Loved Ones Honor Lloyd Steeves and Barbara Elliott in Upcoming Alzheimer’s Walk

By Trish Griswold

Barbara Elliott (L), a native of Orange, NJ, called Vermont her home for 43 years before her passing last December. She is seen in this 2022 photo, enjoying a boat ride with her husband, Steve, and their family on Martin’s Pond in Peacham. - Courtesy photo

WOODSVILLE, NH / WELLS RIVER, VT - “I get so sad thinking about what he is missing,” Chrissy Steeves remarks about her husband, Lloyd, who has been a resident at the Grafton County Nursing Home (GCNH) in North Haverhill, NH, since April. “It’s so unfair, and it happens to good people.”

Though Lloyd, affectionately known by his former students and colleagues as Mr. Steeves, began displaying early symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease much sooner, he was not formally diagnosed until 2018. Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, is a neuro-degenerative disease marked not only by memory loss but also by difficulty thinking, concentrating, communicating, and performing daily tasks/functions. The severity, speed, and progression of symptoms, however, varies greatly depending on the individual. “People think they don’t remember things, but it becomes way more than that,” Chrissy explains.

Prior to his diagnosis, Mr. Steeves, who has always lived a healthy lifestyle and has no family history of Alzheimer’s Disease, was a beloved math/computer teacher and coach, devoted family man, and active parishioner/treasurer at the North Haverhill United Methodist Church.

According to Chrissy, Mr. Steeves grew up in Kensington, NH, and graduated from Exeter High School in 1961. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Plymouth State University, formerly Plymouth Teachers College, in 1965. That same year, Mr. Steeves started his first job as a primary teacher at Woodsville Elementary School. Seven years later, he began teaching middle-level math at Haverhill Academy but transitioned to Haverhill Cooperative Middle School (HCMS) when it opened in the late 1970s. Mr. Steeves retired from teaching in 2004, following a distinguished 39-year career in education. “People used to ask Lloyd why he didn’t go to 40 years,” Chrissy chuckles, “and he’d always [reply simply], ‘I didn’t want to.’”

Chrissy, who taught Home Economics and English/History alongside her husband at HCMS for many years, describes Lloyd as “a wonderful, caring, compassionate man who put his family’s needs ahead of his own. He loved his family. He loved his church. He loved his school, and he loved his students. He cared so much about every single student, and the kids really, really liked Lloyd. We would see them in Walmart, and they would always come up and say, ‘You were my favorite teacher.’”

Cassie Manning, one of Mr. Steeves former students at HCMS, recalls that he was “very serious about computer skills, especially typing, which I’m grateful for now looking back because I type on a computer every day. I remember whenever he caught me peeking down or looking down, he would put the cardboard box in my hand so I couldn’t see it. Then I started to do better, and he would say, ‘See, I knew you could do it.’ The things he taught us were important, even if we didn’t realize it at the time. In class, he was a great teacher, but outside of class, we would always catch him joking or being silly, and that’s why he was respected in class.”

While Mr. Lloyd was educating middle schoolers in New Hampshire, across the Connecticut River in Wells River, VT, Barbara Elliott was busy teaching elementary school students at Blue Mountain Union School.

“Barbara was one of the kindest, most dedicated teachers I have ever known,” comments Mrs. Elliott’s dear friend and colleague, Nancy Perkins. “She made each of her students feel valued and loved, and they loved her in return. She not only taught academics and good citizenship, she stretched the minds of her students by inviting various community members into her classroom to meet her students and speak with them, sharing their talents and their interests. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and memories of her students.”

Mrs. Elliott was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated from Manasquan High School in 1963 and worked two full-time jobs, one as a waitress and one as a customer service representative at New Jersey Bell Telephone. She attended college classes in the evenings and on the weekends, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Monmouth University in June of 1970. Mrs. Elliott’s teaching career officially began in her home state of New Jersey, where she taught third, fourth, and fifth graders at Lakewood Elementary School for 11 years. During that time, Mrs. Elliott earned her Master’s Degree in School Counseling as well as certification as a reading specialist. In the fall of 1979, Mrs. Elliott met her husband, Steve, on a blind date. They were married in June of 1981, and together, they made their home in Ryegate, VT.

Following a remarkable 40-year career in education, Mrs. Elliott retired from teaching in 2010; however, she continued to serve her community in countless ways, volunteering as a docent at the Vermont State House and the Wells River Welcome Center. Mrs. Elliott was also a devoted member of the Woodsville United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School for decades. Many people have described her as “an angel on Earth” who greeted everyone, everywhere, with a warm, welcoming smile, a kind word, and nothing but love in her heart.

