John Edward Behrle (“Jack”), 74, of Haverford, Pa., and Chilmark, died unexpectedly and peacefully in his sleep on August 11, 2020. He was on Martha’s Vineyard, his “happy” place, where he spent the last day of his life doing what he loved most: the regular 15-mile bike ride; sunning and swimming at Lucy Vincent, his favorite beach; and then entertaining his extended family for a lobster dinner at home.

He was born in Yeadon, Pa., the eldest of five, to Edward Behrle and Janet (Fielding) Behrle. He was a 1963 graduate of Upper Darby High School, and a 1967 graduate of the University of Virginia, receiving a B.A. in economics. Following graduation, he served in the Vietnam War from 1967 to ’69 as a photojournalist for the Stars & Stripes newspaper. Following his service, he married Anita Swartz, now Behrle Phillips, and fathered two sons, Joshua Edward and Benjamin Fielding. During this time, he worked for material handling corporations in various capacities.

In 1998, he married Wendy Carolyn Wolf, and enjoyed a fabulous, loving partnership for 22 years. He was national accounts manager for Caterpillar Industrial until his retirement in 2005. 

In his spare time, he combined two of his favorite activities, skiing and travel, with his membership in OFOS (Old Farts on Skis) and the Main Line Ski Club, a suburban Philadelphia-based club. Jack was responsible for organizing trips: nine to various European ski locations; two to Lake Powell, Utah; and one to Athens, the Greek Islands, and Istanbul. 

He was passionate about Martha’s Vineyard, where he and Wendy spent extended periods of time over the past 22 years, graciously hosting numerous friends and family members. He also enjoyed cars, motorcycles, Scrapple, and email exchanges with close friends.

He is survived by his wife, Wendy C. Wolf; his children, Joshua (Ronnieann O’Donnell) Behrle of East Norriton, Pa., Benjamin Fielding Behrle of Denver, Colo.; stepson Adam Wolf Axler (Hannah Copperman) of Washington, D.C.; and grandson Sterling Rowan Behrle. He is also survived by his siblings, Stephen (Paige Evak) Behrle of Newtown Square, Pa., Patricia (James) Gorman of Villanova, Pa., Peggy (Bruce) Scott of East Petersburg, Pa., and Edward Behrle Jr. of Media, Pa.; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

A Zoom celebration of life will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, on what would have been his 75th birthday. Contributions in his memory can be made to the Island Grown Initiative, a local food sustainability nonprofit where he volunteered, at P.O. Box 622, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or online at igimv.org. 

Cards of condolence may be sent to Wendy C. Wolf, Box 788, Chilmark, MA 02535.

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It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of Luke Declan Ainslee Higgins. Luke shared five years of joy, love, light, and strength with all. 

The son of Naomi Higgins and Jeremie Robinson, Luke was born on Oct. 22, 2014, in Weymouth, and lived the entirety of his life on Martha’s Vineyard. Luke passed away unexpectedly at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on August 12, 2020.

He was the grandson of Thomas and Katharine Neadow, Albert and Beverly Robinson, and the late Teresa Robinson. Luke was the younger brother of Evelyn Higgins, Penelope Long, and two half-siblings. Luke was the older brother of Sadie, Camilla, and Remie Robinson. Luke was also survived by many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, great-aunts, and great-uncles. 

Visiting hours will be held at the Oriental–Martha’s Vineyard Masonic Lodge Grounds, 52 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, in Oak Bluffs on Wednesday, August 19, from 1 to 3 and 5 to 7 pm, using social distancing measures; please wear a face mask at all times. There is extra parking at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven on Thursday at 11 am, with a procession leaving the funeral home at 10:30 am for those wishing to join or meet directly at the cemetery. Luke touched many lives, and all are welcome to join in celebrating his journey. Luke’s favorite color was green, and in tribute to him, attendees are encouraged to include green in their attire, rather than black. 

Donations in Luke’s memory may be made to the Luke Higgins Robinson Snug Waves Memorial Fund, located at the MV Bank, PO Box 668, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. This fund will be used to purchase medical equipment for special needs children and their families, and to accommodate other needs those families may encounter. 

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Lucille G. Whitman of St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Edgartown, died on August 17, 2020, after a brief illness. She was 91. 

A full obituary will appear in a later edition of this newspaper.

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Florence Lamborn Peters (“Pete”) passed away peacefully in her sleep at Acorn Glen Assisted Living in Princeton, N.J., on July 19, 2020. She had just turned 92 in June. 

