, 18, of West Charleston died unexpectedly in July 2006. Mr. Currie was the youngest son of Michael and Kathy (Austin) Currie. He attended Charleston Elementary School and North Country Union High School. He loved sports and excelled in soccer and basketball. He was a unique, free-spirited boy always ready for a challenge. He enjoyed riding his four-wheeler through the woods, exploring new trails and enjoying the old ones. He had many friends who enjoyed a game of pool at his home. He was a very thoughtful person with a quick smile for everyone he met and was always ready to give a helping hand whenever needed. He was very family-oriented, enjoying family cookouts, holidays, and birthdays. He worked many years for Austin's Rubbish Removal and part time working in the woods with his father. Nathan leaves behind his parents, Michael and Kathy; and his brothers Zachary and his fiancée, Gisele Pion, of West Charleston and Jesse and his companion, Chantel Allen, of Morgan. Nathan was the youngest grandson of the late Burton and Vivian Austin of West Charleston. He leaves his uncle Keith Austin and his wife, Danielle, of West Charleston; his aunt Cheryl Lawson and her husband, Larry, of Derby; his aunt Kathy Kleer of Florida; his aunt Jane and her husband, Bob, of Maine; his uncle Paul and his wife, Melissa of California; his aunt Mary and her husband, Curt, of Arizona; his uncle George and his wife, Mary, of Maine; his uncle Sean and his wife, Rachel, of Maine; his aunt Ellen and her partner, Vincent, of Maine; and his grandparents: John and Betty Elholm of Arizona and Paul and Beverly Currie of Maine. He leaves a special honorary grandmother, Vida Powers, with whom Nathan spent a lot of his growing up years; and his best friend, Michael Jones, who is serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Nathan had to leave, but he left his family and friends with 18 years of wonderful memories that will stay in their hearts forever. A memorial service to celebrate the life of Nathan Currie will be held at the Charleston Elementary School gymnasium in West Charleston January 17 at 1 p.m. with the Reverend Richard Whitehill and the Reverend Roger Fletcher officiating.

, 73, of Newport died suddenly December 30, 2008, at his home. Mr. Brigham was born November 5, 1935, in Newport, a son of Allen and Doris (Reid) Brigham. He graduated from Newport High School and entered the Army during the Korean War. On September 26, 1959, he married Joyce Smith, who survives him. Upon his return from the Korean War, he went to work at North Country Union High School as an industrial arts teacher for a brief time. He was the rail supervisor for C.P. Rail in Newport for more than 40 years, until his retirement. He was an active member of his community. He was a member of the United Church of Newport for more than 50 years, holding many positions in the church. He was a Scoutmaster through the church, taught Sunday school, and was the Sunday school superintendent for many years. He was a charter member of the Newport Jaycees and a volunteer at Vermont's North Country Chamber of Commerce tourism booth. He recently retired from the Newport City Fire Department after 41 years. He served on the Newport City Elementary School Board as chairman for 20 years, and he was a chairman of the Orleans-Essex North Supervisory Union Board. He was a member of American Legion Post 21 for more than 30 years and was secretary and treasurer for the Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship 50. He was most proud of building two houses for his family and especially the lake house. He enjoyed traveling south to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with his wife in the wintertime, and he enjoyed taking organized bus trips with his wife. He liked to repair items and tinker on many projects, and he was always willing to give a hand to his family, friends, and organizations to which he belonged. He was a card-carrying member of the Herb March Coffee Club at Wendy's, and he was a very devoted family man. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Joyce Brigham, of Newport; by four children: Allen Brigham of Manchester, New Hampshire, John D. Brigham of Framingham, Massachusetts, Eric Brigham and his wife, Jayne, of Barre, and Janna Brigham of Rutland; by grandchildren: Jessica Elie, Kayla Brigham, Jake Brigham, Jay Jr., Justin, and Jacob Joslin, and Cassie and Caleb Brigham; by two great-grandchildren, KameronLill and Griffin Goodhue; by two sisters, Joyce Bianchi of Newport and Jean Carey of Texas; by a special nephew, Steve Shoff, of Montpelier; and by other nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held January 4 at the United Church of Newport with the Reverend Martha Peck officiating. Spring interment will be in Pine Grove Cemetery in Newport. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Brigham's memory may be made to the Newport Fire Department Scholarship Fund, in care of David Parenteau, Main Street, Newport, Vermont 05855; or to the United Church of Newport.

