NEKG - 2008 Obituaries

, 104, formerly of McIndoe Falls, Vt., died Jan. 12, 2008, at the St. Johnsbury Health & Rehabilitation Center. She was born in East Hardwick, Vt., April 12, 1903, the daughter of George and Ida Mae (Allen) Wilson. A longtime McIndoes resident, she had resided at the nursing home for the past eight years. Although she spent most of her life as a homemaker, she had worked at the former East Ryegate paper mill. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of McIndoe Falls UCC and the Ladies Society of the Church, the Chat 'n Chew Club of McIndoes, and the Jolly 8 Bridge Club. She enjoyed traveling, cooking, and Friday afternoon teas with her family and friends. Mrs. Blondeau was predeceased by three husbands, Ernest "Pat" Plamondon on Dec. 26, 1951, Norman McGill in Dec. 1954, and Joseph Lorenzo Blondeau on June 21, 1992; by her sister, Lyda Pinkham; by her son-in-law, Bill Locke on Feb. 14, 1995; and by her stepson, Oliver McGill. Survivors include two daughters, Kay Locke of McIndoe Falls, and Priscilla Locke and her husband Bob of Monroe; one son, Wilson Plamondon and his wife, Louise of Coral Springs, Fla.; 12 grandchildren 15 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren; four stepchildren, Iris Gardner, Joyce Ryder, Gloria Russell, and Norman McGill; and several nieces and nephews. A calling hour will be on Thursday, Jan. 17 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch St., Woodsville, N.H. The funeral service will be on Friday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Donald Thomas officiating. Spring burial will be in Monroe Village Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Congregational Church of McIndoe Falls UCC, c/o Eloise Pearl, Treas., McIndoe Falls, VT 05050.

, 50, 40 South Main St., Lisbon, N.H., died peacefully with his family by his side on Friday, Jan. 11, 2008. He was born in Littleton, N.H., the son of Clarence and Elsie (LeMay) Pickens. He graduated from Lisbon Regional School and joined the U.S. Marines Corp in 1975 where he worked as a motor port transport. He owned and operated Pickens Snowmobile Shop in Bethlehem, N.H. He also operated a landscaping business in Lisbon, N.H. He was a member of the Woodsville Sons of the American Legion Ross-Wood Post 20. He was a charter member of the Flying Iron Motorcycle Club. They began the club October of 1986 and recently celebrated their 21st anniversary. He loved riding his motorcycle and spending time with his family. He was pre-deceased by his father Clarence, and two brothers Brian and Glen. He is survived by his mother, Elsie (LeMay) Pickens, Littleton; his wife, Laurie (Payette) Pickens, Littleton; a son, James Knights, Wells River, Vt.; a daughter, Tiffany Knights, St. Johnsbury, Vt.; three grandchildren, Eric, Abram, and Kyra; three brothers, Steve and wife Valerie Pickens, Lisbon, N.H., Clarence Pickens, St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Robert Pickens, Lisbon, N.H.; two sisters, Linda and husband Larry Gadwah, Littleton, N.H., and Bonnie Robbins, Lisbon, N.H.; and aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Visiting Hours will be held on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Ross Funeral Home, Lisbon Chapel. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, 11 a.m., at the Lisbon Chapel. Burial will take place in the spring at Grove Hill Cemetery, Lisbon.

, age 50, of Lisbon, N.H., passed away on Jan. 8, 2008, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., after a long illness. Terry was born on Feb. 3, 1957, a daughter to Francis and Mona Boutin in Plymouth, N.H. She attended school in Lisbon, N.H. Terry married Stanley Smith on June 22, 1974 and together they raised their two children, Kristen and Travis. She had many hobbies such as knitting, crocheting and gardening. She enjoyed painting, which she began doing with lessons, then continued on her own. Terry is survived by her husband, Stanley Smith of Lisbon, N.H.; her daughter, Kristen Landry; her son, Travis Smith; her parents, Francis and Mona Boutin; her sister, Donna Cate; her brother, Tony Boutin; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be private at the convenience of the family.