According to Steve, Mrs. Elliott began showing early symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2020. She passed away on December 14, 2024, following several weeks of end-of-life care. “I was fortunate to have been able to care for Barbara in our home for the length of her illness, but it was a mixed blessing,” Steve reflects. “I would never have been able to do it alone. She spent the last 5 weeks at home in hospice, cared for by Caledonia Home Health and Hospice. They are a very professional organization, and we are grateful.”

Both the Steeves and Elliott Families have registered teams in the 2025 Northeast Kingdom Walk to End Alzheimer’s in St. Johnsbury, VT, on Sunday, September 21st. Registration begins at 9:00 am, followed by a ceremony at 10:00 am. The walk is slated to begin at 10:20 am at the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center located at 51 Depot Square. Former students, colleagues, friends, and community members are invited to join them. More information is available on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s website at https://act.alz.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=18968. Mr. Steeves’ team name is “NFP for the Fight,” and Mrs. Elliott’s team name is “Team Barbara Elliott.” All proceeds from the walk will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I see the St. Johnsbury Alzheimer's Walk, not as a chance to do some fundraising,” Steve says, “but rather as an opportunity to honor my wife's memory. I look forward to doing that with my family on the 21st.”
“Please remember the real me when I cannot remember you.” - Julie White

In 2022, Lloyd Steeves (L) and his wife, Chrissy, joined their family for a New Hampshire Fishercats Minor League baseball game at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. - Courtesy photo

Woodsville Water is Being Hauled to Wells River

By Bernie Marvin

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Woodsville, NH – Kevin Shelton, Fire District Administrator for Woodsville, reported to the Bridge Weekly this week that his district is providing water for Wells River residents to use.
This program was established recently after the early January 2025 fuel oil spill became a potential threat to the district’s 219 water users. Recent comments from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources indicated that a January 2025 fuel oil spill in Wells River, Vermont, near the village’s public water supply, has prompted monitoring by local and state officials.
The location of the spill, officials noted, was in the basement of the Evernorth-owned Baldwin Block, a mixed-use building on Route 302 in Wells River. They say approximately 600 gallons of fuel oil were spilled. As of April 2025, the agency reported that “while initial reports in February 2025 indicated no impact on the public water supply, oil was detected in the village test well in April 2025, raising concerns about potential threats to the public water system serving 219 customers.”
The agency noted that the potential risks involved indicate that fuel oil can contaminate groundwater and drinking water sources, potentially posing health risks to consumers. The long-term effects, they said, depend on the extent of contamination and the effectiveness of cleanup efforts. The spill could have long-term environmental consequences.
The Vermont spill program assesses the environmental impact of spills, oversees cleanup efforts, and enforces relevant regulations. Spills of hazardous materials, such as fuel oil, that reach the ground or water should be reported to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.
The agency emphasized the importance of the public staying informed about developments related to this bill and being aware of any potential issues or warnings issued by local and state authorities. They advised the public to contact the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation or the Village of Wells River for the latest information on the situation.
Local Wells River District information was issued to the public two weeks ago by Wells River Village Clerk Mary Schilke in an “Urgent notice to all village water system customers request for voluntary water conservation measures” she outlined the situation describing that due to a spill of fuel oil in the vicinity of the villages well, the only water source, “there is a high potential for the well to be contaminated. In response, the village will discontinue using the well, effective Monday, July 21, 2025, and will commence bulk water hauling, utilizing tankers to transport water from the Woodsville Fire District to the village’s storage tank. This operation will be very costly, and for this reason, the village trustees are respectfully requesting that all water customers attempt to limit water usage during this emergency condition.” Her telephone number is 802-757-3401.
Ms. Schilke noted in her release that the contamination is an issue that is expected to impact the ability to use the well for an extended period of time, possibly years. The village, she said, is proceeding with actions to provide a longer term but is still working on temporary solutions.
“The village is also proceeding with actions to search for and drill a new well source that could possibly replace the existing well. Both of these options will take time to plan and implement, hence the need for bulk hauling in the immediate term, which may extend through the end of the year.”
Woodsville Fire District Administrator Shelton said that Wells River is receiving water from the Woodsville water system. “We have plenty of daily capacity to assist,” he said recently. The water shuttle trucks are receiving water through a hydrant at the Woodsville Community Field, which has a potable water connection and verified to have a chlorine residual.
He added that the residual must be present to ensure there is no danger from bacteria. It is added at the treatment plant and is monitored at several points in the system to ensure its presence, Shelton said.
He said that, to his knowledge, this is the first time that the Woodsville Fire District has provided emergency water services to Wells River. He said it is a unique situation, and with winter a few months away, the temporary solution will need to be modified.

