Donald Gifford Mayhew, 87, of Vineyard Haven died Tuesday at Cape Cod Hospital.
He was born in September 1931 at the new Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where his mother was the first director. His father was then chief engineer on the steamship Martha’s Vineyard. He was the son of Everett Lindley Mayhew and Beatrice Livingstone Gifford of West Tisbury. Both parents had several Mayhew ancestors, as well as Tilton, Luce, and Norton forebears. Donald’s wife delighted in the fact that he was descended from both Daggett brothers, not only the one who married the governor’s daughter but also his brother, who began what Islanders called the “bow and arrow Daggetts.”
Donald had a keen memory. He could recite his most direct Mayhew lineage, as was the family tradition, although his ancestry went back to Thomas Mayhew Sr. in 32 different lines. Curiosity led him to understanding and seeking both sides of an issue. He had a keen interest in everything, and often noticed and remembered details others missed. He had a wicked sense of humor, writing droll poetry.
Donald looked at the world as a giant puzzle, which is a thread that ran through his life, from the early pursuit of an engineering degree, fixing his own bike, working out how to retire early. His stories of his working life with the Federal Aviation Administration often include details of some puzzle he solved using out-of-the-box thinking. His poetry was a form of puzzle, requiring careful construction. Even his philosophy degree addressed a way of figuring out how the world works. He enjoyed helping others with their computers less for the altruism and more for the challenge of a fresh puzzle.
His ethics made him seek the greater good in a situation. His integrity sometimes caused trouble. On a brief trip to Quebec with his young family, he and his wife needed and bought cheap watches. At the border the customs officers could not believe he declared these. They carefully searched the entire car, including the peanut butter and other kid’s snacks.
Donald’s family moved off-Island when he was small; he spent most of his life planning to come back. He loved bicycling, and would cycle from their home in Providence to visit his grandparents in West Tisbury. He graduated from Mount Hermon School and Brown University, with some graduate school at Brown in philosophy. He was Navy ROTC at Brown, and served in the U.S. Army occupation troops in Austria in the 1950s. He briefly taught high school math in New Jersey, and ran a bowling alley in Warwick, R.I.
After he married Catherine Merwin (Kay), they moved to Washington, D.C., where he began work as a systems analyst with the FAA, and became fascinated with computers (in those days one would fill an entire room). His family lived in Bowie, Md., for many years. After his early retirement in 1983, his family gift was his first personal computer. He and his wife returned to the Island he loved, where he was pleased to find members from the Washington Ethical Society involved with the Unitarian Universalist Society here. He served as officer and board member of the Dukes County Historical Society, now the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, and diligently worked many hours for the MV NAACP. He was on the original Land Bank committee, and also served on the Tisbury board of health.
He loved his family, understanding and enjoying them more than they realized. Besides his wife, he leaves a daughter, Laurel Mayhew and son-in-law Kevin Olson of Colorado, and a son, Craig Mayhew and wife Laura of Westborough. Donald adored his two lovely granddaughters, Rory and Fiona. He is also survived by his brother, Allen Mayhew and wife Doris of New Jersey, and their children, as well as four Clark nephews and a niece, children of the late Spencer and Marguerite Clark. Donald especially treasured his cousins on the Island who have been so good to him, Susie Boass, Judy Bryant, and Nancy Cabot.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a gift in his memory to Mount Hermon School, 1 Lamplighter Way, Gill, MA 01354, or to MV NAACP, P.O. Box 1513, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

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Eileen O’Connell Brown, Lady Ei, died peacefully in her home in Morristown, N.J., on Jan. 30, 2019, at the age of 88. She was surrounded by her loving family.

Eileen was a happy soul, sharing life’s adventures with family and friends around the world. Her motto was, “Good morning, life and all things beautiful.”

Eileen was a force of nature. She impressed everyone she encountered with her enthusiasm for lifelong learning, intellectual growth, reading, the arts, weekly tennis, bridge games, and paddle tennis, and she was always keen to debate no matter the subject. Along with family, music was a pillar in her life. Eileen had a great voice, and loved to write her own songs, having a whimsical way with words. Her poems written just for you were highly treasured, as was her published poetry.

Born in 1930 in Worcester, Eileen was the oldest of four girls. She graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C., in 1952, summa cum laude with a degree in political science, and moved to New York City as young graduate. In 1954, she married the love of her life, Philip J. Brown Jr. of Staten Island, N.Y., a U.S. Marine Corps captain and a former chairman of Marsh & McLennan Europe. They were married 42 years, and raised six children.

Eileen was a world traveler throughout her life, exploring numerous countries across six continents. She confidently led her family as they built their lives abroad, instilling the importance of independent thought, self-reliance, and acceptance. In 1959, they moved to Caracas, Venezuela, where Eileen mastered the language and culture. After a brief time in the U.S., they moved to Brussels, Belgium, where Eileen became proficient in French, her third language. They returned to the U.S. in 1967. Following years of cheering on her children in the classroom and on the fields of sport, Eileen and Phil relocated to London, England, in 1988.

Upon their return to the U.S. in 1996, Eileen was actively involved in her community into her 80s, volunteering for the Women’s Association for Morristown Medical Center, the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center (Music in the Atrium), the Morristown Library, and Mrs. Wilson’s Halfway House in Morristown, N.J. In the summers, Eileen returned to her New England roots and became a resident and loving member of the Martha’s Vineyard community. She spent over 35 years as a volunteer and contributor to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Foundation, and was also instrumental in the development of the Farm Neck Golf Club mission, especially the tennis vision.