Pete was born June 28, 1928, in Montclair, N.J., and was the second child of John Warren Lamborn and Anna Elizabeth Flynn. Pete graduated from the Convent of the Sacred Heart Maplehurst (now Greenwich), and from Rosemont College in 1949 with a degree in English. Upon graduation, Pete returned home to Montclair, where she worked in a photography studio. 

Pete married Landon Peters on Feb. 2, 1952, and they were married for 53 years, until Landon’s death in 2005. After their marriage, they moved to San Antonio, Texas, where Landon served in the Air Force during the Korean conflict, and where their eldest child, Eric, was born. They truly enjoyed their adventures in San Antonio, far from their families, and made many lifelong friends, returning to visit them many times over the years. 

They returned to Princeton so Landon could finish his studies at Princeton University, where he graduated in 1956. Pete and Landon remained in Princeton for the rest of their lives, where their sons Michael, John, David, and Christopher were born. Pete’s younger first cousin, Elinore Flynn, came to live with them in 1957, after her parents had died. 

Her own mother’s lessons of community service led Pete to enjoy a long career as a volunteer in Princeton community organizations. At various times, she held leadership roles in the YWCA, Friends of Princeton University Art Museum, McCarter Theatre, Medical Center Auxiliary, the United Way of Princeton, the Historical Society of Princeton and the Garden Club of Princeton. In 1990, the United Way of Princeton awarded her the Gerard Lambert Award, its annual award recognizing volunteer leadership in the Princeton community. The Garden Club of America awarded her its Zone IV Creative Leadership Award and the GCA Medal of Merit. Pete was also a founding member of Kieve Effective Education in Damariscotta, Maine, which funds Camp Kieve and Wavus Camp for Girls, which several of her sons and granddaughters attended, along with many Princeton residents. While Pete held a firm belief that those who have been blessed with good fortune have a responsibility to contribute to their communities and to those less fortunate, she also greatly valued the enduring, cross-generational friendships that were a part of all of her community activities. 

Pete was a wonderful, self-taught cook, who could pull off a dinner party for 12 with ease, well into her 80s. A lover of flowers of all kinds (peonies being her favorite), her perfect table was always adorned with her very special floral arrangements, often from her garden, or Vineyard plants. She was a member of Prettybrook Tennis Club, the Nassau Club, and Springdale Golf Club. 

Pete had deep ties to Martha’s Vineyard. Her maternal grandfather was George D. Flynn Sr., who first came to Edgartown in the 1890s and purchased Pohogonot Farm in Edgartown in 1910, which is still owned by his descendants. Her paternal grandfather was Arthur H. Lamborn, who had a summer home at Juniper Place in Vineyard Haven, and whose six children all summered in Vineyard Haven in the early 1900s. Pete came to stay at Pohogonot Farm or in Edgartown every summer as a child. Her parents later had a summer home at Quitsa in the 1950s and 1960s.

While Pete and Landon were both raised in Montclair, they met in Edgartown as summer residents when teenagers. Pete and Landon began to spend every summer at the Cabin at Pohogonot in 1956. They purchased Short Point in Edgartown, across Job’s Neck Pond from Pohogonot, from her Uncle George D. Flynn Jr. in 1977, and built their summer home there in 1989, which they designed themselves. Pete was a member of the Edgartown Yacht Club and the Vineyard Golf Club. She enjoyed sailing and tennis, helping to restore the family tennis court at Pohogonot. 

Pete’s avid interest in the flora and fauna of the Pohogonot region, the preservation of Pohogonot Farm, and her extended Flynn family and their history, was instilled by her grandmother, Elizabeth D. Flynn, with whom she would often stay in the Big House at Pohogonot when she was young. Her uncle, George D. Flynn Jr., called her the “archivist.” She was the oldest surviving grandchild of George D. Flynn and Elizabeth D. Flynn. 

Pete was predeceased by her husband Landon, her son Michael, her sisters Patricia Coward Kolbe and Elizabeth Lamborn, her brothers John W. Lamborn Jr., and George D.F. Lamborn, and her daughter-in-law Sarah Gelotte Peters. She is survived by her sons, Eric and his wife, Eileen Murphy, and John, of Vineyard Haven, David, of Princeton, and Christopher and his wife Kathryn, of Dallas, Texas; her seven grandchildren, Nathaniel Peters, Molly Peters, Emily Peters, Caroline Peters, Lorna Peters, Charles Landon Peters, and Kathryn Peters; and her great-grandson, John Peters. 

A memorial service in Princeton will be held, and burial will be at Edgartown, both at a future date. 

