Friday, February 14, 2025

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School district looking to eliminate jobs in proposed fiscal 2026 budget, staff members express anger and frustration

“I worry about what happens to our students when their leaders lose sight of whom they serve," said Du Bois Middle School Spanish teacher Mercedes Girona. “I understand that there are budget cuts, but I feel like there needs to be a little bit more humanity."

J. Finlay MacLean, 99, of Lenox

In 1973, he started MacLean Plumbing and Heating with his brother Donald and was active in the business until his retirement in 2010 at the age of 92.

Harold Heath Sr., 93, formerly of Lee

From the late 1940s, he was employed at the Mountain Mill division of the Westfield River Paper Company in Lee, from which he retired in 1989.

Willard Salzer, 92, of Lenox

Most of his professional life was at Allied Stores Corp. in New York City, where he became vice president for planning and research and a nationally known authority on retail store location.

Max Jongkind, 77, of Lee

He worked in the computer and electronics industry and was an instructor at Lansing Community College.

Thomas Wickham of Lee, former TWA ‘pilot of the year’

He was made a captain with TWA in 1959, flew the media “chase” plane for Gerald Ford’s presidential run in 1976 and, in 1984, was named the company’s “Pilot of the Year” for skillfully averting the crash of his fully-loaded 747 while experiencing a mechanical failure flying from New York’s JFK to Rome.

Walter ‘Ozzie’ Rathbun, 79, of Tyringham

For the past 22 years, he was an active member of the Evening Star Lodge in Lee.

Thomas Guidi, 75, of Great Barrington and Rotunda West, Florida

Always one to give back to the community, he gave of his time as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army and a love of Broadway was fulfilled as a volunteer usher in many theatres throughout the Berkshires.

John Boddie, 87, of Great Barrington, founding member of Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad

John Boddie also worked for many years as a special patrolman for Great Barrington and Stockbridge, a Berkshire County deputy sheriff, and at Birches-Roy Funeral Home.

Frank Gorham Jr., 88, of Great Barrington

Frank worked for 37 years as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service, retiring in 1989.

John ‘Zip’ Zanin, 94, of Housatonic

Zip worked as an electrician for Rising Paper Mill, Barrington Electric and Berkshire Hills Regional School District, and was the wire inspector for the Town of Great Barrington for many years–he was the longest serving town officer in Berkshire County.

Emma Drew, 94, of Stockbridge

Emma's life included service in the U.S. Navy during World War II, having earned several awards for outstanding service.

Richard Billetter, 84, of Lenox

An accomplished athlete, Richard achieved the remarkable by competing in all (40) Josh Billings triathlons to date; ran the Boston Marathon for several years, played golf regularly, cross-country skied, and loved canoeing the Housatonic River.

Daniel Toomey, 91, of Lee, MassDOT surveyor

While Toomey saw action at both the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, it was the fact that the peace treaty was signed in Tokyo Bay in 1945 aboard the very ship on which he was serving that he was most proud.

Douglas S. Howie Jr., 87, of Lenox, former GE engineer

He was employed by General Electric in Pittsfield as a Design Engineer assigned to the submarine missile Fire Control Programs.

Michael F. ‘Mike’ Sawyer, 54, of Becket, town police officer and veteran

During his long service career he was afforded the opportunity to visit many places both overseas and in the U.S., namely the Azores, Germany, Italy and Holland.

William G. Holmes, 104, of Lenox, Navy veteran and marketing executive

Mr. Holmes was a devoted father, a volunteer and leader in community organizations, a great salesman and a savvy investor. He played golf into his 100th year.
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