George McClellan Ewing, Jr., newspaperman, educator, and philanthropist, died Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Minneapolis, MN. He was 72.

During a multifaceted life, Mr. Ewing was the beloved owner and Publisher of Messenger Post Newspapers, a tough but fair high school teacher of American literature, poetry, and economics, a sports writer, a ranch hand, an involved community leader, a generous supporter of charitable causes, a hockey and lacrosse coach, and a dedicated husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend.

Mr. Ewing was born in New York City on September 23, 1952, to George and Marie-Merrill (Hubbard) Ewing, Sr. After living in White Plains, New York and Mountain View, California, Mr. Ewing’s father purchased the Daily Messenger in Canandaigua, New York in 1959 and moved his young family back across the country to run it. Mr. Ewing attended high school at Williston Academy (now the Williston Northampton School) in Easthampton, Massachusetts, then graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio with a degree in English and a minor in Economics.

After college, he quickly embarked on his journalism career. After covering the United States Congress in Washington, D.C. for a company that published a condensed version of the National Record, he returned to Canandaigua in 1976 for his first stint at the Daily Messenger as a sports writer, bravely risking life and limb to bring as much good reporting as possible to his high school sports columns.

Mr. Ewing left reporting in 1979 to develop his second vocation, teaching, over the following decade, first at his high school alma mater and later outside of Minneapolis at Breck School in Golden Valley, Minnesota, where he taught English, American history, and economics. During his time teaching, Mr. Ewing was driven by his fascination with the development of American culture and the human experience. In his classes on American literature, poetry, and a self-designed American Studies course which blended history, art, and social commentary, he encouraged students to analyze poems or stories not just as standalone pieces, but as fitting within a broader socio-cultural landscape.

After a decade of teaching, Mr. Ewing returned to the “Daily Mess” to begin his training as a publisher, starting as Assistant Publisher in 1988 and taking over as Publisher when he purchased the business from his father in 1993. During the following decade, he transformed the Daily Messenger from a single daily paper into Messenger Post Newspapers, a regional standby, by acquiring 10 weekly newspapers in the Rochester area from Wolfe Publications and the family of Samuel J. Smith in 1996 and 1999. Under his leadership, Messenger Post Newspapers became an essential source of news for communities around Rochester and the Messenger was honored twice as the best newspaper of its size by the New York Associated Press, in 2004 and 2006.

He also guided the papers through years of rapid technological change, including the development of an award-winning website. In 2007, facing growing pressures on print media from the internet, he presided over the sale of Messenger Post Newspapers to Gatehouse Media after 47 years of Ewing family ownership. Colleagues remember Mr. Ewing as an even-tempered, fair-minded boss who treated reporters and press operators like family.

Public service was central to Mr. Ewing’s identity. While in Canandaigua, he volunteered with organizations dedicated to both cultural and human causes. He was a board member, including President, of Rochester, NY-based Writers and Books, as it expanded its footprint to launch core literacy and literature programs such as Rochester Reads. He also served on the boards of WXXI, a public broadcasting station, and the George Eastman House (now the George Eastman Museum). He continued the work of Neighbor to Neighbor, a small charitable program of the Daily Messenger that quietly helped people in the community pay their rent, utility, and pharmacy bills.

Following the sale of Messenger Post Newspapers, and after a year teaching back at Williston, Mr. Ewing finally retired to Minneapolis, surrounding himself with friends old and new-particularly the so-called “Superior Institute”, with whom he took trips to the Brule River in Wisconsin and for whom he drove the sag wagon on week-long bike trips. Always holding a deep faith, he became an active member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, not only attending Sunday services but also rolling up his sleeves behind the scenes. As a Sunday school teacher, he led students on pilgrimages across the globe and through adolescence. Through the church’s property committee, he helped keep the historic building and grounds in good repair. He also volunteered with the Dignity Center, showing the same compassion and dedication to helping others that had guided the work of Neighbor to Neighbor.

It was also in Minneapolis that he met his second wife, Rosemary, with whom he shared a dog, Harper Lee, and a vibrant life of laughter, love, and travel.