Donations in her memory may be made to the Historical Society of Princeton, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton, NJ 08540, or the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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Simone M. Prada, 95, of Cape Coral, Fla., passed away on August 2, 2020. 

She was born June 29, 1925, in Savannah-la-Mar, Jamaica, the daughter of Andre Rebhan and Alma Lewis, and grew up in Mandeville, Jamaica. In November 1944, she married Edward Prada of Edgartown. 

After the war, she emigrated to the U.S. with her husband, first living in Edgartown, then Alexandria, La., where Edward started engineering school. The couple moved to Alexandria, Va., where they raised a family and lived until Edward’s retirement in 1973. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1957. During that time, Mrs. Prada, a lifelong advocate of adult learning, attended Northern VirginiaA Community College as well as numerous professional studies at the U.S. Department of State, where she was employed in the Passport Office until her retirement. 

Once back on Martha’s Vineyard, she was a secretary for Stuart Avery in the early years of the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Preservation Society, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, and the Edgartown business Call for Help. 

Mrs. Prada moved to Greenville, Pa., in 1997 to be near her son Ed’s family, and then to Cape Coral in 2003 to be close to her daughter, Carol. She leaves her family a legacy of determination and love, and the memory of her beautiful smile.

She is survived by her son, Edward A. Prada and his wife, Claire, of Greenville; Carol Ann Connor of North Fort Myers, Fla., and Catherine Ward Suleiman and her husband, Orhan, of Odenton, Md. Grandchildren include Elizabeth Prada of Butler, Pa., Russell Prada of Meadeville, Pa., Karen Connor of Fairhaven, Jeffrey Connor of North Fort Myers, Fla., Douglas Conrad of Corvallis, Ore., and Jennifer Conrad of Boston, as well as four great-grandchildren. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a graveside service with the Rev. Michael Nagle was held at the Westside Cemetery in Edgartown on August 10th. Funeral arrangements were completed by Chapman, Cole & Gleason.

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Mary Jane (Scheidhauer) Carpenter, 76, of Edgartown, died unexpectedly on Wednesday evening, August 19, 2020, at Massachusetts General Hospital with her son by her side. She was predeceased by her husband, H. Glenn Carpenter Jr., and survived by her son, William C. Carpenter of Virginia. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Shirley W. (Walling) Mayhew, 94, died on Wednesday evening, August 19, 2020, at her home in West Tisbury, with her family by her side. She was predeceased by her husband, John Wesley Mayhew. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Dennis Philip daRosa, 71, died on Thursday afternoon, August 20, 2020, at his home in Chilmark, after a yearlong, courageous battle with cancer. He was the husband of Candace C. daRosa. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Walter L. Winfree (“Sonny”), 85, passed away peacefully while attempting to regain his strength at a health facility in Wayne, N.J., on July 26, 2020. Walter was surrounded by love and family during his battle before being called home as a faithful servant.

Walter was born on Nov. 7, 1934, the second of four children born to Walter Sr., a first responder with the N.Y.C. Ambulance Corps and Minnie (née Hollis), a critical care nurse at Queens Hospital. A product of N.Y.C. public schools, Walter was a gifted student and multisport athlete, ultimately graduating from N.Y.C.’s elite Brooklyn Technical High School. It was during this era that his legend as a track athlete, specializing in the 110-yard and 220-yard hurdles, began opening doors for collegiate opportunities. Moreover, his track and field legend was underscored by his prowess on the gridiron as a tailback and flanker for the Corona Condors Football Club. This was during the heyday of N.Y.C. club sports, when club teams generated more interest and passion than professional teams! The Condors were a legendary multiracial team noted for undefeated seasons and for filling bleachers wherever they played. 

Athletics and academics presented Walter with the opportunity to attend the University of Michigan as a track and field athlete, and invitee to the hallowed Wolverine Football team, in 1952. He thereafter transferred back to his beloved N.Y.C. where he attended City College, ultimately completing his collegiate career at Seton Hall University in 1956, and receiving a diploma in accounting. A stint in the U.S. Army followed, and he was stationed at the Fort Huachuca Military Intelligence installation near Sierra Vista, Arizona. To the wonderment of his fellow G.I.s, Walter often challenged base leadership to champion the rights of Black and Hispanic soldiers in the neighboring community, especially since federal dollars and resources supported what would have otherwise have been a backwoods mining camp. 

