Harold Augustus Bauld of Edgartown and Dania Beach, Fla., died peacefully in the hospice unit at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 6, after a very brief illness. He was 86. His daughter, Robin Bauld, and wife, Dr. Patricia Tyra, were at the bedside, and his sister, Donna Marshall, and her husband David were also in the room.
Born on August 5, 1930, in Somerville, Harold graduated from Medford High School and worked with his father in the building and plastering trade for a short while before joining the U.S. Air Force for four years. Later he graduated from Tufts University and began his lifelong computer career, first with ECA in East Cambridge, and then as an independent contractor working for Blue Cross, DOT, and others in New York City, Syracuse, Phoenix, West Virginia, and New Jersey. He and high school buddy, Charley Hoarty of Medford, had a part-time tax-preparation business for several years.
A sports enthusiast all his life, he enjoyed running track and handball at the Cambridge Y, attending Red Sox games at Fenway Park and later at their spring-training fields in Florida. He played tennis and racquetball with his wife, Pat, and let her teach him to ski in New Hampshire. In Florida he regularly rode his bike until a fall had him sticking to golf, the pool, and the gym. With the beginning of Parkinson’s disease, he was often seen this past summer using a four-wheel walker for his regular walks in town.
After his wife, Pat, designed their modular home on Shurtleff Way, they spent summers and early fall on the Vineyard. Harold enjoyed lunches and entertainment at the Anchors, Vineyard Haven Band concerts and Edgartown library lawn concerts, fishing with friends, the Ag Fair, Illumination Night, art shows and plays, Martha’s Vineyard Museum exhibits, dinners at local restaurants, riding his bike on local bike trails in the early years, and anything else his wife planned for them, including yearly birthday celebrations with daughter Robin and granddaughter Caitlin.
A secret poet, in 2006 he received an award for Outstanding Achievement in Poetry from the International Library of Poetry for his poem “Appalled.” To keep his mind alert, he daily worked on crossword puzzles and nightly watched “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy.”
Harold was predeceased by his parents, Gladys (Churchill) and Harold Bauld, and first wife Lorraine (Cino) Bauld. He is survived by his wife, Pat, siblings June Silva of Topsfield and Donna Marshall (and husband David) of Reading; three children and their spouses, Robin Bauld and Gary Conserva of Medford, Harold Bauld and Ines Gomez-Ochoa of New York City, and Steven and Lori Bauld. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and nine nieces and nephews.
His body was donated to the University of Miami and to Science Care for research, tissue donation, and education. No services will be held, but family and friends will gather in Edgartown later this year to celebrate his life.
Bruce K. Young died suddenly and of natural causes on Jan. 22, 2017, at his home in Madison, N.Y. He was 86.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.A native of Syracuse, Bruce was one of two children born to Eugene D. and Mabel D. Young. A graduate of Onondaga Valley Academy in 1948, Bruce served in the U.S. Air Force for two enlistments, ending in 1957. Trained as an aircraft mechanic, he never forgot the beauty of his post at Andersen AFB on Guam, fondly reminiscing about the island’s tropical sun, pristine beaches, dramatic cliffs, and deep, brilliant blue ocean.
He is survived by three children from his first marriage in 1957 to Nancy Ann Butler: Sarah Young of Martha’s Vineyard, Ted Young (and his former wife Sandra, along with their children Chris and Therez) of Middletown, N.Y., and Dan Young of Madison, N.Y. They, along with countless friends, remember Bruce as a gentle man whose mellow nature belied a mischievous sense of humor. As a child, he cultivated his mechanical aptitude by loading a small cannon with dynamite charges pilfered from the local railroad yard to blow holes in the back of the family’s garage. There were no casualties.
In a career with IBM that spanned more than 25 years, Bruce worked as a field engineer and technical writer and editor in both Endicott and Armonk, N.Y. His precocious mechanical abilities were honed through his passion for tinkering with automobiles, including a classic Cadillac and a sedate 1980 Volvo 264 that he retrofitted with a powerful Mustang engine, as well as model airplanes. In recent years, Bruce derived a great deal of satisfaction by posting about his years of Volvo ownership as a frequent online contributor to the Brickboard, where he was known as “Still Lucid.”
He dabbled in art and music, sketching and painting in oils, playing both clarinet and guitar, and enjoying an eclectic range of music. His favorite playlist would include big bands from the 1920s and 1930s, folk music, Dixieland tunes from Syracuse’s own Salt City Five, and the New Orleans band Tuba Skinny’s distinctive traditional jazz.
Bruce was an animal lover with a particular fondness for felines, and many animal rescue organizations benefited from his modest but heartfelt donations. Predeceased by his beloved cats Misty and Zoe, his current pair, Patrick the Great and Queso, will undoubtedly miss the hours that their very own cat whisperer spent catering to their every need.
One of Bruce’s favorite destinations was Martha’s Vineyard, where his daughter Sarah has lived and worked as a designer and artisan of beaded jewelry for the past two decades. Together, often several times a year, they explored not only the Vineyard but the nearby Elizabeth Islands as well. Friends will miss the pleasure of his annual visits.
