Obituaries & Death Notices

Vera Shorter died at her home on Martha’s Vineyard on Feb. 26, 2021, with her two daughters nearby. She was born in Huntington, Long Island, to Sue Hendrickson and Claude Groves in 1922, and had celebrated her 98th birthday in December with her 97-year-old friend Betty Dixon.  Her mother’s family lived on Long Island... ...

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:29am Nelson (Eric) deBettencourt died peacefully at home in California on Feb. 15, his 54th birthday, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving fiancé Holly Bario, daughter Emily deBettencourt, and Holly’s children, Emma and Peter Bario as well as his wonderful Hospice nurse, Mary. Eric was born in Oak Bluffs on Feb. 15, 1967 to the late Nelson J. deBettencourt and Sandra Geddis deBettencourt. He attended…

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:27am Chantal Hodges, a lifelong summer resident of Edgartown, died Feb. 22, the day before her 86th birthday, in New York city with her family by her side. Chantal was born in Paris, France, on Feb. 23, 1935, the daughter of Capt. Raymond P. Leroy and Lesley M. Tillotson. Her father was a highly decorated French infantry officer who was killed in combat against Rommel’s army in Tunisia during World War II. Following her father’s death…

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:26am Robert Sherman Lovewell died peacefully on Monday, March 1, at Glencliff Home, Glencliff, N.H. of complications from recent surgery. He was nine days shy of his 73rd birthday. Born in Hanover, N.H., Bob lived in many different places, but always called Edgartown his sanctuary and home. The Vineyard is where he spent his summer childhood, swimming, sailing, fishing and recreating with a close net of friends and his extended family. He…

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:24am Robert E. Pearlman, a global explorer, award-winning creative designer, self-taught innovator, and anthropologist whose cultural interests included Africa and Italy, died Feb. 11 at his home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico after a short illness from complications of lung cancer. Bob had for several years divided his time, along with his wife Karol Rose, between San Miguel de Allende and Martha’s Vineyard. He first visited the Vineyard…

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:21am Glenn R. Hearn, 83, of West Tisbury died March 2 at his home in West Tisbury. He was 83. Interment will be private at the West Tisbury Cemetery. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition. Article Updated: Date Updated: Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:21am

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:19am John Estrella of Vineyard Haven, died Feb. 27 at home. He was 69. Services will be private. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of the Gazette. Article Updated: Date Updated: Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:19am

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 11:18am Consuelo (Connie) Joerns, artist and writer, died in Wiscasset, Me., in April 2020. She was 94 and had been a Vineyard Haven resident in the 1960s and 1970s. Her Vineyard home and studio were on William street. There she painted boats and beaches and flowers and the views of the harbor she could see from her top floor studio. Always an animal lover, she adopted a stray mouse once and wrote one of her children’s books, The Lost and…

To the Editor: Herb Foster passed away last week.  He was a mentor to me, encouraging us to write the book about the Vineyard in World War II. He enjoyed Land Bank walks like Tiasquam Reservation and Peaked Hill. He supported community projects like the Island Food Pantry and the Edgartown Library Staff Tuition... ...

Glenn R. Hearn, 83, of West Tisbury, passed away on March 2, 2021, at his home.  His burial will be held privately at the West Tisbury Cemetery. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper. The post Glenn R. Hearn appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times. ...

On a chilly morning on Jan. 22, 2021, Joan Gentry Patadal died peacefully in the arms of her beloved daughter, Beatrice Patadal Pattarroyo. After the past 40 years, Joan bravely faced multiple catastrophic illnesses with humor, intelligence, understanding, and courage, with a positive will to live.  In 1950, Joan was... ...

Nelson deBettencourt (“Eric”) passed peacefully at home in California on Feb. 15, 2021, his 54th birthday, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving fiancée, Holly Bario, daughter Emily deBettencourt, and Holly’s children, Emma and Peter Bario, as well as his wonderful hospice nurse,... ...

John Estrella, 69, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on Feb. 27, 2021, at his home.  Services will be private. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper.  The post John Estrella appeared first on The Martha's Vineyard Times. ...

E. Brady Aikens passed away on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at 85, from prostate and bone cancer.  Brady served in the Air Force as an MP overseas in the 1950s, and lived in many East Coast states before settling on Martha’s Vineyard year-round. He turned his family home in Oak Bluffs into Brady’s NESW, and […] The... ...

