Davis Memorial Chapel

05/01/2026

Springfield, VT.

Keith A. Howard passed away on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. He was born in Springfield, VT to Harry and Barbara (Fuller) Howard on January 2, 1956. During high school he worked for his father’s business “Howard & Barlow”

After high school Keith became a very talented carpenter and took much pride in his work.

To many he was known as “Hollywood.” He loved NASCAR and the Dallas Cowboys. Keith also enjoyed music, playing his harmonica, singing and listening to bands like the Beatles and the Eagles.

Keith enjoyed his summer vacations to Maine with his family especially the time spent on the beach with his daughters. He also enjoyed camping and fishing. Keith loved his family very much.

Keith is survived by his daughters: Katelyn Duford (Ryan Duford), Kassandra Valente (Andrew Valente) and Kelsi Howard; their Mother: Serena Howard; Grandchildren: Ameira, Sawyer, Vinny, Hattie, Leighton, Carmela , Winnie and his puppy girl Maple; his sister, Lisa Stearns (Randy Stearns, Adrianne and Anna).

He is predeceased by his parents and his long time girlfriend Diane Cannistra.

His family will celebrate him privately.

Any donation can be made in his name to Valley Vista 23 Upper Plain, Bradford VT 05033.

Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, VT is assisting with the arrangements.

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/keith-howard

04/22/2026

Reading.
John D. Diggins Jr. 83 died Monday afternoon at Elm Wood Center in Claremont, New Hampshire. He was born March 18, 1943 in Worcester, Massachusetts the son of John D. Sr. and Mildred (Dubsky). He graduated from St. John’s High School, Temple Street Worcester and from Worcester State College.

On July 12, 1969 He married Linda M. Fleming at Sacred Heart Church in Roslindale, Massachusetts.

Mr. Diggins was Vice President with the Massachusetts Hospital Association. He later owned and operated the Country Creemee at Downers Four Corners in Perkinsville, Vermont for 18 years.

John loved golf, boating, snowmobiling and traveling in his RV. John and Linda traveled to every state except Alaska and Hawaii and enjoyed wintering in Sarasota, Florida for many years.

He is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Jamie E. Diggins, and brothers Paul and Neil (Mary) Diggins.

He was predeceased by his parents.

A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Wednesday April 29, 2026 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church 228 Lincoln St. Worcester, Massachusetts.

Burial will be in the St. John’s Cemetery, Holy Cross section.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to
Shriners Burn Institute, 51 Blossom St. Boston, Ma. 02114.

Please view John's guest book at the link below:
https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/obituary/john-diggins

04/18/2026

Springfield, VT.

Claudia “Jane” Siddall, 79, of Springfield, VT, passed away surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, NH. She was born on November 6, 1946 in Trumbull, CT to Claude and Naomi (Lambert) Rice.

After high school Jane became an LPN, working at the Derby Nursing Home. Following her employment there she became very heavily involved in social work with the town of Springfield. She worked with DCF on the foster parent system. She would conduct classes for foster parent, help place children with families and put on Christmas parties for the families she worked with. She even helped to pass legislation in regard to the betterment of these programs.

She enjoyed over 53 years of marriage to Robert Siddall, before he passed away in 2018. In addition to loving and caring for others through her work, she also loved and cared very deeply for her family. They were her world. She had immense pride for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jane is survived by her children: Robert M. Siddall (Pamela) of Warren, CT, Rebecca L. Siddall of Seymour, CT, Kathryn L. Siddall of Lebanon, NH and Cristie M. Siddall (Craig) of Springfield, VT; her sister, Patricia Pjura (Mike) of Oxford, CT; her grandchildren: Victoria White, Ryan Siddall, Melanie Scott, Kayleigh Place, Emily Place, Lacey Nashawaty, Brianna Salo, Liam Salo, Ashley Neller and Taylor Kaplan; her great-grandchildren: Violet Lynch, Oaklyn Kaplan, Ryder Kaplan, Colby Neller and Colton Neller and her companion, Martin Bursque.

She is predeceased by her husband, her parents and her siblings: Judith O’Niel, David Rice and Daniel Rice.

