, 80, of Newport Center died peacefully at his home on February 26, 2002.Mr. Hilliker was born on December 22, 1921, in Newport Center, a son of Myrl and Loretta (Armstrong) Hilliker. In 1940 he graduated from Burr and Burton High School in Manchester and later attended a technical college in Burlington. On June 12, 1944, he married Gabrielle Roberts, who survives him. He was a dairy farmer on the family farm in Newport Center, and from 1970 until 1989 he owned and operated Hilliker's Store in Newport Center. He also owned and operated town school buses for 25 years. He held membership with United Methodist Church of Newport Center and Masonic Union Lodge No. 16 of Troy. During his lifetime he was a lister for the town of Newport Center and founding member of the Newport Center Fire Department. He is survived by his wife, Gabrielle Hilliker, of Newport Center; by the following children: Robert Hilliker and his wife, Sandra, of Newport Center, Marion Urie of Newport, James Hilliker and his wife, Faye, of Newport Center, and Linda Waterman and her husband, Jerry, of Newport Center; by ten grandchildren: Brad, Mike, Amy, Adam, Nicki, Matthew, Amanda, Aaron, Kelly, and Kristie; by 11 great-grandchildren; by a sister, Janet Gustin, and her friend, Ken Barlow, of Newport Center; and by several nieces, nephews, and friends. Funeral services were held Friday, March 1, at United Methodist Church in Newport Center with the Reverend Frank Massa officiating. Interment will follow in Newport Center Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Hilliker's memory may be made to United Methodist Church, in care of Charles Drown Sr., Cross Road, Newport Center, Vermont 05857 or to the Diabetes Association, 77 Hegeman Avenue, Colchester, Vermont 05446.

, 65, of North Troy died at her home on Tuesday, February 26, 2002. Mrs. Descheneaux was born in Troy on March 13, 1936, the daughter of Roy and Stella (Buck) Watson. She was manager at Jay Country Store. She was a member of American Legion Auxiliary Jay Peak Post No. 28 for 32 years and a member of Community Circle. She enjoyed horseback riding, doing arts and crafts, and tending to her flower beds and gardens. She also enjoyed sitting for her grandchildren and great-grandchild. On August 7, 1954, she married Roger Descheneaux, who survives her. She is also survived by her daughters: Deborah Morrissette and her husband, Richard, of Troy, Marguerite Sanville and her husband, Tracy, of Irasburg, and Judith Desrocher and her husband, Oscar, of Jay; by her brothers Roy Watson Jr. and Neil Watson, both of New Hampshire; by her sisters: Hilda Smith, Geraldine Larose and her husband, Almond "Sunny," Mona MacNichol and her husband, Bill, and Beverly Messier, all of New Hampshire; by 12 grandchildren; and by one great-grandchild. She was predeceased by two brothers and by one sister. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday, March 2, at Sacred Heart Church in Troy with the Reverend Jerome Mercure officiating. Spring interment will take place at St. Ignatius Cemetery in Lowell. Should friends desire, contributions in Mrs. Descheneaux's memory may be made to Orleans-Essex Visiting Nurses Association and Hospice, 46 Lakemont Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.

, 72, of Newport died peacefully February 25, 2002, in Newport. Mrs. Kennison was born December 23, 1929, in Newport, a daughter of Harold and Ina (Allen) Kennison. She was a nurses' aide for a nursing home in Connecticut. She enjoyed her family, bingo, and the senior meal site of Newport. She is survived by her son Alan Before of Suffield, Connecticut; by daughter-in-law Burnella; by three grandchildren: Jaime, Michelle, and Lisa Before; by nieces and nephews; and by sisters-in-law Jeannine Kennison of Newport and Dawn Kennison of Indianapolis, Indiana. She was predeceased by two brothers, Harold and Lawrence Kennison. A memorial service was held Friday at Derby United Church with the Reverend Fred Barker officiating. Should friends desire, contributions in Mrs. Kennison's memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 12 Hurricane Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495.

, 81, of Beebe, died March 1, 2002, in Newport. Mr. Lussier was born June 22, 1920, in Beebe, a son of Joel and Mary Louise (Boileau) Lussier. On June 23, 1945, he married Julienne Couture, who predeceased him in 1998. He was a methods and processing engineer for Union Butterfields for 46 years. He enjoyed reading and was a fan of the Montréal Canadians. He was a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church in Derby Line, where he was choir director for many years. He and his late wife also enjoyed many years in Lantana, Florida. He is survived by two children, Therese Heitzman and her husband, Steven, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Robert Lussier and his wife, Suzanne, of St. Albans; by four grandchildren: Robbie Lussier of St. Albans, Joel Winship of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Matthew Winship and Heather Heitzman of Seattle, Washington; by the following brothers and sisters: Bertha Roy of Lake Placid, Florida, Beatrice Lussier of Newport, Martha Lussier of Stanstead, Quebec, Sister Therese Lussier of Lennoxville, Quebec, and Sister Jeanne D'arc Lussier of Quebec City; and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by the following brothers and sisters: Rene, Paul, Irene, Florence, Anita, and Germaine. Funeral services were held Monday, March 4, at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Derby Line with the Reverend Yvon Royer celebrating a Mass of Christian Burial. Spring interment will be in St. Edward's Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Lussier's memory may be made to St. Edward's Catholic Church, Derby Line, Vermont 05830.

, 99, noted Vermont book collector, former legislator, and Holstein breeder, died on March 2, 2002, at her home in Fairlee. Ms. Mallary was born on August 19, 1902, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the daughter of George Edward and Jennie Slater Robinson. She resided in Springfield until she moved permanently to Fairlee in 1942. She was educated in Springfield public schools, Bennett College in Millbrook, New York, and the University of Connecticut. On September 15, 1923, she married R. DeWitt Mallary, to whom she was married until his death in 1993. They had two sons, both of whom survive them, R. DeWitt Mallary Jr. of Fairlee and Richard W. Mallary of Brookfield. During her years in Springfield, she was active in public service, serving as president of the Junior League in 1931 and 1932, trustee of Wesson Memorial Hospital from 1937 to 1942, and chairman of Springfield Council of Social Agencies from 1938 to 1940. She moved to Mallary Farm in Fairlee in 1942 to provide leadership for the farm operation and purebred Holstein breeding enterprise. She became an expert on Holstein pedigrees and history and played a major role in the development of the successful Mallary Farm herd. She was also active in many aspects of the Holstein breed organizations, serving as president of Vermont Holstein Club from 1951 to 1953 and founder and editor from 1947 to 1950 of New England Holstein Bulletin. She became deeply involved in local and Vermont state governmental and political affairs. She was elected and served two terms in the Vermont House of Representatives in 1953 and 1955 and one term in the Vermont Senate in 1957. Following her retirement from the Senate she served on the State Board of Recreation from 1959 to 1965, the Asa Bloomer Foundation from 1963 to 1971, and Justin Smith Morrill Foundation from 1964 to 1971 including three years as its president. In her own community, she was an active member of the Fairlee library board for 31 years, serving as its chairman for many of those years. She was active with the local historical societies and served as chairman of Fairlee Bicentennial Committee from 1974 to 1977. She pursued her love for the state and her interest in its history by starting and developing a remarkable collection of books and manuscripts, including early Vermont imprints, Vermont history, politics, and literature. This collection has become an important source of material for scholars and researchers on Vermont subjects. Her contributions to Vermont history scholarship were recognized by the University of Vermont by awarding her in 1995. She was a past board member of Vermont Historical Society and served for many years on the Committee for a New England Bibliography. She became a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1974, one of the first women to be so honored. In addition to her two sons, she is survived by seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held in Bradford Congregational Church on Saturday, March 9. Contributions in her memory, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Fairlee Public Library, Fairlee, Vermont 05045 or to Vermont Historical Society, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05609.

, 53, of Lyndon died Thursday, February 21, 2002, at North Country Hospital in Newport. Mrs. Nutting was born in Newport on February 26, 1948, the daughter of Edward M. and Eleanor J. (Cilley) Quinn. She was raised in Island Pond and was a graduate of Brighton High School in the class of 1966. She worked as director of human resources for Northern Counties Health Care in St. Johnsbury for many years, retiring in 1995 due to health reasons. An avid reader, she also enjoyed going to the beach, gardening, playing cards, doing crafts, and spending time with her family. Survivors include her husband, Kenneth E. Nutting, of Lyndon; her son Ryan R. Little of Lyndon and Clarkson University in Potsdam;, New York; two sisters, Kay Hopkins of West Burke and Pat Little and her husband, Stewart, of Irasburg; her special niece Cindy White; five special nephews: Dale Newland, Jason Little, Jordan and Jared White, and Jacob Little; her uncle and aunt Bobby and Gert Cilley of St. Albans; and her two special cousins, Tom and his wife, Sandy, of Essex Junction and Suzan Pons and her husband, Rene, of France; her mother-in-law, Thelma Nutting, of Lyndonville; three sisters-in-law: Linda Carlisle and her husband, Ron, of Houston, Texas, Barbara Olcott and her husband, Ed, of St. Johnsbury, and Rhonda Boivin of Lyndon; two brothers-in-law, Robert Nutting and his wife, Shirley, of Lyndonville and J. Irish McGill of Florida; and many other nieces and nephews. A memorial service was held Saturday, February 23, at Lyndonville First Congregational Church with the Reverend Donald Vincent officiating. Burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Island Pond in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations made in Mrs. Nutting's memory may be directed to Caledonia Home Health, in care of Marcia Eliot for hospice, P.O. Box 383, St. Johnsbury, Vermont 05819

, 77, of Bradenton, Florida, and formerly of Newport, died at his home on Monday, February 18, 2002. Mr. Stetson was born in Richford to Horace and Dorothy (Chamberlain) Stetson on August 21, 1924. He retired from the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Newport. He enjoyed spending many hours fishing and hunting with his children and grandchildren. He was a member of Memphremagog Masonic Lodge No. 65 of Free and Accepted Masons in Newport, Lakeside Chapter No. 27, Order of Eastern Star in Newport, Scottish Rite of the Valley of Tampa, Florida, and Sahib Shrine Temple of Sarasota, Florida. He is survived by his wife, Barbara J. (Bickford); and by his children: Nora J. Neville and her husband, Robert, of Toronto, Ontario, Norman B. and his wife, Lucinda, of Bradenton, Nancy G. and her friend, Joseph Quagenti, of Peabody, Massachusetts, Nina L. Sullivan of West Warwick, Rhode Island, Nelson C. of Virginia, Ned T. of Lake Orion, Michigan, Norine K. Recchia and her husband, Ed, of Blackstone, Massachusetts, and Newton E. and his friend, Colleen Gaynor, of Bradenton; by 16 grandchildren; and by 11 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents; by his son Edwin Neal; by great-grandson Brandon; and by son-in-law John Sullivan. A memorial service was held on February 23 in Bradenton with the Reverend John Genco officiating. Summer interment will take place at Morrill-Kelsey Cemetery in Derby. Memorial contributions may be made to Shriner's Hospital for Children, in care of Sahib Shrine Temple, 600 North Beneva Road, Sarasota, Florida 34238.

, 65, of West Charleston died in Lebanon, New Hampshire, on Sunday, March 3, 2002. Mr. Wagner was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, on March 14, 1936, the son of John A. and Florence (Marcotte) Wagner. From 1963 to 1973 he owned and operated a bread route with his wife in Orleans County. He also worked for International Paper Company for eight years, then for Carol Cass at the Morgan Town garage, and finally in road maintenance for the town of Charleston. He loved his dog Trooper and going for walks with him, and also enjoyed working in his garage. On April 21, 1963, he married Claire LeMay, who survives him. He is also survived by his brother John Wagner of Hyde Park; by his sister Freda Judd of Orleans; by his nephews Ronald Judd and Terry Cole; by his niece Debbie Ingalls and her husband, Burt; by his brothers-in-law Raymond LeMay and his wife, Pat, of Troy and John LeMay and his wife, Gigi, of Derby; by his sisters-in-law: Mary Desjarlais and her husband, Gilles, of Troy, Marguerite Cross and her husband, Randall, of East Charleston, Shirley Cross and her husband, James, of Island Pond, Connie LeMay of Westfield, and Pauline Hodgdon and her husband, Brad, of Waterbury; and by his mother-in-law, Josephine LeMay, of Derby. He was predeceased by his parents, John and Florence Wagner; by his brother James; and by his nephews Darryl and Duane. Friends may call at Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Newport on Wednesday, March 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 7, at Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Newport at 10 a.m. with the Reverend Yvon Royer officiating. Spring interment will take place at West Charleston Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Wagner's memory may be made to Frontier Animal Society of Vermont, 502 Strawberry Acres Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.