Born August 17, 1936 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Hope spent her childhood years in Litchfield, Connecticut, the second oldest of four children born to Henry Baldwin Nichols and Esther Shears Nichols. Her father was a West Point graduate with a lifelong military connection and demanding career, her mother an affectionate presence anchoring the children’s everyday lives. Her maternal grandparents gave Hope and her siblings lasting memories of Hyde Park, New York, where her grandfather, Herbert Shears, was superintendent of Frederick Vanderbilt’s Hudson River estate. Hope would later donate several Vanderbilt-related items gifted her as a young woman to the Vanderbilt Mansion, a place she loved to visit with her own children, siblings, and grandchildren.

In her late teens, Hope attended Mills College in California for one year, finishing her studies at the University of New Hampshire after the sudden passing of her mother, a loss that impacted her greatly. Marrying New Hampshire resident John Zanes, Hope would have three children, Daniel, Julia, and Warren. While the family was living in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, she discovered fine art photography, which would become a lifelong passion and practice.

After divorcing, Hope moved with her children to Concord, New Hampshire, where her younger brother, Henry Baldwin Nichols, Jr. was then living.

Concord was Hope’s home for the next fifty-five years. There, when her children were still young, Hope worked at Barbara Antonson’s Spruce Tree Nursery School, forging friendships that would last for many years. Her children attended Concord schools for most of their school-age lives, all finishing secondary school at esteemed out-of-state private institutions, done with their mother’s active encouragement. Concord would, however, remain a home to all.

Later, over a period of thirty years, Hope, alongside husband Harrison Butterworth of Hopkinton, worked to make Concord’s Friendly Kitchen a place that could regularly provide hot meals to an ever-greater number of those in need. Introduced to the organization through their church, St. John’s in Dunbarton, the Butterworths helped build The Friendly Kitchen into the community presence it is today.

As a photographer, Hope leaves behind an influential body of work and students who regularly cite her generous teaching style as crucial to their own artistic development. Mentored by friend and renowned photographer Lotte Jacobi, Hope showed her gum prints at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, among other places. A Boston Globe review of that Currier exhibition described Hope as “an extraordinary artist.”

A gardener, a great lover of animals, a devoted swimmer, a regular at area thrift shops, an artist and a beloved fixture on Stickney Hill Road, where she could often be seen walking her dogs, Hope was a friend to many. Doing things her own way, she kept bees, practiced photographic techniques from the late 19th century, raised quails, and stored up fireworks for her grandchildren’s visits. She leaves behind her three children, all of whom work in the arts, her two sisters, Julia Cook ’51 and Leslie Kremer ’55, Harrison Butterworth’s four children, Carol Burnham, Stephen Butterworth, Molly Elmali, and Corwin Butterworth, her grandchildren, Anna Zanes, Isak Saaf, Olaf Saaf, Lucian Zanes, Piero Zanes, Samantha Burnham, Amanda Burnham, Sadie Butterworth, Sam Butterworth, Mirabelle Butterworth, Abra Brown, Deniz Elmali, Dilara Elmali, Derya Elmali, and many more friends and family who will miss her ready humor, her keen eye, her singular style, and her infectious spirit.

Hope passed on Mother’s Day, May 12th, 2024, with her children close to her as she succumbed to the effects of pneumonia. A memorial event is planned for July 13th, 2pm, to be held at St. Paul’s Church, 21 Centre St., Concord NH 03301. It will be open to any and all who want to celebrate a great daughter, sibling, mother, grandmother, artist and friend who will be remembered as a unique, shining presence in the community.

Rita Zuckerwar Ross, 103, of Delray Beach, Florida, and longtime resident of Gloversville, New York, passed away at home on August 24, 2024. Rita was born on June 24, 1921, in Gloversville, the daughter of Jacob A. Zuckerwar and Marguerite Zuckerwar.
Bud Ross, her husband of seventy-six years, died in 2021. She is survived by her children Joan Ross of New York City and Roger Ross (Jennifer) of Folsom, California; her four grandchildren Cameron Ross (Malia) of Livermore, California; Sebastian Ross (Chelsea) of Sacramento, California; Giselle Ross of Cameron Park, California; and Lindsey McGaughran (Matthew) of Acushnet, Massachusetts. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Sivan Ross and Silas Ross of Livermore.
Her daughter Marguerite “Meg” Ross Wass preceded her in death.

Linda Gale Ivey (née Bauer), 78, of Malvern, PA, and formerly of St. Davids, PA, peacefully departed this life on December 31, 2024. The daughter of the late LeRoy John Bauer and Dorothy Rose Perham, Linda was born on September 1, 1946 in Easthampton, MA. There she attended Williston, The Northampton School for Girls and subsequently graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and Widener University Delaware Law School.

Linda was a dynamic woman with many talents and interests that developed into jobs, hobbies, and volunteer positions. She had an insatiable thirst for literature and the arts, and consistently found ways to further her education. She was an avid reader, music lover, and gardener. Linda was also an extremely strong athlete who loved skiing, swimming, paddle, and tennis. During and after college, she was a top model for The Wilhelmina Agency. Linda graced the pages and covers of renowned publications such as People, Vogue, and Esquire; and accepted assignments that afforded her many opportunities to travel internationally. Linda was a certified cruise director, travel agent, member of the PA Bar Association, and treasurer for the Philadelphia Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America. Additionally and among many other things, Linda was a skilled seamstress, motorcyclist, and calligrapher.

Linda is survived by her beloved children, Meredith C. Lockhart and Tucker Ivey (Alana); her brother, LeRoy Bauer ’72; and her cherished grandchildren, Leah and Jackson Lockhart, and Maeve Ivey.

Longtime Killington resident and avid skier Judy O. Findeisen passed away on January 22nd, 2025, at the age of 92.

Born October 13th, 1932, in Newport, Rhode Island, Judy was the oldest of Dorothy and Arnold Openshaw’s three children. She grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, swimming, horseback riding and skiing. It was while attending St. Lawrence University that she met and fell in love with Walter T.C. Findeisen. They were married July 8th, 1953, in Coronado, California.

In 1960, having moved from California to Long Island, New York, Judy and Walt purchased property in Killington, Vermont. In early 1962, with their two young sons and a dog, they moved to Vermont, living in a tent from early May until mid-October. By day, Judy worked in the Killington ski shop, while Walt was working trail crew. Nights and weekends were devoted to building a home. A year later they welcomed their daughter, Tami, into the new house in the woods.

Six short years later they were at it again, building and then operating Timbers Lodge. Judy ran the lodge including breakfast and dinner for the guests.

In addition to raising her family, Judy held many different jobs, including retail sales, school bus driver, bank teller, and vacation lodge owner/manager, chef, and housekeeper.

In 1976 Judy began her career in Real Estate working alongside her husband Walt at Martin Associates Mountain Real Estate in Killington, retiring in 2020.

Judy was very active in the small but growing Killington community. She was one of the founding members of the Sherburne Women’s Club and the Sherburne Co-operative Nursery School.

She was an active member of the Killington Ski Club – helping to start what is now the annual ski sale. She was elected as Justice of the Peace in 1987 and served through 2010.

Later she enjoyed traveling with Walt and friends and was an active member of the Rutland Garden Club.

Judy is survived by her son Walter (Miriam), son Jeff (Kim), daughter Tami, grandchildren Courtney (Nate), Marc, and Sarah, and great-grandson Parker. She is also survived by her sister Lass ’56 and sisters-in-law, Babs, Ginny, Janice, Pam, and many nieces, nephews.

She was pre-deceased by her husband Walt, her brother Jim and brothers-in-law John and Charlie.

In leu of flowers please consider donating to the Shriners Hospital for Children, the Wounded Warriors Foundation or a charity of your choice.

There are no services at this time.

Wendy Butler Walsh, 80, of Agawam, MA, recently of Northampton, and formerly of Madison, CT, peacefully passed away on February 22, 2025, surrounded by family. Wendy was born at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton on September 22, 1944, daughter of the late John Parker and Alice Remington (Remi) Butler.

Wendy graduated from Northampton School for Girls in 1962 and then attended the University of Massachusetts, where she received a Bachelors in English. She continued her education at Southern Connecticut State University, receiving a Masters in Education.

Wendy was a paraprofessional at Daniel Hand High School in Madison for many years. She was loved by her students not only for her excellent tutoring skills, but for her kindness, patience, and constant support, particularly in the areas of English and Math. During summers and after retiring from Daniel Hand, Wendy could often be found tutoring students privately at her dining room table.

As a girl Wendy spent summers at the family beach house on Long Island Sound in Madison. She loved the ocean and developed her life-long love of swimming there. She could outlast anybody swimming long distances. In the mid-1970s Wendy began her 40-year residence on the Shoreline. She played tennis in multiple competitive groups, both singles and doubles. She was only 5 foot 2, but she had a heck of a serve! Her love of poetry was legendary. No book in her library was more worn and tattered than a collection of Emily Dickinson poems. She had eclectic taste in music, from James Taylor to Aaron Copland. Wendy also spent time gardening and doing yoga. She was bright, loving, thoughtful, empathic, quirky, original, hilariously funny, and impossible not to adore.

Wendy returned to Northampton about 10 years ago, where she could often be found with a tennis racket in one hand and a Friendly’s Coffee Milkshake in the other. A perfect day would end with a piece of blueberry pie. The time she spent with family and friends, both in person and on the phone, was precious time for her.

Wendy is survived by her two sons, Jay Walsh and his partner, Marie Markovic, of California, and Andy Walsh and his wife, Tracey, of Alabama; their two daughters, Riley and Shay, of Alabama, as well as son-in-law Bailey; her sister, Kim Butler ’64, of Branford, Connecticut; her sister Laurie Foley ’65, of Northampton; and her three children, Jennifer, Christopher ’93 and Liz ’94 and her husband Luis and son, Luca. In addition, she leaves Christopher’s daughter, Isla (the newest member of the family at one years old), and Ellie Gottschalk, Jennifer’s daughter. Wendy was predeceased by her beloved cat Casper. She adored all of them.

Rest in peace, dear Wendy. You will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, please go read a poem today.