A celebration of life will be announced in the fall.

Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, VT is assisting with the arrangements.

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/claudia-siddal

04/15/2026

Ludlow.
Helen Grace Bostock 75 died Tuesday April 14, 2026 at the Springfield Health & Rehab. Center. She was born January 22, 1951 in Fort Dix, New Jersey the daughter of Robert and Rose Marie (Slanetz) Short. She graduated Valedictorian from Leland & Gray High School in Townshend, Vt. class of 1969.

She married Paul B. Bostock on May 19, 1999 in Ludlow, Vermont.
Helen worked as an administrative assistant in the Insurance Industry. She also drove school bus in Cavendish, Vt, and worked in Elder Care in the area.

She enjoyed quilting and crocheting and loved her cats.
Helen is survived by her husband Paul B. Bostock, brothers-in-law Charles Bostock, John Bostock and Richard Bostock and sister-in-law Eleanor Norton and cousins.

She was predeceased by her parents and by her sister Constance Redford.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday April 30, 2026 at the Pleasantview Cemetery in Ludlow, Vt. Reverend Charles Bostock will officiate.

In lieu of flowers donation may be made to your local humane Society.

Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, Vt. is assisting with arrangements.

Please view Helen's guest book at the link below:
https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/obituary/helen-bostock

04/15/2026

Linda J. Parzych (Donais) 01/31/1949-04/10/2026

Our beloved mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and friend, passed unexpectedly, but welcomed whole heartedly into the Kingdom of Heaven on April 10th, 2026.

Born in Southbridge, MA, she was the eldest of 10 children of Edgar J. and Helen M. Donais (Breau). On November 24th, 1966, she married Robert A. Parzych of Sturbridge, MA and welcomed their first son, Robert Allen in 1967, followed by Toby Jonathan in 1970.

In 1977, the family relocated to Vermont, ultimately settling in Westminster, where she remained until her passing.

Linda was a woman of deep faith and spirituality. Well-read and curious, she devoted her life to the care of her family. Creative and thoughtful, loving and humorous, she always saw the best in everyone, and was truly happiest surrounded by her loved ones.

She was predeceased by her parents, husband Bob, son Toby, and brother Ed.

She leaves her loving son Rob (Stephen), daughter in law Christine (Ed), grandchildren Kate (Joe), and Ryan.

Her precious great-grandchildren Sky (Bonez), Soren (Star), Robyn and Rosalie, were a constant source of joy and pride.

Also left to remember her are Linda’s eight siblings; Nancy, Sandra, Dennis, Debra, David, Roger, Gary, and her “bestie,” baby sister Helen. Many cousins, nieces and nephews, friends, especially her pal Gela Watson, remain to remember her. Her favorite tv and cuddle buddy, family dog Bear, will surely miss her, too

In addition to her family, Linda loved a good yard sale or flea market. She would peruse a table or box of “junk” tirelessly, to the chagrin and light hearted impatience of her family. But she would find beautiful pieces of jewelry (rings were her favorite). Once home, she’d proudly show her treasures. “It was just a little dirty and needed some love. It’s sterling silver and it was only a dime!” Just one example of her love of a good deal.

Per Linda’s wishes, there will be no services. However, honoring the lessons and examples she lived by should act as a fitting tribute in honoring her memory. Be kind, forgive, have faith, practice peace, be honest, laugh, family first, work hard, enjoy nature, go for a walk, take a nap, read a book, eat well, drink water.

Psalm 62:1: “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.”

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/linda-parzych

04/13/2026

A graveside service for Judi Mills, who passed away, February 11, 2026 in North Carolina, will take place on Saturday, May 2 at 11AM in the Pleasantview Cemetery, Chester, VT.

Judith Benway Mills, 74, a resident of Ninety Six and devoted wife of Norman Mills, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at her home She was Born September 5, 1951, in Springfield, Vermont, she was the oldest daughter of Bertha Wheatley Benway and the late Ernest Benway of

04/11/2026

Diane Louise Albonizio of Londonderry, Vermont passed away at Springfield Hospital on April 9, 2026 after a long illness with lung disease.