Eileen was predeceased by her husband, her eldest daughter Kathleen B. Smith, her eldest son P.J. Brown, and her two sisters, Christine Breen and Maureen Dourney. She is survived by her son, Barrett Brown and his wife Jeannie, daughters Suzy Brown van Dijk and her husband Alex, Lisa Brown Langley and her husband Brendan, and Victoria Brown Van Keer and her husband Steven, her daughter-in-law Beck Brown, her sister Alice Cole, and sister-in-law Nan Beckman. Eileen was also a proud and caring grandmother of 11 grandchildren, Stephanie Silversmith, Timothy Smith, Eoin, Gareth and Kelsey Brown, Michaela Brown, Ryan, Christopher, and Caroline van Dijk, and Charlotte and Lauranne Van Keer, and 10 nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Eileen’s life will be held in March 2019. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in made in memory of Eileen O. Brown to the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center, 475 South St., first floor, Morristown, NJ 07960. Donations may also be made online at f4mmc.org.

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Barry Joseph Carroll, 74, of Lake Forest, Ill., and East Chop passed away peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018, after a brief illness.

Born on Jan. 22, 1944, in Highland Park, Ill., the son of Wallace and Lelia (Holden) Carroll, Carroll grew up on the Lazy C Ranch in Bannockburn, Ill., and then on LeWa Farm in Lake Forest, where he met his beloved wife, Barbara Pehrson Carroll, while in high school.

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, for all of his life’s accomplishments and adventures his family will always remember him as a lifelong learner and avid reader with an encyclopedic memory, who could teach them about virtually any subject, and as someone who enjoyed sailing and flying his airplane, playing many musical instruments, and singing folk music. Barbara always thought that the man she loved and married would share with her a most interesting and adventurous life, and he did.

Carroll spent most of his adulthood working as a manufacturing executive, real estate developer, bank director, university trustee, photographer, and filmmaker. He got his start at Lake Forest Academy, and graduated from Lake Forest High School in 1961. He attended Boston College from 1961 to ’63, and earned his B.A. from Shimer College in 1966, with a concentration in humanities. He attended St. Clare’s Hall, Oxford, England, and earned his master of business administration from Harvard Business School in 1969, with a concentration in finance and small business administration. In 1995 he received an honorary doctorate of letters from Shimer College. Early in his career, he was named one of the “Outstanding Men of America” by a national organization, and he was invited to and joined MENSA.

During the early 1960s, Carroll pursued his passion for music, playing the guitar with the Careless Lovers, and later the Mandrell Singers, with whom he opened for such artists as the Mamas and the Papas, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Dave Van Ronk. “The apex of my career was back in the pop folk music era, when I played at the Bitter End Coffee House in New York on the same marquee as Cass Elliott,” he once said.

At 25, after writing a business plan for another school project, Carroll became the CEO of the J.C. Deagan Co., a 79-year-old Chicago musical-instrument manufacturing company, which produced mainly percussion instruments, electrovibes, and marimbas. He eventually came to own and run this business. He joined the board of the Lake Forest Symphony, where as a young man he served as vice president, and later as chairman. He was presented the Golden Baton award for 50 years of volunteer service and support to the symphony and the Music Institute of the Symphony Association. Today the institute continues to enroll hundreds of students.

A private pilot, he enjoyed flying his Mooney 201J to Martha’s Vineyard, all over the Midwest, New England, and the Caribbean with his trusty co-pilot, Barbara. They would hire planes and fly over volcanoes together while on vacation all over the world, from Hawaii to Thailand. He was an avid sailor, and enjoyed the Caribbean and Martha’s Vineyard in his two boats, the Katy, a 41-foot Morgan ketch, and Fairplay, a 29-foot Skimmer, out of Edgartown Yacht Club and East Chop Yacht Club. He also enjoyed playing tennis, skiing in Breckenridge, Colo., and scuba diving in the islands. He traveled to most of the states in the Union, and further afield to all six continents, the Northern and Southern icecaps, the five largest countries, and numerous others, down to Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Nepal, Guyana, Belize, and Caribbean islands.

In 1970, he began his pursuit of improving standards in educational institutions when he joined his alma mater as a founding board member for Shimer College and the Shimer College Foundation for Liberal Arts, and served as chairman from 1975 to ’78. Starting in 1973, he served for decades as trustee on the boards of Roosevelt University, St. Xavier University, Barat College, and the University of Illinois Eye Research Institute.

In 1983-84, Carroll accepted an appointment by the President’s Commission on Executive Exchange, and worked for a year in the first Reagan administration as special assistant to the U.S. secretary of education, Terrel Bell. In subsequent years, he followed up on this appointment by speaking on, authoring, and editing a monograph and book on business partnerships with education.

Carroll went on a scientific expedition to an unusually dry valley in Eastern Antarctica in January 1989, where he explored mineral resources while scuba diving under the ice, and he employed helicopters and a hovercraft to photograph the terrain and wildlife. His numerous photography and videography projects spanned a variety of scientific and industrial subjects over four decades, producing dozens of films, including one on the history of punch presses, and one on the story of mallet instruments.

He served dozens of educational, cultural, and financial institutions in his lifetime as a trustee, director, president, or officer.

