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Anne Burton, 80
Was College Administrator
Anne Hillman Burton, 80, of Oberlin, Ohio, died Monday at Kendal at Oberlin. She was born May 11, 1921, in New York city and had been a resident of Kendal since 1993. She was a "founder" at Kendal at Oberlin. She was active in the Residence Association, serving on its board and a number of other committees.
She was graduated from Mills College, Oakland, Calif., and the Radcliffe Management Training Program, Cambridge. During World War II, she served overseas with the American Red Cross in England and Belgium.
She held positions in personnel, sales, promotion and administration in New York and Boston. She was dean of students at Briarcliff College, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. She married
William S. Burton in 1965 and resided in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, before moving to Oberlin.
An avid gardener and lover of nature, she was active with the Shaker Lakes Regional Nature Center, where she served as a trustee and president of the board and chaired a capital campaign for the All People Trail.
She also served as a trustee of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, Friends of the Cleveland Public Library and the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland.
She is survived by her sister, Doris Blackwell of Vineyard Haven; her niece, Anne Sattler of Menlo Park, Calif., and her nephew, John H. VonColditz of Scottsdale, Ariz. Also surviving are stepdaughters Betsy Burton Wick of Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Susan Burton Shapiro of Brockton; Diane Burton Dubin of Denver, Colo.; many great-nieces and great-nephews, and many step-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband of 24 years, William S. Burton, and her parents, Herbert and May Hillman.
A memorial service will be held Friday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. at Kendal at Oberlin. Interment will take place at Highland Park cemetery, Shaker Heights, Ohio. Memorial contributions may be made to Kendal at Oberlin, 600 Kendal Dr., Oberlin, OH 44074.
Dicken Funeral Home, 323 Middle avenue, Elyria, is handling arrangements.
Esther B. Smith Gill
Was Formerly of Oak Bluffs
Esther B. Smith Gill died Oct. 31 at the Cape Cod Nursing Home in Buzzards Bay. She was 77.
Mrs. Gill worked as a private nurse-companion and resided in Oak Bluffs until 1993, when she was hospitalized after a stroke and subsequently came to live at Falmouth Nursing Home. She transferred to Cape Cod Nursing Home in 1999.
A leap-year baby born on Feb. 29 in Norfolk, Va., she celebrated her 19th "real" birthday in the year 2000. She was the daughter of the late Walter J. and Esther B. Cooke Smith of Norfolk.
Mrs. Gill attended the Lincoln School of Nursing in New York city. Prior to coming to the Vineyard, she worked at the Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York. Until her eyes failed, she was an avid reader, and she maintained a love of blues and jazz throughout her life.
She was married
to the late Frank Gill. She leaves a sister, Elizabeth Cummings of Sarasota, Fla.; a daughter, Toni, and a son, James, of New York city; two grandchildren, Rahsaan Peterson of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Martell Farrell of Baltimore, Md.; a great-grandson, Donte Peterson, and a dear friend, Alice Batchelor of Falmouth. She was predeceased by a brother, James, and a sister, Helen Brymm.
A memorial service will be held at St. Peters-on-the-Canal Episcopal Church, 165 Main street, Buzzards Bay, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 24. Memorial donations may be made to St. Peters-on-the-Canal Episcopal Church. Arrangements are by the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Falmouth.
Charles H. Witham
Was Artist and Lover of Music
Charles H. Witham died on Wednesday, Sept. 12, in Boston. He was born on Dec. 6, 1944, in Boston. A true son of New England, he loved the rich history of the Northeast. His parents, Charles H. Witham Sr. and Frances J. Witham, grew up on the North Shore, and his family's history harkens back to the early settlements of Gloucester and surrounding towns.
Charlie grew up in Newton and attended St. Sebastian's, a college preparatory school, where he was recognized for his exceptional writing talents and his prowess on the hockey rink. He studied English literature at Boston University, and his passions for poetry and music expanded while a student there. As a young man, he traveled to Paris, Morocco and throughout Europe before returning to the U.S. where he spent time in the San Francisco Bay area. While he enjoyed his time on the West Coast, he was a New Englander at heart, and was drawn back home. He had visited Martha's Vineyard several times, and made it his permanent home in the spring of 1970.
