Dorothy M. Duart, 74, of Vineyard Haven died on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the Falmouth Hospital. She was the wife of Joseph F. Duart III and mother of Jennifer, Lisa, and Robert. A memorial service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will follow in another edition of this paper. Donations in her memory may be made to an Island charity of one’s choice. 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.

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John James Peipon died at his home in Lebanon, Tenn., on Feb. 11, 2017, due to complications from cancer. He was 68.

John was born on Oct. 2, 1948, in Kingston, Pa. He graduated from Kingston High School in 1966, and went on to earn a degree in clinical pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

John moved to Martha’s Vineyard and worked at Yates Drug Store and Leslie’s Pharmacy in Vineyard Haven. Retired from pharmacy, he then worked at the Tisbury Water Department.

John was an avid reader who also enjoyed baseball, football, and tennis. Later in life he found bicycling and fly-fishing; he built bikes, and designed and tied flies. John said, “Bicycling gave me my freedom, fishing became my joy.”

John is survived by and lovingly remembered by his wife of 14 years, Laurie Schreiber; his brother James Peipon and wife Mariana; daughter Corrine Peipon; stepsons Max Schreiber Eagan and Evan William Eagan.

A celebration of life will be held at John and Laurie’s home in Lebanon, Tenn., on Saturday, March 11, 2017. Contact Laurie Schreiber at schreiberpottery@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203, or to the Center For Spiritual Living Nashville, 6705 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209.

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Wendy Ann Jones de Geofroy, originally from Wayland, died on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, while surrounded by family at Tobey Hospital in Wareham. She was five days shy of her 67th birthday.

Wendy was born to Wallace Jones and Marydale Dearth on Feb. 20, 1950, the youngest of four. She spent her summers on Lake Winnipesaukee, where she earned lifelong bragging rights as a champion waterskier. She was a self-avowed hippie; she attended Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H., but was too busy protesting the Vietnam War to finish her degree.

It was at Colby-Sawyer that she met Elizabeth Early (now Sheehan), who brought Wendy to spend her first summer on the Vineyard. She instantly fell in love with the Island, and a few months turned into nearly 50 years. With the exception of a brief stint in New Hampshire and two years in Santa Fe, N.M., she spent her entire adult life on the Vineyard. Shortly after moving to the Island, Wendy met Elizabeth’s cousin, Charles A. de Geofroy. The two were later married and had three children together. They were married for 24 years before parting ways.

Wendy held a variety of jobs: She was a mail clerk at Alley’s General Store, served as town clerk of Chilmark, and operated a computer tutoring business out of her home on North Road in Chilmark. She had a talent for genealogy, which began with a search for her mother’s birth parents and quickly grew into an obsession. A technology enthusiast, Wendy pioneered the use of computers for genealogy research, and delighted in finding connections between the important people in her life. She founded an adoption support group on the Island, and helped several parents find the children they had put up for adoption, and vice versa. She finally found her mother’s birth parents after nearly 50 years of searching, a fitting bookend to her life’s work.

Wendy is survived by her three sons, C. Maury de Geofroy of Vineyard Haven, Andrew de Geofroy and his wife, Ashley Mead, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Alexander de Geofroy and his wife, Kate, of Rochester, N.H. She is also survived by her sister, Terry Johnson, of South Berwick, Maine. She was predeceased by her brothers, David and Eric.

Her family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Tobey Hospital for providing comfort to Wendy and her family in her final hours.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 1 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard, 238 Main Street, Vineyard Haven.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Island Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1874, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

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Joanne Elizabeth Clark (née Coffin), 87, born in Cleveland, Ohio; formerly of Newtonville, Martha’s Vineyard, and Stratton Mountain, Vt.; died peacefully after a long illness, surrounded by love, Feb. 17, 2017, at home in Wilmette, Ill.

Joanne was fortunate to inherit her family’s love of the sea and multigenerational history on Martha’s Vineyard. In youth she enjoyed sailing in their catboat, The Victor, later winning many a Vineyard-15 race in her own boat, the Sweet Sixteen.

During high school she worked summers at the Colonial Inn, and especially loved being a camp counselor and sailing instructor at the St. Pierre School of Sport in Vineyard Haven. The counselor reunions during her last years on the Island were treasured experiences.

Joanne graduated from Newton High School in 1947, then Boston’s Garland Junior College. She enjoyed a brief career modeling for Filene’s department store, appearing often in advertisements in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald. She later worked as a secretary in New York City and Washington, D.C., before returning to New York, where she started her family.

A whole new life began in 1964 when the family moved to Vermont to operate the Stratton Mountain Inn, a challenging but thrilling opportunity. The ski area’s early years brought wonderful memories and lifelong friendships, plus opportunities to pursue her love of fashion and design. She worked in the Norse House ski shop, opened her own boutique at the Inn, and regularly staged fashion shows throughout Southern Vermont. The Vineyard remained a constant, with summers spent there.