In his autobiography, Carroll described his own life in the following words: “In brief, I have lived in an extraordinarily rich and fast-changing time, and drunk in many, many of the opportunities and joys and experiences that any one person might ever expect in a number of lifetimes. I have chased shrimp boats and freight trains in a helicopter, hanging by just a seatbelt 500 feet over the water in steep banked turns, filmed oil-drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, shot ducks in the alligator-lined bayous of Louisiana, ‘slipped the surly bounds of earth’ in my light airplane, dove to the blackest depths of Lake Geneva, and nearly died from asphyxiation in a grain dryer. I have mostly owned and driven/flown/sailed 10 motorcycles, a wide range of tractors with up to 12 gears, innumerable cars, five or more types of light planes, a Bell 206 helicopter, many sloops and ketches, a hovercraft, and a locomotive.” Carroll was an adventurer and an explorer, a loving husband, father, son, brother, and grandfather, but he was ultimately a lifetime student, a polymath, and true renaissance man.

He leaves behind Barbara Pehrson Carroll, his wife of 53 years; his five children, Megan Carroll, Sean (Karen) Carroll, Deirdre Carroll (Jonathan) Erulkar, Colleen Carroll (Kipp) deVeer, and Oona Carroll; siblings Wallace E. Carroll Jr., Denis H. Carroll, and Lelia Carroll; and 11 grandchildren, Aisling Shea, Eoin Shea; Fiona Carroll, Ciara Carroll, Sean Carroll, John Carroll; Samuel Erulkar, Benjamin Erulkar, Eli Erulkar; Wallace deVeer, and Kathryn deVeer.

The family held a private funeral on Jan. 8, 2019. Memorial services will be held at 11 am on May 18, 2019, at the Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest, Ill., and on Martha’s Vineyard on July 16, 2019.

The family appreciates donations in Barry Carroll’s name to the following charities close to his heart: the Lake Forest Symphony at lakeforestsymphony.org, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum at mvmuseum.org, or Shimer College at shimer.edu. For more information, please contact Wenban Funeral Home at 847-234-0022 or wenbanfh.com.

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Ruth V. (DeBettencourt) Metell, 93, of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Feb. 8, 2019. She was the beloved wife of the late Alfred M. Metell, and daughter of John and Marion DeBettencourt.

Ruth graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools. She married Alfred Metell on Oct. 12, 1946, and they moved to New York for some time before ultimately settling back in her hometown in Martha’s Vineyard. After raising her five wonderful children, she worked her first retail job at the Ben Franklin Five & Dime in Vineyard Haven. Later she started a career as a bookkeeper and sales clerk at G and B Clothing in Oak Bluffs. She then went on to work at the Martha’s Vineyard and Edgartown banks. Her most beloved job of all was working as a hostess at the Boston House in Oak Bluffs when it was operated by Tubby Rebello.

Ruth was an active member of the Portuguese-American Club since she was 18. She was recognized at the State House in the 28th annual Heritage Day of Portugal celebration for her outstanding contributions to the community and being a role model. Ruth was also a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church Guild, where she received the Marian Medal from the archdiocese.

As someone who loved her community, Ruth enjoyed being around people, and was a dedicated volunteer. She adored helping at the Possible Dreams Auction. Always willing to help others, she volunteered at the Oak Bluffs Senior Center, and in 2010 received Volunteer of the Year award from the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging.

Aside from her witty persona, she was a caring and loving person who loved to make people laugh. Some of her best laughs were made while participating on a co-ed bowling team called Priceless, where she received the Team Sportsmanship award. Most of all, she loved to have a good time anywhere she went, especially with her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Ruth is survived by five children, Claudia A. Metell of Oak Bluffs, David Metell and wife Carla of Melrose, Coleen A. Westover and husband Dr. Gerald Westover of Edgartown, Carol A. Packer and husband David of Centerville, Corey A. McGaughey and husband Patrick of Sandwich; two sisters, Gaynell Downs and Brenda Frederick; four grandchildren, Sally, Jeffrey, Anthony, and Christopher; six great-grandchildren, Andrew, Lucas, Ava, Anthony, and the twins Maya and Tyler; and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, 56 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Rd., Oak Bluffs, on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, from 4 to 7 pm. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven on Friday, Feb. 15, at 10 am. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, or to a charity of one’s choice. For online guestbook and directions, please visit ccgfuneralhome.com.

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On Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, Elizabeth Ellen Sandland, owner and operator of Long Hill Assisted Living Facility of Edgartown, mother of two children, died at the age of 75.

Elizabeth was born on April 16, 1943, in Birmingham, England, to Leslie and Edith Sandland. She received her nursing degree from the Queen Elizabeth School of Nursing in 1963, and practiced all over the world; in England, the West Indies, California, and Manhattan. She arrived on Martha’s Vineyard in 1985, and soon after began her mission; she opened an assisted living facility where she cared for our parents and relatives for almost 30 years.

At Long Hill in Edgartown, her second assisted living facility after Brookside in West Tisbury, she selflessly provided a loving and safe space where dignity, grace, and comfort were in abundance.

At her retirement party at Long Hill in June 2018, Elizabeth’s friends and clients shared stories of her deep and positive impact on our community to a packed house. She remained positive and grateful throughout her life, saying just a week before she died,

“Just be happy and enjoy every day. It is the way to say thanks to God for this beautiful life.”

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her father Leslie and her mother Edith.

She is survived by her three brothers, Chris, Stephen, and Paul; her sister Mary; and her two sons, Jackson and Daniel.

Her funeral will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 10 to 11 am.

