Shelburne Falls & West County Independent

11/22/2025

Support the Shelburne Falls Farmers' Market and prepare for your Thanksgiving meal and the holidays ahead on Sunday.

11/20/2025

11/19/2025

Bernard Dale den Ouden

HEATH – Bernard (Buck) Dale den Ouden, born on May 25, 1944, in Pipestone, Minnesota, passed away Nov. 15, 2025,in the den Ouden family home in Heath, which he and his wife built in the 1970s.

His passing came after a long illness which he quietly fought with courage, grace, and an abundance of loving care from his wife of more than 60 years, Beverly den Ouden.

He is also survived by his sister, Arlo Bolt, and a wonderful family of relatives on his side and the side of Beverly, most of whom are still living in the midwest. Near to his heart is his daughter Nicole den Ouden, her husband Rich Hamilton (who he loved like his own son) and their two children Weston and Naomi who live in Rowe. Weston and Naomi had the good fortune of growing up very close to their wonderful grandfather and grandmother. They were the apple of their grandfather's eye.

Also celebrating his life at the ceremony noted below will be his son Matt den Ouden and his wife Malika and their family, who had the privilege of caring for their beloved "Papa" all last winter in their home in Houston, Texas.

Buck will be buried on top of a hill in Heath where he and the den Ouden family have long lived and consider home. Buck and Bev enjoy a broad group of wonderful friends in the area and were always deeply active in the local community, including the Heath Fair, where Buck was a perennial player in the antique tractor pull and red potato growing contests.

His professional life was as a college professor at the University of Hartford in Connecticut where he was known as "Doctor D" and adored by thousands of students over the 45 years he worked at this one college.

Buck also traveled the world for decades working with NGOs and helping impoverished people, often in famine-struck areas, with sustainable development that would feed or house them for a lifetime, often from things built or grown from their own hand.

While a man of ideas and letters and the author of numerous books and papers, he was also a lifelong farmer. He loved the land — both the fields he reclaimed with Matt for crops and the woods from which he logged the wood to build the family home in Heath.

A celebration of his life will be had Saturday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. in the Heath Community Hall, 1 West Main Street, Heath.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider donations to the Nijs den Ouden Memorial Prize Endowment at the University of Hartford. Gifts may be sent c/o Development and Alumni Affairs, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117, or to Southwest Minnesota Christian Schools (Memo line: Den Ouden Writing Contest) and mailed to: Southwest Minnesota Christian Schools, 550 W Elizabeth Street, Edgerton, MN 56128.

Both funds were set up by Buck and Bev to benefit a new generation of students, It is the hope of the den Ouden family that these young people will carry forward the lifelong meditation by Buck which formed the title of one of his books, "Are Freedom and Dignity Possible?".

Buck den Ouden found dignity and profound value in family, in hard work, in giving to others, and in the open communion of ideas (even challenging ones). He will be missed and lovingly remembered by his family and all those he touched in his long life. A life well lived!

11/18/2025

Dorothy M. Shippee

SHELBURNE FALLS – Dorothy M. (Deware) Shippee, age 98, of Shelburne Falls, died peacefully on Nov. 15, 2025. She was born Dec. 13,1926, daughter of Robert and Mary (Brown) Deware.

She was a graduate of Arms Academy, class of 1944, where she played basketball and trumpet in the school band. The band is where she met her husband, Gerald A. Shippee, who played trombone.

After his service in WWII, they were married on Aug. 9, 1947 in Flint, Michigan, the day after he graduated from the General Motors Institute. Dorothy was predeceased by her husband in 1985.

Along with raising nine children, she also did the bookwork for Gerald’s service station and school bus company. Family was always her priority. Dorothy instilled faith, a strong work ethic and compassion in her children. Treating others with kindness and the importance of family were always at the fore. She knew how to have a good laugh, often reminiscing over old stories and enjoyed all that went along with having a big family. She served pancakes to all the neighborhood kids who fished the Elm Street Bray Brook on opening day. Dorothy directed and enjoyed many lakeside and oceanfront summer vacations, traveling in the family station wagon and weekend gatherings with in-laws and cousins. She had enough stories to fill a book!

She and Gerald later summered in Scituate, MA, where she moved after his passing in 1985.

Dorothy also had a passion for history and was active in the Buckland and Scituate Historical Societies. She found joy in researching family genealogy and prepared genealogy books for her nine children and 28 grandchildren.

Quilting was a favorite hobby and she created quilts for many family members. Other hobbies included playing the piano, jigsaw puzzles, reading, needlepoint and singing in the church choir.

She enjoyed traveling with the Old Deerfield Historical Society and did so worldwide. As a volunteer, she made meals for the Pine Street Inn in Boston.

Dorothy had fond childhood memories of visiting relatives in Gilmanton, NH where she could ride in a horse-drawn sleigh. She took tap dance classes and could still tap out “East Side West Side” well into her 90s.

She is survived by her nine children; Christie Shea (Jack), David (Lorraine), Ellen (Janice/deceased), Patrick (Carol), Timothy (Patricia), Matthew (Rhonda), Mary Wissman (David), Daniel (Patricia) and Catherine McDonald (Aaron), as well as her 28 grandchildren; Kate, Greg, Heather, Emily, Max, Melanie, Sam, April, Josh, Luc, Gabe, Jess, Ben, Gail, Adam, Rebekah, Erin, Justin, Zachary, Elias, Hannah, Audrey, Lydia, Nathan, Sydney, Maia, Owen, Lilly; and her 56 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Marilyn (Shippee) Brozo; and many nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was predeceased by her brother, Robert Deware, sister, Betty (Deware) McClary, and nine in-laws.

A graveside service will be held Sunday, Nov. 23 at 11:30 a.m. in Arms Cemetery, Shelburne Falls.

There are no calling hours.

11/17/2025

Silbert R. Lanoue
COLRAIN – Silbert R. Lanoue, Jr., 76, known to most as “Woody," passed from this life Nov. 12, 2025 at his home in Colrain, resting on the very ground his own hands had tended.

Born in Northampton on Oct. 20, 1949 to Joan (Witkop) and Silbert Lanoue, Sr., he was raised in Spruce Corner, Ashfield and attended Sanderson Academy and Mohawk Trail Regional High School. He went on to earn degrees from the University of Massachusetts and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.

In 1981, Woody founded Lanoue Tree and Landscaping Service, a business he built with immense pride and hard work. As a landscaper and arborist, he cared deeply about the land and the people he served. His beautifully crafted stone walls, patios, and landscapes will endure for generations, standing as quiet monuments to the pride he took in his work.

His dedication and skill earned him the respect of a great many customers and friends throughout the community. Among his proudest personal accomplishments was achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, an honor that reflected his lifelong love of nature, adventure, and self-reliance.

Woody’s passion for hunting and fishing shaped much of his life. He was happiest in the woods of Colrain or with dear friends at the Buck family farm in Jefferson, NY and his camp in Island Pond, VT, built years ago with help from his father and brothers.

His hunting adventures took him far and wide, from the Rocky Mountains in search of elk to the northern reaches of Canada for bear and caribou to Alaska, and the Great Lakes to fish for salmon. But his heart always belonged to Vermont, where he spent countless days hunting rabbits and evenings gathered around the fire cooking venison, celebrating and sharing stories after long days in the snowy woods. Woody had a gift for making every trip to the camp memorable for all who joined him over the years.

Beyond the outdoors, Woody had a vibrant spirit and was an avid fan of all New England sports teams. He cherished the unforgettable memories with his son, Chris, of attending game six of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park and traveling to Atlanta to watch the New England Patriots win Super Bowl LIII.

He enjoyed coaching his young sons’ street hockey and baseball teams and was their biggest supporter throughout their high-school sports. He loved music and was often the first – and last – one on the dance floor at any party, never missing an opportunity to have a good time. His gentle spirit, kind smile, and zest for life left an impression on everyone who knew him.

Woody will be deeply missed but forever remembered for his love of the outdoors, his tireless work ethic, and the joy he found in simple moments spent with friends and family. To his children, he was a source of strength, a quiet teacher by example, and a constant presence of unconditional love.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his son, Jeffery Lanoue. Woody is survived by his beloved partner, Debra Koscinski (Colrain); his daughter, Carolyn Curtis (Gill) and son-in-law, David Curtis (Leyden); and his son, Christopher Lanoue (Bernardston). He leaves behind his adored grandchildren, Gavin and Henry Curtis and Emma Lanoue. He is also remembered with love by Debra’s family, Joe and Mandy Koscinski (Greenfield) and Nick and Jamie Koscinski (Vernon, VT) and grandchildren Rylin, Ashlyn, and Zoey.

Woody is further survived by his siblings and in-laws: Susan Wall (Jim Logan), Jeanne (Michael) Lowinski, Barbara (David) Thompson, Nelson (Brenda) Lanoue, Eileen(Paul) LaDuke, David (Amy) Lanoue, Richard (Cyndi, recently deceased) Lanoue, as well as many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive guests at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, 40 Church St., Shelburne Falls on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Buckland, followed by a burial service at Spruce Corner Cemetery in Ashfield. A celebration of his life will follow at The Sweetheart, 42 South Maple Street, Shelburne.

For leave a condolence message or to share a memory of Woody for his family, please visit smithkelleherfuneralhome.com/listings.

