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Janice E. Wright

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Janice Elizabeth “Jan” Wright Burr, 66, of Longwood, Fla., Vineyard Haven, and formerly Springfield, died peacefully on April 8, 2017, and entered into God’s kingdom to be with her Lord and Savior. Janice was born on April 22, 1950, in Springfield to Jerome O. Burr Sr. and Sylvia W. (Chafin) Burr.

Janice-WrightJanice graduated from Commerce High School, where she was a drum majorette. After high school graduation, Janice attended Monticello College in Illinois, where she received her associate’s degree in applied science in 1970. She went on to earn her bachelor of arts in sociology from Western New England College in 1976.

Janice had a fruitful career in human services, working as a social worker, human resources generalist, and human resources director before retiring in Florida. Janice was a loving and faithful servant of God, and an avid singer and participant in women’s ministry groups. She contributed to many churches, including Martin Luther King Church of Springfield, First Baptist Church of Vineyard Haven, and Brookfield Congregational Church. She had a lifelong passion for writing, authoring poems and short stories throughout her life.

Janice was predeceased by her husband of 41 years, Daniel William Wright. She is survived by her three brothers, Jerome O. Burr Jr., James F. Burr, and Jeffrey A. Burr. Janice has three sons, Daniel W. Wright III and his wife Janet of Springfield, Ill., Andrew L. Wright and his wife Vanessa of Longwood, Fla., and Brian J. Wright of Plainfield, Pa.; four daughters, Dr. Cheryl Grills and her husband Garrett of Inglewood, Calif., Carla R. Glenn and her husband Mark of Springfield, Danielle E. Johnson and her fiancé Basil Niccolls of Springfield, and Erica D. Bolden and her husband Wilbur of Springfield; 22 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A funeral service for Janice will be held on Friday, April 14, 2017 at 11:30 am at Sampson’s, Chapel of the Acres Funeral Home, 21 Tinkham Road, Springfield. Rites of committal will follow in the Chapel of the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Janice’s memory to the American Cancer Society. A visiting hour for Janice will precede her funeral on Friday from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.

 

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Peter Bettencourt

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Peter T. Bettencourt, husband, father, grandfather, friend, and Marine, died peacefully at his home in Edgartown on Thursday, April 13, 2017, at the age of 65. He died after a courageous battle with cancer, which like everything in his life he fought head-on, never losing his unique character and sense of humor. Despite his gruff exterior, people knew him to be caring, honest, straightforward (sometimes to a fault), and as a man who always stood by his convictions. He was dearly loved, and will be greatly missed by many.Bettencourt_peter001

Pete was born in Edgartown on Sept. 20, 1951, to Manuel and Olma (Gill) Bettencourt. He was a graduate of Edgartown High School, after which he went on to serve his country in the Marine Corps. After his service, he returned to Martha’s Vineyard, and worked for many years at Donaroma’s as the landscape foreman, before going out on his own and starting Bettencourt Irrigation and Landscaping.

Pete is survived by his wife of 41 years, Susan Bettencourt; sons and daughters-in-law Daniel and Cassandra Bettencourt of Wellesley, Timothy Bettencourt and Danielle Gremeaux of Edgartown, and Gregory Bettencourt of Edgartown; and by his loving grandson Nash Bettencourt. He is also survived by his brothers Michael Bettencourt of Edgartown and Bruce Bettencourt of Tierra Verde, Fla., and his sister Noreen Bettencourt of Edgartown. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers John Bettencourt and Daniel Bettencourt, and his sister-in-law Mary Jane Bettencourt.

Pete was a diehard Boston sports fan, and loved to watch boxing. Pete was happiest watching games on Sunday and the Sox on summer afternoons, and never tired of watching the Patriots win in Super Bowl 51.

In lieu of services, a celebration of Pete’s life will be held on Saturday, April 22, at 12 pm at his house, 20 Whaler’s Walk in Edgartown. All who knew Pete are welcome to stop by and share their favorite story about him.

Remembrances may be made to the Martha’s Vineyard ice Arena, P.O. Box 2062, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, with the note “in memory of Peter Bettencourt,” to help with the renovation.

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Kathryn I. Briggs

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Kathryn (Kay) I. Briggs died on April 2, 2017, in Middletown, Conn., at the age of 100. Kay and husband Morton were summer residents on Hines Point for more than 30 years, and leave behind three generations of family from the Island: son Kirk (Mary Vivian), and grandchildren Nicholas (Tracy), Ila Briggs Halby (Peter), and Willis Finley. Also surviving Kay are her two other children, Christopher of Marlborough, N.H., and Kate Holmes of Grand Junction, Colo.; two other grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Kay was born in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 7, 1916, to John Barna Ivey II and Katherine Fern Ivey. After college, she met Morton on a boat sailing for France, where they both taught English to French students. Morton joined the faculty of Wesleyan University in 1943. He and Kay remained active in that community for the rest of their lives.