12:26 pm, March 2, 2021Vernon Jordan, the civil rights activist and Washington power broker who died Monday, had been a longtime summer visitor to the Vineyard, where he played golf with Presidents Clinton and Obama, celebrated his birthday every year and put his feet up on the porch while smoking a cigar.

Civil rights activist, presidential advisor, and longtime Chilmark seasonal resident Vernon Jordan has died at the age of 85. Jordan was known to spend time golfing a Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs. In 2015 he spent time golfing with former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at the club before a celebration... ...

HYANNIS – The COVID relief measure that passed the House this past weekend includes more than $65 million for Barnstable County and municipalities across Cape Cod. About $41 million in funding would go directly to Barnstable County if the bill becomes law, while roughly $24 million would go to individual towns in the... .

3:08 pm, February 27, 2021Herb Foster, the perpetually vibrant linguist, library trustee and World War II veteran who trained his beaming smile on everyone he knew and met, died Friday night at his home in Edgartown. He was 93.

The Island is in line to get $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, according to a press release issued by U.S. Rep. William Keating’s office Saturday. The legislation, which was passed by the House late Friday night, is aimed at helping American citizens and communities recover from the effects of the COVID-19... ...

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:38am Roberta (Bobbie) Gilluly Tilton died July 2, 2020, in Providence, R.I. She was 83. She was born in January 1937 to Walter S. Gilluly and Hilda Marie Norton in Edgartown. After her father died in 1941, Bobbie, her mom and sister Jean moved from their Ocean Heights home to live with her grandparents Orin Norton, a blacksmith, and Elsie Maude Shurtleff on their farm in Edgartown. Her favorite memories…

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:37am Robin Schoener of Oak Bluffs died Feb.3 after a long and valiant fight with appendix cancer. She was 67. Robin grew up in western New York, and after living in several other countries including Egypt, Belgium and Brazil, she settled in Boston. She came to Martha’s Vineyard in 2016 to take care of her friend Bob Jacobs in his last days. After his death, she decided to retire to the Vineyard permanently because of the loving friends…

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:37am Judith Bourne Newbold died Jan. 20 in Keene, N.H, with family by her side. She had lived a full and interesting life, was a world traveler, lover of literature, music, and gardening, and was an exceptional mother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. Born on April 19, 1938, Judy was the third of the three children of Donald Bourne and Meredith Wilson Bourne, of Summit, N.J. She graduated from Concord Academy in 1955 and Vassar College…

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:35am Roy Gundersen, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died peacefully at his Edgartown home on Nov. 25, 2020. He was 89. Roy grew up in a close-knit Norwegian community in East Hartland, Conn., and his first language was Norwegian. In his youth, he spent many hours with his dog Lucky exploring the beautiful woods. When he was 10, his sister Diane came into his life, and together they created a lifetime of fun and loving memories.…

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:34am Esther Ann Chase died quietly at home, surrounded by family, on Feb. 8. She was 94. The daughter of Hiram Arthur Schubert and Ruth (Johnson) Schubert, she was born in East Rockaway, N.Y. on Dec. 11, 1926. She spent her childhood years in Lynbrook on Long Island, where her father was a school principal and her mother a French teacher. She and her older sister Jane grew up in a home surrounded by craftwork: her father was a painter,…

Thursday, February 25, 2021 - 6:33am Guy (Neno) Carrieri of South Boston, formerly of Cambridge, died peacefully Feb. 17. He was 89. Born in East Cambridge on May 18, 1931, Guy spent his career in accounting and finance at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he met many lifelong friends. He enjoyed relaxing at his home on Martha’s Vineyard, which he generously shared with his loved ones. In retirement, he joined the L Street Bathhouse, where he rowed, sunbathed,…

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard will ring the church bell in the Stevens Chapel on Friday, Feb. 26, at 5 pm in honor of the more than 500,000 Americans, and the more than 2.5 million people around the world, who have died from COVID-19. The U.U. church invites other Island churches and... ...

Robin Schoener, 67, of Oak Bluffs, died on Feb. 3, 2021, after a long and valiant fight with cancer. Robin grew up in Western New York, and after living in several other countries including Egypt, Belgium, and Brazil, settled in Boston. Robin came to Martha’s Vineyard in 2016 to take care of her friend Bob... ...

Roberta Gilluly Tilton (“Bobbie”), born January 1937 to Walter S. Gilluly and Hilda Marie Norton in Edgartown, departed this life from an undiagnosed heart condition on July 2, 2020, in Providence, R.I.  After her father died in 1941, Bobbie, her mom, and sister Jean moved from their Ocean Heights home to live with... ...

Dennis C. Ward, 74, of East Dennis, formerly of West Tisbury, died Feb. 14, 2021, at Cape Cod Hospital. Born in Bethlehem, Pa., to Charles and Mary (Farrugia) Ward, he was the devoted husband of Rebecca Fritz Ward. He grew up in Bethlehem, and graduated from Liberty High School. He attended Penn State University in... ...

MASHPEE – A driver is under arrest after police and firefighters received a call about a man passed out behind the wheel. According to radio traffic, at around 4:00 a.m., Sunday morning – 2/21/21 – Mashpee first responders received a … Continue reading → The post HN PHOTOS: Driver reportedly regained consciousness, left parking lot, crashed nearby, failed sobriety tests, was arrested... first appeared on Hyannis News - News & Information…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 2:11pm Robert C. Andrews of Mashpee, formerly of Keene, N.H., died peacefully on Feb. 13, 2021 at the JML Care Center in Falmouth. He was 83. He was the beloved husband of the late Emily (Steere) Andrews of Oak Bluffs, with whom he had shared 48 wonderful years of marriage. Robert was born in Oak Bluffs on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1937, to the late Edwin and Valerie (Czajkowski) Andrews. Bobby was raised in the Vineyard Haven home his…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 2:01pm Douglas J. MacMaster Jr. of Ambler, Pa., died Feb. 11 at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital surrounded by his family. He was 90. Doug was a business leader and family patriarch, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, exceptional lawyer and businessman, athlete, veteran, philanthropist, exquisite party planner, adventurer, and friend to many. He was the beloved husband of the late Joan (MacLellan) MacMaster.…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 1:57pm Antone Alves (Tony) Bettencourt Jr. died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning, Feb. 9. He was born April 15, 1942, and lived in Edgartown his entire life. He was the son of Antone and Adeline Bettencourt. Tony was a gardener with an amazing green thumb. He would often be seen tending to the dahlias of the walkway of the Emily Post house on Fuller street. In his earlier years he was also a commercial scalloper. He joined the Edgartown…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 1:55pm Victoria DiStefano died unexpectedly and peacefully in her sleep at her home in Plymouth on Feb. 15. She was 68. She was born on June 10, 1952 in Wilmington, De., to William and Inez DiStefano. She graduated from Wilmington High School in 1970 and went on to earn accreditations in art history, museum administration and historic preservation from the University of Delaware, Boston University and William and Mary. Her various roles…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 1:53pm Dr. Erika L. Whitmore of Chestnut Hill died unexpectedly on Feb. 7 at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She was 73. She was born on June 16, 1947 in Chicago, Ill., to Dr. Albert Leningher and Jan Wilson. She graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in art history and continued to paint and draw until her death. After college, she pursued a career in medicine, studying at Johns Hopkins and UC-San Diego. After completing…

Thursday, February 18, 2021 - 1:50pm Madeleine (Reynolds) Lowell of Wellesley died peacefully on Feb. 7 at Seasons Hospice in Milton. She was 95. Loved by many, she was known for her sweet disposition. Born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, Madeleine worked at the Vineyard Gazette while attending Edgartown High School. Upon graduation she served as switchboard operator at the Martha’s Vineyard U.S. Naval Air Base where she met her husband Philip in 1944. After the…

Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who became the voice of American conservatism, has died. His death Wednesday at the age of 70 was announced on his website. With his three-hour weekday radio show broadcast on nearly 600 stations across the U.S., and a massive audience of millions hanging on his every word, Limbaugh’s rants... .

Roy Gundersen, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, died peacefully at his Edgartown home on Nov. 25, 2020, at the age of 89. Roy grew up in a close-knit Norwegian community in East Hartland, Conn., and his first language was Norwegian. In his youth, he spent hours with his dog Lucky exploring the beautiful... ...

