Mary Haigazian, 91, died peacefully on Dec. 11, 2016, at Long Hill in Edgartown. Mary was born in New York, N.Y., on March 30, 1925, to Avedis and Hirupsome Agizigian. She was a resident of Philadelphia, Pa., for many years, and a member of Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Cheltenham, Pa. After moving to the Island, she resided at Woodside Village for many years, where she and her Boston terrier Lilly had many friends. Her proudest accomplish was her first entry in the Agricultural Fair, which won a blue ribbon for rug hooking, a skill she learned in her 70s. She is survived by two daughters, Rosemarie Haigazian of Edgartown and Berjoohy Haigazian Murray of Mount Laurel, N.J. She is also survived by four grandsons, three great-grandsons, and a sister, Anne Zdyrski. Donations in her memory may be made to Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 101 Ashmead Road, Cheltenham, PA 19102.

The post Mary Haigazian appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

The Rev. Walter W. Witte of Oak Bluffs died at Massachusetts General Hospital on Dec. 12, 2016. Father Witte, the son of Walter W. Witte Sr. and Pauline Praker Witte, was born on Sept. 11, 1927, and grew up in North Tonawanda, N.Y. He was a graduate of Hobart College, the Berkley Divinity School at Yale University, and Union Theological Seminary in New York. Ordained to the priesthood in 1954, he served churches in the dioceses of Western New York, Missouri, Newark, Springfield, and Massachusetts.

As a bivocational priest, he worked as personnel director at St. Louis City Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., and at the St. Louis Housing Authority. He also was a vice president at Drake Beam Morin and at New Directions, both in Boston.

He is survived by his wife Patricia, his son Matthew (Roslynn) Witte, his stepchildren Margaret (Terry) Heffner and Michael (Megan) Griffin, and his step-grandchildren, Deanna and Tricia Heffner, Britnee Knox, and Brandon and Blake Griffin. He was predeceased by his sister Karen Witte Hutt.

The funeral will take place on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, at 11 am at St. Andrew’s Church, 51 Winter Street in Edgartown.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Father Witte’s memory may be made to Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118; Animal Rescue League of Boston, 10 Chandler Street, Boston, MA 02116; or St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 73 Columbia Road, Dorchester, MA 02121.  

The post The Rev. Walter W. Witte appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Philip Warren Reynolds, 87, died on Dec. 13, 2016. He was surrounded by his daughter Melissa, son Scott, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and longtime friend Sofia Anthony.

Philip, an Army veteran who was proud to serve his country, was born in Falmouth. He moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where he lived for nearly 55 years. Here he worked primarily as a mason until his retirement.

He is survived by several children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other family members.

Philip will rest at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.

The post Philip Warren Reynolds appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

updated Dec. 21, 6:30p

Helen Mickelson, a devoted mother, companion, and the longtime Island office mainstay for Lawrence-Lynch Corp., died unexpectedly late Saturday evening, Dec. 17, 2016, in Cape Cod Hospital despite the heroic efforts of first responders, nurses, and doctors to save her following a heart attack she suffered at her Vineyard Haven home one day earlier. She was 65.

Helen was born Nov. 20, 1951, in Providence, R.I., to Gloria and Howard A. Mickelson. As a young girl she often visited family members on the Vineyard, a connection that would prove enduring and bring her back to the Island as an adult to live.

She graduated from Pinkerton Academy in New Hampshire in 1969, and in 1970 she married David A. Enright Sr., who served in the Navy and was later a private contractor whose job responsibilities took the young couple around northern New England.

In January 1971 the couple had a son, David. He was followed by a daughter, Amy, in September 1976. Following a divorce, Helen and her teenage daughter moved to Martha’s Vineyard where her mother, happily remarried to Carl George, then lived. “Her heart was always on the Vineyard. She loved the Island,” Gloria said.

She went to work in the office of Island dentist Dr. Peter Strock. Several other office jobs followed. It was while waitressing at the Get a Life Cafe on Main Street in Vineyard Haven in 1994, now Mocha Mott’s, that she met Tim Donald.

Together they built a house on a small lot adjacent to his shop. “She really made our house a home,” Tim said. With a broad smile he added, “And she was always changing things around when I would go away.”

Helen loved to read, most often while sitting on the front porch. Her reading list was broad and extensive and ranged from beach fiction to history and the arts. “Everything. She read constantly,” Tim said.