Memorial contributions may be made to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services or the Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard.

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Jeffrey J. Alley

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Jeffrey J. Alley of Oak Bluffs, 63, died on April 11, 2017. Memorial services will be private at a date to be arranged. A complete obituary will follow in another edition of this newspaper.

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Thomas H. Odell

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Thomas H. Odell, 75, died peacefully on April 17, 2017, at Speare Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness.

Odell, ThomasThomas was born on Sept. 13, 1941 in Cambridge, the son of C. Howard and Eleanor (Dewire) Odell. He grew up in Weymouth, graduating from Weymouth High in the class of 1959. Tom started out working in local gas stations, which led him to his lifelong career of service station work throughout the New England area, starting with lift installation and repair, then actually building entire stations, from the underground storage tanks to the overhead canopies. He moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1988 for a position with the R.M. Packer Co., where he worked until his retirement in 2000. He met his loving wife on the Vineyard, and they resided in Edgartown until they moved to Thornton, N.H., in 2001.

Tom was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, but his true love was spending time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Cindy (Picozzi) Odell; his daughter, Ashley Odell, and his grandchildren, Oliver and Piper Davis, all of Thornton, N.H.; a brother, William F. Odell and his wife Edith of Hingham, and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; his stepmother Elizabeth Odell of Guildhall, Vt.; two brothers, John “Jack” Odell of California and Larry Odell of Greenfield.

Services will be held later at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to Do-Good Dog Rescue at dogooddogrescue.org, or that you consider paying a child’s lunch tab at a local school in Tom’s name.

The Mayhew Funeral Home and Meredith Bay Crematorium are assisting the family with arrangements. To view Thomas’s online book of memories, go to mayhewfuneralhomes.com.

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Robert Kinnecom Sr.

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Captain Robert Earle Kinnecom Sr. died on April 22, 2017, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, following a long illness, surrounded by his family.

He was born on May 20, 1931, in Newport, R.I., the son of Chief Warrant Officer Harold E. Kinnecom and Catherine (Callanan). As a toddler, he moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where his father was the chief at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Gay Head. The Kinnecom family resided in Tisbury, where Captain Bob attended school and was a loyal member of the Daggett Avenue gang.

Bob was a proud veteran of the United States Coast Guard, having served at Station Gay Head when it was on top of the Cliffs. He was one of two of the last surviving crew members who had served at Gay Head, as the station officially closed in 1954 after the Cuttyhunk Station replaced it, having been floated over to Menemsha in August 1952. His friend Norman Deakin is now the last remaining member of the crew that served at Station Gay Head. Bob also served at the station when it opened at Menemsha, as well as serving aboard the Coast Guard cutter Bibb and the cutter Sole. Bob was a great historian of military history, and graciously donated his photographs and memorabilia to Station Menemsha.

Bob and the love of his life, Ernestine Marie Rose, were married on June 7, 1952. They were the parents of Cheryl, Jo Ann, Roberta, Barbara, and Robert II.

He worked for many years at the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard, where he was a rigger. While working at the shipyard, he served as the assistant harbormaster for the town of Tisbury as well. He then went to work for Burt’s Boatyard for a few years, following which Bob and Ernestine purchased Marlene’s Taxi, which they operated for more than 20 years from their home. They were the head distributors of the Boston Globe on the Vineyard for 25 years for Doyle News Agency, and upon their retirement they received a brass clock.

In retirement, Captain Bob and Ernestine started a computerized embroidery business, Island Design, creating hats, jackets, linens, canvas bags, and shirts for the local police and fire departments, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, and sports teams, as well as many Vineyard businesses. They generously donated their embroidered work to many charitable causes across the Vineyard.

He was a historian of Vineyard lore and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with all who would spend hours listening.

