Lorna Mickle Chang Post

Lorna Mickle Chang Post Died April 24, 2021

Lorna Mickle Chang Post passed away peacefully April 24, 2021  in her home in Traverse City, MI.  Lorna was a long-time resident of East Barnard, VT.

Lorna was born October 29, 1930 in New York City. She grew up with two sisters in Darien, CT, and was a Phi Beta Kappa (Philosophy) graduate of Goucher College (’52) in Maryland.  Lorna married David Ping-Chung Chang (b. Shanghai, China), a Princeton graduate (’51), in 1955.  They had four children.

Following David’s death in 2001, Lorna married her high school sweetheart, Richard St. Francis Post, in Washington, DC (2006).  The couple resided in Maryland.

Lorna lived a life full of energy and learning.  She was devoted to her family and to her communities.  Lorna remained engaged in her lifelong interests in horses, travel, and politics (and a bit of fishing).  Through horses, Lorna became involved with therapeutic riding programs for physically challenged youngsters, travel led to her teach courses (ILEAD, Hanover, NH), and she was a fierce advocate for political engagement and the League of Women Voters.

Lorna resided in Puerto Rico (and St. Croix, USVI), Lloyd Harbor, NY, Lake Oswego, OR, and later, Maryland and Traverse City, MI.  While Lorna’s life took her around the world, she and David called East Barnard, VT home, following their discovery of this community in the 1960’s.

Lorna is survived by her children Pamela (Clifford), Christopher (Susan), David (Erin), Jennifer (Edward), eight grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Lorna’s life will be held in summer in Vermont.

Linnea H. Thompson

Linnea H. Thompson of Woodstock, VT died on May 5, 2021 after a short illness. She died peacefully with her children, who were the sunshine of her life, by her side.

Lin lived a full and adventurous life. She traveled extensively and lived in various parts of the country including Arizona and California, making Woodstock her home in 1971. Her love of history and society led her to a career as a historic researcher, sociologist, and educator, most recently teaching classes at the college level in Vermont and New Hampshire. Lin was a strong advocate for women’s rights. She exemplified this through her teaching of women in history, mentorships, and her lifestyle. She was a weaver and member of the Weaving Guild, an author of numerous publications pertaining to local native Americans, local history, and local historical genealogy. Together with her grandson, she created an educational documentary about Woodstock gardens entitled “How Does Your Garden Grow.”

Linnea leaves behind her three children: Deborah (Alan) Cort, Pamela (Phillip) Darrow, and James C. Thompson; seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren all of who brought her great joy; her brother Jordan Harwood; and many friends who gave great meaning to her life.

She was pre-deceased by her first husband James Thompson of Princeton, MA with whom she raised their three children, and her second husband George N. Goodrow of Woodstock, VT.

Because there will be no memorial service for Lin, the family has asked that we honor her legacy by educating ourselves about the issues that were close to Linnea and become advocates for equality. Be a change-maker.

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

Arthur Joseph Miller

ARTHUR JOSEPH MILLER  July 21, 1937 – February 28, 2021

Arthur Miller was born on 21 July 1937 in New York City, New York.  He grew up on Long Island, attending Sewanhaka High School, where he excelled in Lacrosse, ultimately gaining him an athletic scholarship to Adelphi University.   On 24 June 1961, he married Irene Aker and settled initially in Huntington, Long Island.  Although a New Yorker by birth, a business move relocated the young Miller Family to Bridgewater, Vermont–and he became a Vermonter at heart, even after subsequent moves to Houston, Texas and finally Reno, Nevada.

To those who knew him personally, he was, and will always be remembered as, The Moose.  He was seemingly larger than life because of his athletic prowess and his playful antics.  He was always a pleasure to those about him because Moose Miller enjoyed life and knew how to make others laugh.  He was a regular participant in the golf, tennis, and other seasonal sporting events in Woodstock.

As Moose aged, his faith became more and more important to him and was a source of strength and comfort to him in the many surgeries, some truly life-threatening, in later years.  On 28 February of this year, Moose was called Home to be with his Lord.   He is lovingly remembered and longingly missed by his devoted wife of 60 years, Irene Miller (Reno, Nevada); his children, Heather Bergeron, (Tucson, Arizona), Kurt Miller (Fort Mill, South Carolina), Brett Miller (Oakland, California), and Anne Vicks (Reno, Nevada); his brother Robert and sister Janice; eleven grandchildren; many nephews and nieces; and countless friends in so many places who will always remember The Moose with a smile.

