Barbara Blackwell Whidden Day of West Tisbury, formerly of Boston, died peacefully surrounded by her three loving children on April 17, 2018, in Sarasota, Fla.

An artist, activist, and sixth-generation Martha’s Vineyard summer resident, and 30-year full-time resident, Barbara was born in Upper Montclair, N.J., on Jan. 14, 1934, to Ethel “Pat” Blackwell Jones and Charles D. Whidden. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and dedicated member of the extended Blackwell family, Barbara spent every summer of her life enjoying the waves of Stonewall Beach and the waters of Nashaquitsa Pond on the Vineyard.

Barbara’s love of the arts was woven through her life from an early age. At 10 years old she began studying painting at the Montclair Museum. She acted in plays in high schools in New Hampshire and Maine, and at Wheaton College in Norton. She was the editor of both her high school and college literary journals. After graduating from Wheaton in 1956 with a major in English, she lived in San Francisco and worked in advertising. She left San Francisco for Cleveland, Ohio, where she became a member of the Cleveland Play House and starred as the lead in “A Mouse Trap” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” with a notable cast of repertory partners, including Alan Alda. During this time she continued to hone her skills as a portrait and landscape painter.

Barbara moved to New York City several years later, and worked for the DuPont Co. and at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. She studied acting in the evenings, painted on weekends, and volunteered at the New York Infirmary, which was founded in the 1860s by two of her great-great-aunts, Emily and Elizabeth Blackwell. While volunteering at Bellevue Hospital, Barbara met her husband of 54 years, Bob Day, who was studying at the General Theological Seminary and doing pastoral counseling at the hospital. Barbara recalled early lunch dates with Bob in the Bellevue cafeteria. In 1963 the pair married and moved to Boston, where Bob continued his degree at Harvard Divinity School and Barbara worked in the school’s development office. When he became headmaster of the Advent School in 1965, the couple moved to Beacon Hill. Barbara earned her brokerage license, and became an assistant vice president of the March Co., a small private investment company, until 1986. Barbara served on the boards of the Boston and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Hill House, the Beacon Hill Community Center; and Boston Classical Orchestra. She helped establish a library at the Suffolk County Jail.

Upon Bob’s retirement in 1995, the couple moved to their West Tisbury house, remaining politically active and deeply involved in the community. Barbara served on the boards of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, West Tisbury Roadsides Committee, and the Bus Committee, and Friends of the West Tisbury Library. She was an active member since 2001 of the Want to Know Club, the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club, and Friends of Mill Pond. In 2008, she traveled to New Hampshire to support candidate Barack Obama. She arranged and supported numerous events for local and state political candidates, and was chairman of the first political action committee on the island, Citizens for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.

Barbara continued her passion for capturing Vineyard landscapes with paint and brush, selling her works at the Granary Gallery, Artwoods, and craft fairs around the state. Bob lovingly sanded and prepared wood boxes for his wife’s art. Often holding hands, the couple were very much a team, and enjoyed frequent trips to Boston for theater and orchestra performances, long nature walks, leisurely dinners with family and friends, and healthy political and intellectual discussions. Bob died 11 weeks prior to Barbara, on Jan. 17, 2018.

Whether she was hosting a lively dinner party, playing board games, teaching painting to her grandchildren, writing poetry, or pointing out the play of colors dappling her backyard, Barbara’s wit, creative spirit, love of small furry animals, and devotion to family and friends old and new will be greatly missed. She relished travel to distant countries just as much as she cherished visits with her children and grandchildren, and afternoon tea with friends.

In her final days, Barbara drew much joy from recalling walks in the Boston Common and winter holidays on the Hill, as well as summer days on the Island picnicking and jumping waves with her cousins, both as a child and later with her children and husband.

Barbara will be greatly missed by her three children and their families, Catherine and David Carlson of New York and children Jessica, Luke, and Scott; Elizabeth Churchill of California and children Frederick, Robert, and Lucy; and Matthew and Tracy Day of Florida and children Jackson, Garrett, and Caroline. Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Robert Charles Day, her brother, Samuel Blackwell Whidden, and her son-in-law, John Tower Churchill.

A memorial service for Barbara and Bob Day will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Vineyard Haven, on the afternoon of July 14. More information will be announced closer to the date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s name can be made to the West Tisbury Library Foundation at wtlibraryfoundation.org.