Captain Bob is survived by his beloved wife Ernestine, and their children Cheryl and her husband James Cullinan of Florida, Jo Ann Murphy and her husband Brian of Tisbury, Roberta Evans of Mashpee, Barbara Connell of North Carolina, and Robert and his wife Rosemary of Plymouth. He is survived by his grandchildren David Reynolds, Ashley Cullinan, Kim Burke and her husband James, Patrick Murphy and his wife Chelsea, Amanda Murphy, and Jeremy Evans and his wife Kerry. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Christopher Reynolds, Christian Evans, Benjamin Evans, Bianca Teano, Peyton Tennent, Taija Roberts, and Jaeonia Kirkland. Bob was predeceased by his in-laws Joseph Rose and Alice Martin Rose, by his siblings John, Helen, and Everett Kinnecom, and by his granddaughter Alison Reynolds. He is survived by his brothers-in-law Stephen Rose and his wife Kathy of Edgartown, and Ronald Rose of Tisbury, and their families, as well as by his sister-in-law Jacqueline Viera Kinnecom. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held on Thursday, April 27, at 11 am at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs, under the direction of Chapman, Cole, and Gleason Funeral Services. Full military honors will be offered by the veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. Following the graveside service, officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle, there will be a gathering of families and friends at the Portuguese-American Club on Vineyard Avenue. Please bring a dish to share if you wish. Donations in memory of Captain Bob may be made to American Legion Post 257, Box 257, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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Edward J. Lepore

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Edward J. Lepore, a longtime seasonal resident of Martha’s Vineyard who was widely known and respected among the Island’s tight-knit fishing community for his fishing skill and sunny disposition, died peacefully Friday, April 21, surrounded by family at his home in Vernon, Conn., after a long battle with cancer. He was 83.

 

Ed was an all-around sports lover and outdoorsman. Although hockey was his first love, most of his time over the three decades he and his wife Janet spent summers on Martha’s Vineyard was devoted to fishing. Ed’s skill in tying flies to catch bonito, a mini-tuna known for its picky nature, earned him the nickname “Bonito Ed.”

Most mornings, Ed would leave the RV he and Jan shared in the Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground, where the couple was part of the campground’s nucleus of longtime seasonal residents, and head out on the water. A 2011 profile of the campground in Martha’s Vineyard Magazine reported, “A typical day for him [Ed] entails fishing for a few hours, followed by a nap and a walk around the campground with Vinny, the couple’s gregarious cat.”

Ed was a stalwart of the annual Martha’s Rod and Gun Club Striped Bass Catch and Release Tournament, where he helped man the registration table. He and his son Jim formed a two-man team. “I’d catch all the fish, and he’d catch zero because he was always talking to everyone,” Jim said. “He just loved the Island and the fishermen he met.”

Ed could also be counted on to assist the Bass and Bluefish Derby Committee and keep watch from his boat during the fall kids day fishing tournament, in the event that someone should fall into the water from the Oak Bluffs Steamship pier.

“Eddy was just a great guy, always ready to help out,” Cooper “Coop” Gilkes, kids day chairman, said. “I never once had to call him because he always called me first to see if I needed a hand. That’s how he was.”

Ed was born in his cousin’s house on Cranston Avenue in Cranston, R.I., on Oct. 24, 1933, to Italian immigrants Vincent J.and Conchetta Fiano Lepore. He graduated from Cranston East High School in 1952, and then went on to serve in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Stoddard and the U.S.S. Hawkins from 1952 to 1954, during the Korean War. After the Navy, he attended the Porter School of Design for drafting, while working at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, Conn. He retired from Pratt & Whitney in 1988 after 33 years of engineering in the tool design department.

He loved the game of hockey, and was one of the founding fathers of the Vernon Youth Hockey Association (VYHA). He coached youth hockey for VYHA for nearly 10 years, and officiated for 25 more. He loved the Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots, but his heart was with the UConn women’s basketball team. In his spare time, he enjoyed trout fishing, ice-fishing, saltwater fishing, and deer, turkey, pheasant, and waterfowl hunting, as well as napping in between. He was an avid shooter, and was a life member of the East Hartford Sportsman’s Association, Rockville Fish & Game Club, and Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association.

In his spare time, Ed tied freshwater and saltwater flies, often donating them to tournaments for prizes or giving them away to someone who seemed like he or she could use a little luck. He was renowned for the development of “the Bonito Bandit” fly, which was successfully used by many fisherman on the Island.

However, his most unusual catch was from Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah, and had little to do with fishing prowess. MV Times fishing columnist Nelson Sigelman recounted the story: “Eddy said he was having a pretty good night using a new fly he’d tied. It was about 1:30 in the morning, and he was getting tired. Not surprisingly, he dropped his cast a bit and hit what he assumed was the beach. Eddy said, ‘I’d made my backcast and all of a sudden the line took off!’” Eddy had hooked a skunk prowling along the beach. Not as mean as hooking a 250-pound day-tripper in a polka-dot bikini from New Bedford, but a handful all the same.

“’I called Donny’s grandson over and said, “Oh Jeez, I got a skunk,” and gave him my rod with the skunk running around,’ Eddy said.