The Life of Arthur Miller will be celebrated on 22 May 2021 in South Reno Baptist Church, Reno, Nevada.  It is all grace!

May 16 services for Barbara Ann Butler and Dr. Robert W. McFadden

Graveside services for Barbara Ann Butler and Dr. Robert W. McFadden will be held on Sunday, May 16, 2021 at 2:00pm in the Silver Lake Cemetery in Barnard, Vermont. Family and friends are invited to a Celebration of Life Reception immediately following the service at the Barnard Inn.

The Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock is assisting the family.

Mary “Bet” Amsden Zern

Mary “Bet” Amsden Zern was a caring and giving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend who left this world suddenly on January 3, 2021.

She was second of four children of Clarence and Helen Amsden. After graduating from Woodstock Union High School, she left Vermont for the University of Michigan where she met her future husband, Richard Zern, at a church square dance for new students. Together they were proud Wolverine alumni, singing “Hail to the Victors” at all the football games. The Navy brought them further west, to California. Together they had two children, Rick and Wendy, and she was a loving Grandma to three grandsons.

She was a genuinely giving person, with a common phrase heard from her of “Anything I can do to help you?” Mary “Bet” was an elementary school teacher in Long Beach for 30 years. Dedication to caring for others, especially children was demonstrated with her work supervising and guiding student teachers through Cal State Long Beach and with her involvement with church activities and fundraisers, Assistance League, PEO, and a local Children’s Dental Health Clinic.

After retirement, Richard and Mary traveled extensively, with her favorite places being wherever it was warm and sunny. Hawaii and Palm Desert were common destinations. Mary “Bet” enjoyed local theater and music productions, sitting in the sunshine, and most importantly spending time with family and friends.

A graveside service for Mary will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2021 in the Main Street Cemetery in Hardwick, Vermont beginning at 2:00 pm

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

Jean Thompson Witchekowski

LAKELAND, FLORIDA

Jean Witchekowski passed away on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021 while she had been receiving hospice care at her home.  She was born on March 6, 1945 in Hanover, NH to Rachel and Merton Thompson of West Woodstock, Vermont.

Jean attended Woodstock Elementary School and graduated from Woodstock Union High School in 1963.  During high school, she was Vice President of the National Honor Society, on the softball team, a basketball cheerleader, and a member of the WUHS women’s ski team winning downhill and slalom competitions.  Upon graduation, she attended Burdett Business College and studied accounting.

After college, she worked for the State of Connecticut in the accounting department and then transferred to the Connecticut Motor Vehicle Department.

Jean met her future husband Ted during her employment at this time through her brother-in-law, Nick Rutherford, and they enjoyed many days of working together and skiing.

Jean and Ted were married in 1971 and lived in Norwich, Connecticut until retirement in 1997.

Having enjoyed trips to Florida to visit her parents, they decided to move there for winter months and with Jean’s love for Vermont, also started building their summer home in Stockbridge, VT.  They loved to talk about their first summer living in Vermont, camping in a tent while they built their new home.

Jean loved to golf and spent most of her free time on her favorite golf courses in Florida and Vermont.  Gathering for hot dog cookouts on weekends with friends from her Vermont childhood was a special time for her and Ted.

Jean is survived by her husband Ted, her brother, Wayne Thompson of Woodstock, VT, her brother-in-law, Nick, her nephew Scott and her niece Dawn and their families.

Jean was predeceased by her parents, Rachel and Merton Thompson, and her sister Elaine Thompson Rutherford.

Jean will be greatly missed by everyone who was fortunate to have known her.  Her smile and happiness will be remembered forever with those she shared her life with.

Theodore Kent Keith

Theodore Kent Keith was born in West Barnet, Vermont on March 25, 1928, delivered at home by his father. His parents were Dr. Theodore K. Keith and Phyllis Caldwell Keith, and he was the oldest of two children. His father grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, attended Newton High School, Boston University Medical School and entered the U.S. Army in 1943, serving in France and Germany, but died on his return home in January 1946. The passing of his father at such an early age was a tragic, yet defining, moment for Ted.

Ted attended Newton High School and enjoyed playing sports, including as a catcher in baseball. After he began his work career, he would often drive back from Worcester to Newton to participate in sports with his friends. He graduated in 1945, entered the U.S. Army and was stationed with the 24^th Division in Japan as part of the occupational force. He returned and graduated from MIT in 1950; during those years he worked as a milkman in Boston to help he and his mother make ends meet. He then attended Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, receiving his MBA degree in 1952.

