WIlson 'Bill' Simonds, 88

Wilson John "Bill" Simonds, 88, passed away at his Whiting home on Sunday, March 29, 2020, according to an April 1 obituary in the Rutland Herald.

Photo from Miller & Ketcham
Funeral Homes, Inc.

Simonds is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Grace Baker Simonds, four children, ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Following a private graveside committal service, he was interred at the Whiting Community Cemetery.

Simonds was born in Whiting on December 25, 1931, and grew up in the community, attending local schools. Following 1950 graduation from Brandon High School, he served in the United States Air Force, and then returned home to Whiting.

He married Grace Baker on March 10, 1962. Two years later, the couple purchased the Simonds' sixth-generation family homestead of 130 acres.

Simonds, who retired from Polymers Plastics in Middlebury in 1993, enjoyed hunting, flying, reading and outdoor work. He was a member of Whiting Community Church.

Church Fall Festival tomorrow

The Whiting Community Church Fall Festival is scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 22) between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. The church is located at the four corners in Whiting's village (where Route 30 meets the Leicester-Whiting and Shoreham-Whiting roads).

Events will include a pig and turkey roast, crosscut saw competition, relay races, egg toss, horseshoes, obstacle course, pumpkin decorating contest and pie contest. There will be carnival games for the kids.

Beautiful day

Technically, autumn is still a few days off, but it feels like autumn today. It may still be a couple of weeks until the leaves begin their annual show, but today felt like a good day to get out with the camera.

A large sign over at Whiting Community Church announces a Fall Festival this Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m.

One of the maple trees in our side yard has already begun to turn a golden color.

Yesterday's storm pulled some of early fall-colored leaves from the trees and dropped them around town.

I noticed that a lot more area residents are going in for marshmallow farming these days.

The skies looked particularly dramatic this afternoon.