Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha’s Vineyard Obituaries

Introduction to Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard

Located in the heart of Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard is a trusted and compassionate funeral home that has been serving the community for many years. With a deep understanding of the importance of honoring loved ones who have passed, the team at Chapman Funerals & Cremations is dedicated to providing personalized and dignified funeral services that cater to the unique needs of each family they serve.

A History of Excellence and Compassion

Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard has a rich history of providing exceptional funeral services to the residents of Martha's Vineyard and beyond. With a strong commitment to excellence and compassion, the funeral home has built a reputation for itself as a trusted and reliable partner during difficult times. The team at Chapman Funerals & Cremations takes pride in their ability to provide personalized attention to every family they serve, ensuring that every detail is carefully considered and every need is met with sensitivity and care.

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Recent Funeral Home Obituaries

Deurward Lyeman Hughes - May 03, 1931 - April 30, 2024

Departed: 04/30/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Dr. Deurward L. Hughes died just shy of his 93 rd birthday (May 3, 1931) on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at his home in West Tisbury.

He was the husband of Dr. Terry Kriedman.

A complete obituary will be updated.

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Pollyann J. Emin - August 17, 1931 - April 20, 2024

Departed: 04/20/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Pollyann J. Emin, 92, died on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at her home in Vineyard Haven.

She was predeceased by her husband, Albert Francis Emin.

A private graveside service will be held at a later date and a complete obituary will be updated.

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Mary Priscilla Thifault - December 26, 1935 - April 14, 2024

Departed: 04/14/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Mary Priscilla Thifault, 88, died on Sunday, April 14, 2024 at her home in Vineyard Haven.

She was predeceased by her husband, Frederick W. Thifault on May 9, 2019.

A memorial mass will be celebrated on Saturday, June 8 at 11am in St. Augustine’s Church, Franklin Avenue in Vineyard Haven and burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven.

A complete obituary will be updated.

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Elsbeth Ann Fullem - July 16, 1930 - April 05, 2024

Departed: 04/05/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Surrounded by loved ones, Elsbeth Fullem passed away peacefully at her Martha’s Vineyard home on Friday, April 5, 2024, at the age of 93.

Prior to retiring on Martha’s Vineyard, Elsbeth lived with her husband and family in Upper Montclair, N.J., for more than 40 years. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., she attended Fontbonne Hall Academy, and graduated from the College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, N.J. She and Bob were married on Feb. 11, 1954, and lived in Texas, Washington, D.C., and Long Island before settling in Upper Montclair. Elsbeth was a member of the Montclair Golf Club in New Jersey, and Farm Neck Golf Club on Martha’s Vineyard. She regularly attended the theater, loved her New York Times crossword puzzles, and traveled extensively with her husband in their later years. As the matriarch of the family, she hosted a multitude of family holidays and events over the years, both in Upper Montclair and on Martha’s Vineyard.

She is survived by her daughter, Leslie Fullem Hunter, and three sons, John Christopher Fullem, Robert Fullem, and Terrence Fullem; as well as 10 grandchildren, Sharon, Ariel, Robert, Alison, Kelsey, Emily, Kyra, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Aidan; and three great-grandchildren, Natanella, Hunter, and Elsbeth. She was predeceased by her husband, L. Robert Fullem, and her brother David MacCulley, and is survived by her brother John Buckman MacCulley.

Burial will be private, with a service and celebration of life to be held in September.

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John A. Svetz - May 11, 1934 - April 05, 2024

Departed: 04/05/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: John A. Svetz, 89, of Oak Bluffs passed away on April 5, 2024, after a brief illness, and is now with the Lord he served.

John was born on May 11, 1934, in Corry, Pa., to Thomas and Mary Svetz. Mary passed away shortly after John’s birth, and he was raised by his mother Pauline Svetz after her marriage to Thomas.

John met his wife Joan working at General Dynamics. At 24, he married Joan, and like his mother Pauline, John adopted Joan’s three children and raised them along with their two sons in North Stonington, Conn. After designing submarines for 20 years, John wanted to go back to his childhood roots, and asked Joan to move to Spartansburg, Pa., to run a dairy farm. Eventually, they settled on Martha’s Vineyard, where John was a caretaker and plumbing and heating technician. He later opened his own business, Vineyard Heating, which he operated well into his eighties. Even after “retiring,” he found many of his longtime customers looked out for him and kept him busy supervising the work of other contractors, a testament to his trustworthiness and technical skill.

John had a passion for education, and was a member and president of the board of education in North Stonington for many years. He helped start Mohegan Community College, now known as Three Rivers Community College, in Norwich, Conn. John and Joan were well-known Island gardeners with expansive gardens and intricately designed ponds by John. They were highlighted in the gardening book “A Garden Lover’s Martha’s Vineyard,” by New England garden writer and radio personality C.L. Fornari.

John had a mischievously dry sense of humor and a gift for storytelling. He had many interesting tales about the famous people he met while working on the Island, including the time Carly Simon composed a song while asking him questions about his work. He made many friends and touched many lives in his more than 35 years on the Island, and will be greatly missed.

John is survived by sons Gary Svetz and his wife Christine of Meadville, Pa., James Svetz and his partner Patrick of Palm Springs, Calif., and son Mark Svetz of California. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Rebecca (Eric) Claussen, Jonathan (Jen) Palmer, Joshua Svetz, Matthew Svetz, and Samuel Svetz; great-grandchildren Lilli Claussen, Kayla Palmer, and Katalina Palmer; and his son-in-law Fred Palmer and sister-in-law Dee Svetz. Besides his parents, John was also preceded in death by his wife Joan, daughter Cheryl Palmer, son Jeff Svetz, and siblings Steve, Joe, and Mary Ann Svetz.

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Mildred Leona Bates MacDonald - February 19, 1928 - April 04, 2024

Departed: 04/04/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: On April 4th, Mildred Leona MacDonald, (Bates) 96, passed away peacefully at a family home on her beloved Martha’s Vineyard. She was the cherished wife of the late City of Quincy, Fire Captain Roy K. MacDonald, and was the last surviving child of Frank L. Bates and M. Leona Bates (Rizzi) of Quincy. Mildred was born, raised, and lived in West Quincy for most of her life. She was educated in the Quincy Public School System and was a 1946 graduate of Quincy High School. She was the youngest sister of four brothers, Lester, John, Harold, and Russell Bates.

Mildred, a devoted mother, leaves behind her daughter Karen Van Riper and partner Pam Fleming of Weymouth; her son, Russell MacDonald, and wife Mary (McCarthy) of Oak Bluffs, Ma. She bestows memories of her amiable presence on her granddaughters, Kelsey MacDonald and husband David Schiowitz of Durango, Colorado; Taylor MacDonald of Beverly; her grandson, Kenneth MacDonald of Oak Bluffs; and her great-granddaughter, Madelyn. Her friendship with sister-in-law Carolyn Jensen (MacDonald) of Braintree and Mashpee, Ma. will survive to another time and place.

Millie enjoyed the camaraderie of her co-workers and her friendly relationship with the public when employed as an accounts representative at Burgin and Platner Insurance Company in Quincy Square.

For 68 years, Mildred was an active member of St. Mary’s Parish in West Quincy before relocating to Martha’s Vineyard, where she became a Eucharistic Minister at Good Shepherd Parish in Oak Bluffs.

Millie was always well-connected in her community. Whether performing volunteer work at the Braintree Rehab Hospital or singing, dancing, and helping the patients at Windermere Nursing Home on Martha’s Vineyard, her upbeat attitude was contagious.