In 1980, Joanne moved permanently to her family home on the Island, the Jared Coffin House on School Street in Edgartown. She loved working in retail in several classic Island storefronts: the Country Store of Concord, Gift of Love, and the Chocolate Barn, to name a few.

A consummate people person, charming and gracious, always willing to help, usually with a wicked sense of humor and a great laugh, Joanne loved cooking and entertaining, and was always trying new things in the kitchen. Music (especially jazz) and art provided her constant joy.

Her curious mind and sense of style frequently brought new interests, like architecture and landscape design. A trip on the very first Vineyard solar home tour resulted in a beautifully designed and built South Mountain solar home. Always a passionate gardener, Joanne created a landscape for the property, stunning to this day.

After a brief foray into the competitive field of real estate, Joanne opted to follow her passion: the history of and her family’s role in the development of the Island, dating back to the 1600s. First a volunteer then a full-time employee of Martha’s Vineyard Museum (formerly the Dukes County Historical Society), Joanne was tremendously satisfied by working on the Dukes County Intelligencer, managing the office, and transcribing oral histories, which were then compiled into the great series “Vineyard Voices.”

Always a volunteer, she assisted at Polly Hill Arboretum, Featherstone, and the Christiantown Memorial (where her ancestor Frederick Baylies ministered to and taught English to the Wampanoag Indians, the indigenous people of the Island). Joanne was an active member of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club, Edgartown Winter Yacht Club, and the Federated Church of Edgartown.

She was the beloved mother of Timothy (Dina) Coffin Clark; grandmother of Harry Coffin Clark; step-grandmother of Madison and Claire McVey; and aunt of Christopher (Holly), Peter, Davis (Kitty), William (Lisa), and Abigail Clark. Joanne was preceded in death by two young sons, Benjamin Coffin Clark and Jared Baylies Clark, parents Frederick and Dorothy (née Springer) Coffin, and former husband and dear friend David Whitehouse Clark.

A memorial service will be scheduled in summer 2017. Her remains are buried at Edgartown’s New Westside Cemetery.

Donations may be made in her name to the Adrenaleukodystrophy Foundation, aldfoundation.org, or the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, mvmuseum.org.

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Eleanor L. Waldron died at her West Tisbury home on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. She was 95.

Her family is planning an informal graveside gathering at a date to be announced. A complete obituary will follow in a later newspaper edition. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

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Robert J. Priore, a longtime resident of Vineyard Haven, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family and friends, after waging a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 73.

Robert was born in Hartford, Conn., and raised in nearby Windsor. He attended Loomis Academy, now known as the Loomis Chaffee School, and the University of Hartford. He proudly served his country during the Vietnam War as a medic in the United States Air Force.

Robert began his lifelong love affair with Martha’s Vineyard in the late 1960s, when he came to the Island on vacation and decided to find a way to earn a living that would keep him here, at least part-time. Early on, he recognized the potential of building affordable vacation homes, and developed what became known as Bernard Circle, Leonard Circle, Canterbury Lane, and numerous other streets in Vineyard Haven. He also built several homes in Katama. In the span of a career that lasted 40 years, Robert oversaw the building of more than 200 homes on Martha’s Vineyard.

Robert moved to the Vineyard full-time in 1992 to raise his sons in the type of environment he believed every child should be raised in, a life lived outdoors filled with fishing, boating, swimming, and clamming.

In 1998 he met Maribeth, the woman who became the love of his life, and not too long after, his devoted wife.

Robert was an avid sailor who loved nothing better than navigating the waters off Martha’s Vineyard at the helm of his Endeavor, Maribella, in the company of his family, friends, and faithful canine companion Quinn. He enjoyed all the Vineyard had to offer, whether it be fishing, clamming, listening for the first pinkletinks of spring, or simply gazing in awe upon a starry, starry Vineyard night sky.

Robert is survived by Maribeth, his wife of 17 years, his sons Rob and Chris, his daughters-in-law Jenafer and Stephanie, his grandchildren Olivia and Owen Priore, his brother Henry Priore, and his many nieces and nephews.

Robert’s memorial service will be celebrated on Friday, March 10, at 11 am in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. A period of visiting with the family will begin at 10 am. Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineyard Avenue, Oak Bluffs, with military honors provided by the Veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. Donations may be made in his memory to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, c/o Infusion Department, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Brian A. Garde, also known as “B,” 62, of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Feb. 26, 2017. He died after a valiant battle with cancer, during which he never lost his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor. Brian was always a loving, gentle soul. He was dearly loved, and will be greatly missed by many.

Brian was born in Bridgeport, Conn., on Feb. 11, 1955, to Erik C. and Elizabeth (Nielson) Garde. He grew up in Bridgeport. He attended Central High School, where he excelled in basketball and enjoyed playing tuba in the marching band. He later attended Housatonic Community College.

He moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1974 to work at Cranberry Acres Campground and the Ocean View Restaurant. He then went on to own and operate the Spaghetti Pot Restaurant with his brother Ken and Cindy Araujo. When the restaurant closed, he went to work for Thomas Barlosky and John Casey, where he honed his skills as an interior finish painter. Over the years, Brian continued to work as a self-employed painter.

