, 71, a Sutton resident, passed away Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital following a brief illness. She was born Sept. 23, 1934, in Eden, the daughter of Clarence and Clara (Rouse) Shatney. Alma married Donald Bradley in 1951. She was a homemaker and also enjoyed fishing, driving her car, picking berries, square dancing, her home, children and grandchildren. Alma is survived by her husband, Donald of Sutton; her children, Don, Alan, Paul, Marilyn and Connie; a sister, Jessie Graves of Waterbury Center; and several grandchildren. Alma was predeceased by her parents; and five brothers and six sisters. Visiting hours will be Thursday, Dec. 15, between the hours of 6-8 p.m., at Pearsons Funeral Home. A funeral service will be Friday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m., also at the funeral home. Interment will be in the spring in Sutton Village Cemetery.

, 51, an East Haven resident, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital following a lengthy illness. Born Oct. 13, 1954, in Westfield, Mass., he was the son of John and Rosemarie (Stewart) Austin. John was a member of the Catholic Church, married Deborah J. Loncar, and was an auctioneer and traveled around auctioning heavy equipment. He enjoyed hunting, the outdoors and heavy equipment. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family. John is survived by his loving wife, Deborah J. Austin of East Haven; children, John L. Austin, serving his country through the National Guard in Iraq, Rachel Ann Austin and Sarah Jane Austin, both of East Haven; his mother, Rosemarie Austin of Suffield, Conn.; and sisters, Rosemarie Ferrero of Bloomfield, Conn., Joan Pellerin of Waterbury Center, Margaret Ann Holingshed of East Berlin, Pa., and Kathleen Ann Tetreault of Ellington, Conn. He was predeceased by his father, John; and a brother, Kenneth Edward. Memorial contributions may be made in John's name to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, 100 Dorset St., South Burlington, VT 05403. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m., at St. Elizabeth Church, with the Rev. Stephen Nichols, celebrant. The Mass will be ASL interpreted. Friends are invited to the Austin home immediately following the service for a time of sharing.

, 43, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., formerly of St. Johnsbury, Vt., was taken from us tragically on Oct. 19, 2005. Paul was a devoted, loving son, brother and friend. He is survived by his mother, Carmen Tellechia of Miami, Fla.; his sister, Carmen Detommaso and brother-in-law Michael of Sanibel Island, Fla.; a brother, Juan of Miami, Fla.; cousins, nieces and nephews; as well as many friends. He also leaves two very dear friends, Jeff Moore and Tami Moore of St. Johnsbury. Paul's zest for life and his kindness and compassion, especially for those in need, endeared him to all fortunate enough to have known him. Paul will be greatly missed by those he left behind. Please join us for a celebration of Paul's life at the home of Jeff Moore, 322 Farmer Drive, St. Johnsbury, Vt., on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, from 3-7 p.m.

, 46, of Barton, Vt., passed away at his home unexpectedly, of natural causes, on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005. He was born in Newport on Aug. 12, 1959, the son of Harold and Anne Marie (Joeckel) Turner. Dennis worked as a manager for AmeriGas. He first and foremost loved his children and all members of his family. He greatly enjoyed the outdoors, especially when cutting wood. His stepfather Neil was a loving, caring and supportive person in his life. When in high school he liked playing hockey but enjoyed many other sports also. Dennis was a man who was loving, generous, funny, giving, and easily made friends and could be counted on to always lend a helping hand. He just plain enjoyed life, and if that meant being funny, silly and making people happy, so be it. With his easygoing manner he was nevertheless a hard working and conscientious individual. Dennis is survived by his mother and stepfather, Anne Marie and Neil Purcell; his children, Joey, Katy, and Elise of Georgia, Vt.; the mother of his children, Monika; his brothers, Alan Turner and his wife Denise of Derby, and Richard Turner and his wife Debra of New Mexico; his sister, Christine Sheltra and her husband Kevin of Barton; numerous aunts and uncles; and several nieces and nephews including: Matthew Turner of El Paso, Texas, Eric Turner of Fort Rucker, Ala., Daniel Turner of Albuquerque, N.M., Jeffrey Turner of Derby, and Samantha Hodgdon of Barton. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, Darling Hill Road, Newport (formerly Sias Ave.) at 4 p.m. with the Rev. Robert Castle officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2 p.m. prior to the service on Sunday. Interment will take place at the Derby Center cemetery at a later date. Should friends desire, contributions in Dennis' memory may be made to a college educational fund for his children, c/o Alan Turner, 650 Wood Farm Road, Newport, VT 05855.