, age 81, of Franconia, N.H., passed away on Dec. 31 at Littleton Regional Hospital. Myrtle was born on March 1, 1926, a daughter to Silas and Grace Taylor in Franconia, N.H. She was a 1945 graduate of Dow Academy. Myrtle married Austin Macaulay on May 5, 1953. She was employed at the Tramway, Lost River, and Hannah's Farm for many years. Myrtle loved skiing and playing the organ. She was a loving wife and mother and will be missed by all. Myrtle is survived by her husband, Austin Macaulay of Franconia, N.H.; three children, Allan Macaulay, Heather Herbert, and Becky Rossi; four grandchildren, Casey Macaulay, Caleb Macaulay, Valentina Rossi, and Talia Rossi; and two sisters, Ernestine Daigneault and Esther Huot. She was predeceased by her parents; one sister, Bertha Eastman; and three brothers, Everett, Taylor, Vernon Taylor, and Clyde Taylor. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m. at the Franconia Community Church.

, 78, of Texarkana, Ark., died Jan. 14, 2008, at his home. Mr. Graham was born Feb. 4, 1929, in Beebe, Ark. He was a U. S. Army and Air Force veteran; and retired from the Dairy Industry. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Marilyn Sargeant Graham of Texarkana, Ark.; daughters and son-in-law, Melissa G. Smith of Homer, La., and Tammy and Tom Kelley Jr. of Texarkana, Texas; grandchildren Kyle Hillis and Kelsey Powell, both of Homer, La., Casey Tate of Texarkana, Texas, Ronald Kelley of Fouke, Ark., and Nicole and Jason Smith, both of Homer, La.; extended family, Donna, Kenny and Paige Duncan all of New Boston, Texas; several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Martha Sevigny, Joan Sargeant, Neal, Donald, and Ted Sargeant, all of Vermont; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of East Funeral Home-Downtown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital at P. O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101 in Memory of John Graham.

, 72, of Bath, N.H., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., following a valiant battle with cancer. He was born in Pawtucket, R.I., Aug. 21, 1935, the eldest son of Joseph Patrick and Ellen Elizabeth (Styles) Foley. Mr. Foley was raised in Pawtucket and attended Sacred Heart School and St. Raphael Academy and spent summers at Matunuck Beach. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and achieved the rank of first class petty officer. Following his honorable discharge from the military, Mr. Foley took advantage of the G.I. Bill and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education from Providence College. He taught sixth grade in Lincoln, R.I., in 1963 and was hired by the city of Pawtucket the following year to teach life science, first at Goff Junior High and later at Tolman High. While residing in South Attleboro, Mass., he also coached football, basketball, track and field, and soccer, retiring in 1990. He officiated high school soccer games throughout the state of Rhode Island as well. Mr. Foley always worked two jobs and spent 11 years as an attendant at Butler Hospital in Providence and multiple summers as a lifeguard at state beaches and local country clubs. After retiring, Mr. Foley moved to Bath, N.H., in 1995. He coached the Woodsville High School junior varsity soccer team from 1995-2003 and was named the JV Soccer Co-Coach of the Year in 2000 and the N.H. Class M JV Soccer Coach of the Year in 2003 by the New Hampshire Coaches Association. He served as an assistant varsity soccer coach since 2003. He was a congenial person who always offered a good word and a smile. Mr. Foley enjoyed soccer, the Patriots, the Red Sox, playing poker with friends, fly fishing, growing grapes and making wine. He was a member of the American Legion Ross-Wood Post 20, Woodsville, N.H., and the Providence College Alumni Association. Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Susan (Provencal) Foley of Bath, N.H.; three children, Todd Foley of Woodsville, N.H., Shaun Foley of Attleboro, Mass., and Heather Reed of North Attleboro, Mass.; seven grandchildren who will miss him dearly, Brandon Phinney, Brooke Beland, Alexandra Reed, Beau Beland, Emma Foley, Madison Reed and Devin Foley; a brother, John Foley and his wife, Judy of Cape Coral, Fla.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Calling hours will be held Saturday, Jan. 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch St., Woodsville, N.H., with a service to celebrate his life beginning at 4:30 p.m. A reception will immediately follow at the American Legion Ross-Wood Post 20, 4 Ammonoosuc St., Woodsville, N.H. There will also be another celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the American Legion Post 312 on Route 1A, South Attleboro, Mass. A private committal service is planned. In lieu of flowers, kindly donate to the Coach Foley Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Michael Ackerman, Athletic Director, Woodsville High School, 9 High St., Woodsville, NH 03785.