Antone Alves Bettencourt Jr. (“Tony”) died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning, Feb. 9, 2021. He was born on April 15, 1942, and lived in Edgartown his entire life. He was the son of Antone and Adeline Bettencourt. Tony was a gardener with an amazing green thumb. He would often be seen tending to the […] The... ...

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 12:03pm Clifford Moller died peacefully on Jan. 7 at his home in Cambridge. He was 99. He born in Stratford, Conn., on April 29, 1921 to Joseph C. Moller and Anna C. Chapkovski. He served as a lieutenant in the Air Force during World War II. As an engineer and entrepreneur, he founded and led Precision Chemical Pump Corp. Later, he became a successful architect and developer. A loving, compassionate and generous person, Cliff loved nature,…

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 12:00pm Richard J. (Richie) Alwardt, of Falmouth and formerly of Oak Bluffs, died Feb 2. He was 65. The cause was complications of Covid-19. He had lived in Florida for 30 years with his wife of 47 years, Joanne (Marshall) Alwardt. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, honorably discharged. He worked for the United States Postal Service, and belonged to the Falmouth Elks and the Moose Club of Cape Coral, Fla. He enjoyed basketball, bowling,…

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 11:59am John Wells Harrer died peacefully at home on Jan. 8. He was 67. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019 and then with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) in May 2020, he had moved to Maine to be cared for by his former wife, Lesli. He was born on July 20, 1953, in Boston to Susan Smith and John Morrison Harrer. He attended Shady Hill School in Cambridge, and later played basketball for Newton High. He attended Haverford…

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 11:55am R. David Paul of Easton died Jan. 30. He was 89. The cause was Parkinson’s disease. A native of Brockton, he was employed in hospitality and food service management. His sociability and young-at-heart spirit were known to all. He played golf and cards, listened to country music, and was an avid Notre Dame sports fan. David and his beloved late wife of 37 years Lorraine J. (Sullivan Kimball) had previously lived in Edgartown for…

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 11:53am James P. Kennedy died Feb. 1 at his home in Manchester, Conn. He was 89. A loving husband, father and grandfather, Jim was a dedicated educator who served 24 years as the superintendent of schools for the Manchester public schools. Following service in the U.S. Army, Jim began his career as a classroom teacher, first in Lansing, Mich., and then in Tarrytown, N.Y., where he later became the principal of W. L. Morse Elementary School.…

Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 11:52am Stanley Shuman of Brookline and Oak Bluffs died peacefully on Jan. 3, with his family around him. He was 96. Stanley was the youngest son of Barnet and Eva Shuman who emigrated from Russia. His early life was spent in Mattapan and Dorchester. He joined the army after Pearl Harbor and served in World War II in Company C of the 1255th Combat Engineer Battalion. One of his most emotional experiences was crossing the Remagen Bridge…

Richard J. Alwardt (“Richie”), of Falmouth and formerly of Oak Bluffs, passed away on Feb. 2, 2021. He resided in Florida for 30 years with his wife of 47 years, Joanne (Marshall) Alwardt. He passed at the age of 65 from COVID-related complications. He was a Marine veteran, honorably discharged. He worked for the U.S.... ...

Esther Ann Chase passed away quietly in her home, surrounded by family, on Feb. 8, 2021. She was 94.  The daughter of Hiram Arthur Schubert and Ruth (Johnson) Schubert, Ann was born in East Rockaway, N.Y., on Dec. 11, 1926. She spent her childhood years in Lynbrook on Long Island, where her father was school... ...

Edward D. Redican (“Dennis”), 74, died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2021, at his home in Oak Bluffs.  Born on Oct. 13, 1946, Dennis grew up in Abington, where he played varsity football and graduated from Abington High School in 1964. After high school, Dennis moved to Martha’s Vineyard, and soon became... ...

Antone A. Bettencourt (“Tony”), 78, of Edgartown, passed away on Feb. 9, 2021. He was the former chief of the Edgartown Fire Department.  Tony will be laid to rest at the New West Side Cemetery in Edgartown. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Visiting Nurse Association of... ...

Clifford Moller, 99, of Cambridge, died peacefully on Jan. 7, 2021, at his home.  He was born in Stratford on April 29, 1921, to Joseph C. Moller and Anna C. Chapkovski. He served as a lieutenant in the Air Force during World War II. As an engineer and entrepreneur, he founded and led Precision Chemical […] The... ...