,70 , of Brattleboro died Sunday, March 28, 2010, at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital following a sudden illness. She was born May 18, 1939, in Barton, a daughter of Raymond A. and Mildred (Smith) Drew. In 1957 she graduated from Newport City High School in Newport. Later she graduated from the Writer's Digest School. On August 3, 1957, she married Robert H. Duckless who survives her. They moved to Brattleboro in October of 1962. She was a self-taught woman who prided herself on being a lifelong learner. She enjoyed discussing and debating issues and was strong in her convictions on political as well as cultural issues. Among her many hobbies and interests were flower gardening, watercolor painting, dancing, traveling, and playing cards and playing piano. She was also an avid reader, stamp collector and enjoyed entertaining in her home. Over the years, she and her husband visited Hawaii twice, Bermuda, Portugal, Mexico, Canada, Venezuela and most all of the Caribbean Islands. Mrs. Duckless loved cats, animals and oceans. For 19 years she had a pair of registered Himalayan cats that were her pride and joy. Organizations to which she had belonged or held office in over the years included: Oak Grove Homemakers Club, River Valley Riders Motorcycle Club, Cheshire Fish and Game Club, the National Rifle Association, the board of directors of the Brattleboro Figure Skating Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Ladies of the Moose, and she was a life member of the V.F.W. Carl Dessaint Post #1034 Ladies Auxiliary. Her occupational history included secretary and receptionist for the Brattleboro Public Health Nursing Service, a telephone operator for Rounds Answering Service, four years at the Brattleboro Retreat where she worked in medical records and as a receptionist per diem. She was a crossing guard for eight years, a receptionist in the offices of doctors Ambler and Kimball, and the last 11 years, before she retired, she substitute taught in the elementary grades at all the schools in the WSESU. Besides her husband of 52 years, she is survived by a daughter, Vicki Flanders, and her husband, James, of Keene, New Hampshire; a son Allen Duckless of Brattleboro; one granddaughter, Ashley Moody, and her husband, Michael, of Keene; two great-grandchildren: Briana and Logan Moody of Keene; two nieces: Lori Royer and her husband, Paul, and their daughters, Andrea and Lisa, of Newport, and Julie Nelson and her husband, Michael, and their children, David and Danielle, of Orleans. She was predeceased by a dear sister, Joyce Rowland of Newport. Funeral services were conducted at the Atamaniuk Funeral Home Inc. Burial was in the Newport Center Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Mrs. Duckless' name may be made to the Windham County Humane Society, P.O. Box 397, Brattleboro, Vermont 05302.