Diane was born November 9, 1944 in Fort Riley, Kansas to Lloyd B. and Louise D. Copeland and was raised in Upper Saddle River, NJ. She attended local schools and received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH.

Diane met her husband Nicholas on a blind date at college. They were married on November 3, 1968 prior to Nick’s tour of duty in Vietnam. During that time, she was employed at Lederle Labs, Pearl River, NY as a tissue culture biologist.

Diane enjoyed golfing and attending to the flower gardens at the Bellows Falls Country Club. She was an accomplished rug ho**er, spent many hours solving mystery puzzles, reading spy/mystery novels, and enjoyed spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband Nicholas; two sons, Matthew of Littleton, NH and Mark (Noa) of Rochester, WA; sisters Joanne Barthman (Peter) and Carol Dietrich; stepsister Kathy Sgroi (Tony); sisters-in-law Carleen Farrell (Dan) and Marietta Stone Anastas; and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents and brother William Copeland.

Visitation will be at the Davis Memorial Chapel, Springfield, Vermont on Saturday, April 18th from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will follow at the American Legion Post 67, Chester, Vermont at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, Diane requested donations be made to Neighborhood Connections of Londonderry, Vermont.

Guestbook: https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/diane-albonizio

04/10/2026

James “Jim” Erwin Dunn.

James “Jim” Erwin Dunn, 82, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2026, at Tidewell Hospice in Port Charlotte, Florida, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 7, 1943, and lived a full and meaningful life devoted to family, service, work, and community.

Jim was the son of the late Edmund “Pat” Dunn and Viola Nelson Dunn and was raised in Springfield, Vermont. He was a proud graduate of Springfield High School, Class of 1961. Following graduation, Jim honorably served his country in the United States Navy from 1962 to 1966 during the Vietnam War.

After completing his military service, Jim returned to Springfield, where he built a long and successful professional career. He worked for several local companies, including Lovejoy Tools and Vermont Research, where he was employed for 24 years. He later joined Stryker Biotech, where he spent many years before retiring as Director of Global Expansion.

In addition to his corporate career, Jim was an entrepreneur. Alongside his late wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Davis Dunn, he co-founded and operated Bittersweet Antiques, a business they owned and ran together for more than 20 years.

Jim was deeply involved in his community. He was a longtime member of Crown Point Country Club, where he proudly served as President. He also volunteered his time with the Springfield Planning Commission before relocating to Lake Suzy, Florida with Sylvia Scofield Dunn, his beloved wife of 15 years, whom he had known since they were high school classmates. In his leisure time Jim enjoyed golfing, hunting, fishing, reading, and faithfully cheering on his beloved New England Patriots.

In addition to his parents and his late wife Betty, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Crawford Dunn, and his sister, Gail Dunn Stickney.

Jim is survived by his wife, Sylvia, his son, Patrick (Carol) Dunn, and his stepchildren Kimberly (Joe) Romo, Dawn (Jerry) Sundeen Hinson, Deborah (Scott) Cope, Kathleen (Bob Holshue) Fleck, Michael (Maribeth) Makela, Eric (Sondra) Ogden, Dawn (Bruce) Wallace, Jaime Ogden, and Mark (Nakita) Ogden, and his first wife, Judy Heald Brown. He also leaves behind 24 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim will be fondly remembered and deeply missed as a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and a good friend to many. His quiet leadership, strong work ethic, and generous spirit left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

A memorial mass will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Friday June 26, 2026 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Springfield, Vermont. Burial will follow in the Oakland Cemetery in Springfield.

04/10/2026

Springfield.

Gale S. Alger 81, passed away unexpectedly on April 4, 2026 at the Darthmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. She was born January 11, 1945 in Barton, Vermont to Ralph and Charlotte (Morse) Bishop.

Her family later moved to Springfield where she attended Springfield schools and graduated from Springfield High School in 1963.

On July 9th, 1966, Gale married Robert P. Alger in Springfield, Vermont where they continued to live and raise their son, Bobby. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this July.

Gale was employed as a real estate broker in the area for many years. She began her career in 1973. Gale built a reputation not just on closing deals but genuinely listening to people’s wants, needs and concerns and found so many people their homes. Long after contracts were signed and years had passed, people would come back to Gale for their next move.

