Elizabeth Kotsrean Richards

SOUTH KENT — Elizabeth Kotsrean Richards, known affectionately as “Liz,” passed away peacefully on Nov. 11, 2024, at Noble Horizons Retirement Community in Salisbury, at the age of 93. She was surrounded by her three sons and close family members in her final moments.
Born on June 4, 1931, in St. Louis, Missouri, Liz was the daughter of Chester William Kotsrean and Beatrice Jennings. She graduated from John Burroughs School in 1949, where she was a proud member of the varsity field hockey team. Liz went on to earn a degree in Child Development from Connecticut College in 1953. It was at Connecticut College that she met Noble “Nobby” Richards, a student at Trinity College, through a blind date arranged by mutual friends. Their connection was immediate, and they married on Nov. 23, 1954, in Clayton, Missouri.
A month after their marriage, Noble was sent to Japan by the U.S. Air Force. Liz followed him in the early months of 1955. During their time in Japan, Liz not only immersed herself in the culture by teaching English in Tokyo’s public schools, but also explored the island of Honshu extensively with Noble, creating memories in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Miyajima that would enrich their lives forever.
Upon returning to the United States in 1956, Liz and Noble became integral members of the South Kent School community. Noble began his tenure as a mathematics teacher, and soon, their three sons — Timothy, James, and Andrew — were born. Liz’s nurturing spirit extended beyond her own children, as she became a motherly figure to many of the students and faculty children at South Kent.
In 1977, when her children were older, Liz joined the faculty as an English teacher. She found joy in helping the boys of South Kent develop their writing skills and in guiding them through thoughtful discussions. Liz’s influence at South Kent grew alongside her husband’s leadership. In 1991, Noble was appointed headmaster of South Kent School, a role he held until their retirement in 1996. After their retirement, Liz continued to tutor students, maintaining her strong connections to the school that had been such a central part of their lives for nearly four decades.
In 1961, Liz and Noble purchased a home on North Pamet Road in Truro, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, where summers were spent in the company of family, swimming, surfing and sailing. Over the years, the house was expanded twice to accommodate the growing family, which eventually included three sons, their wives, and six grandchildren. Summer days in Truro were filled with laughter and the joyful bustle of three generations coming together, a tradition that became the heartbeat of Liz’s family life.
Liz also became a pillar of Truro’s summer community, starting beloved traditions that continue to this day. Every 4th of July, she organized a spirited softball game attended by several families, a tradition that became a cherished event for all. The Sunday beach picnics she helped start were also a highlight, where she would welcome friends and family with her trademark big smile and open arms. These gatherings became an enduring tradition, with families returning year after year to share in the joy and camaraderie that Liz so lovingly fostered.
Liz loved sharing simple pleasures with her grandchildren. Early mornings in Truro often found her curled up on the living room couch with a grandchild, surrounded by stacks of books and wrapped in her collection of knit blankets, reading story after story together. Her passion for baking was another way she connected with them — her homemade orange bread and chocolate chip cookies, made from the classic Nestlé recipe, were family favorites. She enjoyed designing Easter basket scavenger hunts for her grandchildren, and she never missed a Grandparents Day at school, where she would always treat them and all their friends to ice cream.
Upon retiring from South Kent, Liz and Noble divided their time between their home in Truro and a condominium in Kent. In the early years of retirement, Liz transitioned into a life filled with biking, walking, swimming, reading, playing tennis and bridge. In addition to her volunteer tutoring, she volunteered at the Kent Town Library, where she remained an active and beloved presence.
Liz’s life was defined by quiet grace, boundless curiosity, and an extraordinary capacity for love that touched her family, friends, and students alike. She will be remembered for her kindness, her generous spirit and the gentle way she nurtured both minds and hearts, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew her.
She is survived by her three sons, Timothy, James, and Andrew; three daughters-in-law, Margaret Clarke, Yvonne Richards, and Kristin Richards; six grandchildren, Sarah, Charlotte, Rachel, Christopher, Hannah, and Audrey Richards; and a great-granddaughter, Lillian Crownover. She will be missed by all who knew her, but her legacy will live on in the many lives she touched.
A memorial service for Elizabeth will be held in the spring at South Kent School. Details will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Liz’s memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Noble Horizons, or South Kent School.
Long-term town employees were recognized at the Town Board meeting on Thursday, June 12. Honorees pictured with Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, were Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the Town Garage, center, for her 35 years of service to the town and Megan Chamberlin, current Highway Superintendent, for 20 years.
AMENIA — Acknowledging the many years of service accumulated by town employees, the Town Board paused to honor that service at its meeting on Thursday, June 12.
“Thank you for making a difference,” said Town Supervisor Leo Blackman in recognizing Judy Carlson, Office Manager at the town garage, for her 35 years of service.
“Megan’s job is not an easy one,” Blackman said, honoring Megan Chamberlin, current Highway Superintendent who has served the town for 20 years.
Also among those honored was Town Clerk Dawn Marie Klingner for 20 years of service as Court Clerk.
Maureen Moore, Court Clerk, was also honored in absentia for her 20 years of town service.