, 90, of Sachs Road, Nottingham, N.H., died Jan. 11, 2008 in McIndoe Falls, Vt. She was born in Boston, Mass., April 1, 1917, a daughter of Paul and Martha (Kramer) Barth. She was raised in Jamaica Plain and was a member of the German Gymnast Group of the Greater Boston area. Upon her marriage to Werner Sachs on Sept. 7, 1940, they moved to Westwood, Mass., where they resided for 25 years. Mr. and Mrs. Sachs were Nottingham residents since 1972 and were avid ski enthusiasts who enjoyed skiing at Wildcat Mountain in Jackson, N.H., where she was a member of the Wild Bunch. She also enjoyed traveling with her husband. Mrs. Sachs was predeceased by her husband on May 15, 2002. Survivors include her daughter, Mrs. Herbert (Joanne) Solomon of Needham, Mass.; and her son, Kenneth R. Sachs of Nottingham; two grandchildren, Kimberly and Brett; and one nephew. Calling hours will be at Brewitt Funeral Home, On The Common, in Raymond, N.H., on Thursday, Jan. 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. There is no funeral scheduled. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to either the New Hampshire Association for the Blind, 25 Walker Street, Concord, NH 03301 or to the Pawtuckaway Lake Association, P.O. Box 30, Raymond, NH 03077.

, 75, of Woodsville, N.H., died on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., following an extended illness. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 1, 1932, a daughter of Frank and Victoria (Alberici) Grappone. She attended Whitman School of Interior Design in New York. Carol married Thomas O'Hara in Montpelier, Vt., in 1953. She later married Hayden L. Waterhouse on Nov. 20, 1964. A longtime Woodsville resident, Carol worked for 10 years as a secretary at the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill. She later worked as a substitute teacher in the Haverhill School District and volunteered at the Horse Meadow Senior Center, also in North Haverhill. Carol was predeceased by her husband of 30 years, Hayden Lee Waterhouse, on Dec. 10, 1994. Survivors include a daughter, Victoria A. Grappone, of Montpelier; two sons, Lee J. and Jay B. Waterhouse, both of Woodsville; six grandchildren: Aimee Foss, Michael Gadwah, Ashlee Waterhouse, Daniel Waterhouse, Mollie Waterhouse and Samantha Waterhouse; a sister, Shirley George of Calais, Vt.; a brother, Frank Grappone of Jackson, Mich.; several nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be on Wednesday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch Street, Woodsville. Burial will be private, at the convenience of the family, at a later date in the spring, at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Woodsville. Memorial contributions may be made to the North Country Home Health, 536 Cottage Street, Littleton, N.H. 03561.

, 56, of Fairview Drive, Everett, Pa., died unexpectedly Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, at her home. Linda was born July 25, 1951, in Newport, Vt., the daughter of the late Graydon and Harriette (Burbank) Gile. She grew up in Plainfield, N.H., and graduated from Lebanon High School in Lebanon, N.H., in 1970. She earned a licensed practical nursing degree from Claremont Vocational Technical School in Claremont, N.H. She was employed at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center when it was located in Hanover, N.H., and then at Manatee Hospital In Bradenton, Fla., as a pediatric nurse for many years. On July 4, 1987, Linda married David Imler at the Gamble Mansion in Ellenton, Fla. They have made their home in Everett, Pa., for nearly the past 10 years. Linda loved to be with her family, enjoyed yard sales immensely, loved taking pictures of anything and everything, and loved going to the family camp on Shadow Lake in Glover every summer in recent years. Linda leaves her husband, David, of Everett, Pa.; a sister, Donna (formerly of Lebanon, N.H.), and her husband, Fred Costey of Ellenton, Fla.; a brother, Graydon Gile, and his wife, Donna of Danville, Vt.; two nieces, Jessica Robb and Shelby Wallace; one nephew, Shane Gile; and several cousins and their families. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Albany United Methodist Church in Albany, Vt., with Ernest Machia, pastor of the Hope Community Church of South Walden, officiating. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the service at the Albany United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the family plot in Albany Village Cemetery in the spring. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be sent to the Albany Historical Society, c/o Angel Ross, PO Box 193, Albany, VT 05820, to help toward the restoration of the original Albany School House.

, 81, of Lyndon died Sunday afternoon at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. He became ill Friday morning in Montpelier and was admitted to Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury and was then transferred to Dartmouth-Hitchcock. Hudson, a lifelong Republican, represented the towns of Burke, Lyndon and Sutton in the House of Representatives along with state Rep. Richard Lawrence of Lyndon, a fellow Republican. Hudson was born in Lyndon on June 25, 1926, and graduated from a one-room school on Pudding Hill in Lyndon. He graduated from Lyndon Institute in 1944. He farmed on the same farm his parents had farmed on and later became a custodian at the Lyndon Center elementary school. Hudson attended Lyndon State College and credited one of his college teachers, Graham Newell, with sparking an interest in politics that led to Hudson running for the House. Hudson was elected to the House and began serving in 1973. He served without interruption from 1973 until the time of his death. Former state Rep. Leland Simpson of Lyndon served in the House with Hudson for 14 years from 1976 to 1990. Simpson said of Hudson, "What he said was what it was." He added, "He was very astute politically. He could tell what was coming from the other party. He could read the other guy." A longtime member of the Government Operations Committee and former chairman, Hudson participated in three legislative reapportionments and, according to Simpson, was a key player and played a major role in each of the reapportionments. "He's one of a kind and a dear friend of mine," said Simpson. Gov. James Douglas-R, was a freshman member of the House with Hudson, with both men taking their House seats for the first time in 1973. The two men served together until Douglas accepted a position in the Snelling administration. Douglas described Hudson as "exactly the public servant we need more of." He fondly recalled Hudson by saying, "His word was his bond. He always said exactly what was on his mind." Lawrence recalled Hudson sharing with him that the proudest moment of Hudson's life was the day he took his oath of office in the Vermont Legislature. "Cola Hudson passed away doing exactly what he wanted to do and that was serving the people of Vermont." Hudson was a member of the Lyndon Institute Board of Trustees, a position he held for many years. He was a member of the trustees' executive committee for many years. Former Lyndon Institute headmaster Dwight Davis of Burke described Hudson as one of the most effective, working trustees at Lyndon Institute. "He was one of the greatest men ever to come from the Northeast Kingdom and has done more for the Kingdom and more for education in the Kingdom than any other man," Davis said. He said he worked with Hudson on legislative matters concerning education beginning in 1978. Kay Switzer of West Burke is one of Hudson's oldest friends and former neighbors. She attended LI with Hudson and said Hudson was "one of a kind." Switzer said Hudson "loved his home, his country and the state of Vermont." Hudson still lived on the farm in which he was born.

, of Lyndon, Vt., died Sunday afternoon Jan. 20, 2008 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., at the age of 81. He was born June 5, 1926 in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the son of Merl (Vern) and Dorothy (Ruggles ) Hudson. He was educated in Lyndon Schools, graduated from Lyndon Institute in 1944, and later attended Lyndon State College. Cola began his working career as a dairy farmer. He then worked as the custodian for many years at the Lyndon Campus School and later at the Lyndon Corner School, where he enjoyed working with the students and educators helping to give advise and encouragement when needed. From 1973 to present, he served the towns of Lyndon, Burke, and Sutton as a Vermont state representative for Caledonia-4 in Montpelier. His advice was well sought after in Montpelier and in his community. He was the leader of the Northeast Kingdom Caucus and was considered to be the dean of the House of Representatives. Cola loved talking with and helping people. He enjoyed showing off the tranquility of his home place in Lyndon where he shared his home with his canine companion, Bear. He was predeceased by his parents, and his two brothers, George and Archie Hudson. He is survived by first cousins, Katherine Switser of West Burke, Waide Hudson of Island Pond, Corabell Lovejoy Eddy of South Royalton, and Diane Ruggles of Ohio; several other cousins and extended family, including many Vermont legislators with whom he worked with over the past 35 years; and local educators. Visiting hours will be held Thursday, Jan. 24 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Guibord Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Friday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Lyndon Institute Alumni Auditorium with Pastor Steven Clark of the Passumpsic Community Baptist Church officiating. Spring burial will be in the family lot in Lyndon Center Cemetery. Memorial contributions made in Cola's memory may be directed to The Cola H. Hudson Scholarship Fund, (to help students within his district continue their education in a Vermont State College) c/o Lyndon Institute Alumni Association, P.O. Box 135, Lyndon Center, VT 05850.