Upon his honorable discharge from the Army in or about 1960, Walter returned to N.Y.C. to continue his lifelong romance with Ruth (“Tootie”) Woods of Newark, N.J., whom he ultimately married in 1962. Walter and Ruth had been introduced by lifelong friends Leander and Ken Brown of Maplewood, N.J. Ken was Walter’s Seton Hall roommate, and Leander was Ruth’s Delta Sigma Theta line sister. Walter and Ruth enjoyed summer vacations in Martha’s Vineyard with the Brown family for 54 years. Walter built a career as a tax accountant (ultimately becoming a fixture in the Hollis, Queens, business community, affectionately known as “H&R Black’), business executive, and entrepreneur. He and Ruth raised two sons, Glenn and Gregory, first in Queens Village, and then in their home of 46 years in Roosevelt, N.Y. 

Walter and Ruth moved to a wonderful elder community in Pompton Plains in March 2020 when Walter’s health began to decline. 

Walter was preceded in death by his parents, Minnie and Walter Sr., and by his older brother Raymond. He is survived by Ruth, his wife of 58 years; his sons and their wives Glenn (Vera) and Gregory (Frances); his grandson (“the Heir”) Ellis; sisters Marion Winfree Phillips (Herb) and Barbara Winfree; nephew Curry Winfree (Blossom) and his family; niece Michelle Winfree; sister-in-law Mary Deane and her family; goddaughters Denise Brown-Allen (Doug) and Leah Brown and their families, and a legion of family, friends, colleagues, swim/ski/golf/fishing buddies, raconteurs, well-wishers, and others. 

This obituary would be remiss without a special acknowledgment of Steve (“Toonkie”) DePass — “America’s Singing Poet” — whose friendship and professional affiliation with Walter dates back to their days as kids in Corona, Queens, and teammates on the Condors (Steve coined, and was the only person allowed to use, Walter’s Condor nickname, “Wimp”). Indeed, Toonkie captures Walter’s essence best: “Walter, Walter, Rock of Gibraltar, never a stumble, never a falter.” 

A private memorial service on the Nantucket will be held on Thursday, August 27, 2020, at 5:30 pm. A repast is scheduled at the family home immediately following the services. 

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Mary Jane Carpenter of Edgartown, Mass., died suddenly on August 19, 2020, from kidney failure caused by the tick-borne disease babesiosis. 

Mary Jane was born in Mercer, Pa. on August 27, 1943, the daughter of Elmer Scheidhauer and Mabel (Masters). Her father was a storekeeper, while her mother, a chemist, worked in a munitions factory during World War II. Mary Jane graduated from Mercer High School in 1961, and with honors from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., in 1965 with a B.A. in English. She was appointed a graduate assistant in the English department at the University of Pittsburgh that year, where she received an M.A. in 1966.

That year she met her husband, Glenn, a fellow graduate student in the department who had recently completed his active-duty service in the Marine Corps. They married on her 23rd birthday, and the two both spent a year teaching English at the Pennsylvania State University campus in Altoona. In 1967 they moved to Mount Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where Mary Jane taught high school before her sons Bob and Bill were born. In Pittsburgh, Glenn started a career with Gulf Oil that would take his family first to Texas in 1980 and then to England in 1981. She was a loving, enthusiastic, and active mother, who taught Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” to her sons on a long school break with her own study guide, discussion questions, and writing assignments.

Having returned to Pittsburgh, and with her sons older, Mary Jane went back to school at the University of Pittsburgh to receive a paralegal certification in 1987. When the family moved to Edgartown in 1988, she found a job as a title examiner with the law firm of Reynolds, Rappaport, and Kaplan. This was an ideal career for her, incorporating documentary research, architectural history, genealogy, and Vineyard history. She gained a reputation for being able to unravel the most complicated land title problems on the Island, tracking land transfers back to the mid-17th century in many cases. She retired in 2009.

In addition to a rewarding career, Mary Jane found on Martha’s Vineyard a supportive and active community. Mary Jane and Glenn were members of the Federated Church for more than two decades, stalwarts of the choir, and pillars of the church. Whether it was an annual pledge drive or capital campaign, they could always be counted on to open their house and their hearts to events supporting these efforts. They were an integral part of the church’s choir tours to England, Scotland, and Wales, then to France and Switzerland, and finally to Italy. They sang in many old European churches, and were the day’s choir for the Sunday service of the American Church of Paris. The bus rides between stops were always filled with song. She was the island’s resident expert on residential real estate, especially Edgartown, from her many years of doing title work. Once Anne Vose would identify the houses that would be on the annual Federated House Tour, Mary Jane would prepare the background on each, most often from memory, and would do the opening presentation to kick off the tour. She was the clerk of the church on and off for many years, including this year, keeping careful track of all of the official business of the church council. They both unselfishly served on any number of church committees over the years, including search and call committees to bring in new settled pastors. She and Glenn were also early supporters of and participants in the Island Community Chorus. 

