Philip C. Viscidi Jr. left the world shortly after his 74th birthday on September 24, 2021, survived by his loving wife, two children, three siblings, and a grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents Rose and Phil. A hero to both his children, Phil was a family man guided by sound principles and good morals. Contemplative and responsible, his strong sense of right and wrong can be equally attributed to the influence of his father and the honorable Judge Judy. He tackled life’s challenges with determination and vigor. Volunteering as a coach, advocating for liberal justice, and working as a mentor to all who asked, Phil assertively supported those around him. His presence will be missed, but his spirit will live on in the many who he inspired. In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations be given in his name to his childhood school, the Williston Northampton School, or to the Viscidi Family Scholarship Fund he proudly established at the College of Charleston.

David Walter Garrett, 78, of Charlotte, VT, died unexpectedly on August 17, 2021 from heart failure brought on by a breakthrough COVID infection. Though tragic, it was as he would have wanted it: over in an instant, at the end of a perfect Vermont summer day, at his home of four decades, the historic Cedar Farm, on Thompson’s Point in Charlotte.

A woodsman, artist, investment manager, entrepreneur and hotelier, he had extraordinary creativity and vision. Across all his endeavors, things that seemed impossible regularly came to be real – from a cabin deep in the Adirondacks that he built by hand, to a boutique hotel company that set new standards for ultra-luxury accommodation and historic preservation.

David was one of the most experienced developers of small, high-end hotels in the world – a credential he earned after years as a successful investment banker. His hotel career began in the 1980s, with the purchase and rejuvenation of an old Rockefeller Great Camp on Upper Saranac Lake, NY, known as The Point. The hotel became one of the most lauded luxury properties in the country, and led to the purchase of other historic hotels that commanded high room rates and delivered incomparable services to guests.

David and his wife Christie ran the properties under the banner of Garrett Hotel Group, which at one point comprised The Point and The Lake Placid Lodge in the Adirondacks, The Wilcox in Aiken, SC, and The Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe, NM. David was also instrumental in the creation of Twin Farms in Barnard, VT, and advised on other properties. Over the years, David served as North American president of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hotel association and on its international board of directors.

He helped invigorate the boutique hotel movement in the U.S. and inspire a renaissance of all things Adirondack. Himself a master woodworker, he tapped into the Adirondack style of “rustic elegance” – a phrase he used often – and enlisted local craftspeople to build pieces for the hotels. He also made many pieces himself – from enormous twigged credenzas to wine cellars bedecked in branches. David’s works remain on display in his most recent hotel project, The Ivy, in Baltimore, MD; in the barn he turned into an office in Charlotte, VT; and on his website, Corkiture.com – named for his early fascination with using corks in his furniture making.

David Garrett was born in New York City on Dec. 12, 1942 and grew up with his older brother, Daniel, in Scarborough, NY. His parents, Daniel N. Garrett and Louise Benson Garrett, were transplanted Southerners, and David nurtured a lifelong fascination with the South and family genealogy, tracing Garretts and Bensons back centuries and often paying unannounced visits to distant relatives in his many travels.

As a boy, David was drawn to the woods and fascinated by the television show, Daniel Boone, impressed by the depiction of warm family life in a log cabin, with wild adventure all around.

He attended The Williston Northampton School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A devoted Tar Heels fan, hardly anything could get between him and a Carolina basketball game. At Chapel Hill, his independent streak and passion for the woods were on full display: he skipped the dorms and lived in a log cabin.

After college, while living in New York and working at his father’s printing business, he met his wife, Christie Coursen, then a flight attendant for TWA. The two would soon have their first of three daughters while spending a year in Paris.

During this time David made two key moves that would shape the course of his life. The first was to purchase 165 acres in the Adirondacks in 1967 and begin carrying out his dream of a cabin in the woods. He built the cabin on high ground above a still pond, surrounded by ancient wooded state land. He spent the next 54 years expanding and improving the cabin, making it his sanctuary and family retreat. All important life decisions, he’d say, were made at the cabin.

The other key path David took was to begin working as an investment banker. The work suited his tolerance for risk, clear-minded decision-making, and keen sense of a good bet. He was a broker at Moseley, Hallgarten Estabrook & Weeden, and later First Albany, managing offices in Cambridge, MA and Burlington, VT. In the early 1980s, David also helped the Vermont Teddy Bear Company go from a small pushcart to a booming Bear-Gram business that continues today.

In 2008, David and Christie started Garrett Hotel Consulting, where they worked with clients on the development and management of properties around the country.

David is survived by his wife of 53 years, Christie of Charlotte; daughter Erin Garrett-Metz and her husband Andrew Metz and three children Lydia, Daniel and Miriam of Manchester by the Sea, MA; daughter Moriah Garrett ’95 and her husband Rob Arthur and three children, Samuel, Elouise and Olive of Baltimore, MD; and daughter Caitrin Garrett of Burlington, VT.

Dr. Stephan L. Hatch, 80, of Holiday, Florida, passed away after a brief illness at the Medical Center of Trinity in Trinity, Florida, with his three children present on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. He was born in Stoneham, Mass. on Feb. 14, 1941, and raised in Melrose, Mass. He graduated from the Williston Northampton School, Harvard University, and the University of Pennsylvania Dental School. He lived in Bridgton, Maine, for over 45 years, where he had his long-running dental practice, before moving to Holiday. He enjoyed coaching his children’s teams in their younger years and attending as many of their games as possible when they were older. He also enjoyed swimming, boating, gardening and traveling. He was not afraid to try new things and encouraged others to do the same. He was always willing to lend a helping hand. His sense of humor and big heart will be remembered by all who knew him. Steve is survived by his daughter Jennifer ’88 of Woodstock, Vt., his son Stephan ’89 and wife Katy of Lexington, Mass., and his son Matthew ’90 and wife Terri of Olathe, Kan.; siblings Vicki and Chris; and grandchildren Andrew, Lily, Hannah, Camdyn, Finn, Ethan, Eve and Sam. He was preceded in death by his parents Mabel and Theron Hatch II; his sibling Theron Hatch III; and his wife Deborah. A memorial service will be held in May 2022 in Bridgton.

Arthur Kaiser, loving husband and father, unfortunately passed away suddenly in Kennett Square on July 1, 2021. Art was born in Brooklyn NY, November 27, 1943, the oldest of five children; four boys and one girl. His father was an attorney who graduated from Columbia Law School and his mother graduated from Hunter College with a degree in math. As the family grew, they moved from Brooklyn to the North Shore of Long Island. From an early age Art played sports. He played doubles tennis with his father as well as playing baseball and squash.
Art graduated from Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA followed by Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT where he majored in European History and was captain of the squash team. After college, Art began an MBA program at Columbia University, but left before graduating to join the US Army where he served in Vietnam as a First Lieutenant. He tried love a second time when he met Connie Lotz in 1984. They met on a Appalachian Mountain Club cross-country ski trip in Vermont through a friend of Connie’s who was Art’s rock climbing partner. Art always said he was attracted to the red sweater Connie was wearing. Connie was attracted to his sweet demeanor and cute face. Her only concern at the time was that he was at least 35 years old. Lucky for both of them he was forty! They married in June 1985 and in 1986 their son Gavin Lotz Kaiser was born. After the military, Art worked as a lending officer in a bank and later joined the staff at his family’s store, Kaiser’s Men’s Apparel in Greenwich Village New York, where he worked until 1989. Together Art and Connie moved to Powelton Village in Philadelphia. The neighborhood’s close proximity to 30th Street Train Station enabled Art to commute to New York and Connie to her office in West Philly.
Art loved being a father. In an attempt to calm baby Gavin and reclaim sleep, Art would try anything including browsing the “colicky baby” shelves at the NYC Tower Records store. As Gavin grew, it was clear that Art’s love of sports and fierce competition was visible in Gavin. Art loved coaching Gavin’s baseball and soccer teams. He loved coaching and interacting with his young pupils. One of his favorite coaching sessions was when he held a parents versus players’ game. Middle and High School ended Art’s sports coaching career, but he continued attending all of Gavin’s baseball, soccer, lacrosse and basketball games. In addition to coaching sports, Art taught Gavin how to drive stick shift in Kennett Square with only one casualty the mailbox. He was a terrific father who loved to share his love of the outdoors with his family. These included planning extreme trips to the Alaska frontier and mountains of Maine. Later in life he made multiple pilgrimages to the Everglades, surviving with little more than his kayak, map and compass. While Art majored in European history in college it turned out that his real love was finance. He read voraciously to understand what was happening in the world, which he felt was crucial to making informed decisions. His curiosity of the world enabled him to connect with anyone. Art loved to travel and hike. His favorite trips were always with Connie and included Big Bend National Park, Canadian Rockies, Namibia and Botswana. In addition, Art admittedly took too frequent of trips to his favorite store for free samples and bulk purchases, Costco. His favorite Costco items were the rotisserie chickens and Aussie Bites.
Art is preceded in death by his brother Jonathan Kaiser (Blair). He is survived by his loving wife, Connie Lotz; son, Gavin Lotz Kaiser (Ashley); a sister, Katha Clark (Ted); two brothers: Steven Kaiser (Jennifer) and William Kaiser; two nieces and two nephews. Art will be dearly missed. To those who knew him well, he will always be remembered as adventurous, athletic and curious.
The memorial service will be held at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, 830 Highland Rd. Newtown, PA 18940 on Monday, August 2, 2021 at 11:15 sharp, it’s the military. A luncheon will be held immediately following the service. We appreciate all your kind thoughts; they bring great comfort to us. Should friends desire; contributions in memory of Art may be sent to Powelton Village Civic Assoc. PO Box 7616 Philadelphia, PA 19101-7616

John P. Spare, age 78, passed away peacefully, on Sunday, August 1, 2021. He is survived by his daughter, Catherine Spare; brother, Stephen Spare, M.D.; nephew, Alex (Keely) Spare; and niece, Jenney (David) Gillikin.
John was born in Rochester, NY and was the son of Raymond and Pauline (Paulson) Spare. He was a graduate of Williston Academy in Massachusetts and attended Upper Canada College. John earned a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and a master’s degree from RIT. He served with the Peace Corps in El Salvador for two years. John developed and operated the Hotel Galapagos on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos for several years. He owned and operated Sparetime Travel in Canandaigua for many years. Singing was a major activity for John. He sang in the First Congregational Church choir, Rochester Voice Squad, Finger Lakes Chorale and participated in many theatrical productions, including some solo shows. John was the master of ceremony for Canandaigua’s July 4th Parade. He was a member of the Lakeland Rovers, a local hiking club. John was a loyal and active member of the Canandaigua Rotary Club and received multiple Paul Harris awards. He had perfect attendance at Rotary for 45 years.
John’s family would like to extend special thanks to Sarah Hamlin (family member) for the excellent care she provided to him.
His memorial service will be held Monday, August 9, at 10 am, at the First Congregational Church, 58 N. Main St., Canandaigua. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery, Canandaigua. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 435 E. Henrietta Rd., Rochester, NY 14620 or Canandaigua Rotary Service Foundation, P.O. Box 671, Canandaigua, NY 14424.

Emmett Richard Harmon was born on March 27, 1944, in Monrovia, Liberia, the first child of Ambassador Emmett Lafayette Harmon and Irene Malvina Wiles. As a boy, Emmett was bright and athletic and excelled in most all endeavors he engaged in. When Emmett was 8 years old, he was enrolled at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St. Gallen, Switzerland. When Emmett arrived in St. Gallen, he did not speak German. That soon changed and ultimately, Emmett became a polyglot speaking French, English, and German fluently, while also being conversant in Italian and Romansh. While in boarding school Emmett would split his summers with his friends from boarding school in Germany and with his family at home in Monrovia. Emmett maintained his relationships with his boarding school friends for over 65 years as they held bi-annual reunions throughout Europe that Emmett still regularly attended; he had recently traveled with his son Michael to France for a reunion. As a child, when Emmett would return to Liberia, he would spend time with his cousins, who were like his brothers and sisters. There was a large group of cousins from the Wiles family that stayed at the house of Richard and Mae Wiles at 99 Broad Street in Monrovia, Liberia. Emmett would spend his time at home from boarding school with his cousins, Maakai, Neshee, and Myrna, who were like sisters to Emmett. Emmett also grew up with the children of his uncle and aunt, Ambassador George Padmore and the Ambassador’s wife Mai Padmore, Arthur, Edward, Gerald, Ronnie and James. Emmett was very close to the Padmore boys and they grew up as brothers. Although a few years younger, Emmett was fond of his cousins Mimah and Bill and their dear father Uncle Pipi, who served as Liberian Ambassador to the Court of St. James (UK) where Emmett would spend holidays as a boy. Emmett and his cousins founded their social group, The Literary Club, in Monrovia and lived a jet-setting life style between the U.S., Europe, Liberia and Africa’s west coast during the 1950s and 1960s. Upon graduating from boarding school, Emmett followed his cousins Arthur and Gerald Padmore and moved to the United States and enrolled as a post graduate student at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, where he played soccer and prepared to take American college entry exams. Emmett was an active member of the Williston Northampton alumni community and regularly donated and kept up with developments at the school. Upon completion of his post graduate year at Williston Northampton, Emmett enrolled at Columbia University in New York, New York where he received his bachelor’s degree. Emmett’s children fondly remember their father singing the Columbia University Fight Song, “We Are the Stuff (AKA “Who Owns New York”)” in his baritone. Coincidentally, “Stuff” is a nickname that Emmett’s cousins Arthur and Gerald lovingly used to refer to him. In May 1967, Emmett was introduced to Cecily Judith Sawyer at the wedding reception of his cousin Pitman Harmon to Cecily’s college mate and dear friend Jackie Hardaway. Emmett and Cecily married in 1970 in New York before returning to Monrovia to raise a family. Emmett and Cecily ultimately had three sons, Michael Emmett, Kiadii Hale, and Lami Matthew. Michael was born in Liberia while Kiadii and Lami were born in the United States. Upon moving back to the United States in 1973, Emmett began working at Simplicity Patterns as a sales representative covering the Mid-Atlantic states. Emmett and Cecily always planned to return home to Liberia and during Christmas of 1979 they returned to Liberia with their sons Michael and Kiadii. In April of 1980 there was a coup in Liberia. Emmett and Cecily returned to the United States and their home in Delaware became a haven to many Liberian family members. Several years later, Emmett was offered a position in Financial Services with Wilmington Trust in their Corporate Client Services division as an assistant vice-president. He was the first person of color hired as an assistant vice-president at Wilmington Trust. Twenty-five years later, Emmett was named the Managing Director of Wilmington Trust Europe and expanded Wilmington Trust’s business to the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, and throughout Europe while also establishing and forming Wilmington Trust’s office in London, United Kingdom. Emmett was regarded by his professional colleagues as a gentleman who did not need the spotlight to shine on him and as someone who was dedicated to helping younger professionals advance their careers. Outside of work, Emmett was an avid athlete well into his 70s, until his sight began to fail him. He was a regular at the Rodney Street Tennis Courts in Wilmington, Delaware and at the Brandywine Racquet Club in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was also a youth coach for all of his sons in soccer and was a ski instructor at a local ski mountain in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Ever the devoted father, Emmett also instilled his athleticism in his children. He could regularly be found with his sons at the park, playing soccer, tennis, lacrosse and basketball, often all of those sports in the same day. Emmett was also a known and regular entity on the sidelines of The Tatnall School in Greenville, Delaware, from the 1990s through the aughts watching his sons compete and succeed in sport for the Tatnall Hornets. Emmett also took great pride in being on the sidelines of the University of Denver Pioneers soccer team, watching his son Lami excel at the sport that was also Emmett’s first athletic passion. Emmett was also a gourmand and his life experiences and travel afforded him the opportunity to sample some of the finest foods and wines the world has to offer. Emmett translated this experience into the kitchen himself as an excellent cook and he taught each of his sons their culinary skills. Additionally, Emmett was an avid skier ever since his days in boarding school in Switzerland. Emmett taught all of his sons to ski from a young age and it was an activity Emmett engaged in for over 70 years. He took his family all over the world to ski, whether Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol, Aspen Mountain in the Colorado Rockies or Val D’Isere in the French Alps, Emmett was at his happiest on the piste with his family. In addition to being a role model for his sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, Emmett was the senior statesman for the Harmon family and had served as the Chairman of the Harmon Family Reunion Committee. Along with his talented cousins, Emmett was instrumental in planning and organizing the Harmon family reunions. He was a primary source for understanding and explaining the Liberian socio-political environment and the Harmon family’s historical and significant role in Liberian society and history. Emmett’s father was an Ambassador for the nation of Liberia, his maternal grandfather Richard Wiles was Speaker of the Liberian House, his paternal grandfather Hale Lafayette Harmon was a Liberian Senator from Grand Bassa County and a senior Liberian diplomat who had an audience with Queen Victoria, his paternal great grandfather Samuel George Harmon was the Vice-President of Liberia, and Emmett’s uncle Louis Arthur Grimes was the Chief Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court. Emmett spent his formative years listening to and learning from his family who held a number of prominent positions in Liberian government and society. It was primarily via Emmett’s oration that many of us learned the stories of our relatives or the intricacies of the Liberian Constitution of 1986, or the impact of the 1765 Stamp Act on the formation of the United States, or the myriad topics which Emmett had an expert level of knowledge of. He was a stalwart example of intellectualism, self-reliance and positivism. Emmett was a voracious reader and had a quiet countenance that belied the vastness and depth of his knowledge which was complemented by his ability to teach and share that knowledge. Emmett was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by a host of loving family including his ex-wife: Cecily Sawyer Harmon. His sons and daughters-in-law: Michael Emmett Sawyer Harmon (Annie Elizabeth Hellerstein Harmon), Kiadii Hale Sawyer Harmon (Mary Kathryn (Kate) Hodges Harmon), and Lami Matthew Sawyer Harmon. His grandchildren: Edina Rose Harmon, Emm Charlie Harmon, Eliana Mae Harmon, and Lafayette Kateswill Harmon. His sisters: Jewel Harmon, Esquire, Mariet Harmon, and Dr. Ruby Harmon. And a multitude of cousins, nieces and nephews that formed the core of Emmett’s life. Dad, Grandad, Grandaddy, Cousin Emmett, Uncle Emmett, Mr. Harmon or just Emmett he was loved, respected and he lived a full life that has inspired his family members to love one another, be kind, and live our best lives. He will be missed and remembered. A celebration of Emmett’s life will be held on Saturday, July 10th 2021 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church Newark, DE 19711. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church Discretionary Fund which can be located at the following website. www.stthomasnewarkde.church

David Howells, III, 72, passed away suddenly on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Born in Troy, NY, he was the son of the late David Howells II and Elizabeth McBride Howells. He was a graduate of Williston Academy in Northampton Massachusetts, St. Lawrence University, and the University of Albany. He was a longtime resident of Niskayuna, NY. David was married for 47 years to Janice Mazzochi Howells. He is survived by their two sons Brian D. Howells (wife Laura) of Milton, MA and Derek M. Howells (wife Kate) of Millersville, MD; his beloved grandchildren Evelyn, Sydney, Caden, and Hadley; and his sister Lynda B. Howells (wife Claire) of Randolph Center, VT. David worked as a planner, project team member, and grantsman for the Eddy Health Heath System in Albany, NY. He most recently served as the Director of Planning for Northeast Health. Concurrent to his planning duties, David held numerous positions in operations as the administrator of the Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center, Director of the Home Aide Services of Eastern New York, and Senior Planner for the Eddy PACE Program as well as numerous Eddy Visiting Nurse Association programs. He enjoyed skiing, golf, and classic cars. He was a member of the Porsche Club of America. Following his nearly 40 years of supporting the Eddy / Northeast Health / St. Peter’s Health Partners growth, David joined the Board of Directors of the Albany Guardian Society, a program to foster all aspects of an age-friendly community. Private services will be held for the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in David’s memory to: Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center, Resident Activity Fund, at 2256 Burdett Ave., Troy, NY 12180 or The Albany Guardian Society’s educational programs, 14 Corporate Woods Blvd., Suite 102, Albany, NY 12211.

John Konheim passed away on Sunday, May 30, 2021, the day before Memorial Day, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the age of 78. John was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bud, and by his wife Lynne (Taylor) Konheim, and his wife Jane (Sampson) Konheim. He is survived by his partner-in-life Anne Ekstrom, his dear family-by-choice Michelle Wood and her children, his loving sisters Barbara Kolb and Jane Kasov and his loving niece and nephews and their families and by certain people he regarded as family. John was generous in his love and concern for others. Throughout his life he collected people in a loving embrace. He did everything he could to aid or befriend them, and the people who were closest to him had that quality too.

He was given a good start in life by parents he always greatly admired, learned to achieve just by being one of four children in a home that was a busy hub, and was given a fine academic and spiritual education at Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts. He explored New York City when he was on vacation from Williston, mingling with and getting to know the work of all the many people who interested him.

He began to draw quick sketches with a Rapidograph pen, in art class. Soon he could quick-sketch entire scenes such as weddings or buildings such as a Japanese temple. (Visit konheim-art.com for a gallery of sketches from all over the world and his artist autobiography.) Fifty years later he could be seen amiably and routinely sketching folks in their friendship or family groups on a local Florida beach, or, now as a tourist, sitting and sketching the street scene in Saigon where children gathered round to see him work.

For college he chose a New York school, Columbia, his father’s alma mater, and studied while pursuing a wide variety of interests or working. John often drove a cab, once in a blizzard when there were no cabs out at all, he proudly told a nephew. An activist for student social rights at Columbia, he got coverage from Gael Greene of the “Times.” In his travels abroad in the Sixties, he acted boldly in Berlin when he saw help was needed to get friends out to the West. John was not risk averse when it came to stepping in quickly to help and often achieved dramatic successes.

In 1968, a few years after graduation, he joined the Army, went through training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and completed a tour of duty in Vietnam. Already proficient in French, he applied himself now to acquiring Vietnamese language and dialect quickly and ultimately got to interview Montagnard children and record their music near where he was stationed. He also made audiotapes of battles, (for example: YouTube – Konheim – Vietnam Battle Field Audio November 1969). He and Lynne (Taylor) announced their engagement via a joint audiotape from Vietnam and Michigan, which they sent to parents and family around the U.S.

John lived in Columbus, Ohio and worked as an insurance broker/agent for many years. It was a great job for him, involving assessing risk and helping people. For fun, he and Lynne belonged to a friendship group that took lessons in social dancing at their gatherings. They also invited people onto their houseboat on the long, narrow reservoir near their home. They were deeply connected to Lynne’s family as well as his over the years.

As volunteers in Columbus, Ohio he and his wife hosted opera singers from all over who were engaged for rehearsals and performances in Columbus. As part of their hosting foreign economic visitors to Columbus, they visited Cuba with an economic mission from Columbus. On their last day in Havana, John was detained for sketching his hotel, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Luckily, he found a business card in his pocket (from a finance minister he’d just met with) to show the police, and they then whisked him out of jail in time to make the plane home. Lynne and John continued to take foreign trips accepting the risks that go with it.

When John lost his first wife, he was brought low but did not give up on life. In time, he met Jane. They celebrated their wedding with a crowd of friends and family on board a ferry that picked them up from their dock, cruised the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale, and at the end of the evening started to catch on fire a little bit. But all was well; he and Jane had many happy years together and moved permanently to Fort Lauderdale. He embraced her family, and she embraced his wide circle of friends in Fort Lauderdale and Columbus as well as his siblings and families. Together they created art, exhibiting with art societies in Columbus and Fort Lauderdale. Jane did a fine painting of John’s beloved cat Cristal, a beautiful white cat, smart enough to learn to ride on John’s bike to the delight of onlookers as John rode daily around Fort Lauderdale.

John found himself bereft when Jane passed away suddenly. His ability to move forward and reclaim life was never more striking than in these years. With time, he went out and about. He served as president of his co-op organization, worked at his insurance business innovating a way to do health insurance economically for the buyer. He joined Single Sailors and met Anne Ekstrom, who served as Vice Commodore of the sailing association. She was an inspiration to him. John and she found new happiness together. They traveled to Italy; they went on a cruise to Colombia. John bought a sailboat and daringly sailed it up from Miami running aground along the way. After that he worked on it till both he (the captain) and the boat’s auxiliary electric motor were shaped up and ready to go out through the Intracoastal and into the ocean, and, of course, guests could come aboard.

As John grew older, he found a way to connect with his much older brother Bud: He called him every day to talk. Bud said at lunch with a cousin a few years ago that he found John’s loyalty remarkable and moving. For John there were no tests to meet when it came to love. There was only love. As his sister Barbara said of him, John made the world a better place because he lived in it.

Walter Gardner Russell, age 73, of Biloxi, Miss., passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021. Walter was born on April 7, 1947, in Springfield, Mass. He obtained a bachelor degree from UMass Amherst. He was Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals for Peru, N.Y., and was a member of the Knight of Columbus. He was the Regional Director of the United Cerebral Palsy of the North Country. He was also the Director of Training at TW Express. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an Instructor Pilot, Squadron Commander and retired as Major. While serving in the Air Force he was awarded with Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Meritorious Service Medal. Walter was an avid dog lover. He enjoyed golfing, swimming and loved the NY Giants. He attended Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass., where he was a first-round inductee into their sports hall of fame for being a team member of the undefeated boy’s football team in 1963. He is preceded in death by his parents, Aldea Russell and Leo Russell. Survivors include his spouse, Janet Russell; daughter, Noelle Russell Sanger; son-in-law, Luke Sanger; grandchildren, Felicity and Morgan Sanger; and pet, Mr. Puggers. Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue in Biloxi at 1:30 p.m. Friends may visit from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The funeral service will be livestreamed on Facebook under Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. Interment will follow at Biloxi National Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.