The post Barbara Whidden Day appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Jessie Pennoyer Snyder, a resident of Wake Robin in Shelburne, Vt., and a former longtime resident of Greenwich, Conn., died peacefully on May 1, 2018, after a brief illness. She was 91 years old. Jessie grew up in Locust Valley, N.Y., the youngest child of Paul G. and Frances T. Pennoyer. Her father was a distinguished New York lawyer, and her grandfather a prominent financier.

Jessie attended Greenvale School in Long Island, and was a graduate of St. Mary’s in the Mountains in Bethlehem, N.H., now known as White Mountain School. She received her bachelor of arts in biology from Vassar in 1947. After graduation she worked as a research assistant at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory during the early years of DNA research, and later worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

She married Frank V. Snyder in 1952. They settled in Greenwich, Conn., where they lived for 53 years in a Colonial-era farmhouse that they lovingly restored. Jessie volunteered for many years at Round Hill Community Church (later First Church of Round Hill), Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich Hospital, and the Wake Robin Residents’ Association, as well as other nonprofit organizations. Over the years, Jessie donated many pints of blood to the American Red Cross. She was an accomplished amateur photographer, and she loved dancing.

Jessie was a tireless supporter of Frank in all his endeavors, sailing with him on many oceans, culminating with a trip across the Pacific over nine months in 1991. They were also avid skiers, and were one of the founding families of Stratton Mountain Ski Area.

She walked every afternoon, which she called the best part of her day. She started to use a walker a few years ago, and she wore out its bearings — twice. “Count your blessings and keep moving,” she often said. Even as her life became more limited, she recently wrote, “I feel humble and thankful, and have often thought that I want my life to be a prayer of thanksgiving.”

Jessie is survived by her brother, Robert M. Pennoyer of New York, N.Y., by four children, Dr. Michael S. Snyder of Greenwich, Conn,, Jonathan V. Snyder of Tisbury, Jane A. Snyder of Asheville, N.C., and Suzanne S. Johnson of Shelburne, Vt., and by six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband.

A memorial service will be held on June 9 at 11 am at the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Rd., Charlotte, Vt. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wake Robin Residents’ Assistance Fund, 200 Wake Robin Drive, Shelburne, VT 05482 or the Charlotte Congregational Church, 403 Church Hill Rd., Charlotte, VT 05445.

The post Jessie Pennoyer Snyder appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Anne E. (Vose) Thorstensen, local artist and longtime resident of Falmouth and Martha’s Vineyard, died peacefully on Sunday, April 29, 2018, after an eight-month battle with breast cancer, at the Royal of Cotuit Nursing Home in Mashpee.

Born April 6, 1950, at Tobey Hospital, Anne grew up in Falmouth and graduated from Lawrence High School with honors. She was a member of the National Honor Society. A gifted artist, Anne attended Massachusetts College of Art, MIT, and the Museum School of Boston. She studied pottery and ceramics with Harry Hall, an internationally recognized teacher and artist. Anne was gifted in several mediums, including photography and watercolors, and in later years her focus was on abstract acrylics.

Anne was a gentle, caring soul, with a sweet if somewhat eccentric disposition. She is remembered by her many friends and family for her gifted artistry, gentleness, and many small kindnesses.

Anne was preceded in death by her father, Louis A. Vose, a longtime local businessman, and her mother, Esther E. (Thorstensen) Vose, an art teacher at Lawrence High School. She is survived by her brothers, David A. Vose (Pam) of East Falmouth, and Thomas C. Vose of Manning, S.C., and her sister, Zoe Karyn (Vose) Morsette of Long Island City, N.Y. She also leaves a nephew, Colin D. Vose, a niece, Jillian B. Vose, and numerous cousins. She was also predeceased by her sister-in-law, Patricia Vose of Manning, S.C.

A memorial service will be held in September in Falmouth. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Falmouth Artist Guild Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 660, Falmouth MA 02541.

The post Anne Thorstensen appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Dr. Young, a retired board-certified dentist and devoted wife and mother, died peacefully on Friday, April 13, 2018, at home in Washington, D.C. She resided in Washington, D.C., for most of her life. She was also a resident of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard.