Mary Jane endowed her many talents, energy, and infectious enthusiasm on the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library for more than 10 years. As president, she led the Friends organization through many successful fundraising efforts in support of the library’s building project. Mary Jane’s effortlessly positive leadership style and can-do attitude infused the Friends with an energy that only strengthened over her tenure as president. She was exceedingly generous with her time, and more than one member can count her as the person who both invited and welcomed them into the group. 

The Friends, as well as the Edgartown Public Library, received the honor of being chronicled in a book both researched and written by Mary Jane, titled “The Edgartown Free Public Library, 1891 – 2016: A Brief History of the Library and its Friends.” The book presents a rich history of the origins of the Edgartown Public Library, as well as the creation of the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library, tracing the group’s history and growth as an organization tirelessly dedicated to supporting the library and its programming.

Mary Jane’s work, talent, kindness, passion, and contributions as a member of the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library made an indelible impact on the library, its staff, and trustees, an impact that will resonate forever. In addition to her work with the library, Mary Jane served on the board of the Edgartown Council on Aging.

The death of her older son Bob in 2016 and of Glenn in 2017 were difficult blows for Mary Jane that were softened by the arrival of her little dog Teddy; by her strong relationship with her son, daughters-in-law, and granddaughter; and by the friendship of so many who appreciated her laugh, sincerity, appreciation for good books, local history, and love of a good bargain. 

Mary Jane is survived by her sister, Jean, of Littleton, Colo.; her son, William, and his wife Ellen, of Falls Church, Va.; and her daughter-in-law Amy and granddaughter Jane of Pittsburgh, Pa. She was predeceased by her husband for 50 years, Glenn; her son, Robert; and her brother, John Scheidhauer, of Mercer, Pa.

A memorial service will be held in the future when her friends and family can gather again. Donations in her memory may be sent to the Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 249, and to the Friends of the Edgartown Public Library, P.O. Box 5249, both in Edgartown, MA 02539.

Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Zeb Devine (“Thadius”) was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, a member of the Wampanoag tribe. He was a talented welder, trained in underwater applications. The true measure of a man, however, is not in what he did for a living or where he went to school, but in the lives he touched … and he touched so many. 

New Orleans became his home in 2009, and the city seemed to match his spirit — vibrant, artistic, magical, coming to life at night, and unapologetically true to itself. Here he met countless kindred spirits, one of those being Sara Fiorenzo, with whom he forged a special bond as partner and mother of his sons, Lucian and Caius. 

He also leaves a city of friends who remember him as “an artist with a soul bigger than the sea,” someone who “encouraged every person [he] met to be more than ever before.” Someone whose “confidence was unmatchable, yet … always humble and kind,” “the most gentle soul and the strongest protector,” and “one of the smartest, kindest, most genuine humans to walk this earth. Hear him tell it, he wasn’t human. I guess that’s why he brightened every room he entered, I guess that’s why he impacted so many lives; I guess that’s why he’s legendary.” 

His cousin, Marah Bradley, summed him up best: “I always felt lucky to be related to you — you invented your own flavor, pissed on conformity, had charisma for days, spread joy wherever you went, and befriended everyone you met. You were a badass, mischievous, inventive wonder seeker, and I couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of your life. We lost a treasure of a soul in you, and we are left wrecked without you.”

He leaves his partner, Sara Fiorenzo, and their sons, Lucian and Caius; his sister and friend, Julie Devine of Washington, D.C.; his sister Andrea Eckhoff and his mother, Patricia Ray, both of Tucson, Ariz.; and countless others from Martha’s Vineyard to Los Angeles. He was predeceased by his father, Ralph (“Syd”) Devine. 

To Thadius: Rest easy knowing you did as much as humanly possible to make this world brighter for the rest of us. You proved you were alive every moment you were with us. You will be sorely missed, you shooting star.

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Peter Worden Look, of Edgartown, passed away on August 12, 2020, at age 84. He fought a 10-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Peter was born April 4, 1936, in Oak Bluffs, to Agatha Worden Look and Christopher (Huck) Look. He lived all his life in Edgartown. He served on the Edgartown Fire Department for 57 years as deputy fire chief, retiring at the mandatory age of 70. He served as a deputy sheriff for Dukes County, then chief court officer for 30 years, retiring in 1999. He worked at the Harborside Liquor Store on Main Street for many years, then bought Al’s Package Store. He served on the building committee of the Martha’s Vineyard Boys and Girls Club, the Edgartown finance board, and the board of engineers of the Fire Department.