The couple enjoyed spending time in Tim’s hunting cabin in Harmony, Maine. Her domestic touch provided a welcome transformation to the simple cabin previously shared only by men.

When not reading, she would make clothes or do needlepoint art. Her son David recalled her talent in most any craft. “It seemed like forever that all of our clothes were homemade,” he said.

And there was his mother’s unvarnished, sometimes profane, sense of humor. “There were no filters with her sense of humor,” David said with a laugh.

A hard-working mother of two, Helen was a familiar Island face, in part because over the years she had worked in numerous medical and business offices where her attention to detail was well appreciated. For the past 10 years, she worked for contractor Lawrence-Lynch, which operates an asphalt plant in Oak Bluffs. “She was a force,” was how Lawrence Lynch described her.

One of a family of six, Helen was devoted to her large and extended family of sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews; her longtime companion Tim Donald, with whom she shared a home; their 6-year-old Lab Maggie; and her beloved Patriots football team.

A sheet metal worker and cooper, Tim said he would often have to leave the house and go to his adjacent shop when the Patriots were playing. “She’d be screaming so loud Maggie would come to the shop, and she’d be shaking,” he said. Losses to the hated New York Giants were always devastating.

Helen leaves behind her mother Gloria and her husband of 52 years, Carl George of Marlboro; son David Enright, 45, of Oak Bluffs; daughter Amy Pendergast, 40, and her husband, Derek, of Covington, Ga.; longtime companion Tim Donald of Vineyard Haven; and siblings Michael A. Mickelson of Derry, N.H., Catherine McLean (and Arthur) of Derry, Marybeth Linscott (and Keith) of Oak Bluffs, James A. Mickelson (and Tammy) of Bedford, N.H., Ruth Pendergast (and Dennis) of Derry, and Thomas C. George (and Jacque) of Winslow, Ariz., as well as many nieces and nephews. Her father, Howard Mickelson, predeceased her.

A visitation will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm, Tuesday, Dec. 27, at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs. There will be a memorial funeral Mass at 11 am, Wednesday, Dec. 28, at St. Augustine’s Church, Franklin Street, Vineyard Haven, followed by burial at the West Tisbury Cemetery. A celebration of life will follow at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs at approximately 1 pm. Please bring a dish to share.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen’s memory may be made to the Vineyard Haven Public Library, 200 Main Street, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post Helen Mickelson appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

John Gilpin, 51, died on Dec. 12, 2016.

John was born in Neptune, N.J., and grew up in Lincroft, N.J., where he was trained as a farrier, and later worked as a machine operator for an excavation company.

John moved to Martha’s Vineyard In 1987, and continued a career as an operator at DECA Excavation, a job he was very proud of, which allowed him to leave a lasting mark all across the Island. With his passing, John leaves a hole in the hearts of his innumerable friends and loved ones larger than any that even he would be able to dig.

John is survived by his mother Kitty Applegate, soulmate Annette Bowes and her daughter Eliza, his sons Sean and Wesley Gilpin, and his faithful dog Dozer. Donations may be made in his name to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539, as well as to Vineyard House, P.O. Box 4599, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post John Gilpin appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Denise Margaret Dorsey died at her Vineyard Haven home on Dec. 4, 2016. She was 59. Denise was born on Dec. 29, 1956, in Oak Bluffs to Toby and Lucille Dorsey. She graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. She was a recipient of the MV NAACP scholarship. She went on to attend Massachusetts General School of Radiology. Denise was a member of the First Baptist Church, Vineyard Haven. She was an avid reader, and enjoyed singing.

Denise is survived by her daughter Ashleen Cafarelli of Moore Haven, Fla.; two sisters, Lori and Corinne Dorsey, both of Vineyard Haven; as well a granddaughter, Zoey. A service will be held at a later date and time to be announced. Donations in Denise’s memory may be made to the Island Food Pantry, P.O. Box 1874, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, or to the First Baptist Church, Fellowship Fund, P.O. Box 806, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post Denise Margaret Dorsey appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Rita Mae Roberts, 89, died peacefully Tuesday morning, Dec. 20, 2016, at Wingate in Hampden. Rita was born Nov. 13, 1927, in Wilbraham to Royal and Vivian (Gagnon) Sideleau. Rita grew up in Wilbraham and spent most of her life there, retiring with her husband to Vineyard Haven in 1984.

