Stephanie Greene

Stephanie Greene, 73, died at her home on August 10, in the care of family and friends. Born in Brattleboro in 1953, the daughter of Janet and Stephen Greene, Stephanie attended public schools in Brattleboro before graduating high school at Concord Academy, Concord, MA, in the class of 1971. She attended Middlebury College for two years before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1977. As a writer, editor, and community-spirited activist, Stephanie’s devotion to Vermont was as diverse as it was lifelong.

From serving on the board of trustees of her beloved Governor’s Institutes of Vermont, to her tireless, years-long work as an organizer for the Brattleboro Literary Festival, to becoming a recognizable voice on Vermont Public Radio contributing commentaries on a diverse range of topics, to her many contributions to the Brattleboro Words Project, Stephanie’s mission was always to stimulate other people’s curiosity and creativity. She also reported for the Worcester (MA) Business Journal for many years and, through VISTA, trained volunteers to teach adults to read. Self-described as “bookish,” having been “born into a publishing family” and “as a librarian ... pressed books on strangers,” Stephanie published short stories in a variety of publications and co-edited “Fateful Choices: Tales Along the Road Taken” (2001).

Well-traveled, and having lived on both coasts as well as briefly in Mexico, her passion for life was as irrepressible as her inexhaustible enthusiasm for new challenges, which included earning a black belt in Kensho-Ryu Karate in 2001 at the age of 48 — one of her proudest achievements.

Stephanie is survived by her husband of 44 years, Marshall Brooks; her much adored sons, Isaac Brooks of Milwaukee, WI, and Graham Brooks and cherished daughter-in-law, Hannah Hoffman; a sister, Jennifer, of New York state; her childhood friend of nearly seven decades, Jean Bristol; and countless close friends and valued colleagues. Interment will be private. Those wishing to honor Stephanie’s memory may do so by donating to the Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301; info@brattleborohospice.org.