A celebration of her life will be held at Long Hill at 3 Long Hill Rd. in Edgartown from 2 to 5 pm on the day of the funeral. Everyone in the community, and anyone whose life she’s touched is invited. There will be a live band, food, and drinks. She requested that this be a celebration of her life, and in no way morose. She wants us to continue her joyful legacy.

For online guestbook and directions, please visit ccgfuneralhome.com.

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A transformer of lives and champion of human potential, paths that took him all the way to the White House, Robert C. Berkley, 59, of West Tisbury, and Naples, Fla., died peacefully at home on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018. He was surrounded by his beloved wife, Debbie Phillips, dear friend Meredith Schoenberger, caregiver Simone Finnergan, and Hospice nurse Chantale Patterson.

For 15 months, he had courageously and unflinchingly powered through a gastric cancer diagnosis, while he continued to work as an executive coach.

Throughout his life, Rob was incredibly wise, gifted, and talented, but he never acted or wanted anything more than to be useful to those he loved and served. He was well-known across many industries for his ability to help people clarify their goals and achieve success.

Born on Sept. 7, 1959, to Louis and Constance Berkley in Brooklyn, N.Y., the family moved to Woodstock, N.Y., when Rob was 12, and he became an All-American soccer star at Onteora High School.

After graduating from Cornell University, he moved to New York City, where he worked as an executive at several major companies, including Bankers Trust, Simon & Schuster, and Pearson.

At 28, he founded Fusion Systems, and developed the first computer trading system sold on Wall Street. He later sold the company, but it exists today as an IT systems and business consulting venture.

As a corporate leader, even at a young age, he took pride in learning how to motivate and inspire people to be their best. By 1998, he became a pioneer in the field of executive and life coaching by using coaching skills as the CIO of Simon & Schuster and Pearson, and by teaching at the first online coaching school, CoachU, founded by the “father of life coaching,” Thomas Leonard.

Rob and Debbie met on a business conference call in 1997, became professional coaching colleagues, and later fell in love. As coaches, they could work from anywhere in the world, and settled on Martha’s Vineyard. They moved to the island in 2001, built their dream home, and Rob started a men’s group with strong connections that remained to the end.

They also began hosting “Friday Night on the Deck” parties for friends, clients, visitors, houseguests, and neighbors as a way to connect people and showcase authors, musicians, and other talented people.

From 2000 until his death, as a master certified coach Rob worked with owners and leaders in both public and private companies, such as the co-founder of GroupMV, LLC, Vision Day, and Women on Fire. His vast knowledge and keen insight led many clients to call him their personal “Yoda.”

A highlight in his career came in 2016 when he and Debbie were invited to the White House to help transition many of President Obama’s staff.

A perpetual learner, Rob studied and became proficient (or a master) at everything he tackled — meditation, hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, Gestalt therapy training, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and photography.

He also served on the boards of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, and Noepe Center for Literary Arts.
As his final project in life, he worked with celebrated Martha’s Vineyard photographer Alison Shaw and designer Sue Dawson to publish a coffee table book of his work, “Birds I View.”

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a brother, Richard; half-brother, David; nieces and nephews, Amy, Rachel, Andrew, Sam, and Margaret Berkley; and sister-in-law Robyn Berkley; and many cousins.

He also cherished Debbie’s family as his own, including his mother-in-law Mary Lue Phillips; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Scott and Dianne Phillips; Lori Phillips Gagnon; Susan and Joe Henson; nieces and nephews Jennifer, Joe, and Avery Gregg; Ryan, Sarah, and Kinsley Ausley; Christian and Tyler Phillips; and Ashley and Jordan Phillips.

He held dear as family many friends, clients, and GroupMV colleagues. Although he and Debbie had no children of their own, they spent many wonderful summers on Martha’s Vineyard hosting young people they loved dearly, including goddaughter Julia Celeste Tarka, Emily Neal, Christian and Tyler Phillips, Margaret and Sam Berkley, Eleanor and Max Celeste, and Stefan, Rika, and Anna Viragh.

Rob was preceded in death by his parents, his father-in-law, Dick Phillips; and his brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, Steve and Gaby Phillips.

In Rob’s final six months of his life, he was supported and greatly comforted by his teams at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital’s infusion center, led by Barb Rush, and at Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard.

Please consider donating to in Rob’s memory to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. You’re also welcome to share wisdom you learned from him at this site featuring his photography: sharing.robberkley.com.

Rob had a special way of listening, holding space, and opening up a doorway so anyone could step forward into the next, greatest vision for his or her life with confidence and joy. The greatest way to honor him is to really listen to someone in your life, and leave them a little better than you found them, which was his personal mission.

There will be celebrations of Rob’s life later this year in New York City, and at a dedication in his honor at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Fla.

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Paul Frederick Pimentel, 76, of Edgartown, died in Los Angeles, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, surrounded by his loving family.

Paul Pimentel was highly intelligent, fiercely loyal, forever curious, and dutifully devoted to a purpose-filled life. Born in Quincy on May 22, 1942, he was raised there, and later in nearby Braintree. Paul graduated from Braintree High School in 1960 and from Harvard University in 1965 with a degree in engineering and applied physics. Paul served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, and was a combat veteran of Vietnam.

Also in 1965, Paul married the love of his life, Sandra, and together they spent the next 53 years building an extraordinary life that included five children, nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, several foster children, and a bounty of extended family and friends.

Paul was a creative and brilliant engineer who coupled his remarkable intellect with pragmatism and passion. His capacity for hard work was boundless, and the list of his professional accomplishments is impossible to detail fully here. In 1975, he became the youngest deputy secretary of state of Massachusetts in the history of the office.