Brian married Joyce Kilmer in 1980. They were blessed with two sons, Adam and Jarred (JD). He took great joy in coaching his sons in Little League and youth and high school basketball. He also loved teaching Sunday school at Faith Community Church in Edgartown, and playing in the RCBL.

Brian was a diehard New York fan — the original New York teams, that is; the Giants, Knicks, and Yankees. He loved going back and forth with Red Sox fans. He never lost the joy of watching sports, and always loved a good “Columbo” mystery and “M*A*SH” episode.

He is survived by his wife and sons, his brother Ken and wife Nina of Kingston, and his many nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles. He also leaves behind his lifelong friend Gary Rome of Brooklyn, N.Y., and West Tisbury. He was predeceased by his parents and beloved brother Arne Garde.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2017, at 11 am, at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. A gathering of family and friends will follow at the home of their dear family friend Nancy Barlosky, 52 Carroll’s Way, Vineyard Haven. The family will begin receiving visitors at 10 am.

In honor of his great love of animals, donations in Brian’s memory may be made to Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539, or Hope Hospice, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis MA 02601. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Bobbie Donovan died peacefully on March 2, 2017, at her home in Vineyard Haven, surrounded by family and loved ones. Bobbie was born in Edgartown, on August 8, 1942, to Robert and Mary Baptiste, and raised there. She was in the first graduating class of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, in 1960. Bobbie always had a nurturing quality, and loved to provide for people.

Bobbie worked at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital for a number of years, and continued her career as a homemaker, taking care of many family and friends in their time of need. Bobbie was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by Hospice of Cape Cod for her volunteer services, and was a dedicated member of St. Elizabeth’s Church in Edgartown. Bobbie loved to garden, vacuum, play bingo and cards ,and spend quality time with family and friends.

One of her greatest fulfillments in life was being able to assist in raising her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bobbie was also dedicated to her family through caring for her sister and brother-in-law when they became ill with cancer, and again cared for her dear friend Ellie during her time of need.

Bobbie is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Lindalee and Paul Condlin of Edgartown; son and daughter-in-law Kevin and Shannon Donovan of Edgartown; six grandchildren, Alicia Nicholson and her husband Andrew Nicholson, James Condlin, Shane Donovan, Paige Donovan, Ethan Donovan, and Megan Donovan; two great-grandchildren, Kiefer and Darby Nicholson; brother Arthur Costa of Florida and sister Lucy Costa of Oak Bluffs; many nieces and nephews, in-laws, and friends. She is predeceased by her parents, Robert and Mary Baptiste, siblings Helen Rogers, Gloria Jeffers, John Costa, Benny Baptiste, and Barbara Perry.

A graveside service will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, March 7, at the New Westside Cemetery in Edgartown, with a reception to follow at the Newes Pub in Edgartown. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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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updated March 7, 2017, 11:45 am

Barbara Bell, 90, died peacefully at home in Palm Beach, Fla, on March 3, 2017. Barbara, or Bobby, as her friends called her, was the wife for over 68 years of her devoted husband and partner Hank Bell. Bobby and Hank did just about everything together, and they were the love of each other’s lives.

Bobby was born the fifth child in a family of four boys and herself. Her mother, Rose (Brazel/Okrent), came to America from Russia by herself as a 13-year-old at the turn of the previous century, and her father, Sam Otis (Otezky), also arrived from Russia near the turn of the previous century as a teenager. Bobby always considered herself as part of an enduring family over generations. Younger by 14 years than any of her brothers, much of Bobby’s young childhood oriented around “the boys,” their care for her, and her care for her mother. She loved her brothers unconditionally. Throughout her life, Bobby carried with her the challenges that her mother faced, and she emulated her mother’s determination, strength, and willingness to fight for what she believed.

A graduate of Hunter College, Bobby continued her strong connection to her alma mater and her sorority sisters. For Bobby, this was an anchor of continuity throughout her life. Bobby was a voracious reader, though she would often start books from the end, then if merited read the beginning, and finish with the middle. Bobby was a good athlete, an active tennis player and avid skier. When one of her children needed a crew in sailboat racing on Martha’s Vineyard, Bobby was always the first to jump in. Bobby’s energy was endless, and she filled her life with her vitality, adventure, and passion. Bobby was very active in Jewish and political affairs, and participated in the 1963 March on Washington for civil rights.

Bobby decided that she wanted to develop and renovate buildings, which she did successfully on the East Side of Manhattan. Most of all, she was devoted to her large and extended family, and for decades she cherished hosting and organizing family gatherings around the Jewish holidays and other events. Bobby was a remarkable mother who devoted herself to, and lived for, her three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. From her own life and through direct exhortation, Bobby persistently inspired each to reach for their potential and to never settle in any aspect of their lives. She extended herself to her many cousins and their children with love and mentorship.

