, 95, of St. Johnsbury, Vt., died Monday, July 5, 2004, at the St. Johnsbury Health and Rehab Center. The oldest son of Harry and Helen Norwood Stark, he spent his early years in Maplewood and East Orange, N.J. He was employed as general sales manager for Limestone Products Corporation in Newton, N.J., before relocating to Vermont in 1965. He worked for the Vermont Economic Development Department's Agency of Development and Community Affairs in an effort to bring economic prosperity to the state. He was also active in the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce and fully restored several homes in Peacham, Vt. Long active in the Republican Party, Mr. Stark was the Republican town chairman and planning chairman in Peacham, Vt., and also served as an alternate delegate to the 1980 Republican convention in Detroit, Mich., where the late President Ronald Reagan was nominated. Mr. Stark assisted the directors of the electoral campaigns of Richard and Barbara Snelling, James Jeffords, Robert Dole, Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Mr. Stark is survived by his longtime friend and companion, Karen Bean of St. Johnsbury; a daughter, Patricia Wilcox of Montague, N.J.; his brother, Harry Ogden Stark of San Diego, Calif.; two grandchildren, Cynthia Moser and Jeffrey Clopp, and two great-grandchildren, all of New Jersey. A graveside service will be held at the Peacham Cemetery, Sunday, Aug. 1, at 1 p.m. Messages of condolence may be sent to Patricia Wilcox, P.O. Box 1724, Montague, NJ 97827 and Karen Bean, 91 Brightlook Drive, No. 5, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Peacham Congregational Church, Peacham, VT 05862.

, 78, a longtime St. Johnsbury resident, died Tuesday, July 6, 2004, at the St. Johnsbury Health and Rehab Center. Born Aug. 28, 1925, in St. Sebastien, Canada, he was the son of the late Antonio and Juliana (Bergeron) Lapierre. Raoul came to St. Johnsbury in 1948; he married Gisele M. Poulin Aug. 6, 1955 in St. Johnsbury. He was a brakeman for the Canadian Pacific Railroad for many years and enjoyed hunting, fishing and all sports, and loved to coach minor league and Babe Ruth baseball. Raoul was an active member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 48 years, Gisele M. of St. Johnsbury; two sons, Marcel and his fiance Cassie Gammell of St. Johnsbury, and Paul and his wife Elizabeth of Dalton, Mass.; daughter, Denise Surdek and her husband John of West Roxbury, Mass.; five grandchildren, Laura, Michael and Emily Surdek, and Danielle and Isabelle Lapierre; seven sisters, Therese Pruneault of Danville, Quebec, Georgette Benoit of Milan, Quebec, Juliette Grenier of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Pauline Gingue of St. Johnsbury, Cecile Turcotte of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Susanne Breault of Montreal, Quebec, and Bibiane Samson of Trois Riviere, Quebec; three brothers, George of St. Johnsbury, Rejean of St. Basil Le Grand, Quebec, and Guy of Sherbrooke, Quebec; and numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his father, Antonio, in 1968; his mother, Juliana, in 2000; his brother, Gaston, in 2001; and an infant son in 1956. Calling hours will be at Sayles Funeral Home, 525 Summer St., St. Johnsbury, Friday, July 9, between 6-8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, July 10, at 11 a.m., at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with the Rev. Patrick Forman as celebrant. Interment will follow in the Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Raoul's name to the Good Shepherd Foundation, P.O. Box 146, St. Johnsbury, Vt 05819.

, 20, of Brunswick, Vt., passed away Tuesday, July 6, 2004, at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H., as a result of injuries received in a motor vehicle accident. She was born July 31, 1983, in Lancaster, N.H., the daughter of Stephen and Carla (Thompson) Russo. Ms. Russo attended school in North Stratford, N.H., and is a 2002 graduate of North Stratford High School where she was salutatorian and a member of the National Honor Society. Additionally, she participated in the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership conference and was active in various school events. She had worked at the Mountain's Restaurant in North Stratford, Howard's Restaurant in Colebrook, N.H., and Olympia Sport in St. Johnsbury and Brattleboro, Vt. Most recently she was employed at the Putney Inn in Putney, Vt. Ms. Russo was preparing for a junior year at Lyndon State College in Lyndon, Vt., where she was majoring in physical therapy. Ms. Russo enjoyed being active in community life and helping out on her parents' dairy farm. Ms. Jennifer Ann Russo is survived by her parents, Stephen and Carla Russo of Brunswick, Vt.; two brothers, Timothy Russo of Brunswick, Vt., and Stephen Russo of Lunenburg, Vt.; paternal grandmother, Sarah J. Russo of Hanson, Mass.; and maternal grandparents, Kenneth and Louise Thompson of East Corinth, Vt. Calling hours will be Sunday, July 11, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., at Newman Funeral Home, 136 Main St., Colebrook, N.H. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 12, at Sacred Heart Church in North Stratford, N.H. Burial will follow at the Brunswick Town Cemetery, Brunswick, Vt.