Dr. Young earned a bachelor of science degree in Latin and a doctor of dental surgery degree from Howard University. She also received a master of public health degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

Dr. Young was dedicated to expanding access to quality dental care for the residents of the District of Columbia most in need. She served as a dental officer with the District of Columbia Government for many years, and was appointed by Mayor Marion Barry to the Northeastern Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB). Dr. Young also served as chief of dental hygienist services at D.C. General Hospital. She returned to Howard University as an assistant professor in the Department of Community Dentistry.

Dr. Young was an active member of the National Dental Association (NDA), and among her many honors and awards, she was a recipient of the NDA President’s Award. Dr. Young enjoyed membership in various organizations such as the American College of Dentists, the National Dental Association, the American Dental Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Circle-Lets, the Links, and the Cottagers.

She is survived by her loving son, Virgil J. Young Jr. (Rosalind).

Funeral services will be held at Washington National Cathedral on Friday, June 1, at 10 am, followed by interment at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in the name of Dr. Frances Camille Young to Howard University, College of Dentistry, 600 W St., NW, Washington, DC 20059.

The post Frances Camille Young, D.D.S., M.P.H. appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

A tea in honor of Doris Gaffney, who died on Feb. 23, 2018, will be held at Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Friday, May 18, at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Windemere’s Recreation Fund. She will be buried in St. Bernard’s Cemetery in Fitchburg on May 19.

The post Memorial for Doris Gaffney appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Gay Moore Phillipps Nelson died peacefully at Long Hill in Edgartown on May 13, 2018.

She grew up in Farmington, Conn., and attended Oxford School and Smith College in the 1950s. A caregiver of children, parents, siblings, friends, and animals, she was a keen observer of people and nature, and loved writing, especially poetry. She lived in New York City after she married Pete Phillipps, and attended a writer’s group which encouraged her to publish her poems. She and Pete had four children: Loch, Christy, Beach, and Ben. The family sailed their 1929 Alden schooner, Voyager, most weekends and summers, and frequently came to the Vineyard, where she had spent summers as a child in Harthaven.

After her divorce, Gay moved to the Vineyard with Art Nelson, and continued writing. Her collection of poems, “Pond,” was published in 1978. She participated in poetry readings with Vineyard poets for several years. She celebrated her wedding with Art, and they had a child, Olivia, in 1980. She lived next door to her brother, Ben, and their two families often had joint gatherings that included other family members and friends. Gay was the West Tisbury children’s librarian for many years, and entertained the children with her story time readings and Halloween and Christmas parties and costumes. She charmed adults with her Christmas glogg concoction. Children were her greatest love — a good listener, she was everyone’s mother, and will be greatly missed.

Gay was predeceased by her daughter Beach, her nephew Josh, and her brother Ben, who died on May 10. She is survived by her husband Art, children Loch, Christy, Ben, and Olivia and their spouses, her grandchildren, and her siblings Martha, Sandy and his wife, Mary, and sister-in-law, Paddy.

Haiku (from “Pond”)

in the winter

snow falls into the sea

and covers islands

A celebration of Gay’s life will be held at the West Tisbury Congregational Church on Sunday, July 1, 2018, at 2 pm. A reception in the parish hall will follow the service.

Donations in Gay’s memory can be made to the West Tisbury Public Library, and to College Visions, 131 Washington St., Providence, RI 02903.

The post Gay Moore Phillipps Nelson appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

A gathering of friends to celebrate the life of Fred Croft, who died on Feb. 27, will be held on Sunday, May 27, from 5 to 7 pm at the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven.

The post Memorial service for Fred Croft appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Walter E. Collins, 79, died on April 27, 2018, in Gainesville, Va., after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Walter was born on May 23, 1938, in Townsend. He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, received an M.A. from Peabody College in Tennessee, and a Ph.D. from American University. He served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps in the very early Vietnam War, and upon discharge became a lifelong pacifist. Walter was a school psychologist in Fairfax County, Va., and retired in 1993. He spent summers in the Campground cottages in Oak Bluffs beginning in 1973. All who knew Walter knew that he was a friend of Bill. He was active at Grace Church for many years, and enjoyed singing in the Community Chorus. He won ribbons for his needlepoint designs at the Ag Fairs, and was also known for his beach plum jelly. Walter spent 10 years in Tucson, Ariz., where he worked with the Samaritan Ministries to protect rights of migrants in the desert.