Bobby is survived by her husband Hank; children Lawrence Bell (Janet), Robin Bell (Thomas), and Leonard Bell (Linda); her grandchildren Sarah Wechsler (Jay), Jennifer Levine (Joseph), Bess Kalb (Charles), Will Kalb, Jessica Bell (David), Jonathan Bell (Jackie), and Alexander Bell; and her great-grandchildren Eliza Wechsler, Zachary Wechsler, and Joshua Levine.

Funeral and burial will be at 1 pm at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center in Vineyard Haven on March 6, and a memorial service will be held at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale, N.Y., at 1 pm on March 7.

Donations in Barbara’s memory may be sent to the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, P.O. Box 692, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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Owen C. Smith, longtime Edgartown summer resident, died peacefully at first light on Feb. 5, 2017, at his home in Big Pine Key, Fla., surrounded by his wife of 50 years, Chris, and three children, Phil, Andy, and Sally. After battling and beating a rare form of cancer for more than five years, he died of an equally rare neurological disorder, progressive supranuclear palsy. He was 75.

Owen’s love for Martha’s Vineyard started at an early age. As a child he summered with his parents and two brothers on Tashmoo Lake, and played tennis at the East Chop Tennis Club. In the 1980s he began coming to Edgartown every summer with his wife and three children, where they learned to sail and play tennis at the Edgartown Yacht Club.

Owen was a lifetime member of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society. His Island-grown blueberries, cultivated in his backyard in Edgartown, garnered him blue ribbons at the Agricultural Fair year after year. His brace of beagles, while not as successful as the blueberries, brought home the occasional ribbon as well. Owen was a frequent competitor in the Chilmark Road Race, happy to finish regardless of place. An avid sportsman, Owen was a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Rod & Gun Club. He was also a member of the Chappaquiddick Beach Club and the Edgartown Reading Room. Owen was a member of the congregation at St. Andrew’s Church, where six of his grandchildren were baptized.

Owen was vigorously involved in the Edgartown Yacht Club, which he served in various capacities, eventually becoming commodore and helping establish the club’s Sailing Center. Owen raced his Herreshoff 12½ Bonnes Mares, his Sabre 38 Upbeat, his J42 of the same name, and his J28 Resurgo with great distinction. The Upbeat Cup, named after Owen’s yacht in which he sailed around the Island more times than any other boat in its class, is now awarded to the first-place non-spinnaker finisher in the ’Round the Island Race. Owen could be seen on a typical weekend inspecting visiting yachts in the harbor and watching the races in the outer harbor in his distinctive navy-blue motorboat Doubletime. He was also a member of American Yacht Club, the Cruising Club of America, and the New York Yacht Club. He cruised in the Virgin Islands, Grenadines, and Hebrides, and competed in six Newport to Bermuda Races, among other offshore adventures. He also completed a trans-Atlantic passage to Kinsale, Ireland, on Upbeat, departing from Edgartown harbor on a blustery June day, passing the Chappy Ferry under full sail with a spinnaker flying.

Owen attended the Lawrenceville School (’59) and graduated from Princeton University (AB ’63). At Princeton, Owen was president of his eating club (Cloister Inn), and was stroke on the national-championship lightweight freshman crew. Owen then graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD ’66), and had a successful career as an international lawyer.

Owen served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam as captain in the 23rd Medical Battalion, for which he received two Bronze Stars, Combat and Expert Field Medical Badges, and numerous other decorations. His military service continued throughout his life as a captain in the Army Reserve, judge advocate for the New York Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars, and, most recently, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Owen’s tenacious devotion to duty, extraordinary personal drive, wit, humor, and charm were felt by all who encountered him. As much as he gave to others, Owen gave most to his family. He is survived by his wife, Christine M. Smith, of Big Pine Key, Fla.; his three children, Philip C. Smith II and his wife Chloe of Winterport, Maine, Andrew C. von S. Smith and his wife Shannon of New Canaan, Conn., and Sarah S. Betz and her husband Billy of Darien, Conn.; his two brothers, Lawther O. Smith and his wife Linda of Doylestown, Pa., and Richard C. Smith and his wife Connie of Pinellas Park, Fla.; and seven grandchildren, Charles and Hazel (Phil), Adeline and Andrew Jr. (Andy), and Oliver, Margaret, and Louisa (Sally).

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 11, at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, Conn., at 11 am, followed by a reception at the Country Club of New Canaan. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Owen’s honor to the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Florida Keys: VNAHospiceKeys.org.

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Eleanor L. Waldron died at her West Tisbury home on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. She was 95.

Eleanor was a lifetime Islander and attended the West Tisbury and Tisbury schools. She loved and lived in West Tisbury her entire life.

On Dec. 2, 1939, she married Tom Waldron, her husband of 61 years. In their younger years they built a camp at Deep Bottom, where they stayed in the summers. They raised their three children, Dickie, Joannie, and Angie, and had a small farm in both West Tisbury and Deep Bottom. These were good old days for Eleanor and Tom.