NES and BMU After School Programs learn about starting up a business

By Bernie Marvin

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Newbury, VT – When the students of Newbury Elementary School and the Blue Mountain After School Program wanted to learn about starting their businesses, they chose to study how Don and Shelly Drew founded and now operate their popular Three Bears Country Barn on Route 302 in Wells River.
The best way for kids to explore career options when they are older is to learn more about a retail establishment, and for this, they chose the Three Bears Country Barn. That began with a trip to the store, an interview with the Drews that provided the kids with information and answers they had formulated during a session with After School Director Paul Jewett.
Director Jewett said the exercise was an opportunity to open their minds to different ways of looking into and pursuing a career when they were older. The 3 Bears Country Barn was an ideal way to learn more about the Drews and how they work closely with the community to make their store a success.
Director Jewett said the students’ questions were interesting, as they probed just what it would take to start a business similar to what Don and Shelly Drew had done to launch their store.
Director Jewett said, “We had a spirited discussion during a recent afternoon with the children about starting a store! I thought I would pass on some specific questions they would like the Drews to think about before their visit from BMU and NES After School Students.”
1. How did you come up with the idea of running a store?
2. How did you come up with a name for the store?
3. Have you considered expanding the store?
4. How do you determine the prices for the items you sell?
5. How much money do you have to bring in to cover your costs?
6. What steps do you need to take to secure the store?
7. Where does your store's stock come from, and do you store extra stock somewhere?
He said, “As you can see, lots of questions which will lead to a good discussion and understanding of all the things that go into making and successfully carrying out a business! Everyone involved was looking forward to a fun and learning experience,” he said.
Don and Shelly Drew told The Bridge Weekly they are presently operating their fifth season at their store. They offered that it all started after they bought the lot, cleared it, and then built the country barn. They had some assistance but did most of the work themselves. It is a beautiful building, reminiscent of a timber frame structure, and packed with a fantastic array of merchandise found in a typical small Vermont Country store.
They are locals, in that Shelly lived in Woodsville as a youth, and Don lived in Woodsville. Before opening the store, he was the head maintenance director for the Precinct of Mountain Lakes for 18 years.
They said during a tour and interview in the store that After School Program Director Jewett asked them about working with the students on what they did to set up the store, stock it, and maintain it as a country store.
The kids said they were amazed to find such a diverse assortment of foods, cheeses, wood products, books, music programs, and even a café featuring fresh coffee, baked goods, and other types of refreshments.
As the children toured the store, the variety of goods on display made it easy for them to ask Don and Shelly plenty of questions about starting the store.
Director Jewett said that the exercise provided an opportunity to open the students’ minds to different ways of pursuing a career in the future. He said the store was an ideal place for the kids to visit in order to find a well-managed, successful retail store in the area that was open from May through December each year.
Before their visit, the After School group gathered to discuss ways available to plan for a successful venture, similar to Drew’s store. Each After School Program group visited the store and was given time to wander around, examine the items for sale, and ask questions of the Drews who were on hand for the visits.
While in the store, Jewett had allowed each student to make a $5.00 purchase so they could appreciate some of the value of what the store carried and just how important it was for them to make a purchase and to talk about how the merchandise got onto the shelves, where it came from, the price markup and other considerations a store owner must have when carrying the hundreds of items that the Three Bears Country Store has available for the public to consider.
Jewett said that about 30 After School Program students, between the ages of five and 12, participated in the exercise. There have been many other types of life experiences that the students have or will explore. For instance, they investigated their ability to fly and use drones. They spent time with the magician and entertainer, Marko, and will travel to a local medical office to speak with a general practitioner about their educational needs, the process of seeking medical training, and how they plan to operate a medical business.
They have also worked on the required phases of constructing various wood projects, including a small library for Wells River and recreating a historic water box that was installed for cattle over 100 years ago. The after-school classes have successfully rebuilt one to replace the old one.
They will also learn what it takes to be a helicopter pilot, as a relative of the class is the owner of a local helicopter company. The students will learn from a local author and writer about the importance of reading books and writing stories, starting at the age of five or six years.
As the After School Program for BMU and Newbury Elementary School grows, so does enrollment from other towns, Jewett said. He will be including a new group of Bradford students in those programs that will be featured during the next school year and will also start a six-week summer program that will run into August.
The program, he said, is new and will include students from five to 12 years old, who will take field trips every week to something or somewhere different. He said it will provide an opportunity for the students to have new experiences in the area and learn something new over the summer, something kids from BMU, Newbury, and Bradford will enjoy doing.