In anticipation of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution in 2026, new historic markers are appearing at each of the local cemeteries where Revolutionary War veterans are buried. Unveiling the new marker at Amenia Union Cemetery on Saturday, June 21, were left to right, Town Historian Betsy Strauss, Jim Middlebrook representing the regional chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Gail Seymour, President of the Union Cemetery Association.
AMENIA — One by one, new historic markers are appearing at local cemeteries where Revolutionary War dead are buried. On Saturday, June 21, community members gathered to see a new marker unveiled at Amenia Union Cemetery on Leedsville Road.
A tent provided welcome shade for the attendees and refreshments as about 30 residents gathered for the unveiling and to share stories of local history with one another.
As with the first historic market installation at the Old Amenia Burying Ground, held in April, Amenia Union Cemetery graves of Revolutionary War veterans had been marked with American flags in advance.
Jim Middlebrook, representing the Columbia Mid-Hudson chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, attended along with other members of his chapter. Speaking before the unveiling, Middlebrook said that the historic marker project had begun in August 2024, and included a detailed process to certify the names on the graves.
Middlebrook described the work of the William C. Pomeroy Foundation of Syracuse whose mission is to promote “pride of place” by providing grants in support of installing historic markers and plaques nationwide to honor patriots for their service. Active now in seven or eight states, Middlebrook said, the foundation will soon add Connecticut and Massachusetts to the list.
The new Amenia Union marker honors “at least five veterans of the American Revolution interred between 1787 and 1810,” although Town Historian Betsy Strauss lists six veterans buried in the cemetery. The sixth, Gerhard Winegar, whose burial had been in 1781 could not fully satisfy the certification standards.
Strauss provided the following listing of six names:
Col. Colbe Chamberlain, 1739-1796
Capt. William Chamberlain, 1745-1810
Lieut. Samuel Snyder, 1712-1808
Gerhard Winegar, 1750-1781
Ensign Henry Winegar, 1723-1787
Capt. William Young, 1747-1806
Bee Bee the clown, face painters and a community wide scavenger hunt are among the activities planned for the Millerton Street Fair in Downtown Millerton on Saturday, June 28.
MILLERTON — The Millerton News, in partnership with the North East Community Center (NECC) and the Millerton Business Alliance, is hosting its first Street Fair on Saturday in a celebration of the town.
Rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, the fair will bring together local nonprofits and businesses, with live music, entertainment, kids’ activities, local eats, and family fun in Veterans Park, in front of the Millerton Inn, and beyond.
“The Millerton Street Fair will celebrate everything we love about this community — its spirit, its dedication to service and its creative energy,” said James Clark, publisher and CEO of The Millerton News.
Local nonprofits will showcase their work and impact, including Climate Smart Millerton, Eddie Collins Memorial Park, North East Historical Society, Townscape, Tri-Corner FEED, Village of Millerton, and the Webutuck Elementary School.Participating businesses include Bes, Little Red Bird Studio, NBT, The Elephant’s Tusk, and many more.Local retail and dining establishments will be open with special promotions. NECC’s Farmer’s Market will run during the event.
Among the planned festivities are live music from John Stey and the Resilience Brass Band, performances from Bee Bee the Clown, face painting by students from Webutuck High School, and a community-wide scavenger hunt for kids.Other kids’ activities include egg and spoon races, and a “touch-a-truck” open house at the firehouse.The Irondale Schoolhouse will be hosting a special exhibit, and the North East-Millerton Library will be offering signups for the Summer Reading Program, a science show from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., lawn games, and a cookie cook-off.
For more information, go to millertonnews.com/street-fair.
The Nine Partners Road Quaker Meetinghouse, built in 1780, will be the site of two summer lectures sponsored by the Millbrook Historical Society.
MILLBROOK — Long in the planning, the Millbrook Historical Society has announced that it is sponsoring two lectures in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Both lectures relating to Quaker history are to be held in the historic Quaker Meeting House on Nine Partners Road.
For the first talk, scheduled for Sunday, June 29, at 2 p.m., the historical society has invited Sarah Gronningsater, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, to talk on “Quakers, Anti-slavery, and the American Revolution.” The topic will explore the role that New York’s Quakers, especially in the Hudson Valley, played in the rise of the anti-slavery movement that followed the American Revolution.
The second talk, scheduled for Sunday, July 27, at 2 p.m., invites Carl Lounsbury of the College of William and Mary and Colonial Williamsburg to speak on the architecture of the Nine Partners Meetinghouse. His talk is titled, “Nine Partners Meetinghouse Plan: A New Form in the Hudson Valley.” Expert in early American architecture, Lounsbury’s talk will compare Nine Partners with other later houses of worship in New York and New England.
Both lecture events will be held at the 1780 brick Nine Partners Quaker Meetinghouse in Millbrook. An earlier meetinghouse on the site had burned. The building has remained largely unchanged since the 18th century.
Given the age of the structure, handicapped access is limited and there are no rest room facilities.
Visitors should enter through the cemetery gate entrance.
The lectures are free and open to all, supported by a grant from the county and offered as part of Dutchess County’s participation in the nation’s 250th anniversary commemoration.