Thereafter, his focus turned to the environment, energy independence, and the economy. During the course of 40 years, he and his team brought their vision from startup to a world leader in the industry. They developed a model that unlocked billions of dollars in energy and water savings, and is now being implemented across the globe. Of Paul’s many professional accomplishments, he was most proud of the creation of Vineyard Power, an independent, clean-energy cooperative that will bring more than 800 megawatts of low-cost offshore wind power to the Cape and Islands of Massachusetts. His life’s work will improve the lives of countless people around the world for generations to come.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Paul was dedicated to his community, serving on many committees and boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health and Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. His work helped give a voice to the voiceless and provided for those who had less.

Paul was a beloved teacher, leader, mentor, and father figure. He had a profound effect on people, and took great joy in breathing life into the dreams of others. Ever the patriarch, he appeared to have his own gravitational pull, drawing his loved ones close to him — not out of obligation, but rather from a genuine desire to learn and be in his presence.

Family was paramount in Paul’s life, and the moments he enjoyed most were those spent with them. He absolutely adored his family, and never hesitated to tell everyone how proud he was or how much he loved them.

He lived a life of tremendous integrity. He told the truth and did the right thing. He was modest and down to earth. And he left his imprint on the hearts of so many, all of whom are grateful for having had him in their lives.

Paul is survived by his devoted wife, Sandra (Pasquale) Pimentel; sisters Susan Meyers of Westin, Vt., and Joan Pimentel of Long Beach, Calif.; his children, Lisa Pimentel and husband Robert Marlette of Los Angeles, Christopher Pimentel and wife Karen of Sharon, Susan Andrien and husband Christopher Andrien of Oakland, Calif., Courtney Child of Quincy, and Joanie Pimentel and husband Robert Masson of Los Angeles; his beloved grandchildren, Emily Marlette and husband Phadol Gardley, Christopher Marlette, Alex Lam, Anthony Flynn and partner Mandee Mitchell, Erik Masson, Augustus Andrien, Isabella Andrien, Mitchell Pimentel, Sage Pimentel; and great-grandsons Brooklyn and Blayde Gardley; nephews and nieces Travis Carney, Michelle Carney, Richard Pasquale, and Rachel Whitaker, as well as many cousins. Paul is also survived by dearest friends Jerry and Jane Goldberg, Teddy and Gwen Lang, and Beverly Dand. Paul was predeceased by his parents, Dorothy (Deneen) and Frederick Pimentel, and his dear friend Ray Dand.

A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at the Church of the Presidents (United First Parish Church), 1306 Hancock St, Quincy, 02169 on Saturday, March 2, at 2 pm, followed by a light reception in the hall. An additional memorial will be held on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard in the spring, at a date and location to be determined. In lieu of flowers, Paul’s family asks that you consider donating to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services at mvcommunityservices.com/support/donate. Read more about Paul’s life at paulpimentelmemorial.com.

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Jacob Tilton Lewis of Edgartown died unexpectedly on Sunday. He was 22 years old. A viewing will be held Sunday at 1 pm, followed by a service at 2 pm at the Chapman, Gleason and Cole Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs. A full obituary will be published in a future edition of this paper.

For online guestbook and directions, please visit ccgfuneralhome.com.

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The Laursen family is sad to announce the passing of their dear Christopher, 36, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, after a valiant battle with cancer. There will be a memorial service on Sunday, Feb. 17, at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs from 3 to 5 pm. A full obituary will follow in another edition of this paper..

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Frank O. Gonsalves, 91, died on Tuesday evening, Feb. 12, 2019, at his home in Vineyard Haven. He was the husband of Virginia M. (Cecilio) Gonsalves, and father of Wayne, Brian, and Glenn Gonsalves, and Paula Small. Frank was also the brother of Audrey Moreis, Sybil Moreis, Sandra Porrota, Dennis Gonsalves, and Jerome Gonsalves.

Visitation in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs, will be held on Monday, Feb. 18, from 5 to 7 pm. His funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Augustine’s Church, Franklin Avenue, Vineyard Haven, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 11 am. Burial with military honors provided by the veterans of Martha’ Vineyard will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery, State Road, Vineyard Haven. A complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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A memorial service for Margaret L. Sibert, who died Jan 10, 2019, at home in Vineyard Haven, will be held in Grace Episcopal Church, Vineyard Haven on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 11 am.

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David N. Brown, an artist who loved jokes, family, and friends, 83, died of natural causes on Feb. 6, 2019, in Tucson, Ariz., with his longtime partner Nia Clark at his side.

David was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and grew up in nearby Haddonfield, N.J., where he attended high school. After some time spent in art school at Lafayette College, David served in the U.S. Army, where he attended the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, Calif. David became fluent in both German and Russian in service of our country, and loved to share phrases in both languages throughout his life.

David moved with his then wife, Jane (Convery) Brown, to her hometown, Edgartown, on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, in the early 1960s. During his more than 30 years as a resident of the Island, David was a friendly face to many Islanders and visitors, first at the Harborside Inn, and then at the Edgartown National Bank, where he retired as vice president in the mid-1990s. He was quick to offer silly jokes and funny stories, and remembered dozens of them at any given time, most often making fun of himself, not others. He also loved hearing jokes and funny stories, sharing his wonderful laugh with everyone willing to tell a story.

Following his move to Tucson, Ariz., in the late 1990s, David spent his time on one of his first loves, painting. He was a very talented artist, exhibiting and selling his beautiful works at the Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown, the Granary Gallery in West Tisbury, and Desert Artisans Gallery in Tucson, to name a few. David’s seascapes and desert scenes were so realistically rendered that they often could be mistaken for photographs, while his more abstract works could invite an array of different emotions and thoughts.

David was a longtime member of AA, where he provided support and care for so many in need on the Island and in Tucson.

David is survived by his partner, Nia Clark; his children, Patricia Brown Fugée and William Jeffrey Brown; his stepchildren, Lynda Hathaway, Dana Gaines, and Warren Gaines; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and his first wife, Jane C. Brown. David was preceded in death by his former wife, Alice (Gaines) Brown, and his brother, William (“Bill”) Brown.

David’s family is honoring his wish not to have a formal service (he donated his body to the University of Arizona Willed Body Program), and will instead celebrate his life, regularly and often. Condolences, memories, jokes, stories, pictures, etc., may be shared via the memorial website for all friends and family at InMemoryofDavidBrown.com or by email to ForDavid@colefugee.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Semper Fi Fund, 825 College Blvd., Suite 102, PMB 609, Oceanside, CA 92057, or https://semperfifund.org, the Martha’s Vineyard Art Association, 58 Dock Street, P.O. Box 761, Edgartown, MA 02539, or https://oldsculpingallery.org, or the charity of your choice.

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Douglas Wilbur Peckham Sr., formerly of Oak Bluffs, died at home in Omaha, Neb., on Feb. 14, 2018, at the age of 90.

Douglas was born in Rochester, N.Y., to Ethel and Spencer Peckham, later of Troy, N.Y. He grew up in Troy, where he attended School 24 and Troy High School.

Douglas attended the Whitney School of Art (later merged with the Paier School of Art) in New Haven, Conn. There he met his future wife, Barbara Barton Pope, of Hamden. They were married in St. Thomas’ Church, New Haven, on June 14, 1951.

Douglas worked in the display department of Niagara Mohawk Power Co., first in Troy, then in Syracuse, N.Y., for 34 years. After retiring, Douglas moved with his wife to their summer home on Martha’s Vineyard, where they lived for 18 years. There he participated in the art life of the island, serving at one time on the board of the Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown. He was the recipient of many ribbons for his watercolor paintings, his pastels, and his photographs. He was named an Island Treasure at the All-Island Art Show in the Tabernacle, where he showcased his work every year. Two of his art pieces are in the permanent display of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Douglas was an honorary deacon at the Federated Church of Edgartown, where he was quite active.

In early November 2018, Douglas and his wife moved to Omaha, to be nearer to their daughter.

Douglas leaves his wife of 68 years, Barbara; his son, Douglas Jr., and wife Sharon of Chicago; his son Jonathan and his wife Helena of Houston; and his daughter Jennifer Mattea and her husband Jerry of Omaha; as well as his grandchildren Danielle Peckham Burton and her husband Scott, Rachel Peckham, and Cameron Peckham of Chicago; Troy Peckham and Brent Peckham of New York City; and Joshua Mattea, Corey Mattea, and his wife Juli, and Meggin Mattea Webber and her husband Ben, all of Omaha. He also leaves six great-grandchildren, Elijah and Bowie Burton of Chicago; Alex and Ruby Webber of Omaha, and Patrick and Margaret Mattea, also of Omaha. He also leaves his sister-in-law, Shirley Peckham; two nieces, Suzanne Fraser and Sybil Carven, and a nephew, Scott Peckham; and their families. His twin brother, John Spencer Peckham, predeceased him

Douglas’ good-natured laugh, his sense of humor, his love of animals, and his caring personality will be greatly missed by all of his friends and neighbors on Martha’s Vineyard, as well as in many other places.

Services will be private. His cremated remains will be interred in Newton Cemetery in late spring or early summer, and there will be a memorial service around that time at the Federated Church on Martha’s Vineyard.
Please do not send flowers. A donation in his name may be sent to Hospice or the ASPCA.

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Kathleen McGlone Stewart, 68, of Chapel Hill, N.C., died just after midnight on Jan. 28, 2019, after a long, heroic battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born on May 5, 1950, in Nyack, N.Y., Kathy graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1969, and attended Hunter College in New York City, where she was editor of the college newspaper. In the mid-1970s, Kathy traveled to Martha’s Vineyard with a friend, and soon found herself living in a Volkswagen bus off Lambert’s Cove Road. She soon met and married Island resident Michael Stewart, and together they had two children, Jesse and Carolina, before moving off-Island in 1979.

Settling into a life in the Berkshires, Kathy assisted husband Michael with his business, Green River Records, a mail-order auction house specializing in 78 rpm records from all over the world. In the early 1990s, the family relocated to Polk County, N.C., where they continued the record business. In addition, Kathy took a job as a docent at the Carl Sandburg House in Hendersonville, N.C., where she was able to share her love of literature with the public.

Despite a challenging life due to debilitating bipolar disorder, Kathy took great pleasure in art, literature, music, nature, and especially cats, and enjoyed taking walks, exploring museums, and attending concerts. She was committed to lifelong learning, and took many classes over the years in computing and visual arts. An avid swimmer, Kathy spent time as a lifeguard, and once even jumped into an abandoned swimming pool to rescue her young daughter from drowning.

After the sudden and unexpected passing of her husband in 2007 from a heart attack, Kathy relocated to Chapel Hill, N.C., where she lived out her remaining years under the care of her son Jesse. With the help of UNC Hospice, Kathy was able to spend her final days in her son’s home, with her daughter and son by her side as she left this world.