, 73, of Troy died December 17, 2008, in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Beaudry was born July 2, 1935, in Troy, a son of Albert and Imelda (Robillard) Beaudry. On January 2, 1960, he married Patricia Horn, who survives him. He was a truck driver for Pike Industries for 20 years. He worked with his father and his brother Gerard in the building industry and drove truck for Starr's Transportation. He enjoyed tinkering on heavy farm equipment and attending family gatherings. He liked to invent many mechanical methods. When he was able to he liked hunting, motorcycling, and fishing. He enjoyed Sunday morning breakfast with his family. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Beaudry, of Troy; by his two children, Lawrence Beaudry and his wife, Lynne, of Bokeelia, Florida, and Lori Beaudry Lawyer and her husband, Michael, of North Troy; by his grandchildren: Jennifer, Nedah, Nabil, and Kristin; by great-grandchildren: Dalaney,Camron, Jasmine, and Myles; by sister-in-law RoseanneBeaudry of Jay; by sisters: Jeannine Kennison of Newport, Roseanne Brouillard of Westfield, Massachusetts, and Lorraine Starr and her husband, Durward, of North Troy; by brother-in-law Lawrence Lantagne of Newport; and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Gerard Beaudry; by Florence Lantagne; and by brothers-in-law LawrenceKennison and Lionel Brouillard. Funeral services were held December 22 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in North Troy with the Reverend Henry Mlinganisa celebrating a Mass of Christian Burial. Spring interment will be held in Notre Dame Cemetery in North Troy. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Beaudry's memory may be made to the Frontier Animal Society of Vermont, 502 Strawberry Acres Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.

, 77, of West Charleston died peacefully December 26, 2008, in Newport, surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Austin was born September 25, 1931, in Holland, a daughter of John and Mary (Jacobs) King. On March 16, 1968, she married Burton Austin, who predeceased her. She graduated from the Thompson School of Practical Nursing in Springfield. She was a charge nurse at Bel-Aire Quality Care Nursing Center in Newport and later at Patenaude Rest Home in Derby. She held memberships with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, Newport Elks 2155, and the Arbor Day Foundation, which plants trees to keep forests plentiful. She was very interested in NASCAR, and she enjoyed knitting, crocheting, gardening, and being in the company of her grandchildren. She is survived by her children: Rosemary Sheltra and her husband, Dennis, of Derby, Nickolet Simpson of West Charleston and her friend, David LaBelle, of Derby, and Joi Merritt and her husband, Rory, of Springfield; by grandchildren: Tina Lucas, Casandra Dailey and her husband, Harry, Becky Rice, Stanley Crowe II, Kimberly Bingham and her husband, Jason, Heather Sheltra and her friend, Troy Bowen, Scott Gentley, Jeremy Gentley, Shawn Mason, Jennifer Bergeron, Traci Batchelder, Matthew Sheltra and his wife, Jessica, and Andrew Sheltra; by 25 great-grandchildren; by one great-great-grandchild; by brother Hughbert King and his wife, Janice, of Lakeland, Florida; by stepchildren: Cheryl Lawson and her husband, Larry, of Derby, Keith Austin and his wife, Danielle, of West Charleston, and Cathy Currie and her husband, Michael, of West Charleston; by several stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren; and by numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her first husband, Alva Batchelder; by sister Naomi Williams; by great-granddaughter Jessie Bowen; by an infant set of twins; and by her stepgrandson Nathan Currie. Funeral services were held December 31 in Newport with the Reverend Roger Fletcher officiating. Spring interment will be in West Charleston Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in Mrs. Austin's memory may be made to Silver Towers, in care of Newport Elks Club, P.O. Box 888, Derby, Vermont 05829; or to the Charleston Fire Department, West Charleston, Vermont 05872.