He leaves his wife of 51 years, Gretchen of Gainesville, Va., and his children, Ted of Vineyard Haven, Jason of Quincy, Ill., and Marisol Gilbert of Haymarket, Va. He is also survived by six grandchildren, and his sister, Nancy Kinder of Moses Lake, Wash.

A memorial service will be held on May 19, at 11 am, at Grace Church in Vineyard Haven. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Walter may be made to Vineyard House, P.O. Box 4599, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post Walter E. Collins appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Ben Moore, 83, a beloved Island architect and community leader, died at about 9 pm Thursday, May 10, 2018, in his West Tisbury home, with his wife Paddy Moore by his side, and three generations of his family surrounding him.

Private services are planned for Saturday, June 30, and a public celebration of his life of service to the community will be held in September at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury.

A full obituary will follow in another edition of this paper.

The post Ben Moore appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

A celebration of the life of Edith (“Edo”) Welch Potter will be held at Pimpneymouse Farm, June 2, at 2 pm. Sharing of memories and refreshments will follow. Van service will be available from Chappy Point starting at 1:15 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Chappy Fund, c/o Sheriff’s Meadow, P.O. Box 1088, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or sherriffsmeadow.org. In the designation/memo space or online, please write “Chappy Fund.”

The post Memorial service for Edith Welch Potter appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Dave was born in Boston on Dec. 3, 1962; he died unexpectedly the night of Monday, May 14, 2018.

Dave moved to the Vineyard when he was 19, where he became an extraordinarily skilled drywaller. He was a lifelong Boston sports fan and avid golfer. If he wasn’t at work, the Ritz, or the P.A. Club, he could always be found at the Edgartown Golf Club. He was a dedicated P.A. Club member, setting up for the feast every summer, and offering a helping hand constantly. We’ll always remember him with a Budweiser in hand telling a silly story, uneven mustache, loud, contagious laugh, and all.

He is survived by his daughter Bryann, son Dana (wife Kayla and daughter Kylee), parents Gerald and Jesse, sisters Lynette, Michele, and Jeannine, as well as a niece, nephews, and several relatives. He was predeceased by his brother Gerald.

Please join our family for a celebration of Dave’s life at the P.A. Club on Sunday, June 3, from 12 to 3 pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention in Dave’s honor. If you or someone you know is suffering, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 800-273-8255.

The post David Michael Darcy appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Ben Moore gave his heart to the Vineyard as a child, and loved it ever after. He designed and built not only furniture, private homes, and public buildings, but also strong families, warm friendships, and Island institutions. His gentleness and modesty only partially masked a strong sense of honesty, moral principles, and justice. He sang all the time, and only stopped the day before he died, at home, on Thursday evening, May 10, 2018, after a seven-year struggle with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease; he was 82.

Ben’s roots went deep on the Vineyard. His great-grandfather, William H. Hart of New Britain, Conn., bought the land of Harthaven and all the way to Edgartown in 1911, later selling the part now known as State Beach to the state for one dollar. Generations of Harts, Peases, and Moores followed, most with large families who had fun together, loved music, boats, and building houses, and greatly enjoyed long Vineyard summers.

Despite these family connections to Harthaven, Ben was always an up-Islander by style and choice, and there was never a question about where he and Paddy would live when they bought the old Alley farmhouse behind the Up-Island Garage in August 1975 ”to try it for a year.” They moved next door to Ben’s sister, Gay Phillipps Nelson, with six hockey-playing children, two cats, 10 kittens, and a black Lab, and have continued to rejoice in being part of the Island community for the next 43 years.

Believing deeply in public service — giving back to the community even more than you receive — Ben always participated quietly in the Island community. The West Tisbury selectmen appointed him as their representative to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission in 1976, where he served for 10 sometimes tempestuous years. His fairness and calm strength helped smooth troubled waters when Edgartown and Oak Bluffs voted to leave (and later return to) the MVC, and when Islanders were deeply and loudly divided over whether to build a second ferry slip for the Steamship Authority in Vineyard Haven.

