Obituaries & Death Notices

The other night, my friend Rick and I were talking about how many teachers had influenced our lives. He had five. I had four. My first great one was my mother. She had learned English at age 11, fresh off the boat from Germany. Education in Hartford, Conn., in 1930 must have been exemplary, and since my mother was a voracious student and had to be the mouth for her Yiddish-speaking parents, her language skills became impeccable. My first words, instead of “Dada” or “Mama,” were probably “If…

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Elizabeth Ann Lassen Knight died peacefully, in her home, surrounded by her loving husband and five children on Monday, May 5, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She will always be remembered as nurturing, humble, forgiving, spirited, generous, kind, and poised. Ann truly was a lady of grace.  Born in Needham, on Oct. 6, 1939, she was proud of her mother Gladys Rhodes Lassen’s upbringing in Maine, and enjoyed spending summers on her grandparents’ farm with…

Dozens of Islanders marched with veterans and members of the armed services in Monday’s annual Memorial Day Parade, which kicked off at the American Legion Post 257 in Vineyard Haven and traveled to the nearby Oak Grove Cemetery.  The stormy weather from the end of last week broke and a beaming sun came to greet attendees. Tisbury select board chair Christina Colarusso read a proclamation from the governor’s office and veteran David Berube spoke near the entrance to the Avenue of Flags. Earlier…

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Dear Dogcharmer, We have a pit mix, Della, about 65 pounds, that pulls like crazy. We have her on a prong collar, but she still pulls hard, seems to feel no pain. Somebody mentioned a head halter, and another person said get an Easy Walk harness. Your thoughts? Jeff and Pat Dear J and P, I prefer a head halter or Easy Walk harness to a prong collar. I’ll never forget the call from a young lady who told me the story of her dog who almost died because of the prong collar…

New York Times best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly, known for her historical fiction, takes us back to a time when world history touched our Island’s shores. Kelly’s new novel, “The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club,” is rooted in her ties to the Island, which began when her great-grandparents, who were farmers here, arrived in 1891. Kelly’s mother grew up on the farm, and would tell tales about remarkable events on the Vineyard during World War II. Kelly noted in a recent interview,…

“The Secret Mall Apartment” at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society is a deep dive into a unique art project. Director and producer Jeremy Workman combines original footage and contemporary commentary to take us on a journey with eight Rhode Islanders who created a secret apartment in the mammoth Providence Place Mall in 2003. At the time, Providence was experiencing an economic slump, and developers wanted to demolish existing buildings to create an enormous mall to attract wealthy consumers…

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“Don’t just teach your children to read. Teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.” —George Carlin Memorial Day is here! This holiday gives us time to acknowledge and honor those who have fought and died while serving in the U.S. military. I read somewhere that instead of mourning their death, we should express gratitude that such people lived. I like that. The 31st annual Memorial 5K Road Race to benefit Hospice of Martha’s…

David Sherwood Ashe, 69, of Edgartown, and Beverly Hills, Mich., passed away peacefully due to complications of his Type 2 diabetes in his Martha’s Vineyard home on May 11, 2025, with his beloved dog and best friend, Brady, by his side.  David Ashe was born on Jan. 21, 1956, in Southbridge, to Frank and Eileen Ashe. He earned his undergraduate degree from Assumption College in Worcester, and later completed a master’s of business administration at Northeastern…

James Gay Argyll Stevens, devoted husband of pianist Delores Stevens, passed away peacefully at the age of 97 at home in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on April 30, 2025. He was born on July 4, 1927. For many decades, Jim and Dee were cherished members of the Martha’s Vineyard summer community, where they became deeply entwined in the Island’s classical music culture. In 1979, Dee and cellist Caroline Worthington co-founded what would become the Martha’s Vineyard…

Roxane Ackerman, 76, died on Thursday afternoon, May 15, 2025, at home in Aquinnah. A memorial potluck service will be held on Tuesday, May 20, at 6 pm at the Aquinnah Town Hall. A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of this paper. The post Services for Roxane Ackerman on Tuesday appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Louise C. Yapp of Vineyard Haven passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loved ones on May 18, 2025, at the age of 99.  She was predeceased by her husband, Robert J. Yapp, and is survived by her son, Robert W. Yapp and his wife, Debra, of West Tisbury, and son Mark G. Yapp of Acushnet; grandson, Scott R. Yapp and his wife, Melisa, and twin great-grandchildren, Dashel and Jade Yapp, all of Billerica.  Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, May 24, from…

The family of Frank Rodenbaugh, the 2-year-old Islander who died tragically in March, launched a fundraising campaign earlier this month to rebuild a playground at the Oak Bluffs School in his honor — and within days, all of the requested funds had been raised through more than 800 donations. Frank’s parents, Julie and Matt Rodenbaugh, launched the GoFundMe campaign hoping to raise $200,000. The playground was one of the 2-year-old’s favorite places to go 2-year-old,…

HN NOTES FROM THE OVERNIGHT 1.  POLICE PUZZLED BY GUNSHOT VICTIM DISCOVERED ON ROUTE 6 EXIT RAMP WEST YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS – [DEVELOPING] – Yarmouth Police and Firefighters responded to Willow Street shortly before midnight last evening for a report of man with a gunshot wound. According to Yarmouth Police sources, a motorist discovered a man on one of the ramps to Route 6 suffering from a gunshot wound to his arm. The motorist began driving the injured male to Cape Cod Hospital. While en…

Longer days in May are a welcome reminder that summer is almost here. For as long as I can remember, I’ve lived for my family’s annual summer trip to the beaches of Cape Cod. And in June I’m headed back to the Cape for the first time since 2022 with my now larger, blended family. I’m looking forward to the trip but also thinking ahead about the dangers of sun exposure, and how that increases the risk for melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer,…

#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url [https:] 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url [https:] 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 2 The Aquinnah preparing to sail to Woods Hole. —Eunki Seonwoo The Aquinnah, the newest addition to the SSA fleet, was commissioned on Friday. —Eunki…

MASHPEE – A town election in Mashpee this week voted two new members to the Select Board. They are Michael Richardson, who won a three-year seat, and Tracy Kelley, who was elected for a two-year term. The question of funding a new police station, which previously got the OK in town meeting, also passed in […] The post Mashpee Voters Elect Select Board Members, Approve New Police Station appeared first on CapeCod.com.

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Many people on the Vineyard may be astonished by the sheer number and fast pace of executive orders issued from the White House over the first 100 days of the Trump administration. But it’s possible to judge three key domestic issues to determine their impact on Islanders and all Americans: immigration, government cuts, and the economy. First, a comment on the meaning of “100 days.” The term’s origin dates to 1815, from Napoleon’s return from exile to his defeat at Waterloo and then to…

William H. Luers, a summer Island resident across four decades, career diplomat, and former president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, died Saturday at his home in Washington Depot, Conn. He was 95. Luers, born and raised in Springfield, Ill., dedicated his life to advancing democracy, arts, and culture. Through a nearly 30-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, he is known for supporting and protecting dissident and writer Vaclav Havel, who became…

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The crush to get things done before June 1 can be hard to push away. Somehow tasks that seem simple can often lead to uncovering something else that needs attending to. It is helping to think about life as a Rube Goldberg machine made up of a series of jigsaw puzzles. We are up to the tasks, and nothing happens without teamwork. None of the tender plants succumbed to the wild shifts in weather conditions when it felt more Iike March than May. I’m ready for some warm, sunny days. Who knew? It helps…

Olive Tomlinson died peacefully at her home in the Oak Bluffs Highlands on May 9, 2025. She was 87.  Olive was born in the Bronx, New York City, on Jan. 22, 1938, to William and Olive (“Cutie”) Bowles.  She was an engaging and humorous person who seemed to hear straight lines wherever she went. This resulted in jokes and laughter, which were at times outrageous by Vineyard standards. Her friends were from every geographic, ethnic, and religious segment of the…

Aileen Alma Schultz Jackson passed on Nov. 24, 2024, at the age of 75.  She was born on May 30, 1949, in Portland, Maine. Throughout her childhood, she grew up in many different places, from North Vassalboro, Gilford, and Sangerville in Maine to Charlottesville, Va., Sarasota, Fla., and Philadelphia. Her family eventually settled on Martha’s Vineyard in 1962. She was an equestrian, and loved horses; her favorite was her beloved horse Misty. She graduated from…

Mary M. Sullivan, 80, died on Friday afternoon, May 9, 2025, at her home in West Tisbury. She was the wife of Jim Bishop.  Her service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear in a later edition of this paper. Visit chapmanfuneral.com for online guestbook and information. The post Mary M. Sullivan appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

John Lolley died at his home in Oak Bluffs on May 6 after a short illness. John was born in Portland, Maine, on Jan. 4, 1949. He grew up in Sanford, Maine, and graduated from Sanford High School in 1967. John’s father had a private pilot’s license, and from a young age John spent hours at the local airport, pumping gas to earn money for his flying lessons. At the age of 16, John qualified for his private pilot’s license.  He attended the University of Maine,…

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#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url [https:] 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url [https:] 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 2 The graphic novel adaptation of Paul Auster's "The New York Trilogy." —Courtesy Paul Karasik Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Paul Karasik. —Courtesy…

We left Old Saybrook at 6 am sharp as we knew we were going to experience a significant change in weather and sea conditions by the time we made our final leg of our journey from Cape Cod to Boston. It was a beautiful sunny morning in Old Saybrook and the seas were pretty calm and stayed that way, but the sun gave way to a thick fog bank which made us really appreciate our radar. We could barely see just feet off of our bow. Thankfully the longest stretch of fog lasted only about a half hour (we…

State Sen. Julian Cyr announced on Friday morning that nearly $3 million in funding has been earmarked for the Steamship Authority and Martha’s Vineyard Commission.  If added to the final Fair Share supplemental budget, funding would go locally to bike path repairs in the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest and dock work for the Steamship. The funding stems from the $1.33 billion Fair Share supplemental budget passed by the state senate on Friday. The release states…

The family of Frank Rodenbaugh, the two-year-old Islander who died tragically in March, has launched a fundraising campaign to rebuild a playground at the Oak Bluffs School — and within hours they have raised about a third of the estimated cost due to an outpouring of support from the community. Frank’s parents, Julie and Matt Rodenbaugh, launched the GoFundMe campaign on Thursday and are hoping to raise $200,000, noting that the playground was one of the two-year-old’s…

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Kindergarten. And I couldn’t wait for the end of each day. If my friend and waking companion, Allyson, dawdled, I’d leave her in the dust. Darting out of Johanna Perrin School in Fairport, N.Y., where I grew up, I’d run up James Street, past Potter, Dewey, and Miles, until I reached Briggs Avenue and raced down the hill to my house. I knew that once I was inside my mother would let me go directly to the china cabinet and pick out whatever teacup I wanted from her collection. I’d stare through…

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Amid escalating complaints from the public over disrupted service, mismanagement, and a faltering website, advocacy groups for passengers on and off the Island are ramping up their calls for term limits on the main board that manages the Steamship Authority, and elected officials are getting behind the calls.  Vineyarders, Falmouth residents, and state legislators have recently called for the passage of a bill that would cap the number of terms that officials can serve on the five-member board,…

On Feb. 15, 2025, Joan Frances (Wilkinson) Chavez, 67, passed away peacefully with her husband by her side, at her home in Vineyard Haven, on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, a place she loved so much. Joan fought hard and never gave up, but succumbed to the aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer. Joan was born on Nov. 23, 1957, in Woburn, and grew up in Johnston, R.I. The youngest of three sisters, she was an outstanding student, but had some mischievous tendencies…

A celebration of life is planned for William Yearwood (“Al”), who died on Jan. 9, 2025, on Saturday, May 17, at the Oak Grove Cemetery, on Pacific Avenue in Oak Bluffs at 3 pm, followed by a small family gathering. The post Services for William Yearwood appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

The world brightened on August 3, 1942, when Sara E. Wenner (a.k.a. Rolfe’s wife, Mom to Jeanene and Brent, Grannie to Alex and Leah, sister and friend to all) was born. On Dec. 29, 2024, the stars in heaven above got brighter when she peacefully passed away with Rolfe by her side.  Sara was born in Wilmington, Del., and from a young age had a love for all animals, which at one point included a pet chicken. She went to Juniata College (where she and Rolfe met), graduating…

A graveside service for the burial of ashes of the Rev. Richard E. Olson, who died on Dec. 15, 2024, will be held on Saturday, May 17, at 11:30 am in the New Westside Cemetery, on Robinson Road in Edgartown.   The post The Rev. Richard E. Olson appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Ann Knight died peacefully at her Oak Bluffs home on May 5, 2025. She was surrounded by her loving family, including Fritz, her husband of 65 years, and her children, Lisa, Pam, Peter, Kristen, and Laura.  A full obituary will appear in a later edition of this paper, with details regarding a celebration of life. The post Ann Knight appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times.

Pausing to sit has rewards. Noticed a chickadee bringing tufts to a hole in a tree, perhaps building a nest. Allergies and ticks are a hard combination, but working the soil feeds my soul. Wishing everyone a happy Mother’s Day, so grateful you were born. Grateful to all the women who show up in so many places in our lives. Here’s to those who mentor. Those who love. Those who inspire. Those who guide. Those who sit with us when times are hard and those who cheer us on. Those who hold confidences…