The family would like to thank the UNC Chapel Hill Cancer Center for their skillful and devoted care, as well as XDS and the UNC ACT team, whose life-changing Assertive Community Treatment model allowed Kathy to live independently.

Kathy is survived by her two children, Jesse Stewart of Chapel Hill, N.C., and Carolina Cooney of West Tisbury; her brothers Ted McGlone and Tim Goldman, both of New York; and her beloved grandchildren, Dashiell and Dexter Cooney, of West Tisbury.

In hopes of furthering the advancement of science and the study of pancreatic cancer, Kathy’s body was donated to the UNC Medical School. A celebration of Kathy’s life and spirit will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at pancan.org or to the Best Friends Animal Society at bestfriends.org.

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Guy Webster, a seasonal Chilmark resident and renowned portrait photographer, died on Feb. 5, 2019, at his home in California. He was 79.

One of the early innovators of rock ’n’roll photography, Guy spanned the worlds of music, film, and politics in a stellar career of more than 60 years. While shooting album covers and billboards for groups that included the Rolling Stones, Simon & Garfunkel, and Chicago, he also photographed such film legends as Rita Hayworth, Dean Martin, and Natalie Wood.

Guy had a deep love for his devoted wife of 40 years, Leone; for his children, Merry, Jessie, Sarah, Erin, and Michael; for grandchildren Dylan and Melissa, and for his brother Roger, also known as Mona.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions made to the newly established Guy Webster Photography Fund, Oak Grove School, 220 W. Lomita Ave., Ojai, CA 93023.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, in Ventura, Calif. Condolences may be sent to TedMayrFuneralHome.com.

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George (“Hey-Hey”) Roberts Wallis, 87, died of kidney failure on Feb. 18, 2019, surrounded with love, peace, and family.

Son of Philip Wallis and Miriam Clark Wallis, he was born with a twinkling, impish smile on May 16, 1931, in Philadelphia, where he and his three brothers grew up with many Philadelphia Clark and Roberts cousins. He loved nature, sailing, tennis, reading, and the joie de vivre of France and Italy; he was both intrigued by, and cared sincerely for, his fellow man. George graduated from Mill Brook School in 1949, went on to study at Princeton, and earned a B.S. from Carnegie Mellon in 1953. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Army in Rochefort, France, until 1955.

Curious George aptly describes George’s temperament. He loved learning, solving problems big and small, and giving back. And he loved telling stories and teasing everyone along the way! He launched his career in New York City, solving problems for others in corporate America while at McKinsey and Co. Deciding that owning the problem was better than advising, he moved on to be general manager at Exide Batteries, Duracell, and then his own venture, Westerly Management.

He courted the love of his life and soulmate, Alice Potts, and joyously won her hand. They married on a typically humid Philadelphia summer day, July 20, 1957, and soon bore three children, Philip, Nancy, and David, as they moved back and forth from Philadelphia to Bedford, N.Y. They ultimately settled in Freeport, on the coast of Maine, the site of many of George’s summer joys. Their final years were spent at Oceanview in Falmouth, Maine.

Family and friends were always paramount for George (or Hey-Hey to many) — followed closely by gardening, reading, backyard birding, and his recently treasured double-scoop chocolate ice cream cones. His inquisitive nature and desire to help and mentor others was both earnest and uncanny. He oversaw the Angel Tree gifts for children at St. Bartholomew’s Church, advocated for recovering alcoholics securing housing through Oxford House, served on the board of trustees of the Maine College of Art, raised a succession of beloved Welsh corgis, and lovingly tended his gardens of dahlias and freesias. George’s focus was on all creatures great and small. We will miss him deeply and remember him with great love as he moves on to be with Allie in their “new home.”

He is survived by his children, Philip S. Wallis and wife Carolyn of Vineyard Haven; Nancy W. Kittredge and husband Chris of Falmouth, Maine; and David P. Wallis and wife Brenda of Oak Bluffs; his grandchildren, Elizabeth (Liza) W. Damm, Anne W. Anderson, Alice W. Kittredge, Martha Jane (Marcy) Kittredge, Nevin G. Wallis, and Timothy (Tim) C. Wallis; his brother, Robert C. Wallis, and wife Margaret of Philadelphia; and his sister-in-laws, Charlotte B. Wallis, Nancy P. Masland, and Karen Potts Reynolds. He was predeceased by his brothers James T. Wallis and John Wallis.

The funeral service will be held at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 396 Gilman Rd., Yarmouth, Maine, on Saturday, March 16, at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may made in George’s memory to Oxford House, Inc., 1010 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Please visit lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign George’s online guestbook.

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Christopher Svend Laursen, 36, died on Feb. 12, 2019, at home in Vineyard Haven. He was surrounded by his family and new wife, Kristen. Chris battled an aggressive sarcoma for the past year with much strength, grace, and courage.

Chris was born on July 30, 1982, on Martha’s Vineyard. He attended the Vineyard Montessori School, the Tisbury School, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and the University of Massachusetts, interspersed with several years of traveling and working in Europe, Patagonia, and Alaska. His life was filled with many friends, who lovingly dubbed him “Too Tall,” in reference to his six-foot, five-inch frame. He will always be remembered for his wonderful smile.​

Chris worked as a web designer and developer, creating many websites for Martha’s Vineyard and NYC businesses. He loved music, soccer, biking, hiking, video games, adventure, and playing volleyball at Lucy Vincent Beach. He married Kristen Butler, his soulmate, on Feb. 9, 2019. He was a gentle soul with a sense of humor, and was well-loved. He will live on in our hearts forever.​

Chris was the son of Dr. Peter and Marie Laursen. Chris was close to his brother Timothy, Tim’s partner Ann, his sister Emily Biocchi, her husband Dominick, and his dear nieces, Eliana and Nora. He is also survived by a large extended family.