He decided to pursue a career in banking and obtained a job at Worcester County National Bank. On his first day at work, he met Mary Louise Brockway – it was also her first day at work. They fell in love and were married on October 29, 1955 – a marriage that would last more than 65 years and she would serve as his “rock” the rest of his life.

Ted underwent training and was assigned to manage a new bank function: the use of computers for banking operations. For the next decade, he designed and implemented these early automated computer systems throughout the bank, building a national reputation in the process. He served on committees at the American Bankers Association and was a featured speaker at various conferences.

In 1963, he was named Vice President-Controller at the bank and was assigned the responsibility for corporate planning. In 1966, Ted joined First Union National Bank in Charlotte, NC as Senior Vice President of Operations, the first of several short-term positions that provided valuable experience, including at Union Commerce Bank and The Cleveland Clinic. After a decade of solving problems for businesses that provided no permanence and with experience in solving problems rapidly, Ted decided to work for himself and established a financial services consulting business.

In the late 1970’s, he enjoyed solving challenging problems for a wide range of bank clients. In 1980, he was asked to step in and fix problems at the New England Bankcard Association, a bank-owned co-operative that managed credit card processing services. After a rapid turnaround at NEBA he managed the sale of processing services to First Data Resources in Omaha, negotiating to operate the limited functions remaining at NEBA through a management agreement, as well as purchasing a small, emerging point-of-sale terminal network. As additional services were needed by NEBA member banks, Ted’s new organization – The Amherst Group – grew to include a commanding share of the New England market for these new credit card payment devices and in 1990, he arranged a profitable sale to PA-based CoreStates Bank.

While continuing to manage NEBA, Ted and his remaining team started a new venture in Portsmouth, NH to handle the outsourcing of credit card issuing operations for small banks, called Harbor Card Services. Ted always believed in family and friend participation in his business, with wife Mary B. playing a key role in various functions and children and grandchildren being involved in various ways. Friends Leo McManus and Blair Shick served for decades on the Boards of the company. In 1995, the ventures today, with second and third-generation family management.

Over and above the demanding schedule of his business activities through the years, Ted always ensured his priorities were to his marriage to Mary B. and to children Ted Jr., Molly, and Marilyn. He believed in God, that life was guided by Him and that his trials here on earth were always for a greater purpose. He tried hard to be a good husband and father, setting by example. An avid reader, particularly of history and management, he was also a fan of the Boston Red Sox and Celtics and of the Pittsburgh Steelers and he enjoyed going to Fenway Park frequently in his youth. He also liked being seaside and for many years he and Mary B had a second home on Cape Cod, and then in Newcastle, NH, where they would entertain family.

Ted enjoyed the company of many canine buddies; and only once in his life was he without one – for six months after the loss of his beloved Lhasa Apso, Duchess. He tried hard to be a helping hand for good works of various kinds, particularly oriented to the animal community.

He is survived by his wife Mary Louise (Brockway) Keith; son Ted Keith, Jr. and his wife Janie; daughter Mary Anne Keith and her long-time friend Claire; daughter Marilyn Keith Daly and her husband Christopher; granddaughter Melissa, her husband Ray Petraska and great-grandchildren Connor, Liam and a great-granddaughter due in September; granddaughter  Mary, her husband Jordan Chadwick and great-grandchildren Molly and Ben; granddaughter Laura and her partner Robert Paquet; brother Frederick Keith, his wife Jan and nephews and nieces; and sister-in-law Katrina Brockway Bianchi.

The family would like to warmly thank the many household staff over the years that helped make Ted’s final years enjoyable and enabled him to remain at home, even until his last day.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society in West Windsor, VT (www.lucymac.org), the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee (www.elephants.com), or to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (www.myasthenia.org).

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Sunday, May 9^th beginning at 2:00 pm at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Woodstock. Burial will follow in the Riverside Cemetery in Woodstock, VT. There will be no public calling hours.

The family is being assisted by the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock. An online guest book can be found at cabotfh.com

Maurice Dickey Drysdale

RANDOLPH

Dickey Drysdale, 76, editor/publisher emeritus of the White River Valley Herald

Maurice Dickey Drysdale, 76, editor/publisher emeritus of the White River Valley Herald, died early Wednesday morning, April 28, in his home on Labounty Road in Randolph.

He was born November 10, 1944, in Concord, MA. to John and Eleanor Drysdale. Six months later, the Drysdales moved to Randolph, Vermont, where John purchased the White River Valley Herald. He was its editor/publisher for the next 30 years.

