Domenica Margaret Spinelli Duprey ’48

Domenica Margaret Duprey, 100, formerly of Cedar St., Northampton, MA, died May 15, 2020 at the Elaine Center in Hadley. She was born in Northampton on May 8, 1920, the daughter of the late Nicola and Frances (Capadice) Spinelli. She grew up on Market St. and went to Bridge St. School. She attended the Northampton School for Girls, Northampton Community Commercial College, and Holyoke and Greenfield Community Colleges.

In 1937 she went to work at McCallum’s Hosiery Company for four years. She was a WAC in the United States Army during WWII. Domenica was a Medical Aidman who worked in the surgical ward as a Nurse’s Assistant until discharged in 1946. In 1949 she married her husband of 48 years, Louis F. Duprey. Domenica later worked at the Northampton State Hospital until 1968. She worked as a Book Keeper for the University of Massachusetts until retiring in 1983. She enjoyed sewing and crocheting. Domenica and Louis loved to travel to Cape Cod in the summer.

She was predeceased by her husband Louis, her daughter Donna Duprey and her sisters Mary Isaacson and Ann Goodhind. Domenica leaves her son Gary Duprey of Northampton and Nicholas Duprey of Easthampton, her brother Vito Spinelli, grandchildren Spencer, Peter and Alicia, and great grandchildren Gabriel, Lucas and Madilyn. The family would like to give a special thanks to the staff at Elaine Manor who, over these past 10 years, took such great care of “Minnie”.

The funeral and burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery will be private. Czelusniak Funeral Home is in charge.

Alexander Dawson Henderson III ’44

Alexander Dawson Henderson III, age 96, passed away peacefully in his home in Carmel Valley on May 12, 2020.
He was born in New York City on March 26, 1924. After graduating from Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts, he joined the U.S. Army in 1943. After the war, using the G.I. Bill, he went to college and graduated from San Jose State University in 1950. Soon after college, he moved to Pompano Beach, Florida, and created the Gold Coast Finance Company to provide credit to middle-income consumers. He purchased farmland in Fresno, Madera, and Bakersfield, CA. He grew almonds, apples, and kiwifruit. He was the owner of racehorses, including “Kiwi Mint” that in 1992, won the Rockingham Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Rockingham Park. In 1997, he and his wife Madonna moved to Carmel Valley, CA.
Mr. Henderson was an active member of his community, participating in bridge, tennis, and golf. In 2008, he earned enough Masterpoints to win the title of “Life Master” from the American Contract Bridge League.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Madonna (Donna) Marie Schaffner, and his five children, Dawson (Sharon), Greg (Louise), David (Lindsey), Scott (Sandra), and daughter, Holly (Bijan) from a previous marriage to Patricia Ford Crass; and his brother A. Douglas Henderson. He is also survived by ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, all living in the California bay area.
He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. A family memorial will be held at a future date. Special thanks to Visionary Health Care Services and VNA Hospice that took such good care of him. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the VNA Hospice (www.ccvna.com) or the SPCA for Monterey (www.spcamc.org).

Agkarajit “Peter” Panomwon na Ayutthaya ’75

Agkarajit “Peter” Panomwon na Ayutthaya died unexpectedly on Friday morning, May 8, 2020 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Consul Agkarajit was the Honorary Consul of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of the Philippines to the Upper North of Thailand from 2014 to 2019.

Consul Agkarajit was a member of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Thailand. He was a descendant of King Rama 2. Royal flames which will be used for his cremation will be flown from Bangkok.

His wake is being held at Wat Pa Phaeng in their newly built funeral viewing/prayer rooms. Cremation will be on Tuesday, May 12.

The Consul Corps of Chiang Mai paid their respects to the late Agkarajit Phanomvan Na Ayudhya, former Honorary Consul of the Republic of the Philippines, Upper Northern Thailand.

Robert W. Graham ’56

Jackson, Wyoming resident Robert “Bob” Graham died peacefully March 19, 2020 at his home with his wife, Karen, and their dog, Luna, by his side. He was 84.

Bob’s love for Jackson was limitless, and his legacy of service and generosity will forever be imprinted on this community. Bob started his career in Jackson in 1970 working at the Crystal Springs Hotel and later transitioned into real estate by starting a property management company in 1972 called Underground, Inc., which later became Real Estate of Jackson Hole. After the sale of Real Estate of Jackson Hole, Bob went on to be one of the founders of Jackson Hole Real Estate Associates in 2009. He represented some of the most iconic and record-breaking transactions in the region and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Teton Board of Realtors in 2005. He was an accomplished businessman, effective community leader, philanthropist and friend.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; children Monica, Tait, Duncan and Andrew; and grandchildren Robby, Olivia, Tatum, Finnegan, Greta, Greyson and Thea.

There will be a celebration of Bob’s remarkable life this summer; details will follow.

David W. Chase ’56

David W. Chase of Scottsdale, AZ, formerly of Cotuit, MA and Wellesley, MA, died peacefully in Scottsdale, AZ on April 30, 2020 after a brief illness.

