Carol Hall (Daniels)

Cambridgeport, Vermont - Raymond Butterfield "RB" Hitchcock, 74 died Nov.20,2016 at home. He was born Jan. 12, 1942, in Springfield, the son of Lucy and raymond Hitchcock.

An Eagle Scout, he graduated in 1960 from Springfield High school, attended the University of Vermont, and earned a bachelor's degree in forestry at University of Maine in 1964.

Mr. Hitchcock was employed in Minnesota for 35 years and retired as intern commissioner of the chief, state forester, assistant commissioner of operations and retired as intern commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources and served as president of the National Association of State Foresters.

In Vermont, he served on a local credit union board, wrote minutes for Trinity Lutheran Church and Pinnacle Hills Athens Dome committee, worked to provide access to forest and connect trails as part of the Windmill Pinnacle Hill Association, and published the monthly newsletter for the Vermont Covered Bridge Association.

He also enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a private pilot.

Survivors include his wife Adrienne (Christakos), whom he married Jan. 23, 1965, in Orono, Maine;

a daughter, Stacy, and a son, Thomas; a sister, Sharon; five grandchildren; an aunt and uncle.

The memorial service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, at Westminster West Congregational Church, 44 Church St., Westminster. VT 05346

Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association, P.O. Box 584, Saxtons River, VT 05154,  http://www.windmillpinacle.org/pages/support.html   

The ALS Association Northern New England Chapter, 10 Ferry St., Suite 438, Concord, NH 03301,

  http://webnne.alsa.org A Living Tribute, 30 old Kings Highway South 1st Floor, Darien,

CT 05820   http://shop.alivingtribute.org

Published in Rutland Herald on Nov. 30, 2016

Carol Hall (Daniels)

THE VIEW FROM FARAWAY FARM - By Arlo Mudgett-2016

Writer for the Springfield Reporter

The likes of which we rarely see

 Each week I send a copy of this column to my next door neighbor, Raymond B. Hitchcock.  Sadly Raymond passed this morning after a long battle with ALS.  I will think of Ray every time that I send this column to the newspaper, wishing that he could continue to read and comment just like he always did.  Ray's computer and devices allowed us to maintain communication long after he lost the ability to speak.  While everyone who knew Ray was aware that this day would come, it is no less devastating.  Yes he was that kind of a guy.

Ray grew up in Springfield.  He was an Eagle Scout, was a delivery boy for what is now the Springfield Reporter, and went on to become a forester.  Ray made his career in Minnesota, ultimately becoming the state's Commissioner of Natural Resources.  When he retired he and his "bride" as he referred to his wife Adrienne, moved back to Vermont purchasing a home with a fabulous view that we both share.

Ray and Adrienne quickly immersed themselves into all that is local.  From their church to a local trail system, the covered bridge organization to a hospital and a credit union, both Ray and Adrienne gave of themselves.  Ray and a Springfield High School buddy built an authentic covered bridge that spans the brook that runs thru Ray's land.  I'll never forget Ray and his grandson Max setting bolts in bridge trusses in his backyard.  Max was four or five at the time and was genuinely a big help.  Ray and Adrienne restored an old horse buggy that is being used to this day in central Vermont.  Together with their German Shorthair dog they always made time for walks on our beautiful country road and in the woods that Ray loved so much.  They also got motorcycles and rode everywhere together.

Ray was also very much involved with his neighbors, offering his vast knowledge on projects big and small.  Well educated and with a very curious mind, Ray simply knew a great deal about many things, from people management to tree diseases to outboard motors, how government bureaucracies work, computers and so much more.  Ray was always able to make himself useful and sometimes indespensable.  He genuinely wanted to help and share his good fortune.  I can think of so many times that his advice and mentoring got me through some deep and uncharted waters.

While Ray was down visiting his covered bridge one day he fell and broke his leg.  An unfortunate accident became a harbinger of darker things to come.  The injury actually led to a diagnosis of ALS.  Rather than wringing their hands, Ray and Adrienne met the challenges of ALS head-on.  They planned and executed changes in their home to accommodate Ray's degrading mobility.  As a lifelong Registered Nurse, Adrienne met the challenges of ALS head-on.  They planned and executed changes to their home to accommodate Ray's degrading mobility.  As a lifelong Regestered Nurse, Adrienne managed Ray's care, his many doctor's appointments, and made sure all of his needs were met.  They knew that too much physical activity could accelerate the disease's progression, so every precaution was taken to ensure that Ray did not overdo, and with such an active outdoorsman, that was no easy task,  Ray adapted very well to his changing health status and shared his journey with ALS with others thru Caring Bridge, an online information sharing site.  The care that Adrienne administered and coordinated had to be a huge factor in the fact that Ray was able to live a quality life for more than six years.  Still, in the face of all his challenges, he still found ways to unselfishly give of himself.

I could give you example after example of Ray's largess and how he touched people's lives in positive ways.  He was a people person and a problem solver and he thrived when he took on a challenge.  God gave Ray one of the biggest challenges a human being could ever face with ALS, and he showed us how to live well dispite the disease.  His mobility challenge was met with a tracked electric wheelchair built for rugged terrain.  Ray wandered the roads and trails wherever the machine would maneuver.  He even mounted a small generator on the back of it to extend his range for missives with the words "Life is good."

Our neighbors and friends who knew Ray all agree that he was a rare and special kind of man, the kind that you draw inspiration from and an example that we all aspire to.  Ray's intrinsic goodness and consideration for others will reverberate among these hills long after he is gone. 

Godspeed Raymond, you were a beautiful soul, the likes of which we rarely see.

Arlo Mudgett's Morning Almanac has been heard over multiple radio stations in Vermont for nearly 30 years, and can be tuned in at 92.7 WKVT FM Monday through Saturday morning at 8:35:AM

Sheila Batchelder (Johnson)

A beautiful tribute, Arlo. Thank you!