Stephen
W. Gould of Chelsea, Vt., passed away on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at
the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt.
Steve
was born in Portland, Maine, on February 1, 1937, to Eleanor
(Webster) and Richard Gould. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine;
Winchester, Mass.; Newport Beach, Calif.; and Colorado Springs,
Colo., and graduated from Fountain Valley High School in Colorado
Springs. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College
in Hanover, N.H. He went on to receive a masters in German language
and literature from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt. and his
juris doctorate (JD) from the Vermont Law School in Randolph, Vt.
While serving in the U.S. Army, he attended the Defense Language
Institute Language Center in Monterey, Calif., and was stationed in
Germany. He was fluent in English, German and Polish. After his
service, he taught German first as an instructor at
Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton, Mass., and then later as
an assistant professor at State University College in Oneonta, N.Y.
While
living in Oneonta, he helped form the Oneonta Legal Rights Guild and
was treasurer of the Emergency Bail Project. Through this work, he
was motivated to pursue law with a goal to provide meaningful legal
support to those who otherwise might not be able to afford the rights
and protections provided by the American legal system. After earning
his JD, he worked as a public defender. He eventually became an
assistant attorney general and attorney for the State of Vermont
Department of Taxes. Steve was known as a generous and caring
individual with a sharp wit and sense of humor. He had a deep love of
nature and the outdoors, from skiing, cycling and hiking to reading
by the brook. Throughout his life, he was in active service to his
community and dedicated to being a friendly helping hand. Among his
endeavors, he was a volunteer firefighter and a member of the school
board for the Chelsea Public School. Later, in retirement, he was
active in the Central Vermont Farm Workers Coalition, a part of
Migrant Justice, and was an active member of other community
improvement projects and volunteer efforts.
In
the past seven years, he has shown great strength, courage, and, at
times, stubbornness and humor in dealing with serious health issues.
Through it all, he was supported by his family and a community of
friends for which there are no words to express gratitude. Steve is
survived by his two children and their families: Dana Gould of
Boston, Mass., and Stephanie Sotkin of Salt Lake City, Utah, along
with his granddaughter, Hannah Sotkin, also of Salt Lake City. He is
also survived by his siblings and their families: Sally Wilson of
Walpole, Mass., Susan Hoffman of Needham, Mass., and his
sister-in-law, Sue Gould, of Turner, Mass., and the children of his
late brother, John Gould, of Turner. He is also survived by his
companion, Judy Peterson, and her children.
The
family expresses deeply felt gratitude for the support of many
friends, including but not limited to Dan and Lynne Cardozo; the
caring staff at the Gary Residence, where Steve lived for five years;
as well as Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice and the McClure
Miller Respite House.
Per
Steve’s request, there will not be a funeral. The family plans on a
gathering to celebrate his life and honor his memory on Wednesday,
July 31, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier.
Memorial
donations in his name may be made to Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice or Migrant Justice. To continue honoring his memory, his hope
was that you would do something special for a friend. Please visit
awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
This article appears in The Cartoon Issue 2024.