Dave was a graduate of Williston Academy and Trinity College. Dave had a successful career at Honeywell Industries, Keane Associates and Digital Corporation. He loved his home by the ocean and enjoyed sailing and collecting antiques. He was a past member of the Hyannis Yacht Club. Dave was very active in the “Church of Pies of Cape Cod” with the Mashpee Congregational Church and the Barnstable Newcomers.

Dave leaves behind his wife, Joan and daughters Cathy and husband, John Kozak of Phoenix, AZ and Chris and husband Dave West of Ponce Inlet, FL, grandchildren Chelsea, Chase and Zachary, his brother Dick Chase and wife Marty of Ipswich, MA and nephews and nieces, Brian, Nancy, Paul and Karen and brother-in-law Dana Walston and wife Andrea of Weymouth, MA and nephew and nieces, Katie, John and Beth. A service will be held in Cotuit, MA later this year.

Audrey Morgan Leaf ’48

Audrey E. (Morgan) Leaf died peacefully on April 9, 2020 with her loving husband, Carlton at her side. She was 89.

She was born on Nov. 13, 1930 in Worcester, to Janet and Charles Hill Morgan.

She and her brother, George were raised in Athens, Greece. Prior to the outbreak of World War II the family returned to Amherst. Audrey attended Northampton School for Girls and upon graduation enrolled at Colby College. After two years at Colby she followed her dream and enrolled at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital nursing program and became capped a registered nurse.

Audrey and Carl were married in Amherst in September 1953 and honeymooned in Chilmark at the family cottage.

Married life began in New York city followed by relocations to Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Pearl River, N.Y. In 1979, Audrey and Carl moved to Chilmark year round.

Audrey was a homemaker raising their four children and was very active in church and community affairs. She was a communicant and past senior warden at Grace Church in Vineyard Haven. She helped set up and run the early years of lobster roll dinners at Grace Church, served many ice hockey families at the Puck Stop and at the Street Fair. She volunteered at the hospital and Thrift Shop, where she always brought home more than she donated.

Her home was full of laughing children with at least one dog looking for treats, cats running away from the commotion and the birds waiting for their feeder to be filled.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years; her sister Prudence Fitts of Wolfboro, N.H., her brother George of Chilmark; Her daughters Karen, of Putnam, Conn., and Kirstin Labby of North Grosvenordale Conn; sons Eric of Dix Hills, N.Y. and Nils (Gus) of Edgartown; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Private interment was held at Abel’s Hill Cemetery on April 14 under the direction of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

Arthur E. Gramse Jr. ’63

Arthur Edward Gramse Jr. passed away on April 8th, 2020 at the age of 77 after an extended period of poor health.

Known to family and friends as “Art”, he was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1943 to Jean (Quinn) and Dr. Arthur Gramse Sr. The family settled in Massachusetts and Art grew up a proud New Englander. After graduation from Williston Academy, he went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Washington and Jefferson College and his Master’s from the University of Rhode Island. In his professional life, Art was a dedicated English teacher, sharing his love of literature and language with students in the Midwest, southeast and throughout New England during a career that spanned decades.

Art spent much of his time on Cape Cod, and it was there that he met Judy, his first wife, whom he married in 1967. During their time together, the couple had two children. Art gained two stepchildren with his second wife, Donna, and the couple ultimately settled in Donna’s home state of Vermont, where they shared many memorable years until her passing.

Art was known for having a sharp wit coupled with self-deprecating charm, a religious devotion to the Boston Bruins and Red Sox, an untameable sweet tooth and an encyclopedic knowledge of perhaps his greatest passion: the art of fishing. In his youth, he played hockey, won fishing derbies and was an accomplished archer. He was an old school Rock and Roller, bopping away to Buddy Holly, the Beatles and Blondie, until he discovered a profound connection to the work of John Prine. Art also had a deep appreciation and respect for great authors, and considered the work of Henry David Thoreau and J.D. Salinger to be foundational to his worldview. Art possessed a creative spirit in his own right and, over the course of his life, produced poetry, humorous essays and colorful memoir, stunning abstract paintings and innumerable custom handmade fishing lures, one of which was patented.

Art is survived by his children and stepchildren, Shannon Gramse and her husband Todd of Akron, OH, Joshua Gramse and his wife Camille of Sonoma, CA, Jody Billodeau and his wife Michelle of St. Albans, Tracy Billodeau and her partner Dennis Reynolds also of St. Albans, his brother Reed Gramse ’66 and his wife Patti of Cape Elizabeth, ME and their children and grandchildren, his sister Gaylin Soponis and her husband Chuck of Gainesville, FL and their children and grandchildren, his mother-in-law Barbara DeVarney of Richford and his Sister-in-law Susan Shappy, also of Richford.

His ashes will be interred with those of his wife, Donna, in Hope Cemetery in Georgia, Vermont. Because of his personal connection to the ocean, a small portion of his remains will also be committed to the sea in a private family ceremony at a later time.

Art’s children wish to express a deep gratitude to his brother Dr. Reed Gramse for overseeing their father’s health during his final years, and a special thanks to the staff of Brownway Residence and the Franklin County Rehab Center for their compassion and professionalism.

In recognition of Art’s great love of animals, memorial contributions may be made to Franklin County Animal Rescue, 30 Sunset Meadows, St. Albans, VT 05478.