Coos County Democrat Obituaries, Lancaster, New Hampshire, Wednesday, May 19, 2004 Copyright of the newspaper. Permission to include in the USGenWeb Archives was received. George E. Weiss Was moving to Lancaster WILTON -- George E. Weiss, 65, died suddenly at his home in Wilton, on Thursday May 13, 2004. He was moving to Lancaster within a few days. Mr. Weiss was born in Medfield, Mass., on September 2, 1938, the son of George Edward and Ruth Sterling (Baker) Weiss. George was employed 11 years for Bronze Craft, Nashua, and later six years for Soughegan Wood Products of Wilton. He will be remembered as a gentle, loving man who enjoyed yard sales, camping, fishing, and repairing automobiles. Family members include his wife, Daphne I. (Newton) Weiss of Wilton and Lancaster; a son, Edward Joseph Weiss of Washington; two daughters, Susan Weiss of Whitefield, and Pam Lynn Weiss of Washington; three stepchildren, Paul Bedell of Brookline, Ralph Bedell of Nashua, and Mary Annis of Groveton; a brother, William Weiss of Bellingham, Mass.; two sisters, Joan Dhual of Washington, and Helen Maskel of Framingham, Mass.; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Visiting hours were held on Sunday afternoon and evening, May 16, at the Bailey Funeral Home, Lancaster. A funeral service was held on Monday morning at the funeral home. The Rev. Paul Beesley of Northumberland officiated. Burial followed in the Riverton Cemetery, Jefferson. Clifton C. Cilley Sr. WWII veteran, Vershire supporter COLEBROOK -- Clifton C. "Kip" Cilley Sr., 82, died on Thursday, May 13, 2004, at the Country Village Health Care Facility in Lancaster. He was born on April 18, 1922 in Columbia, the son of Leon and Effie (Neary) Cilley. He attended local schools, leaving early to support his ailing father, two sisters and a handicapped brother. Kip was an accomplished carpenter at the age of 16, after picking up his father’s skills. In 1942 he was drafted into the Army, and his exceptional trade skills sent him to Fort Belvoir, Va., for Basic Training and Contractor Foreman’s School. Upon completion he was assigned to the 50th Combat Engineer Battalion in Fort Ord, Calif. In his more than two years in the Army, Kip was promoted to Sergeant. His combat experiences include participating in the assault of over seven beachheads during the WWII South Pacific campaign. He was also among the first troops to take back US soil and one of the first troops to take Japanese soil. Upon returning home from service in 1945, Kip was employed as a construction foreman at the Groveton Paper Company. From 1952-1969, Kip was self-employed as a building contractor. During this time he completely converted the former Col. Stevens home to electricity, including electric heat, electric garage doors, and an electric kitchen. This was the first home in the area to be converted to electric heat and was advertised by Public Service Company to promote electric power. After leaving the building field in 1969, Kip was asked to donate some time to develop a workshop to help teach handicapped people some vocational trade skills. This facility would later become known as Vershire. Kip soon became the shop’s full time foreman. He took many classes and many workshops to educate himself in this field; he earned a great deal of recognition for his contributions to this organization. More recently Kip was know for his MacGyver-like abilities to produce something out of nothing, or so it would seem. He sold and repaired used lawn mowers from his shop on Fish Pond Road, and he was truly a master tinkerer. Kip was a member of the American Legion, the genealogical Society and took an interest in old graveyards. Family members include his son, Clifton C. Cilley Jr. and his wife Joanne (Burrill) of Pittsburg; two daughters, Marlene Cilley and companion Kenneth Fraser of Lancaster, and Mrs. John (Mary Anne) Sledzinski of North Conway; a sister, Hazel Lund of Mass.; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His brother George and sister Lessia died previously. Calling hours were held on Sunday, May 16, at the Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook. Funeral services were held on Monday, May 17, at the Monadnock Congregational Church, followed by a military burial at Colebrook Village Cemetery. Donations in memory of Clifton C. Cilley may be sent to Vershire, c/o Michelle Gorman, 39 Colby Street, Colebrook, NH 03576. Newman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorial Services Roy E. and Virginia P. Merrow LANCASTER -- A Memorial Service for Roy E. and Virginia P. "Bea" Merrow will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday afternoon, May 21 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lancaster. The Rev. David Rose, pastor, and the Rev. John Jackson of Lancaster will co-officiate. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. Arvena H. Cole Grange member for 77 years GUILDHALL, Vt. -- Arvena H. Cole, 96, died on Saturday evening, May 15, 2004, at Weeks Medical Center, Lancaster. Known by young and old alike as "Grandma Cole," Arvena was born in Harrison, Maine on June 12, 1907, the daughter of Ansel and Bertha (Strout) Harris. Her twin sister Arvilla died in infancy. In her youth she was a multi-talented violinist who had the diversity to perform at recitals and local dances. Playing piano was another musical talent she acquired and thoroughly enjoyed. After graduating from Mechanic Falls High School, Mechanic Falls, Maine, she later married Harold C. Cole on February 22, 1926. For 36 years she resided at the Clough Homestead in Lewiston, Maine. While in Maine she was employed in the office of Lunn & Sweet Shoe Shop, Paines Incense Company, and in the finishing room at Bates Manufacturing Company. In November of 1962 she moved to Guildhall. She was employed as executive housekeeper at Weeks Memorial Hospital and worked as a volunteer in the Weeks Gift Shop. She was a longtime librarian at the Guildhall Public Library and cook at the Guildhall Elementary School. Mrs. Cole loved flowers, animals, knitting, crocheting and cooking. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Her life’s motto was "Anything the boys can do I can do better!" She was a member of the Guildhall Community Church where she occasionally played the organ. Other memberships included the Order of the Eastern Star, 40 years, and the Grange, 77 years. Family members include two daughters, Natalie A. Johnson and her husband Carl Johnson of Bailey Island, Maine, Janice L. Peaslee of Guildhall, Vt.; six grandchildren, Gary Johnson and wife Paula of Portland, Maine, Dale Peaslee and wife Janet of Bowdon, N.D., Karen Guile of Stowe, Vt., Janice Ling and husband Brian of Colchester, Vt., Sharon DeCicco and husband John of Leominster, Mass., Barbara Peaslee-Smith and husband Matthew of Guildhall; and 13 grandchildren. Her husband and two grandsons, Carlton Peaslee, David Peaslee, and a son-in-law Bert H. Peaslee, died previously. Visiting hours were held on Monday evening at the Bailey Funeral Home, Lancaster. A funeral service was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Guildhall Community Church. The Rev. Gerry Piper of Orleans, Vt. officiated. Burial followed in the Ridgwell Cemetery, Guildhall. Pallbearers were Aaron Guile, Matthew Smith, John DeCicco, Dennis Bacon, Larry Guile, and Bert Desrochers. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the Guildhall Public Library, c/o Pat Rogers, 1641 North Road, Guildhall, VT 05905. Margaret Mickelboro Called Canaan home CANAAN, Vt. -- Margaret "Maggie" (Mayberry) Mickelboro, 78, died on May 15, 2004 at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital. Mrs. Mickelboro was born on Dec. 25, 1925 in Canaan, Vt., the daughter of James and Annie (Bell) Mayberry. She married Roy "Joe" Mickelboro on October 6, 1943. They resided all their married life in Canaan. Mrs. Mickelboro worked for the Canaan school lunch program, for Beecher Falls Division of Ethan Allen as a shipping clerk, and most recently at Daley Laundromat. She enjoyed the companionship of her beloved Sammy. The family includes her husband, Roy Mickelboro of Canaan; a son, Larry Mickelboro of Belmont; a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter; several nieces and nephews. Calling hours were held on Tuesday, May 18 at Jenkins Funeral Service in Colebrook, with a graveside service following at Canaan Village Cemetery in Canaan. The Rev. Robert D. Bryan officiated. Donations in her memory may be made to Beecher Falls Volunteer Fire Department, c/o Jean Charest, Factory Street, Beecher Falls, VT 05902; or Pittsburg Ambulance Corps, c/o Marjorie Straw, Back Lake Road, Pittsburg, NH 03592. For more information, go to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.com. Kathleen Ann Steigleman Family was important CONCORD, Vt. -- Kathleen Ann Steigleman, 59, of 2842 Lunenburg Road, died at her residence on Saturday, May 15, 2004. She was born on January 14, 1945 in Pittsburg, Penn., the daughter of the late William and Helen (Drosdick) Little. Kathy enjoyed working in her garden, visiting with her sister, and semi-annual trips to visit her daughter Lisa and her family in Minnesota. She accompanied her daughter Lori to Russia twice last year and helped with the adoption of the twins. She was a certified nurse’s assistant and worked at Sartwell Health Care. The family includes her husband, Richard "Larry" Steigleman of Concord, Vt.; her daughters and their husbands, Lori and Brian Smith of Lisbon, and Lisa and Mark Prokosch of Hugo, Minn.; her grandchildren, Dylan and Xander Smith and Jacob and Lucal Prokosch; and her sister, Ruth Nuzzolo and husband Donald of Cape Elizabeth, Me. There were no calling hours. Graveside services were held at the Overlook Cemetery in East Concord, Vt. on May 18, with John Sleeper officiating. Arrangements are by Pearsons Funeral Service in Lyndonville, Vt. To sign the online register book, go to www.pearsonsfuneralservice.com. Committals Frederick E. Brown EAST CONCORD, Vt. -- A graveside committal service for Frederick E. Brown, 69, who died on January 8, 2004, will be held at 11 on Saturday morning, May 22 at the Riverside Cemetery in South Lunenburg. The Rev. Gerry Piper of Orleans, Vt. will officiate. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. Vivian G. Damon GILMAN, Vt. -- A graveside committal service for Vivian G. Damon, 94, who died on December 29, 2003, will be held at 10:30 on Saturday morning, May 22 at the Riverside Cemetery in South Lunenburg. The Rev. Gerry Piper of Orleans, Vt. will officiate. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. Laurence Earl Hook Sr. BRUNSWICK, Vt. -- Laurence Earl Hook Sr., 69, of Brunswick, died suddenly on Wednesday, December 24, 2003 in North Stratford, N.H. An interment service will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 1 p.m. at the Fairview Cemetery in North Stratford. Expressions of sympathy in Mr. Hook’s memory may be made to the Stratford Alumni Association, c/o Corinne Platt, RR1 Box 513, Groveton, NH 03582. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line at www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Jenkins Funeral Home of Colebrook. Paul Weston Lunnie GILMAN, Vt. -- A graveside committal service for Paul Weston Lunnie, 80, who died on January 23, 2004, will be held at 2 on Saturday afternoon, May 22 at the Concord Village Cemetery in Concord, Vt. The Rev. Gerry Piper of Orleans, Vt. will officiate. Military honors will also be conducted. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. Linda D. Poulin WHITEFIELD -- Linda D. Poulin, 51, died on January 24, 2004. A Graveside Committal Service will take place in the St. Matthew Cemetery in Whitefield on Saturday, May 22 at 2 p.m. The Ross Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.