As an architect and planner, his thoughtful and low-key designs reflect the Island’s best self. Working with town appointees to numerous building committees, Ben’s designs helped the West Tisbury Free Public Library grow from its original old building on Music Street (1984) to the first new library behind the Howes House in 1987-89, to plans for a second library addition in 1994. He developed studies for Town Hall renovations in 1998 and 2000, encouraging the town to preserve its beautiful old 19th century building while moving into 21st century efficiency. In 1994, he helped the M.V. Agricultural Society with drawings to enable the Barn Busters to move a New Hampshire barn to a new home on the Panhandle in West Tisbury, and then remodeled the old Grange into its new career with the M.V. Preservation Trust. Working with the trust in 1993 and 1998, he remodeled Alley’s General Store, and created Back Alleys and the little Farm Market — now favorite stops for both summer and year-round Vineyarders. For 20 years, as a member of the West Tisbury Historic District Commission, he was an ardent supporter of both historic preservation and well-designed modern adaptations. Other public work included remodeling the Chilmark Town Hall, the Tisbury Police Station, and the Oak Bluffs bandstand.

Ben’s work was wide-ranging. Working with the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury, he designed a church renovation and Parish House addition, while preserving this precious landmark for years to come. Working with the Farm Neck Golf Club, of which he was a devoted charter member, he designed several club buildings, as well as the sun-filled addition to the Cafe. He designed the Island Children’s School, and the Yard’s dance stage and studio.

Throughout Ben’s work for the towns, and for the 80-plus private homes he designed over the past 40 years, he passionately encouraged the use of solar energy. From his first licensing as an architect, he was dedicated to developing affordable housing, and was a co-founder of the Vineyard Habitat for Humanity. This commitment extended to organizing and shepherding teams of Islanders and other friends to the Mississippi Delta to build HFH houses for 15 years, only stopping when his Parkinson’s made it impossible to wield a hammer. On the Vineyard or in Mississippi, he devoted as much care and attention to the starter dreams of young clients as he did to those of clients who were famous national figures, and he greatly appreciated continuing friendships with many former clients in both groups.

Benjamin Cheney Moore was born in Hartford, Conn., on June 24, 1935, son of Alice Gay Cheney and Maxwell Moore, a well-known Connecticut architect. His traditional education included Kent School (class of 1957) and Yale University (1961), and the Yale School of Architecture. During this period he married Katherine Hubbard, from Cazenovia, N.Y., and had a son, Maxwell Moore II. After receiving his architecture degree, he spent three years in St. Croix, V.I., working with his cousin Allen Moore’s architecture practice, and designing both public housing and private vacation homes. Seeking a more lively practice and a bigger scene, he moved to Boston, joining Ben Thompson (founder of Design Research and moving force behind Faneuil Hall Market), and then Cambridge Seven Associates. His colleagues at C7A firmly believed that Ben would be back from his “giving the Vineyard a try,” but that was not to be.

Ben’s first marriage ended in 1969, and in 1971 he met and quickly married Patricia Imbrie Worlock (known as Paddy), his true and abiding soulmate. He is survived by Paddy, son Max and grandchildren Maya and Matias; son Andrew Worlock and grandchildren Griffin and Leila Gardner; son Hubbard, wife Zoe, and grandchildren Frida and Happy; son Patrick Worlock, wife Dana and grandchildren Calder and Serra; son Gus, wife Dawn, and grandchildren Ian, Mina, Maggie, and Cathy; son Jason, partner Auna, and grandson Zarhan; sister Martha Moore and brother Alexander Moore; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends young and old. His sister, Gay Phillips Nelson, died on May 13, 2018. All of them and the many extended family members and friends will miss their beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, mentor, singer, and maker of beautiful spaces.

There will be a funeral for Ben at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury at 2 pm on Saturday, June 30. There will also be a party at the Agricultural Hall on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 3 pm, to remember and celebrate Ben’s life and spirit. All are welcome at either or both.

Donations in Ben’s name would be welcome at Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, First Congregational Church of West Tisbury, and the Island Housing Trust for affordable housing.

The post Benjamin Cheney Moore appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Join us on State Beach (look for red balloons) on Saturday, May 26, at 3 pm to honor the life of Betty. She wanted nothing more than a good old-fashioned hymn sing-along. Bring your beach chair and your love for singing hymns. All are welcome, even if you did not know her.

The post Memorial sing-along service for Betty Sundberg Turton appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Tobias Morgan Shepard died suddenly in Vineyard Haven on March 26, 2018.

Tobias was born on April 16, 1973, in Lebanon, N.H., and grew up in Acworth. Both of his parents were artists, and both Tobias and his brother began drawing at an early age. Following the death of his father when Tobias was 12, he was lovingly cared for by the family of David and Pamela Howard of Walpole, N.H., as well as the family of Jay and Ellen Phinizy of Acworth. He graduated from the Putney School in Putney, Vt., where he participated in the Ithaca Program and traveled to Greece and Turkey to study art. He attended the University of Redlands in California, and studied lithography and printmaking at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He also studied art in Lacoste, France.

Tobias loved creating art, and seldom was without with a sketchpad (and an espresso), sketching, painting, or making collage. His work was shown in the Etherington Gallery in Vineyard Haven and the Reside Gallery in Cambridge, and is housed in private collections around the world. His donated work “Everywhere” is currently on view in the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

His mother, Maggie, instilled in him a deep love for cooking. Tobias was a highly sought-after, self-taught personal chef, with devoted clients all over Martha’s Vineyard and throughout the country.

He was passionate about music. His favorites, well-known to all who spent time with him, were Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, J.J. Cale, Miles Davis, Neil Young, and the Grateful Dead. Tobias loved to play poker, chess, bocce, Ping-Pong, and Frisbee, kick the ball with his dog pal Sen, and perform magic tricks for children who immediately recognized his joyfulness, his softness and warmth.

Although Tobias struggled with depression and anxiety, he will be remembered by his family and wide-reaching network of friends for his loving nature that shone through his beautiful smile, his one-of-a-kind laugh, his openness and gift for connecting people, his philosopher’s mind, his honesty, playfulness, and humor. He was a true bodhisattva. His infectious and urgent energy imbued a luminous quality to time spent with him; friends recall long animated discussions, rollicking storytelling, outdoor adventures, road trips full of magic, and deep confessional heart-to-hearts. Tobias encouraged people’s gifts and mirrored the inner beauty of everyone he met throughout his entire life.

He is survived by his brother, Nathan Shepard, as well as an extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins living on the Vineyard and in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and California.  He is also survived by his stepfather, James Masek, stepbrother Jesse Masek, and stepsister Tanya Masek Carroway. Tobias was predeceased by both his parents, Maggie Pepp Masek (née Gibbon) of Vineyard Haven and Robert Tyler Shepard of Acworth, N.H.

A celebration of the life of Tobias Morgan Shepard will be held on Sunday, June 3, at Featherstone Center for the Arts at 2 pm.

The post Tobias Morgan Shepard appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Martha (Mardy) Kenyon Burgess, née Peck, age 86 of Annapolis, Md., died peacefully at home on Thursday, May 10, 2018, surrounded by family and loved ones.

Mardy was born May 24, 1931, to George Francis Peck and Edith Gertrude Peck in Scranton, Pa. The Peck family started summering at Martha’s Vineyard in 1911 in East Chop when Mardy’s mother, Edith (Trudy) was a girl. Trudy Peck then brought her husband and daughters, Janice, Mardy, and Virginia (Dinny) every summer.

Mardy enjoyed spending time at the Vineyard with her family and many summer friends at the East Chop Beach Club and East Chop Tennis Club. At the East Chop Tennis Club, she met the late Newton Albert (Al) Burgess Jr., who also grew up summering at East Chop with his family. Mardy and Al married in 1953. From that union she was blessed with her beloved children, Cindy and Ken. The Al Burgess family loved Martha’s Vineyard, and still enjoy wonderful memories of many summer visits to East Chop.

She was deeply touched by the Island’s exquisite beauty. She always described the Vineyard as her “spirit home — immersion in the sea, beach, and sky.” Of the many things she loved, her greatest joy was swimming in the waters off East Chop in the early morning light.

She was a lifelong writer, and wrote many poems and feature stories, some of which were published in the Vineyard Gazette. She deeply admired and corresponded with the Gazette editor, Henry Beetle Hough, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with him in the Gazette office.

Dr. Burgess received her Ph.D. and master’s degrees in education from the Union Institute in 1993, and B.A. from Middlebury College in 1952.