She and Bob owned one of the most memorable restaurants in Springfield’s prime, The Gaslight. Many people have stories about their days or nights in the bar! Aside from selling real estate and owning the restaurant, Gale was a fixture at Crown Point Country Club. She was the one and only female president on their board of trustees and as of today, she is the longest serving restaurant manager. She wore many different hats at Crown Point. She gained many friends and extended family through these roles in her life. She was a mentor to many and her infectious smile and spirit lit up the room.

She is survived by her husband Robert, son Rober P. Alger Jr. (Lindsay), brother Donald Bishop (Jean) and sister Diana Brown, four grandchildren, niece Adrienne Bishop Phillips (Brent) and nephew M. Boyd Brown. She also had many nieces and nephews all over the country whom she adored.

She was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Charlotte Bishop, in laws, Jack and Tanya Alger, sister-in-law Jill Osbourne (Alger), brother-in-law Jack Alger Jr. and dear friend Richard Tracy, aka “Scummy.”

A celebration of life will be held at a later date at Crown Point Country Club.

Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, VT is assisting with the arrangements.

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/gale-alger

04/09/2026

Karen K. Neely, 85, passed away peacefully at Pine Heights in Brattleboro, VT on March 27, 2026.

Karen was born in Springfield, Vermont on September 2, 1940 to William and Beverly (Huntoon) Keith. She was raised in Londonderry and attended Chester High School. As a young adult she asked Jesus into her life and it remained important and sustained her throughout.

On October 6, 1956 Karen married Eugene “Sam” Hill and together they began their married life in Chester which would span 26 years. Karen and Sam became parents to four boys in seven years. They enjoyed snowmobiling and camping trips and as a couple took a trip to Germany and France. It was a memorable family life full of raucous boy stories that live on decades later.

Following the untimely death of Sam in 1983, Karen met Matthew Neely. They were married for 27 years. Together they enjoyed motorcycling through New England, building two new homes over the years, the beach, and entertaining family and friends at their home.

Always very connected to her church family Karen started a women’s bible study group in her home which grew and still meets today at the Renewed Life in Jesus Church.

Karen’s work life included jobs at Readex, The Chester Drug Store and The Vermont Country Store, where she also assisted founder Vrest Orton for a time. Karen also worked at The Old Tavern at Grafton, and as a private caregiver.

Karen is survived by her four sons; Andrew Hill (Mary), Keith Hill (Joyce), Timothy Hill (Stacey), and Jason Hill (Shayne). 11 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren. Stepchildren; Sandy Boegly, Phyllis Saltmer, Scott Neely, and Polly Neely. 5 Step-grandchildren. Sister Jeanie Petraska (Tom), as well as sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Karen was predeceased by her parents, husband Eugene Hill, husband Matthew Neely in 2011, her siblings; William Keith II, Sally Pajala, and James Keith. A niece Kolleen Keith, and nephew William J Keith.

A celebration of Karen’s life will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the Andover Community Church, 928 Weston-Andover Road, Andover VT.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Women of Revelation ℅ Renewed Life in Jesus Church, PO Box 352 Chester, VT 05143, or Valley Village Senior Living, 461 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT 05353.

Davis Memorial Chapel in Springfield, VT is assisting with the arrangements.