Rita was a registered nurse, and graduated from the Burbank School of Nursing at Fitchburg State. She loved music, playing cards — particularly her marathon cribbage sessions with her husband Earl — counted cross-stitch, and cooking, especially baking. Friends and family would regularly show up for the Danish pastries she made on weekends, and she always had home-baked goodies on hand when her grandchildren visited.

Rita was a longtime volunteer at the Tisbury Senior Center. She was predeceased by her beloved husband in 1990, and by her dear sister Doris Parisi earlier this year. She is survived by her loving children, Donna (Edward) Proulx of Westfield and their daughter Morgan; Steven (Karen) Roberts of Boston and their children Michael, Jennifer, and Timothy; and son David (Lisa) Roberts of Vineyard Haven, who took special care of her during her final years, and their children Elysha, Allison, and Jeremiah. She adored her children, cherished her grandchildren, and was the proud great-grandmother of five.

The funeral for Rita will be private for the family. Memorial donations may be made in Rita’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. Westfield Funeral Home and Cremation has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please visit westfieldfuneralhome.com for Rita’s memorial page.

The post Rita Mae Roberts appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

John Hilton, 54, died unexpectedly at Morton Hospital in Taunton on Dec. 25, 2016. He was born in Oak Bluffs, the son of Spencer and Esther (Santos) Hilton. Formerly a Martha’s Vineyard resident, John had lived in Raynham since 2003.

John served his country in the U.S. Army Reserves. He was employed as a truck driver.

John enjoyed the beach, sports, coin diving on Martha’s Vineyard, and scalloping with his family.

John is survived by his wife Lorna (Machado) Hilton, his children Madison Hilton of Plymouth and Kerri Hilton of California, and by his stepson Kyle (Amanda) Von Snow of Raynham and stepchildren Cadence and Cobain. He leaves his siblings, Debbie Tucker of Martha’s Vineyard, Linda Tucker of Hyannis, and Louis Hilton of Naples, Fla. John also leaves his dogs Phoebe, Bella, Bailey, and Princess.

Services are private at the request of the family. Arrangements are under the direction of the O’Keefe-Wade Funeral Home in Taunton. Visit okeefewade.com to sign the online guestbook, and see an obituary.

The post John Hilton appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Patricia Blanc, beloved wife, mother of six, with 16 grandchildren, died peacefully on Dec. 31, 2016, at home on Martha’s Vineyard, surrounded by her husband Rene and family. A written tribute of her life will be posted soon, and a memorial service will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

The post Patricia Blanc appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Cheryl B. Stark, 70, died at her West Tisbury home on Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. A celebration of Cheryl’s life is being planned for the spring, with a date and time to be announced. Donations in her memory may be made to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Infusion Services, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. A complete obituary will follow in a later newspaper edition. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

The post Cheryl B. Stark appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Maitland Armstrong Edey, a resident of West Tisbury, died on Dec. 30, 2016. An obituary will follow in a later edition of this paper.

The post Maitland Armstrong Edey appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Janice Harlow (Brett) Mead, “Jan,” died peacefully on Martha’s Vineyard on Dec. 28, 2016.

Jan was born on March 27, 1925, the youngest of four daughters of Alden and Kathrene Brett. She grew up in Belmont, graduated from the Brimmer School in Boston, and attended Wheaton College in Norton. During WWII she worked for Polaroid, and later for Filene’s. In 1951, she married the late Varnum Russell Mead. They made their home in Lincoln, where she actively volunteered at her daughters’ school, in the coffee shop at Emerson Hospital, and with the local equestrian 4-H.

She was a summer resident of Martha’s Vineyard until 1990, when she and her husband made their house on Lagoon Pond their permanent home. On the Vineyard she was an active member of the Garden Club, and of the East Chop Tennis Club, and she played golf at Farm Neck weekly. (About golf she said, “This game gives new meaning to the word ’frustration’!”) But she was most proud of the work she did as a member of the building committee for the renovation of the Vineyard Haven Public Library. In this role, she worked tirelessly to raise funds and get the new library up and running.

She is survived by her daughters, Dorothy Pitt and husband Christopher, and Susan Mead and partner Michael Perry; as well as her grandchildren, Louisa Connaughton, Philip Pitt, and Martha Fortin, and her great-granddaughter, Elizabeth Connaughton.