, 47, died at her home in Craftsbury on Friday, December 26, 2008, in the loving care of her family, following a long and courageous battle with melanoma. Born in Morrisville on February 22, 1961, Ms. Allen was a daughter of Bernard and Linda (Butler) Lussier. She was a 1978 graduate of Craftsbury Academy. Through her lifelong studies, she earned an associate's degree from the Community College of Vermont and a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Johnson State College. She married M. George Allen Jr. in Craftsbury on October 21, 1978. Together they made their home in Craftsbury and raised their two sons, Jason and Shaun. She was a hard worker and operated a daycare at her home for several years. She later was a paraprofessional at the Albany Village School and was working on her teaching degree when hired to fill a term as a substitute teacher. She was then hired for that positoin and taught elementary school for five years in Albany. For many years she supplemented the family income making Christmas wreaths. She loved music and loved to dance. She liked to travel and fulfilled a lifelong dream of taking a cruise with her husband. She helped support the baseball program and other benefits in Craftsbury while her boys were in school. She enjoyed being with her family and getting together with friends. Besides her husband, George, she leaves two sons, Jason of Craftsbury and Shaun and his wife, Misty, of Wolcott; her parents, Bernard and Linda Lussier, of Albany; four grandchildren: Matthew, Nicholas, Natalie, and Lillian; her mother-in-law, Dorothy Keoppen, of Center Hill, Florida; two sisters-in-law, Debbie Lutterschmidt of Illinois and Korena Allen of Florida; daughter-in-law Nicole Smith; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family members and friends. A Funeral Mass was celebrated December 30 at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Craftsbury, with the Reverend Peter O'Leary officiating. Spring interment will be in the East Craftsbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the family to help with final expenses. Donations may be mailed to George Allen, 506 Black River Road, Craftsbury, Vermont 05826.

of Lawrence, New York, announce with great sadness the death of their son John Mathew Emery III on December 7, 2008. Mr. Emery died peacefully in his sleep at age 51 in Modesto, California. John and Patsy Emery were summer residents of Derby for many years, as were Ms. Emery's parents and grandparents

, 59, of Cambridge died January 19, 2009, at Starr Farm Nursing Home in Burlington, following a battle with cancer. Mr. Waugh was born in Whittier, California, on March 30, 1949, a son of Charles E. and Catherine (Simpson) Waugh. He grew up in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from high school in Cranford, New Jersey and served in the U.S. Navy, Sixth Fleet, stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, during the Vietnam War. In 1990, he received a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of Maryland. A cook, he worked in many restaurants and hotels. He had most recently been a chef at Johnson State College for the past few years specializing in vegetarian cuisine. He loved music and was a gifted musician who loved to share and teach his talents with friends and students. He was an active member of the Lamoille Valley Church of the Nazarene in Johnson. His fellow members took him into their hearts as family as he did of them. He leaves his daughter Katrina Waugh of Craftsbury Common; his former wife, Jennifer LaPoint, of Craftsbury Common; his sister Dr. Janice Arion and her husband, Dr. William, of Plano, Texas; niece Lillian; and nephew John. A funeral service was held January 25 at the Lamoille Valley Church of the Nazarene in Johnson with Pastor Jeff Adams of the Wolcott Church of the Nazarene officiating. Final interment will be in Branch Cemetery in Craftsbury. Contributions in Mr. Waugh's memory may be made to the Lamoille Valley Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 0, Johnson, Vermont 05656.

, 90, of Barton, formerly of Woodstock, died peacefully at home with her family nearby, on Wednesday, January 14, 2009. Mrs. O'Rear was born October 19, 1918, in New York City, New York, to Lewis Martin Richmond and Sarah Thacher Richmond. Growing up living on Long Island, she graduated from Dobbs Preparatory School and later studied writing at Columbia University. During World War II she served her country working as a flight dispatcher for American Airlines. She was fearless and daring, strong of spirit and spunk. In 1946 she married John Davis O'Rear II. Together they spent many enjoyable years doing what they loved. They worked as a team managing ski lodges from Canada to Colorado and California. They authored a number of books and articles about skiing, drawing from their experiences many humorous and colorful stories. With Mrs. O'Rear writing and Mr. O'Rear illustrating with photographs, they enjoyed life in full measure. After her husband's death in 1992, she continued writing thoughtful and entertaining articles for magazines and newspapers, making full use of her humor and wit. She loved nature and her hilltop home in Bridgewater. She loved her German shepherd dog Buddy, with whom she was often seen in and around Woodstock. She loved horses, with which she won numerous competitions in her earlier years. She loved her caregivers who gave of themselves to assist her in her latter years. Most of all she loved her family. She is survived by her son John D. O'Rear III and his wife, Sharon Long, of Tucson, Arizona; by her daughter Laurie Terhune and her husband, Tim, of Barton; by grandchildren Rory, Daisy, Jesse and his wife, Cristina, Shaun, Patrick, Holly, Aaron, Zachary, Hannah, and Jacob; and by three great-grandchildren: Autumn, Chloe, and Phoenix. A memorial for her will be held January 31 at 1 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Woodstock with a reception following.