“Finally, Eddy managed to release the unwanted catch by breaking it off at the tippet. He said the fly was a big long zonker fly that he had named the ‘rabbit fly.’ Now it is known as the ‘skunk fly.’

“The International Game Fish Association has been contacted about a new species line class category. And anyone who sees a recent road kill may want to look for Ed’s fly. He does a nice job.”

Ed was preceded in death by both of his parents, his brothers Frederick and Albert, and his sisters Lena and Jane. He is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Janet; his son Jim of Vineyard Haven and Breckenridge, Colo. (wife Yvonne); his son John of Northfield, Vt.; his granddaughter Alexis (husband, Troy); many other family members, friends, Vinny the cat, and many truly grateful fish. A celebration of Ed’s life will be held on Wednesday, April 26, between 5 pm and 7 pm at Ladd-Turkington and Carmon, located at 551 Talcottville Road, Vernon, Conn.

He will be missed.

Donation in Ed’s memory may be made to the Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard.

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Mary Scott Futch

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Mary Scott Futch, 96, died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, April 9, 2017, at her home in Englewood, Fla.

Mrs. Futch was born on Oct. 29, 1920, on Martha’s Vineyard, to Mary and Franklin Perry Canha.

Mrs. Futch was a true Islander, having grown up on the Vineyard before moving to Boca Grande, Fla. She was married to Duane Futch for 44 years, who preceded her in death in 2000. Her son Paul Scott died in 2005.

She loved her pets, and was known for her legendary cooking.

She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Scott Albee of Prescott, Ariz., and two sons, Frederic E. Scott of Boca Grande, and Peter James Scott of Englewood; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren also survive.

Any donations in Mary’s memory may be made to the Humane Society.

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Antone Silvia

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Antone Theophilus Silvia, 26, died at his Vineyard Haven home on Sunday, April 23, 2017. There will be a visitation from 10 am to noon at the Agricultural Hall, Panhandle Road, West Tisbury, on Thursday, May 4, 2017, followed by a 12 pm service. Family and friends are invited to gather at the Portuguese-American Club, Vineyard Avenue, Oak Bluffs, following the service. A complete obituary will follow. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

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Doris Overtoom

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Doris K. Overtoom died quietly on April 9, 2017, at the Merry Heart Nursing Home in Boonton, N.J. She had lived in Madison, N.J., and West Tisbury for the last 25 years of her life, and had previously resided in Florham Park, N.J., for many years.

frmreadmail_attachment-1Doris was born at home on May 23, 1929, to Albert and Sophie Kligge in Hillside, N.J. She grew up there with her twin sister, Florence, sisters Dorothy and Marie, and eldest brother Albert. She and Florence were the youngest of the family, and the family never let them forget it; even when they were young women of 18, the family would ask, “Where are the babies?” The good-looking twins later caught the eye of the Westinghouse Corp., which hired them to model their first washer/dryer “Twin” appliance combo at the Springfield fair. It was there that Doris met her husband, John H. Overtoom from Madison, N.J., who was also working at the fair, selling tractors with his dad. Doris and John married a few years later, on Oct. 30, 1954, and settled in John’s hometown of Florham Park, N.J.

Doris raised four children of her own and also, beginning in 1978, three children of her twin sister Florence, who died at an early age. In 1979 she took on an exchange student from France as well. The house was always full, with lots of people, ideas, and energy. In her spare time, she loved to play tennis with her friends. Her favorite activity was traveling the world. She visited Egypt, and was lucky to see Moscow when the Soviet Union first allowed tourists, and Yugoslavia before it separated into independent nation-states. She visited all of Europe and the Caribbean Islands, but especially loved Italy, returning time and time again while cultivating a love of opera.

Doris was an avid reader, and loved music and art. She was a strong woman, and supported women’s rights throughout her life. In 1982, Doris became an urban pioneer and joined the “back to the cities” movement when she purchased an abandoned brownstone in the Arlington Park neighborhood of Jersey City, N.J. Doris renovated it into two apartments, doing much of the day-to-day construction herself. Doris forged many new friendships with members of the large Russian émigré community residing in Jersey City at that time. Her brownstone stood directly across from the picturesque Catholic Church that later was repeatedly featured in the hit HBO series “The Sopranos.”

Doris spent 25 years summering from May through October on Martha’s Vineyard. Doris and John lived in West Tisbury, and enjoyed being part of the community. She loved to come each spring to spend time with her grandchildren, Olivia and Michelle. They would watch operas together, cook, read, garden, sing, and talk for hours. She so enjoyed being part of their life as they grew up.