, lived for mountains. Maybe it was the view of Mount Hood from the hospital in Portland, Oregon, where he entered this world on September 18, 1974, or perhaps the aura of Hood's sister volcano to the north, Mount Adams, in whose shadow he spent his toddler years, but make no mistake, a passion for high places and the great outdoors became imbedded into his make-up from an early age. As a four-year-old, after his unrepentant hippie parents had moved him to a teepee in the Idaho panhandle, he scampered to the top of his first summit -Clifty, a lovely 2,000-meter escarpment with a sweeping view of the Kootenai River valley below - a valley he and his family called home until answering the Green Mountains' beckoning call in 1979. Holland - as unpretentious a Vermont town as exists - its proximity to Jay Peak and a moderately obsessive, ski-patrol neighbor launched his skiing career with gusto. Nearly every weekend morning saw the pre-dawn arrival of the neighbor who sipped thick, black coffee while Jack bundled into hand-me-down winter garb, gathered his well-used equipment and headed off in Bruce's Datsun for Jay Peak. For the next ten or so years, Jack was a fixture at Jay Peak, as much a part of the landscape as the Kitzbeuhel or the glades he helped pioneer - black diamond terrain. Whether sipping hot chocolate at the Snow Job or as one of the youngest ski instructors ever, Jay was his home-away-from-home - or was that what Holland was to Jay Peak? His nascent passion for mountains was never confined to the winter months. By the time he was 18, he'd hiked Vermont's Long Trail from Massachusetts to Canada with his family. He'd attended the Green Mountain Conservation Camp - twice. He'd spent a summer doing trail and bridge work with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps on the side of Camel's Hump; a season with the Green Mountain Club's Long Trail Patrol and a long stint building trails for the U.S. Forest Service out of the Rochester Ranger District. It's said that skiing the ice of the East is better training for skiing the West's powder than vice versa. So a year or so after he graduated from North Country Union High School in 1992, the lure of the West's deep powder and endless couloirs proved irresistible. He aimed his tips toward Crested Butte, Colorado, and settled in for the next phase of his mountain love affair. While he came back to Vermont for visits he never "looked back" - for the next 17 years he called Colorado's Rockies and British Columbia's Coast Range home. Just as Jay Peak has been spared the glitter and hype of a Killington or Stowe, Crested Butte was the perfect analog for Jack to land at -serious about skiing and shunning the trappings of a "resort," he found his niche. Embodying the "work hard/play hard" ethos of his newfound community of friends he blossomed and grew on both fronts. First as a landscaper and then as a carpenter, he managed to feed his mountain habits by following the annual rhythm of gathering enough financial acorns in good weather to ski all winter - to spend endless hours ripping remote lines on the back of "the Butte" and in the access-challenged peaks looming out of this bucolic valley. There he also parlayed his fledgling Vermont hunting skills into standard fare for the dinner table in the form of regular success in harvesting Colorado's elk. Never one to take the easy path, he had stories of downing an 800-pound animal in a roadless area and packing out quarters on his back. You could taste the effort in the gourmet homemade jerky he sent home to tantalize us here in Vermont. In another era he might have been at home trapping beaver and hunting "Griz" with Jedediah Smith or Jim Bridger. There too he embarked on a circuit that had its roots in Crested Butte - the world of "extreme skiing" competitions. In the same way that a competitive diver who miscues slightly on a difficult dive might receive a higher score than a diver who nails an easy one, much of the scoring in extreme skiing hinges on the difficulty of the line chosen and the finesse with which the skier navigates that line. No terrain in the East could qualify as an extreme competition setting, save perhaps the headwall at New Hampshire's Tuckerman Ravine. To say the format encourages "pushing the envelope" is an understatement -and push it Jack did. His list of podium visits is impressive including perhaps his most gratifying moment when he took first in the 2003 U.S. Freeskiing Championships before the hometown crowd at Crested Butte. But Kirkwood, Snowbird, Whistler and other venues saw Jack take honors as well. In Crested Butte he also met his future bride - house painter, artist and fellow extreme competitor, Laura Ogden. In 2005 she won the North American Freeskiing Tour, and in 2006 she took the World Freeskiing Tour in a clean sweep - woman aplenty to match Jack's passions for sure! Their tours on the circuit gave them a taste of elsewhere and British Columbia's more consistent snow and proximity to Laura's family in Tacoma, Washington, lured them northward. In 2007 they moved full-time to Pemberton, British Columbia - another bucolic, unspoiled valley with majestic Mount Currie for its backdrop. In 2008 they wed in a backyard ceremony celebrated by extended and complex families and a host of friends. Their wedded lives launched in grand style, Laura settled into nursing school while Jack rode the crest of a building boom related somewhat to the pending arrival of the Winter Olympics in nearby Whistler. Hundreds of miles of untrammeled wilderness and un-skied peaks range north out of Pemberton. Their thirst for competitive honors quenched, they channeled their zeal toward the shear joy of planning and executing first descents of peak after peak in this snowbound playing field. Snowmachines, helicopters, crampons, ice axes, climbing skins and endurance all played parts in satisfying these urges. Their skills attracted more than one film company and many photographers. The Internet abounds with visual accounts of their triumphs. While Jack and Laura ranged far and wide in pursuit of fresh lines, Mount Currie was their familiar haunt - it was "their" mountain. Virtually in their backyard and with an available heli ride for themselves and two friends, it was to Mount Currie they headed on March 31, 2010. It was a perfect powder day, fantastic weather and a memorable run was the result. Stopping to put on skins for the rolling trek back to civilization, the serenity and satisfaction was interrupted by the freight-train sound of a Class 3 avalanche careening down the couloir they'd just skied. All raced for the safety of nearby ledges; all but Jack made it. It was over in seconds. A Class 3 avalanche is defined as capable of crushing cars and small buildings - Jack's life was likely snuffed before the snow settled. His companions reached him in moments and had him extracted soon thereafter, but there was not life left to save. These were among the most experienced and well-equipped backcountry skiers in the world. They had avalanche beacons, avalanche probes, cell phones and thousands of hours of backcountry experience among them, but the suddenness of the tragedy proved to be a greater force than preparedness and skill. Jack leaves behind his beloved Laura and her family on the West Coast, his mother, Carolyn Hannan and her husband, Peter Moskovites, of West Charleston, "the dad he grew up with," Paul Hannan, his wife, Cornelia Carey, and their daughter, Jack's sister, Adelaide Hannan of Calais; his brother, Cedar Hannan and his partner, Jennifer Linck, of Craftsbury; his birth father, George Reeves, and his wife, Roseann, and their sons Richard and Ian of Anacortes, Washington; and relatives far and wide. More friends and admirers than there are ski lines in the Coast Range grieve his passing, with wonderful thoughts posted in various Internet venues to bear witness to that truth and to the humility and spirit that accompanied Jack's accomplishments. An Indian proverb speaks: "When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." We all mourn Jack's passing but there is no doubt that he should rejoice in a life well-lived. - from Paul Hannan.