, 93, of Island Pond died peacefully January 20, 2009, in Newport. Mr. Meredith was born June 26, 1915, in Learned Plain, Quebec, a son of David Thomas and Myrtle (Sample) Meredith. On November 22, 1939, he married Norma Christie. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Island Pond for 65 years and the National Rifle Association for 50 years. He was a member of the North American Hunting Club. He came to Vermont in 1936 and worked for his uncle John Young in the lumber business. After graduating from the Stanstead College business administration program, he spent several months in Detroit, Michigan, in accounting. Realizing he did not want to raise his family there, he came back to Island Pond to work on the Canadian National Railroad. Upon retiring from the railroad, he became involved in the Island Pond water department for more than 14 years, during which time the town replaced most of the main waterlines and service to most of the homes. An avid hunter and fisherman, he loved the outdoors. He enjoyed gardening and carpentry. He designed and built his own house in 1950 and always enjoyed having family and friends at his home sharing great food and making fond memories. He is survived by his wife, Norma Meredith, of Island Pond; by five children: Barbara Hodsden and her husband, Wayne, of Lockport, New York, Sandra Nadeau and her husband, Douglas, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Wayne Meredith of Island Pond, Brenda Johnson and her husband, Paul, of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and Scott Meredith and his wife, Kathryn, of Island Pond; by 12 grandchildren, by 11 great-grandchildren; and by his brother Frederic Meredith and his wife, Anna, of Green Valley, Ontario. He was predeceased by two sisters, Pauline Lane and Olive Meredith. Funeral services were held January 24 at Christ Episcopal Church in Island Pond with the Reverend Brendan Whittaker officiating, followed by a Masonic service. Spring interment will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Island Pond. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Meredith's memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, 381 Park Avenue South, Suite 820, New York, New York 10016; or to North Country Hospital, oncology department, Prouty Drive, Newport, Vermont 05855.

, 84, of Lyndonville died peacefully, surrounded by her loving family and friends, on January 22, 2009, at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital in St. Johnsbury. Mrs. Lynch was born in Belvidere Center on February 24, 1924, the only daughter of Grover and Bertha (Fletcher) Potter. In early 1925 she moved with her family to Montpelier. She graduated from Montpelier High School in 1942. Prior to graduation she was employed in the operating department of Green Mountain Power Corporation; she retired after 25 years of service. On May 27, 1967, she married Jack Prior Lynch of Lyndonville. They enjoyed many happy years together, traveling, camping, and dancing. In February 1969 she started employment at Lyndon State College with the psychology department as a departmental secretary. She retired on May 1, 1989. She was a life member of Rob Morris 24 Order of the Eastern Star and a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars 792 Auxiliary in Montpelier. She was a member of Trinity Methodist Church in Montpelier and later a member of the First Congregational Church in Lyndonville. She enjoyed playing the piano and especially enjoyed knitting children's Irish knit sweaters. She is survived by her beloved stepdaughter Sherry Lynch Bowers of Birmingham, Alabama; by three grandchildren: Wendy Stevens, Jim Bowers and his wife, Lisa, and Sherry Lynn Scott and her husband, B.J.; by five great-grandchildren: Jack Bowers, John Stevens, Barbara Stevens, Alexis Scott, and Skyler Scott; by special nephew Calvin Potter and his wife, Nancy, of Waterbury; by great-niece Sara Richards of Kinderhook, New York; by great-nephew Eric Potter of South Duxsbury; and by special friends: Dick, Nancy, and Kara Lawrence, Dayton and Landry of Lyndonville, and Herbie Reed. She was predeceased by her husband, Jack Lynch, in 1982; by her parents; and by two brothers, Brandon and Woodrow Potter. A memorial service in her honor was held at the First Congregational Church in Lyndonville January 25 with the Reverend Jennifer Geary officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lyndonville Fire Department, Tiger Company, P.O. Box 126, Lyndonville, Vermont 05851 in care of Butch Forget.