During their 70s, Eleanor and Tom built a summer camp in Nova Scotia. While there, they met Merrill and Minerva MacInniss, and became lifelong friends.

Eleanor always had a love for animals, both big and small. She loved to care for and ride horses especially. As time went on, she became an avid birdwatcher and often went out with her group, which included Flip Harrington, Soo Whiting, Andrea Hartman, Barbara Pesch, and Dolly Minis. She would answer questions about birds from friends and family as well.

Eleanor was also an avid reader. Sometimes she read as many as eight books a week. She read nonfiction and classics, and especially loved mysteries; she probably read almost every mystery book on the Island. As she got older, her friend Ginny Jones frequently mailed or brought her books to read.

Eleanor was loved by all who knew her.

She leaves her family, who loved her dearly: Daughter Joan and son-in-law Pat Jenkinson, daughter Angie Waldron; her grandchildren, Holly Bario, Patrick Jenkinson, and Wenonah Madison; and her great-grandchildren, Wyatt Jenkinson, Emma and Peter Bario, and Waylon and Amos Sauer. She also leaves her caregiver, Margaret Singh, who gave her the best care in the world, and her close companion Mr. Fluff, her cat. Eleanor was predeceased by her husband Tom in 2000, by her son Dickie in 1959, and by her brothers Bob and Frank Schultz.

We all have great memories of living near Grammy El, and sharing many holidays and birthdays and cookouts. We will all miss her so much.

There will be a graveside service on March 14th at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, or the library of one’s choice.

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Dorothy (Couto) Duart died on Feb. 18, 2017.
Dotty was born on Sept. 14, 1942. She was the daughter of Manuel and Genevieve Couto.

She grew up in Falmouth, and graduated from Lawrence High in 1960. She had a variety of jobs throughout her life; the ones she enjoyed the most were volunteering at the Tisbury Senior Center and Meals on Wheels on the holidays.

Dotty is survived by her husband, Joseph F. Duart III; and her children and grandchildren, Lisa (Duart) Darcy, Dana and Bryann Darcy, Robert Duart Jr., Shelby and Julia Duart, Jennifer (Duart) Nelson, Daniel Jr. and Alicia Nelson, Sean Duart and his wife Jocelyn, and Mackenzie Duart, along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

There will be a celebration of Dotty’s life on Sunday, March 19, 2017, at 2 pm at the American Legion Hall on Martin Road, Vineyard Haven. Please bring a favorite dish to share.

Donations in Dotty’s memory may be made to an Island charity of one’s choice.

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Hazelle Knight-Collier died on March 3, 2017, at the Falmouth Hospital. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 17, 1922, one of three children of Harold and Ida Knight, both immigrants from Barbados, West Indies. Hazelle had an older sister, Eileen, and a younger brother, Kenneth. Both siblings are deceased. Hazelle graduated from high school, and soon after met and married Chester Collier, a Brooklynite originally from Montgomery, Ala. Chester and Hazelle had two sons, Robert and Walter. Chester died on Feb. 3, 2004.

For many years, Hazelle worked assembling fabric swatches for the clothing industry. Being a mother and working was a priority for her, but having fun in life was also at the top of her list. She was a kind and giving person, with a sunlit smile that attracted almost anyone she came in contact with. The joy of the Lord radiated in her laughter and sense of humour. Hazelle was a woman of integrity, and took pride in her African-American heritage.

Hazelle spent the last nine years of her life on Martha’s Vineyard with her son, Walter V. Collier, and his wife, Shirley A. Collier.

Her graveside service will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2017, in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Pacific Avenue, Oak Bluffs, at 2 pm, officiated by Pastor Marcia Buckley.

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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Brandon Mayhew Wight, known as Brandy, died peacefully at home at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2017. He would have been 102 years old in May. A celebration of his life will be held later this year on the Vineyard.

Brandon Mayhew Wight was born in Pawtuxet, R.I., and graduated in interior design and architecture from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1937. He worked in that field in New York City, Baltimore, and Dubuque, Iowa (where he sold so much carpeting door to door that he purchased a brand-new Studebaker!). In New York he worked for Baker Furniture Co. under Hollis Baker Sr.

WWII intervened, and he was sent to camouflage school so as to utilize his art training. He was sent to the South Pacific, first to Okinawa and then to Saipan, as head of the motor pool. (He was very happy with this, however, as it gave him use of a Jeep.) His unit crushed the coral and built the runways for the B-29s to use on their way to Japan.

After the war he returned to New York City, working first for Baker Furniture and then in the furniture department of the Manhattan store of Lord & Taylor. During this time, he and friends went to Europe several times, always purchasing decorative items. A friend suggested that they leave New York and open a shop on Martha’s Vineyard, where they could dispose of some of their European purchases and items Brandy had brought back from the war.