, 72, resident of 23 Beech St., Milford, N.H., died Dec. 5, 2005, at Harborside Healthcare Center-Milford, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Bloomfield, Vt., on Oct. 8, 1933, a daughter of Elwin Cross of St. Johnsbury, Vt., and the late Pauline (Short) Cross. She was raised and educated in West Burke, Vt. Mrs. Works had been a resident of Milford for the past 53 years. She was an avid reader and enjoyed flower gardening and embroidery. Mrs. Works loved being with her family and friends and was always willing to help others. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was predeceased by her husband, Louis R. Works, who died in 2004; and a brother, Sonny Cross, who died in 2005. In addition to her father, and his dear friend Lois Jones, family members include her son and daughter-in-law, Russell and Ellen Works, her daughter and son-in-law, Sheila and Karl Haven, all of Milford, N.H.; two grandchildren, Chris Works and his fianc? Valerie Anctil, and Adam Works and his friend Scarlet Gutierrez, all of Milford; a sister and brother-in-law, Ruth Ann and Babe Cole of St. Johnsbury, Vt.; and several nieces, nephews and many wonderful friends. Memorial visiting hours are Thursday, Dec. 8, from 4-8 p.m., in the Smith and Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm St., Milford, N.H. A memorial service will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Milford. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Souhegan Home and Hospice Care, 24 North River Road, Milford, NH 03055; or the American Cancer Society, Gail Singer Memorial Building, 360 Route 101, Unit 8, Bedford, NH 03110-5032.

, 91, of Riverside Drive, Twin Mountain, N.H., died at her home Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005. She was born Aug. 1, 1914, in Somerville, Mass., the daughter of Victor and Frances (Foster) LeSage. She lived several years with her Aunt Mary and Uncle Michael Murphy in Belmont, Mass., where she attended local schools. Her father's family came from Quebec and she loved speaking French with her grandmother. She worked for her uncle in his plumbing business until she went to work for Fleishman Company in Boston, Mass., where she worked until her retirement. She loved pets, gardening and was known as Aunt Mimi by her nieces and nephews. She was an avid Boston Bruins Hockey fan. She moved to Twin Mountain several years ago to be near her family. She is survived by her brother, Edward LeSage, a niece and her husband, Donna and John Foster, and a nephew, Robert Lavallee, all of Twin Mountain; and several other nieces and nephews around the country. There will be no services at this time. Burial will take place in the spring at the Willow Brook Cemetery, Newton, N.H. Memorial donations may be made to North Country Home Health, Cottage Street, Littleton, NH, 03561.

, 71, a Sutton resident, passed away Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital following a brief illness. She was born Sept. 23, 1934, in Eden, the daughter of Clarence and Clara (Rouse) Shatney. Alma married Donald Bradley in 1951. She was a homemaker and also enjoyed fishing, driving her car, picking berries, square dancing, her home, children and grandchildren. Alma is survived by her husband, Donald of Sutton; her children, Don, Alan, Paul, Marilyn and Connie; a sister, Jessie Graves of Waterbury Center; and several grandchildren. Alma was predeceased by her parents; and five brothers and six sisters. Visiting hours will be Thursday, Dec. 15, between the hours of 6-8 p.m., at Pearsons Funeral Home. A funeral service will be Friday, Dec. 16, at 4 p.m., also at the funeral home. Interment will be in the spring in Sutton Village Cemetery.

, 85, of Wells River, Vt., died Dec. 7, 2005, at her residence. She was born in Springfield, Vt., Oct. 31, 1920, the daughter of George and Louise (Raymond) Wright. She was a long-time resident of Groton before moving to Spear House Apartments in Wells River 13 years ago. She was a member of the Groton United Methodist Church and the Methodist Womens Club. She was the librarian for the Groton town library and the United Methodist Church. She married Russell M. Hart in June 1937 and he predeceased her on Dec. 27, 1998. She was also predeceased by four brothers and a sister. She is survived by two sons, William Hart of Groton, Vt., and Richard Hart of South Hero, Vt. and Naples, Fla.; two daughters, Joyce Powers of Wells River, Vt., and Debra Tinkham of Groton, Vt.; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Florence Fisk of Hemmitt, Calif.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. A calling hour will be held Saturday, Dec. 10, 2005, from 7-8 p.m., at the Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch St., Woodsville, N.H. The funeral will be held on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005, at 2 p.m., at the Groton United Methodist Church. Pastor Candice Ricker will officiate. Burial will follow at the Groton Village Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to United Methodist Church, Scott Memorial Highway, Groton, VT 05046.