, 90, a lifetime resident of Orleans and Haines City, Florida, died peacefully January 20, 2009, in Kissimmee, Florida. Dr. Kipp was born November 4, 1918, a son of Archie and Lana Kipp of Orleans. He attended schools in Orleans and graduated from Orleans High School in 1936. He attended Vermont Junior College and had a route as a truck driver for Turnbull Ice Cream Company around northern Vermont. He then went to serve in the Army during World War II as a sergeant of a medical detachment. He returned and eventually attended the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, Illinois. He came back to Vermont and set up his optometry business in Montpelier, eventually moving it to Orleans, serving those communities for more than 30 years. He was an avid golfer and won many tournaments over the years with many trophies. He could shoot his age or under for many of his later years. At Orleans High School, besides playing golf, he was a key basketball player along with his brother Richard against many of the local high school teams. One year the Orleans basketball team won the state championship and went to the New England tournament in Hartford, Connecticut. He was a member of Orleans Country Club since 1933. He became so successful he won the club championship early in his years and had to even play against his father, Archie, at least once during the times he won. He supported and was a member of the American Legion in Orleans. He made a lot of friends on the golf course and in his business and will be sadly missed by many. He spent the winters of his last retirement years in Haines City and summers in Vermont. He was a very kind, loving, and devoted father to his children and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his daughter Sandra McFee and her husband, Dale, of Lake Worth, Florida; by two sons, Douglas W. Kipp of Kissimmee, Florida, and Peter Kipp and his wife, Debra, of Woodbury; by his sister Betty Thurber of Middlebury; by 17 grandchildren; and by nine great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two sons, Michael J. Kipp in 1996 and Frederick M. Kipp in 2008; and by his brother Richard Kipp. A memorial service will be held later this summer in the Archie Kipp family lot in Pleasant View Cemetery in Orleans.

, 87, of Manchester, Connecticut, died Sunday, January 18, 2009. Mrs. Condon was born in Lyndonville on April 16, 1921, a daughter of Fred and Laise (Morancy) Sawyer. She was raised in Lyndonville and graduated from Barton Academy. She then was a factory worker during World War II. She moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where she resided for most of her life, and was employed at Greenwood Convalescent Home as a nurse's aide. She loved playing bingo at the Army and Navy Club in Manchester. She will be sadly missed by her loving family and leaves to mourn two daughters, Donna Belanger and her husband, Richard, of Manchester and Frances Dodd and her husband, Gary, of Ellington; eight grandchildren: Tammy, Kim, Mandy, Donna, Koren, Gary W., Jamie, and Kyle; and three great-grandchildren: Aidan, Julie, and McKenna. She was predeceased by her loving husband, William J. Condon; by her parents; by her sons Dennis and Donald Massey; and by three brothers, two during infancy and Raymond Sawyer. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial was held January 24 at St. Bridget Church in Manchester. Burial of her remains will be held at a later date in Westlook Cemetery in Glover. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 538 Preston Avenue, P.O. Box 1004, Meriden, Connecticut 06450.