Doris was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, John H. Overtoom. She is survived by her children, Karen M. Overtoom and husband Louis of West Tisbury, Douglas L. Overtoom and wife Carol of Haddonfield, N.J.; J. Andrew Overtoom and wife Tricia of Silver Lake, Calif., and Leo J. Overtoom and wife Gwen of Scarsdale, N.Y.; her nieces and nephew, Stefanie Cohen and husband David of Buffalo, N.Y.; Phillip Cohen and wife Sue of South Orange, N.J.; and Laura Riley and husband David of Hilton Head, S.C.; her grandchildren, Olivia and Michelle de Geofroy, Nikolaus and Ian Overtoom, Sam Brown, Kermit and Calliope Cohen, and Casey and David Riley.

A celebration of her life will be held this summer on the Vineyard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity.

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Anthony Guyther

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Anthony Guyther died peacefully on Feb. 11, 2017, at the Royal nursing home in Falmouth; he was 96. Known affectionately as Uncle Jerry to his nieces and nephews, his many friends called him Tony.

Anthony-GuytherTony was born in Felton, Cuba, on Jan. 14, 1921, while his father engineered the railway system for United Fruit Co. He came to the United States at the age of 3 alongside his parents and older brother, Wayne. During his childhood, the family moved several times, mainly living in New York City. He often recalled singing in the Trinity Church Boy’s Choir with his brother to earn money for their family during the Depression.

After a short time at Dartmouth College, he entered the Army. He was stationed in Colorado and worked as a photographer. Once discharged, Anthony returned to New York City working in the layout and advertising departments of Hillman Publications, and later for Condé Nast. He continued to work as a photographer on his own, and became quite successful under the pseudonym Vulcan. During the ’60s he was the art director for Theater Arts Magazine.

Throughout his life, Tony always enjoyed art, music, word puzzles, and antiques. A whiz at solving crossword puzzles, he completed one every day, and loved spending time working on them with loved ones. During the ’70s, he began creating symbolic, exotic collages, many incorporating a play on words and symbols to create beautiful, interesting images.

In 1984 he moved to Martha’s Vineyard to be closer to his mother, his brother, and family. Here he owned several stores, including the Vintage Vinyl record store at Five Corners, where in addition to music, he sold his framed album collages, antiques, vintage jewelry, and other artwork.

He met his life partner, Patricia Force, at the Tisbury Senior Center. Together they enjoyed many activities, especially traveling and collecting art. They participated in several fundraisers benefiting the Martha’s Vineyard AIDS Alliance, and the Alzheimer’s Walk of Life in honor of his mother. Working and creating his entire life, Anthony always kept his sharp wit and dry sense of humor.

He is survived by his companion, Patricia Force of Tisbury, his niece Laura Abbady of Sandwich, his nephew Wayne and his wife Mary Ellen Guyther of Oak Bluffs, and his niece Elizabeth and her husband Joseph Cosgrove of Edgartown; his great-grandnephews, Khalid Abbady and his wife Megan, Chad Guyther, and Joseph, Liam, and Tucker Cosgrove, and grandnieces, Jaimie Cosgrove and Andrea and Allyse Guyther.

Anthony is predeceased by his nephew, Nelson Guyther.

A private celebration of life is planned. Please donate to the Friends of the Council on Aging in lieu of flowers.

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Anne Heywood

Louise May Bernard

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Louise May (Jackson) Bernard, 89, died on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, in her home in Edgartown.

She was predeceased by her husband, Theodore R. Bernard.

Visiting hours will be held in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs, on Sunday, April 30, from 2 to 4 pm. Her graveside service will be held in the New Westside Cemetery on Monday, May 1, at 11 am, officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle. Donations may be made in her memory to the M.V. Boys’ and Girls’ Club, P.O. Box 654, or the Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 1829, both in Edgartown, MA 02539, or a charity of one’s choice.

Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information. A complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper.

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Jeffrey Alley

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Jeffrey-AlleyJeffrey J. Alley died peacefully at the age of 63 on April 11, 2017. Jeff was born in Oak Bluffs on Sept. 9, 1953, to Norman Alley and Elsie Sennett. He attended Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Jeff was a good mechanic who loved working on cars or anything with a motor. Being a lifelong Islander, he enjoyed hunting and shellfishing. Commercial fishing took him off the coast of Oregon and Alaska.

Jeff was a kind and caring man, with a great sense of humor. He grew close to his great-niece Baylee when she was young. They spent a lot of time outdoors working in the garden. They also took walks and rode bikes around the neighborhood.

Jeffrey will be truly missed by his friends and family. He is survived by his brothers Robert J. Francis (Bev) and Kenneth J. Francis (Jean), and sisters Charlene A. Alley and Norma S. Marathas; by his nieces Dena, Shawna, LuAnne, and Karen; his nephews, Robert, Kenneth, and William; several great-nieces and -nephews; and his good friend Billy. He was predeceased by his parents and his nephew Scott.

There will be a private service at a later date.

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Jane Mayhew Rust

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Jane Mayhew Rust, 98, of Hingham, died on May 2, 2017, at her home. Mrs. Rust was born on Jan. 4, 1919, in Canton, China, the daughter of John Wesley Mayhew and Helen Lee Mayhew.

Mrs. Rust was a world traveler starting at a young age. She spent time in Canton, Haiphong in northern Vietnam, and Saigon. When Mrs. Rust was about 4 years old, in Saigon, she recalled having fruit bats hanging from the electric wires on her bedroom ceiling, and her father having to get them out by swatting at them with his tennis racquet! When she was about 5 years old, the family moved to the Kowloon District in Hong Kong, and spent several years there. She also remembered the lively geckos on the walls, and checking for spiders on the towels.

In 1923, Mrs. Rust’s family bought the Merrybrook home near Looks Pond in West Tisbury. In 1925, when Mrs. Rust was about 6, her mother moved the children back to this home while her father continued work as an accountant for Standard Oil Co. of New York (SOCONY), based in the Philippines. Mrs. Rust attended first through third grades in West Tisbury.

For the next several years, Mrs. Rust’s mother returned abroad to join her husband in the Philippines, so Mrs. Rust, from the age of 8 to 13, was sent to a French-run boarding school in Da Lat, in southern Vietnam.

In 1933 the family returned to the Merrybrook home. Mrs. Rust attended the seventh grade in West Tisbury, and grades eight through 10 in Vineyard Haven. She finished her junior and senior years at the Walnut Hill School in Natick.

Mrs. Rust went to Wellesley College in the class of 1940. As she was majoring in French, she spent her junior year (fall 1938 to spring 1939) in Paris, and lived with a French family. She recalled having to return home before she had originally planned, due to the political tensions building in Europe.

Mrs. Rust worked at the Liberty Mutual insurance office in Boston as a claims examiner until her father died in 1941, when she moved back to West Tisbury to be with her mother. During WWII, Mrs. Rust worked as an administrative assistant at the Red Cross office at the airport on Martha’s Vineyard.

Mrs. Rust married Eugene Rust of Boston in 1949. In 1951, they built a house near World’s End in Hingham, where they would raise their family and stay for 58 years before moving to Allerton House in Hingham in 2009.

Over the years, Mrs. Rust and her husband established a second home on Martha’s Vineyard, where they spent the summer months with their family at at their small cottage near the ocean at Stonewall Beach in Chilmark. Mrs. Rust enjoyed ocean swims, relaxing beach walks, tending to her lovely flower garden, and going on family fishing trips.

Mrs. Rust planned the 10-month-long trip to Spain and Portugal where the entire family, including both young daughters, spent 1962–63. She also planned a two-month-long family trip to Mexico during the summer of 1969.

Mrs. Rust was an avid downhill skier, and was skiing into her 70s. She was an accomplished knitter, and made numerous needlepoint pillows. She loved to cook, and mastered several Julia Child and James Beard dishes. She also was a voracious reader, and loved crossword puzzles. She especially enjoyed playing bridge with her group at Allerton House.

Mrs. Rust is survived by her daughter, Lee Rust Dixon and her husband, John Robert Dixon, both of Middleborough; her daughter, Susan Mayhew Rust, of Weymouth; and her granddaughters Caitlin Dixon of New York, N.Y., and Margaret Dixon of Pittsfield. Mrs. Rust was predeceased by her loving husband of 61 years, Eugene Rust, in 2010.

Condolences may be sent using the Bartlett Funeral Home website, bartlett1620.com. The family will have a celebration of Jane Rust’s life for family and friends in Weymouth at a later date. A similar private gathering will be held in Chilmark during the summer. Donations in her memory may be made to the Hospice of the South Shore, 30 Reservoir Park Drive, Rockland, MA 02370.