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11/16/2025

Melvin L. Cass
BUCKLAND — Melvin Levi Cass, 83, passed away peacefully at Baystate Franklin Medical Center on Nov. 9, 2025 after a lengthy illness.

Born Feb. 1, 1942, in Greenfield, he was the son of Nathaniel L. Cass and Carrie (Purinton) Cass of Buckland. Melvin attended local schools, including Arms Academy, where he was a member of the Future Farmers of America.

Melvin was a lifelong Buckland resident. Melvin served his country from 1959 to 1963 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He later enlisted in the Seabees; he was honorably discharged from both.

Between Melvin’s enlistments, he worked in the logging industry. He would go on to work until his retirement in the construction industry as a construction worker, blaster, and heavy equipment operator. He was also a welder.

For more than 50 years, he was a member of the Mountain Lodge of Masons in Shelburne Falls, where he also served as a past Master.

Melvin had a love for the outdoors, where he enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, snowmobiling, snow and water skiing, and, for a time, flying.

He and Bernice enjoyed spending time at his friend Gordon Barton’s camp on the Connecticut River, but it was the family camp in New Hampshire he enjoyed the most. Weekends were filled with family from Massachusetts and New Hampshire and friends. Everyone who went had a great time and came away with wonderful memories.

Melvin will be remembered fondly for the incredible Christmas Eve parties he and Bernice hosted for many years. It was always standing room only and no one left hungry. It was a time when family and friends had a chance to catch up, talk about the good old days, and share some Christmas cheer.

He enjoyed working with his hands, building and renovating. He was also a very good mechanic. Melvin put his knowledge of operating equipment to good use for projects at home and helping others. He was always willing to help family and friends.

Melvin was predeceased by his parents, Nathaniel and Carrie; his brother, Lloyd Cass; and the love of his life, his partner of more than 50 years, Bernice Howes. He is survived by his extended family in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and his beloved German Shepherd, Buddy.

The family would like to thank Ed Purinton for always being there for Melvin during his illness and taking him to his appointments when needed. It was Ed, Arnold Purinton, and Russ Dodge’s companionship that made a world of difference in the last year of his life.

The family would also like to thank Nancy Godbout, Godbout and Associates, and the ICU nurses at Franklin Medical Center for the care and compassion they showed Melvin.

A private graveside service will be held Nov. 19 at 1 p.m. at the Mary Lyon Church in Buckland. In lieu of flowers please, consider a donation to your local animal shelter.

11/14/2025

Support the Shelburne Falls Area Women's Club this holiday by buying the club's delightful 100th anniversary cookie book. It's the perfect size for stocking stuffers or to slip into a holiday greeting card. Just $10 each. All income goes to the club's scholarship fund. Pre-order by email to sfmawomensclub@gmail.com.

11/14/2025

Martha Davis

Shelburne – Martha (Davenport) Davis, 91, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning, Nov. 5, 2025, in her home in Shelburne. Her home was a labor of love that she and her late husband, G. Richard Davis, designed and built after raising their family.

She was born May 3, 1934 in Greenfield, the daughter of Maurice J. Davenport and Marguerite (Smith) Davenport of Shelburne. Fondly known as “Pucky” to family and close friends, her formative education was at Arms Academy. She graduated with the class of 1952. She attended and graduated from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston with a registered nursing degree.

While raising her family in Topsfield, MA, she enjoyed congregational church-related activities, being a cub scout den mother, camping and vacationing in eastern Canada and many New England states.

She returned to her nursing career at Beverly Hospital after her children were grown. Later in life she became a member of the Topsfield Counsel of Aging, where she spent three years on the board.

She self-taught the finer details of knitting, sewing, and upholstery. She was a member of the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA) and has registered hooked rugs, including a self-interpretation of the Bridge of Flowers. She cherished the comradery and conversation with her friends, known as the “Unfinished Symphonies,” as they worked on their individual crafts.

Both she and her late husband enjoyed classical music and attending BSO concerts where they had season tickets. In the summer months, trips to Tanglewood were a common outing for both where they would bring elaborate and delicious picnics.

Martha is survived by her children Leonard Davis of S. Hamilton, Larry Davis and wife Laura of Peabody, Lisa Louzier and significant other Sol Fedder of Shelburne, Russell Davis and wife Sara of Hillsborough, NJ., and Glenn Davis and wife Robin of South Hadley; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, G. Richard Davis, her brothers, Russell Davenport and Donald Davenport, and her sister, Ruth Davenport Crowell.

Martha’s family will be holding a private service to celebrate her life.

The family would like to thank the caring staff of the Pioneer Valley Hospice care team that made it possible for her to stay at home and receive services.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Pioneer Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 101 Munson Street, Suite 103, Greenfield, MA 01301.