Hundreds of people attended a memorial service for Chris to offer tributes and to commemorate his life — a true testament to the many lives he touched in his 36 years. Donations in Chris’ memory may be made to one of the following organizations: LetsEncrypt.org, DetroitWaterProject.org, IGIMV.org, BlackGirlsCode.com, ResilientCoders.org, MassBailFund.org, RaicesTexas, MVMuseum.org, and hospiceofmv.org.​

To learn more about Chris and see his work, visit chrislaursen.com.

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Betty Barker Hodges died peacefully at Windemere Rehabilitation and Nursing Center on Feb. 15, 2019, in Oak Bluffs. A private service was held for family on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019.

Betty was born June 26, 1927, in Five Points, Pa., the youngest of three children of Francis Willard and Effie Barker. She grew up on the family farm, where she played, helped with the chores, and learned to drive the tractor. While still a child, the family home burned to the ground, and she fondly remembered setting up a temporary home in the horse stable. They lived a rich life on the land even through the Depression years.

Betty attended Westtown School in West Chester, Pa. She graduated from Earlham College, a Quaker school in Indiana, with a major in food service. She also trained as a dietician at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. During this time her brothers, Warren and Larry, served in WWII even though their Quaker beliefs encouraged pacifism.

While at the University of Michigan, Betty met Sander Tonnesen in the summer of 1950, and they married in July 1952. Sander’s work for the DuPont Co. in Wilmington, Del., resulted in many moves for the family, including a four-year stay in Geneva, Switzerland.

Moving back to the States in the late ’60s, Betty became active in the church while raising four children in Wilmington.

Betty was a very spiritual person and focused on helping many people navigate life’s difficulties. She worked in the health food community, was passionate about sharing her knowledge of nutrition, and was an early adopter of healthy living. She loved to experiment with cooking using ingredients like carob, and alternatives to wheat and sugar resulting in her healthier version of brownies — no chocolate, no sugar, and no wheat.

Through her ministry she met Larry Hodges, whom she married, and continued with her spiritual calling to serve throughout the U.S. and as far away as Kenya.

After Larry died, Betty returned to Pennsylvania, and later decided to move to Martha’s Vineyard to be close to her children and their families living on the Island and in Boston. She loved living on the Vineyard, and enjoyed the Island’s beauty and the making of new friends.

In 2015 she moved into Windemere, where she received loving support from staff and family, becoming known as a beacon of positivity and the Queen of Bingo.

Betty is survived by her four children, Keren Tonnesen of Oak Bluffs, David Tonnesen and his wife Pamela Su of Honolulu, Hawaii, Mark and Breeze Tonnesen of Vineyard Haven, and Tim Tonnesen of Los Angeles, Calif. Betty had four grandchildren, Jeffrey Tonnesen and Erik Tonnesen of Brooklyn, N.Y., Dwi Upole and her husband Jeremy of Hockessin, Del., and Quinn Savard and her husband Stephen of Vineyard Haven. Betty was also blessed with five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece, Ellen Geisel, and her husband Randy, nephews Keith Barker and his family, and Richard Barker and his wife Sue, and niece Beverly Barker.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to honor Betty’s memory, please consider making a donation to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, at hospiceofmv.org/donations.

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Maurice E. Wallerson died the evening of Feb. 24, 2019, after a valiant battle against colon cancer.

Maurice, born in London, England, moved to the U.S. as a teenager to learn to fly airplanes, which became his passion and career. During his transition to the U.S., he was reared by his mother, grandfather Alexander Wallerson, and aunt and uncle Ethel and John Beckles. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, where he studied aeronautics and architecture. While there, he was on the cross-country team, and was an avid player of soccer, and cricket as well.

He attended the Academy of Aeronautics in Queens, and completed his first solo flight at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. To build his flying hours, he was a personal pilot for architect Toshihiko Sakow, one of the designers of balloon and airship exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He continued his flying with the General Foods Corp., and then flew for passenger airlines New Air and Eastern Airlines. He spent the rest of his career with FedEx, domiciled in Anchorage and Los Angeles as a captain on an MD-11 airplane.

His “need for speed” extended outside the cockpit. He was an avid skier, cyclist, sportscar driver and motorcyclist. He followed the Formula 1 racecar circuit, and a highlight of his life was meeting the current Formula 1 racecar champion and fellow Brit, Lewis Hamilton. Although he loved flying and seeing the world, his fondest memories were of simple get-togethers with family and friends.

Maurice is survived by Dena Porter Wallerson, his wife of 35 years, his mother Catherine Wallerson, and countless members of the extended family and dear friends.

A celebration of his life will be held in the spring in New York City, and one on Martha’s Vineyard this summer. In lieu of donations, Maurice would have loved if you “pay it forward” to help someone in need, as he would have done.

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Erica M. Ponte of Oak Bluffs died on March 2, 2019, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. She was the wife of Kenneth M. Ponte.

Services will be held at a later date. A full obituary will be published at that time.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Erica’s memory can be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group, P.O. Box 2214, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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