A memorial service celebrating Jan’s life will be held at the First Congregational Church, West Tisbury, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at 1:30, with a reception following at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jan’s name to Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, or Boston Symphony Orchestra.

The post Janice Harlow Mead appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Irene Carson MacKenty of Edgartown died on Dec. 30, 2016, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital at the age of 91. Her passing was caused by a sudden stroke complicated by the nine years that she endured Alzheimer’s disease with grace and dignity.

Irene is survived by her husband, John, and by their three sons, John (wife Huong), Michael (wife Lisa), and Edmund. She also leaves three grandchildren, Mary, Tom, and Lily. Besides her parents, her brother, Charles, predeceased her, as did four of her five Indiana cousins. Her cousin Mary Alice Ross survives her.

Irene was born in Foley, Ala., in 1925. She later moved back to Scipio, Ind., where many of her family had lived for generations. In 1953, after joining the U.S. Civil Service, she moved to Heidelberg, Germany, where she met John in early 1956 when he was stationed in the Army. They were married in Heidelberg in August 1956, just before John’s Army term expired, and thereafter enjoyed 60 years of a very happy marriage together.

Irene and John first lived in Brooklyn for two years, then moved to Scarsdale, N.Y., and lived there for nearly 30 years. In addition to keeping up with three active boys, Irene was very involved in the Scarsdale Women’s Club as an officer of its Junior Section, and later as chair of the Travel Section. She helped found the Greenville Community Reformed Church’s nursery school, and was active in the church’s guild. She also was a volunteer for Children’s Village and the Edgemont PTA.

When her home needed additional space for her expanding family, Irene, though not an architect, designed the necessary addition, using children’s blocks as a guide. Implemented by an architect, her floor plan was featured in an issue of House Beautiful magazine, with a picture of the addition shown on its cover. Later, she and John also designed their Vineyard home while traveling to and from the Island on Route 95 over a two-year period. Its construction was accomplished without an architect’s assistance, as Irene’s plans and sketches were sufficient for the builder. She and John moved full-time to the Vineyard in 1987.

After they moved to the Vineyard, Irene became active in the Unity Club of the Federated Church, serving as its treasurer. She was also a member of the Vineyard chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Edgartown Women’s Club, and the Edgartown Yacht Club.

Irene was devoted to her family. A loving and caring mother, she dedicated herself to bringing up her sons. Her home was also a welcoming place for their friends. On the Vineyard, she enjoyed the frequent visits of her grandchildren, and saw them grow into adulthood. Warm and outgoing, Irene made numerous friends and hosted many grand parties over the years in both of their homes. Family dinners and larger parties always benefited from Irene’s great cooking and outgoing personality. Her sweet disposition stayed with her throughout her long ordeal with Alzheimer’s, and charmed everyone who came in contact with her.

In addition to her devotion to her family, once her youngest son was in high school, Irene’s love of travel led her to work as a travel agent for nearly 30 years, and to organize many trips for friends and groups. John and Irene traveled to many places, including Europe, St. Petersburg, the Black Sea, Australia, the Caribbean, South America, and New Zealand. Some memorable family trips included driving a motor home with their three teenage sons out West, and chartering houseboats on the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain.

A graveside service is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Irene C. and John E. MacKenty ’46 Observatory and Science Center Fund at the Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH 03833, or the Endowment Fund of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, P.O. Box 5227, Edgartown, MA 02539, would be appreciated. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

The post Irene Carson MacKenty appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Frances V. Resendes, 97, died at her Edgartown home on Jan. 3, 2017. A memorial service is being planned shortly, with a date and time to be announced. A full obituary will follow in a later newspaper edition. Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home.

The post Frances V. Resendes appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Cheryl Barbara (CB) Stark, 70, died peacefully at her home in West Tisbury on Jan. 2, 2017, with family and friends by her side. The cause of death was cancer, with which she had quietly struggled for 18 years. She died surrounded by love and in love, with no regrets for a life well lived.

She is best known as the founder and face of CB Stark Jewelers, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, but her influence within the Island community ran deep. With her big heart, humor, and generosity, Cheryl was a straight talker who loved hearing other people’s stories. Active in the recovery community and sober for 36 years, she encouraged many others in their efforts to battle alcohol and drug abuse. The immense outpouring of love, support, and condolences since her death attests to her heartfelt impact on the people around her.