Known for her kindness and warmth, Mildred forged lasting friendships wherever life took her, from Quincy to Green Acres, Florida, and her cherished community on Martha’s Vineyard. Mildred will be in the hearts of those she touched. Her love and compassion will endure and serve as a guiding light for the fortunate few whose path she crossed.

A Funeral Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, May 11, 11:00am, at St. Augustine's Church in Vineyard Haven. Burial will be held at Blue Hill Cemetery in Braintree on August 3, at 11:00am.

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Gaston Vadasz - February 21, 1944 - April 02, 2024

Departed: 04/02/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Gaston Vadasz died at home in the early morning hours of April 2, 2024, after a long battle with metastatic prostate cancer. His remarkable life, from the time he was an infant hidden from the Nazis by a Christian family in Hungary to his career in media and marketing in the U.S. and Budapest, and finally as a tour guide on Martha’s Vineyard, has been chronicled in his forthcoming memoir, “The Glass Always Half Full: A Journey of Hope, Dreams, and Reality.” Excerpts have been read publicly by him and his friends.

Gaston, son of Valerie Violet (Lazar) Vadasz and Geza Vadasz, came to this country as a refugee, arriving in New York harbor on Feb. 14, 1957, with his mother and brother Tibor. Gaston and his mother settled in Elmhurst, Queens, where he attended Newtown High School. He played the clarinet, sang in the choir, and excelled at sports. At Queens College, Gaston was a reporter for the school newspaper, and appeared in his first role in a play.

He started his career in media and marketing at several advertising agencies, including Compton (now Saatchi & Saatchi), Doyle Dane Bernbach, and then at Ogilvy & Mather, before switching to radio sales and management. His career took him to CBS in NYC, WMAL in Washington, D.C., and then to several stations in Massachusetts, including WAAF in Worcester and WJIB in Boston.

While working at Doyle Dane, Gaston met Linda Percell, his future wife of 55 years. They married in 1969, and three years later, their daughter Nicole was born. After living in Bethesda, Md., and Worcester, no one expected that Gaston and Linda would live as expats in Hungary, starting in 1994.

Besides his work in radio, Gaston was a patron of the Hungarian Special Olympics Committee; served on the board of MIGHelp, which gave refugees support and skills in a new country; and served on the development committee of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

Gaston appeared in several international films and TV shows that were shot in Hungary, including “World Without End” (2012), “Asterix and Obelix: God Save Britannia” (2012), “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” (2013), and “Dracula” (2013).

He and Linda owned a small vineyard on the northern shore of Lake Balaton, where their annual grape harvest grew into a three-day party for dozens of friends and family.

When they moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 2013, Gaston immersed himself in Island activities, including the Peter Luce Play Readers, the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center, and as a member of the osprey monitoring team organized by the Audubon Society’s Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary. He always enjoyed the season’s arrival of those great birds, and took pleasure in identifying the various species that fed from the backyard bird feeder.

Gaston took the most joy from spending time with his two granddaughters. He was so proud of their accomplishments in school activities, including their theatrical productions, as well as piano recitals and clarinet concerts.

Gaston is survived by his wife, Linda, and their daughter, Nicole, wife of his beloved son-in-law Benjamin Cabot, along with their daughters Violet and Reed.

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Clarence M. Bannister - January 01, 1924 - March 31, 2024

Departed: 03/31/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Clarence M. Bannister, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on Easter Sunday, March 30, 2024, at the Henrietta Brewer House.

He had recently celebrated his 100th birthday on January 1 of this year.

His wife, Ethel V. (Craig) Bannister, whom he was married to for over 70 years, passed away in October of 2019.

Clarence was a fixture at the local A&P in Edgartown where he worked as the food and produce manager. He was also a veteran, proudly serving the Army as a Sergeant during WWII.

He is survived by his two sons, Quintin Bannister of Vineyard Haven on Martha’s Vineyard and Amaury Bannister of Washington, D.C.

Services will be held in Washington, D.C.

A complete obituary will be updated at a later date.

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Robert Sherman Daniels - September 27, 1924 - March 29, 2024

Departed: 03/29/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Robert Sherman (Bob) Daniels passed away at home in Edgartown on the morning of March 29, 2024. He was 99.

Born on September 27, 1924, Bob lived a full life. He was a veteran, a Freemason, a carpenter, a farmer, a parent, and a grandparent. Bob served stateside in the US Army Air Corps during WWII. He was a dedicated mason for more than 60 years. He built homes across the Berkshires. Bob is best known locally for working on his Katama farm with his family and for his involvement with the Farmers’ Market, where he sold flowers and vegetables, most notably potatoes. Bob prided himself on his hard work and touched the lives of many friends.

Bob is predeceased by his wife, Lois Tilton Daniels, who passed in 2005. He is survived by his children, Mark, Lynne and Rebecca (Becky), and his grandchildren, Rachael, Leo, Warren, Marco and Wayne (Vinny), as well as many extended family members.

A service will be held at a later date.

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Robert E. Perry - November 15, 1957 - March 29, 2024

Departed: 03/29/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Robert E. Perry, 66 of Oak Bluffs, passed away on March 29, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Visiting hours will be held on April 4, from 4-6Pm at Chapman Funerals and Cremations in Oak Bluffs. Burial will be held privately. A complete obituary will be updated.

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Diego Messina - December 25, 1933 - March 27, 2024

Departed: 03/27/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Diego Messina, a spirited and adventurous soul, left us at the age of 90 for the great golf course in the sky. Born on a day of hope and joy, Christmas 1933, Diego’s life was a gift to all who knew him. His life was rich in experiences, laughter, and an unwavering zest for adventure – testament to a man who proved that one doesn’t need a formal education to live a life full of meaning and accomplishment. As the oldest of eight children and a daring young teen, he creatively adjusted his age to join the Air Force, beginning a lifelong journey of bold choices and spirited tales.

Married for 64 years to his beloved Elena, together they shared countless adventures, laughter and love. Diego was a devoted father of three sons and a doting grandfather to five, leaving behind a legacy of joy and the importance of family.

A legend at Farm Neck and the Vineyard Golf Club, Diego’s passion for golf was matched only by his skill as a hairdresser. A maestro with the scissors, Diego styled his way through life, making friends and spreading joy with every snip.

His life was a lesson in making the most of every moment, laughing often, and swinging hard in case you hit the ball. Diego didn't just live; he flourished, leaving behind a trail of joy, laughter, and perfectly coiffed hair.

As we say goodbye to Diego, let’s honor him by living as he did: with passion, love, and a touch of flair. Let’s raise our golf clubs to the sky, swing with all our might, and whenever we miss that shot, let’s laugh as loudly as he would have. Farewell, Diego. May your drives be long, your scissors sharp, and your legacy lasting.

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Peter R. Hefler - May 22, 1940 - March 24, 2024

Departed: 03/24/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Maj. Peter R. Hefler, USAF (Ret.), a transportation aficionado and the Vineyard Transit Authority’s biggest enthusiast, died March 24 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 83.

Peter was born in Boston on May 22, 1940, and grew up in Milton, MA. The youngest of six, his siblings often reminded him that he got away with everything, including washing his bicycle in the middle of the kitchen.

Peter attended UMass Amherst under the U.S. Air Force ROTC program. He entered the Air Force as a Public Affairs officer in 1963 after earning a B.A. degree in rhetoric. Peter was first stationed at Travis Air Force Base in California, where he served as a General’s Aide. At his next post, Mactan Air Force Base in the Philippines, his duties included escorting journalists covering the Vietnam War into active combat zones. Pete returned Stateside and was assigned to the Air Force’s public affairs office on 5th Ave. in New York City. A train lover since childhood, he started out in an apartment in NYC and then moved to Newtown, CT, where he happily commuted by rail. As he liked to tell it, it led to him being “railroaded into an MBA degree.”

While traveling into NYC from Newtown, Peter completed graduate courses in business administration and earned his degree in a unique program, “Edu-Tran,” offered by Adelphi University aboard custom commuter train classroom cars. He was the first graduate of the program from the New Haven line.

Later, while assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Peter served as the Deputy Director of the Community Relations Division in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. His college degree and gift of gab served him well there. In addition to revamping and running the Tours and Briefings Program under Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, Peter conducted over 1,000 briefings himself, specifically tailored to visiting groups and organizations from all over the world. At the time the largest office building in the world, he learned to walk miles backwards while escorting visitors to ensure no one was lost or wandered into restricted areas.

Peter fell in love with Martha’s Vineyard on his first visit in 1959 with his lifelong friends, Dr. Robert Franklin and his wife Grace. Later, as a second lieutenant in the Air Force, he bought a parcel of land off Lagoon Road from real estate agent Henry Cronig with $5 and a handshake to seal the deal, and a payment of $100 a month for three years. He built a home in Tisbury in 1971, with a goal to retire there.

Peter met his future wife, Janet Rummel, in 1978 when he headed the Air Force Magazine and Book Branch, stationed at the Pentagon, and she was the associate editor of National Defense Magazine. Their dates included many train trips, and he converted her into enough of a railfan that at their wedding in 1979, they had an Amtrak locomotive atop their wedding cake. Kneeling at the altar to receive blessings revealed the soles of Peter’s shoes read “Am” and “Trak.” They took an Amtrak train trip for their honeymoon.

Janet moved to his home in Harpers Ferry and joined him in commuting 90 minutes each way by train into Washington, D.C. In 1982, on a day trip to NYC, their son Brien was born seven weeks early in their friend Brien McMahon’s apartment on Roosevelt Island.

After retiring from his 20-year Air Force career in 1985, Peter began a second 20-year career in public transportation management. He and his family moved to their Martha’s Vineyard home that summer where he managed the Edgartown-Katama Stage Lines, a seasonal shuttle trolley service to and from Edgartown and South Beach. Peter also got a commercial driver’s license and was one of the drivers, as well. That proved valuable when all of his staff left at the end of the summer before Labor Day, and he was the lone driver to provide service for the holiday weekend.

When the shuttle service ended, he took a job as a tour bus driver for the fall season. He always said the best gratuity he ever got was a steamed lobster, courtesy of a passenger who ordered a clambake dinner and didn’t like them.

Pursuing a transportation career required leaving the Vineyard once again. From 1986 to May 2005, Peter worked as the general manager of several transit operations, including a school bus management company, a regional transit management company overseeing the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority in Springfield, MA, and airport ground transportation operations at BWI Airport and Portland Maine International Jetport. Gifted a toy bus early in his career, his collection grew to include over 600 miniature modes of public transportation, which he proudly displayed in his offices over the years, much to the delight of his son and visiting students on field trips.

Peter spent the last six years of his second career as general manager of the Greater Portland Metro. He retired in 2005 and finally realized his dream of living full-time on Martha’s Vineyard. His first order of retirement was to build the model train layout of his dreams and turning a portion of the basement into a transportation museum, featuring his bus collection, airplanes and memorabilia acquired over a lifetime spent on the road, rails, seas and in the skies.

For several summers, Peter worked as a ticket seller for the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA), donning his VTA polo shirt as the gregarious “Purple People Greeter,” where he charmed tourists waiting for buses with song and jingles. He also regularly attended the VTA board meetings, as an unofficial advisor, where his experience and knowledge of the transit industry were much appreciated.

Peter loved all things transportation, including motorhomes, cruise ships, airplanes, buses and cars. Of Peter’s many hobbies, train travel topped the list. He rode trains all over the country, across Canada, in Italy and Switzerland, and through Mexico’s Copper Canyon. Peter owned many antique cars over the years, many of them 1950’s-era Packards, but his favorite by far was his 1983 Chrysler LeBaron Mark Cross Edition convertible.

Pete participated in many professional, civic and charitable organizations, including the Lions Club, Rotary Club, Air Force Association, and Air Force Public Affairs Association. He served as President of the New England Passenger Transit Association (NEPTA) in 1993. In 2006 he was inducted into NEPTA’s Hall of Fame, which recognizes members who have made an outstanding contribution to the transit industry. On Martha’s Vineyard, Peter was a member of Vineyard Haven’s American Legion Post 257 and served six years on Tisbury’s Finance and Advisory Committee.

He is survived by his wife Janet, son Brien and Brien’s partner Rachel Silver, and his sister Ann Williams of Southern Pines, N.C.

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Lawrence Oren Stearns - November 01, 1933 - March 20, 2024

Departed: 03/20/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Lawrence Oren Stearns, 90, died on Wednesday March 20,2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Larry was the son of Marion (Hale) and Elton Stearns.

Larry grew up in Waltham with his 2 brothers Russell and Donald. The family spent summers on Glen Lake in Goffstown, NH. They had great adventures on the lake.

After graduating from Waltham High School, Larry served in the navy in the Korean War for 3 years aboard the USS Coral Sea. He traveled all over Europe.

Upon return, he worked in his family’s land surveying business, Rowland H Barnes.

He married Judith Stearns, who lived up the street from his summer cottage in NH, after she graduated from nursing school. They bought a house in Sudbury,MA. In the same neighborhood with his two brothers. All the cousins and families were very close.

They had two children, Barbara and David Stearns. Summers were spent on the lake affectionately called “Camp.”

Larry loved the outdoors. Camping, fishing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, dirt bike riding, collecting insulators, hang gliding, waterskiing and boating.

Their daughter Barbara married Tom Furino who became Larry’s best friend and son-in-law.

Barbara and Tom moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 84, buying a cottage in the same circle where Larry and Judy had a cottage. In 1985 Larry and Judy decided to move to County Park as well.

Larry and Tom worked together doing masonry and later charter boat fishing on the Fish finder. They even did commercial fishing for cod and striped bass.

Larry loved the island and all it had to offer. Especially fishing, and arrowhead hunting. He loved going with Tom, Barb, Michael and David around all the ponds.

He loved his shed “Larry’s Home Depot,” and relaxing on his porch with Judy. They enjoyed Illimination Night, making punch and cookies for all the kids.

His smile and joyful spirit will live on in County Park, now known as Wesleyan Grove. Larry loved to put flags up in County Park for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Veterans Day. Barbara will continue this tribute for him.

He was predeceased by his two brothers, Russell and Donald, his niece Debbie who died at 11, and his beloved grandsons, David Furino 17, and Michael Furino 39, and his dear son-in-law Thomas Furino 63.

Larry leaves behind his loving wife of 67 years, Judith K Stearns. His daughter Barbara Furino, son David Stearns and his wife Robin Stearns. His grandsons Kevin and Mitchell Stearns, along with two great grand daughters Rebel and Marigold. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews and their children.

A graveside service will be held at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs on May 25, 2024 at 1:00. Followed by a gathering at the Parish House in the MVCMA. Across from the Tabernacle.

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Carol Vita Forgione - March 14, 1948 - March 18, 2024

Departed: 03/18/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Carol Vita Forgione, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and dedicated healthcare professional, passed away peacefully at her home in Edgartown on March 18, 2024, at the age of 76.

Born on March 14, 1948, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Carol was the cherished daughter of Jacob and Judith Bauman. She married Frank Bruno Forgione, and together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and shared adventures. Carol’s legacy lives on through her loving family, including her sons Michael, Jonathan, and Joshua (Elizabeth), her sister Alice Golembo (Eri), and her four adoring grandchildren, Nicholas, Isabelle, Ryan, and Judith.

A compassionate caregiver, Carol dedicated her life to helping patients. Prior to relocating to Martha’s Vineyard, she served in the intensive care unit at North Arundel Hospital in Glen Burnie, Md. When she and Frank relocated full-time to Martha’s Vineyard in 2001, she continued her selfless work for more than 20 years on the island, most recently as an adult-care nurse practitioner at Island Health Care, right around the corner from her home in Edgartown.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Carol’s passion for life extended to her hobbies. She had a green thumb, and found joy in cultivating beautiful and bountiful gardens around her home. Her gardens were a testament to her nurturing spirit, and brought beauty and solace to all who knew her. Additionally, Carol fulfilled her dream of sailing later in life, finding serenity and excitement on the open water.

Carol will be remembered for her kindness, warmth, and unwavering dedication to her family, friends, and patients. Her legacy of love and compassion will continue to inspire those whose lives she touched.

A service to honor and remember Carol’s life will be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on Monday, March 25, at 11 am.

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William B. Parry - March 12, 1947 - March 16, 2024

Departed: 03/16/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: William (Will) Parry, longtime Chilmark resident and founder and owner of the William Parry Window Company, died after an extended illness, surrounded by family at his home in Chilmark on March 14.

He was 77.

Will was born in Forty Fort, Pa. on March 2, 1947, a son of Thomas Blighton Parry and Ida (Pickett) Parry. He attended public schools in Forty Fort and was a 1969 graduate of Penn State University.

A year later, he joined the Naval Air Force and began flight training. The Vietnam War, however, was nearing its end and there was a two-month wait for fledgling pilots to learn how to land on a ship. Both Will and Kirk Briggs from Middletown, Conn., a fellow fledgling pilot, were among those thanked for having joined the Naval Air Force, but told they were no longer needed. They would be paid for six more weeks and then would have to leave the Pensacola, Fla. base where they had been stationed. “We went and had a beer and oysters and decided to go skiing at Jackson Hole, Wyo. with the money the Naval Air Force gave us,” Kirk Briggs remembered. “And when that gambit was over, I said ‘Let’s go to Martha’s Vineyard, where I’d visited on Hines Point in Vineyard Haven. We can build a house and sell it and we’ll have plenty of money to keep on skiing.’” “So we came to Vineyard Haven and built the house on Weaver Lane where I still live, but Will went back to Pennsylvania. His father had a very successful milk processing plant there, but had decided to give it up. He offered the plant building to Will, who took him up on the offer. Will had fallen in love with wood when we were building the Vineyard house. He decided to sell the processing plant machinery and use the money from it to get started building doors and windows.”

Before long, he was making windows for Pennsylvania architect Peter Bowen, who was building a house for Microsoft founder Bill Gates and had done work for Yale University and the University of California. “Peter Bowen gave me a job making windows for the Girl Scout center in Philadelphia,” Will remembered in an interview for the Vineyard Gazette’s Home & Garden magazine in 2007. ”It was he who really gave me my start.”

On another visit to the Vineyard to see Kirk Briggs, Will met Kathleen Cameron, an artist. She had just graduated from New York University and had come to the Vineyard to paint. She had grown up summers at Gay Head (today’s Aquinnah). They married and moved to New York, where Will opened a woodworking shop in Long Island City and began doing restorations of old buildings, while Kathleen taught art in Manhattan. Will did work on the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, the Brill Building near Times Square where composer Irving Berlin had once had offices, on late-night television host Dave Letterman’s Tribeca apartment, and on the Berlin Holocaust Memorial.

In 1986, when they had two small children, the couple decided to move full-time to a house Kathleen had on the Middle Road in Chilmark.

Before long, Will had opened his William Parry Windows Company studio off Middle Road. He made windows there for the house on Quitsa Pond in Chilmark of Edward Miller and Marina von Opel, for the Edgartown art gallery of Garrett C. Conover with antique curved glass above rounded raised mahogany panels.

He built an octagonal cupola for a Camp Ground cottage in Oak Bluffs for former Vineyarder Robert Skydell, designed windows for the Makonikey home of Peter Farrelly of the filmmaking Farrelly brothers.

He made window frames and doors for homes designed by Peter Rose, who was head of the architecture department at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He also did work in West Tisbury for architect Marianne Thompson.

To assist him in his projects, he found help that would work hard and devotedly for him. Jerry Catlin, a former crab fisherman in the Aleutians, has been an employee for decades.

In addition to taking care of the William Parry Window Company, he found time to build a second home on 30 acres of fields in West Brattleboro, Vt., on land that reminded him of his Pennsylvania childhood. Two years ago, when the drive to Vermont began to feel too long in bad weather, he finally sold that home.

Will also always made sure to be a useful resident of Chilmark. He was a volunteer fireman for 25 years.

In his spare time, he enjoyed trips with his family and friends on his 20-foot un-named motorboat, exploring neighboring waters and visiting the Elizabeth Islands and, once, going as far away as Nantucket.

He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; a son, Cameron, of Chilmark, who has taken over his father’s business; a daughter, Caitlin Dolan of Wellesley; and four grandchildren: Orion and Apollo Parry of Chilmark, and Conor and Parry Dolan of Wellesley; a sister, Jane Rice of New York City; a son in law, Patrick Dolan of Wellesley; and a daughter in law, Allison Parry of Chilmark.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 18, 1:00pm at Abel's Hill Cemetery in Chilmark.

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Jared N. Grant - June 16, 1940 - March 14, 2024

Departed: 03/14/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Jared N. Grant of Edgartown died surrounded by loving family at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on March 14 after a long illness. He will be remembered as a caring husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and devoted member of the Island community.

A lifelong Vineyarder, Jerry was born into a different time in the early days of WWII. Some of his earliest memories were of his mother Helen working in communications at the airport, then a naval base, and going out on fishing boats with his father, Ken Shepherd.

As a young boy, Jerry was adopted by his mother’s second husband, Kenneth Grant, and grew up excelling at basketball and hard work. His dad and uncles owned Grant Brothers Construction and as a young man Jerry worked for the family business building roads and stone walls and digging cellar holes with a shovel in the days before heavy machines were a dime a dozen on the Vineyard.

In 1966, he bought the Chappy Ferry from his childhood friend Larry Mercier thinking it would be a small side business while he continued to work his day job. What would become known as the “Kennedy Incident”, however, took place soon after. The rest, as they say, was history. Jerry hastened to build a new ferry, the On Time II, in his back yard in Katama. No engineer, no designer, no crew. Just a few friends, sheer hard work and Yankee ingenuity. It’s who he was.

Jerry and his high school sweetheart Dottie (Lima) raised their four children, Cindy, Debbie, Patty and Kenny, on the plains of Katama. Later Jerry married Nancy (Daigle) and together welcomed their daughter Dana.

In his 50’s Jerry married Sue Carroll, also of Edgartown, and became a beloved stepfather to her two sons, Alex and Rob, and later grandfather to Alex’s two daughters.

Sue and Jerry spent many happy years in their second homes in Arizona and later in Maine and loved hosting family and friends in both places. They shared fond memories of lobster dinners on Norton Point, Maine lobsters in Arizona and teaching landlubbers how to eat lobsters and steamers, and introducing off-Island friends to the taste of a real Edgartown bay scallop.

In addition to having owned the Chappy Ferry for 22 years, his business vocations included a small retail fish market, two commercial fishing vessels, a dock building business and two gas stations – many run with friends and family.

He was an avid bay scalloper, going so far as to build his own boat, weld his own drags and design his own haul system. Later, golf became one of the great joys (and frustrations) of Jerry’s life. He was a member of Edgartown Golf Club and enjoyed playing many golf courses in Arizona during his years there and all over during his travels. Jerry is survived by his wife Sue, his sister Cynthia Limberakis of Woods Hole, brothers Daniel Shepherd of Falmouth and Kenneth Shepherd of Edgartown, sisters Sandra Grant of Edgartown and Sheila Borges of South Carolina and his children Cynthia Grant (Richard Clark) of Vineyard Haven, Debra Grant (Michael Cassidy) of Edgartown, Patrica Grant (Donna Streit) of Elgin, Ill., Kenneth Grant (Carolyn Paczkowski) of Beverly, and Dana Grant of Milton, stepsons

Robert Morrison of Edgartown and Alex Morrison (Maggie) of Edgartown, 13 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Charitable donations in his memory may be made to MV Boys & Girls Club, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital infusion unit, or Hospice of Martha's Vineyard.

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Jesse Bright Riggs Parker - April 18, 1933 - March 12, 2024

Departed: 03/12/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Jesse Bright “Riggs” Parker peacefully eased his way into eternity just before sunrise on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024: as ever an early riser, off to distant shores.

After fifty years on Martha’s Vineyard, profoundly appreciating its most unique treasures and volunteering his talents to maintain and improve upon them, he had relocated to the rocky shores of RI where he could revel in the same with less physical effort in his later years. He died at home after a very brief illness, tenderly cared for by a fortunate few of those who loved him.

Born on April 18th, 1933, in Washington, D.C., to Charlotte Symington (Riggs) and Edward Cortlandt Parker, Riggs began his civic work in short pants and an “Eton” collar, passing canapés at dinner parties where most guests were in uniform, military visitors brought to DC by the War abroad; rolling tinfoil from his Mother’s cigarette packs into balls to be melted for reuse in the war; and knitting wool squares for the Troops.

The White House was early on his dance card: a vivid memory is being joined by FDR in his wheelchair to giggle at Mickey Mouse movies with classmate Diana (Harry Hopkins’ daughter).

Riggs attended St. Albans school in DC and, after his mother remarried, the McDonough (military) school in Maryland, before moving on to graduate from Hotchkiss, where he took to the theater - as actor, playwright, stage manager - and was voted “Best-Dressed” and “Most Gentlemanly” amongst his peers.

He proceeded to Princeton and graduated in 1954 with a BA in English. Having married Barbara Gartner from Lawrenceville, NJ, in the fall of his senior year, upon graduation, they summarily drove to his next assignment: the US Army (Artillery) Fort Sill, OK, during the Korean Conflict.

Although his first career choice was architecture, following his stepfather’s no-nonsense advice, he chose to take his GI bill to the University of Virginia Law School (class of ’59). His analytic turn of mind served him well and he “made” the Law Review at the end of his first year, becoming Editor-in-Chief at the end of his second year.

Next stop: Drinker Biddle & Reath in Philadelphia, where he specialized in corporate and securities law. His flair for securities led him to join Drexel & Co as a member of the Board, Executive Committee and head of Administration.

Riggs had married Emma Thune Keene in 1970, each with five children from their first marriages. In 1974 they left Philadelphia for Chilmark with seven of their eleven children. The youngest began their formal educations in Chilmark’s one-room schoolhouse, and all seven graduated from the Vineyard High School.

Once-retired, Riggs’ increase in civic service came naturally, harking back to the Plymouth Colony’s Elder Brewster on his father’s side, and grandparents on his mother’s side descended from Thomas Jefferson, the elder, and from Riggs’ namesake, Jesse Bright, US Senator 1845-1862. Bright served alongside Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John Calhoun and Jefferson Davis, was voted their Senate President, and served briefly as Acting US President during the turbulent decade prior to the Civil War.

Riggs served on the first Chilmark Planning Board, writing the subdivision regulations which included “the 10% rule” - a brilliant provision which deterred large-scale development in Chilmark. He was involved in the development and adoption of the Roadside and Shoreside Districts of Planning Concern, instrumental in the development of the original youth lot by-law and testified in its defense in court.

Craig Kingsbury taught him the art of building Chilmark-style stone walls. Lobsterman Donald Poole invited Riggs to drop into his weathered Menemsha shack to swap stories ‘anytime,’ resulting in a 1980 winter-long photo shoot, a gallery show and photo book, which joined Riggs’ earlier Up-Island Winter, and was followed by Little Lady of Menemsha. He delighted in his enduring friendships with Up-Island giants Matt Poole the elder, David Flanders, and Everett Poole, with whom he spent countless afternoons at the Chandlery once neither were up to spending much time on the water.

As the children grew, Riggs and Emma had begun cruising from Menemsha to the Exumas - often with children aboard. Emma succumbed to colon cancer at the young age of 64. After a near-fatal rupture of his appendix turned gangrenous, saved by miraculous surgical intervention, Riggs decided to “get on with life.” Cruising friends introduced him to Helen Schwiesow, a clinical psychologist practicing in Charlottesville, VA. It was love at first sight; they were committed to a Vineyard life together before she had ever set foot there. She describes her choice to give up her career as a simple one: Riggs was a full time job….. Then there was the civic work they began as a team, most often with Riggs at the forefront:

In 2000 Riggs was asked to become the Island’s Member on the Steamship Authority, filling out the term of his predecessor. It was a time of turmoil for the Steamship, as Falmouth sought to reduce traffic to Woods Hole. Riggs and then-Manager Armand Tiberio supported freight traffic as well as high-speed passenger service through New Bedford and spent many nights off-island following Kass Commission hearings to bring democracy into their decisions, travelled to Seattle to learn from the WA state ferry service. His eagerness to modernize SSA operations with a second term was rebuffed at the County level despite the unanimous support of the Island’s Selectmen.

Riggs then served two terms as a Chilmark Selectman, using his legal skills to rewrite the harbor regulations, create a cell service by-law, hundreds of hours negotiating property rights and obtaining permits necessary to develop the Middle Line Road affordable housing project.

He liked to introduce himself as someone who had logged over 40,000 miles at sea. More than 15 years after he had last been ashore on Staniel Cay with Emma, when he returned to introduce Helen to the Exumas in 2011, he was greeted with welcoming arms thrown into the air: “It’s the Big Captain!” the islanders cheered. And so he has been and always will be to ever so many of us.

Riggs is survived by his wife Helen, his brother Tony and his wife Joyce, six birth children and spouses, seven step-children and spouses, 34 grandchildren and their spouses, and 20 unmarried great grandchildren.

A farewell graveside service with military honors is planned for early fall.

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Elizabeth Flanders Campbell - August 16, 1959 - March 08, 2024

Departed: 03/08/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Elizabeth Flanders Campbell, 64, peacefully died at her home in Chilmark on March 8, 2024, surrounded by her family.

She was the loving wife of Jim Welch and mother of Mariah and Jessica Campbell.

Celebration of life for Elizabeth Campbell to be held on May 4th, 2024 at 20 Rumpus Ridge Road, Chilmark. 2 pm and on. All are welcome.

A complete Obituary will be updated.

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Ernest Scott Lamoreaux, III - March 22, 1934 - March 05, 2024

Departed: 03/05/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Ernest S. (Bud) Lamoreaux 3rd died on March 5 at his home in Edgartown, Mass. He was 89.

Bud was born on March 22, 1934, to Gertrude and Ernest S. Lamoreaux Jr. of Mount Vernon, N.Y. He was their only child.

Bud began his storied broadcasting career on college radio stations, graduating from the University of Missouri in 1955 with a bachelor of journalism. Following his graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Guided Missile Corps. and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant in 1957.

In 1958, he met his most beloved companion, Susan Bauer Banner, as they both ignored their respective dates and instead found each other. They were married the following year, and spent the next 65 together, sharing intellect and devout adoration for one another until his passing.

The beginning of Bud’s career at CBS was spent in the mailroom and on the overnight assignment desk. In 1959, a letter of commendation from Charles Kuralt would land him a spot in the newsroom. Soon thereafter, Bud became a staff newswriter for Kuralt and Walter Cronkite, with whom he would foster an enduring friendship. As a now-bygone age of television news took shape, Bud produced a series of sports essays with his dear friend, Heywood Hale Broun. He then served as an executive producer for CBS Evening News and, later, CBS Sports.

In 1979, Bud’s magnum opus was born. CBS News’ Sunday Morning steered its way onto America’s screens with Bud at the helm as a creator and executive producer. Each Sunday morning for years to follow, Bud shared his remarkable knack for storytelling. His “Postcards From Nebraska” segments with Roger Welsch crafted a vibrant portrait of life on the Great Plains. As was characteristic of Bud’s work on Sunday Morning, “Postcards” was, in the words of Kuralt, a “celebration of the ordinary.” The broadcast’s long-form nature shots and human-interest pieces revealed Bud’s appreciation for the natural world and humanity alike.

Bud’s work also illustrated his love for sports — baseball, golf and horse racing in particular. A trip to the racetrack with Bud would quickly reveal to any observer his esteemed reputation in the paddock. And on the Vineyard, he will be remembered by the annual Bud Lamoreaux Golf Classic to benefit Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, an organization to which Bud was devoted in his retirement.

On the Vineyard and in every place that he called home, Bud was a beloved figure in the lives of his family and friends. He had a particular fondness for jazz music and, when not on the golf course, could often be found cooking or tending to his gardens. Bud was immeasurably proud of his children and grandchildren, to whom he was an adoring father and grandfather. From the head of the table, Bud shared many stories of his own and always lent a keen ear to those of his cherished company.

Several years ago, when asked about the profiles he selected over the years, Bud said “It has to be a good story; it has to have heart.” His family and friends will remember Bud for the stories that reflected his own heart — those of generosity, wit and humility.

Bud is survived by his wife Susan and their three daughters: Sheri Lamoreaux, Melissa Brink and her husband John, and Denise Searle and her husband Jonathan. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Katherine Brink Malchoff and her husband Brian, Sarah Brink, Ian Brink and Emma Searle, and great-grandson, Cameron Malchoff. He will be deeply missed.

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Robert E.L. Knight, III - February 19, 1927 - March 05, 2024

Departed: 03/05/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Robert Edward Lee Knight, III, 97, of West Tisbury, died on March 5, 2024. He was the husband of the late Mary Steele Knight. A complete obituary will be updated, and a Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

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Margaret Eileen Keating - June 09, 1923 - March 03, 2024

Departed: 03/03/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Margaret E. Keating, 100 years old, of Oak Bluffs, MA and former resident of Arlington, MA died on Sunday February 3, 2024 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late James F. Keating; loving mother of Sandra P. Keating and Corinne M. Clark and her husband Scott M. Clark; the beloved grandmother of Charlie Keating and the late Sammy Keating, Haily Clark, and Baily Clark.

Her life work was to care and love her family. Margaret had numerous friends and interests including gardening, reading, knitting, cooking, daily exercise and refinishing furniture. She spent her winter in Siesta Key, FL and many summers in the family home on Martha’s Vineyard. She adored her Sunday dinners with her family and pups.

The family would like to acknowledge the professional, kind, and compassionate care our mother received from the nursing staff at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Thank-you to everyone who helped us through this difficult time.

The funeral services will remain private and Margaret will be laid to rest at the National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts.

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Isaac D. Russell - January 07, 1933 - February 27, 2024

Departed: 02/27/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Isaac Daw Russell of West Tisbury died February 27th at Martha’s Vineyard hospital, just three months after the death of his beloved wife, Gertrude Richards Russell. Born in New York City on January 7th, 1933, Isaac was the first-born child of Henry E. Russell and Faye Rattenbury Russell of Tenafly, NJ and the adored big brother to Clare, Dorsa, Gillian, and Felicity.  While attending Kent School in Kent, CT, Isaac was the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and rowed for the crew that traveled to London for the Henley Royal Regatta. He came home with a first place medal and a lifetime love of the sport. In 1954 he met the love of his life, Trudy, during a doubles tennis game pre-arranged by his younger sister, Clare, and his soon-to-be sister-in-law, Ann. After graduating with a BA from Yale University, Isaac was promptly sent by the US Army to the Panama Canal Zone for two years. When he returned in 1956, he and Trudy married and moved to Cambridge, MA where he attended Harvard Law School. He liked to mention, with some pride, that Ruth Bader Ginsburg was on the Harvard Law Review with him, but he also acknowledged with humility that she was much smarter than he.

In 1959, he joined the law firm of Day, Berry, and Howard in Hartford, CT and together with Trudy raised three children, four good dogs, and a couple of inscrutable cats. Isaac was an engaging and attentive father. He read stories aloud most evenings and, following the service on Sundays at Grace Church, led the kids on hikes at the reservoir or bike rides around the neighborhood. He volunteered himself and his children to visit elderly friends and relatives in nursing homes and to ride bikes with the visually impaired. Throughout his life, he worked to build affordable housing in Hartford CT, Johannesburg, South Africa, and later on Martha’s Vineyard.

After years trying to persuade his children to take the Foreign Service exam, he decided to take it himself, and passed! At the age of 56 he left Hartford and proudly became a “junior officer in training” in the US Foreign Service and was soon posted to Zimbabwe as a Cultural Affairs Officer in the US Information Agency, followed by postings to the Ivory Coast and Ethiopia. After “aging out” of the US Foreign Service at age 65, he taught Constitutional Law at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya, before returning to West Tisbury to settle in and embrace the role of Grandfather and community member. He was an active congregant of Grace Church, Vineyard Haven, the Howe’s House Conversation Group, and even made a few nerve-wracking forays into island theater.

Isaac’s connection to Martha’s Vineyard began in the 1940s in Oak Bluffs with cousins in the summer and deepened at his parents’ camp on Deep Bottom Cove in West Tisbury. The Russell family enjoyed many summers there, without heat, running water, or electricity, often sailing or paddling across Tisbury Great Pond and riding the waves at South Beach. Isaac and Trudy eventually moved to West Tisbury in 1998 and their house became the welcoming nexus for family gatherings, large and small. Ike’s booming “Hello’s!” welcomed all who came in the door. We will all miss his warm embrace and infectious smile.

Isaac was a man of deep intelligence, an ebullient nature, and numerous accomplishments. He once stated in a quiet moment, however, that what he most wanted was “to be a good person.” And that he was. Eternally optimistic, kind, cheerful, funny, and loving, he found joy wherever he was and spread it generously. Isaac believed that marrying Trudy was the best thing he ever did, and he was a devoted, loving husband for seventy years. We like to think of them reunited once again among the stars.

He is survived by his son Henry Russell of Greenwich, UK and his partner Rachel Lethbridge; his daughter, Julia Russell of West Roxbury, MA and her wife Karen Duff; and his daughter Abigail Russell Prior of Concord, MA and her husband Mark Russell Prior. He also leaves his sisters, Gillian Russell Gilhool and Felicity Russell and her husband, Joel Kirschbaum, six grandchildren and one great-grandson.

A service will be held May 18th at Grace Church, Vineyard Haven at 12:00 noon, followed by interment at the West Tisbury cemetery, and a reception at 41 Scotchman’s Lane, West Tisbury.

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William "Bill" Henry Brine - February 11, 1931 - February 24, 2024

Departed: 02/24/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Bill Brine, a resident of Hanover, N.H., died Feb. 24 at the family’s longtime seasonal home on Chappaquiddick. He was 93.

He was born in Boston on Feb. 11, 1931 to William Brine and Marianne Healy. He grew up in Newton. After graduating from St. Sebastian’s School and Holy Cross College, the U,S. Navy sent him to New Orleans.

He then returned to Boston and the W.H. Brine Co., “outfitters to the athlete,” the business that his grandfather Will had started in 1922 and that his father then ran and his brother Peter later joined. In the early 1960s, before larger companies turned their attention to what were considered minor sports, Bill decided to make equipment for soccer and lacrosse players of all ages and skills.

At first Brine lacrosse sticks were made on the St. Regis Mohawk reservation on the border of New York and Canada. When wooden lacrosse production could not keep up with demand he began experimenting with plastic.

Bill became an eager and inquiring traveler for both business and learning, visiting every continent and scores of countries. He wanted to see how places were changing at climactic periods, visiting Japan in 1960, Saigon during the war, South Africa as apartheid fell away, China in the late 1970s. He returned home to tell friends about the people he had met, the challenges they faced and the dramas they were living through.

In 1957 he met Ann Coughlin, a friend of his sisters, in Boston. They married in Fall River in 1958. In 1967 his doctor said that he should get away to a quiet place and slow down. That July he and Ann rented a house in Edgartown.

In 1968 he saw a land auction sign at the Edgartown town hall. He bought two pieces there: one off South Beach, far out to sea, and a second that was never found. While searching he came upon land on Chappaquiddick owned by Camille Chouinard, whose late wife was a descendant of Joseph Huxford who had fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The Huxford farm was where Brine’s Pond and the Chappaquiddick Community Center are today. The old farmhouse was long gone and the fields overgrown. A large marshy area was close to the road. Bill decided to dig it out and create a pond. For some time, until the pond cleared and nature began to grow, some people called it Brine’s Mud Hole. In 1986 the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank bought the pond and the surrounding land, except for three acres set aside for the community center.

While searching for the owners of this first purchase, Bill learned that many titles were inaccurate and some owners unknown. For many years afterwards he enjoyed the detective work of finding lost heirs and clearing titles. When the community center wanted land for tennis courts, he spent five years finding the many heirs of Charles Simpson. Today on this land there stands a tennis court, a half basketball court, the new Chappaquiddick cemetery and a sheep pasture.

Bill was a born storyteller and a creative man — enthusiastic, persistent, full of energy and ideas. He built and renovated several houses and seldom went anywhere without his camera.

He had sailed since childhood, was a summertime lobsterman during World War II and raced small boats for many years. His last boat, the Thomas Edison, was electric, with a canopy and seating for eight. It didn’t go far or fast but was well suited to an octogenarian skipper. He was a longtime member of the Chappaquiddick Beach Club and Edgartown Yacht Club.

Bill is survived by his wife Ann; their children Heather and her husband Roy Martin, Bill and his wife Joanne, Libby and her husband Bill Allard, and Christina Brine; his brother Peter and sister in law Karen; his sister Christina Largay and her husband Jack; his grandchildren Katharine Brine and her husband Josh Nason and great-granddaughter Adeline, Liam Brine, Lindsey Allard and wife Kristen Giovanniello, Christian Allard and his wife Valerie, and Charlotte Allard.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Mary Fahey and Barbara Brine, and brothers Christopher and Benedict, who died in childhood.

He will be interred at the New Chappaquiddick Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Chappaquiddick Community Center endowment fund via the Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation, P.O. Box, 243, West Tisbury, MA, 02575. In the memo line specify that the donation is to the Chappaquiddick Community Center (CCC) Fund in memory of Bill Brine. Contributions may also be made online at: chappycommunitycenter.org.

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Walter Ernest LaBell - May 25, 1950 - February 21, 2024

Departed: 02/21/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Walter E. LaBell of Oak Bluffs and Hyannis died on Feb. 21 at Falmouth Hospital with his son Jeffrey by his side. He was 73.

Walter, known to all as Wally, was born on May 25, 1950 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was the son of Carolyn (Ripley) Brown and the stepson of Richard C. (Dick) Brown.

The majority of his childhood was spent in Edgartown. His family moved for a time to Staten Island, N.Y., where they lived for four years. They returned to Martha’s Vineyard in March of 1968. His parents built, opened and ran the original Dairy Queen for many years, which was located where the Stop & Shop is today.

He graduated from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1968. After high school, he attended Massachusetts Maritime Academy for one year and then decided to change direction and attended an air conditioning and refrigeration trade school in Boston.

He began working for Berube Electric on Martha’s Vineyard in 1971 where he was employed for five years. He obtained his electrical journeyman license in 1974. In 1975, he married Linda Frank and they opened LaBell Electric in 1976. He then obtained his master electricians license and ran LaBell Electric for 40 years, from 1976 to 2016.

Jeffrey, their only child, was born in 1981.

Anyone who knew Wally knows he was passionate and meticulous with his electrical work. If a wire was stapled to the wall and it was crooked, it had to be fixed and corrected, even if it was hidden behind sheetrock and no one would ever see it. He took an immense amount of pride in his business and always made sure the job was done right and professionally.

He was a jack-of-all-trades and could fix just about anything. He was known for researching products excessively before buying something, whether it cost $5 or $5,000. He loved gadgets.

His true pride and joy was his son Jeffrey. Wally instilled in his son a strong work ethic, to cherish friendships and be a really fun father. He also made sure to teach him the lighter things and to enjoy life.

Wally passed down to his son and granddaughters a love of boats and boating, and the peacefulness that comes with being out on the water. His favorite hobby was Jeeping in the mountains. He attended many Jeep Jamborees and other off-road adventures with friends and family, including memorable trips to Moab, Utah, Bethel, Me., Killington, Vt., Charlemont, and Paragon Off Road Park in Pennsylvania, among others.

He loved going out to dinner and breakfast with friends, attending fish frys at the PA Club, taking his boat to the Flying Bridge in Falmouth for stuffed quahogs and clam chowder. But his favorite thing to indulge in was a creamy coffee frappe — which he often requested his s on and daughter-in-law to bring him even after moving to a nursing home.

He is survived by his only son Jeffrey Walter LaBell and his wife Sydney, granddaughters Leya and Lark, all of Oak Bluffs, brothers John LaBell of Oak Bluffs and Noel LaBell (Carrie) of Connecticut, sister Christine Clifford (Jay) of Victoria, Va., and many cousins, nieces and nephews both on and off the Island, and his former wife of 43 years Linda (Frank) LaBell.

Wally was predeceased by his mother Carolyn (Ripley) Brown and stepfather Richard C. Brown of Oak Bluffs, stepbrother William A. Brown of Oak Bluffs, maternal grandparents Walter and Laura Ripley of Oak Bluffs, and paternal grandparents Major and Mary LaBell of Edgartown.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 13 at noon in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Pacific Avenue, Oak Bluffs. A celebration of life will follow at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs.

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Richard T. Jennings - May 29, 1940 - February 18, 2024

Departed: 02/18/2024 (Oak Bluffs)

Obituary Preview: Richard T. Jennings, aka “Dick”, 83, of Oak Bluffs, died on February 18, 2024 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital from complications related to Parkinson’s Disease.

Richard was born on May 29, 1940 in Norwich, CT to parents Richard Elvis Jennings and Blanche Jennings. He attended Norwich Free Academy and went on to marry Carol Ann Kacocha in 1969 in Hyde Park, NY.

Dick is survived by his wife, Carol Ann Jennings of Oak Bluffs, his oldest son, Christopher Jennings Penders, daughter, Darlene Zeitler, daughter, Lisa Duhamel and his youngest son, John Jennings. Dick had 8 grandchildren. Darlene is married to Scott Zeitler, and they have two children, Meghan Wood and Renata Zeitler. Lisa’s children are Alex and Noah Duhamel. John is married to Shannon and they have four children: Anderson Millsaps, Avery Millsaps, Ellie Millsaps, and Samuel Jennings. Dick had 3 great grandchildren: Olivia Wood, Finan Wood, and Rex Millsaps IV.

Richard retired as a Business Manager from Steamfitters and Plumbers Local 269 (373), and he was known for his care and concern for his fellow man and unwavering integrity. Retirement wasn’t just all rest and relaxation for Richard, however. He loved people and animals and spent his retirement years working for the Trustees of Reservations of Massachusetts providing natural history, fishing and lighthouse tours on Chappaquiddick. Dick was known to present a “wealth of information” on his natural history tours. Dick worked with local naturalist and educator, Mr. Gus Ben David and Dr. Rob Bierregaard (author of “Belle’s Journey, An Osprey Takes Flight”) studying ospreys on Martha’s Vineyard. Dick proudly served as “Dr. B’s Assistant” and will be remembered for his love of family and friends (especially the Banana Brothers!) and his great sense of humor.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, April 27, 11:00 AM at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 followed by burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs, MA 02557. After the burial ceremony and gathering, an Osprey Pole Dedication will be held in his honor at 4:15 PM at 20 Iron Hill Road in Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. We will gather at the bench overlooking the osprey pole. Donations may be made to the Michael J Fox Parkinson’s Foundation. Give.michaeljfox.org

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A Wide Range of Funeral Services

At Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard, families can choose from a wide range of funeral services designed to meet their unique needs and preferences. From traditional funerals and memorial services to cremations and celebrations of life, the funeral home offers a variety of options to honor loved ones who have passed. The team works closely with each family to understand their wishes and create a personalized service that reflects the personality and spirit of their loved one.

Personalized Funeral Planning

The team at Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard understands that every family is unique, and that every loved one deserves a personalized farewell. That's why they offer comprehensive funeral planning services designed to help families create a meaningful and memorable tribute to their loved one. From selecting music and flowers to choosing a casket or urn, the team guides families through every step of the planning process, ensuring that every detail is carefully considered and every wish is respected.

Cremation Services

In addition to traditional funeral services, Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard also offers cremation services for families who prefer this option. The funeral home has its own on-site crematory, ensuring that families can trust that their loved one will be cared for with dignity and respect throughout the cremation process. The team also provides guidance on scattering gardens, urn selection, and other aspects of cremation planning.

Pre-Planning Options

At Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard, families can take advantage of pre-planning options designed to make the funeral planning process easier and less stressful. By making arrangements in advance, families can ensure that their wishes are respected, reduce the burden on their loved ones, and even lock in costs at today's prices. The team at Chapman Funerals & Cremations works closely with each family to create a personalized pre-plan that meets their unique needs and preferences.

Community Involvement

Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard is deeply committed to the community it serves. The funeral home participates in local events and charities, and is actively involved in supporting organizations that benefit the residents of Martha's Vineyard. By giving back to the community, the team at Chapman Funerals & Cremations demonstrates its commitment to caring for others, both in life and in death.

Contact Information

If you're looking for a trusted and compassionate funeral home on Martha's Vineyard, look no further than Chapman Funerals & Cremations. Located at PO Box 2281, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, the funeral home is easily accessible from anywhere on the island. To learn more about the services offered by Chapman Funerals & Cremations - Martha's Vineyard, or to schedule a consultation with one of their experienced funeral directors, please don't hesitate to contact them today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an obituary?

An obituary is a written notice that announces the death of a person, typically including their name, age, date of birth and death, and a brief biography. It may also include information about their family, accomplishments, and surviving relatives.

Why are obituaries important?

Obituaries serve as a way to inform friends, family, and community members of a person's passing, allowing them to pay their respects and offer condolences. They also provide a permanent record of a person's life and legacy.

Who writes an obituary?

Typically, an obituary is written by the family of the deceased, often with the assistance of a funeral home or obituary writer. In some cases, a friend or colleague may also write an obituary.

What information should be included in an obituary?

A typical obituary includes the person's name, age, date of birth and death, place of residence, occupation, education, hobbies, achievements, and surviving relatives. It may also include information about memorial services or donations in lieu of flowers.

How long should an obituary be?

The length of an obituary can vary, but it's generally recommended to keep it concise and focused on the most important details. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 150-200 words.

Can I include photos in an obituary?

Yes, many newspapers and online obituary platforms allow you to include one or more photos with the obituary. This can help personalize the tribute and make it more meaningful to readers.

How do I submit an obituary to a newspaper?

Contact the newspaper's obituary department directly to find out their submission guidelines and deadlines. Be prepared to provide the necessary information and payment for publication.

Can I write my own obituary?

Yes, some people choose to write their own obituary in advance, often as part of their estate planning or as a way to reflect on their life. This can be a unique opportunity to tell your own story and leave a lasting legacy.

What is the difference between an obituary and a death notice?

A death notice is a brief announcement of a person's passing, usually including only the basic facts such as name, age, and date of death. An obituary provides more detailed information about the person's life and legacy.

How much does it cost to publish an obituary?

The cost of publishing an obituary varies depending on the newspaper or online platform. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars, depending on the length and placement of the obituary.

Can I publish an obituary online?

Yes, there are many online platforms that allow you to publish an obituary, often with additional features such as guest books, photo galleries, and memorial candles. Some popular options include Legacy.com and Obituary.com.

How long will my online obituary remain available?

The duration of online obituaries varies depending on the platform. Some sites may keep them available indefinitely, while others may remove them after a certain period of time. Be sure to check the platform's policies before publishing.

Can I edit or update an online obituary?

Yes, most online platforms allow you to edit or update an obituary after it has been published. This can be useful if you need to correct errors or add new information.

What is the purpose of an obituary guest book?

An online guest book allows friends and family to leave messages of condolence, share memories, and pay tribute to the deceased. It provides a way for people to express their feelings and connect with others who are grieving.

How do I write a condolence message for an online guest book?

Aim for sincerity and brevity when writing a condolence message. Express your sympathy, share a fond memory or anecdote, and offer support to the grieving family.

Can I include charitable donations in lieu of flowers in an obituary?

Yes, this is a common practice. Specify the charity or cause that was important to the deceased, along with any relevant instructions for making donations.

How do I handle sensitive or private information in an obituary?

If there are sensitive or private details that you prefer not to disclose publicly, consider omitting them from the obituary or using discretion when sharing information.

What is the role of an obituary in the grieving process?

An obituary serves as a public acknowledgment of a person's passing, allowing friends and family to begin processing their grief. It can also provide closure and help people come to terms with their loss.

Can I use humor in an obituary?

Yes, incorporating humor into an obituary can be a fitting way to celebrate the personality and spirit of the deceased. Just be sure to use good taste and avoid offending anyone.

How do I ensure accuracy when writing an obituary?