, 73, of Island Pond died Wednesday March 24, 2010, in Newport. He was born on May 23, 1932, in Claverack, New York, a son of Adam and Etta Mae (Rightmyer) Keeler. He attended Roeliff Jansen School in Hillsdale, New York. He received an honorable discharge from the Army during the Korean War. He lived in Colombia County most of his life moving to Castle Hill in Castleton, New York. He retired to the Northeast Kingdom in Island Pond, He had worked for Philip Orchards, Pitcher Auto Parts, Taconic State Parkway, Taghkanic and Colombia Diners, the Philmont Police and the Schodack School District. His favorite hobby was growing his beard to play Santa. He was a member of the St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Churchtown, a lifetime member of Minkler Seery American Legion Post #252 in Philmont and the Mellenville and Philmont Rod and Gun Clubs. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 34 years, Carolyn Pearl (Decker) Keeler; a daughter, Pamela Jean (Keeler) Barber; son-in-law, Robert P. Barber, of West Charleston; son, Kenneth Adam Keeler; daughter-in-law Mary-Beth Winfield Keeler of Claverack, New York; stepsons Allen and Matthew Voorman; grandchildren: Regina Ann (Barber) Maier, Katrina Lynn Keeler and Kailynn Courtney Keeler; great-grandchildren: Makaila Jordan Maier, Ethan Conrad Maier, and Jeremiah Lee Keeler. He is also survived by a brother Ralph Keeler and a sister Alice Wood. Mr. Keeler was predeceased by his parents; brothers Clinton, Duane, Arnold and Adam; and a granddaughter, Aimee Jeanne Barber. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Siskin, Celebrate Kidz, P.O. Box 1, East Charleston, Vermont 05833. Mr. Keeler's wife, Carolyn, is recovering from surgery, therefore a memorial service will be held at a future date.

