The crew and volunteers who assembled and organized the fair this past week are mourning the loss of one of their own. Dianne Powers used to map out the placement of the booths. She also helped during the fair itself, as she quietly and modestly did many other unpaid tasks in the community.
To the sorrow of the town, Dianne has died at her home in Lewisburg, Pa., where she moved after retiring from her job as register of deeds for Dukes County. An outpouring of grief appeared on social media when the news broke. She was truly involved in helping many aspects of Vineyard life.
Dianne was elected select board member for the town following the retirement of her former husband, John Early, who had served West Tisbury for 30 years. At her swearing in, Dianne praised the work John had done for the town all those years.
One of her other commitments was as host mom for a number of Sharks, the Vineyard’s college summer baseball league team. As such, Dianne provided rooms for several players to sleep in, meals when the team members were at home, as well as offering loving parental guidance. She was also on the board of the Sharks foundation.
Dianne was a well-liked, well-known neighbor around here. She and her Great Danes regularly walked up and down Music street, part of their exercise route and routine. She also adopted and rode a horse she kept in her barn.
When she retired about 10 years ago, Dianne sold her West Tisbury house and moved back to her family’s home base. Dianne was living in a house whose yard backs directly on the Susquehanna River. She sometimes posted photographs of the mighty old river, usually with a Great Dane or two out front.
The last time I saw Dianne I was watching a dog show on TV and there she was, the handler leading a Great Dane around the show ring. She and her dog took home a ribbon. I felt a little proud myself.
This is probably the busiest weekend for hosting off-Island guests, especially youngsters excited about going to the fair. Anna Alley is expecting her grandchildren, Robert, Henry, Mark and Eddy, to arrive with their parents Nicole and Arson Hambardzumian on the weekend. Donna Paris is coming from Seekonk to visit her old friend Stephanie Brothers. Both are eagerly looking forward to the fair.
Jon Previant and Sundy Smith had guests from Miami recently. They were Anna Brautigam, her husband Harry and sons Enzo and Dylan. Not only did they relish family time at Lambert’s Cove, but the Brautigams used a birthday gift certificate from Felix Neck for a kayak trip around Sengekontacket.
Happy birthday on Friday, August 14, to Bea Whiting, Christine Gault and Bonnie Menton. The birthday celebrants on Saturday, August 15, include the talented Kate Taylor and Rob Hauck. Christopher Smith and Kathleen Cameron take the cake on Wednesday, August 19, and the lovely Emily Meagan at the library celebrates her birthday Thursday, August 20.
The fair has begun, the ferris wheel is churning, the scent of hamburgers wafts across the heavy atmosphere. Some evenings I can hear the music from the fairgrounds, but not when the windows are closed and the inside air is being conditioned.
This article appears in August 14, 2026.