In addition to his children and grandchildren, Bruce is survived by five nieces: Deb, Donna, Lori, Teri, and Marni. He was predeceased on July 26, 2015, by his sister Marion Jaquin of Syracuse and Cape Vincent, N.Y. Plans are being made for a springtime celebration of his life. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Bruce’s name to the animal shelter or spay-neuter program of your choice.
Dorothy Newton died on Jan. 17, 2017. She was born on May 4, 1921, in the Hebrides of Scotland, and raised by her mother, Lily Jessop Wilson, and her grandfather, Henry J. Wilson, in Merseyside, England.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Dorothy’s grandfather was a contractor and also owned a large hardware store. Dorothy would tell stories about how as a young girl, she would help out in the store and go out to sell soap house to house, and collect rents.
Her grandfather, whom she loved so much, had property on a river in Chester. As a young girl, Dorothy would ride her bicycle to Chester — 40 miles, she used to say — with her little schipperke dog in a knapsack!
She was proud to have belonged to the Girl Guides (the U.K. equivalent of our Girl Scouts). She recounted stories of being strafed during World War II, and as a young woman she held a civilian support position at an RAF air base. Shortly after the war, she moved to the States.
I first met Dorothy in New York State in 1966 through a mutual friend. I had an AKC German shepherd bitch that I wanted to breed, and Dorothy was a breeder, trainer, and judge who had a kennel with imported bloodlines from Germany.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Though I moved back to Massachusetts in 1968, Dorothy and I stayed in touch, and three years later, we were married. Through the years, Dorothy worked as a librarian in three Massachusetts prisons, starting with the women’s prison in Framingham; she was later recruited to organize the general and law libraries at MCI Concord, and recruited once again to literally build — that is, acquire all furnishings, books, etc. — the new library for the medium-security prison at MCI Shirley. Her inmate clerks, mostly lifers, politely named her “Maggie” after Margaret Thatcher, who was also known as the “Iron Lady.” Dorothy served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in this role for 22 years, during which time she attained her master’s in library science, which enabled her to better apply for federal grant money for her libraries.
Dorothy was also a licensed real estate broker in Massachusetts, and along with our full-time jobs, we worked many years together for a family trust, marketing properties on Martha’s Vineyard, St. Croix, and Las Cruces, N.M. We were a great team ,and our efforts allowed us to bring our dream of a home on the Vineyard and a home in Florida to fruition in December 1995.
Dorothy loved to ballroom dance, and whenever we were asked how long we had been dancing, I would always reply that Dorothy was born dancing! We received many blessings in our life together, and one of the greatest blessings has been the wonderful friends we have made through church, our Masonic and Shriner connections, and especially through dancing. Everyone loved Dorothy, and she would always grace them with her beautiful smile, a smile we will never forget!
Dorothy leaves behind her husband Tom, married for 46 years this year; her beautiful daughter, Christine (Scott); three loving granddaughters, Wendy, Robin, and Jenifer; and a handsome great-grandson, Brady.
She is sorely missed, and will be always loved. We know she is starting a new life and dancing with our Lord. God bless you, my Dorothy Elizabeth, I love you.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Shriners Hospital for Children,12502 USF Pine Drive Tampa, FL 33612-9411, and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 623 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart, FL 34994.
Leona E. White, a lifelong resident of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully on Thursday morning, Jan. 26, 2017 at the Martha‘s Vineyard Hospital. She was 92 years old, just shy of her 93rd birthday.
Leona was born on Feb. 12, 1924 to Elisha T. Smith and Rose Anna Julian. She was married to Lester A. White for 47 years. He predeceased her in 2013.
Leona will be remembered for her able and willing helping hand to so many. She enjoyed baking, knitting, crocheting, gardening, and bird watching. During her early years, she made birthday and wedding cakes for so many.
She is survived by her son, Antone L. White, and wife Carrie; by five grandchildren, Mary Beth Baptiste, Christopher J. Thurber and wife Amy, Heather A. White, Heidi E. White, James A. White; and by her daughter-in-law, Susan Thurber. She is also survived by one great-granddaughter, Samantha L. Thurber; one great-great-granddaughter; and several nieces, nephews, and friends. Leona was also predeceased by her first husband, Adelburt E. Thurber, in 1962, her brother Elisha R. Smith in 2013, by her son Adelburt E. (Bud) Thurber, and her daughter, Eleanor (Thurber) Eglinas.
A graveside service for family and friends was held on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at Smith Cemetery, located at Barnes Road, Oak Bluffs.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.
Victoria Rachel Gadowski Core died peacefully surrounded with love on Jan. 30, 2017. We watched her close her eyes, and gently held her hand.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Tori was born at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on March 15, 1980 (her dad’s birthday), to John G. Gadowski of West Tisbury and Jennie Gadowski of Northborough. She graduated from the MVRHS, and her greatest passion growing up was her horses.
Tori leaves behind two beautiful daughters, Jennelle Desiree Gadowski and Jaidah Bridget Gadowski, both of whom were the light of her life. Jennelle was her miracle baby, her gift from God, and Jaidah was her “Buddha mini me.” Both girls loved their mother unconditionally.
Besides her parents and her daughters, Tori has aunts, uncles, godparents, cousins, and countless friends whose lives she touched, who will all remember her with love.
