, 48, of Craftsbury died of melanoma, three years after the initial diagnosis, at his home on October 17, 2008. Mr. Bickart was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on October 1, 1960, a son of Carol and Theodore A. Bickart. He was the loving stepson of Frani Bickart. He grew up in Syracuse, New York, where he graduated from William Nottingham High School in 1978. He became a resident of northern Vermont in 1998, when he joined the faculty of Sterling College in Craftsbury Common. He loved both learning and teaching. He earned a bachelor of arts in Earth and planetary sciences from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 1982 and a master of science in geology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1986. He taught high school biology and Spanish at Hyde School in Bath, Maine, from 1987 to 1994, and Spanish and outdoor skills at Hebron Acacemy in Hebron, Maine, from 1994 to 1997. At Sterling College he taught geology, ecology, ornithology, botany, fiber arts, organic crop production, and traditional outdoor living skills. In recent years he gave hands-on workshops to local middle school students on primitive skills. His intense curiosity and his wide and deep knowledge, as well as his sense of humor, made the subjects he taught come alive to his students. An avid reader, he was a published poet and essayist. He made numerous articles of clothing from local plant and animal materials, spinning and dyeing his own yarns, and weaving, knitting, and felting fabrics, as well as tanning hides. He built his own wood and canvas canoe as well as paddles, snowshoes, bows, arrows, and atlatls. With his family, he created a homestead farm, with extensive vegetable gardens and a large orchard. He had a particularly strong interest in the preservaton of heirloom varieties of vegetables and fruits and was for ten years an active member of Seed Savers Exchange. A competitive long-distance runner in high school, college, and later, he continued to enjoy running until his illness prevented it. He is survived by his cherished wife of 14 years, Jennifer (Brown); by their two beloved children, Alexander, age nine, and Laura, age seven, of Craftsbury; by his mother, Carol, of Syracuse, New York; by his father and stepmother, Theodore and Frani, of Golden, Colorado; by his sister Lauren Zhang and her husband, David, of San Jose, California; by his stepsister Jennifer Cumming of Palo Alto, California; by his parents-in-law, D. Halbe and Jane Brown, of South Barre; and by many nieces and nephews. Family members were supported throughout Mr. Bickart's illness by their incredible community of friends in the Craftsbury area and beyond. A memorial service celebrating Mr. Bickart's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 26, at the United Church of Craftsbury in Craftsbury Common, led by Pastor Alan Parker and Mr. Bickart's sister-in-law the Reverend Wendy Brown. Friends are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Bickart's memory to the Lamoille Area Cancer Network, P.O. Box 38, Lake Elmore, Vermont 05657.

, 84, of Irasburg died peacefully October 22, 2008, in Newport. Mrs. McCormick was born March 30, 1924, in Montpelier, a daughter of Fenton and Mildred (Ball) Damon. She was a teacher's aide for 40 years at the Irasburg Village School, where she touched many lives. She worked on the Irasburg Church Fair for many years. She enjoyed playing bingo, doing crossword puzzles, and birdwatching. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her beloved children: Marilyn Houlihan and her husband, Daniel, of Bristol, Connecticut, Sandra Sloan of Newport, Malcolm McCormick and his wife, Michelle, of Barton, Ramon McCormick and his wife, Shirley, of Irasburg, and David McCormick and his wife, Lisa, of Fairfax; by 15 grandchildren; by 18 great-grandchildren; by her brother Robert Damon and his wife, Zel, of Morgan; by her sister Betty Bowen of White River Junction; and by several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by two sons, Alan and Douglas McCormick; and by two sisters, Marion Carr and Evelyn Durgin. Funeral services were held October 27 in Newport with the Reverend Richard Whitehill officiating. Interment followed in the Irasburg Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in Mrs. McCormick's memory may be made to the library fund at Irasburg Village School, 292 Route 58 East, Irasburg, Vermont 05845.

, 49, died suddenly October 24, 2008, in Newport. Mr. Gray was born September 1, 1959, in Lancendorf, Germany, a son of Gunda (Pohlmann) Gray and Glenn Gray. On June 23, 2007, he married Brenda Weber, who survives him. In 1977 he graduated from North Country Union High School. He was deployed to the Iraq War where he drove a truck for the New Hampshire National Guard. He loved being a soldier, and he enjoyed being a member of the Vermont National Guard. He was a log truck driver for many local contractors. He loved to go shopping at Costco, and he enjoyed snowmobiling, hunting, and walking and working in the woods. He held memberships with American Legion Post 80 of Island Pond and the North American Hunting Club. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Gray, of Island Pond; by his children: Jeramie Konrad Gray of Island Pond, Crystal Weber of Burlington, Janineve Weber of Newport Center, and Thomas Mandigo of Island Pond; by two grandsons, Brendon Weber and Paradis Prue; by his mother, Gunda Gray, of Danville; by his sister Corinna Costello and her husband, Tom, of Danville; by his niece Madison; by his nephew Porter; by half-sisters Barbara and Ranita; by half-brother Tom of North Carolina; and by aunts, uncles, and cousins in Vermont and Germany. He was predeceased by his father, Glenn Gray; and by two half brothers, Mark and Danny Absher. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, at Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Island Pond, where funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, with the Reverend Roger Fletcher officiating. Interment will take place at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 3, at Lakeside Cemetery in Island Pond with full military honors.