, died quietly at home in Friday Harbor, Washington, on February 4, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband, A. Edwin Morrill, in 1995 and her son A. Edward (Nick) Morrill in 1992. She is survived by her daughter Linda Lush and her husband, Terry, of Friday Harbor; five grandsons; eight great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Mrs. Morrill was born Helen Smith in Montpelier on June 16, 1922, and remained in her beloved Vermont until moving in 2002 from Barton to Friday Harbor to be close to her daughter and son-in-law. Her love (and talent) for music began early, and for some time she played violin with a symphony. More recently, while in Friday Harbor, she enjoyed playing the piano several times a week. In the 1950s and 1960s, she worked as a public accountant in Barton and St. Johnsbury. In the 1970s, she used her interest in history and knowledge of antiques to manage a gift shop at the Bennington Battle Monument. Being a serious animal lover, she turned the Morrill household into a bit of an animal shelter, finding new homes for dogs, cats, horses, parrots and even a monkey. At a later time, Mrs. Morrill's remains will be returned to Vermont for burial next to her husband of 54 years and son and five generations of family. If you wish to share stories or thoughts, you may contact Linda and Terry Lush at Linda@sjihome.com or 47 Waypoint Road, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250.

, 69, of Island Pond died peacefully April 3, 2010, in Newport. He was born November 24, 1940, in Sutton, a son of Elmer and Flossie (Facteau) Peck. On August 7, 2005, he married Diane (DeLaBruere) Daniels who survives him. He attended Lyndon Institute in 1958. Mr. Peck entered the U.S. Army on November 25, 1960, and was honorably discharged on November 24, 1963. He was an engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railroad for 32 years. He enjoyed hunting, four-wheeling, kayaking, biking, ice fishing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, square dancing, building model airplanes and spending time with his family. He wintered in Winter Haven, Florida, where he made many new friends and touched many lives. Mr. Peck held memberships with the American Legion Post #21 of Newport, the Masonic Golden Rule Lodge #5 of Stanstead, and the square dance club and bowling league. At one time, he was a licensed barber, and he owned and operated a body shop and built his own home, both located in Derby Line. He is survived by his wife, Diane (Daniels) Peck, of Island Pond; his children: Scott Peck and his companion, Tina, of West Charleston, Darrin Peck and his companion, Sarah Myers, of Essex Junction, and Jodie Peck of Albany; nine grandchildren: Cory, Angelee, Danielle, Natasha, Desmah, Ayla-Kaid, Noah, Savannah, and Elizabeth; and by special family members Tammy and Dion. He is also survived by a brother Stewart Peck and his friend, Audrey, of Enosburg; three sisters: Shirley Ronan of California, Doreen Deos of Lyndon Center, Geraldine Deos of Long Island, New York; several nieces and nephews; his stepchildren: Walter Daniels and his companion, Andrea Natal, of East Burke, Christine Jenks and her husband, Dusty, of East Burke, and Marie Routhier and her husband, Alan, of Essex; and by eight step-grandchildren: Victoria, Allyssa, Jacob, Austin, Melena, Arianna, Tyler and Hailey. Mr. Peck has joined his son Rance Peck who predeceased him on April 22, 2002. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 10 at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Memorial Chapel in Newport with the Reverend Elton Ovitt officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the hour of the funeral. Interment will follow in East Haven Cemetery with full military honors. Members of the Masonic Golden Rule Lodge #5 will conduct a Masonic service at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston,Vermont 05495.

, 78, of Coventry died March 20, 2010, at his home. He was born February 21, 1932, in Nashua, New Hampshire, a son of Ellis and Margaret (McInnes) Smith. He married Louise Richard who predeceased him in 1999. He entered the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War. He was owner and operator of the Heermansmith Farm Restaurant in Coventry for 25 years. He is survived by a son John Smith of Florida; a sister Patricia Kemp and her husband, Richard, of Palm Harbor, Florida; and by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by two brothers, Al and Robert Smith. A service of remembrance will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, at the Heermansmith Farm in Coventry. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495.

, Committal services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 9 at the St. Ignatius Cemetery in Lowell.