His lifelong interest in Native American culture led to independent study of Native arts. While walking on Island beaches, Charles realized that the ocean-tumbled pieces of quahaug shell he found along the shore were of the same material as wampum beads he had studied in museum collections. This led to his further research into the traditional uses of wampum beads, and -- through much trial and error working with the shell -- the revival of the ancient craft of wampum bead making.
Charles was a poet, a songwriter and a lover of music. He was husband and manager of singer Kate Taylor, and wrote songs for her Columbia Records release, Kate Taylor, produced by James Taylor. Over the years, he wrote songs describing the beauty he saw in life on the Island. These songs will be heard on Kate's forthcoming CD release, Beautiful Road, which Charlie co-produced with their friend and bass player, Tony Garnier.
In 1981 he produced the critically acclaimed Taylor Family concert for the benefit of the South Street Seaport Museum in New York. He also produced and promoted many musical events on the Vineyard, most of which benefited Island causes.
Charlie will be remembered as a devoted and loving father, husband and son whose companionship, intellect and humor will be missed deeply by all whose lives he touched. He is survived by his wife; his daughters Aquinnah May, Elizabeth Menemsha and Aretha Theodosia Angelique, of Aquinnah; his mother, Jessie Witham of Weston, and a sister, Mrs. George Anderson of Melbourne, Fla.
Donations may be made in his memory to the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee, P.O. Box 583, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Erik Fitch
Was Student at Jacksonville University
Erik Dallas Fitch, 20, of Madison, Conn., and Edgartown died in an accident on Friday, Sept. 7, in Jacksonville, Fla. The beloved son of Ed and Donna Liscombe Fitch, he was born on June 6, 1981 in New Haven, Conn.
Erik was a 1999 graduate of Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Conn., where he was captain of the wrestling team. He was currently attending the University of Jacksonville, majoring in aviation. During the summers, he was employed at the Martha's Vineyard Airport.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a paternal grandmother, Genevieve Fitch of Hamden, Conn., a maternal grandfather, William Liscombe of new Port Richey, Fla., and a sister, Tina Fitch of Madison.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Madison. Calling hours will be held frrom 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Road, Madison. Interment will take place in the North Guilford cemetery.
Alexander G. Buder
Was Veteran of World War II
Alexander G. Buder, 81, of Mashpee died unexpectedly Wednesday, Nov. 14, at Falmouth Hospital.
He is the husband of Rachel M. (Bourgeois) Buder, to whom he was married
for 54 years.
Born in Webster, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for wounds he received.
He lived in Thompson, Conn., and later Old Saybrook, Conn., for many years. He was a field supervisor with the department of motor vehicles in Connecticut for 26 years, retiring in 1981. He moved to Falmouth in 1987 and to Mashpee in 1998.
In addition to his wife, he leaves a son and daughter in law, Karl G. and Lynn Buder of Vineyard Haven; two grandsons, Hans and Alexander Buder of Vineyard Haven, and two sisters, Ellen Stryezek of Vernon, Conn., and Grayce Ford of Sherborn.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, in St. Anthony's Church, East Falmouth. Interment will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to the Martha's Vineyard Touchdown Club, P.O. Box 1017, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.
Dorothy Limont, 72
Was Formerly of Edgartown
Dorothy R. Vaughn Limont, 72, of Portsmouth, N.H., died peacefully on Friday evening, Sept. 14, at the Mark H. Wentworth Home in Portsmouth. She was a former resident of Edgartown for more than 15 years, beginning in the late 1970s.
She was born in Quincy on Oct. 14, 1928, the daughter of Viva F. Hulburt Vaughn and the late James F. Vaughn. She attended Scituate High School, Thayer Academy and Georgian Court College and received her MFCC from Leslie College. She loved her family, her friends and her dogs. She was a traveler, an adventurer, an avid beachwalker and sea glass collector. She studied astrology and metaphysics, and for many years worked as a family therapist.
