Julia M. Colman MONTPELIER Julia a a l- man, 86, died peacefully May 3, 2012. Born March 20, 1926, in Elizabeth, N.J., she was the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Orion C.
Hopper and Julia Marga- ret Weitzel-Hopper. Julia was raised in Maplewood, N.J., graduated from Ce- dar Crest College and received her de- gree in religious education from Princeton Theologi- cal Seminary. In 1954, Julia married George D. Colman (di- vorced 1979) and they had three children, Tim, Julie and Sally. In 1957, they moved to Ecorse, and in 1962 to Detroit.
In 1967, Julia returned to school and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1967 with a teaching degree in el- ementary education. She taught kindergarten in De- troit until 1985. Following her retire- ment Julia lived primarily in New Jersey until 2001, when she moved to Mont- pelier where she lived for 10 years near her daughter Sally. In 2010, she moved to be near her daughter Julie in Colorado. Julia made lasting friendships wherever she lived.
Julia was a loving mother and teacher. She was ac- tively involved in the civil rights and anti-war move- ments. She was passionate about politics, the envi- ronment, travel, the arts, weaving, music and her family. Julia spent all her sum- mers at Indian Lake, N.Y., which she called home. Nothing pleased her more than a beautiful Ad- irondack day on the water ending with a gathering of friends and family filled with laughter, good food and music.
Julia is survived by her children, Tim and Kristi and their daughter Kate in Seattle; Julie and Tony and their children, Lib- erato, Julia and her hus- band, Richard, and their daughter Avery, Chelsea and her husband, Brian, in Colorado; Sally and Richard and their children Peter, Kuenzi and Flint in Vermont. Julia was predeceased by her older brother, Orion C. Hopper, and is survived by her younger brother, David H. Hopper, and his family, of St. Paul, and her sister-in-law, Eliza- beth Hopper, of Pennsyl- vania.
Memorial contribu- tions may be made to the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, VT 05602. Manfred W. Ehrich Jr. MANCHESTER CENTER Manfred W. Ehrich Jr.
died May 15, 2012, at Equi- nox Village where he and his late wife, Elane, were residents since 2009. Fred was born in New York City on Nov. 2, 1914. Educated at Dalton, Taft and Yale and earning a de- gree at Harvard Law School in 1940, Fred practiced for a year in his law in NYC before go- ing on active duty in 1941 as an artillery in the U.S. Army.
In August 1942, he was posted to the Aleu- tian Islands, came home in May 1944 for a short leave and then was posted to Italy until his discharge in 1945. While Fred was on active duty he and his first wife, Lea Ehrich, decided she would move with their three children to Arlington. Fred joined his family in Arling- ton after the war, but since he was not a Ver- mont required two residency before he could be admitted to practice law. Surveying many parcels of land in Bennington County and teaching English at Burr Burton kept food on the table. Former students still fondly remember the war stories he told in class, which he said was one way to get them interested in English.
In 1947, he hung out his shingle in Benning- ton where he practiced law for 49 years. In 1956, he argued a case for a wrong- fully terminated employee before the United States Supreme Court. During oral argument, Justice Frankfurter asked him a question. Stalling to collect his thoughts, he said, know, your honor, a difficult Justice Frankfurter replied, want me to ask you an easy one, would Fred won the case. Fred did not resign his commission after World War II and continued in the Reserves.
In 1951, he was called back to active duty and served in Korea until he was wounded in action. After that, he com- pleted 30 years as a reserve retiring as a lieuten- ant colonel. Fred was deeply involved with local politics (Repub- lican brand), in numerous community services in Ben- nington County and with his neighbors, helping chop wood and other chores. He wrote an anecdotal book (proceeds to the Ar- lington Community Club) about his early years as a making friends with Vermonters. In addi- tion to all his civic activi- ties, he always found time for his young family, taking the kids hiking, horseback riding and teaching them how to sail on Lake Cham- plain in canoes which he had himself with striped canvas sails made from old awnings.
