Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Quick Article Index . . .
Obituary - Geraldine Buckley Millham,
71, Westport
Obituary - Katharine (Kathie) Hall Preston of Westport
Point, 90
The summer Westport Farmers Market opens for the
summer season this Saturday, June 13th.
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Obituary - Geraldine Buckley Millham, 71, Westport EverythingWestport.com Sunday, May 10, 2020 Geraldine Buckley Millham died unexpectedly
at home with her family near on May 2, 2020, in Westport. She is survived by
her husband of 45 Born in San Francisco in 1948 to John and Eleanor Buckley, Geraldine
grew up in Mill Valley, Calif., where she enjoyed a free-range childhood amid
redwood groves and forested canyons. Geraldine received a B.A. in Design from U.C.
Berkeley in 1970. She was a textile artist for ten years, creating wool
tapestries inspired by landscapes and the feather patterns of birds’ wings.
She then studied graphic design at UMass Dartmouth, where she later taught
Introductory Typography classes in the Graphic Design Department. During her 23-year design career, she created print products for
private secondary schools and environmental non-profits as well as children’s
book designs for Tilbury House Publishers.
Geraldine also provided many pro bono design services to local historical and
cultural organizations. Throughout her career as an artist and a graphic
designer, she brought creativity and a beautiful sense of design to every
project she undertook. Geraldine’s love of local history and commitment to the preservation
of old vernacular architecture will leave a lasting impact on treasured
places in Westport. She served on the Westport Historical Commission for more
than 35 years, and though she once referred to this participation as a life
sentence, she was a constant source of reason and fairness and provided vital
institutional continuity for the commission. For this long public service,
she will be remembered fondly by many and perhaps less so by others who
sought changes to their buildings out of character with their histories. In the late 1970s, when the Westport Town
Farm was threatened with sale, Geraldine played a key role in organizing the
farm’s defense and in raising funds to preserve the buildings and the farm’s
30 acres of fields, woods, and salt marsh. She was subsequently responsible
for the ongoing operation and oversight of the property, which in 2006
translated into a partnership between the town and the Trustees of
Reservations. Thanks to her many years of dedication, the public can enjoy
gathering for community events at the Town Farm, walking along its
stonewalled paths, and taking in its fine views of the Westport River. Geraldine’s work as an artist and a historic preservationist extended
to her home. In the early 1970s, Tony and Geraldine
dismantled and moved a 1720 house to their property in Westport. They
combined their talents to create the beautiful home where they raised their
girls, tended their gardens, fed their friends, and welcomed many visitors
over the decades. Even with the recent upheavals, Geraldine was able to enjoy the
long-awaited return of her daughter Sofia’s family from California to
Westport. Despite a recent fall, she was able to have her granddaughters
close to her all the time, sharing stories, school projects, crafts, and
naps. She will be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor, the
encouragement she gave her daughters and their friends over the years, her
style and lovely sense of color, and above all her love for her family. A memorial service for Geraldine will be held at a time when all can
gather freely to celebrate her life. Donations in her memory can be sent to
the Greater Fall River Community Food Pantry, the Westport Food Pantry, the
Westport Historical Society, or the Westport Land Trust. Obituary - Katharine (Kathie) Hall
Preston of Westport Point, 90 EverythingWestport.com Sunday, May 10, 2020
She spent her entire life either living or spending time in Westport
Point, Massachusetts. Growing up sailing and spending time at or near the
water, she had an abiding love of the river and the natural world. One of her
special gifts was her ability to find wonder in almost anything, but most
particularly nature. No matter what was going on, she could find something
beautiful to appreciate and comment on. Humor played a central role in her life. One of her last conversations
with her daughters reflected these gifts. Not only did she comment on how
beautiful the ambulance ride had been in the early morning, but she laughed
while commenting on the differing driving skills of the various folks moving
her stretcher. She was an avid birder and an environmentalist, active in the Westport
River Watershed Alliance during its early years. She and her husband spent
many hours and days in U.S. Wildlife Refuges, National Parks, and other
wilderness areas enjoying bird watching and savoring the beauty around them.
She loved the time they spent together (near dolphins, manatees and with a
visiting blue heron) in a condo on the water in Vero Beach, Florida. When she
could no longer get out to see the birds, she
surrounded herself with bird feeders, so the birds could visit her. She
treasured her years traveling with her husband, with a particular love of
England and Scotland (and British comedies). Music was a central part of her life. She was a
music major and founded The Whims, a cappella group at Wheaton. She
taught music for several years after college, and was often found playing the
piano, getting lost listening to music, organizing sing-alongs, attending
evensong and playing duets with her husband. Some of her happiest moments
involved gatherings of friends and family to sing, whether part of a full
moon sail to the Westport harbor, singalongs during her childhood, or her
annual Christmas caroling party. Music always stirred a special part of her
soul. Family, immediate and extended, and family history were very important
to her. She kept contact with cousins around the country, gathered
information about family history, and was a loving daughter, mother, aunt and
cousin. She accepted and loved her lesbian daughters and their spouses
without reservation. She stayed in touch with friends from every part of her
life, with her closest friends becoming part of her extended family. She was politically active throughout her life, both as a participant
herself on local committees and boards and as an advocate for liberal and
environmental causes. Recipients of her annual holiday card were often
blessed with quotes about the wonders of the natural world and the dangers
and opportunities in the political one. Kathie leaves two daughters, Elizabeth (Liz) who lives in Westhampton,
MA, with her spouse, Cindy White; and Anne who lives in Seattle, WA, with her
spouse, Kathleen Conroy. She also leaves nieces and a nephew, their children,
many close cousins, and a wonderful group of women who cared for her in her
final years. Her smile, sense of humor, and ability to see beauty in the
smallest things will be greatly missed. A private burial and memorial service will be held later in the
summer. In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory may be made to The Westport
River Watershed Alliance, 493 Old County Rd, Westport, MA, 02790 or The
Westport Land Conservation Trust, 830 Drift Rd., Westport, MA 02790. The summer Westport Farmers Market
opens for the summer season this Saturday, June 13th. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, May 10, 2020 Dear Friends and Supporters: The re-imagined Westport Farmers Market opens for the summer season
this Saturday, June 13th. Organizers are working hard to make it a safe
experience that continues to connect shoppers with essential local
businesses. The Market will be held every Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.,
from Vendors will include Skinny Dip Farm, Movement Ground Farm
(vegetables), Scuttlebutt Coffee (baked goods and coffee), Old County Farm
(meat, eggs, soap), with more vendors joining soon. It is critical to note that most all of the businesses selling at the
market are very small family farms and food operations. The economic reality of
running this type of business is that they are extremely vulnerable. They
need the market, and need their customers, but must safeguard themselves
against the possibility of contact with the Coronavirus. Illness would be a
disaster, but even contact with individuals that turn out later to be ill
would trigger the need to quarantine for 2 weeks. That’s not economically
feasible, so you will find the market as a whole will be extremely cautious. Coronavirus safety features in place will include a hand sanitizer
station. Tents will be further apart to allow more space while navigating the
market. All vendors and shoppers are required to wear masks and practice good
social distancing, keeping 6 feet away from others. Each vendor will set up in a way to encourage distancing and quick and
easy transactions. Many vendors will be offering their products on a
pre-order basis. Please visit the farmer’s market website for
more information and when applicable, links to vendors’ websites for online
sales. To start, vendors will be limited to essential businesses, but we hope
to add more vendors as restrictions ease and we have a few successful markets
under our belts. The same goes for music and other entertainment. We will
focus first on establishing a good safe marketplace and add in enhancements
to the market if and when we feel we can do so safely. Thank you to our many customers and supporters, and we look forward to
seeing you at the Westport Farmers Market this summer. - - - - - End - - - - - ©
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