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Elaine J. Fairweather

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Elaine J. Fairweather, 62, of Boothbay Harbor, Maine died peacefully on March 12, 2017, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
Elaine grew up in Roslindale and graduated from Roslindale High School, class of 1972. She attended the Art Institute of Boston. Elaine worked at several Boston retailers including Filene’s Basement, the Artful Hand Gallery, and Barnes & Noble. While living on Martha’s Vineyard, she worked at the Edgartown Stop and Shop. When Elaine moved to Boothbay Harbor, she worked at Sherman’s Bookstore.
She was an avid reader and enjoyed attending library book clubs. Elaine was a contemporary artist working with oil crayons and watercolor markers. She loved music, nature, the ocean, and animals, especially horses.
Elaine was predeceased by her loving parents Norman and Nancy (Odien) Fairweather, and by her beloved Irish Wolfhound, Usa.
She is survived by her sister Karen and her husband, Pastor Richard Rego of Boothbay Harbor, brothers David and his wife Carol of Bellingham, and James of Florida, and several nieces and nephews.
A gathering celebrating Elaine’s life will take place on Saturday, May 20, from 1 to 4 pm at the Portuguese-American Club in Oak Bluffs. All are welcome to attend.
In Elaine’s memory, donations can be made to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 7, Edgecomb, ME 04556.
Hall Funeral Home of Boothbay, Maine, has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com.

The post Elaine J. Fairweather appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Michael T. Brown

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Captain Michael T. Brown of Arnold, Md., passed away on May 4, 2017, after a brief illness. Born in Fall River on May 12, 1953, Mike was the son of Thomas J. and Rosemary (Murphy) Brown. Mike attended the Saints Peter and Paul School and Henry Lord Junior High before moving to Oak Bluffs. Mike was a 1971 graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, a member of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy class of 1975, and completed graduate work at Lesley College in Boston and the National War College in Washington, D.C.

MichaelBrown001As a young man, Mike went to sea as a cadet aboard the training ship Bay State and the Farrell Lines container ship S.S. Austral Envoy, and as a deckhand on the Steamship Authority ferries. Following graduation, he sailed as mate on the banana boat M.V. Almirante, ocean tug Mister Marshall D., and seismic survey ship H.J.W. Fay, navigator in the minesweeper USS Detector, and on various offshore supply boats owned by Seahorse Marine in Port Fourchon, La. With his wife Ellie, he co-owned and was master of the paddlewheeler Golden Arrow. Mike held an unlimited third mate’s license, and a master’s license for freight and tow.

In 1977 Mike joined the U.S. Coast Guard as a marine inspector, and during a 27-year active-duty and reserve career ensured the safety of merchant ships and crews in St. Louis, Houma, Boston, Baltimore, and Norfolk. Captain Brown served as the commanding officer of Reserve Unit Washington, D.C., the first director of the Inland Rivers Vessel Movement Center, and responded to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast before retiring as a Coast Guard Reserve Captain in 2005. In 1994 Mike joined the National Transportation Safety Board, working on major marine and pipeline accident investigations and safety issues until his retirement in April 2017, following 40 total years of federal service.

While inspecting the steamer Admiral in St. Louis, Mike met the love of his life, Ellie Carroll, daughter of the boat’s captain and member of a longtime Mississippi River family. He is survived by Ellie, his mother Rosemary Brown of Vineyard Haven, sister Tommye Ann (Patrick) Irwin of West Tisbury, brother Stephen (DeeAnn) Brown of Jupiter, Fla., his daughter Sarah (Mark) Johnson of Frederick, son Timothy (Aimee) Brown of Spotsylvania, Va., grandsons Gibson and Jasper Johnson, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial Mass will be held at noon on Friday, May 12, 2017, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 689 Governor Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146, followed by burial at Maryland State Veterans Cemetery, 1122 Sunset Beach Road, Crownsville, MD 21032. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (cgmahq.org) or to the Educational Enrichment Fund of the Community Foundation of Frederick County (cffredco.org).

Online condolences may be made at barrancofuneralhome.com.

The post Michael T. Brown appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Kevin B. Dole

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Kevin B. Dole, M.D., of Flower Mound, Texas, and Edgartown, and formerly of Norwood, died peacefully on April 23, 2017, at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Kevin Dole
Kevin Dole

Born in Boston, son of John V. and Dorothy J. (Mackey) Dole. Kevin was a graduate of Boston College High School, Boston College (B.S. magna cum laude), and Tufts University School of Medicine. He formerly served as the director of pathology at the Carney Hospital and medical laboratory director of Caritas Medical Laboratories. He served as chief pathologist and president of the Glover Memorial Hospital Staff (Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Needham). He was also medical laboratory director at Dedham Medical Associates and Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.

Kevin had a long, distinguished career in medicine, and was a dedicated physician. Kevin held numerous leadership positions both in professional medical societies and in the Boston community. He served as a past member of the board of trustees at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. In 2009, he was the proud recipient of the prestigious Pathologist of the Year Award, presented by the College of American Pathologists.

