The Inquirer and Mirror

Adelaide Short Gifford, age 94, died peacefully on July 17, 2022 at Mountain Vista Memory Care in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. She was born on May 31, 1928 in Short Hills, New Jersey, the daughter of Harold Hall and Lesley LaBeaume Short. She was a 1951 graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. On May 8, 1954 she married Garret Ackerson Gifford. They lived in New Canaan, Connecticut where they raised three children. She was a mother first and foremost, but was also a librarian at the New Canaan Country School where her husband was also on the faculty for over two decades. She was known to friends and family as Muffy and Neeny to her grandchildren. Muffy was a voracious reader and...

James Kessen Stedman, 85, of Glastonbury, Connecticut and Nantucket, Massachusetts, passed away on May 16, 2022 in Bridgewater, Vermont. James (Jay) was born October 28, 1936 in Providence, Rhode Island. An only child to his beloved mother and father, Margaret Ferguson Stedman and James Kessen Stedman, Jay grew up in South Berwick, Maine. He graduated from South Berwick Academy in 1954 and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, from which he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958. Jay was a member of the Rensselaer Society of Engineers. Jay began his career as an engineer for Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington from 1958 -1961, and then worked as an engineer at United...

Richard Harriss Barr, 89, a native of New Rochelle, NY and longtime resident of Londonderry, VT, passed away peacefully, surrounded by love on December 30th, 2021. For many precious years, he and his family were summer residents of Siasconset, Nantucket Island. Richard received his primary education at St. Andrew's College in Toronto and completed it at the Hun School. As a member of the Class of 1955, he received a BA in Art History from Dartmouth College. Richard became a designer and importer of woman's fashion and Scottish woolens in New York City. He was passionate about sports, Dartmouth, bagpipes, photography, art and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was most passionate about his family. He...

Thomas "Buddy" G. Regnere, 87, of Berkeley Springs, passed away Thursday, September 9, 2021, at the Willow Tree Manor. Born December 17, 1933, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late Albert Regnere and Hazel Margaret Gardner McHugh. Buddy was a member of the "KnitWit" club, where he made blankets and hats for the homeless community. He is survived by his two sisters: Alberta Burdick and JoAnn Richard, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Patricia McHugh; brother, Russell Regnere; niece Tammy Richard; stepfather, Joseph X. McHugh, and his paternal and maternal grandparents. Services will be...

Mary Magdalene Deuel Mercer, 93, known as "Mae" and widow of former Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Chairman Robert E. "Bob" Mercer, died of natural causes at her Akron, Ohio home on Saturday, July 24. Mae, known for her sense of humor and irrepressible optimism, was active in community circles with the Women's Board of Children's Hospital, the "Keep Akron Beautiful" campaign, and the establishment of the Ronald McDonald House in Akron, a 20-bedroom home-away-from-home for families of patients hospitalized at Akron Children's Hospital. The former Goodyear chairman, who died last year at the age of 96, often credited his savvy, engaging spouse for any success he had in his 42-year career...

On Friday, August 21st, 2020, Jean Jacqueline Dapra (Jeannie) passed peacefully, succumbing to a battle with a fast-spreading cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family who thank the staff of Middlesex Hospital Hospice for their kind and compassionate care. Jeannie is pre-deceased by her father and mother, John J. and Ann Jakovac of Oakmont, PA. where she was born and raised. Jeannie is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Richard, her son Jonathan; son Jason and wife Cynthia; and daughter Ann and husband Michael Baisley. Jeannie's four grandchildren will miss their Nana-Matthew Ryan Dapra, Natalie Anne Dapra, Perrin Elizabeth Baisley and Porter Vivian Baisley. Jeannie is also...

(September 21, 1932 - May 1, 2020) Robert E. Tonkin, known by many as "The Quiet Man", passed away peacefully at his home in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday May 1, 2020 with his loving and devoted wife, Johnna, by his side. He was 87 years old. He was born on September 21, 1932 in Portsmouth, Virginia. After graduating from the Augusta Military Academy in Fort Defiance, Virginia, Bob served with the United States Marine Corps in the south of France, from 1950 to 1954. After an honorable discharge, he began a long and successful career in retail with Jordan Marsh in Boston, Macy's in New York City, where he organized store openings, the Annual Flower Show, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,...

George Colby Lunt II, 87, died at his home in Deerfield on March 29, 2020. He was born in Greenfield, the son of Helen (Cameron) Lunt and Denham Colby Lunt. He was a graduate of Deerfield Academy and Trinity College in Hartford, CT. George was a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, spending a year in Morocco. His business career was spent with Lunt Silversmiths, a company founded by his grandfather. George was President of Silversmiths' Guild of America, a Lifetime Trustee at Eaglebrook School, served on the Deerfield Planning Board, and for over forty years was a member of the Old Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department. George is survived by his wife of sixty years, Mary...

Tom Holmes, former CEO of Ingersoll Rand Company, passed away quietly and peacefully on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. He was born and raised in Wilmington, MA, son of John Thomas and Marion Eileen Burtt Holmes. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joan Merritt Holmes; his four children, Nanne, Susan Eelman, Bruce and John Holmes and their families; 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; a brother, Dr. G. Burtt Holmes; and a brother-in-law, Frank Merritt. He is predeceased by his loving sister, Priscilla Bedell. After an Honorable Discharge from the U.S.Navy, serving in WWII as a U. S. Navy pilot, and graduating from the Missouri School of...