, 53, of West Charleston died and went home to be with the Lord on January 19, 2009. Mr. Clark was born November 28, 1955, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Marjorie (Kenworthy) and Melville Clark. He lived in Connecticut until the early 1980s when he moved to Vermont. He loved being a Vermonter and wouldn't have considered living anywhere else. On September 5, 1987, he married Jane (Lafleur) Quintal, who survives him. He was a strong proponent of Christian education, and four of his children attended United Christian Academy (UCA) in Newport, with three of them continuing their education at Christian colleges. Daughter Gina is currently a sophomore at UCA. Mr. Clark served on UCA's board of directors from 1995 until 2007, when his health prevented him from continuing. He was passionate about his job as general manager at Metal Flex in Newport. In 1982, Barrie Hume decided to start his own company and hired Mr. Clark as his sales manager. Initially, he worked from his home in Connecticut, and after a year moved to Vermont. Metal Flex was an important part of his life. In addition to his family, Mr. Clark loved the Mustang he had restored. On sunny summer days, you could find him cruising in his '66 Mustang, and it was often parked in front of The Brown Cow, his favorite lunch spot. He is survived by his wife, Jane; by five children: William of Newport, Eric and his wife, Ashley, of Quincy, Massachusetts, Adam of Cleveland, Tennessee, and Todd and Gina of West Charleston; by his father, Melville, and his wife, Virginia, of Ocala, Florida; by his brother David and his wife, Jan, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; by sisters Cindy Ober and her husband, Les, of Torrington, Connecticut, and Rebecca Antonacci and her husband, Frank, of Somersville, Connecticut; by his in-laws, who provided comfort and support during his illness: father-in-law, Maurice Lafleur, of Orleans, mother-in-law, Rejeanne Leblond, of Derby Line, sisters-in-law Joanne Williams and her husband, Andre, of Orleans and Julie Jacobs and her husband, David, of Holland, and brother-in-law Joe Lafleur and his wife, Audrey, of Newport Center; by several nieces and nephews; and by many brothers and sisters in Christ, including close friends Robert Guyer and Gregg and Julie Wood. He was predeceased by his mother, Marjorie, in 1987. The memorial service was held January 24 with the Reverend Glenn Saaman and the Reverend Richard Whitehill officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in Mr. Clark's memory to United Christian Academy, sports program, 65 School Street, Newport, Vermont 05855.

, 85, a retired University of Vermont (UVM) dairy farmer from South Burlington, died Monday, January 19, 2009, at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. Mr. Calderwood was born in Craftsbury on July 19, 1923, a son of Hugh and A. Belle (King) Calderwood. He attended Craftsbury schools and operated the Calderwood farm with his brother Martin for 30 years. He married Letitia Blood on February 28, 1960, in Sterling, Massachusetts. He moved to Burlington with his family in 1971; he worked on the UVM dairy farm for 15 years. He spent a couple of years at Shelburne Farms, and after retiring in 1986, worked part time as a janitor at Grand Union. He was a longtime member of Meridian Sun Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons and the Craftsbury Order of the Eastern Star. He was a member of the Craftsbury Horse and Buggy Club and the Craftsbury Grange. He enjoyed being with his family and friends, gardening, and sugaring with his brother. Survivors include his wife, Letitia, of South Burlington; his daughter Patricia Ann Calderwood of Northampton, Massachusetts; two granddaughters, Ani and Zoe Caron, of Northampton; sister-in-law Fielda Calderwood of East Craftsbury; two brothers-in-laws, Edgar Blood of Massachusetts and Phillip Blood of Colorado; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son Peter Scott Calderwood in 1966; by his brother Martin Calderwood in November 2003; and by his sister Catherine Young in January 2004. Contributions in Mr. Calderwood's memory may be made to the Visiting Nurses Association, 1110 Prim Road, Colchester, Vermont 05446.

, 61, of Lyme, New Hampshire, and East Corinth, Vermont, died Tuesday, January 13, 2009, after a long illness. Mr. Betts was born in Hartford, Connecticut, a son of Marjorie and Ray Betts. He received a bachelor of arts from St. Lawrence University and an ongoing education from the observation and study of the natural world. He was most at home outside, in the woods and the mountains. He loved to back-country ski, hunt, fish, hike, and camp. He spent a lifetime in the woods. His preferred mode of motor transportation was his Harley-Davidson. At the end of his life he endeavored to learn to fly a glider and was working toward his glider pilot's license. A former resident of Albany, Peter was a key part of the Chronicle at its beginning. Two of his photographs appeared in the newspaper's first issue on March 28, 1974. Up until the last month of his life, he served as secretary of the board of the Hanover Consumer Cooperative. He is survived by his mother, Marjorie, of Southwick, Massachusetts; by children Mariah of Boulder, Colorado, and Evan of Hyde Park; and by his partner, Julie Wolf. He was predeceased by his father, A. Raymond Betts, of Granby, Connecticut. A celebration of Peter's life will be held at a date to be announced in the spring. Contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy, the Vermont Land Trust, or the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation.