Whitcomb, 74, of South Burlington died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, in Respite House in Williston, as a result of brain cancer. Helga was born in Middlebury on July 22, 1934, the daughter of Werner and Eloise Neuse.

She attended Middlebury schools until 1949 when she spent three years at Northfield School for Girls in Northfield, Mass. She attended Middlebury College and earned a B.A. in 1956 with majors in German and French, while at the same time pursuing her love of skiing and serving on the Ski Patrol.

She spent one summer in France as a governess for two children, and several years later, another summer as a member of a German-speaking group of the Experiment in International Living in Feldbach, Austria. In the fall of 1956, she became a teaching assistant in the doctoral program in German at Stanford University.

She pursued her doctoral studies and taught several courses in the Stanford German teaching program. At the conclusion of the academic year, on June 22, 1957, she married Richard O. Whitcomb, an acting instructor, also at Stanford.

In Geneva, N.Y., she was a research technician in pomology at the Cornell University Field Station. After raising a family in Wisconsin, Washington and Illinois, she became head of the inter-library loan department at Illinois State University in 1980. She spent eleven years as research librarian at ISU and retired in 1991.

In 1996, she returned with her husband Richard to Vermont where she lived in South Burlington for the next twelve years. According to family, she was an expert knitter and seamstress, an ardent letter writer, a dedicated gardener, a gourmet cook and a gifted chronicler of family memoirs, letters and diaries.

Edith E. Sweet

FERRISBURGH — Edith E. Sweet, 82, died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008, at Porter Medical Center in Middlebury. She was born July 6, 1926, in Hinesburg, the daughter of Daniel and Winona (Warren) Sweet.

 She is survived by two daughters, Jean Sweet of Ferrisburgh and Joan Freegard and her husband, Roger, of Vergennes; a son, David Sweet of Ferrisburgh; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her four brothers and four sisters.

 A graveside service was held on Saturday, Aug. 16, at Maplewood Cemetery in Huntington.

Memorial contributions may be made to Addison County Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, VT 05753, or Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, South Street, Middlebury, VT 05753.

Michael A. Robarge

BERLIN — Michael A. Robarge, 50, of Berlin died Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008, at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. He was born July 3, 1958, in Middlebury, the son of Albert Robarge and Lorretta Robarge Hawkins.

He lived in Vergennes before moving to Berlin.

 He is survived by four daughters, Heather, Sara, Thomye, and Mikayla; three grandchildren; his mother, Lorretta, and her husband, Pete Hawkins.

He was predeceased by his father, Albert Robarge; and a brother, Jeff Robarge.

 Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Brown McClay Funeral Home in Vergennes.

Stephanie (Heyman) Masterson

LINCOLN — Stephanie (Heyman) Masterson, 58, died unexpectedly Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2008.  She was born June 8, 1950, in Proctor, the daughter of Walter Heyman and Patricia (Charron) Lafountain.

Maynard R. Farr

SOUTH STARKSBORO — Maynard R. Farr, 84, of South Starksboro died Sunday Aug. 10, 2008, at Porter Medical Center in Middlebury.  He was born May 23, 1924, in Lincoln, the son of Seymour M. and Leah M. (Butterfield) Farr.

 He attended Lincoln schools. He married Barbara Morrill on Aug. 27, 1948, in Starksboro. He worked as a logger, then in the lumber mills, and the last 21 years as a truck driver for Robinson Oil Company of Bristol until his retirement in 1988.

Upon retiring he remained active, returning to work in the forest, which he loved. According to family, he also enjoyed hunting, fishing and woodworking.

 He is survived by his wife, Barbara; two daughters, Kathleen Bushey and her husband, Dale, of South Starksboro and Maxx Farr of Richmond; and a son, Terry Farr of Bristol; two grandsons and a granddaughter; six great-grandchildren; three sisters, Muriel Orvis of Lincoln, Norma Carr of Bridport, and Eleanor Thompson and her husband, Fred, of Lincoln; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his brother, Rolan.

 Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Lincoln United Church. Interment was in Maple Cemetery in Lincoln.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Burnham Foundation, Lincoln Town Treasurer, Lincoln, VT 05443.

Janet S. June

BRANDON — Janet S. June, 97, died July 17, 2008, at Ashlar of Newtown, Conn. She was born in Warsaw, N.Y., on May 2, 1911, the daughter of John E. and Grace (Covert) Stainton.

She graduated from Rochester High School and Middlebury College, class of 1933. She taught for many years at Otter Valley Union High School.

She is survived by a daughter, Cynthia Chase, of Danbury, Conn.; a son, David June, of Raleigh, N.C.; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

She was predeceased by her husband, Milton T. June.

Thomas “Tommy” Whitney

PANTON — Thomas “Tommy” Whitney, 44, died Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at his home in Panton surrounded by his family. He was born Oct. 12, 1963, in Burlington, the son of James and Ann (Newville) Whitney.

He is survived by his daughter, Jessica Whitney, and his grandson, Heath, of Vergennes; his parents, James and Ann Whitney of Panton; a brother, Brian Whitney and his wife, Eileen, of South Hero; three sisters, Angela Whitney of Panton, Iris Whitney of Vergennes, and Melody Miller and her husband, Dale, of Addison; one niece; and several nephews.

He was predeceased by his nephew Anthony Whitney.

Friends may call at Brown-McClay Funeral Home in Vergennes on Monday, Aug. 11, from 5 to 8 p.m.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at Prospect Cemetery in Vergennes.

Memorial contributions may be made to Addison County Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, VT 05753 or American Kidney Fund, 6110 Executive Boulevard, Suite 1010, Rockville, MD 20852.

Helen A. Varno

MIDDLEBURY — Helen A. Varno, 79, died Friday evening Aug. 1, 2008, at Helen Porter Nursing Home in Middlebury. She was born June 23, 1929, in Middlebury, the daughter of Harry and Mabel (Tatro) Varno.

She attended local schools in Middlebury.

She worked many years as a cashier for Stan’s IGA and Greg’s Meat Market. According to family she was an avid bowler and loved to play bingo and was a very loving person who was always willing to help anyone in need; taking care of her son, Butch, was her life.

She is survived by her son, Butch Varno, of Middlebury; her granddaughters, Darcy Turner of Oakwood, Ga., and Marlie Fredette of East Middlebury; her grandson, Willis Varno of Salisbury; her three great-grandchildren; and by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her son, Paul “Yogi” Varno, who died April 16, 2006; her sisters, Ruth and Betty Varno, and her brother, Richard Varno.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Aug. 4, at Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral in Middlebury. The Rev. William R. Beaudin officiated.

Burial followed in Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

Memorial contributions may be made to the activities fund at Helen Porter Health and Rehab, 30 Porter Drive, Middlebury VT 05753.

Gary Scott Taylor

CLAREMONT, N.H. — Gary Scott Taylor, 41, of Charlestown, N.H., died Sunday evening, Aug. 3, 2008, in North Walpole as a result of a motor vehicle accident. He was born in Middlebury on Sept. 14, 1966, the son of Edgar Scott and Arlene (Dumas) Taylor.

He owned and operated the business Mylos, specializing in carpentry and painting.