Dickey graduated from Randolph Union High School in 1962 and Harvard University in 1966. He worked at the Springfield (MA) Union newspaper from 1966 to 1969 and earned his Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1971. He then returned home to Randolph to take the reins from his father at the White River Valley Herald, where he remained as editor/publisher for the next 44 years.

He earned numerous awards from the Vermont Press Association for news writing, editorial writing, sports writing, and music criticism. He was seven times the winner of editorial awards from the International Society of Weekly News Editors, and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

He married Marjorie Balgooyen in 1975. The couple moved into the Drysdale family home on Labounty Road, where they have lived ever since, raising two sons, Robin Bruce and James Monteath Drysdale.

He was treasurer of the Vermont Press Association for 25 years. He was a past president of the Randolph Chamber of Commerce and the Randolph Rotary Club. He also served on the Randolph Area Community Development Corporation (RACDC).

For 25 years he directed the Randolph Singers, introducing a whole generation of singers to the great choral masterworks. An excellent tenor, he sang with the Bel Canto Chamber Singers, the Sounding Joy! vocal ensemble, Ken’s Barbershop Quartet, the Onion River Chorus, and of course, the Randolph Singers.

Of Scottish heritage on his father’s side, Dickey developed a deep love for Scottish and Celtic music. Each year, he helped to plan Chandler’s “New World Festival,” a celebration of French-Canadian and Celtic music.

He served for many years on the board of the Albert B. Chandler Foundation, dedicated to the restoration of Randolph’s Chandler Music Hall. He was a lifelong member of Bethany Church, Randolph, where he enjoyed giving children’s sermons and teaching Sunday school classes.

In 2015, he and Marjorie were given the Jim Hutchinson Award for community service.

In 2016, Dickey and Marjorie were asked to lead the Randolph Singers through to 2018, the chorus’ 50^th anniversary, or “Golden Jubilee.” In December of 2018, their tenure concluded with the Singers’ traditional holiday concert, where Dickey picked up his baton for the very last time.

The Drysdales were a hiking family, summiting many of the high peaks in the Adirondacks, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, and the Katahdin region of Maine. Even as his health deteriorated, Dickey tried to get outdoors every day to take a few steps around his home or to take a scenic car ride. Invariably, he would gaze at the countryside, then at his wife, and declare, “I’m so lucky.”

Downhill and cross-country skiing were lifelong passions. He learned to ski at Randolph’s Farr’s Hill and later served on the board of Randolph’s Pinnacle Skiways.

He greatly enjoyed travel, but there was no place like home. He felt that he had the best neighbors in the world. He loved to walk in his woods, swim in the pond, ski out his back door, and cut wood for the winter months, saving an ample supply for March, when the Drysdale family would make maple syrup together.

Dickey had enormous respect for the people in his town and surrounding communities. He featured them in editorials and essays, many of which also were published in Vermont Life and Yankee magazine. He especially held farmers in high regard, in awe of their many skills and tireless work ethic.

He wrote three books––“Vermont Moments,” a book of essays and poems, “Dancing in the Potato Patch,” a book of poetry, and “Not a Bad Seat in the House,” a history of Chandler Music Hall. With his staff at the Herald he produced “The Wrath of Irene,” illustrating the effects of Hurricane Irene in the White River Valley.

Dickey was a beloved choral conductor, pianist, singer, and fiddler. He was a masterful wordsmith with an encyclopedic knowledge of local, state, and national government.  He was an eloquent poet, a vigorous hiker, a man of wit, and an absolutely elegant skier.

Above all, he was a kind and loving husband and father. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Marjorie, his sons, Robin Bruce Drysdale of Brooklyn, NY and James Monteath Drysdale of Stevensville, MT, his sister, Ellen Drysdale and husband, Bob Squires of Berlin, VT, his sister, Isobel Drysdale of Pueblo, CO, ten nieces and nephews, and thirteen grand-nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life will take place this summer when it is safer for people to gather together.

Memorial contributions in his honor can be made to the Chandler Center for the Arts, 71 N Main St, Randolph, VT 05060 (https://www.chandler-arts.org/donate-1),  or to the Randolph Singers, P.O. Box 192, Randolph, VT, 05060 (http://www.randolphsingers.org/home/donate).  Online condolences may be left at www.dayfunerals.com.  Arrangements by Day Funeral Home in Randolph.

