Jeremiah Burns

     Jeremiah Burns was lifted from his struggle with heart and lung disease to a place of peace and eternal rest on Thursday morning, November 19^th.  He was born in Boston, MA, the son of Jeremiah and Joan (Kelly) Burns and was raised in Milton, MA with his sister Martha and twin brother David.  He attended Milton schools, where he ran cross country, played hockey and tennis while developing his natural artistic talent.  He later attended the New England School of Art in Boston and after graduating, worked in advertising in Boston.

During his college years he made regular trips to Vermont to ski, begrudgingly returning to the Boston area on Sunday night.  As a young adult he left Boston to spend a season skiing in Vermont and never returned to the city on a full-time basis.  It was while he was a ski instructor at the Mt. Ascutney Ski Area that he met Alan Ferguson.  Alan was taking a year off to ski as well and after seeing some of Jerry’s experiments with wood, carving and signs he convinced Jerry they could start a business selling hand-carved signs.  They initially settled in South Woodstock where they started making signs and continued their passion for skiing.  A friend came to ski for the weekend, liked the house they were renting, bought it and then evicted them.  This began their search for a new home which they found in the old Methodist Church in Hartland.  This building became Jerry’s home, workshop and love affair for nearly 50 years.  Jerry’s work is on display throughout the Upper Valley, as well as other parts of the country and the world.  He enjoyed the entire process from the initial collaboration with his clients to providing them with a special and meaningful sign custom made to meet their desires.  He was happiest on a warm summer day with the shop doors wide open, covered in sawdust and paint.

After establishing themselves in the sign business, Jerry and Alan partnered with Mark and Patty Milowsky, Jim Reiman and Jesse Ware in building Jesse’s Restaurant in Hanover, NH.  This was a rewarding experience for Jerry, allowing him to use his artist talents in a different way to create something new and exciting.

In 1993 he met Lauria Giles who would become his life partner for his remaining years.  They were married in October 2007 on Martha’s Vineyard.  In 2004 they took in an abused, abandoned and scared little dog they named Lilly.  She became the focal point of their lives for the next 13 years.  She could be seen regularly with Jerry running errands to pick up sign supplies or walking the recreation fields in Hartland.

Jerry’s warmth and zest for life made it easy for him to quickly form lasting friendships.  While attending schools in Milton, MA, he met Roger Crawford and Paul Needham, who became hockey teammates and cherished friends through his final days.  Jerry’s core Hartland family included PJ Skehan, whom he met “right off the boat” from Ireland and instantly became family, and his wife Tina, Tom and Bonnie Reynolds and Neil and Heidi Cockwill.  He will be remembered for his quick wit, sense of humor and lighthearted practical jokes.

Jerry was predeceased by his parents, his brother David and his beloved four-legged companions Bess and Lilly.  He is survived by his wife Laurie, his sister Martha and her husband Stanley Linowski of Norton MA, his nephew Lee Linowski and family of Erdenheim, PA, his niece Jennifer Andrade and family of Coventry, RI and his niece Laura Mulcahy and family of Dighton, MA.  He is also survived by many of his wife’s large extended family who enjoyed Jerry’s wit and sense of humor.  They are far too numerous to mention but no less important.

He often commented that nothing happens in life by design.  One of his favorite phrases was “life is what happens when you are making other plans.”  He had a deep appreciation for the people in his life and all of life’s simple pleasures.  He often said the one thing he got right in life was moving to Vermont.

There will be a celebration of Jerry’s life when we can safely gather.  Contributions can be made in his memory to The Hartland Rescue Squad, PO Box 403, Hartland, VT  05048 or to The Upper Valley Haven, 713 Hartford Ave, White River Junction, VT  05001.

The Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock, VT is assisting the family. An online guest book can be found at cabotfh.com

Brett Porter Schoff

Springfield, VT

Brett Porter Schoff died Friday evening, November 6, 2020 at his home in Woodstock VT which he shared with his Life Partner, Joyce (Carter) Robison of 18 years.  Brett was surrounded by the love and faith of his family who ushered him home from his life on earth to his place of eternal rest.

He was born on March 6, 1934 in Lancaster, NH the son of Porter Johnson Schoff and Eva May (Smith) Schoff.