Why Martha’s Vineyard? Brandy’s father’s maternal family was from there; his grandmother Mayhew was born on the Vineyard in an area known as Windy Gates, later the estate of Roger Baldwin, the founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The Mayhew family on Martha’s Vineyard dates back to the 1640s, when Thomas Mayhew was made governor. Childhood summers were spent on the Vineyard visiting relatives. Brandy’s mother and father had retired to a Mayhew homestead on Music Street, West Tisbury. With high hopes, Brandy and his partner opened in a small lower-level space in Edgartown. Based on where he had visited and purchased things, it was called the Flea Market, after the Marche aux Puces in Paris, and was a kind of boutique, the first on Martha’s Vineyard, selling items from abroad. Shortly after the opening, a hurricane hit Martha’s Vineyard, and floodwaters poured into the shop. Other shop owners had helped move merchandise to higher ground, so most was saved. Then another hurricane hit, with the same results. But the season gave them hope to plan for another year.

One advantage to the location was that it was on the small road to the Chappaquiddick ferry. People coming and going from there stopped in, and soon Brandy was well-known to Chappaquiddickers. One such couple were Vance and Virginia Packard, he the author of such books as “The Hidden Persuaders,” “The Status Seekers,” and “The Waste Makers,” and she an artist. Here Brandy also got to know Clare and Betty Barnes and their children.

By 1960, seeking more space and a year-round population, they bought a three-story building in the port town of Vineyard Haven, renovating it into two floors of shop with an apartment on top, with a view of the entire Vineyard Haven Harbor. The second floor became a gallery of antique furniture and artwork. Paintings were hung over pieces of furniture as if in a home, not just on walls with nothing below. One of the first artists featured was Virginia Packard. In time her audience grew to the point that there was a long line waiting for the doors to open!

An early supporter was the actress Katharine Cornell. She brought her houseguests in, and would often playfully stand in one part of the shop and call out to her guests, such as Noël Coward or Vivien Leigh: “Noël, o Noël Coward! Over here, it’s me, Kit Cornell!” She said she knew it was good for business. And it was: Word got around that if you wanted to see celebrities, you should go to the Flea Market. Others brought their houseguests: Opera star Beverly Sills brought actor Joel Grey, actress Ruth Gordon brought Katharine Hepburn, etc. Life magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, who had come to admire Brandy’s displays, came in every August when he got off the ferry to ask, “Who’s on the Island now?” Brandy relished these contacts, as he was a theatre buff, his first Broadway show being “The Cat and the Fiddle,” in 1932.

By the mid-1970s the Vineyard had been discovered, and crowds of day-trippers jammed the sidewalks and streets, keeping away many of the residents who simply did not want to cope. It became evident that it was time to move.

Parking was now an issue. Brandy and Bruce Blackwell searched for a new location out of town, but it was difficult, because zoning restricted the location of business, and most of the areas were already filled. They eventually found an old red barn with almost an acre of grass for parking in the middle of the Island, in the town of West Tisbury. Although it was in need of repair, they bought it, as it was grandfathered for business by zoning. Part of the barn had been used for grain storage, and had wire cloth (a small chicken wire) around the top, bottom, and sides to keep the rodents out. Brandy saw this as an ideal medium for hanging paintings, and he and Bruce whitewashed it. With S hooks, it was perfect! The couple decided to change the name of the business to the Granary Gallery at the the Red Barn. Although the gallery was sold in 1996, it maintains the name and look.

The gallery became a destination, and attracted more celebrities: Walter and Betsy Cronkite, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, James Taylor and Carly Simon, president of M.I.T. Dr. Jerome Wiesner and his wife Laya, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and his wife Gay, Lady Bird Johnson, Jacqueline Onassis, and others. Of special importance was a visit from President Bill Clinton, along with Hillary and Chelsea. They came to view photographs by Alfred Eisenstaedt, and to meet him, as he was having a show and sale of his signed photographs at the Granary Gallery. From that visit, when Brandy and Bruce gave the president a historical document, a copy of the Declaration of Independence printed on toile circa 1800, came his invitation to visit the White House, where Brandy celebrated his 80th birthday in the Oval Office.

The Granary Gallery has received the Best of the Vineyard award for art gallery or antique shop every year since the awards have been given out.

A notable event was attending the final birthday party for the Shah of Iran at the embassy in Washington, with friends Frank and Jayne Ikard. The interior of the building was encrusted with pieces of ceramic and mirrors. The buffet table was a huge rectangle around a courtyard. From a distance it appeared that there were bass players at the four corners. When they got closer, the bass players turned out to be sides of beef, standing on the ground with the leg upright, and carvers! One room was devoted to desserts; another held the bar (of course alcohol is forbidden in the Muslim world).

In recent years Brandy had been vacationing in the Smoky Mountains, where as recently as age 96 he went whitewater rafting and hot-air ballooning.

After moving to Oak Hammock, Brandy enjoyed the Performing Arts Center, the Gainesville Community Playhouse, the Hippodrome State Theatre, and other area cultural venues. In fact, just 14 days before his death he attended a concert, the Ariel Quartet at the University of Florida. It was one of the 18 concert tickets purchased for this season.