, 77, of Island Pond died suddenly October 25, 2008, at home. Mr. Gray was born February 5, 1931, in Colebrook, New Hampshire, a son of Earl and Margaret (Edwards) Gray. On September 15, 1962, he married Roena Daniels, who died December 1, 2006. He graduated from Canaan Memorial High School. He was a retired truck driver and was employed by Harley Moulton Milk Trucking and Prouty and Miller. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He held membership with American Legion Post 80 of Island Pond, the Island Pond Historical Society, and the Community Circle of Community National Bank. He enjoyed sightseeing and attending family gatherings. He was the patriach of the Gray family. He is survived by siblings: Marilyn Wade of Island Pond, Gleigh Heath and her husband, William, of Island Pond, Anna Johnson of Orleans, Patricia Gray of St. Johnsbury, Charlotte Gunn of Island Pond, Virginia Wing and her husband, Alan, of Island Pond, and Niles Gray and his wife, Monique, of Island Pond; by sisters-in-law Gunda Gray of Danville and Helen Corliss of Island Pond; by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews; and by his aunt Althea Gray of Canaan. He was predeceased by his brother Glenn Gray; by his niece Wendy Gray; and by his nephew Konrad "Conny" Gray. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, at the Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Island Pond, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 31, with the Reverend Roger Fletcher officiating. Interment will follow in Lakeside Cemetery in Island Pond with full military honors. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Gray's memory may be made to the Island Pond Historical Society, P.O. Box 408, Island Pond, Vermont 05846.

, 51, of Derby died suddenly October 24, 2008, in Newport. Mr. Docos was born April 18, 1957, in Manhattan, New York, a son of Alexander Docos and Mary (Pesce) Docos. He graduated from Lincoln High School in Yonkers, New York. He enjoyed attending gun shows, playing the drums, and spending time on his computer. He owned and operated SJD Sports, and he was a federal firearms dealer for 26 years. He was the owner of a web site called Firearms Forum. At one time he was a disc jockey at radio station WLIR in Long Island, New York, a limousine driver, a police officer in Tennessee, and a paramedic in Manhattan. He was very patriotic and supportive of American troops, and he was very proud of his stepson Jonathan, who just recently joined the Air Force. He is survived by his companion of 16 years, Carla Hoy of Derby, who loved him unconditionally; by two stepchildren, Jonathan and Matthew Hoy; by his father, Alexander Docos, of Yonkers, New York; by two brothers, George Docos of Yonkers and William Docos of Wappingers Falls, New York; by two sisters, Cindy DelBene of Yonkers and Victoria Simmonds of Wappingers Falls; and by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his mother, Mary Docos; and by two sisters, Patricia Hoffarth and Rosalie Mosca. Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, at the Curtis-Britch Converse-Rushford Funeral Home on Darling Hill Road in Newport with the Reverend Roger Fletcher officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5 p.m. until the hour of the funeral on Wednesday. Interment will take place on Thursday, October 30, at noon at the Town of Catskill Cemetery in Catskill, New York.

, 87, of West Charleston died October 20, 2008, at the home of her daughter. Mrs. Davis was born August 27, 1921, a daughter of William and Cora (Batchelder) Moulton. On October 27, 1943, she married Dale Davis, who predeceased her. She was a member of the East Charleston Church of the Nazarene. She enjoyed cooking, knitting, reading, crocheting, and taking care of her grandchildren. She was a cook for Camp Winape in Charleston. She is survived by nine children: Marlene Stevens and her husband, Joseph, of Charleston, Margaret Colburn of Derby, Mark Davis and his wife, Sherry, of Lakeland, Florida, Martin Davis and his wife, Genie, of Charleston, Karen Mahoney and her husband, Brennan, of Midlothian, Virginia, Greta Warner of Derby, Kristen Powers and her husband, Marshall, of Paulden, Arizona, Fred Davis of Charleston, and Rod Davis and his wife, Shirley, of Derby; by grandchildren: Richard, Brian and David Stevens, Lena Seckman, Faith Hoffman, Duane and Jason Colburn, Debbie Heald, Julie Gaboriault, Anthony and Annie Davis, Eric and Steven Davis, Jennifer Turgeon, Jamie and David Colburn, Patrick, Michael, Molly, and Cassie Mahoney, David and Aaron Warner, Michelle Badertscher, and Heather, Marissa, Corey, and Connor Davis; by 20 great-grandchildren; and by numerous nieces and nephews, She was predeceased by brothers: Raymond, Earl, Ira, Gerald, Richard, Abner, and Darald. Funeral service were held October 24 at the Church of the Nazarene in East Charleston with Pastor James Gamble officiating. Interment followed at Hillside Cemetery in East Charleston.

, 86, retired pastor, died peacefully October 12, 2008, at his residence in Springfield, Virginia. He had metastatic cancer and was receiving hospice care at home. Mr. Beckwith was born February 21, 1922, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the only child of the Reverend Hubert E. Beckwith and Florence S. Beckwith. He graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1939. He received a bachelor of arts in religion from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, in December 1942 and a bachelor of divinity (now master of divinity) from Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, in August 1945. He served as assistant minister at the First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C., from 1945 to 1949 and minister at Rocky Hill Congregational Church in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, from 1949 to 1955. In January 1955, he was called to be the founding pastor of the Congregational Christian Church of Fairfax County in Annandale, Virginia. From its beginning the Annandale church took an active part in the great struggle against racial segregation. It welcomed people of all races despite Virginia's campaign of "massive resistance." In 1958 its members were instrumental in founding the Fairfax County Council on Human Relations, the first such broad-based citizens' group in the state. The Reverend Beckwith was briefly the council's first president before becoming the second president of the statewide council and then a member of its umbrella organization, the Southern Regional Council, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Under his leadership the church grew to more than 1,000 members in the 1970s. His service in the wider denomination included terms as moderator of the Middle Atlantic Conference of Congregational Christian Churches, chairman of the Church and Ministry Committee of the Potomac Association, and member of the Executive Committee of the United Church of Christ Board for Homeland Ministries. He retired in February 1987 after 32 years at the Little River United Church of Christ. He was named its pastor emeritus, and a scholarship for students preparing for parish ministry was established in his honor. For his commitment to religious leadership and to civil rights and human relations, he received the James Floyd Jenkins Pillar of Faith Award at Howard University School of Divinity in 2003. In later life, he became a genealogist of note. He was an active member of the Fairfax Genealogical Society, the Connecticut Society of Genealogists, the Cornish American Heritage Society, and other groups. He served for a time as curator of the Old Lyme, Connecticut, founding families project. An enthusiastic amateur photographer, he enjoyed, with his beloved wife, Elizabeth, theater, music, travel, and especially the beauties of Willoughby Lake in Westmore. His family first camped at Willoughby in his infancy, as guests of church friends Dr. Arthur Miles and his wife of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Westmore (now the Baker-Woodruff family). In 1954 he and his wife bought the camp on Fosters Grove North in which they vacationed with their family and spent more than 50 summers together. They became active members of the Westmore Association, participating in variety shows and other programs, and were associate members of the Westmore Community Church, where for many years he preached once a summer. They sang enthusiastically in John and Marianne Weaver's summer choir at the Barton United Church. Over the years they turned a ramshackle camp into a cozy cottage and introduced many friends to Willoughby Lake. After nearly 59 years of marriage, Elizabeth predeceased him in May. He is survived by two sons, Hubert E. Beckwith and his wife, Kathy McCrea, of Fairfax and Paul A. Beckwith and his wife, Diane, of Lansing, New York; by four grandchildren: Stanley A. Beckwith of Rochester, New York, and Adam D., Sarah F., and Joel D. Beckwith of Lansing; by an aunt, ArabellaSparnon, of Sarasota, Florida; and by other family members. A memorial service was held October 20 at Little River United Church of Christ. His ashes will be interred at Lake View Cemetery in Westmore next summer.

, 76, beloved husband of Barbara Bartley and local business owner, died October 21, 2008, at North Country Hospital in Newport, surrounded by his family. Mr. Bartley was born September 21, 1932, in Presque Isle, Maine, a son of Ralph Willis and Josephine (Sanborn) Bartley. He graduated from Torrington High School in Torrington, Connecticut, and received a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Connecticut. On September 7, 1959, he married Barbara McCann, who survives him. In October 1973, he and his wife opened the Derby McDonald's restaurant. In 1977, they later purchased the Littleton, New Hampshire, location and in July 1994, the St. Johnsbury location. In July 1995 they established the Lyndonville franchise. He loved his family and grandchildren. He enjoyed restoring his Farmall tractors and collecting antique cars. He especially loved spending time with his customers at McDonald's. He was a member of the Newport Elks Lodge and a former member of the Newport Masonic Lodge. He was a former director of Lyndonville Saving Bank. He was one of the organizers of the Newport Bandstand. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Bartley, of Derby; by his children: Brian David Bartley of Derby, Winston Merrial Bartley Jr. and his fiancée, Tammy Crowe, of Derby, Elizabeth Ann Willey and her husband, Greg, of Derby, and James Kelley Bartley and his fiancée, Denise Kennedy, of Newport; by his cherished grandchildren: Travis and his fiancée, Johanna, Logan, Drew, Austin, Meagan, Alyssa, Matthew, Bailey, Ronnie, and Brooke; by his cherished great-grandchildren: Colton and Madyson; by James Spooner of Derby, who Mr. Bartley thought of as a son; by several nieces and nephews; and by his dear friend Armand Fornier of Derby. He was predeceased by brothers: Adelbert, Parker, Cecil, and Elwood Bartley. Funeral services were held October 27 at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Derby Line with the Reverend Yvon Royer and the Reverend Laurence Wall officiating. Interment followed at St. Edward's Catholic Cemetery in Derby Line. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Bartley's memory may be made to St. Edward's Catholic Church, P.O. Box 397, Derby Line, Vermont 05830; or to the Church of God, P.O. Box 245, Newport, Vermont 05855.