NEKG - 2005 Obituaries

, 67, of 757 Dalton Road, Dalton, N.H., died suddenly Wednesday, July 6, 2005, at Weeks Medical Center, Lancaster, N.H., due to complications resulting from a heart attack. Mr. Bean was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., on May 26, 1938, the son of Howard and Shirley (Smith) Bean of Sutton, Vt. Allan served in the Army National Guard and was a graduate of Lyndon State College. He taught both elementary and junior high school and most recently worked for the New Hampshire Division of Forest and Lands Service as a fire watchman, patrolman and for Franconia Notch State Park at Cannon Mountain ski slopes. On two occasions Allan participated in cooperative efforts to fight wild fires in Montana and Oregon. He was a member of the Dalton Congregational Church, where he served on the board of trustees and as church custodian. Allan also was a member of Clan MacBean Association, and served 37 years on the Dalton Fire Department. He also served his community by leading the local Boy Scout troop, and he played the part of Smokey the Bear for various events. Allan loved to hike, camp, ski, and work in the outdoors. He also enjoyed participating in Scottish festivals and was the convener at the New Hampshire Clan tent. He will be lovingly remembered by his family as a dedicated husband, father, loyal citizen, and a Christian man of strong moral character who believed it was better to serve than to be served. We look forward to seeing him again in heaven. Surviving family members include his wife of 45 years, Susan Bean of 757 Dalton Road, Dalton, NH 03598; six children, Kyle Bean of 40 Blakslee Road, Dalton, NH, Karel Bean of 13 Overington Ave., Marlton, NJ 08053, Keith Bean of P.O. Box 716, Dolores, CO, Ruth Mozeika of Woodsville, NH, Amy Violette of P.O. Box 841, Dolores, CO, and John Bean of 34 Blakslee Rd., Dalton, NH; two sisters, Susan Fadden of Sheffield, Vt., and Gloria Pugh of Gainsville, Fla.; 15 grandchildren, one great-grandson, and one great-granddaughter on the way, all by whom he will be deeply missed. Calling hours will be held today, July 9, from 6-9 p.m. at the Bailey Funeral Home, Lancaster. The funeral will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Lancaster Congregational United Church of Christ. The Rev. David Pruitt, pastor of the Dalton Congregational Church, will officiate. Burial will follow in Cushman Cemetery, Dalton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Whitefield Ambulance Service, 48 Littleton Road, Whitefield, NH 03598; Gilman Rescue, in care of Town of Lunenburg, 9 West Main St., P.O. Box 54, Lunenburg, VT 05906; Dalton Congregational Church, in care of Edith Switser, Blakslee Road, Dalton, NH 03598; or Dalton Volunteer Fire Department, Dalton Road, Dalton, NH 03598.

, 75, a longtime Newark, Vt., resident, passed away Thursday, July 7, 2005, at the Maple Lane Nursing Home. Son of the late George A. and Bertha (Barry) Lawrence, he was born May 6, 1930, in Rocky Hill, Conn. Hoppy came to the Newark area in the late 1950s. He was a truck driver, former constable of Newark, former member of the Teamsters, was an avid fisherman and a former stock car driver. Hoppy is survived by three sons, Mark Lawrence and his wife Ann of South Meriden, Conn., Peter Lawrence and his wife Alice of Middletown, Conn., and Richard Lawrence of Florida; a brother, Jim Lawrence of Middletown, Conn.; a sister, Margaret "Micky" Wescott of East Hampton, Conn.; three grandchildren, Tim, Sarah and Danny; and several special nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be Monday evening, July 11, between the hours of 6-8 p.m., at Pearsons Funeral Home, 70 Church St., Lyndonville. A funeral service will be Tuesday, July 12, at 11 a.m., at Pearsons Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at the East Haven Cemetery.