Burial was in Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, a green cemetery. Countryside Funeral Home prepared the body. No superfluous caskets, liners, etc. Just wrapped in a cotton shroud tied with native vines, brought to the gravesite on a wagon pulled by a man. No headstones, just a small brass marker with name and dates.

The family suggest these charities for remembrance: The Benevolent Fund at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, 5100 SW 25th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32608, which is a 501(c)(3) charity for those Oak Hammock members whose resources have been exhausted; and Haven Hospice, 4200 NW 90th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32606-3809, havenhospice.org.

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Nannette Mary West, a native of Martha’s Vineyard and resident of Edgartown, died at the age of 69 on Wednesday evening, March 1, 2017, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, surrounded by her loving family.

Nannette was born in Oak Bluffs on Sept. 29, 1947, and grew up on the great plains of Edgartown. She provided much care and support to families on Martha’s Vineyard in her role as caretaker and personal caregiver. She was the daughter of Robert West and Dorothy (Gazaille) West of Edgartown.

Nannette was a proud and devoted mother to her three children, Peter C. Conover, Trinette M. Conover, and Craig M. Conover. She will be lovingly remembered by her six grandchildren, Justin Conover, Evan Conover, Benjamin Conover, Aidan Conover, Samuel Conover, and Addison Walters. Nannette joins her brother Vernon West, and leaves her brothers, Wayne West and Ronald West, and sister, Cynthia Sequeira, along with many nieces and nephews.

There was a memorial service at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs, followed by burial at the new West Side Cemetery on March 5. Close friends and family gathered at the home of Thomas Fisher following the services. In lieu of flowers, donations were made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

Nannette will forever be remembered for her open heart and open door. She will remain to those who knew her a beacon of love and devotion.

“Happy trails to you, until we meet again.”

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Memorial funeral services for both Maribeth Priore, 61, who died unexpectedly on Sunday, March 5, 2017, at her home in Oak Bluffs and her husband Robert J. Priore, who died on Feb. 25, 2017, will be held on Saturday, March 18, in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs at 1 pm, officiated by the Rev. Thomas Lopes, with burial of their remains to follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, with military honors for Robert Priore provided by the veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. The family will begin receiving visitors in the funeral home at noon. Donations may be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Infusion Center, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. Please visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Christian Gardner Baldwin died unexpectedly on Feb. 26, 2017, in Gainesville, Fla. He was 42.

Christian enjoyed a lifelong connection to the Vineyard, beginning with his early years; then, for the past two years, he lived on the Vineyard to care for his grandmother, Elizabeth Gardner.

He was a dedicated member of the Offshore Ale Co. kitchen staff, and later worked at Fella’s in Vineyard Haven, taking pride in his work and enjoying the artistry of meal preparation. Prior to moving back to the Island, he resided on Long Island and in New York City, and was a diehard Yankees fan.

Just before his death, he was in the process of starting a new chapter of his life in the Gainesville region, where he had spent his formative years.

Christian will be missed by his family. Both his parents predeceased him. His father, Gardner Baldwin, lived on the Vineyard for several years before his death in 2011, and his grandmother, Elizabeth Gardner, lives at Windemere.

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Ronald Charles Speed, 80, died Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, after a brief illness.

Ronn was born in Worcester on August 26, 1936. He graduated from South High School in Worcester and earned an associate’s degree from Worcester Junior College. He proudly served as a medical corpsman in the United States Navy and Marines. He worked for New England Telephone (later Verizon) for 30 years, starting as a lineman and finishing his career as an outside plant engineer.

Ronn loved being near the water. Shortly after retiring, he and Pauline moved to New Bern, N.C., where they lived on a houseboat for several years. In 1997, they moved to Martha’s Vineyard to be close to the ocean.

The son of immigrants, Ronn was proud of his Scottish heritage. As a teenager, he was a champion roller-skater. When his son Derek was young, they used to take frequent camping trips to New Hampshire on Ronn’s motorcycle. Ronn always loved music, and played many instruments, including keyboard, saxophone, guitar, and Native American flute. While living on Martha’s Vineyard, Ronn organized and led a weekly flute circle. He also enjoyed flying model airplanes on the beaches. He is loved, and will be missed by everyone who knew him.

Ronn leaves his wife of 32 years, Pauline Speed, of Vineyard Haven; his son Derek Speed and wife Jennifer, of Westborough; his stepdaughter Ann Carpenter of Long Beach, N.Y.; and his stepson R. Paul Racette and wife Joanmarie of Cleveland, Ohio. He also leaves five grandchildren: Katherine Speed of Somerville; Megan Speed of Monson; Susannah Speed of Westborough; Rob Demont of Atlanta; and Brent Carpenter of Gardner. Ronn was predeceased by his father and mother, Charles and Elizabeth (Ross) Speed, and his granddaughter, Amanda Speed.