,86 , of Newport, died on April 5, 2010. He was born in Bennington on February 29, 1924, the eldest son of Albert All Burgess and Julia (Connelly) Burgess. He attended Bennington High School graduating in 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in WWII in the 88th Division, 350th Infantry Regiment. He served in Africa and Italy as a combat medic; received the combat infantry badge; combat medical badge, two bronze stars, a purple heart and several other decorations. He received an honorable discharge in 1945. After the war ended, he returned to Bennington. In 1949, he married Ave Maria Colgan of Bennington. They resided in Marshfield, Montpelier and Randolph. They had one son, William A. Burgess Jr. Mr. Burgess worked as superintendent of construction on several sections of the Interstate system in Vermont in the 1960s. He went on to become the assistant director of public works for the city of Montpelier, leaving that position to become the town manager for Randolph from 1973 to 1985. In his later life, he became a business partner with the James J. Lowe Company where he served as vice president until his retirement. He was very active in the Vermont League of Cities and Towns where he held a variety of positions. He served on the board of directors, the Unemployment Insurance Trust, the highway committee and as treasurer. In 1978, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns honored him as Municipal Person of the Year. In his younger life he worked on the crew that helped develop Maidstone Lake State Park. His love of the Northeast Kingdom's natural beauty eventually led him to Seymour Lake, in Morgan, where he summered with his family for nearly 50 years. He especially enjoyed hunting and fishing and shared the joys of longtime friendships with many friends who returned to the lake over the years. His first wife, Ave, predeceased him in December 1993, after more than 40 years of marriage. In 2000, he married his second wife, Helen Laramie, of Newport who survives him. He is also survived by his son, William Jr., and his wife of Lebanon, New Hampshire; a brother, John Burgess, and his wife and several nieces and nephews; a step-son Raymond Laramie and his wife of Newport; two step-daughters Susan Monfette and her husband of Newport, and Pauline Sheehan and her husband of Florida, and several step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren and step-nieces and -nephews. A funeral service was held on April 10 at St. Mary's, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church in Newport. Arrangements by Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Homes in Newport. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Burgess' memory may be made to Seymour Lake Association, care of Janet Selby, P.O. Box 43, Morgan, Vermont 05853.

, 62, of Barton died suddenly on April 6, 2010, in Newport. He was born June 2, 1947, in Orleans, a son of Eddy and Fabiola (Vachon) Coderre. On September 12, 1981, he married Tamie Ashline who predeceased him on August 13, 2009. Mr. Coderre was a member of St. Theresa's Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, both of Orleans. He is survived by two children: Raymond Coderre Jr. and his fiance, Jessie Bushey, of Orleans, and Tara-Lynn Coderre of Barton. He is also survived by the following brothers and sisters: Donald Coderre of Lowell, Eugene Coderre of Orleans, Giselle Damon and her husband, Robert, of Morgan, Cecile Arel of Newport, Estelle Wheeler and her husband, Alfred, of Newport Center, Desneiges Geraw and her husband, Chester, of Glover; a sister-in-law, Alice Coderre, of Irasburg; and by several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by brothers Lucien, Gaetan, Marcel and by sisters Jeannette Geraw and Rita. Graveside services were held on April 12 at St. Theresa's Cemetery in Orleans with the Reverend Sixmund Nyabenda officiating. Full military honors were held. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Heart Association, Vermont Affiliate Inc., 434 Hurricane Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495.