A potluck celebration of Tori’s life will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, at 11 am at the West Tisbury Fire Department, 452 State Road, West Tisbury.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the West Tisbury Volunteer Firemen’s Civic Association Inc., P.O. Box 211, West Tisbury MA 02575.
Elizabeth Audrey (Johnson) LeBeau, 79, died peacefully on Jan. 21, 2017, at McCarthy Care Center in Sandwich, after a fairly brief illness.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Beth fell in love with the Vineyard while spending summers at her grandmother’s gingerbread cottage as a young girl, and eventually made the Campground in Oak Bluffs her full-time residence upon retirement in 1997. She was born in Acushnet, and graduated from Dartmouth High School in 1955. She received a bachelor of textile chemistry from New Bedford Institute of Technology in 1959.
Beth taught science at Ayer Junior-Senior High in Ayer for more than 25 years. She was an enthusiastic member of the Business and Professional Women Foundation, traveled to Belize with NEMEI (Northeast Marine Environmental Institute) from Woods Hole and volunteered with Senior Environmental and AmeriCorps. She was very artistic, loved painting and creating scrimshaw, and various types of jewelry design. Grand Illumination was the highlight of the year for Beth, and she often invited anyone she met, on- or off-Island, to stop by the cottage and share in the night’s festivities.
Beth leaves behind her daughter, Dianne (LeBeau) Grant of Pepperell, and two grandchildren, Timothy Grant and Laura Grant; her sister, Joyce Swartz, with husband Russell of Edgartown, and their daughter, Amy Ellrodt, and husband Gregg from Boston, and their children Charles and Lilly; her sister, Judith Gifford, and her late husband Paul of Somerset, their daughter, Pamela Rodrigues, and her husband Bryan of Franklin and their children Emma, Natalie, and Elizabeth, and their son, Paul (P.J.) Gifford, and wife Carrie of Somerset and their children Alison, Vanesa, and Andrew.
If so inclined, please remember Beth with a gift to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, MS #40, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1050 or the Tabernacle Restoration Fund, MVCMA, P.O. 1685, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
A memorial service is being planned at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs for this spring.
Ralph T. “Bart” Bartlett died on Jan. 30, 2017, at Indian River Medical Center at the age of 92.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Born in Lyndhurst, N.J., the son of Ralph Bartlett Sr. and Elinor Chambers Bartlett, he resided in Vero Beach, Fla. He also lived in the Chatham-Madison-Summit area of New Jersey for more than 50 years, and was a longtime seasonal resident of Martha’s Vineyard, where he and his family owned a home on Sengekontacket Pond for over 25 years.
Bart graduated from Lyndhurst High School with honors at age 16, and in the fall of 1941 entered Lehigh University. After flight training in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he returned to Lehigh and graduated in 1947. Bart was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, president of the Interfraternity Council, sports editor of the Brown and White, and a member of the five-man Student Governing Committee. He attended graduate school at New York University.
He was a retired senior partner of the international CPA firm of Deloitte Haskins & Sells (now Deloitte). He became a partner in the firm in 1961, and after managing the firm’s operations in Connecticut and New Jersey, transferred to the firm’s executive office in New York City in 1978, where he was responsible for the firm’s marketing and practice development. He retired from the firm in 1984 at age 60.
He was an editor of the New Jersey CPA Journal, and in 1963 was elected president of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. He was on the governing council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and served two terms as an elected member of council. In 1977 he was elected to a three-year term as a member of the national Review Board of the AICPA.
In 1984 Bart joined the board of directors of Elizabethtown Water Co. in Elizabeth, N.J. In the following year he was also elected a director of E’town Corp. and Driver-Harris Corp. of Harrison, N.J., and New Ross, Ireland.
Bart served as president of the Lehigh Club of Northern N.J., and in 1982 was the recipient of the Lehigh University Alumni Association Award. He was a trustee and finance committee chairman of St. Timothy’s House in Newark, and served the Episcopal diocese of Newark as chairman of its audit committee. He was also treasurer and a member of the board of governors of the Essex Club of Newark, and vice chairman of the finance committee and chairman of the audit and budget committee of the town of Indian River Shores, Fla. He also served as president of his Florida condominium association for more than 20 years.
He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Vero Beach, Fla., Calvary Church in Summit, N.J., Grace Church in Madison, N.J., and St. Andrew’s Church in Edgartown, and served as senior warden of Christ Church in Bethany, Conn., and vestryman and treasurer of St. Paul’s in Chatham, N.J.
Bart was a member of John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Edgartown Yacht Club, and
Edgartown Golf Club. He was a president of the Minisink Club of Chatham, N.J.
Bart was devoted to his family, and spent many happy hours playing golf and tennis with his wife, and their children and grandchildren. He especially enjoyed cruising on Long Island Sound and the waters around Martha’s Vineyard with his family on their boat Barnadet.
Generosity and optimism like Bart’s are rare, and he touched so many lives with his capacity to give. He leaves his best friend and wife, Natalie (née Khun), to whom he was married in 1947; three children, Deborah E. Nelson (Richard) of Chatham, N.J., Jeffrey C. Bartlett (Rebecca) of Vero Beach, and Thomas A. Bartlett (Francesca) of Boston and Titusville, N.J.; grandchildren James C. Nelson of Livingston, N.J., Meghan C. Bartlett of Arnold, Md., Matthew T. Bartlett of New York City, and Brittany A. Bartlett of Virginia Beach, Va. He also leaves behind two sisters, Alice Kraus of Naples, Fla., and Ethelwyn Eyrick of LaPorte, Ind., and Martha’s Vineyard.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 am on Feb. 4, 2017, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Pine Avenue, Vero Beach, with the Rev. Christopher Rodriguez officiating.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Asa Packer Society of Lehigh University, 25 Goodman Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18015, or to a charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach. An online guestbook is available atstrunkfuneralhome.com.
