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Obituaries 09-14-10

Sally Lou Beck

Brandon – Sally Lou Beck, 77, left here to be with God on September 7, 2010 while in Helen Porter Nursing Home after a short battle with kidney cancer.  Born in Rochester, N.Y March 12, 1933, she was the  daughter of Jack and Violet Frathel.

   She is survived by her son, Guy J. Beck, his wife Jane, and her 3 grandsons Alex, Dominic, and Dante Beck.

   Sally was a woman who made great sacrifices for her family.  Soon after the birth of her son she needed to divorce her husband, Joseph Beck, now deceased.  Raising her son with her parents, she often went without what she wanted or needed to give him what he wanted or needed.  When her parents became ill, she took care of them 24/7 in their home.

   Sally was known as the “Prayer Lady” who would contact a large network of people to pray for someone’s health.  She also crocheted to make dresses for bed dolls and countless stuffed animals, and she knitted mittens, all for sick children at the hospital or by distributing them anonymously through the doctor’s office.  Thanks, Mom.

    A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Rutland, VT.  Interment was at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Brandon, VT.

    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Helen Porter Nursing Home, Recreation Fund for the residents, Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT 05753,  or The American Cancer Society,  Vermont Division, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Miller & Ketcham Funeral Home in Brandon.

PAULINE V. WILLIAMS

MIDDLEBURY -  Pauline V.  Rocheleau Williams passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, September 3, 2010 at Fletcher Allen Healthcare, Burlington.

    Born in Troy, NH January 23, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Charles and Delia (Boise) Rocheleau.

     Pauline married Everett R. Williams in Troy on February 17, 1940.  They were married 69 years prior to his death on November 11, 2009.

    She worked 16 years at Middlebury College, in addition to Kingman Meat Market and various housekeeping jobs in Middlebury. She and her husband retired in Florida for 12 years before returning to Middlebury in 1992.

    Surviving family members include two daughters, Donnalee Many and her husband Paul of Middlebury and Jerilyn LaDuc of Rutland; three sons, Michael Williams and his wife Eileen of Bowie, MD, Phillip Williams and Paula Mayer of Middlebury and Douglas Williams and his fiancée Karen Gach of Ortanna, PA; 14 grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren; one brother, Paul Rocheleau of Keene, NH; several nieces and nephews.  She also had numerous friends at The Meadows where she lived and special friends, Marie and David Horlacher of Middlebury.

    In addition to her husband, Pauline was predeceased by their daughter, Claudene Slack in 1987, three grandsons and four brothers, William Rocheleau, Emil Rocheleau, Edger Rocheleau and Denzel Rocheleau.

    A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated September 7, 2010 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Middlebury with the Rev. William R. Beaudin, pastor, as celebrant.  

    The family suggests that memorial donations be made to St. Mary’s Catholic School, 86 Shannon St., Middlebury, VT 05753 or to Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 504, Middlebury, VT 05753.

Sally West Johnson

Sally West Johnson of Middlebury, a well-known Vermont editor and freelance writer, as well as avid horsewoman and world traveler, died Wednesday night after waging a 12- year long and valiant battle with liver disease.  She was 60.

   Sally combined a life of writing and reporting, gardening, caring for her horses, and a constant itch for travel. In fact, Sally, always with her blue eyes sparkling and an infectious smile, had planned shortly before her death a return trip in November to India.

    She is survived by her husband, Steve Terry of Middlebury, and their 25-year old son, Will, of Middlebury and Washington, DC.

    Sally was born in Bryn Mawr, Pa., on Aug. 21, 1950, and moved at an early age with her parents, Leight and Shirley Johnson, to Parkville, Md., where she grew up and began her life-long interest in journalism and horses.

    After high school, Sally returned to Vermont, where her family often came for ski vacations, to attend Middlebury College, where she graduated in 1972 with a degree in American Literature.

    After Middlebury, Sally taught school for a year in Calcutta, India, before moving to New York City to work for the Associated Press on the radio desk, as well as holding a part-time copy editor position at Newsweek. In 1979, Sally moved back to Vermont to Middlebury, where she worked as a freelance writer for the Burlington Free Press while taking science courses at the University of Vermont.

    She was planning to return to New York City, but en route stopped at the Rutland Herald in 1980 and was hired as an editor. She never left Middlebury and continued for nearly 20 years at the Herald, ending her career there as Editor of the Vermont Sunday Magazine.   After leaving the Rutland Herald, Sally became editor of Vermont Magazine, a statewide magazine then based in Middlebury. She was also a freelance writer for more than a decade, reporting on Vermont and other matters for the New York Times and the Boston Globe. Recently she had freelance stories published by Seven Days and Vt.Digger.org.  She was also a frequent contributor to the Middlebury College Alumni Magazine.

    It was during this time, March 1999, that Sally authored a personal story for the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine on her battle with liver disease as a result of having contracted Hepatitis C in the late 1960s.  She did not become aware of the dormant disease in her body until 1998, and then spent the next 12 years fighting it.

    This battle resulted in long spells of treatment therapies as well as two liver transplants; one in 2006 and a second in 2008 at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. For both surgeries Sally spent long stays in a hospital bed looking out at the George Washington Bridge traversing the Hudson River.

    She vowed in the Boston Globe Magazine story in 1999 that until her last breath she would “live as much as possible in the moment,” and that “the disease may be part of my life, but it is not my whole life, and it never will be.”

   In 2002 and 2004, Sally was the co-author of the Explorer’s Guide for Vermont, a travel book published by Countryman Press. This assignment resulted in long weekends travelling throughout the state sampling country inns and scenic drives, which she greatly enjoyed with her husband, Steve.

    Her other life revolved around her community, as a board member of the John Graham Shelter for the Homeless, and of Middlebury Community Television, as well as a former board member of the Addison County Parent-Child Center.

    While her joy was writing and reporting, Sally’s passion was the Vermont horse world, which she shared with her son, Will. She and Will enjoyed many summer weekends together on the polo field as players.  She served as President of the Sugarbush Polo Club for the last six years, resulting in countless hours planning and scheduling polo events. Even while hospitalized she continued directing the care of her horses.

    Sally also enjoyed travelling, with trips to India, Russia, Australia, Greece, Argentina, Central America, as well as most of the Western European countries, including many trips to France with Steve and Will.

    Sally’s wide experiences, great intellect and strong personality informed the insights she brought to her writing and community involvement. Her colleagues, friends and family always appreciated her fresh and honest opinions.

    In addition to her husband, son and parents, she is survived by three siblings: Peter Johnson of Baltimore, Md., Chris Johnson and his wife, Dr. Maureen Harmon of Shelburne, Vt., and Timothy and Niqui Johnson of Frederick, Md.  A brother, Leight Johnson Jr. was killed by a drunk driver in 1979 while responding to a highway call as an emergency medical technician.

    The family will hold memorial service for Sally in early October.

    Contributions in her memory may be made to either the John Graham Shelter for the Homeless in Vergennes, Vt., 05491 or the Spring Hill Horse Rescue 175 Middle Rd., Clarendon, Vt, 05759.

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