Mr. Ewing also found profound meaning in the quiet of the wilderness. As a young man he spent two transformative summers working as a ranch hand in the Sunlight Basin of Wyoming. These were times he often described as some of the best, and it took almost no prompting to have him telling stories of waking up early to ride the expansive property, fix fence posts, guide fly fishing trips, and control pesky prairie dogs (he was admittedly a poor shot). No matter how busy he was, he always made time to get outdoors, especially at the Ewing family camp in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. It was there that he taught his sons to fish and sail-he was a champion Sunfish racer.

As a long-suffering fan of the San Francisco Giants since boyhood, he rejoiced when they finally won the World Series in 2010 after decades of dashed hopes. He loved traveling for spring training or to watch a game at a new stadium with his personal scorecard and pencil at the ready, and held season tickets with his second team, the Minnesota Twins.

In addition to his wife, Rosemary, Mr. Ewing is survived by three sons from his first marriage of 23 years to Meg Reed: Patrick ’06 (Sonya) of Burlington, VT; Brendan (Kylie) and their children Oscar and Merrill of Brighton, NY; and Cameron of Brooklyn, NY; brother, Thomas ’73 (Caroline ’73) of Keene, NH; niece Claire ’08 of Burlington, VT and nephew Ross ’11 of Boston, MA; and numerous cousins with whom he was close. He was predeceased by his mother, Marie-Merrill Ewing, in 2002; and father, George M. Ewing, in 2009.

George M. Ewing, Jr. moved easily between the realms of words and woods, service and song, and always brought the same kindness and curiosity to all. He loved a good joke, and he wasn’t shy about repeating his favorite George-isms, despite groans from his family who knew what was coming. He had a genuine smile for everyone and a habit of treating strangers like friends, much to his children’s embarrassment. He came upon success by lifting others up, whether by mentoring a young reporter at the Messenger or encouraging a shy student to speak up in class. Those fortunate enough to know him will remember a humble, big-hearted man who was quick with a joke, quick with a helping hand, and quick to share the joy he found in a good story, a good song, or the great outdoors.

Memorial services will be held in Minneapolis and Canandaigua. The Minneapolis service will be held Saturday, September 20, at 10:30 am, following a 10:00 am reviewal, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis. The Canandaigua service will be held Saturday, November 1, at 10:00 am at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 183 N. Main St., Canandaigua, followed by a reception at 12:30 pm at Rio Tomatlán, 106 Bemis St., Canandaigua.

To honor Mr. Ewing’s life, and in lieu of flowers, his family and friends suggest donations to the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund in Canandaigua, New York and the Dignity Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Charles W. DeRose, 84, of Florence, Massachusetts, passed away on July 1, 2025 after a long illness.

Born in Northampton on April 8, 1941 to Charles N. and Cora F. DeRose, Charlie—known for his adventurous spirit and boundless curiosity—lived a life full of energy, generosity, and deep community ties.

Charlie was a standout athlete at Northampton High School, excelling in football, basketball, and track. He continued his athletic and academic pursuits at The Williston Northampton School, earning All-American Honors as a tackle for their football team, and later attending Cornell University and the University of Vermont, graduating in 1966. During his time at Cornell, Charlie met his beloved wife, Leila Kelly. After graduation, Charlie began his career in newspaper publishing at the Burlington Free Press. In 1968, he returned to Northampton at his father’s urging to join the family business at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, selling ads for the paper. After his father’s passing in 1970, Charlie and his brother, Peter, became co-owners of WHMP AM and FM, which they managed until its sale in the 1980s, as well as co-publishers of the Gazette.

“Newspaper ink gets in your blood,” Charlie liked to say. That ink had been in the family since 1929, when his grandmother, Harriet DeRose, purchased the Gazette. Charlie’s first job there, cleaning space bands in the Linotype machines for Jimmy Hogan, sparked a lifelong dedication to local journalism. Under his and Peter’s leadership, the paper became known for its sense of community. It expanded with a move to Conz Street and saw steady growth through the 1990s. He was profoundly thankful for the people he got to meet in all walks of life, to the “Gazette Gang”, and the readers who made it all possible.

In 1995, Charlie stepped back from active management of the paper and embarked on a new venture, purchasing Meriden Precision Plastics. He successfully ran the company for five years until its sale, when he fully retired. Charlie’s adventurous spirit extended well beyond business. An accomplished pilot, he famously traded his new wife’s car for his first airplane. His spontaneous flights—often with friends or kids aboard—became legendary. One particularly memorable flight involved launching a hot air balloon from his own modest backyard, with at least one child aboard, and landing gently in a Hatfield potato field—where a kind farmer offered his phone to call home.

His love for the water was equally enduring. Inspired by childhood summers in Rhode Island and his father’s passion for boating, Charlie owned a long line of vessels that became floating hubs of joy for family and friends all along the East Coast. Community service was a core value for Charlie, instilled by his parents and lived out through decades of involvement. He served in various volunteer leadership roles at the March of Dimes walkathons, the Northampton Teen Center, the YMCA, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, the Academy of Music, the Hampshire Community United Way, Northampton National Bank, SCORE small business mentoring, and Northampton Neighbors. He also served on the Parking Commission and helped guide downtown parking lot development in the 1980s. In recognition of their civic contributions, Charlie and his brother Peter were named Northampton Citizens of the Year in 1988.

Charlie is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Peter L. DeRose. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Leila (Kelly) DeRose; his sister-in-law, Florence L. DeRose, his brothers-in-law Sherman (Judy Abrams) Kelly, Hugh (Caroline Thomas) Kelly, and James Jenkins; his children, Elizabeth DeRose (Ron Pickett) and their children Jake, Tyler, Samantha and Leila, and 7 grandchildren; Anne (John) Westlund ’90 and their children, Emma and Samuel, and Nathan DeRose ’95.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2025 from 4 to 6 pm at Czelusniak Funeral Home at 173 North St, Northampton, MA 01060. Family and friends are warmly invited to attend and share memories of Charlie.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in his name to: Cooley Dickinson Hospital Development Office P.O. Box 329, Northampton, MA 01061 or to Northampton Neighbors P.O. Box 23, Northampton, MA 01061.

Dr. Andrew Dixon McKee, 89, of New Gloucester, Maine, passed away peacefully at home on June 15, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Cortland, N.Y. on July 8, 1935, Andrew moved with his family to Amherst, Mass. as a child. He attended Williston Academy in Easthampton, Mass. (1951-1954), and went on to earn his undergraduate degree from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. in 1958. He received his medical degree at the University of Brussels in Belgium, graduating in 1965.

Andrew began his medical career with a rotating internship at the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Hospital in Brighton, Mass. where he met Joanne, who was also serving with the USPHS. From 1966 to 1968, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the USPHS, working aboard the USC&GSS Discoverer, the country’s first ocean survey ship, and at the USPHS clinic in San Pedro, Calif. While in San Pedro, he was once lowered by helicopter onto a ship’s deck to render emergency aid to an injured officer.

He completed his residency at the U.S. Veterans Administration Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Mass. and a fellowship in Hematology at Tufts Medical School’s Carney Hospital in Boston, Mass. Andrew served as a Clinical Instructor in Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (1969-1971) and Tufts University School of Medicine (1971-1973).

In 1973, the McKee family moved to New Gloucester. Four years later, they relocated their house to an 80-acre property nearby, where they started a small sheep farm. Andrew practiced Internal Medicine and Hematology at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston until 1980, when he joined the Department of Veterans Affairs at Togus, Maine. There, he served as Assistant Chief of Medicine and Chief of Hematology until his retirement in 1995.

Retirement did not mark the end of Andrew’s service. In 1996, he earned a graduate degree in Tropical Medicine from Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. He then volunteered with Catholic Charities in Honduras (1996-2000), providing vital care to underserved communities.

From 2002 to 2006, Andrew worked with the Indian Health Service, staffing outpatient clinics on reservations in South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. He served at the Eagle Butte Indian Clinic (South Dakota), Fort Belknap Indian Clinic (Montana), the Mescalero Indian Hospital (New Mexico), and the Havasupai Clinic at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (Arizona), among others.

From 2007 until his final retirement in 2015, he continued to care for patients as a locum tenens physician with Mature Care at New England University Health Service.

Beyond medicine, Andrew was an avid woodworker who crafted many beautiful pieces that are now treasured family heirlooms. He and Joanne shared a love for travel, journeying together to Italy, France, China, Greece, Ireland, and across the United States in their RV. Andrew was also deeply proud of his daughters and the lives they built.

His patients valued his attentiveness and warmth, and his family will forever cherish his generous, gentle and sensitive spirit, his wry sense of humor, and his intense love of all animals, -especially the many dogs he and Joanne lovingly cared for over the years.

He is survived by his devoted wife of over 58 years, Joanne Lea McKee; his three daughters, Emily McKee (John Kosiorek), Alison McKee (Gabriel Alexander), and Linda McKee; three grandchildren, Aidra Kosiorek (Austin Rodriguez), Eden Kosiorek, and Zavier Kosiorek; one great-granddaughter, Rylee; his sister, Harriet Voss; nephews Stephan Voss, Peter Voss, and Ward McKee; and his best friend, Stephen Sokol.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to your local animal shelter.

Howard R.W. Shea, of Natick, MA, passed away peacefully on May 18th, 2025. Howard was born on April 4, 1937, in Holyoke, MA to the late Howard Shea and the late Gertrude Delaney and was brother to Rosalie Hobert (Shea) and the late Maureen Degaraff (Shea). Howard is survived by his wife June, son Michael and his partner Rachel Shearer, step-son Matthew Lacob and his wife Charissa, and granddaughter Ellowyn Joy, along with many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A high school graduate of Williston Academy (now the Williston Northampton School), Howard attended Amherst College, where he was a proud member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in 1959. After college, Howard served in the Army National Guard, starting with a two-year full-time stint, followed by multiple years as a reserve. After serving, Howard took a job at Liberty Mutual in Boston, where he spent his entire 40-year working career as an insurance underwriter for major national accounts.

Howard was a lover of nature and wildlife. He enjoyed fishing, scuba diving and hiking. He was always quick to point out a soaring hawk or osprey, or even the occasional deer bounding through the backyard. He loved spending time at his Cape house in Chatham, getting up early for walks along the ocean at his favorite spot, Forest Beach or making his way over to Skaket Beach in Orleans to catch an amazing sunset.

Howard was an avid collector and was especially fond of coins and glass. He could often be found metal detecting all over Natick or by the bandstand in Downtown Chatham. He was a huge Boston sports fan and could usually be heard “coaching” the Patriots and Red Sox. An ice cream connoisseur, Howard would regularly remind us that there was always room for some ice cream after a good meal since it just “fills in all the nooks and crannies.” He was also a proud friend of Bill Wilson for an amazing 49 years.

His positive outlook, words of wisdom and thunderous laugh will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made as memorial contributions to the Dana Faber Cancer Institute or the Amherst College Fund.

Wentworth Lawrence Durgin died April 23, 2025 in his sleep. He was born on August 26,1948 the son of Eunice King Durgin and the Reverend Lawrence Lazelle Durgin. Father to Larry (deceased) and Sarah. He is survived by his sister Katherine “Kit” Durgin.

Worthy spent his childhood in Providence, Rhode Island. At 12 his family moved to New York City. In 1968 Worthy graduated from Williston Academy. He received his BA from the University of North Carolina, and later his MDiv from Yale Divinity School.

During Worthy’s career he held senior positions in fundraising with a variety of non-profits. Upon retirement from nonprofit work in Greensboro, North Carolina, Worthy moved to Raleigh in 2005 to care for Eunice, his mother. It was in Raleigh that Worthy found Anita Deters, the love of his life, who helped him get back on his feet and supported him in all his creative endeavors. Worthy enjoyed writing poetry and was most proud of his published book of poems, “Steps and Missteps”. Worthy was active in men’s work such as The Mankind Project.

Worthy’s positiveness, his sense of humor and his deep desire to help others who struggle will be missed. Worthy’s presence left the world a bit better than it was.