, of St. Johnsbury, Vt., passed away at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury Sunday morning, July 10, 2005, at the age of 30. He was born in Newport Dec. 6, 1974, the son of James Sr. and Irene (Labarge) Clayton. He grew up in West Glover, attended Lake Region Union High School, loved dirt biking and the demolition derby at the Barton Fair, and was a self-employed roofing contractor. Two years ago he and Holly were in an automobile accident, which paralyzed him as a quadriplegic. He is survived by his wife Holly (Gochie) Clayton of St. Johnsbury (53 Caledonia St., Apt. 1, 05819); three children, Faith, Jacob and Ryan; five stepchildren, Gregory, Tammy, Elaine, Gene and Kristal; one grandson, A.J., and Holly's granddaughter, Dominique; his parents, James Sr. and Irene Clayton; his maternal grandmother, Pearl Labarge; his mother-in-law, Marilyn Gochie; two sisters; nieces and nephews; seven brothers and sisters-in-law; and his dog, Jason. Memorial services will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Lyndonville at Guibord Funeral Home with Pastor Robert W. Castle, friend of the family, officiating. Memorial contributions may be directed to Christopher Reeves Paralysis Foundation, 500 Morris Ave., Springfield, NJ 07081.

died June 18, 2005, in Vienna, Austria. He was the son of the late Leon H. and Beatrice May (Hall) Frisbie, of Peacham, Vt. He was a veteran serving with the U.S. Army. Norman was a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State. He was a member of the Senior Foreign Service upon his retirement in 1991 after a career that had spanned 32 years and took him to assignments in England, Germany, Poland, Lesotho, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Belgium, Austria and Madagascar. Surviving relatives include his wife, Evelyn Ecki-Frisbie of Vienna, Austria; one daughter, Michelle S. Frisbie-Fulton of Pendleton, Ind.; one son, Russell L. Frisbie of Arlington, Va.; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Norman was predeceased by his brother, Russell L. Frisbie of Memphis, Tenn. Services were held in Vienna, Austria. Services will be held here in the States but will be private and at the convenience of the family.

, 74, of 132 Greenhurst Ave., Geneva, N.Y., died Monday, July 11, 2005, at the Geneva Living Center South. There will be no prior calling hours. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Monday, July 18, 2005, in the Lyndonville Congregational Church (UCC). Burial will be in Lyndon Center Cemetery, Lyndon Center, Vt. Patricia was born Jan. 29, 1931, in St. Johnsbury, Vt., the daughter of the late Garland and Florence Grady Amidon. She was a graduate of Lyndon Institute in Vermont, Class of 1949, and the University of Vermont in Burlington, Class of 1953, with an AB in English with minors in history and journalism. In addition, she studied privately in Italy and Morocco. After graduation in 1953, Pat served as a parish secretary for the First Congregational Church (UCC) in Lyndonville, Vt., for nearly 20 years. She also worked as a feature writer and reporter for two Vermont newspapers, The Caledonian-Record and the Burlington Free Press. Patty had also toured Europe and North Africa, including a camelback trek in Morocco. Pat had three dominating interests in her early life: animals, the Middle East and writing. Her love of animals inspired her to write a most original book, "Anakah: Little Ferret of Galilee," published in 1994. The author tells the story of a ferret named Anakah, who remained loyal to Jesus throughout Jesus' lifetime, even following him to the site of the crucifixion. Among her exploits over the years, Pat helped an Iraqi pen pal flee to Israel over 50 years ago, and the two remain friends to this day. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Albert Meaden of Geneva; her brother, William G. (Pamela) Amidon of Boston, Mass.; three children, Mary Ruth Warne, Joanne Pearl, and Mark Meaden; six grandchildren, William Warne, Matthew Rowe, Benjamin Rowe, Justin Pearl, Maria Meaden, and Carol Pat Meaden; a niece, Carrie (Shawn) McSheffery and their children, Zoe, Hannah, and Maggie of Woburn, Mass.; and a nephew, Bradford (Collene) and their son Austin of South Boston, Mass. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lyndonville UCC Congregational Church, 52 Middle St., Lyndonville, VT 05851.

, 81, of Franconia, N.H., died July 13, 2005, at Littleton Hospital. She was born Aug. 20, 1923, in Philadelphia, Penn., to Edwin E. and Ora J. (Deery) Davey of Folcroft, Penn. She was married to John Graydon Leech (deceased) on Sept. 16, 1944, in Moultrie, Ga., while he was in fighter pilot training for the Army Air Corps during World War II. She graduated from Hanneman School of Nursing in Philadelphia, Penn., in 1944. She worked as a registered nurse during the war at various places in the south, where her husband was training, in Philadelphia, State College, Pennsylvania, and in Appleton, Wis. She was a homemaker and mother and lived with her husband and children in Appleton, Wis. (1947-1950); Westernport, Md. (1951-1962); and Princeton, N.J. (1962-1989). Her husband, Jack Leech, was a scientist and research director at West Virginia Pulp & Paper Company (later Westvaco) in Maryland and for Union Camp Corporation in New Jersey. They retired and moved to Littleton, and then Franconia in 1989. Both were active members of Franconia Community Church. After her husband's death in 1998, Florence was a mission board member, deacon and moderator of the church, and was active in many of its ministries. Florence was an avid reader and will be remembered as a loving parent, caring friend and witty conversationalist. She loved the mountains and sense of community in Franconia. She gave to others without drawing attention to herself. She leaves her daughter, Judith Elizabeth Leech of Poultney, Vt.; her son, James Graydon Leech (and his partner Mike Happ) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and her son, Michael John Leech (and his wife Kathy) of Chicago, Ill., and their infant son, her grandson, Jack Leech, who was the joy of her last days. Memorial donations may be made to the Jack and Florence Leech Memorial Christian Education Fund at Franconia Community Church of Christ, Franconia, NH 03580. A memorial service was held on Saturday, July 16, at Franconia Community Church and a memorial to her will be erected at the side of her late husband at Elmwood Cemetery near their home in Franconia.

, longtime St. Johnsbury resident, died at the St. Johnsbury Health and Rehabilitation Center early Sunday morning, July 24, 2005, at the age of 96 years. She was born in Monroe, N.H., June 30, 1909, the daughter of Frank and Emma (Levigne) Cheney. Lillian was a professional housekeeper working for many private homes in the area. Survivors include her sister, Zilda Garfield of Barre, Vt.; several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and -nephews, great-great-nieces and -nephews; and friends in the area, especially Marcelene Cole of St. Johnsbury. She was predeceased by a son, Dorrance; and two sisters, Ethel Robie and Bernice Halfrey. Graveside services will be held at the Pleasant View Cemetery, Barnet, Friday, Aug. 5, 2005, at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Bonnie Haase officiating. There will be no visiting hours. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Area Agency on Aging, 1161 Portland St., St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.

, formerly of West Burke, died Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at the Pines Rehabilitation and Health Center in Lyndon, at the age of 85. She was born Jan. 31, 1920, in Woonsocket, R.I., the only child of the late Michael and Anna (Prahoda) Raynick. In August 1968, she married James J. Baird. He predeceased her in June 1989. Mrs. Baird worked as an executive secretary at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., for more than 10 years. She and her husband lived in Barre, Vt., for many years before moving to West Burke. She enjoyed gardening, boating and outdoor activities. Survivors include her only child and his family, Robert N. "Bob" Griffin and his wife Jean of York, Maine, and their children, Michael Griffin and Melanie Griffin Hale. A memorial service will be held Friday, July 29, at 1 p.m., at the funeral home with the Rev. Joan Vincent officiating. Burial will be private and held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations made in her memory may be directed to either of the following: the Salvation Army, 545 North Main St., Barre, VT 05641; or the Pines Patient Activities Fund, 601 Red Village Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851.