, 57, of North Troy died peacefully April 6, 2010, at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 29, 1952, in Newport, a son of Hector and Theresa (Bacon) Descheneau Sr. On August 18, 1973, he married Cheryl (Pudvah) Descheneau. He was owner of Hector Descheneau Transport. He held memberships with the Newport Elks Lodge #2155 of Newport, the American Legion Post #28 of North Troy, and the North Troy Fire Department. Mr. Descheneau enlisted in the Vermont National Guard. Among his hobbies he enjoyed snowmobiling, NASCAR races and spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Descheneau, of North Troy; two children: Chris Descheneau and his wife, April, of North Troy, and Jeremy Descheneau and his wife, Katie, of Deering, New Hampshire; four grandchildren: Aaliyah, Kloey, Wyatt J., and Ryder J; his mother, Theresa Descheneau, of Derby; three brothers: Robert Descheneau and his wife, Marsha, of West Charleston, Richard Descheneau Sr., and his wife, Diane, of North Troy, and Dennis Descheneau and his wife, Kathy, of Newport Center; his mother-in-law, Matilda Pudvah, of North Troy; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. He was predeceased by his father, Hector J. Descheneau Sr., in 1993. Funeral services were held on April 8 at a Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Newport with the Reverend Laurence Wall officiating. Interment followed in St. Ignatius Cemetery in Lowell with military honors by members of the American Legion Post #28. Members of the Newport Elks Lodge #2155 conducted an Elks service. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

, 62, of Groton died on April 1, 2010, in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He was born on May 26, 1947, in Barton, a son of Jules and Albertine (Twofoot) Fortin. Mr. Fortin was a self-employed logger for most of his life. He enjoyed farming and the outdoors. He is survived by his children: Brian Fortin and his wife, Holly, of Berkshire, Jody Tilton of Fairfax, and Paula Tardiff of Cambridge; and by his brothers and a sister, Paul Fortin of Derby, Ernest Fortin and his wife, Rolande, of Enosburg, Dennis Fortin and his wife, Jackie, of Newport Center, Mary Haskins of Groton; a sister-in-law Judy Fortin of East Charleston; and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, a brother Jules Jr., and a sister Linda Lucas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 17, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Newport with the Reverend John Genco officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home on April 17 from 9 a.m. until the hour of the funeral service. Interment will follow at the St. Edward's Catholic Cemetery in Derby Line. Should friends desire, contributions in Mr. Fortin's memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston, Vermont 05495.

, 86 , of Stannard, died on April 8, 2010, at his residence. He was born March 17, 1924, in Hardwick, a son of the late Byron and Elizabeth (Porter) Nunn. He attended Hardwick Academy and continued his education at radio school in Waterbury. In July 1967, he married Mavis Winchester in Stannard. She died December 3, 2009. Mr. Nunn was a licensed ham radio operator. He was an amateur philosopher, historian and anthropologist whose passion for the history of Native Americans in Vermont was relentless. After retiring as a radio and television sales and serviceman in Hardwick, he and his wife moved to the Winchester family farm in Stannard. Together they walked the land, hunted, gardened and sugared. As Mr. Nunn recently said, "Stannard was the perfect place to retire." His family, friends and neighbors will miss his stories of times and people gone by, as well as his warm and independent spirit. Survivors include a step-brother-in-law, Stewart Daige, of Eden; a niece, Kelly Daige, of Eden and a nephew, Steve Daige, of North Carolina. Burial was held on April 12, in the Stannard Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his name may be made to the Stannard Historical Society, care of Rachel Hexter, 41 Old Pasture Road, Greensboro Bend, Vermont 05842.

, Committal Service, A graveside service for Phyllis Smith will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 16, at the Troy Village Cemetery.

, A memorial service will be held for Stephen G. Grant on Saturday, April 24, at 6 p.m. It will be at the Brownington Center Church in Brownington Center.