He is survived by his wife Phyllis (Schwab) Look, sons Peter L., Gary (Amy), and Jeffrey (Victoria), and daughter Marilyn (Ned); and stepchildren Pauline Maciel (Robert) and Robert Brown (Teri). He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren; his sister Leslie Carroll and brother-in-law Thomas Teller, sister-in-law and brother-in-law David and Rhoda Schwab, and sisters-in-law Ellen Everett of Overgaard, Ariz., and Audrey Harding of Falmouth; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by sisters Barbara Lee, Nancy McCormack, and Estey Teller, and brother Christopher (“Huck”) Look.

He loved his poker games every Wednesday, and just a month ago had it at his home. The same group every week played at his home.

A graveside service was held on August 15, where Peter was laid to rest at the New Westside Cemetery in Edgartown. The Rev. Chip Seadale officiated the service, and honors were provided by the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department and the Edgartown Fire Department.

Donations in Peter’s name may be made to Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod, 434 Route 134, Suite D3, South Dennis, MA 02660.

For online guestbook and information, visit ccgfuneralhome.com.

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Katherine G. Manning, 96, of Oak Bluffs, passed away on June 23, 2020. 

Her family will have memorial visitation on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 to 12, in the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 56 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. The burial of her ashes will follow at 12:30 at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineyard Ave., Oak Bluffs, officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle. Donations may be made to the Benevolent Fund at the Holy Ghost Association, P.O. Box 2203, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

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Ronald Keith Chambers Jr., 50, of Tecumseh, Mo., died on June 17, 2020, at the Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home, Ark. He was born March 12, 1970, in Oak Bluffs, the son of Ronald Keith Chambers Sr. and Margaret C. Chambers of Edgartown.

Ronald was known by friends and family for his hard work, dedication to family, and his love for them. He was deeply loved, and will be greatly missed. 

Ronald was preceded in death by his wife, Nancy Ann Chambers, and a son, Robert Christian Chambers. Ronald is survived by his parents; his daughters, Shelby Ann Chambers and Jaime Lynn Chambers; a son, Ronald Keith Chambers III; brothers Christopher R. Chambers Sr., James L. Chambers, and Nicholas Chambers; sisters Kimberly Mello, Margaret R. Chambers, and Christine C. Clayburn; and a granddaughter, Olivia Jean-Ann Chambers.

No local services are planned at this time.

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Lucille Gardner Whitman, 91, died in St. Petersburg, Fla., on August 17, 2020, after a brief illness. 

Lucille was born on Jan. 26,1929, in New Bedford to Gladys Koenig Hillman and John Gardner Hillman. She spent her early years living in the home of her paternal grandparents on Pope Street in New Bedford, and in Providence, R.I. 

After graduating from New Bedford High School, Lucille attended St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing. One of her classmates there was Bernice Wells (Orcutt) of Edgartown, who introduced her to Bob Carroll. In 1950 they married, and Lucille’s life in Edgartown began. 

In the early 1950s she worked at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, while Bob was out fishing. Later they ran the Coffee Shop, where Rockfish is now. The Seafood Shanty on Dock Street was started by Bob and Lucille in 1960. 

In the 1960s, when her husband was busy growing his real estate business and buying hotels, there were few restaurants open in the off-season. Often Bob would call in the late afternoon and say, I’m bringing some people home for dinner. Julia Child would be consulted, the table set, and a lovely dinner produced for whomever. Authors, artists, teachers, journalists, and governors were entertained in their dining room on High Street, always accompanied by her delicious food, spirited conversation, and welcoming nature.

In later years, she and her second husband, Roger C. Whitman, traveled the world in search of birds and adventure. South Africa, Europe, China, Peru, the Amazon, Alaska (with James Michener on board), and Borneo were explored. They had a home in Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, and later for many years in Gulfport, Fla., where Lucille leaves many friends. She was a longtime parishioner at Pasadena Community Church, where she organized the weekly community dinners for many years. 

Lucille was an intrepid traveler, and even in her 90s didn’t worry a bit about getting on a plane and heading up to the Vineyard. Her last trip was for Christmas in 2019 to celebrate with family here. 

Lucille leaves four daughters, Sue Carroll of Edgartown (Jared Grant), Jane Joyce of Edgartown, Sarah Bray (John) of Tonawanda, N.Y., and Mary Ellen Goodsir (Rohan) of Whanganui, New Zealand; two stepsons, Grenville Whitman (Janice) of Rock Hall, Md. and Michael Whitman (Lynn) of Lyme, N.H.; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, among them Lucille the second. She was predeceased by her husband, Roger C. Whitman, in 2000. 

Donations in her memory may be made to Pasadena Community Church, 227 70th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33707. Arrangements are in the care of David C. Gross Funeral Homes, St. Petersburg. View the online guestbook at davidgross.com.

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Brenda Joan (Worden) Lynch, 73, of Rochester, passed away peacefully Saturday, August 29, 2020, at Tobey Hospital, after enduring a long battle with metastatic breast cancer. 

Born and raised in Edgartown, she was the daughter of Frederick Hudson Worden and Dorothy (Stuhler) Worden. Brenda was a 1965 graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert Leo Lynch Sr., with whom she shared over 45 wonderful years of marriage in Rochester, where they made their home.

She was a proud and private woman, a creative and talented homemaker, calligrapher, crafter, teacher of all things home and garden, and a great lover of nature and animals. After raising her children, she enjoyed employment and new friendships for 21 years at Talbots Distribution Center.

She is survived by her brother, James Worden and his wife Margaret of Greenfield; two sisters, Cheryl Pinkham of Vineyard Haven, and Paula Stone and her husband Kenneth of Hartford, Ala.; a son, Richard Combra Jr. and his wife Jennifer of Oak Bluffs; two daughters, Abby Sage and her husband Christopher of Braintree, and Sara Keville and her husband David of Braintree; a stepson, Robert Lynch Jr. and his wife Pamela of Swansea; her beloved grandchildren, Sophie, Richie, Annie, Troy, Emma, Liam, Brendan, Kiera, Niamh, Cian, and the soon to be born Robert; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Brenda was also predeceased by her sister, Dorothy Ellen Krikorian of Conroe, Texas. 

Visiting hours are from 3 to 6 pm on Friday, Sept. 4, at Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 56 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. 

Her graveside service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, at Old Westside Cemetery, Edgartown. 

To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, visit ccgfuneralhome.com.

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Robert Chambers (“Bobby”), 26, of Gainesville, Mo., passed away on Feb. 12, 2020. 

He was born on April 26, 1993, in Oak Bluffs to Ronald Keith Chambers Jr. and Nancy Ann (Hathaway) Chambers.

Everyone who knew Bobby knew he had a heart of gold, and would help anyone who needed it. His smile and laugh were infectious, and brought happiness to all who knew him. We love him deeply, and he will be greatly missed.

Robert is survived by his sisters, Shelby Ann Harris and Jaime Lynn Chambers; his brothers Jason Shaw, Travis Shaw, Scott Shaw, and Ronald Keith Chambers III. He was preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Ann Chambers.

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Robert Dutton (“Bob”), a writer, teacher, producer, actor, theater and film buff, and a friend to many, passed away in his home on August 27, 2020, surrounded by family, including his beloved dog Pika. He was taken by glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor.

Bob was born on Oct. 18, 1961, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He was the last of four sons born to David Garland Dutton and Barbara McDowell Dutton. The family, including brothers David, Allan, and John, spent summers in Harthaven in Oak Bluffs during Bob’s childhood. In 1976, when Bob was in 10h grade, the family moved to the island year-round.

Bob found his calling in the theater department at MVRHS, and after school in many ITW productions. It was a joyful next step to Emerson College, where he graduated in 1983 with a B.F.A. in theater directing. Here his special passion for musicals flourished while he made lifelong friends in shows and Phi Alpha Tau.

After a brief stint in Los Angeles working for Taft/Barish Productions, he returned to the Island and opened the iconic Island Entertainment video store. Due to his friendly nature and knowledgeable staff, IE became the place to discover great films and enjoy movie banter. Bob simultaneously pursued more musical theater directing projects and acting roles with ITW and the M.V. Playhouse, and became a member of Actors’ Equity Association in 1989.

After four years of store ownership, Bob’s passion for new creative projects led to selling Island Entertainment (which continued for decades under the skilled leadership of dear friends) and moving to Orlando, Fla., with his future wife and fellow professional performer, Molly Conole. They were married in 1993 at the M.V. Playhouse, aptly in a costume-themed wedding.