She authored the textbook “Life Changes and So Do I: The Journey of Life From Single Primordial Cell to the Human Brain.” She used her work to teach workshops in public and private schools at the elementary and middle-school level.

In 1976 she met Albert Brown, the love of her life. Initially, they resided in Bethesda, Md., and then moved to Baywoods of Annapolis. They shared many interests and traveled extensively throughout their lives together.

She used her passions for the environment, conflict resolution, science, and spirituality to make the world a better place. She was a dynamic member of Annapolis Friends Meeting, and an active member of her Baywoods community. She supported many philanthropic causes, especially to preserve the environment.

Mardy is survived by her devoted life partner Albert Brown, sister Virginia (Dinny), daughter Cynthia Cosbey (Steve); son Kenneth Burgess, stepsons Geoffrey Brown (Patria) and Michael Brown, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Mardy’s memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, June 16, from 1 pm to 4 pm, at the

Annapolis Friends Meeting House, 351 Dubois Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in her name to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation at cbf.org, or to the American Friends Service Committee at afsc.org, or to a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be made online at lastingtributesfuneralcare.com.

The post Martha Peck Burgess appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

A memorial celebration gathering for Helen Viera Gelotte, who died on April 15, 2018 (her obituary appeared in The MV Times on April 26), will be held at the Oak Bluffs Sailing Camp Park, Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs, on Sunday, June 10, from 1 pm to 3 pm. The event will be informal, and open to any who knew Helen or her family, to come by at any time during the gathering. A few words of remembrance will be offered by her immediate family at some point. Light refreshments will be served, and photos and other remembrances of Helen will be displayed.

The post Memorial celebration gathering for Helen Viera Gelotte appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Leona (“Nonie”) Coleman Flu, longtime Oak Bluffs resident, died on the evening of Thursday, May 24, 2018, surrounded by her loving daughters. She was 94 years old.

Leona was an avid artist, and a part of her collection will be on exhibit at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. Leona first came to the Vineyard in 1940 with her parents, Luella and Ralf Coleman, and they enjoyed summers in their Oak Bluffs home, which is on the African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard. Leona became a year-round resident of Oak Bluffs in the 1970s, until moving to Atlanta in 2015 with her younger daughter.

Leona is survived by her daughters, Lesli Hester of Somerset, N.J., and Stacy Scott Lacroix of Atlanta, Ga.; four grandchildren, Jeffrey Hester, Jocelyn Hester, Jenifer Hester, and Milton Lacroix, and three great-grandchildren. Leona was predeceased by her husband, Ewing A. Flu Jr.

A memorial service is being planned in Oak Bluffs for August.

The post Leona Coleman Flu appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

The family of Philip James Brown III is heartbroken to announce that he died on May 28, 2018, in Oak Bluffs.

He was surrounded by his wife Beck, daughter Michaela, and siblings Kathy, Barry, Suzy, Lisa, and Tori.

A full obituary will follow in another edition of this paper. Donations may be made in his name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, or Island Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1874, both in Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post Philip James Brown III appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

A gathering in memory of Nancy Jean McVeigh Tesch will be held at St. Andrews Church in Edgartown at 11 am on Saturday, June 9. Friends are invited to attend and join with family to honor Nancy, who died on April 30. A reception will follow.

The post Memorial service for Nancy Jean McVeigh Tesch appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Joseph Amos Amaral Jr., of Sebastian, Fla., and formally of West Tisbury, beloved son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend, died at the age of 41 on Sunday, May 27, 2018. He will join his brother, Scott Joseph Amaral, in our Lord’s kingdom.

Joey was surrounded by loving family and friends who will remember him as a fun-loving and kindhearted friend to all.

Joey is survived by his parents Joseph and Judith (Kelly) Amaral Sr. of Sebastian, Fla.; two sisters, who were lovingly at their brother’s side, Sheryl Enos of West Tisbury, and Kelly Amaral-Vallee of Camden, Maine; his grandmother, Beatrice Amaral of West Tisbury; many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Let Me Go
By Christina Rossetti

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little, but not for long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that once we shared
Miss me, but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take
And each must go alone.
It’s all part of the master plan
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart
Go to the friends we know.
Laugh at all the things we used to do
Miss me, but let me go.

Please remember Joey with donations in his name to an animal rescue of your choice.

The post Joseph Amos Amaral Jr. appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.