Ronn’s family would like to thank the medical team at Massachusetts General Hospital for the amazing care they provided to him during his stay there, in particular the dedicated doctors in the neuroscience department who worked tirelessly to diagnose the cause of Ron’s rare illness.

A memorial service celebrating Ronn’s life will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017, at 11 am at the Worcester County Memorial Park in Paxton. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Ronn can be made to a charity of your choice.

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Thomas (Tom) King Herget died on Feb. 28, 2017, after fighting a short but fierce battle with cancer. He enjoyed life, from his family and many friends to his myriad business and real estate investments, both past and present. More than anything else he loved people, and had wonderful relationships with close friends and business acquaintances near his previous home in the mountains of New Hampshire and his current residences in North Hampton, N.H., Wailea Point, Maui, and Martha’s Vineyard, where he owned homes in Chilmark and West Tisbury. Tom loved spending time on the Vineyard, spending many summers there before building his own home in Chilmark in 2001.

Tom was born in 1943 and raised in the Berkeley Hills of California long before “the hills” were well known. His childhood home was the third house built on the hill, and was sited to overlook San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in chemistry, followed by an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University in Chicago. He met the love of his life at Northwestern, Bonnie Joan Kitchen, also known as Makena Herget.

Married in 1969, the Hergets took a chance and exited from corporate life with Kaiser Chemicals in Oakland, Calif., and Cranford, N.J., to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to raise a family. Tom and Makena took another risky move and bought a farmhouse dating from 1825, which had no electricity or running water, and was sited on 110 acres. Over 30 years, they raised three kids in Tamworth, N.H., where they enjoyed living on the gentleman’s farm raising animals, tending gardens, and enjoying life surrounded by the lakes and mountains. Tom purchased Chick Lumber in North Conway, N.H., later to become Chick Home Center, a premier home building and design center in the Northern New Hampshire, Portland, and Coast of Maine regions. After 39 years, the business was sold in 2013 with plans for other entrepreneurial ventures and to get back to traveling more.

Tom and Makena were fortunate to have traveled extensively throughout the world, and they loved to visit new and exotic places. Their adventures began on their honeymoon in Colombia

in 1969, spent on the Amazon and in Bogotá. They visited 119 countries on every continent, and looked forward to the next trip before returning from the last!

The past few years proved to be very busy and exciting, with the formation of Herget Development Co. and Makena Herget Interiors. They invested in many real estate projects all over the U.S., started a luxury vacation rental business, and attended many meetups with likeminded friends from all over the world.

Tom is survived by his 103-year-old mother, Edith Herget of Walnut Creek, Calif., his loving wife of 47 years Makena Bonnie Herget, and his three children, Amanda Serna and her husband Albert of Truckee, Calif., his son Brad and his wife Emily of Brighton, and his son Tanner of Portsmouth, N.H. Tom also leaves behind three grandchildren who adored Gramps: Tavin, 7, Damian, 4, and Devon, 3.

Tom’s amazing sense of humor, warm smile, and hearty laugh will always be remembered by those who knew and loved him. In keeping with Tom’s love of a great party, the family will host a celebration of Tom’s life in July 2017 in North Hampton, N.H., for all friends and family who would like to join us. Please visit TomHerget.com for additional information.

Tom spent his final days at Hyder Family Hospice House in Dover, N.H., which provided the utmost warmth and compassion. Donations can be made in memory of Tom, payable to

“Friends of Hyder Family Hospice House,” 285 County Farm Road, Dover, N.H. 03820,

or online at friendsofhyderfamilyhospicehouse.org/donate/.

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Maribeth Hemberger Priore, a longtime resident of Martha’s Vineyard, died suddenly after an accident at her home on March 5, 2017. She was 61.

Beloved wife of the late Robert Priore, Maribeth originally came to Martha’s Vineyard with her first husband, Jerry. After Jerry’s death in 1997, she met Bob, with whom she shared 18 years of love and adventure. From that first night at Lola’s until their last night at home, where she held Bob as he died on Feb. 25, 2017, they shared a special bond.

Maribeth loved writing, films, and photography, and was able to enjoy those passions through her varied career. She was a well-known fixture on the Island, having worked for WMVY, the Chamber of Commerce, Bunch of Grapes, and the Hall family’s movie theater business. Most recently she was a loving companion to acclaimed writer Peggy Freydberg.

She was born on Long Island to Robert and Nancy Hemberger. She is predeceased by her brothers Robert and Richard. She is survived by her sisters Tammi and Patricia, her stepsons Robert and Christopher, her daughters-in-law Jenafer and Stephanie, grandchildren Olivia and Owen Priore, and her many nieces and nephews.

Memorial funeral services for both Maribeth and Robert will be held on Saturday, March 18, in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs at 1 pm, officiated by the Rev. Thomas Lopes, with burials following in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, with military honors for Robert provided by the veterans of Martha’s Vineyard. The family will begin receiving visitors in the funeral home at 12 pm. Donations may be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, “Infusion Center,” P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

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