Bob worked as an actor at Universal Studios and Disney, and considered these times with talented friends a pinnacle in his life. As friend and fellow performer Greg Triggs said, “He always arrived with a contagious joy.” He brought that youthful enthusiasm to many projects that he engaged in during these times — publishing Classic TV Magazine, opening the Film Society video store in Orlando, and working as a marketing director for SAK Theatre and the Starlight Dinner Theaters. He also began his playwriting through two productions at the Orlando International Fringe Festival, capturing his wit and humor: “Out of the Woods (and Into the Frying Pan)” and “The Weekly Actor of the Year Competition.”

The other huge joy in Bob’s life was being a father to his two children: Amelia Belle Conole Dutton (born 1994) and Simon Pierre Conole Dutton (born 1998). His kids brought out the impish kid as well as the kind teacher in him, leading naturally to his next passion. He taught English and drama for middle and high schoolers at Central Florida schools for 13 years. His classes, like his life, were full of creativity and not textbook-based. He pushed his students to think outside of the box, to be creative, honest in writing and acting, and to work hard. He was voted “Best Teacher in the Orlando Area” by Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine in 2011.

In 2013, Bob and family moved back to the Vineyard. Bob taught drama briefly at MVRHS, then found a way to incorporate his love of film and teaching at the M.V. Film Society. Bob was theater manager there, recognized as a friendly greeter of patrons. He provided informative introductions to films, and also taught many film classes to deepen appreciation for dramatic techniques and structure. Episodes of his series “Film Talk,” which have had thousands of views, can be found on the M.V. Film Society’s website under “Education.”

Bob continued his passion for writing in most recent days by working on many projects. His “Office Noise” farce was awarded top prize in the Kaplan New Playwrights/New Plays Competition by the Eventide Theatre Company in 2018. His full-length musical “The Ivory Door” received the precious gift of a staged reading by dear friends via Zoom. Bob was able to hear his words, and many themes that were important to him, come to life. He was also writing scripts for a TV series about a bisexual male in the title role of “Tom.”

Bob made the courageous decision to come out as bisexual on his 55th birthday. He was active as a mentor in MVRHS’s Gay-Straight Alliance, and was working on starting a PFLAG organization on the island. He considered open-mindedness and love the highest values. His work will be continued by others.

Bob was the embodiment of these words of wisdom from his own “The Ivory Door”: Live well the life you have been given.” That he did, with glee.

Bob is survived by his wife Margaret A. (“Molly”) Conole, daughter Amelia, son Simon, and dog Pika. He was predeceased by his father, David G. Dutton, in February of 2020, but survived by his mother, Barbara Dutton, of Harthaven, his brothers David M. (wife Renée), Allan (wife Bianca) and John; and by his nieces and nephews Stanley, Chloe, and Allan Lourdan.

A celebration of his life, aptly titled “Honoring Bob In Costume” will be held via Zoom on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 pm. Attendees are encouraged to dress in any creative way that brings them joy and to log in early. A link to his service is here: bit.ly/DuttonService.

Bob would appreciate donations in his name to any of these worthy organizations: pflag.org, Bisexual Resource Center (biresource.org), M.V. Film Society, M.V. Playhouse, or Hospice of M.V.

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Roland G. Dumais of Yarmouth Port passed away on August 26, 2020, at the Cape Cod Hospital, after a brief incident. 

He was the beloved son of the late Joseph Roland and Lorraine B. Dumais; brother of the late Jean L. Dumais. He is survived by his only brother, Robert P. Dumais Sr. of Oak Bluffs and Naples, Fla.; his nephew, Robert P. Dumais Jr. and his children, Bobby Dumais III and Amanda Dumais of Falmouth; and his nephew, Scott T. Dumais and wife Tracey and their children Kara and Danny of Norfolk and Falmouth.

Roland lived in a group home in Yarmouth Port with his friends and the best caregivers he could have asked for, especially Corrina; a very special thank-you to Corrina for all she did for Roland. He loved the people he lived with in the group home. He would often speak of how much he liked living with each and every one of them. He will be missed! Please know how much his family appreciated the care and love that was given to Roland throughout the years he spent in Yarmouth Port.

Roland was a member of the Nauset, Inc. and Cape Abilities workshop for special needs. He leaves behind lots of friends made throughout his days at the workshop.

Services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Lyndon Center, 895 Mary Dunn Road, Hyannis, MA 02601.

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One week ago, the world grew a lot dimmer when we lost a member of our Island family, Autumn McGowan. Formerly known as Austin McGowan, she was just shy of 24 years old. Autumn was an amazingly talented artist, skateboarder, friend to many, and loved by even more. A celebration of life is being planned for October.

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