In 1971, Fred and Lea di- vorced and he married El- ane Granger. He and Elane lived in Bennington until 2009 when they moved to Equinox Village in Man- chester. When Fred retired from his law practice at the age of 80 tell anyone but my secretary is retir- he donned his trademark red suspend- ers and was elected to the Vermont state Senate where he served two terms. Afterward, even though not running for office, he wore red suspenders which shone a light on his playful side and the keen and charming wit enjoyed by him, his family and his friends. His list of talents were endless: he skied, he sailed, he rode horseback, he fashioned furniture with hand tools, he sang in the church choir.
He will be deeply missed but forever appreciated by his family, his friends and the com- munity. Fred is survived by his children, Perez Ehrich and his wife, Elizabeth, of Arlington, Jessie Lea Abbott and her husband, Curtiss, of Sisters, Andy Livingston and his partner, Donna Ryan, of Cape Neddick, Maine, and Raymond Granger and his wife, Sylvia, of Scottsdale, by his grandchildren, Gillian Ehrich, Shannon Ehrich-Warren, Clay Per- kins, Zander Livingston, Birchard, Rutherford and Sarah Hayes, Jeannette, Luisa and Sarah Ehrich, Ursula van Heel, John Karhu, Travis Granger and Karen Williams; and by his great-grandchildren, Man- fred and Gunther Hayes, Cameron Sloan, Lucy and Zinia Sheps, Hadley and Merritt Per- kins, Carmella and Joseph Livingston, Owen Williams, Jonathan and Anna Karhu, and Eric and Christopher van Heel. oldest son, Manfred W. Ehrich III, predeceased him in 2002, and Elane predeceased him in 2010. His children Perez and Jes- sie are twins, and he had a twin sister, Dona, who pre- deceased him in 2000.
A celebration of life will be held in Benning- ton on Saturday, July 14, at a time to be announced. Private committal services will take place at the conve- nience of the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory may be made to the Bennington Museum through Mahar Son Funeral Home, 626 Main Bennington, VT 05201. Leo E. Gabaree BARRE Leo Edward Gabaree, 80, formerly of the Junction Road in Mont- pelier, but most recently of Brooklyn Street in Barre, died suddenly Sunday, May 12, 2012, at his home.
He was born Nov. 22, 1931, the son of Albert E. and Helen (Ellis) Gabaree in Middlesex. He attended graded schools in Middlesex but graduated from Montpe- lier High School. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army where he served during the Korean until his honorable discharge in 1954.
On May 16, 1953, he married Marion Buska in Piermont, N.H. Marion predeceased him on July 17, 1996. He worked as a construc- tion laborer on many proj- ects in central Vermont. After his retirement, he volunteered for Community Action Council and the Red Cross. He was a member of the American Legion Post 3 and a past member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 792.
During the spring, he enjoyed picking and sell- ing He also en- joyed and watching his grandchildren race at Thunder Road. He was a loving father, grandfather and friend to many people. Survivors include a daughter, Tammy Wilder, and her husband, Dan Wilder of Barre; sons Ronald Allen Gabaree and his companion, Janice, of Barre, and Ronald Edward Gabaree and his wife, Mary, of East Barre; sisters Flora Kidder, of Rowan Court Nursing Home, and Bev- erly Coleman, of Windsor; brothers Frank Gabaree, of Montpelier, Luis Gabaree, of Berlin, Vincent Gabaree, of Newport, Park Gabaree, of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Danny Gabaree, of Se- attle; grandchildren Daniel Wilder, Amanda Wilder, Justin Jermone, Amber Chandler, Micaela Gaba- ree, Jasmine Gabaree and Michelle Morrison; great- grandchildren R.J. Gaba- ree Taylor Grace Sgroi and Joey Tomasetto; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. There will be no calling hours.
A graveside service with military honors will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, May 21, 2012, at the Berlin Cor- ners Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ameri- can Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org. Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at www.guareandsons Robert P. Race EAST RANDOLPH Robert P.
Race, 86, died Tuesday evening, May 15, 2012, at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph. He was born July 27, 1925, in Randolph, the son of Pearl and Eleanor (Hatch) Race. Bob attended Randolph Center and East Randolph schools and graduated from Randolph High School in 1943. Following his educa tion he en- listed in the U.S. Army where he served for three years with Gen.
3rd Army, 4th Armored Division. Af- ter his discharge from the service Bob returned home and was married to Bernice Farr Aug. 19, 1946, in Burlington. Mrs. Race died in 1999.
He owned and operated Store in East Ran- dolph (which his father started in 1930) for 25 years until 1972. He then owned Milk Trans- fer for 13 years and Bus Service for five years. He was a school bus driver and supervisor for 35 years. Bob was very active in his community. He was the chief of the East Randolph Fire Department, served on the Randolph Select Board, the recreation committee, budget committee, was a justice of the peace, was an Orange County deputy sheriff and was an assistant deputy game warden for the Vermont Fish Game Department.
He was a member and past master of the Mystic Star- Phoenix Lodge 97 He enjoyed hunting, ing, being mayor of East Valley and taking part in the Randolph Farmers Market. He is survived by his sons, David Race and wife Betsy, of Tunbridge, and John Race and wife Sandra, of East Randolph; grandchil- dren, David Race Susan Lamson and John Race great-grandchildren, Nicho- las and Jacob Race, Spencer, Emily and Thomas Lamson, and Kristina Geffe-Race. He was predeceased by his brother Bernard Race. Memorial services will be held Monday, May 21, at 11:30 a.m. at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Chapel, with pastor Thomas Harty Burial with mili- tary honors will follow.
Call- ing hours will be Sunday evening 6 to 8 p.m. at the Day Funeral Home, Ran- dolph. Memorial contributions may be made to The Gar- den Room, Gifford Medi- cal Center, PO Box 2000, Randolph, VT 05060 or to the East Randolph Volun- teer Fire Department, PO Box 311, East Randolph, VT 05041. Private online condo- lences may be left at www. dayfunerals.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Day Fu- neral Home, Randolph. David Laird WORCESTER A grave- side service for David Laird, 51, who died May 8, 2012, will be conducted at the Worcester Mountain Cem- etery on Saturday, May 19, at 3 p.m. followed by a pot- luck dinner at the Worces- ter Town Hall. David was a graduate of Montpelier High School, class of 1978. The informa- tion was wrong in his obitu- ary.
Kingston Funeral Home is in charge of the arrange- ments. Robert H. Menard BARRE TOWN The committal service for Rob- ert H. Menard, 78, who died Feb. 28, 2012, will be held Wednesday, May 23, 2012, at 1 p.m.
in the Ver- mont Veterans Memorial Cemeter in Randolph Center. Arrangements are in the care of the Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home, 58 Summer St. in Barre. Evelyn L. Mercier Rites UPPER WEBSTER- VILLE The family graveside service for Eve- lyn L.
Mercier, of Church Hill Road, was held Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at 11 a.m. in St. Sylvester Cemetery in Barre Town. She died May 11, 2012, at the Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin. The Rev.
David Vander- linde-Abernathy, pastor of the Barre Congregational Church, read the com- mittal prayers and led the congregation in the hymn Great Thou Words of remembrance and reflections were of- fered by her daughter, Judy Mercier. The Hooker and Whit- comb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Barre, was in charge of the arrange- ments. Nancy M. Saliba BARRE The committal service for Nancy M. Saliba, 80, who died March 1, 2012, will be held Thursday, May 24, 2012, at 1 p.m.
in St. Monica Cemetery in Barre. Arrangements are in the care of the Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home, 58 Summer St. in Barre. By LUCIA SUAREZ STAFF WRITER When transportation officials in New York and Vermont closed the Lake Champlain Bridge in Oc- tober 2009, it affected lo- cal businesses, farmers and commuters who depended on the span for their liveli- hoods.
The bridge connects Crown Point, N.Y., to Chim- ney Point; the original was built in 1929. For dairy farmer Robert Smith, the closure created a problem that needed to be quickly or he faced being unable to feed 280 cows. Smith, 74, who runs Chimney Point Farm in Ad- dison, had about 100 acres of feed corn a few miles away in New York and used the bridge to cross the lake to harvest his crop. keep telling us it was safe and then all of a sudden they tell us clos- he said. When the bridge closed, Smith had to make the de- cision to spend $22,000 to hire three tractor-trailers to drive around the lake, down Route 22A, and back up in New York to harvest his feed and then drive back.
send them until we had to he said. was no place close by for corn. It was a Now that the bridge has been rebuilt, there is a reason to celebrate. A weekend-long celebration, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Crown Point Historic Site, will be an opportunity for the communities to commemorate the historic culture of the Champlain Valley and rejoice in the re- connection of the corridor.
the bridge went down, our lifeline was sev- ered. We had to really hard to get the bridge, and it had to come back here and said Lorraine Franklin, co-chairwoman of the Lake Champlain Bridge Community. a celebra- tion of that Smith and Franklin were two of the thousands of New Yorkers and Vermonters who quickly adjusted their schedules to get to work, get medical attention and even go to school. For Mike Sweeney, a part-time newspaper deliv- ery man for the Addison Independent from Crown Point, N.Y., the bridge clos- ing meant rowing half a mile across the lake to get to work. For two months, the 60-year-old would cross the lake, leave his oars at the Bridge Restaurant and get in his vehicle, which he left there to drive to work.
It added only 15 minutes to his usual 30-minute com- mute. was really fun. I was not going to drive the en- tire Sweeney said. affected so many people, especially the His wife, Carol, 55, on the other hand, carpooled around the lake an extra 90 miles each way to get to work at Porter Medical Center in Middlebury. Fellow commuter Jean Breed, 67, woke up at 3 a.m.
to ride the Ticonderoga Ferry, where she waited in line for close to two hours to cross over to Vermont. When it closed in Decem- ber, she also made the two- hour drive to work. would go down the lake to Fair Haven and up (Route) 22A to said Breed, who worked at Goodrich in Vergennes. was like a caravan. I had to do it.
I had to keep my job and Now retired, she remem- bers receiving an encourag- ing message from a fellow commuter to stay strong. The message motivated her to do the same. Those mes- sages poems about their journey recently became a book titled Loss of the Lake Champlain Bridge: A Breed, reading from the foreword, said, never want to forget the im- pact this bridge closing had on thousands of people in the Champlain Valley. Lives changed, business struggled and people were put it down on she said. is what hap- pened to us and I am so glad I did More than two years after the bridge was closed, the corridor was reconnected when a new $76 million bridge opened on Nov.
7. just stood there and Breed said. think the best moment was stand- ing on the New York side and the construction work- ers were walking down the crest to join the celebra- Sweeney called driving over the bridge for the time the best experience ever. more waiting. No ferry.
Just a normal he said. still feels good driv- ing over The two-day grand cel- ebration will kick off with a ceremony Saturday that will include local, state and federal officials, as well as the designer. It will be followed by two parades, below and over the bridge, and then a full weekend of food vendors, crafters and musicians, performers and dancers from the region. The events will with a street dance. A sunrise ecumenical ser- vice will kick off events.
Other events Sun- day include a 5K race and the Lights on the Lake Fire- works Spectacular at dusk. The Chimney Point State Historic Site and the Crown Point Historic Site will be open throughout the week- end with vendors. want to bring com- merce back to our Franklin said. want to build this re- gion up For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.champlainbridge- community.org. Communities to celebrate Champlain Bridge VYTO STARINSKAS STAFF PHOTO Jean Arleen Breed wrote a book of poetry called Loss of the Lake Champlain She said she likes the new bridge and the view pedestrians get from a sidewalk that spans the entire bridge from Vermont to New York state.
Obituaries A8 The Times Argus Friday, May 18, 2012 CARD OF THANKS The family of Eva Sleeper would like to thank everyone for the many cards and calls with words of comfort that we all received at the time of her death. Also, many thanks to the Menig Extended Care Facility for the love and wonderful care they showed to her during the last several years of her life. Thanks to Boardway and Cilley Funeral Home for their compassion and help in getting us through all the arrangements, to Pastor Ken Barrows and the Corinth Bible Church for the memorial service and to the Vershire Historical Society for having hot drinks and food ready for everyone at the Town Center afterward. All your kindness will never be forgotten. Maurice Juanita Sleeper family Shirley Howard Parker family.