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/karen-neely

04/09/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Edward Patrick Smith, Jr., on April 5th, 2026. Ed was born in Philadelphia, PA, on May 28, 1950, to Edward P. Smith and Mary Agnes Nelson Smith Martin. He delighted in all things Philadelphia, from hoagies and scrapple to his beloved Eagles, Super Bowl champs! Ed attended St. Barnabus and West Catholic High School, crediting the nuns and brothers for giving him an excellent education along with hilarious stories to tell. He received his undergraduate degree at Long Island University-Brooklyn before heading back to Philadelphia to receive his doctorate from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. It was in Brooklyn where he met Claudia Hall, from Nebraska. They have been together ever since, marrying in 1974. In 1980 Ed, Claudia and their first child, Meghan, moved to Springfield, VT due to a shared love of the mountains and to begin his podiatry practice. Siobhan, Eamonn and Brendan soon joined their family. In 1980 Ed proudly gained surgical privileges at Springfield Hospital, the first podiatrist in Vermont to do so. He served as president of the Vermont Podiatric Medical Board for several terms, as well as holding other executive positions within the organization over the years. Ed was a member of OPEIU (Office and Professional Employees International Union), Local 45. He made many great friends during his tenure with the union and association with the AFL-CIO. He, working along with VPMA and OPEIU, was instrumental in getting the scope of medical practice expanded for podiatrists in Vermont. In 2019, after an illustrious career with many accomplishments along the way, Ed retired from his podiatry practice. He and Claudia loved to travel & were fortunate to have visited the Caribbean and Europe, Eastern Canada and the many locations where his children have lived! One of his passions was music, and he enjoyed collecting vintage guitars. He wondered often if selling his guitars way back when to pay for college textbooks was a wise decision! Prior to his passing, Ed spent his final days surrounded by his children and wife, enjoying a true Irish wake with lots of laughter, happy memories and stories, and even a martini.

Ed was predeceased by his parents, his stepfather, Gilbert “Reds” Martin, his older sister Maryanne Moore and her husband, James A. Moore, and his stepbrother, Donald Martin. Surviving him is his wife of 51.5 years, Claudia, his sister Regina ‘Jean’ Trout (Eddie) and stepsister, Gail Rabb (Bob), and his four children, his pride and joy, Meghan M. Smith of Chicago, Siobhan K. Smith of Costa Rica, Eamonn P. (Lindsay) Smith of Cross River, NY, and Brendan C. (Madeline) Smith of Whispering Pines, NC. Also surviving are his grandchildren, the absolute delights of his life, Rory and Calin Smith, and Greyson and Ellison Smith, and many nieces and nephews and dear friends.

Per Ed’s request, there will be no service or wake, but a family gathering will be held at a later date. Memorial donations in Ed’s honor can be made to Windsor County Youth Services (756 Main Street, PO Box 357, Proctorsville, VT 05249), or Springfield Humane Society (401 Skitchewaug Trail, Springfield, VT 05156)

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/edward-smith-jr

04/08/2026

On April 7, 2026, Ann Murphy Lawson joined her many loved ones who had gone before her.

Ann was born in a house across the street from the Church of the Annunciation in Ludlow, Vermont - the same church where she later married her husband of 50 years, Arnold Lawson. She first caught Arnold’s eye at the local “5₵ and 10₵” (now DJ’s Restaurant) while putting money into the jukebox, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Ann was one of five children born to Fern Balch Murphy and Thomas Murphy. She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters, Mary Kalinen and Helen Wheeler; and her brothers, John, Thomas, and Harry (“Buddy”) Murphy.

She loved to dance, make baskets, birdwatch and spend time watching YouTube videos about life in Vietnam. Ann cherished winters in Florida, but even more her return each spring to Vermont. She was deeply proud of her Irish heritage and her hometown of Ludlow. Ann lived the last few years in Massachusetts, but if “home is where the heart is,” her beautiful house on Bear Hill never stopped being home.

Ann’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her five children: Michael Lawson of Ludlow, VT; Jeanne Richards and her husband Chuck of Norwich, VT; Joan Harmon and her husband Hoby of Newfields, NH; Nancy Schrand and her husband David of Charlestown, RI; and Martha Lawson and her partner Robert Benoit of Haverhill, MA. She also leaves behind fourteen grandchildren, (Matthew, Jess, Seth, Ken, Katie, Molly, Anne, Meredith, Laura, Tom, Sheriden, Drew, Sam and George) seventeen great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Ann often said how fortunate she was to have such a large, wonderful family and that she got to know each and every one of her many grand and great grandchildren.

A funeral Mass will be held at the Church of the Annunciation in Ludlow, Vermont on Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 AM, followed by a private burial at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in support of Create Together at Fletcher Farm (https://createtogethervt.org/get-involved) or the Fletcher Memorial Library (https://www.fmlnews.org/donate.html).

https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/guestbook/ann-lawson