Obituaries & Death Notices

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 2:45pm Laurence A. Mercier died at his home in Edgartown on Sunday, Nov. 21. He was 81. He was born on the Vineyard on August 10, 1940 to Herbert Mercier Sr. and Veronica (Vera) Schultz Mercier. He grew up and attended school in Edgartown, becoming part of the last class to graduate from the town’s high school in 1958. In 1962, at the age of 21, he purchased the Chappaquiddick Ferry business. He was then drafted into the Army. He was…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:31pm Thomas (Alden) Norton died peacefully on Nov. 28 at the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was 95. He was born in Vineyard Haven on August 8, 1926 to Carlton Ellery Norton and Hannah Irene Heikel, the eldest of their three children. He grew up and spent most of his life on Martha’s Vineyard. He served as a gunner in the U.S. Navy during World War II, stationed in the Pacific, and then returned home to work on the Vineyard.…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:27pm Louise Hoover Neuhoff died of natural causes on Nov. 18 at her longtime home in Edgartown. She was 91, and had been a summer resident of the Vineyard for more than 60 years, where she gave generously to a variety of causes from historic preservation to combating hunger. Louise Reeve Hoover was born Oct. 26, 1930, in Washington, D.C., the first of three daughters and second child of Reeve and Marion Tully Hoover. She grew up in Georgetown…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:18pm Warren Cecil Morse died on Nov. 24. He was 82. Born in Mansfield, he was a graduate of Wentworth Institute and Northeastern University as a metallurgical engineer. He worked for Leach and Garner for more than 20 years and was actively involved in the Professional Jewelers Association. In 1963, he married Judy Barney Morse. They settled in Attleboro, where they raised their family, were active in their church and created wonderful…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:14pm Diana (Daisy) Lewis died on the morning of Nov. 21 in Indianapolis, Ind. She was 89. She was the daughter of Florence and Paul Kunian, of Minneapolis, and sister of Myron Kunin. She took the name Daisy after her beloved grandmother Elizabeth Karp, whom she adored. She grew up in Minneapolis, where her parents introduced her to the fine arts. She had a lifelong love of Shakespeare, George Balanchine, Bach and Van Gogh. She loved The…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 1:07pm John Thomas Hughes died peacefully on Nov. 28. He was 99 and four months shy of his 100th birthday. A man of wide-ranging talents and international acclaim, he was the former longtime director of the Massachusetts Lobster Hatchery and Research Station in Oak Bluffs, and had been a leading pioneer in lobster research. On the Vineyard he also was a civic leader involved in the startup of Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, fundraising for…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 12:57pm Lucille Ryan Gostenhofer died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, in Laguna Woods, Ca., on Sept. 27. She was 91.  She was born Sept. 8, 1930 to Francis Patrick Ryan and Theresa Hoffman Ryan. She grew up in Torrington, Conn., was an accomplished classical pianist and throughout high school enjoyed performing with her sister, a gifted violinist.   Lucille attended Wellesley College and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 12:54pm Richard Gleason of Vineyard Haven died peacefully at home on Nov. 30. He was 84. He was born in Dedham on Dec. 27, 1936, to Thomas and Gertrude Lebline Gleason, the fifth of six children. As a teenager, he volunteered at cleanup efforts for communities affected by Hurricane Carol in 1954. In 1955 he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Korea, Germany and Italy as part of the 310th Fighter Bomber Squadron. He was proud of his…

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - 12:32pm Dr. Diane M. Becker died peacefully at home with family by her side in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 17 after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 78. She held the degrees of ScD, MPH, RN and was an expert in the prevention and management of coronary artery disease. Diane and Lew, her husband of 57 years, were longtime seasonal residents of the Vineyard. They first came in 1985 and fell in love with the Island. In 1990, they purchased…

Richard Gleason, 84, of Vineyard Haven, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully at home on Nov. 30, 2021.  Richard was born in Dedham on Dec. 27, 1936, to Thomas and Gertrude (Lebline), the fifth of six children.  As a teenager, Richard volunteered for the cleanup efforts for the communities affected by... ...

John Thomas Hughes, a man of many talents, died peacefully on Nov. 28, 2021, at the age of 99, four months shy of his 100th birthday. To the national and international scientific community, he was the director of the Massachusetts Lobster Hatchery and Research Station, and a pioneer in lobster research, author of many... ...

Thomas (Alden) Norton passed away peacefully on Nov. 28, 2021, at the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Martha’s Vineyard, at the age of 95. Born in Tisbury on August 8, 1926, the eldest of three children of Carlton Ellery Norton and Hannah Irene Heikel, Alden grew up and spent most of his life on... ...

Carol Besse Eno of Vineyard Haven passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Nov. 10, 2021, in her home on her beloved Island of Martha’s Vineyard.  Born on March 6, 1946, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Arthur Lyman Besse and Virginia Weston of Weston and Vineyard Haven, she grew up in Weston, and graduated... ...

After a long battle with breast cancer, Diane M. Becker, Sc.D., MPH, R.N., an expert in the prevention and management of coronary artery disease, passed away peacefully at home in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 17, 2021, with family at her side. She was 78. Diane and her husband of 57 years, Lew, a cardiologist at... ...

Kyle Crossland, horticulture instructor at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in Oak Bluffs, has attained the highest level of certification in the landscape profession within the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Crossland has taken and passed the Massachusetts Certified Landscape Professional examination, given on... ...

Laurence A. Mercier, 81, died on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, at his home in Edgartown. He was the husband of Doris (McNeil) Mercier.  His funeral service will be private, and a complete obituary will appear in another edition of this paper.  Donations in his memory may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box... ...

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 2:11pm Christine W. Swansey of Vineyard Haven died at home on Nov. 13. She was 65. She was born and raised on Cape Cod with periods of time in New Hampshire and Mexico before moving to Martha’s Vineyard permanently. At an early age, she discovered that her mother was not the best cook and she started cooking for her family. Feeding people became one of her biggest joys. She could turn a few basic ingredients into a delicious dinner. She…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 2:08pm Ann Louise Whitcomb Scotten, beloved wife of Dr. Gregory T. Scotten, died in Locust Grove, Va. on Nov. 6. She was 83. She was born in New York city on August 16, 1938 to Leslie and Kathryn Downey Whitcomb. A talented teenager, Ann was awarded academic scholarships to Notre Dame Academy and Regis College in Massachusetts. After graduating from Regis with degrees in chemistry and art, she earned master’s degrees from Salem State and…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 2:05pm Clara Silva Rabbitt died peacefully at her Vineyard Haven home on April 4, Easter Sunday. She was 99 and just a few months’ shy of her 100th birthday. She was born Sept. 13, 1921 to Virginia and Joseph Silva in the farmhouse at Tea Lane Farm in Chilmark. Attending Chilmark’s single-room schoolhouse, Clara graduated from the Tisbury High School in 1939. She left the farm and moved to Vineyard Haven, where she worked as a waitress…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:58pm Longtime Vineyard resident Frank R. Mancini died peacefully in Delray Beach, Fla. on Nov. 6 after a brave battle with a sudden illness. He was 74. Frank was born Nov. 8, 1946 in Yonkers, N.Y., attended Gorton High School and graduated from the University of Hartford with a bachelor of science in chemistry. He served his country in the National Guard. He and his late wife Margaret Mancini built a home in West Tisbury where they joined…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:51pm Louise Hoover Neuhoff of Martha’s Vineyard and North Palm Beach, Fla. died Nov. 18 at her Edgartown home. She was 91. Funeral services will be private and a complete obituary will appear in a future edition of the Gazette. Visit www.chapmanfuneral.com for online tributes and information. Article Updated: Date Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:51pm

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:47pm Laurence A. Mercier died on Sunday, Nov. 21 at his home in Edgartown. He was 81 and was the husband of Doris McNeil Mercier. Funeral services will be private and a complete obituary will appear in a future edition of the Gazette. Donations can be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Visit www.chapmanfuneral.com for online tributes and information. Article Updated: Date Updated: Tuesday,…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:39pm Robert C. (Bob) de Lisle of Edgartown died peacefully with his family by his side on Nov. 16. He was 86. His friendly nature and enthusiasm for life will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife Linda Gaffney de Lisle, son Charles de Lisle, daughter Nicole de Lisle and three grandchildren. A celebration of Bob’s life will be held next spring on the island. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of the Gazette.…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:32pm West Tisbury select board member Kent Allen Healy died peacefully on Oct. 31, surrounded by his family and friends. He was 89. Kent was born in New Haven to Ruth Emily Allen Healy and Kent Tenney Healy on Sept. 30, 1932, the third of his four siblings. He attended the Foote School and Hotchkiss Preparatory School prior to being accepted at Yale University. Following his first and final year at Yale, Kent began work on the island he…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:29pm Howard Harding Brown of Westfield, N.J., West Palm Beach, Fla., and Edgartown, died Nov. 14. He was 98. He was born on August 2, 1923 in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Frank J. Brown and Anne L. Brown. The family then lived on Gramercy Place in Manhattan before moving to New Jersey, where Harding attended Westfield High School. He joined the Navy at the age of 19 and went to officer training school, becoming a lieutenant (junior grade). During…

Tuesday, November 23, 2021 - 1:25pm William C. (Billy) Baxter, a pioneering figure in college basketball, died Oct. 13. He was 81. He had enjoyed a remarkable life in which his passion met his purpose. He liked to say that he felt lucky and blessed to regard his work as play. His deeply-rooted sense of family defined him. He was born in Harlem on May 16, 1940. His parents, Christine Segee Baxter and William Baxter Sr., were milliners and proprietors of Baxter’s Hats.…

12:40 pm, November 23, 2021Laurence A. Mercier, a former longtime Edgartown businessman and town official who was widely respect for his civic-minded nature, died at home on Sunday. He was 81. A son of Edgartown, he had worn many hats through the years.

The Massachusetts State Senate passed its Mental Health ABC Act 2.0: Addressing Barriers to Care (ABC) on Wednesday. According to the press release, Mental Health ABC Act 2.0 is comprehensive legislation to reform the way mental health is delivered in Massachusetts, with a goal of “ensuring that people get the mental... ...

Kent Allen Healy, West Tisbury select board member, passed peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends, on October 31, 2021. He was 89 years old. Kent was born in New Haven, Conn., to Ruth Emily Allen Healy and Kent Tenney Healy on Sept. 30, 1932, the third of four siblings. He attended the Foote School... ...

Clara Silva Rabbitt was born on Sept. 13, 1921, to Virginia and Joseph Silva in the farmhouse at T Lane Farm in Chilmark, and died peacefully at her home in Vineyard Haven on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, just a few months shy of her 100th birthday. Attending Chilmark’s single-room schoolhouse, Clara graduated from... ...

Ann Louise Whitcomb Scotten, beloved wife of Dr. Gregory T. Scotten, died in Locust Grove, Va., on Nov. 6, 2021.  She was born in New York City on August 16, 1938, to Leslie and Kathryn (Downey) Whitcomb. A talented teenager, Ann was awarded academic scholarships to Notre Dame Academy and Regis College in... ...

Louise (Hoover) Neuhoff, 91, of Martha’s Vineyard and North Palm Beach, Fla., died on Nov. 18, 2021, at her home in Edgartown.  Her funeral service will be private, and a complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper. Please visit chapmanfuneral.com for online tributes and information. The post... ...

Robert C. de Lisle (“Bob”), 86, of Edgartown, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday evening, Nov. 16, 2021. His friendly nature and enthusiasm for life will be greatly missed.  Bob is survived by his wife, Linda (Gaffney) de Lisle, his son, Charles de Lisle, his daughter, Nicole de Lisle, and... ...

West Tisbury will not be holding a special election to fill the vacant seat of former select board member Kent Healy, who died earlier this month. His seat will remain empty until the annual town election in April. Whoever is elected during this election will be voted in for a one-year term. The select board... ...

West Tisbury’s special town meeting attracted 44 voters to West Tisbury School Tuesday night.  Before voting on the warrant articles, West Tisbury select board chair Skipper Manter said a few words in memory of former select board member Kent Healy, who died earlier this month.  “He lived a wonderful and full life,... ...

Paul J. Watts of Long Island, Maine, passed away on Nov. 11, 2021, at the age of 71, of rapid onset and progression vascular dementia.  Paul was born in Shepperton, England, in February 1950, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1952. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he held the record for the […] The post... ...

Winifred E. Tate died at home on Oak Tree Lane, Vineyard Haven, on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, with her daughter Kathy (Kate) at her side. She was 99, and ready to join her loved ones who predeceased her. Born March 3, 1922, in Jersey City, N.J., she was the third child of John and Winifred […] The post Winifred E.... ...

BOURNE – President Joe Biden’s recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill will go a long way towards helping to replace the aging Cape Cod Canal bridges, said lawmakers.  In a joint statement, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey alongside Congressman Bill Keating said numerous Massachusetts road, bridge... .