Howard Robert Attebery, 94, died on Wednesday morning, Feb. 1, 2017, at his home in West Tisbury. He was married to Cynthia Riggs and was the father of Mark Attebery of New York.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Cynthia Riggs of West Tisbury and Dr. Howard Attebery of West Tisbury, in 2013. —Photo by Lynn Christoffers
A private graveside burial service will be held in March in the West Tisbury Cemetery. A grand celebration of his life will be held this summer, and a complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper.
Donations in his memory may be made to the West Tisbury Public Library, 1042 State Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visitccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.
John Tenney Mead, 88, of Edgartown, died on Friday morning, Feb. 3, 2017, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was the father of Amy H. Mead and Emily Mead-Santos.
His funeral service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear at that time. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.
Neva D. Oneal Thornhill died on Friday, Nov. 11,2016, with her family nearby.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Neva D. Oneal was born in Bogard, Mo., to Elmer and Emma (Bunney) Oneal. Paternal grandparents were Philander and Emma Oneal. Maternal grandparents were Winfield and Leora (Lyons) Bunney. Neva was the last of three children; Nellie Oneal Well was the eldest, followed by Nelson B. Oneal. The Elmer Oneals moved from Bogard while Neva D was a toddler. They purchased a family farm in Carrollton, Mo., which is still in existence today.
Neva D. (this how she was addressed by family and friends) grew up on the farm with her siblings. Neva D. attended Van Horn Methodist Church with her parents, and she was a member of the 4-H club. During her elementary school years she attended classes in two one-room schoolhouses (the Baker school and the Whipperwill school) for grades one through eight. After completing the eighth grade, Neva D. went on to Carrollton High School. After graduation she was accepted at Research Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, Mo. Following nursing school, Neva attended Baylor University in Texas, the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and Mercy College in New York, where she received a bachelor of science degree.
Neva D. began her nursing career working at Research Hospital in Kansas City and Leavenworth Veterans Administration Hospital in Leavenworth, Kan. In 1955 she entered the United States Air Force Nursing Corps, where she was commissioned as a first lieutenant. She was enrolled in the Air Force Flight Nursing School, and graduated as a flight nurse. Her duty stations included Maxwell AFB Alabama, Waco AFB Texas, Gunther AFB Alabama, Ladd AFB Alaska, and Richards Gabour AFB Missouri. Neva enjoyed the time she spent in the Air Force, and her duty as a flight nurse, transporting injured and sick military personnel from various outposts to a major hospital. She always had a desire to fly, and even considered becoming a flight attendant prior to joining the Air Force. Neva enjoyed her service as flight nurse so much that she decided to make it her career. While stationed at Ladd AFB in Alaska, she met Melvin, her future husband, who changed her mind. After four years in the Air Force, Neva D. worked at the Manhattan and the Bronx Veterans Administration Hospitals. She retired from the Bronx V.A. hospital, having completed 33 years in the Veterans Administration Hospital system.
On June 4, 1960, Neva D. Oneal was joined in marriage to Melvin Douglas Thornhill. They had two children, Denice Marcell Thornhill and Melvyn Douglas Thornhill II. During their 56 years of marriage, she lived in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mount Vernon, N.Y., and Vineyard Haven. While the children were growing up, and after retirement, Neva traveled with her family to places in the West and Midwest, the East Coast, the Caribbean, and back to Alaska. In rare moments when she could relax, she would make her own clothes, make bedspreads and quilts for Melvin and the children, and embroider pillowcases and handkerchiefs for gifts. Neva was a loving wife, mother, and friend.
Neva’s religious life began in the Van Horn Methodist Church in Bogard, where she attended church until moving from the area. She attended services at a local chapel in Kansas City, Kan., where she decided to be baptized by immersion. She attended military chapels while serving in the Air Force. After her marriage, she joined the Baptist Church, and was active on committees at the Trinity Baptist Church in Brooklyn, and also at the First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, where she served as a deaconess and a member of the board of christian education. In 1988 she was honored as the Churchwoman of the Year. After Melvin’s retirement, they became full-time residents of Martha’s Vineyard, and she and Melvin became members of the First Baptist Church of Vineyard Haven, where Neva served on the missions committee.
During the 56 years and 5 months of their marriage, Neva D. and Melvin were inseparable — you very rarely saw one without the other. Neva and her dry sense of humor will be missed by many. She leaves her husband, Melvin, daughter Denice, son Melvyn (M.D.), daughter-in-law Phyllis, and a host of relatives and friends.
Neva D. donated her body to Tufts University School of Medical Sciences in Boston. A celebration of life service will take place in April at the First Baptist Church, 407 New Rochelle Road, Bronxville, N.Y., with a repast to follow. When her body returns to the Island, there will be a local service and burial with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Neva’s name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748; First Baptist Church of Vineyard Haven, P.O. Box 806; or American Legion Post 257, P.O. Box 257, all in Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; or the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557; the Gay Head Community Baptist Church, P.O. Box 806, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; or the VNA of Cape Cod and the Islands, 255 Independence Drive, Hyannis, MA 02601.
Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visitccgfuneralhome.com for online guest book and information.
Judith Jenks Fraser-Pearse died peacefully at her home in Vineyard Haven on Feb. 1, 2017, after a recent diagnosis of cancer. She was 78 years old.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Judy was born to Donald and Edith Jenks of Princeton, N.J., on July 31, 1938. Judy first fell in love with the Island in 1947 when visiting with her parents. She attended Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar, Va. She then worked in high fashion in Philadelphia, where she met and married Alan Fraser. They began visiting the Island regularly when her parents moved year-round to their house in Vineyard Haven in 1961. As her children grew, Judy would bring the family to live with her mother to enjoy summers on the island.
Judy raised her children in Westport, Conn., where she was involved with many volunteer community efforts. She served as a member of the board of directors of Trinity Parish Nursery School in Southport, Conn., and as a member of the board of trustees at the Nature Center for Environmental Activities in Westport.
Judy’s life changed dramatically in 1978 when she got sober. This led her to her life’s work, helping individuals and families break the cycle of alcoholism. Judy worked as a volunteer at the Mid-Fairfield County Council on Alcoholism. She continued her education to become an alcoholism counselor through the National Council on Alcoholism/Westchester in White Plains, N.Y., and graduated from New Hampshire College with a bachelor’s degree in human services. She worked as an alcohol counselor at Programs on Alcohol at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, later serving as temporary program director in 1980. In 1982 Judy founded FAACTS, Foundation of Alcohol Awareness, Counseling, Training, Services, where she served as co-director.
Judy first moved to the Vineyard full-time in 1983. She established a private practice to help alcoholics, people with addictions, and their families. A nationally certified alcohol counselor, Judy was one of the first alcohol counselors in Massachusetts to receive licensure. Judy worked passionately to educate people that alcoholism is a disease and that there should not be a stigma attached to asking for help or receiving treatment. In 1996 Judy married Monte Pearse and moved to his hometown of Lexington, Va. Three years later, they returned to the Island and Judy resumed her practice. In 1999 she became actively involved with Vineyard House. Since that time she served on the board of directors, board of advisors, and the resident support committee.
Judy is survived by her daughter Alison Fraser Sheridan, son-in-law Tom, granddaughter Terra of Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; and her son Porter Fraser of Vineyard Haven. She was predeceased by her sister Sally Porter Jenks of New York City and husbands Alan Fraser and Monte Pearse. She is grateful for the love and support of her beloved friends, her relationships in the community, and life on the Island.
A celebration of Judy’s life is being planned for the fall. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Vineyard House, P.O. Box 4599, 56 Short Hill Road, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
Carol Drechsler Brandon of West Tisbury died peacefully at home on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. She was 97. She engaged every room she entered with elegance, dignity, humor, and charm. And very often in French.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Carol was born on Dec. 18, 1919, in Baltimore, Md., to Ivan and Gertrude Drechsler. While she spent much of her school years in Europe with her family, she attended the Bryn Mawr School and Notre Dame, and graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore.
After graduation, Carol moved to New York City. While working as a summer intern at the original Barnes and Noble bookstore, she met a colleague, Lawrence Brandon, with whom she fell in love and married. Their life together was a true adventure of love, dedication, partnership, and parenthood. They shared a passion for their children and their families, travel, opera, art, and literature, but mostly each other. Their marriage lasted 67 years. She expressed the intensity of their love in her journal: “How to explain that our happiness is in being together … B [Lawrence] and I were separated during the war for over two years, and I feel as though I’m always trying to make up those 800-some days …”
The birds and flowers of her beloved Sweet Meadow home were Carol’s passion. She cared for them gently and protected them fiercely. Once when her children suggested that her view from the backyard would be enhanced by removing the tree that was home to her birds, she proclaimed, “That’s a good idea. You can cut it down when I’m gone.” The tree stands today.
Carol and Lawrence lived throughout the United States, including Maryland, Connecticut, North Carolina, Louisiana, and New York. Wherever they landed, Carol made lifelong friends with her humor, loyalty, intellect, and interest. It was true of their final home, West Tisbury, which they loved most fondly. Carol had many friends from the Garden Club and the West Tisbury Congregational Church, and their retirement on Martha’s Vineyard was full and rich.
Carol was devoted to her family. She is survived by two daughters, Molly (Ernest) and Christine (George) and two sons, Tony and Rogers (Esther). There are also 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence, her parents, her sister Elizabeth Stevens Drechsler (Stevie) and brother Ivan Robinson Drechsler Jr. (Buddy).
The Brandon family would like to sincerely thank all of the caregivers and Island services that made our parents’ final years as peaceful as possible. However, we are especially grateful to Cherry Faulk for the relationship she developed with Carol in her final years. Her care, devotion, and positive spirit blessed Carol and our entire family.
Services will be scheduled in July 2017. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the West Tisbury Congregational Church.
Robert R. (Ron) Nagengast died on Feb. 2, 2017, with his loving family at his side, brilliant sun shining, and Irish music in the air.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.It was a life devoted to family. Left to honor his lasting memory are three generations of Nagengasts, and many others who loved him dearly. It will not be easy to say goodbye to Papa, but knowing the fulfilled life of happiness that was his brings solace. His was a life enjoyed through adventures, shared with family, by oceans, and in the sky.
Ron lived in Chilmark from 1998 to 2005, where he was a volunteer with the Chilmark Fire Department, and worked for the phone company. He loved his time here, Menemsha, and Lucy Vincent Beach.
The family would like to thank the staff at St. Peter’s Hospice Inn for their assistance at this difficult time.
In accordance with his wishes, no formal service will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Free to Be Me Pet Rescue, 154 Delaware Avenue, Delmar, NY 12054.
Paul Michael Domitrovich, 81, died at 3:28 am on Sunday, Feb. 6, at his winter residence in Coral Gables, Fla. Mr. Domitrovich transitioned peacefully after a long and valiant fight to survive complications of advanced heart disease. His final days were spent surrounded by friends and family who came by to pay their respects.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Born in Detroit, Mich., on June 12, 1935, to Croatian immigrants Michael Paul Domitrovich and Matilda Irek, Paul was raised with his sister, Ilene, and his two brothers, Edward and Tommy, whom he survived. Paul was a good Catholic and an even better troublemaker. He was known as Demmy or “the Fist,” but despite his rambunctious tendencies, even at a young age he was always impeccably groomed and attired.
Paul played football at St. Benedict high school (defensive tackle), and after receiving a full sports scholarship from Alma College, he was recruited by the Michigan State football team. Despite a shoulder injury which ended his sports career, Paul went on to become the first member of his family to graduate from college. He had many lives and jobs in his postcollegiate years (including a stint as a model for the cover of romance novels, and as an owner of a Hawaiian go-cart franchise).
Eventually Paul went into a career in advertising, starting at Campbell Ewald in Detroit, then moving to New York City to work at BBDO. He represented creative talents in the automobile industry, and was known for showing people a good time on the town. In 1967, Paul married his first wife, Christine, mother of his daughter Celene. He married his second wife, Katherine “Lola” Domitrovich in 1982, and they had their son Michael soon after.
Paul began his career as a restaurateur when he and Lola opened Ham Heaven in New York City in 1983. He was a devoted husband, father, and businessman, crisscrossing the city in cars that were held together by coat hangers and Krazy Glue, doing whatever needed to be done to make sure that his restaurant and his family were thriving.
In the early ’90s, Paul moved to Long Island, where he supported his family selling real estate and advertisements in local papers. After opening and closing another restaurant, called The Other Place, the family took a vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, where Lola spotted a property for sale on their way to the ferry. Following some creative negotiations, the Domitrovich family opened the 300-seat bar and restaurant, Lola’s Southern Seafood, in the summer of 1994.
Lola’s went on to become one of the most popular year-round restaurants and music venues on the Vineyard. Customers and friends will fondly remember Paul working the front of the house, going from table to table checking on everyone, eating big spoonfuls of Mr G’s Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce, to the delight and amazement of patrons. When he wasn’t in the main dining room he was in the bar, dancing with patrons, or somewhere in the attic or basement, coming up with creative maintenance solutions to keep the restaurant running smoothly. Anyone who’s dined at Lola’s will remember Paul holding a blowtorch while singing “Happy Birthday” at full volume in his birthday cake hat and vest. Even more memorable were Paul’s outfits at the yearly Mardi Gras celebration, where he would show up wearing one of Lola’s bathing suits or negligees. As Paul was often heard saying at that time, “Lola does the steak, but I do the sizzle.”
In 2003, the Domitroviches connection to New Orleans cuisine and culture reached its pinnacle when Paul was crowned King Shangri-La XXIX. King Paul was presented at the court and paraded through the streets of New Orleans in 2004 on his own float, throwing beads and gesturing grandly at the attendees gathered along the parade route. He had a full costume custom-made for him, including a 6-foot-high ostrich-feather-and-rhinestone “collar,” bloomers, tights, crown, scepter, and size 15 kneehigh white leather boots. For many years the costume was on display in the dining room at Lola’s, surrounded by pictures, beads, and more than a few undergarments.
Despite his imposing stature, gigantic hands, and size 15 feet, “King” Paul Domitrovich was one of the kindest, gentlest people, and was endlessly optimistic. He believed that the most important things in life were to be shared. He loved zydeco and blues music, dancing, smiling, salty meats, rolling rocks, and gin martinis. He never denied himself or his loved ones a smile, a hug, a snack, a drink, or a nap. For a man so strongly connected to the people, places, and things in his life, there was always a far-off knowing that sparkled in his eyes. In his final days he was a font of wisdom and poetry, often speaking in rhymes and gazing upon his doctors, nurses, friends, and family with eyes that were unnervingly warm, clear, and full of grace. He was a man who made people feel seen and loved just by looking at them.
A few days before he passed, he assured us all with a revelation (seemingly referring to his higher power), saying, “He’s not separating us inseparably, he’s just repositioning us.”
We salute you, King Paul, as you take off for your final Mardi Gras parade route in the sky.
There will be a funeral Mass in Coral Gables on Monday, Feb. 13, at 12 noon.
There will be a memorial service on Martha’s Vineyard at the Second Bridge on Saturday, June 24, at 8 pm, with a reception to follow at Lola’s Restaurant, 15 Island Inn Road, between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. Email mikeydom@gmail.com to RSVP.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that any gifts be in the form of a donation to WYOB, the Martha’s Vineyard radio station which Paul enjoyed so thoroughly in his last years. If you send a check with the note “In Memory of Paul Domitrovich,” the funds will go directly to an extension of the station’s tower, which will enable the signal to be broadcast farther and clearer. All donations are tax-deductible.
Checks can be sent to: M & M Community Development Inc., Oak Bluffs Branch, P.O. Box 1326,
Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. If you prefer to donate online, please go towyob.org/support.
Anthony M. Guyther, 96, of Vineyard Haven died at Royal Nursing Care Center in Falmouth on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. A service is being planned for a later time and date to be announced. A full obituary will follow in a later newspaper edition. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.
Pearle S. Perkins, 97, died from natural causes at her home in West Tisbury on Feb. 9, 2017. Born in Maroa, Ill., on Feb. 26, 1919, she attended Illinois State Normal University, majoring in speech and debate. She married John Lafayette Perkins in 1941, and the couple settled in Columbus, Ohio. The family moved to the Chicago area in 1957, where Pearle was a homemaker, then sold real estate in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs for several years. She and the family attended the First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, where she sang in the choir for 33 years. After retiring, she moved to Bristol, R.I., to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law. She resided at North Farm in Bristol for 24 years before relocating the the Vineyard in 2014.
A dedicated and unwavering Ohio State and Chicago Bears fan, Pearle cheered her teams with passion through winning and losing seasons. Pearle loved the ocean and the magnificent sailing schooners that navigate the seas. She surrounded herself with paintings and prints of the ocean and ships by her favorite artist, Charles Vickery, whom she commissioned to do a special sunset painting. Mr. Vickery often painted his works accompanied by pianist Hazel Troeger. Miss Troeger was the major influence in Pearle’s daughter Jan pursuing her career in music education, which Jan continues today at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
Pearle was an avid reader of all genres, often reading two or more books at a time. Her debating experience contributed to her excellent vocabulary and made her an interesting and entertaining conversationalist. She was an expert at word games, Scrabble, and crossword puzzles. Pearle also spent much time crocheting, and as a leftie, taught herself to knit, making sweaters, afghans, placemats, hats, coasters, and scarves, also creating many baby blankets for friends and relatives. She loved playing piano, singing, listening to music, and attending concerts and musical productions in Chicago, Boston, Providence, New York, and London. Another of her joys was traveling. She and her husband went to Europe, South America, and on cruises with real estate groups, and she spent many holidays in the Caribbean with her husband, daughter, and son-in-law. Paris and Barbados were her particular favorites.
She is predeceased by her husband John L. Perkins and daughter Sandra Kay Hall, and survived by daughter Jan Wightman and her husband John Wightman of Aquinnah, and grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews around the country. Pearle was a person of strong moral and ethical values, possessing a generous spirit, and was always a lady who conducted herself with grace. She was loved by all who had the good fortune to know her. The one word that many people used to describe Pearle was “amazing.”
Many thanks to Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation facility, Horizons Geriatric Care Management, Pearle’s wonderful caregivers, and the Hope Hospice staff for helping Pearle’s family to make her last years here on the Vineyard comfortable and rewarding. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Pearle’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, using the Memorial and Honor Gifts Form on their website.
Mary Ives Greely, a resident of Darien, Conn., and Edgartown, died on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, in Stamford Hospital. Born on June 20, 1928, in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was the daughter of Robert Franklin Ives and Ruth Enger. She was 88.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Mary graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree. She married the late Rev. John (Jack) A. Greely after he was ordained an Episcopal minister. They moved to Toledo, Ohio, to start their lives together. Jack worked as a hospital chaplain in the Toledo area. As Jack’s ministry grew, they moved to churches in Stonington, Conn., New York City, Boston, and finally in 1976 to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on Martha’s Vineyard, in Edgartown. During this time, Mary volunteered at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospice, and delivered Meals on Wheels. She was also treasurer of the Women’s Guild at St. Andrew’s, and a member of the Edgartown Yacht Club. Mary was active in all the churches where Jack served. She was a very generous and giving person, and was committed to helping others. Mary and Jack enjoyed entertaining people, and were very social. You never knew whom Jack would bring home for dinner. One Thanksgiving he brought home a hitchhiker.
Mary was a loving mother and devoted Grammy to her six grandchildren. She remained positive, and never complained about anything, including her health. While residing in Darien, Mary was blessed to have a true companion as her caregiver, Alnie (May May) Hosang.
Mary is survived by her two sons, John I. Greely and his wife, Annette Bruscino of Orono, Minn., Grant Greely and his wife, Mary-Laura of Wellesley, and her daughter, Mary (Maggie) A. Boris and her husband, Keith of Darien. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Sam, Jack, Matthew, Austin and Abigail Greely and Finley Boris. Also surviving is a cousin, Fay Fawcett and her husband, Ned.
A memorial service will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1864 Post Road, Darien, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at 2 pm. Burial took place in Cincinnati in Spring Grove Cemetery on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Island Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1874, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. A memorial service will be held at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown at a later date. For more information, visit lawrencefuneralhome.com.
Susan Louise Jackson of Edgartown died after a long illness, at home with her family at her side, on Feb. 6, 2017. She was 66.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Susan was very caring and loving, and enjoyed time with her family. She will be missed by many. She enjoyed scratching tickets, eating lobster, and listening to Elvis Presley.
Susan is survived by her husband Peter Jackson Sr., son Peter Jackson Jr., daughter Lisa Smith, daughter Heidi Amaral, 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, brother Melvin Pachico and wife Jody, sister Sylvia Metell, sister Linda Fullin, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father Frank Pachico, mother Gladys Pachico, brother Frank Pachico Jr., sister Lillian Burovac, brother-in-law Arthur Metell, and brother-in-law Timothy Fullin.
A private memorial service will be held in the spring for her family.
Donations in Susan’s memory can be made in her name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.Paula was born on Oct. 10, 1948, in Miami, Fla. She was the second child of Gracie Thompson Wyche and Paul Howard Wyche. Raised as a Roman Catholic, she attended Holy Redeemer School and graduated from Notre Dame Academy, both in Miami. She attended Spelman College and received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. She married Hansel Emory Tookes II on Dec. 29, 1971. They had two children, Heather Elise Tookes of New Haven and Hansel Emory Tookes III of Miami.
Paula built her life around spending time with her family, and she brought great joy to them all. She cherished the times with Hansel II, Hansel III and his partner Peter Ortega, Heather and husband Chris Alexopoulos, and their son Ryan.
Paula found joy in serving others — at work, at home, and in her community. She spent her career in human resources. She became director of human resources at Otis Elevator Co. in Farmington, Conn., and then worked at Florida Power and Light in Juno Beach, Fla., before retiring in 2000. Her life of service included serving on the boards of the Urban League of Palm Beach County and the Artist Collective of Hartford. She was also a member of the Links.
During retirement, Paula split her time between her homes in Palm Beach Gardens, Branford, Conn., and Martha’s Vineyard. She continued serving others wherever she was. She served on the vestry of Grace Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach, where she was a successful program leader and fundraiser. Paula was also an active member of the Obama Finance Committee, and hosted President Barack Obama at her home in Palm Beach Gardens, where she helped to raise critical funds for his 2008 re-election. In Martha’s Vineyard, she was a dedicated member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Oak Bluffs and an active member of the Cottagers. Paula also enjoyed travel both for business and pleasure, from the U.S. to the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia, always helping others.
Paula spent her life giving to family, friends, and the community. She helped many family members, especially nieces and nephews. She gave to Habitat for Humanity, built a house for a family in Haiti after the earthquake, gave to the United Way and to her churches.
Paula is also survived by her two brothers, Paul Wyche Jr. and Spaulding Wyche; brother-in-law Darryl Tookes; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A celebration of life took place Tuesday, Feb, 14, 2017 at Trinity on the Green in New Haven, Conn. Interment was at Grove Street Cemetery, New Haven.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Paula’s memory to Smilow Cancer Hospital at hopperportal.yale.edu/page.aspx?pid=319. You may designate funds to the Paula Wyche Tookes Memorial Fund by noting that your contribution go to the Yale School of Medicine, and adding the following information in the comments section: “Attribute this gift to the Paula Wyche Tookes Memorial Fund, c/o Julie Parr, YCC Development.”
Thomas L. Brennan of West Tisbury died peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the age of 90. He was born on Feb. 28, 1926, at home in Vineyard Haven, the fourth child and first son of Chester and Catherine Brennan.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.He attended and graduated from high school at the Tisbury School, and soon joined the Navy in the last years of World War II. He was stationed at St. Simons Island, Ga., and served as a radarman. Thanks to the GI Bill, after the war he attended Boston College. During his time back on the Vineyard after the war before starting college, he met Vivian Anderson, who had moved from western Massachusetts to teach first grade at the Tisbury School. After Tom graduated from Boston College, he and Vivian married and moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an analyst for the Department of Defense, a position he kept for his whole career.
Tom and Vivian raised their family of a son and two daughters in Maryland. Vivian died in 1997, and Tom moved back to Martha’s Vineyard, where his daughter Catherine lived.
He leaves behind his son Timothy Brennan and partner Judy Boggess, his daughter Catherine Brennan, his daughter Eileen Sheppard and son in law Stan Sheppard, and his grandson Charles Shilling. He was predeceased by his four sisters and his grandson Michael Shilling.
Tom was known for his generous heart, his great faith, and especially his love of family, both his own and his extended family. His family meant everything to him, and wanted for nothing. He was a true gentleman, and will be missed.
His family wishes any memorial donations to be sent to Good Shepherd Parish, P.O. Box 1058, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
Visiting hours in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home on Edgartown Road in Oak Bluffs will be on Tues., Feb. 21, from 5:30 to 7 pm.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Weds., Feb. 22, in St. Augustine’s Church, Franklin Street, Vineyard Haven, at 11 am, with burial following in Oak Grove Cemetery, State Road, Vineyard Haven, with military honors provided by the Veterans of Martha’s Vineyard.
