Former Vermont assistant attorney general lived a life of active service to his community
Stephen W. Gould of Chelsea, Vt., passed away on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Steve was born in Portland, Maine, on February 1, 1937, to Eleanor (Webster) and Richard Gould. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Winchester, Mass.; Newport Beach, Calif.; and Colorado Springs, Colo., and graduated from Fountain Valley High School in Colorado Springs. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. He went on to receive a masters in German language and literature from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt. and his juris doctorate (JD) from the Vermont Law School in Randolph, Vt. While serving in the U.S. Army, he attended the Defense Language Institute Language Center in Monterey, Calif., and was stationed in Germany. He was fluent in English, German and Polish. After his service, he taught German first as an instructor at Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton, Mass., and then later as an assistant professor at State University College in Oneonta, N.Y. While living in Oneonta, he helped form the Oneonta Legal Rights Guild and was treasurer of the Emergency Bail Project. Through this work, he was motivated to pursue law with a goal to provide meaningful legal support to those who otherwise might not be able to afford the rights and protections provided by the American legal system. After earning his JD, he worked as a public defender. He eventually became an assistant attorney general and attorney for the State of Vermont Department of Taxes. Steve was known as a generous and caring individual with a sharp wit and sense of humor. He had a deep love of nature and the outdoors, from skiing, cycling and hiking to reading by the brook. Throughout his life, he was in active service to his community and dedicated to being a friendly helping hand. Among his endeavors, he was a volunteer firefighter and a member of the school board for the Chelsea Public School. Later, in retirement, he was active in the Central Vermont Farm Workers Coalition, a part of Migrant Justice, and was an active member of other community improvement projects and volunteer efforts. In the past seven years, he has shown great strength, courage, and, at times, stubbornness and humor in dealing with serious health issues. Through it all, he was supported by his family and a community of friends for which there are no…
Former Vermont assistant attorney general lived a life of active service to his community
Stephen W. Gould of Chelsea, Vt., passed away on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester, Vt. Steve was born in Portland, Maine, on February 1, 1937, to Eleanor (Webster) and Richard Gould. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine; Winchester, Mass.; Newport Beach, Calif.; and Colorado Springs, Colo., and graduated from Fountain Valley High School in Colorado Springs. He received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. He went on to receive a masters in German language and literature from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt. and his juris doctorate (JD) from the Vermont Law School in Randolph, Vt. While serving in the U.S. Army, he attended the Defense Language Institute Language Center in Monterey, Calif., and was stationed in Germany. He was fluent in English, German and Polish. After his service, he taught German first as an instructor at Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton, Mass., and then later as an assistant professor at State University College in Oneonta, N.Y. While living in Oneonta, he helped form the Oneonta Legal Rights Guild and was treasurer of the Emergency Bail Project. Through this work, he was motivated to pursue law with a goal to provide meaningful legal support to those who otherwise might not be able to afford the rights and protections provided by the American legal system. After earning his JD, he worked as a public defender. He eventually became an assistant attorney general and attorney for the State of Vermont Department of Taxes. Steve was known as a generous and caring individual with a sharp wit and sense of humor. He had a deep love of nature and the outdoors, from skiing, cycling and hiking to reading by the brook. Throughout his life, he was in active service to his community and dedicated to being a friendly helping hand. Among his endeavors, he was a volunteer firefighter and a member of the school board for the Chelsea Public School. Later, in retirement, he was active in the Central Vermont Farm Workers Coalition, a part of Migrant Justice, and was an active member of other community improvement projects and volunteer efforts. In the past seven years, he has shown great strength, courage, and, at times, stubbornness and humor in dealing with serious health issues. Through it all, he was supported by his family and a community of friends for which there are no…