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 4:03pm Paul J. Watts of Long Island, Me. died Nov. 11 from rapid onset and progression vascular dementia. He was 71. He was born in Shepperton, England in February 1950 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1952. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Me. For more than 25 years, he held the record there for the most number of goal assists in soccer. While in high school, he met Diane (Di), the love of his life. They married in 1970. Their love story is truly…

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 3:53pm Winifred E. Tate died on Monday, Nov. 8 at home on Oak Tree Lane in Vineyard Haven, with her daughter Kathy (Kate) at her side. She was 99 and ready to join her loved ones who predeceased her. Born March 3, 1922 in Jersey City, N.J., she was the third child of John and Winifred Furey. She graduated from Holy Family Academy in 1940. During World War II, she worked for Western Union Telegraph Company in New York city. In 1951, she met…

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 3:48pm Pauline (Polly) Renear died peacefully at her Oak Bluffs home on Oct. 14. She was 92, and was the wife of lifetime Island resident Robert L. Renear and the daughter of Joseph and Millicent Noel. She was born on Dec. 9, 1928 in Ligonier, Pa., entering the world five minutes before her identical twin and best friend, Patty. When she was 12, her family moved to Newtonville. She graduated from Newton North High in 1946 and then entered…

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 3:44pm Eleanor Helm Ketcham died Nov. 6 after a battle with listeria. She had just turned 93. Eleanor, known as Ellie, devoted her life to family and community. Everyone who met her immediately felt valued and loved. If the world was full of people like her, problems would shrink dramatically in scale and challenge. She lived her life in four wonderful communities. Her childhood was spent in Montclair, N.J. as the daughter of Mary and Harold…

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 3:39pm Donald Hill died Oct. 29 at his beloved home in Oak Bluffs. He was 94. Born in West Hazleton, Pa. to Wilson and Eva Hill, Donald attended Penn State University and earned a degree in chemical engineering in 1948. He served in the Army at Fort Dix between 1950-1952. During his years of service, Donald met and married the love of his life, Mary Ellen LaDow. They were married for more than 70 years. He and Mary Ellen were long-term residents…

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 - 3:34pm G. Kenneth Baum died at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. on Nov. 9 from age-related health complications. He was 91. His family was at his side and many others shared love and support by phone. Favorite classical pieces and songs from The Fiddler on the Roof were playing in the background. Kenny was born July 6, 1930 in Kansas City, Mo. to George Kohler and Ruth Goodman Baum. He enjoyed a remarkable lifelong friendship with his…

Thursday, November 11, 2021 - 10:42am June D. Manning, 74, of Aquinnah died on Monday, Nov. 8, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, Nov 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Chapman Funerals and Cremations, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, Nov 13 at 2 p.m. at the Gay Head Cemetery in Aquinnah, officiated by the Rev. Dr. Roger Spinney. Donations can be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support…

BOSTON – The legislation known as Nero’s Bill was unanimously approved by the Massachusetts State Senate on Wednesday. If signed into law, the act would allow K9 police dogs to be treated and transported by EMS personnel if they’re hurt in the line of duty. “An act allowing humane transportation of K9... .

Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - 9:04pm Clare Mellon Kane died Oct. 31, at home and surrounded by her family. She was 90, lived in Greenwich, Conn., and had been a summer resident of Aquinnah for 54 years. Clare Catherine Mellon was born to Joseph and Elsie Edling Mellon on August 6, 1931, in Queens, N.Y. She grew up in Springfield Gardens, N.Y. along with her older brother Robert. Outgoing and vivacious, she attended Andrew Jackson High School, where she was the captain…

Joan Karasik passed out of this world on the evening of November 3, 2021. Her death was peaceful. She was kind, hardworking, open-hearted and open-minded, endlessly curious, and a steady and successful advocate for justice. Joan’s library ranged from the works of Nabokov to histories of her hometown of... ...

June D. Manning, 74, of Aquinnah died on Monday, November 8, 2021 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Visiting hours in the Chapman Funerals and Cremations, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs will be held on Friday, Nov. 12, from 5 to 7pm. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 2pm at the Gay […] The... ...

Wednesday, November 10, 2021 - 12:12pm Joan Mary Pascal Karasik died peacefully on the evening of Nov. 3. She was 103. She was kind, hardworking, open-hearted and open-minded, endlessly curious, and a steady and successful advocate for justice. Joan was born April 15, 1918 in New York city to Irene Cornelia Toumey Pascal and Henry Salem Pascal, who was born Chaim Shalom Pascal. Her sister Cornelia was born in 1920. She received a bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore…