Distinguished stage director Edward Payson Call died at his home in Seattle on February 1, 2023. Ed had a long and prominent career in the theatre starting in New York in the late 1950’s where he stage managed on Broadway. In 1963 Ed was part of the inaugural artistic staff of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, working with famed director Dr. Tyrone Guthrie. After directing at the Guthrie and other regional theatres, Ed was hired as the founding Artistic Director of the Denver Center Theatre Company which opened in 1980. He led that company for five years.

In the 1990’s, he settled in Seattle but continued freelance directing and teaching in cities and universities across the country. He was passionate about introducing young people to Shakespeare, which led him to start the Young Shakespeare Workshop here in 1992. Ed created a free summer course for teens to study and perform sonnets, speeches and scenes.

Ed was brilliant, gifted, demanding, and loved the written word. His amazing productions on stages across the country thrilled thousands of audience members. Hundreds of actors, directors, theatre technicians and administrative staff have stories—some funny, some touching, all memorable— about Ed Call, the BFAD. Above all, he helped so many young people in our community kindle their own passion for the words and works of Shakespeare.

There will be a celebration of Ed’s life at his home on Saturday, February 11 at 2:00 pm. Memorials or donations may be made to the Stage Directors and Choreographers Emergency Assistance Fund.

“When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night.” William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Charles Kenneth “Ken” Burke, age 95, passed away peacefully on February 12, 2023 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on February 1, 1928 in Lowell, MA, son of the late Charles P. Burke and Alvina (Leblanc) Burke of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

Ken served in the US Army and was a WWII Veteran who served in Occupied Japan. He attended Springfield Technical High School and was a class agent and graduate of Williston Academy in 1946. He went on to graduate from St Michaels College. Ken was Co-Owner and Operator of the family business, Benton Park Package Store for many years before he retired in 2000.

Ken was a communicant of Holy Cross Church in Springfield. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council, the Springfield Lodge of Elks #61, Lions Club, a volunteer for the Springfield Association for Blind, and Springfield Sportsman’s Club. He was a member of the National Rifle Association, Pioneer Valley Radio Control Club and the Northern CT Radio Control Club. He shared his love of boating, sailing, skiing and ice skating with his five sons and they created very special memories together.

He is predeceased by his beloved wife Florence Ann (Grise) Burke who passed away in 2018 and also by his brothers James and Donald Burke. He is survived by his five sons, Charles K. Burke Jr and his wife Gwen of Springfield, Robert Burke and his wife Donna of Lyme, CT, Michael Burke and his wife Karla of Old Lyme, CT, James Burke and his wife Teresa of Huntington and Joseph Burke and his wife Gina of Feeding Hills; eight grandchildren, Nick Burke and his wife Julie, Kevin Burke and his wife Danielle, Michaelan Condon and her husband George, Kristen Burke, Chris Burke, Shannon Burke, Celina Burke and Matt Burke along with five beloved great grandchildren, Nolan, Emily and Lauren Burke, and Erin and Daniel Condon.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at the Grise Funeral Home, 280 Springfield St, Chicopee. A Funeral will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023 from 9:30 – 10:30 AM at the Grise Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Holy Cross Church at 11:00 AM with burial to follow in St Michael’s Cemetery, Springfield. Memorial contributions may be made to Baystate Hospice, 30 Capital Dr, West Springfield, MA, 01089.

James W. Curran, a resident of Stamford, VT for 87 years died on May 29, 2022 at the Vermont Veterans’ Home in Bennington, under the care and compassion of the VVH staff and the Bennington VNA Hospice. Jim was born in North Adams, MA on October 1,1927, the second of seven children born to William L. Curran, M.D. and Bernice Curran.

The family moved to Stamford, VT in 1935. There Jim learned to swim in the icy waters of the North Branch of the Hoosic River, went tobogganing and sledding on the country roads and gentle hills and skated on the small frozen natural ponds in town. He was given a basic introduction to farming as his physician father had a working farm with milking cows and other livestock.

He attended Stamford Elementary School and Drury High School. He was a graduate of Williston Academy in Easthampton, MA. Jim enlisted in the U.S. Army serving with the 25th Infantry, 35th Regiment. He was assigned as a military policeman in the city of Otsu during the occupation of Japan. He was honorably discharged following his service. He attended Champlain College in Plattsburgh, NY and later Denver University in Colorado. His favorite authors were Robert Service and Rudyard Kipling.

Jim was always interested in sports; he followed closely the teams of Northern and Southern Berkshire high schools.

As an employee of Petricca Industries in Pittsfield, MA for 37 years (retiring in 1992), he found many of his coworkers resided in the small towns surrounding Pittsfield so he became familiar with their families and kept track of those youngsters as well as the North Berkshire athletes.

Jim was an excellent skier. He was on the former Dutch Hill ski patrol and later directed the Dutch Hill Ski School on weekends. He also enjoyed golf, living three minutes from the Stamford Valley Golf Course. He always held an annual membership and enjoyed early morning tee times with his golf buddies. He golfed until age 87.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Rosemarie, and nine of their ten children; Maureen, Jim, Kathryn, Patricia, John and his wife Cindy, Susan and her husband Jonathan, Jennifer, Robert and his wife Erin, and Neil. Their daughter Andrea died in 1983. He leaves 14 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are two sisters, Sally Smith and Sandy Johnson. His brothers, William L. Curran, Jr. M.D. and Edward A. Curran and his sisters, Marijane Green and Catherine (Nan) Sanford are deceased. He also leaves many nieces, nephews and cousins.

There are no visiting hours. A memorial service will take place at the convenience of the family.

“Monadnock is a mountain strong, Tall and good my kind among; But well I know, no mountain can, Zion or Meru, measure with man.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Roy Kingsbury Piper, 93, of Keene, NH and the last surviving grandchild of Harry T. Kingsbury, passed away peacefully on Aug, 18, 2021, supported by his loving wife. Roy was born on April 12, 1928, in Keene, the son of the late Allison Nims and Lucy Friend (Kingsbury) Piper. He completed his high school education at the Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass., and received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Brown University. Following college, Roy joined the U.S. Army and served in the Army Corps of Engineers in the Philippines during the Korean War. After his military duties, Roy was employed by Aero Services Corp. (Philadelphia), which sent him around the United States mapping the Interstate Highway System. While working in New Jersey, he met and married his wife, Anne, with whom he built a house in Keene and celebrated 65 years together. The opportunity to purchase a land surveying business allowed Roy to return home, work in the outdoors which he loved, and pursue a career in which he excelled and was highly respected. He was an active member of the community, and of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Keene. He served on the church’s board and, for many years, sang in the church choir and with the Keene Barber Shoppers. He was a multi-gallon blood donor, had been a member of the Keene Country Club and served six years on Keene’s Conservation Commission. He was also a member of the New Hampshire Poetry Society, and published a collection of his work titled “Eternity Lost and Other Poems.” A true New Englander, Roy loved cross-country skiing, summers swimming and canoeing on Spofford Lake and gardening in the backyard. He was an avid runner, who also enjoyed Dixieland jazz and attending the opera. But most of all he loved time with his family. Roy will be greatly missed by his devoted wife, Anne Piper, of Keene; his children: Jon Kingsbury Piper ’75 and his wife, Beth, of North Newton, Kan.; Stephen Roy Piper and his wife, Susan, of Dover; and Kathrine Anne Piper and her husband, Chad Swahnberg, of Keene; a son-in-law, John Miglietta; his grandchildren: Joshua and his wife, Ashley; Emily and her husband, Matthew; Samuel; James and his wife, Hannah; Thomas and his fiancee, Kylie; Aaron; and Lily; his great-grandchildren, Theo and Wilona; as well as many nieces, nephews, distant cousins, and extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his daughter, Leslie Allison Miglietta; and his siblings: David Piper and his wife, Dorothy; Margaret Hanrahan and her husband, Charles; and Nancy Murray and her husband, James. Memorial contributions may be made in Roy Kingsbury Piper’s honor to: Monadnock Conservancy, 15 Eagle Court, Keene NH 03431 (www.monadnockconservancy.org); or Home Healthcare, Hospice and Community Services, P.O. Box 564, 312 Marlboro St., Keene NH 03431 (www.HCSServices.org). A celebration of Roy’s life will be announced at a later date.

David Whitman Hepworth, of Thornton, NH, died at home on April 10, 2021, at the age of 92 from COVID-19 complications. David was predeceased by his wife Keren whom he shared marriage with for 60 years.
David is survived by his daughter Susan and her husband David Bunker, three grandsons, Jeffrey, Christopher and Neil Bunker; great-grandsons, Noah and Atlas Bunker; and great-granddaughter Clara Jane Bunker. David was the son of Archibald Hepworth, who spent a 47-year career (1926 – 1973) first at Williston Academy and then Williston Northampton School, serving as a history teacher, coach, and Dean of Students.
David and Keren lived the last 22 years at Owls Nest Golf course resort where they thoroughly enjoyed all the wonderful outdoor activities and socializing at the club. In his latter years, David enjoyed spending his time at the driving range, with just a small bucket of balls and hitting the course when his daughter and son-in-law joined him. Until COVID-19, David also spent his days playing bridge with his friends at their homes and also at the Plymouth Senior Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Pemi-Baker Community Health, 101 Boulder Point Drive, Plymouth, NH 03264.
A celebration of life will be planned at Owls Nest once COVID-19 concerns subside.