He was the beloved husband of Elizabeth (Cummings) Dole, M.D.; loving father of Monique Elise Lotze and husband Michael of Manhattan Beach, Calif., Christian Adam Dole and wife Raemi Wood of West Newton, and Andrew John Dole of Boston; cherished grandfather of Georgia, Gemma, and Fletcher Lotze; devoted brother of Dorothy Koesler and husband Peter of Martha’s Vineyard, and Dennis Dole of Norwood.

A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Saturday, April 29, at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Norwood.

Memorial contributions in memory of Kevin may be made to Boston College High School, c/o the Office for Institutional Advancement, 150 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125.

The post Kevin B. Dole appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Barbara Lewis Howell

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Barbara Lewis Howell, longtime resident of Vineyard Haven with family roots on Martha’s Vineyard stretching back more than a century, died peacefully in her home on the morning of May 3, 2017. She was 97, and surrounded by her children.

screen-shot-2017-05-07-at-10.59.31-amBarbara was born in Evanston, Ill., the eldest of three children of Dunbar and Gladys Dowley Lewis. She attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill., and the Brillantmont School in Lausanne, Switzerland, before graduating from Wellesley College in 1943 with a degree in English literature.

Barbara moved to New York City after college to pursue her deep interest in books and publishing, working for more than a decade at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and Scribner’s. She loved the bustle of the city’s cultural life, and enjoyed her first date with her future husband, William J Howell. Jr (Bill), watching Jackie Robinson play baseball at Ebbets Field.

The family love affair with the Vineyard began when Barbara’s grandfather George B. Dowley bought what had originally been the East Chop Lighthouse in 1903. Barbara briefly alternated summers there and out West as a child before the Vineyard became her full-time heart’s content; she and Bill were married at the Edgartown Federated Church in 1952. They continued living in New York City, then Witchita, Kan., before settling in Chicago to raise their family. They rented homes every summer all over the Island so their children could enjoy the Vineyard as Barbara had when she was a child.

Barbara and Bill finally bought their own house on Grove Avenue outside Vineyard Haven in 1972, where their family continued to spend summers; they moved full-time to Grove Avenue in 1992. Barbara treasured her longtime and closely held neighbors, and enjoyed the presence of many other friends and family, including both her late brothers and their many children. She took a swim most every day from late spring through early fall at the beach the family lovingly named Foot of Grove.

In Illinois, Barbara was a longtime member of the Winnetka Congregational Church, where she sang in the choir and oversaw the annual rummage sale (which set Guinness Book records for highest-grossing rummage sale). On the Vineyard, she served on the board of the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Library; she was a member of the Peter Luce Playreaders and the Want to Know Literary Club; she was a dedicated parishioner of the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury and sang in the choir; and she was a governor of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. She was also a competitive tennis player, an intrepid swimmer, a voracious reader, and an avid and sometimes rule-bending player of family games ranging from charades to Scrabble. She treasured her memories of skiing in Switzerland and her hiking experiences out West, including her ascent of the Grand Teton with her brothers as a college student.

After Bill’s death in 1995, Barbara’s heartfelt passion for the arts continued unabated, sometimes enjoyed in quiet solitude, sometimes shared in her exuberant joy of connection with others. She played the piano almost every day, designed and carved handmade holiday cards from linoleum blocks, made all her clothing and much of her children’s and grandchildren’s, crafted braided rugs from fabric scraps, made quilts (including one that earned a Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair blue ribbon), and wrote pithy letters to her friends and children detailing events of the day. Her handmade wool socks are the stuff of legend in family lore. Later in life, here on the Island, she made her stage debut in Samuel Beckett’s “Happy Days,” produced by the Playreaders.

Barbara was predeceased by her brothers, Albert Lewis and John Lewis, and is survived by her four children, Priscilla (Tom) of Roslindale; Peter of Manhattan; Samuel (Anne) of Middletown, R.I.; and John of Brookline; and eight grandchildren, Galen, Eva, Owen, Kate, Gwyneth, Madeline, Agatha, and Liam.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11 am on June 17 at the West Tisbury Congregational Church, with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services or the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury.

The post Barbara Lewis Howell appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

A celebration of Ralph Jones’ life

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All who knew Ralph Jones are invited to a celebration of his life on Saturday, May 20, 2017, from 1 to 3 pm at the Cleaveland House in West Tisbury. Ralph John Jones died on Nov. 30, 2016, at 93 years of age.

rjjThe celebration will be potluck: finger food, appetizers. Please come and share.

The Cleaveland House address is 620 Edgartown–West Tisbury Road; coming from Vineyard Haven, it is immediately after New Lane on the right. Parking is off New Lane, first turnoff on the left; park anywhere in the field.

The post A celebration of Ralph Jones’ life appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

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