, The Eagle and Vail valleys in Colorado lost a lot of character on March 22 with the loss of a valley favorite, Fred "Bullit" Diette, due to a stroke. He left this world surrounded by a room full of equally big characters telling old-day Vail Ski Patrol tales. "Bullit", so nicknamed because of his famous speed down the hill while being probably one of the smallest men in the patrol, was well remembered for various colorful events - things that could have only happened in a bygone time when rules of the mountain were few. Fred was born May 4, 1934, in Lowell, grew up on a farm, learned to ski at Jay Peak, became an instructor, and after a successful skiing career heading the ski school at Okemo and patrolling at the Camel Back Ski Area in Pennsylvania, he ventured to Colorado to join the young skiing community of Vail. While he deeply loved this valley, he remained a staunch and real Vermonter through every part of him. A good friend to many in the area, his closest friends were his hunting friends, those he worked with in construction, and his ski patrol and ski school comrades. His stories almost always included all of them, as well as his fierce pride in being raised on a Vermont farm, developing a great love for tractors and draft horses that began as a young boy handling a team in the fields. He held a pilot's license and enjoyed flying for many years. His beloved pets of many years were Choco (a lab) and his horse, Jim Beam. He was also a chef, an expert at the grill, and took pride in being part of the annual elk steak barbecue held at patrol headquarters atop Vail Mountain in honor of President Gerald Ford who used to winter in Vail. And loyal to the end, Fred's wishes were that his ashes be returned to the St. Ignatius Cemetery in Lowell, where many of his family rest. It was his wish that his funeral service be held there. Fred is survived by his sisters, Connie Daigle and her husband, Conrad, of Newport, Claudette Hall and her husband, Tom Gleason, of Zephyrhills, Florida, and Poughkeepsie, New York, and Paulette (Vincent) Vitale of Moore, Oklahoma; a brother, Maurice Diette, and his wife, Sandra, of Colchester; a daughter, Patricia Miles; and a granddaughter, Madyson Taylor, of Connecticut, as well as many nieces and nephews. Because of his love of children, donations may be made in his name to the Masonic/Greater Eagle Fire Toy Drive at P.O. Box 783, Eagle, Colorado 81631. A memorial service will be held May 29 at 11 a.m. at the St. Ignatius Church in Lowell. Burial will follow.

, 57, of Newport died suddenly on April 15, 2010, at his home. He was born September 4, 1952, in Newport, a son of Frank and Rachel (Brault) Rowe. He graduated from North Country Union High School in 1971 and entered the U.S. Air Force where he was with the military police stationed in England and Italy. For 20 years he was employed by North Country Hospital in Newport. Mr. Rowe was a volunteer for the Newport Rotary Basketball Tournament and he was president of the Orleans County Babe Ruth/Softball Cal Ripken League. He was a member of the North Country Football Booster's Club, and he also volunteered for many kids' sporting events. He is survived by his sisters and brother: Gail Rowe of Newport, Susan Roberge and her husband, Jacques, of Newport, Joyce Hilson of Newport, and Ricky Rowe of Newport; also by several nieces and nephews: Cliff Roberge, Megan Hilson, Shelby Hilson, Jeremy Rowe, and Jessica Rowe; and by great nephews Owen Roberge and Carver Maxwell. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Rachel Rowe; by a sister Carolyn Rowe in 1967 and by his brother-in-law Don Hilson. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home in Newport with the Reverend Richard Whitehill officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home from 12:30 p.m. until the hour of the funeral. Interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery in Newport with military honors. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to Little League, in care of Jared Gonyaw, 179 Northern Avenue, Newport, Vermont 05855.

, 85, formerly of Derby and Lowell, died peacefully on April 14, 2010, in St. Albans. Mrs. Snider moved to St. Albans to be with her daughter Dianna. She was born February 15, 1925, in Lowell, a daughter of Willie and Rose (Comtois) Beaulieu. On June 7, 1945, she married Raoul Snider who predeceased her on March 19, 2000. Mrs. Snider's hobbies were bowling, sewing, flower gardening, dancing, playing bingo and cards. She is survived by her children: Carmie Snider and his wife, Christine, of Bradenton, Florida, Dianna Baraby and her husband, John, of St. Albans, and Shermie Snider of Wichita Falls, Texas; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two brothers: Leo and Phillip; and two sisters: Mary Jane Ferland and Gracia Choquette. Funeral services were held April 17 at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Derby Line where a Mass was celebrated. Interment followed in St. Ignatius Cemetery in Lowell. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimers Association of Vermont and New Hampshire, 172 North Main Street, Barre, Vermont 05641-4124.