, 62, a Lyndon resident, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. The son of Harold G. and Myrtle E. (Serfass) Hilliard, Paul was born Jan. 20, 1943, in East Stroudsburg, Pa. A lifelong educator, he received a bachelor of arts from Millersville State University in Pennsylvania, and a master's in education from Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. He taught school in Pennsylvania; Concord, Vt.; and most recently for 23 years at Lyndon Institute. He will be remembered for the wooden boat building program that he pioneered at LI. After retiring from LI, he became the owner/operator of a school bus, providing transportation for Burke town schoolchildren. An avid outdoorsman, Paul loved working in the woods, snowshoeing, hiking, canoeing and traveling. He was a fine woodworker, boat builder and gentleman farmer. His enthusiasm for problem solving showed through in his creative solutions for all of his many projects. Throughout his pursuits he was first and foremost a teacher to all. His family was his greatest joy and he will be sadly missed. Paul is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Margaret "Peg" (Smith) Hilliard; children, Kim Pearsons and her husband Sam of Lyndonville, Brian Hilliard and his wife Meredith of Boston, Mass., and Kathy Hebert and her husband Tyler of Lyndonville; five grandchildren, Cheryl Willey, Chris and Caitlin Pearsons, and Elizabeth and Armand Hebert, all of Lyndonville; three sisters, Marilyn Hagley of Delta Jct., Alaska, Donna Hilliard of Santee, Calif., and Nancy Hilliard of Scot Run, Pa.; mother-in-law, Margaret "Mickey" Smith; sister-in-law, Betsy Moore and her husband Bob of Oak Creek, Wis.; and six nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made in Paul's honor to the Burke Town School Radio Communications Fund that will assist BTS bus drivers in communicating with the school administration. Please send contributions in care of Beth Amodeo, Burke Town School, 3293 Burke Hollow Road, West Burke, VT 05871-8913. Visiting hours will be Friday, Dec. 9, from 6-8 p.m., at the Pearsons Funeral Home, 70 Church St., Lyndonville. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m., at the Lyndonville United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Barbara A. Dwyer, officiant. Interment will follow at the Lyndon Center Cemetery.

, formerly of Newport and St. Johnsbury, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2005. She had resided at The Canterbury Inn in St. Johnsbury for the past four years and had worked as a prep cook at Anthony's Restaurant. She was the widow of William E. Nobaris, who passed away in January of 1995. She is survived by her son, William Nobaris and his wife Tammy of Newport Center (5378 VT Rt. 14 05857); three grandchildren, Dillion, Bobbi and Nicholas; and longtime and special friends Dusty and Rich Spencer of Connecticut. Visiting hours and services will be held at the Sayles Funeral Home this Sunday from 6-8 p.m. and will conclude with vigil prayers led by the Rev. Richard Donnell. All are welcome to come pay their respects and lend support to the family.

, 79, formerly of Hillside Avenue, Groveton, N.H., died peacefully Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Country Village-Genesis Elder Care Center in Lancaster after a lengthy illness, with her family by her side. Born May 11, 1926, in Berlin, N.H., a daughter of Archie and Mary Ellen (Sweney) Willard, she lived most of her life in Groveton. "Dot" was a member of the Groveton United Methodist Church. She loved to cook, making everything from scratch. She even made her own soap. She also loved square dancing, sewing, gardening, reading, collecting books and her cats. She was a past Cub Scout troop leader and was involved with handicapped children. She was also a member of the Groveton Senior Citizens. Dot is survived by her children, William "Bill" Russ of Lancaster; Patricia McCaffrey of Loxahatchee, Fla.; Doris "Dori" Russ-Strout; Stephen "Steve" Russ and Roxann Gonyer, all of Groveton. Six grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren also survive her. She is also survived by her sisters, Jean Lurvey of Groveton and Mary Ellen Thibodeau of Nashua; many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband, George W. Russ, Dec. 20, 1968; her son, George E. Russ, Jan. 31, 1992; and one sister, Betty Katsock. Calling hours will be held on Friday, Dec. 9, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Armstrong-Charron Funeral Home, 100 State St., Groveton. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Groveton United Methodist Church, 46 Church St., Groveton, with the Rev. Sherry O'bara, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Northumberland Cemetery.