James Louis Miner

James Louis Miner, 76 June 30, 1944 – April 18, 2021 “Grief is just love with nowhere to go.” -Hannah Webster

Every week our Dad would look forward to the arrival of his Vermont Standard. He would sit down at the kitchen table and skip right to the obituaries. Upon completion, he would announce “Well I managed to stay out of the obituaries for another week!”

Well Dad, this is your week.

Our hero passed away on April 18, 2021 in the home that he built on the shores of his beloved Lake Champlain surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with an aggressive cancer. He was a devoted husband of almost 53 years to his beloved “Kiss of fire”, Janie; The most incredible father a kid could ask for; A brother who could make you laugh until you cried through the good times and the bad; The most amazing Booka to not only his 5 adoring granddaughters but to all of you that were blessed to be a member of the Booka fan club. He was a neighbor who always had the right tool for the job and a lover of all creatures great and small (even the birdseed stealing squirrels).

Down here he taught us how to hold everything together with nails, grout, and compound. From up above he is now teaching us to hold everything together with his unconditional love and many countless cherished memories.

There will be a private celebration of life for immediate family later this summer.

Our family would like to express our gratitude to the wonderful and supportive staff of The Addison County Home Health & Hospice for making Dad’s transition as peaceful as possible.

We would like to carry on Dad’s love for his feral cats by asking for any donations to be made in his name to VT-CAN! Spay/Neuter clinic, 19A Bailey Meadows Road, Middlesex, VT 05602.

Jane Martin

Jane Coffin Martin, 72, died April 26 at home after a year-long battle with cancer.

A seventh-generation Vermonter, she was born January 10, 1949, daughter of Wallace Coffin and Arlene (Jillson) Coffin.

She grew up in the village of Woodstock, attending elementary and junior high school on South Street and graduating from Woodstock Union High School in 1967. She married Sheldon Martin in 1967, and they lived in West Woodstock before building a home in Bridgewater Chateauguay and moving there. After managing a business in Woodstock East for some years, they purchased a home in Zolfo Springs, Florida, where they spent the winter months, returning to Vermont in March for their own maple sugaring operation and for landscaping work in the summer.

Jane was a sports enthusiast—for many years a fan of the Red Sox and the New England Patriots and rarely missed any games that her grandchildren played from the ages of 5 until present college games. She had a passionate interest in all kinds of music ranging from live Québécois to the choral works of J. S. Bach and Justin Beiber. She also loved literature and was an avid reader of contemporary fiction. She had a great capacity for wonder and a love of life that expressed itself in a lively and infectious sense of humor, a devotion to family and to old friends, a regular, yearly attendance at Tunbridge World’s Fair, and an interest in the natural world, particularly as experienced in the large tract of land in Chateauguay that she and Sheldon shared with a variety of wildlife.

She is survived by her husband, Sheldon Martin of Bridgewater; a son, Joel Martin (and wife Becky) of Naples, Florida; a daughter, Julie Martin (and partner John) of West Woodstock; her twin brothers—with whom she shares a birthday: Howard Coffin of Montpelier, and Bruce Coffin (and wife Maria) of Woodstock and Hamden, Connecticut; two grandsons, Brian Martin and Dylan Kuhn; a granddaughter, Sadie Kuhn, and a number of nieces and nephews and cousins.

A family celebration of Jane’s life will be held at a later date. Donations in her name may be sent to Bayada Foundation PO Box 1590 Norwich, VT 05055.

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

Patricia “Pat” Bagley

Patricia “Pat” Bagley, 82, died on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at Genesis Health Care in Lebanon, NH

Pat was born on July 17, 1938 in Hanover, NH the daughter of Henry, SR. and Florinda (Reed) Bagley.

The Bagley family grew up on the farm in Quechee and learned early that rural life in Vermont, though enjoyable, was filled every day with chores and hard work. Pat directed her energy to caring for others in the profession of nursing. She worked for many years at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital that later became Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. In later years she worked for Genesis Health Care in Lebanon, NH.

Pat enjoyed cooking, working in her gardens, and being an incredible coupon shopper. Though she never married, Pat was looked upon by her nieces and nephews as a grandparent figure. She spent endless hours hosting the kids for vacation time and nearly every weekend. When they got older the kids would stay up extra late just so they could enjoy picking Pat up after her night shift at work.

Pat is survived by her sister Barbara Hanchett of Concord, NH, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews that all loved her so much. In addition to her parents Pat is predeceased by her brother Henry Bagley, sisters; Nellie Bagley, Elizabeth Harris, and Katherine Koopman.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 8^th at 11 am in the Hilltop Cemetery in Quechee, Vermont.

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