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Obituaries 10-01-13 Steven Robert KetchamRUTLAND: Steven Robert Ketcham, age 52, died Sunday, September 22, 2013, at Rutland Regional Medical Center.Mr. Ketcham was born in Middlebury on April 14, 1961. He was the son of Robert Thomas and Barbara (Johnson) Ketcham. He received his early education in local Brandon schools and was graduated from Otter Valley Union High School, class of 1979. He grew up on the family farm where he worked with his father in the Dairy business. He enjoyed fishing and NASCAR racing. Surviving are 2 sons; Robert Ketcham of Sudbury and Jason Ketcham of Rutland, 2 sisters; Paula Ketcham of Brandon and Diana Webster of Monkton. Many nieces, nephews & cousins also survive him. He was predeceased by his parents, a brother Thomas Robert Ketcham and a sister Janet Quenneville. The memorial service “In Celebration of His Life” was held on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at the Brandon Congregational Church. The Rev. Richard White, pastor officiated. A private graveside committal service and burial will take place, at a later date, in the family lot at Willow Brook Cemetery in Sudbury. Memorial gifts in lieu of flowers may be made, in his memory to; Brandon Area Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 232, Brandon, VT 05733 or to Rutland Area Visiting Nurse & Hospice, 7 Albert Cree Drive, Rutland, VT 05701. Richard Kerwin BatesRichard Kerwin Bates (Dick), 91, of Groveland, Mass, a longtime resident of North Andover, Mass. and Cornwall, Vt., passed away on September 16, 2013 of natural cause.He was born in New Haven, Conn. on April 27, 1922, son of Carl and Anne (Hutchison) Bates, and was raised in West Haven with his brother Ed and sister Betty. Through family hardships, Dick developed a strong sense of self-reliance, a positive, grateful attitude and genuine care for others for which he was known his whole life. He served in the Navy in WWII aboard the destroyer USS Caperton as Chief Radio Technician, and was present in Tokyo Bay at the Japanese surrender. He later served in the Korean War on the aircraft carrier USS Leyte. He married Ruth Tuckerman on January 12, 1946. He was a devout Christian and devoted family man, and gave each of his children a strong sense of their unique value and responsibility. An Eagle Scout, he loved the outdoors, and often took the family of eight on trips around New England to camp, ski and sail. He loved to swim and fish and work with wood, and was known for giving gifts of finely crafted wooden toys and articles. He spent his career as an engineer with Bell Labs in New York and in North Andover, and retired in 1978 to a family-built home in Vermont, where his wife Ruth died of cancer the same year. His faith in Jesus was his mainstay during this difficult time. He married Helen (Burchard) Hathorn of Woodstock, Vt. on April 27, 1980 and enjoyed a long and active retirement with her, serving in his local church, helping with “Faith at Work”, doing small jobs with his backhoe, learning to fly a plane, entertaining grandchildren, and traveling. They lived in Cornwall until moving to Groveland in 2003. He is survived by his beloved wife Helen (Burchard) Bates; his daughters Barbara Bates and her husband Trevor Simpson of Deblois, Maine; Martha Bates and her husband Michael Mazzaschi of Brookline, Mass.; Virginia Bates and her husband Mark Zielinski of Montana; his sons Peter Bates and his wife Sue Rees Bates of Concord, Mass.; Kenneth Bates and his wife Miki Bates of Seattle, Wash.; Douglas Bates and his wife Takako Bates of Cincinnati, Ohio; his step-daughters Jan Dempsey and her husband Michael Dempsey of Groveland, Mass.; Carolyn Drake and her husband John Drake of Knoxville, Tenn.; his step-son Dean Hathorn of West Lebanon, N.H.; a brother-in-law, David Tuckerman; ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, October 5 at 2:00 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 119 Washington, St., Groveland, MA 01834. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to St. James Episcopal Church for their ministries. Arrangements are by the H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Haverhill & Bradford, MA. Condolences to his family may be made at www.farmerfuneralhomes.com.
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