, 62, of 811 Mathewson Hill Road, Lyndonville, Vt., passed away at her residence Friday, July 9, 2004. She was born Aug. 31, 1941 in Lyndon, Vt., the daughter of the late Alton and H. Elsie (Wheeler) Gilman. She graduated from Lyndon Institute, Class of 1959. She had worked as a bookkeeper at Lyndon Institute for the past 35 years. She is survived by her husband, Walter Bickford Jr. of Lyndonville; her daughter and her husband, Lisa and Ken Cushman of Sheffield, Vt.; her three grandchildren, Kaitlie, Taylor and Elizabeth; her sisters and their husbands, Betty and Wayne Lund of North Concord, Vt., Bonnie and Terry Francis of Eden Mills, Vt., Alice and Dexter Randall of Troy, Vt., and Susan and Robert LaBree of Lyndon Center, Vt.; her sisters-in-law, Judy Gilman of St. Johnsbury, Vt., Emily Tetreault and her husband Arnie of Concord, Vt., and Nancy White and her husband Ken of Lyndonville; her mother-in-law, Doris Bickford of Lyndonville; her brothers-in-law and their wives, Robert and Judy Bickford of East Haven, Vt., Bruce and Bunny Bickford of Lyndonville, Vt., and Phil and Lorraine Bickford of Lyndonville; and by several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother, William Gilman; father-in-law, Walter Harland Bickford; and brother-in-law, Harry Bickford. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home Sunday, July 11, 2004, from 3-6 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational Church of Lyndonville, Monday, July 12, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Barbara Dwyer officiating. Burial will be in the Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon Center, Vt. Those who wish may send contributions in her memory to either Caledonia Home Health Care Agency, P.O. Box 383, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819; or the Children's Barn Yard, in care of Caledonia County Fair Association, P.O. Box 343, Lyndonville, VT 05851.

, 70, of Chadburn Road, Irasburg, Vt., passed away at his home Thursday, July 8, 2004. He was born in Newport March 8, 1934, the son of Gerald Clyde and Gladys (Dwyer) Chadburn. George was a self-employed logger and enjoyed hunting and photography. On Nov. 30, 1953, George married the former Emily Austin, who predeceased him April 22, 2001. He is survived by his children, William Gerald Chadburn and his wife Judi of North Concord, Carol Mitchell and her husband Clarence Jr. of Concord, and Bonnie Leithead and her husband Gary of Lyndonville; his grandchildren, Michael and Eric Chadburn, Clarence III and Jason Mitchell, and Ryan and Casey Leithead; his siblings, Gordon Chadburn and his wife Linda of Irasburg, Marian Valenta and her husband Joseph of Wayne, Pa., Gloria Stoddard of Newport, Wayne Chadburn and his wife Carla of Irasburg, Janet Lawson and her husband Robert of Irasburg, and Beryl Norris of Pasadena, Fla.; and his sister-in-law, Theresa Norris of Barton. He was predeceased by his brother, Earl Norris. Friends may call at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, Darling Hill Road, Newport (formerly Sias Ave.), Monday, July 12, from 7-9 p.m. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, July 13, at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Newport at 10 a.m. with the Pastor George Lawson officiating. Interment will follow.

, 78, formerly of 65 Central St., Woodsville, N.H., died Thursday evening, July 8, 2004, at the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, N.H. She was born in Woodsville March 21, 1926, daughter of John Francis and Harriett Ella (Burton) Leonard Sr. Dorothy married Llewellyn "Buster" Gould on May 13, 1950, and he predeceased her on Dec. 22, 2000. She was also predeceased by two brothers, John F. Leonard Jr. in 2001, and Richard W. Leonard in 1996. Dot worked for several years at the Grafton County Nursing Home, Cottage Hospital and was a former matron for the Haverhill Police Department serving from 1963 to 1969. Most recently she worked at McAllister Jewelers in Woodsville. She attended the Bath Congregational Church, Bath, N.H. Surviving relatives include one daughter, Martha J. Dunbar and her husband Garry of Barnet, Vt.; two sons, B. Peter Gould of East Ryegate, Vt., and Bryan S. Gould and his wife Melissa of Woodsville; six grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. It was Dot's wish that there be no calling hours. A memorial service will be held Monday, July 12, at 11 a.m., from the Ricker Funeral Home, Birch Street, Woodsville. The Rev. Alden H. Blake, pastor of the Bath Congregational Church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Pine Grove Cemetery at the convenience of the family. A period of fellowship will be held at the Happy Hour Restaurant following the memorial service. It is requested that memorial donations be made to the Grafton County Home Association, 3855 Dartmouth College Highway, North Haverhill, NH 03774.

, 67, of Effort, Pa., died Thursday, July 8, 2004, in St. Luke's Hospital-Allentown, Pa. He was the husband of Linda L. (Copp) Ash. They had observed their 41st anniversary last month. Born in Concord, Vt., he was a son of the late Ralph Ash and the late Amita Ash-Suitor. The Rev. Ash was a 1968 graduate of the Moody Bible Institute and he completed his studies at Northeastern Bible College. In 1970, he accepted a call to Raritan Road Baptist Church in Cranford, N.J., where he was ordained to the ministry by the Conservative Baptist Association of America. Sixteen years later, God brought that ministry to a close and opened a new one in Brodheadsville at the Grace Bible Church. In 1998, that church joined the Christian Missionary Alliance and changed its name to Countryside Alliance Church where the Rev. Ash served until this past December. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Tim Ash and his wife Cathy and their children of Tobyhanna; two daughters, Deborah and Rebekah, both at home; three sisters, Patricia Sorrell and her husband Bill of Kannapolis, N.C., Fran Austin and her husband Ted of Concord, Vt., and Doris Juda "Jo" of Pickford, Mich.; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at the Union Baptist Church Friday, July 16, 2004, at 10 a.m., with Pastor Paul Powers officiating. Burial will follow at Grove Cemetery in East St. Johnsbury. Friends are invited to met the family at the Union Baptist Church Thursday evening, 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Countryside Alliance Church, P.O. Box 541, Brodheadsville, PA 18322 for the purpose of establishing a memorial fund in the Rev. Ash's name; or to VNA/Hospice of Monroe County, 502 Independence Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301.

, 63, of Drew Street, Littleton, N.H., passed away Thursday, July 8, 2004, at his home. Murphy was born Dec. 18, 1940, a son to Leon Everett and Pearl (Chellew) Chace in Swansea, Mass. After graduating from high school, he became involved with paint contracting and worked for various painters, most recently employed by Lee Hutchins Painting. Murphy is survived by two daughters, Pam Texeria of Berwick, Maine, and Patty O'Gara of Fairhaven, Mass.; five brothers, Arnold Chace of Littleton, Colo., Russell Chace of Swansea, Mass., Gene Chace of Palm Bay, Fla., Robert Chace of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and John Chace of Palm Bay, Fla.; one sister, Norma Mayes of Orange, Calif.; two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held privately at the convenience of the family.

, 92, of Tallahassee, Fla., died Sunday, July 11, 2004 in Tallahassee, Fla. A native of Waterford, Vt., and a former resident of New Port Richey, Fla., she had resided in Tallahassee since 1988. She was a member of the Womens Guild, Good Shepard Catholic Church, and Local AARP 376. She graduated from the University of Vermont in 1933 and married in 1934. She was a teacher in Burlington, Vt., for 15 years, retiring in 1975 and moved to New Port Richey, where she was active in the Beacon Woods Community Club and St. Michael's Catholic Church. She remarried in 1982. She is survived by two sons, Ken Badger and his wife Patti of Tallahassee, and Robert Badger and his wife Sandy of Tallahassee; two stepdaughters, Patricia Roth of Carmel, N.Y., and Maryann Shick of New York; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Perley Badger; and her husband of 19 years, Joseph Yablonicky. Services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, July 14, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Tallahassee, Fla., with burial at Roselawn Cemetery, Tallahassee, Fla. No visitation will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308.

72, of Passumpsic, Vt., passed away at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., Monday, July 12, 2004. He was born Feb. 14, 1932, the son of the late Ruby Beattie and Clarence A. Smith. He attended school in Lyndon, Vt., and served in the Army during the Korean War. He had worked at Fairbanks and was self-employed. He was a member of the VFW Post, Moose Club, the Elks Club, the Eagles and the American Legion, all of St. Johnsbury; and was a member of the Breslin Center in Lyndonville, Vt. He loved Cadillacs, motorcycles, women and gambling. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Smitty and Brenda Smith of Wheelock, Vt., Wendy and Chris Griffin of Hingham, Mass., Jeffrey and Shelly Smith of Sutton, Vt., Sherri Smith of Bellflower, Calif., and Rick and Lori Smith of Lyndonville; his 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and also by his companion, Irene Bixby of Littleton, N.H. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home Friday from 6-8 p.m. Graveside services will be held in the Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon Center, Vt., Saturday, July 17, at 2 p.m. Those who wish may send contributions in his memory to SAD/SAC, in care of The Caledonian-Record, P.O. Box 8, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.