Brett graduated from Pittsburg (NH) High School, attended Norwich University, enlisted in the US Army and served peace-time in Alaska, returning to Springfield as a long-time member of the community.  He married Marie (Maculiewicz) Schoff on May 9, 1959 and raised four children, Karen Marie, Karl Andrew, Mark Alan and Michael Porter.  Brett was Domestic Sales Manager for many years at Jones & Lamson Div. of Textron.  He continued on as a dispatcher for Johnson & Dix in his later years and was proud to walk the aisles of Aubuchon Hardware sharing his knowledgeable customer service.  He was a devout Catholic and member of the fraternal organization of the Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his Life Partner, Joyce Robison, his daughter Karen Whitney (Jim Morse), his son and daughter-in law Karl and Pam Schoff, his son and daughter-in-law Brian and Cathy Carter, his son and daughter-in-law Greg and Carol Carter. His brother, Porter (Tim) Schoff and his wife Ramona, his brother-in-law Edward Maculiewicz, his sister Lorene (Skip) Young, several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  He was predeceased by his wife Marie and his sons, Mark and Michael.

Friends may call at the Davis Memorial Chapel on Thursday evening November 12, 2020 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions masks are required at the funeral home and capacity is restricted to 50%.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday November 13, 2020 at St. Mary’s Cemetery with the Rev. Peter Williams officiating.

Refreshments available after graveside services at the Elks Club, 49 Park Street, Springfield, VT.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to:  Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire (VNH) –or- St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

Patricia H. Sumner Brozza

Patricia Brozza, 93 of Meredith, New Hampshire passed away on Nov. 5^th, 2020 at her family’s home, after a brief illness.

Patricia, known to her friends and family as Pat, was born on August 15, 1927 in Woodstock, Vermont. She was the daughter of Arthur J. Sumner and Leola Weaver Sumner. Pat grew up in Woodstock and graduated from Woodstock High School in 1945. Pat later went on to graduate from Hartford Hospital Nursing School in 1948. Pat was a member of the Army Sponsored Cadet Nursing Corp. She spent ten years caring for American Indian and Eskimos at an Indian Hospital in Tacoma, Washington and later working at Madigan Army Medical Center in Olympia, Washington. While there she cared for military personnel from the wars of those years and the retirees and their families.

While in Tacoma, Washington Pat meet and married Bernard Brozza. They spent many happy years together and often came home to her beloved Woodstock, Vermont.

Pat spent her final years living near her relatives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. She loved to read and talk politics. She stayed abreast of all local and political news. Pat was always up and loved a good laugh.

Pat was predeceased by her husband Bernard Brozza, parents and sisters. She is survived by four nieces, Pamela Charon and Jessica Charon of Plymouth, N.H., Bonnie Charon of Delaware and Sandra Charon of Manchester, N.H. She will be missed by all.

Virginia Manny Lancaster

Virginia Manny Lancaster, 91, a long-time resident of Barnard, VT, died at the Pines at the Terrace in Woodstock, VT on October 14, 2020.

She was born in New York City, to Walter Roy Manny and Lorraine Craven Manny. Her older brother Walter “Frere” Manny predeceased her. She outlived her three older sisters, Lynne, Lynnette and Mayfield, and her younger brother James.

Virginia went to Rye Country Day, Brearley, and Miss Halls schools, and a History of Art program in Florence, Italy, finally earning a BA in Education from Goddard College.

As a child, Virginia spent many summers with her grandmother, May Field “Gummy” Craven, on the family farm near the end of Lakota Road in Barnard. She also spent time with her father in New York, racing 30-meter world-class sailboats out of Larchmont and learning to ride horses at the Armory in Manhattan. Sailing and horses remained dear to her, as she taught all her children how to ride and sail. Virginia was also a swimmer, tennis player, a golfer, and a skier. She hunted birds and fly fished with her father, played numerous card games, and never lost the call of the road, making several trips across the US with her husband and children. She also drove tractors, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and ATVs, particularly in support of her children`s activities. An avid cyclist, she completed the Ragbrai, an annual bicycle ride across Iowa.

As a young woman, her family connections in Woodstock lead to a chance encounter with Herbert Lancaster, who had recently retired to a house in Prosper. Herbert thought well of Virginia and he later introduced her to his son, John Lancaster. The consequence of this meeting resulted in the marriage of John and Virginia in 1952. In late 1953 they bought the Ted Green farmhouse on Lime Pond Road in Barnard, where they lived for over sixty years.

Virginia started her career in Public Relations at F.A.O. Schwarz in New York.  She worked in newspaper journalism, then at Lancaster and Sons, a retail clothing store.  She was a substitute teacher, a ski instructor, and the hill manager of Sonnenburg Ski area. With her husband`s help, she started the Turkey Hollow School, which for eight years was run out of their home in Barnard.

She was a Representative of the Windsor 2-1 district for one term.  Shortly after that, she served as a Selectman and then an Auditor in Barnard. To help inform the townspeople of the important issues of the time, she started publishing the Barnard Bulletin which was sent to each household in Barnard free of charge.

Virginia was a longtime supporter of many horse associations and a lifetime member of GMHA, IBHA, AQHA, NEHC, and VHSA.

Virginia competed at the Green Mountain Horse Association through the 60s, 70s, and 80s.  She also was the manager for a while and was a willing volunteer at many GMHA events throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s.

Virginia was also a regular volunteer for the Glad Rags Sales and Ski Runners at Mt. Tom in Woodstock.

Virginia is survived by: her husband John; her children, Richard, Gina and James (Justin) Lancaster; her grandchildren, Emma, Hugo, Sonia and Roy Salguero, Forrest, Heather, Mariah and Alessandra Lancaster; and her great-grandchildren Tony and Paige Salguero.  Also surviving are her sisters-in-law, Abigail Manny, and Mary Jane Lancaster, along with her brother-in-law James Drorbaugh.  She was pre-deceased by her son, John Herbert Lancaster. There will be a Celebration of Life in 2021. The family requests no flowers, donations in Virginia’s name will be welcomed by the Green Mountain Horse Association in South Woodstock, VT, for their riding scholarship fund. The family wishes to thank the Cabot Funeral Home for their assistance.

Linda Joyce Dutton Carr

Mrs. Linda Joyce Dutton Carr, age 78, from Four Oaks NC, passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 at UNC Johnston Health in Clayton, NC. A Graveside Service will be 2:00PM Friday, November 20, 2020 at Four Oaks City Cemetery. Officiating will be Rev. Joey Yow.

Mrs. Carr was born on November 18, 1941 in Hanover, New Hampshire to the late William Frederick and Bernice Audrey Marshall Dutton. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 48 years, Kenneth Stanley Carr. She grew up in Taftsville, Vermont and graduated from Woodstock Union High School in 1959. From there she went to Elliot Hospital School of Nursing in Manchester, New Hampshire and graduated in 1962. Before starting her family, she worked as a nurse at Mary-Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire. The hospital was where she met her future husband, was married and started a family. December 1979, they moved to Four Oaks, NC and bought the Four Oaks Motel. Linda was instrumental in overhauling the motel into Four Oaks Lodging.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children; Kathryn Marie Tate-Hildreth (Alston) of Four Oaks, NC, William Frederick Carr of Salemburg, NC, Nancy Diane Reeves (Robert) of Northwood, NH, and Richard Kenneth Carr (Beth) of Four Oaks, NC; siblings, Robert Dutton (Martha) of IA, Patricia Welch (Tom) of VT, and Thomas Dutton (Jane) of VT; 12 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

The family appreciates your thoughts and prayers.

In accordance with NC-COVID-19 guidelines, the funeral home suggests practicing social distancing guidelines and the three W’s: wait, wash, and wear a face covering.  Masks are required for the graveside service.

Arrangements by Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Four Oaks, NC. https://www.roseandgraham.com/obituary/LindaJoyceDutton-Carr

Alan Wallace Perkins

Alan Wallace Perkins, 83, of Woodstock, died Nov. 13 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

He was born Jan.2, 1937 in Framingham, Mass. His adoptive parents were Mildred (Morgan) Perkins of Lexington, Mass. and H. Edward Perkins Jr. of  Bridgewater. Throughout his childhood, his father’s work as an engineer took Alan from Arlington, Va., to Newport, Vt., to Hamden, Conn. But home base was always his grandparents’ farm in Bridgewater, where his grandmother maintained a community lending library and he accompanied his grandfather on visits to oversee the poor.

Alan graduated from Hamden High School and from Northwestern University in 1959, with a degree in history, later pursuing graduate studies at Clark University. He worked as a journalist for Worcester (Mass.)  Telegram & Gazette;  as director and curator of the Drake Well Oil Museum in Titusville, Pa.; as a commercial photographer for his own company, The Image Farm in Bridgewater; as a planner for the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Planning Commission; as an administrator for the North Chapel Universalist Society in Woodstock; and  as a census taker and a postmaster in Bridgewater. Alan’s career choices reflected his wide interests in history, technology, the arts and community service.

Alan enjoyed traveling by motorcycle across the continent from Hudson Bay to the American Southwest; flying his light aircraft; canoeing and sailing from New England to the Caribbean. He enjoyed hiking, camping, birdwatching and photographing the great outdoors, as well as visiting historical sites, museums and events, including the Tunbridge World’s Fair, the Vermont History Expo, and the Northeastern Atlatl Championships at Chimney Point.

Alan was an avid scholar, reader  and debater of history, politics, theology, environmental and justice issues— but also fiction and poetry, from Delderfield to Hillerman and from Ogden Nash to Wendell Berry. A skilled woodworker, he built his own bookcases as well as constructing many of his museum exhibits and later restoring his farmhouse in Bridgewater. He loved computering. But his passion was classical music, particularly early sacred music, Bach, Beethoven and the pipe organ. He was a Red Sox fan. A lifelong learner, he took classes with Woodstock’s Learning Lab. He was a volunteer with the Thompson Senior Center in Woodstock, where he also enjoyed taking part in an oral history project and one partnering seniors with Woodstock High School Students.

Throughout his life, Alan was active in Unitarian-Universalist and Congregational churches, and later with the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ. He was a member of Grace Congregational Church in Rutland active with its Jubilee Justice committee.

Alan will be remembered as a gentle, friendly and generous soul with a wry sense of humor, and above all,  as a storyteller with an astonishing memory for detail and a rich repertoire drawn  from his far-ranging adventures and experience.

Alan was divorced and had no children. He is survived by cousins  George Lockwood of Pasco, Wash.; Jerry Lockwood of Homewood, Ill.; David Lockwood of Md.; Paul Lockwood of Woodstock, Ill.; John Charbeneau of Stuarts Draft, Va.; Anne (Charbeneau) Zapanta of Lorton. Va.; Alison (Charbeneau) Bryant of Belmont, N.H.; Abigail Charbeneau of Penacook, N.H.; and by his longtime companion,  Janice Prindle of South Woodstock.

Donations in his memory to the Thompson Senior Center would be appreciated. Arrangements,  for a future date to be determined,  are under the care of the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock. An on line guest book can be found at cabotfh.com

Lewis W. “Lew” Counts

Lew Counts, electronics industry leader who blended technical expertise with compassion

Lewis W. “Lew” Counts, a generous family man and semiconductor industry leader recognized for his technical and leadership skills, passed away on September 14 at age 80. A longtime resident of Lexington, Massachusetts and South Barnard, Vermont, he died peacefully after a year-long battle with leukemia.

Lew spent nearly four decades of his career at Analog Devices, Inc., where he championed the development of breakthrough technologies and became vice president of one of the company’s most profitable divisions. He was a mentor to many, known for his personal humility and willingness to help wherever needed—at work and in the community. With his lanky frame and friendly handshake, Lew was a presence wherever he went, treating everyone he met with the same respect. He was a beloved husband, father, and grandfather.

Born on June 13,1940 in Birmingham, Alabama, to Mae Coleman Counts and Chester Carter Counts, Lew was raised by his mother in Alexandria, Virginia. He graduated in 1958 from Groveton High School and worked his way through Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied electrical engineering and met Constance “Connee” Darmstatter, a student at Radcliffe College who became his wife of 56 years. After graduating in 1965, he embarked on a career that led him to the semiconductor industry.

In 1969, Lew started at Analog Devices, which specializes in technologies that convert real-world phenomena such as light, sound, temperature, and movement into digital signals. (Analog’s products are used in consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial systems and more.) After transferring to the integrated circuit division, he was charged with hiring and leading the linear design group, a team of engineers who achieved breakthroughs in high-precision amplifiers and developed scores of award-winning products. He rose to the role of VP, managing all of Analog’s linear products and building one of the company’s largest and most profitable divisions.

Lew was named in 1984 as the company’s fifth Division Fellow, which recognizes “those at the highest levels of technical advancement for their creativity and outstanding technical contributions, acting as mentors to young technologists, and leading outstanding technical teams.” He was the only person in Analog’s history to lead a major division and also be recognized as a fellow for his technical skills.

In 2003, Electronic Design magazine named Lew to its Engineering Hall of Fame, describing him as a “team captain and visionary” and noting that he’s “considered one among the pioneers to design ‘complete performance’ into single chips.” He was a lifelong member of IEEE, and a frequent presenter at the annual IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC).

In his retirement, Lew joined the board of MIT’s Office of Engineering Outreach Programs, which offers programs to promising students from underrepresented groups who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Lew and Connee strongly supported programs for learners of all ages, including a foundational gift to the Boston Children’s Museum’s new PlaySpace exhibit and to educational programs at Boston’s Huntington Theatre.

Lew was also a longtime member and contributor to Lexington’s First Parish, a Unitarian Universalist church. He loved music and especially enjoyed listening to First Parish’s music director play the church’s 1890’s Hutchings organ.

An avid photographer, Lew was often seen with a camera, chronicling family or community events or capturing the beauty of nature. Even with his career success, he remained frugal and eschewed flashiness. His one personal indulgence was a small fleet of bikes on which he summited the Alps, the Rockies, the Grand Tetons and the Green Mountains. His house in South Barnard was his favorite refuge.

Lew is survived by his wife Connee; daughters Margaret Counts-Klebe (Skott Klebe) and Laura Counts (Michael Mechanic); granddaughters Beatrix and Ruby; and grandsons Thomas and Nikko.

The Counts family is grateful to Lew’s oncology team at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who helped him wage a valiant battle against his disease. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests any memorial contributions be sent to support Dana-Farber’s clinical cancer research (Lew’s donation page: https://bit.ly/LewCountsDF); to the Upper Valley Haven shelter and food bank (https://uppervalleyhaven.org/donate); or to a charity of your choice.

W. Harry McCarthy

Harry McCarthy age 91 of Exeter, New Hampshire and Quechee, Vermont died on November 4, 2020. Born in Burlington, Vermont on August 14, 1929 he was the son of Madeleine and Harry McCarthy Sr. He grew up in Burlington and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1947 and the University of Vermont in 1951 having played basketball at both schools.

Following graduation, he married his college sweetheart, Beth Lohr and after serving two years as an infantry lieutenant during the Korean War he began a 33-year career with Mobil Oil Company in 1954. He retired from the company in 1987 and moved to Quechee, Vermont.

Harry’s work with Mobil was interesting and varied. In addition to several assignments at company headquarters in New York, he and Beth lived in Tokyo, Japan, Melbourne, Australia and Istanbul, Turkey. They changed residences on 24 occasions and in the process saw much of the world. He served as President of the Jefferson County NY Junior Chamber of Commerce while in Watertown and was a Trustee of the Quechee Lakes Landowner’s Association for over four years in the early 1990’s. He was also a member of the Board of Overseers of Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital for many years. He had a great sense of humor and loved to sing. He often performed with local groups in Quechee and was a cantor for several years at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic church in Woodstock, Vermont. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed the many friendships made on the Quechee golf courses.

Harry is survived by Beth, his wife of 68 years, his daughter Deborah Nelson of Quechee, Vermont, son Gary of Hermosa Beach California, son-in-law Paul Nelson, daughter-in-law Suzy McCarthy, five grandchildren of whom he was so proud; Alex and Tim Nelson, Whit, Andrew and Kelly McCarthy and a great grandchild Olivia Nelson.

A memorial service in celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers donations in Harry’s name may be made to:

St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

262 Danny Thomas Place

Memphis, TN 38105

1-800-822-6344