Obituaries – October 22, 2022

Lisa Sheryl Boyle
Lisa Sheryl Boyle, 67, died on Sept. 17, 2022, in the presence of family at the McClure Miller Respite House, after a 25-year struggle with the challenges of spinal cord injury.

She was born Oct, 8, 1954, in Newport, Rhode Island, but the first 10 years of her life were nomadic, moving through several states while her father established a career in landscape architecture. After he was awarded a Harvard Eliot Traveling Fellowship, from 1961-63 the family migrated throughout Europe living in a VW camper and settled for a time in a small German village. Unsurprisingly, in a short time 8-year old Lisa had learned to speak German and became the family translator.

The family later settled at Duck Pond Corners in Charlotte where Lisa attended Charlotte Central School and cared for her first horse, though as a young girl before she rode a horse she rode dairy cows at her grandparent’s farm in Herkimer, N.Y.

Next the family moved to Burlington where she played violin with the Vermont Youth Orchestra, studied with Gladys Colburn and graduated a year early from Burlington High School. At the University of Vermont she earned a degree in clinical microbiology as a stepping stone to a possible career in medicine. Living in the Hollow in North Ferrisburgh in the late 70s and early 80s she worked at the Charlotte Family Health Center and volunteered her skills as an EMT and crew chief with Charlotte Rescue.

Along with her partner Jim Dickerson she helped run a successful antique and art auction business, which allowed her to move on and fund becoming a competitive dressage rider and trainer.

After remarrying in 1988, Lisa opened Wingwalker Farm in Shelburne, a horse-boarding facility where she was resident trainer. In 1996, she sold the farm to focus on competing in the Northeast U.S. and Florida dressage show circuits. All was going well until 1998, when on a sunny August afternoon in North Ferrisburgh a backfiring silage truck caused the young horse she had just mounted to bolt, trip and roll, leaving her permanently paralyzed from the chest down.

Lisa had a curious and probing intellect, never met a stranger, was an inveterate flirt and could stop the show with her gorgeous smile. She loved cats, corgis, any athletic endeavor, gardening, birding, baking and Red Sox baseball. She never tired of listening to Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and Marc Knopfler. The only thing she really didn’t like was being cold.

Through the many setbacks associated with spinal cord injury, Lisa bravely regained and maintained physical independence and for many years continued to teach dressage. However, this past summer intractable medical complications led her to conclude the struggle as she saw fit.

Lisa is survived by her father Terry Boyle and his wife Robin Worn, her mother Marilyn Wheeler, aunt Louise Abeling, sister Martha McHugh and husband Tim, brother Matt Boyle and wife Kerry Bechloff, brother Dan Boyle, nieces Alex and Kyra McHugh, Sara Boyle, and nephew Aiden Boyle. Also, brother-in-law Stefan Kulski and sister-in-law Helena Landis. As she flies west Lisa also leaves her husband of 35 years, Julian Kulski, for whom the concept of a broken heart is no longer academic. Rest in peace, my sweetheart.

Lisa wished to thank Dr. Halle Sobel and the staff of UVM Medical for years of extraordinary care, and Visiting Nurse Association nurse Sierra Gepka. Her family thanks the remarkable McClure Miller Respite House.

In accordance with Lisa’s wishes, there will be no visiting hours or services. Arrangements are in care of Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, 9 Pleasant Street, Essex Junction, VT.

Patricia DeMarco
Patricia DeMarco (aka “Pat,” “Patsy,” “Grandma,” “ Gigi” and “The Contessa”), born May 12, 1935, died on Aug. 22,2022, while living at The Residences at Shelburne Bay in Shelburne, Vt.

While she was famous for her striking beauty and fabulous sense of style, Pat was most known for her fierce devotion to her family and her great generosity. She was the touchstone who nurtured the connection between the family and friends throughout the world and the generations.

Born in Brooklyn, she enjoyed traveling with her husband around the world and spending time with her children and grandchildren at the Jersey Shore and Vermont. She enjoyed all the music, art, theater, and food that New York City could offer.

She was predeceased by her husband Paul and is survived by her sister, Barbara (Paul), her children: Patrice DeMarco (Peter), Anthony DeMarco, Paul DeMarco Jr (Patty), her grandchildren: Brooke (J.R.), Paul III, Lauren (Joe), Morgan (Lou) and Patrick, Matthew (Kasey) and Oliver (Dana), seven great grandchildren: James, Ryan, Victoria, Emmett, Henry, Lydia, and Alexandria. She was very close to her half-sister, Maria, as well as many friends and family.

She was a woman of strong faith whose life will be celebrated at a Mass on Saturday, Sept. 24, at St. Catherine of Siena church in Shelburne at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at her daughter Patrice’s house in Charlotte, Vt. Donations in Pat’s name can be made to the Vermont Donor Milk Center in Essex Junction, Vermont.

Arrangements are in care of the Cremation Society of Chittenden County. To send online condolences to her family please visit the website.

Susan Krasnow
Susan Krasnow, 73, died Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Vermont Respite House in Colchester. She fought hard against the disease of ovarian cancer, treating each day as another day to live with her family and friends.

Susan was born on April 22, 1949, to Howard and Frankie Lass in New York. She grew up in Long Beach, N.Y., attending Long Beach High School, and then college at Cornell University. Susan was never one to stop learning, earning multiple master’s degrees from the University of Vermont. Susan spent over 40 years dedicated to the field of special education and disability services at the elementary, high school and college level, positively impacting the lives of thousands of children and tens of thousands of people in their lives. Her commitment to ensure that all students can learn and achieve was a testament to her belief in that we should all work toward a fair and just world.

In 1970, Susan married Gerry Krasnow and moved to Vermont to raise their family: daughter Alysia, son Aaron, and daughter Emilie. Family was the most important thing to both of them. That ethic led to two sisters (Susan and her sister Jane Krasnow, née Levitzky) marrying two brothers (Edward and Gerry Krasnow) and buying land together in Charlotte, VT so their children could grow up together. They were soon joined on “the hill” by Gerry’s brother Michael Krasnow and his wife Sumru Tekin. This piece of land, cleared from the side of Mt Philo, became the place where nine children in the three families would grow up together, just as Susan, Gerry, Jane, Eddie, Sumru, and Michael envisioned. For decades they supported each other through life’s triumphs and sadness, including the death of Gerry in 1998.

Susan found love again and married Edward Cafferty in 2010, and true to their vows, he was by her side in sickness and in health. When Susan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018, Ed was with her for doctor appointments and chemotherapy treatments with steadfast love and companionship. Ed was Susan’s primary caregiver for over four years and was holding her hand when she passed away. Susan was very lucky to have found such deep loves in her life as with Gerry and with Ed.

Susan loved many things: her family, her work, traveling all over the world, rescuing old dogs, the music of Elton John, Joni Mitchell and Weezer, going to concerts with Emilie, and visiting and FaceTiming with her grandsons Griffin, Henry and Leo Butler, and Jacob Krasnow. She was incredibly proud of her children, each one who has followed in her and Gerry’s footsteps to make their life work focused on family and the welfare of others. An incredible source of pride for Susan was to watch Emilie’s run for the Vermont State House this year, knowing that in public service Emilie would be the change she wished to see in the world.

Susan is survived by her daughter Alysia Krasnow Butler and her husband Tim, son Aaron Krasnow and his wife Jennifer, daughter Emilie Krasnow, husband Ed Cafferty and his children, brother Peter Lass and his wife Gail Lass, sister Jane Krasnow and brother-in-law Edward Krasnow, sister Elly Shafranek, brother-in-law Michael Krasnow and sister-in-law Sumru Tekin, brother-in-law Robert Krasnow and his wife Lourdes, sister-in-law Dianne Krasnow, and grandsons Griffin, Henry, and Leo Butler and Jacob Krasnow. Susan is also survived by 19 nieces and nephews and their children. She was predeceased by her father Howard Lass, her mother Frances Lass Levitzky, her stepfather Leo Levitzky, her husband Gerald Krasnow, her sister and brother-in-law Carol and Peter Seligmann, and her brother-in-law Lawrence Krasnow.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Vermont Respite House for making Susan’s last week a calm and peaceful one. Additionally, the family would like to thank Lisa Vanacek for her care and support for Susan this summer, allowing Susan to remain at home as long as possible.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests support for the South Burlington Food Shelf. Donations can be made online at southburlingtonfoodshelf.org or by mail at South Burlington Food Shelf, PO Box 9417, South Burlington, VT, 05407.

A graveside service will occur on Friday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Hebrew Holy Society Cemetery in South Burlington, Vermont. A celebration of life will occur at a later date.

May her memory be a blessing to us all.

Gregg Catherine McCornack
Gregg Catherine McCornack, age 83, died on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022.

Catherine was born on August 30, 1938, in Boston, Massachusetts, to the late Willard and Catherine (Kelly) McCornack. For 35 years, Catherine worked on both sides of the aisle with the United States House of Representatives.

Catherine would eventually move to California where she performed many volunteer hours with the American Red Cross and Betty Ford Clinic.

Upon moving to Toledo, Ohio, she was a member at the Fairgreen Presbyterian Church where she also served as an ordained deacon.

Catherine ‘s family owned a cottage on Lake Champlain on Thompson’s Point. The McCornack family would vacation there in the summer months, and she always enjoyed spending time here.

For those who knew Catherine well, you knew of her love of dogs. She never met one she didn’t like and spent both her time and her treasures in support of their care.

In addition to her parents, Catherine is predeceased by her siblings: Richard K., Margaret F. and Sara B. McCornack.

Catherine is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A graveside service is being planned in November at Resthaven Memorial Gardens in Frederick, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial contribution to the Fairgreen Presbyterian Church Food Pantry (3220 W Laskey Rd, Toledo, OH 43613) or to Lollypop Farm.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Walter E. Baird & Sons Funeral Home in Wayland, New York. To leave an online condolence, please visit Baird Funeral Homes.