Cheryl was born in 1946 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was raised in nearby Scarsdale. She studied silversmithing and jewelry at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for four years. She first came to the island at 19 to teach jewelry making, and fell head-over-heels for Martha’s Vineyard, the start of a lifelong love. For a few years, she divided her time: summers making and selling jewelry in Vineyard Haven, and off-season working at her booth on 47th Street in New York City’s diamond district, where she sold her work to renowned retailers Cartier and Georg Jensen, among others.

She moved to the Island full-time in 1969, and set up shop in a garage on Water Street, steps from Vineyard Haven Harbor. With a few years at Dockside in Oak Bluffs, a winter in Aspen, a move to her current Main Street location in Vineyard Haven, and another shop in Edgartown, CB Stark Jewelers developed an avid and loyal clientele. Cheryl’s design sense and creativity, with the help of her talented staff and her longtime partner, Margery Meltzer, earned the business accolades near and far. The store became famous for its Martha’s Vineyard jewelry, of which there are more than 500 original designs, and won Martha’s Vineyard Magazine’s “Best Jeweler” award for 21 consecutive years.

An avid collector of sea glass, Cheryl enjoyed beach walks, bottle digging, and hunting other relics. She played bridge and canasta, read the Island newspapers cover-to-cover each week, and loved watching the birds outside her living room window. Handy with more than jewelry tools, she and Margie helped build their cozy home in the West Tisbury woods, where they lived together for nearly 45 years. More recently, they spent the cold-weather months at their home in Longboat Key, Fla., where winters are more amenable to beachcombing than in New England.

Cheryl supported several organizations focused on improving the Island’s quality of life: Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group, Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, and Vineyard House, among many others.

Her survivors include Margery L. Meltzer, her beloved wife and business partner of 45 years; her sister, Renée Stark of Palm Beach and Edgartown; her godson, Joshua Kochin, his wife Heather, and their two sons, Beckett and Levi; and many cherished nieces and nephews and their children. She was predeceased by her parents, Edna and William Stark of San Antonio, Texas, and her brother, Leslie J. Stark of Vineyard Haven. Cheryl also leaves her devoted CB Stark Jewelers staff, including Sarah York, Jeff Regan, Elysha Roberts, Chris Bergeron, Sharon Duncan-Sylvia, and countless other current and former employees.

A public celebration of Cheryl Stark’s life is planned for the spring, with date and location to be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Infusion Services, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

The post Cheryl B. Stark appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Frances V. Resendes, a true Island girl, died on Jan. 3, 2017, at her beloved Herring Creek Road, Edgartown, home in the manner in which she lived — peacefully and gracefully. Born on June 4, 1919, in the family home on North Summer Street in Edgartown, she was the oldest child of Olive and Frank Prada. Descended from a long line of fishermen, much of her childhood was spent on the water. Family picnics to Cape Poge on her father’s catboat, summers on Pasque Island with her aunt and uncle, and swimming off any beach or dock filled her childhood.

In 1937, Fran graduated from the “new” Edgartown High School in a class that totaled 13 students. She had a choice of careers: nursing or teaching. Her inherent kindness and dedication to helping people led her to choose a career in nursing, and she began her training at the Saint Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in New Bedford. This proved to be a fortuitous decision. While at school, she met and fell in love with Albert T. Resendes, who became her husband on Sept. 6, 1941, at St. Elizabeth’s Church on Main Street in Edgartown. Fran and Al made their home in New Bedford, and welcomed four children.

In the spring of 1957, it was time to find a larger home for the family of six. After a bit of house hunting, Fran fell in love with an antique Cape Cod cottage, not far from the water, in Fairhaven. The house had not been occupied for quite a while, and needed much work. Undaunted by the challenge, she dove into making the house a home for her family. An addition here, a renovated kitchen there — it didn’t matter, she loved making the home a place where family and friends would frequently gather for food, friendship, and perhaps a cocktail. Fran’s door was always open, and she had a way of making everyone feel welcome and special. While life in Fairhaven provided great happiness and many friends, the Vineyard never left her heart. Family summer vacations were at the family cottage, Holdemall, behind the house in which she was born. Winter weekends and holidays were spent in the main house with her mother.