She is survived by her mother, Viva Stevenson; her brother, James Vaughn; her five children, Mark, Lisa, Eric, Kris and Stacy, and her two grandchildren, Erica and Kyle.
A visitation will be held at the J. Verne Wood Funeral Home's Buckminster Chapel, 84 Broad street, Portsmouth, N.H., from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 18, with a memorial service to follow at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Mark Wentworth Home, 346 Pleasant street, Portsmouth, NH 03801 or to Seacoast Hospice, 10 Hampton Road, Exeter, NH 03833.
Elizabeth M. Hawkes, 90
Was Devoted to Family
Elizabeth M. Hawkes of Hyannis died peacefully at Cape Cod Hospital on August 6.
Born in Arlington in 1910, she was the daughter of the late Peter and Carolina Manderino of Caserta, Italy.
In the early 1940s, Elizabeth and her former husband, David Williamson, and their young family moved to Martha's Vineyard to live. Her life was filled with hard work and raising her family.
She loved to cook all of her wonderful Italian meals that everyone who knew her loved to share. There was always room for one more, a pot simmering on her stove and the smell of garlic in her kitchen. Her recipes are traditions handed down and enjoyed by all her family and friends.
She loved gardening and reading, the simple pleasures in life. She loved her cats, and they returned her devotion.
Affectionately known as Gram, she delighted in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her love of family and friends was her life.
In December she was surprised with a party to celebrate her 90th birthday, where she was surrounded by the love of family and friends. She lived simply and happily until her death.
She is survived by two sons, Peter Williamson of Oak Bluffs and Richard Williamson of Sacramento, Calif.; a daughter, Elizabeth Lopes of Osterville; her two sisters, Mary Manderino of Sun City, Ariz., and Eva Manderino of Alexandria, Va.; a brother, Augustus Manderino of Arlington; 11 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her second husband, Ronald L. Hawkes, her sisters, Olympia Fantasia and Olga Lamar, and a son, Thomas David Williamson.
Her graveside service will be held at the VA National cemetery in Bourne at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Martha's Vineyard Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
Arrangements are by the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.
Delia Ferreira
Returned to Island After World Travels
Delia L. Ferreira, 82, of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully at Windemere Nursing Facility on Oct. 29. She was the wife of the late Richard D. Ferreira.
Delia was born in Hartford on August 3, 1919, to the late Harry LeMay and Ann St. John Doughty. Delia was 10 years old when she arrived with her mother on Martha's Vineyard. At age 24, Delia and her first husband, chief warrant officer LeRoy Bosworth of West Tisbury, began 22 years of traveling the world until LeRoy's retirement from the U.S. Army. Delia returned to Oak Bluffs in 1963 and in 1971 married
Richard Ferreira.
Delia was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Oak Bluffs.
She is survived by her daughter, June A. Bosworth, of Oak Bluffs; her sisters, Rose Peto, of Florida, Louise Pepask, of Carver, Marion Swagert, of Connecticut, and Althea Davies, of Florida; one brother, Arthur Doughty, of Oregon, and many nieces and nephews.
Her graveside service will take place at the Oak Grove cemetery in Oak Bluffs, on Friday, Nov. 2, at 10 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.
Donations in her memory may be made to Windemere Nursing Facility patients activities fund, PO Box 1747, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
Abigail Phillips, 43
Was Creative, Active Person
Abigail Phillips, 43, beloved wife of Paul Friedrichs and mother of Emily, Peter and Lief, died Nov. 17 at her home in Exeter, N.H., after a courageous two-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer. A graduate of Yale University, she was well known for her artistic and architectural design skills, and was self-employed as Abigail Phillips Architectural Design.
She brought a breadth of talents, intelligence, wisdom, wit and creativity to her interactions with her family and many friends in town, church, school and cancer survivor communities. Always assessing and improving the physical space around her, she left her mark on numerous building projects both locally and in her home state of Connecticut. She served on the Exeter school building committees, loved to swim, and sang in Voices from the Heart. She will be especially remembered for her creative energy, indomitable spirit and love of life.
Abigail loved the Vineyard. She visited often and could be spotted joyously motoring around the Lagoon with her family in their boat, Dolphina. She touched the lives of many here and will be deeply missed.
In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her mother, Mary Skipp Phillips Winter, and stepfather, Ed; her sisters, Nancy Phillips and Maryalice Hoogland; her niece and nephew, Annie Burton and Ben Hoogland, and her mother and father in law, Polly and Bob Friedrichs.
Calling hours were held Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Brewitt's Funeral Home in Exeter. Funeral services were held Wednesday at the First Unitarian Society of Exeter on Elm street. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Exeter Hospital Oncology Art Therapy Program.
Beverly Lane Morgan
Was Retired Teacher
Beverly Lane Morgan of Plantingfield Woods died Nov. 14 after a short illness. Formerly of Glen Head, N.Y., Mrs. Morgan became a full-time resident of Edgartown in 1988. Her husband, Edward Alexander Morgan, died July 8.
Mrs. Morgan was born July 30, 1923, in Keene, N.H. She was graduated from Keene High School and Boston University. Following her graduation, she flew with United Airlines for many years.
Mrs. Morgan earned a master's degree in early childhood education from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. She worked as a kindergarten teacher for the Locust Valley, N.Y., public school system for 23 years.
In Edgartown, Mrs. Morgan joined the garden club and the women's club. Loving her garden as much as a good political discussion with friends over a cup of tea, she cherished Island life for its beauty and solitude. She died surrounded by her children at Martha's Vineyard Hospital.
Mrs. Morgan is survived by two sons, George Lane Morgan of Boston and Peter Alexander Morgan of Brooklyn, a daughter, Margaret Morgan of Essex, Conn., and a brother, Caryl Lane of Freedom, N.H. She is also survived by two grandsons, Nicholas and Henry Morgan, and a daughter in law, Mary Suh, all of Brooklyn.
A private service will be held. Donations in her memory may be made to Hospice of Martha's Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.
Elizabeth Esther Osborn
Was Devoted to Family
Elizabeth Esther House Osborn died on Nov. 17 at the Sunbridge Care and Rehabilitation Center in Milford. She was born Sept. 16, 1913, in Oak Bluffs, the daughter of Percy H. and Alice B. House. She had four siblings, Beatrice, Alice, Dorothy and Stanley, all of whom predeceased her.
Her family moved to the Vineyard in 1909 when Percy accepted a job with the first power generating company on the Island. Elizabeth was educated in the Oak Bluffs schools and in high school was a member of the 1929 and 1930 girls' basketball team. She was the loving and devoted wife of John W. Osborn Sr., founder and president of the Dukes County Savings Bank, who died in 1995. They spent most of their 64 years of married
life on the Vineyard, except for several years in Florida, raising three children, Kenneth B. Osborn of Norfolk, John W. Osborn Jr. of Mechanicsburg, Pa., and Timothy W., now deceased.
She was a past president of the Mothers Club and member of the Woman's Club. Painting was her favorite pastime, and her pictures were in great demand by the family, as were her handmade quilts and rugs. Her favorite activities were going to the beach at the Bend in the Road, picnics at South Beach, trips to Boston to shop and see an opera or show and attending family functions.
The love of her family and the joy and love they felt for her were always present. This was magnified many times over with her grandchildren, Lida Finlayson, Elizabeth Bostrom, Briana Rahed, Valentine Osborn, Timothy Osborn, Melissa Osborn, Hillary Osborn and Rachael Becker, and her great-grandchildren, Leys, Ashley, Allison, Zack, Timothy-John, Carissa, Elliott, Madeline and Matthew. She is also survived by nine nieces and nephews.
Services were held in Falmouth and at the grave site in Edgartown on Tuesday, Nov. 20. The family has asked that gifts in her memory be made to the Martha's Vineyard Hospital.