, age 85, Bethlehem, N.H., passed away on Dec. 8, 2005, at the Littleton Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with lung disease with her granddaughter, Laura Lucas, at her side. Laura was born on Nov. 29, 1920, in Franconia, N.H., a daughter to Warren and Yvonne (Delage) Miller. Laura was a lifelong resident of the North Country. She was an experienced seamstress and took sewing into her home for many years as well as a retail dealer in Rawleigh Products before being employed by Manchester Knitted Fashions. She went back to school in 1972 and received her degree in business management. She enjoyed spending time with her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed playing bingo, crocheting, knitting, fishing and traveling. Surviving family members include her daughters, Bernadine L. Jesseman of North Conway, Yvonne B. and Jerry Fournier of Littleton, Georgianna A. Robichaud of Bethlehem, Amy J. and Stephen Edmunds of Bartlett, Karen S. Grammo of Jackson, Kathy A. and Thomas Gowitzke of Bethlehem; one sister, Beatrice M. Hunt, of Franconia; one brother, Theron "Bud" Miller of Bethlehem; 28 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren, four nephews; one niece; and her special friend, Darleen Ross. Her husbands, George K. Varney and Claude W. Coffran; her son, Richard W. Miller; and daughters, Charlene V. Brown and Laura Lee Parker, predeceased her. A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held at the Pillsbury Funeral Home, 101 Union St., Littleton, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005 at 3 p.m. with the Rev. Stephen E. Bascom Sr. officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: Bethlehem Emergency Services, P.O. Box 424, Bethlehem, NH 03574; or North Country Home Health Agency, 536 Cottage St., Littleton, NH 03561.

of St. Johnsbury died in the peace of his Spaulding Hill Road home Thursday morning, Dec. 8, 2005, at the age of 54. He was born in Exeter, N.H., on June 11, 1951, the son of Frank A. and J. Virginia (Rollins) Florence. Kenneth came to consider St. Johnsbury his home and had been back here for the last four years. He at one time had operated a water delivery business in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is survived by his loving companion, Deborah Bengston of St. Johnsbury (636 Spaulding Hill Rd. 05819), both jokingly referred to each other as their sparring partner; his mother, Virginia Lemay; his two daughters, Sarah and Rebekah; two grandchildren, Melissa and David; one sister, Judy; and three brothers Bob, Barry and Ron. A celebration of his life will he held at the American Legion Post #58 on Maple Street, Saturday, Dec. 17, from 4-7 p.m. Memorial contributions could be directed to either: Tri Co. Substance Abuse Services, att: Gail Middlebrook, 297 Summer St., St. Johnsbury VT 05819; or to American Cancer Society, 11 Loomis St., Montpelier VT 05602.

, age 57, a Lyndonville resident, passed away Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, at his residence. Born Jan. 4, 1948, in Newport, Vt., he is the son of Melvin and Dorothy (Knoll) Kelley. Mike was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Vietnam War. He was employed by Dartmouth College. Mike enjoyed dogs, especially Damian and the newest one Hattie; he also enjoyed fishing, camping and hiking throughout the state. Mike was very outgoing and enjoyed visiting with all those he met. Mike is survived by his children, Michael L. Kelley Jr. of Lyndonville, Thomas Kelley and his companion Bridget Perron of Glover, Aaron Kelley and Derek Kelley, both of New Hampshire, and Jennifer E. Reed of Boston, Mass.; three grandchildren, Christopher Thomas Rose, Kimberly Rose Kelley and Noah William Kelley; father and stepmother, Melvin and Mary Baker of Hartland; mother, Dorothy Knoll of Burlington; and a brother, Melvin Kelley Jr. Calling hours will be Tuesday, Dec. 13, between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m. at the Pearsons Funeral Home. A memorial service will be Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 11 a.m. also at the funeral home.