In 1973, after 33 years of life off-Island, Fran and Al decided to start a new chapter in their life, and built a home in Edgartown on a piece of land that had been given to her by her grandfather, Edward T. Vincent. With her love of a good challenge, Fran accepted a position as operating room supervisor at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Her dedication, skill, and compassion enabled her to provide outstanding patient care. In the early days, there were no cell phones, so she always had to be available by phone should the hospital call in an emergency. She never missed a call, and was proud of the more difficult cases that the staff handled.

It was time to retire from nursing in 1984 and begin another new chapter. Fran joined her brother Edward and friend Robert Hathaway as a commercial quahogger. For several summers, early mornings were spent on the flats of Katama Bay, hand-digging her limit of quahogs. Her second brother, Richard, soon retired and joined the group. They were well-known fixtures on the Edgartown waterfront, and made many friends.

Retirement provided Fran a chance to spend time doing the things she truly loved: sewing, knitting, needlepointing, caring for grandchildren, and travel. Visits to Hong Kong, China, Macau, France, Italy, and Switzerland were some of her retirement adventures, along with trips to Falmouth to visit her sister Catherine. Her last few years were spent in enjoying the birds and wildlife in her backyard, visits from friends, and rides to see the Vineyard sights.

Some of Fran’s greatest joy was found at the Federated Church, where she was a loyal attendee and past church deacon. As a member of the Unity Club, her sewing skills helped stock the needlework table for the biannual church fairs. Fran was a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Sea Coast Defence Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Auxiliary, served on the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital board of trustees, and took great pride in working with the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Tree of Lights Committee.

Fran is survived by her children, Richard Resendes of Ruskin, Fla., and Jo-Ann Resendes and Irene Resendes of Edgartown; grandchildren John Resendes of Antioch, Tenn., Michael Resendes of Wareham, Emma Vancour of Edgartown, and Martha Shiels of Clovis, Calif.; and two great-grandsons, Aaron Resendes and Tanner Shiels. She is also survived by her sister, Catherine Griffin of Edgartown. Fran was predeceased by her husband Al in 1983 and her daughter Mary Vancour in 2015.

A celebration of Fran’s life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 11 am at the Federated Church in Edgartown. Donations in Fran’s memory can be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, or Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.

The post Frances V. Resendes appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Francine Kelly, vibrant leader of Featherstone Center for the Arts from 2003 to 2010, and mother of Featherstone’s current executive director, Ann Smith, died on Jan. 10, 2017. Francine loved the arts and all creative pursuits. The woman who never said no delighted in showcasing the Island’s artists and more important, getting to know them on a personal level. Her warm spirit was contagious, and her smile infectious.

Francine did not want a funeral. There will be a celebration of life this summer at Featherstone. In lieu of flowers, donations in Francine Kelly’s name are welcome at Featherstone Center for the Arts, the place she loved more than anything: featherstoneart.org.

The post Francine Kelly appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Harry Ryder, formerly of William Street in Vineyard Haven, died at his home in Lancaster, N.H., on Nov. 21, 2016, at the age of 85. Up in the mountains of Northern New Hampshire, he sang the praises of Martha’s Vineyard most days for more than 30 years.

Harry would go to the dump (not “transfer station”), and hold court; he would go to the library and, after taking slips from all the exotic plants there (“It’s a win-win; they need periodic pruning anyway”), he would sing of the Island.

He brought his family to Martha’s Vineyard in the ’60s, and told his son and daughter, over and over again, that this was a special place, that they should always remember it, that it wasn’t ordinary, that they were blessed to be here.

Harry wouldn’t talk about the typical Vineyard attributes that all the world knows about; he would talk about the midnight walks he took, from his home on William Street down to the boat wharf, down to Beach Road, insomnia providing him an unexpected gift — meeting those who also couldn’t sleep, returning with many more adventurous tales than his dreams would ever give.

He would talk of cold, foggy, Sunday afternoons at Lucy Vincent, gathering driftwood with his wife and kids, using it to create makeshift dwellings complete with chimneys and Sterno campfires, heating hot chocolate, and hoping there were other brave souls venturing out to the beach on those days, who would see the cozy shelters and wonder who the lucky ones were inside.

He talked of the teen gatherings at the Ryder house, laughter abounding, of waking his children up in the middle of the night to walk William Street in the deafening silence of a good Christmas snow.

Starting in the Vineyard school system, then doing whatever possible to keep his family on the Island, Harry paid the price of being a visionary in all things; he was not always understood, nor always easy to work with … but oh, how he loved the Vineyard.

He talked of Island people: the everyday, honest, straightforward, open people, and the creative, outside-the-box people.

His wife Faith, Scott, Debra, Alyson, Ian, Lindsey, and Peter, and Beth, Mark, Heath, Eli, Megan, Harper, and Addison Skye are all resting in the knowledge that they will see him again in glory, and are trying hard to remember whom they represent.

The post Harry Ryder appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Carol died in the early morning of Dec. 26, 2016, a victim of metastatic breast cancer, a disease she had fought bravely for the past 15 years. She was 69 years old, but for those of us who loved her, she remained lovely and young.

Carol was born in New York City on August 19, 1947, the first daughter of John and Katherine Ebert. Her father was an electrical engineer, her mother a mathematician. Carol graduated from Bethesda High School in Maryland in June 1965. Three months later she moved east to become a member of the freshman class of 1969 at Wellesley College. A year later, Carol’s parents moved to Wellesley Hills when her father was appointed vice president of an electronics firm in Waltham. In January of her junior year at Wellesley, Carol was introduced to Ed Perry, a technical writer from Natick, by their mutual friend Cathy Kostick from Sherborn, one of Carol’s dorm mates. Their first date was on Groundhog Day, for dinner and then to watch planes take off and land at Logan Airport. For some reason, Carol was impressed by Eddie, and the two became boyfriend and girlfriend, the beginning of a relationship which would last 48 years, with much of that time spent at the Perrys’ summer cottage in Oak Bluffs. Carol majored in economics at Wellesley College, and after graduation in 1969 spent an academic year at the University of Michigan, where she earned her master’s degree in economics.

Carol’s first job after college was with Shawmut Bank of Boston, researching the economic viability of potential branch bank sites. Ed, meanwhile had retired from technical writing in 1970 to build and operate his first radio station, WCIB-FM in Falmouth, which featured Vineyard notables Nelson Coon and Louise Bugbee broadcasting Island news. Most of Carol and Ed’s dates were restaurant dinners in Falmouth or on the Vineyard, where Ed would try to sell radio advertising to the owners while Carol studied the economics of the business to determine how much each restaurant could reasonably afford to spend. Carol left Shawmut Bank in 1972 to take a position as an economist for Blue Cross in Boston, a job she loved and would keep for the next 22 years. Carol and Ed married in September 1973, Ed sold his interest in WCIB, and in March 1974 the Perrys bought their home in Duxbury, then began working to build a new FM radio station in Marshfield.

WATD-FM began broadcasting in December 1977, and is now in its 40th year serving the Massachusetts South Shore. Carol left Blue Cross in 1994 to begin a full-time job at the station while raising three children: Franklin, born in 1979, Katherine, born in 1981, and William, born in 1988. Carol loved spending summers on Martha’s Vineyard, walks across Long Point to Tisbury Great Pond, creating artwork, train trips across the country, collecting books and jewelry at Vineyard summer yard sales, and her family and many good friends. She’s survived by her children, her husband Ed, her mother Katherine Ebert, now a resident of Duxbury; her sister Ellen Jeydel, who lives in Westfield, N.J.; and her best friend, Karin Dumbaugh of Boston.

A celebration of Carol Ebert Perry’s life will be held in the Daniel Webster Room of the Marshfield Tavern, 1 Proprietor’s Drive, beside Roche Brothers in Marshfield on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 1 to 5 pm. Donations can be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Carol’s honor, or via , and can also be made to the Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs in Carol’s honor.

The post Carol Ebert Perry appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.

Betty (Sundberg) Turton died on Sept. 21, 2016, and began writing a new hymn.

Betty was born on August 2, 1930, to Lawrence and Roberta Turton in Ohio. She graduated from Northwestern University and obtained her master’s in education from the University of Illinois. She married Carl H. Sundberg Jr. and moved to Barrington, Ill., where they raised three children.

Betty loved to travel. She visited more than 17 countries, during winter months so as to not miss her summers on Martha’s Vineyard and her cute home on Radio Station Road. She later moved to Virginia, and kept traveling around the world to share the ABCs of getting into heaven.

She will be missed by her children, Dan (Mary), Bill (Melissa), Roberta (Tom), her grandchildren, and many friends.

A beachside hymn sing-along will take place on Martha’s Vineyard at a later date; a notice will be placed at that time.

The post Betty Sundberg Turton appeared first on Martha's Vineyard Times.