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PAULINE BEATRICE (PELKEY) FRESN
HIGHGATE FALLS — Mrs. Pauline Beatrice (Pelkey) Fresn, 65, a resident of this area for more than forty years died early Friday evening, Feb. 4, 2005, in the Northwestern Medical Center with family by her side.
Born in Bakersfield, Vermont, February 11, 1939, she was the daughter of Richard Edward Boucher and Gwendolyn Lumbra Belrose. She graduated from Highgate High School and on, December 6, 2003, was married to Warren Fresn who survives her.
Pauline had been associated with the former Fonda Container for35 years and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Post 758, St. Albans.
She leaves her husband, Warren Fresn, of Highgate Falls; her mother, Mrs. Gwendolyn Belrose of Swanton; a step-daughter, Sharlene Bedard and her husband Charles and their son Dylan of all of Mooers, New York; three sisters, Phyllis Armstrong of Swanton, Rita Cheney of Highgate and Dianne Shedrick of Connecticut; a half-brother, Leo Belrose of Alburg and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and her beloved dog, Hunter.
Two sisters, Juanita Thibault and Beverly West, predeceased her.
At Pauline’s request a funeral service for family members only will be private and there will be no public calling hours. Interment will take place in the Belrose -Fresn family lot in Riverside Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kidder Memorial Home, 89 Grand Avenue, Swanton 05488.
RITA CAMPBELL BOYD
WINOOSKI / ST. ALBANS -- Rita Campbell Boyd, age 86, passed away peacefully on Feb. 2, 2005, surrounded by family. She was born on May 14, 1918, the daughter of the late Jules and Antoinette (Granger) Campbell. She was a resident of Winooski for nearly all her life until ill health necessitated the move to Haven Health Center in St. Albans.
Rita was a celebrated landscape and still life artist; her paintings were exhibited throughout New England and eastern Canada. She taught art to children in Winooski schools and adult classes at the Winooski Library. She spent many summers at a camp on Georgia shore painting to her heart's delight. She enjoyed photography, taking her camera with her wherever she went.
Rita was an accomplished pianist, and she loved to dance. She enjoyed her garden, needlework, reading, and doing crossword puzzles.
Her fiery independent spirit was her greatest asset.
Rita leaves behind her sons, Will and his wife Millie, Robert and his wife Jacinthe, and Rick and his wife Vickie; her daughters, Diane Place and her husband Alan, and Nancy Carpenter. She also leaves her brothers, Raymond, and Leo and his wife Eileen; and her sister-in-law, Lorraine; eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Her infant sons, Mark and Marty; her brothers, Maurice and Robert, and her sisters-in-law, Carlene and Gabrielle predeceased Rita.
Rita's family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to the staff of Haven Health Center for the friendship and caring shown to Rita during her stay there, with a special thank you to Linda, Sandy, Marie, Dee, and JoAnn for going the extra mile.
In accordance with Rita's final wishes, there will be no public calling hours or services, and no long trips for anyone.
Rita and her babies are reunited.
JOHN BENOIT BLAIS
SWANTON, Vt. / AUGUSTA, Maine -- John Benoit Blais, 89, passed away Feb. 3, at Maine General Hospital in Augusta, Maine.
John was born June 24, 1915, in Montreal, P.Q., Canada, the son of the late Marie Anne Bisson Blais and Peter Ephrem Blais. He resided in Swanton, Vt. where he raised his family, retired with his wife, Leona, to Vero Beach, Fla. and moved to Augusta, Maine, with Leona, to live with their daughter’s family in 1999. He currently was a resident of Maine General Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center, Gray Birch.
Prior to retirement, John owned businesses in St. Albans and Swanton, Vermont. He was a communicant of the Roman Catholic Church, most recently at St. Mary’s Parish in Augusta. During his life John also worked as a volunteer in both community and church organizations. He was a pilot, amateur radio operator, built his own home and was a watercolor artist. Many of his works hang in the homes of friends and family. In recent years, John, became the eyes for his wife, Leona, who is blind. He devoted himself to her care and they spent their days together talking and working crossword puzzles. He will be truly missed.
John is survived by his beloved wife, Leona, of 60 years who resided with him at Gray Birch; daughter Linda Lovaglio and her husband Ron of Augusta, Maine, and their children Heather Alvarez and Mike Lovaglio both of Albuquerque, NM; son John Blais and his partner Joyce Thornton of San Francisco, Calif.; son Jeffrey Blais and his wife Margaret and their children Vincent and Peter of North Providence, R.I.; brother Paul Blais and his wife Leola of Burlington, Vt.; brother-in-law Robert Heald of St. Albans, Vt.; and several nieces and nephews. John leaves behind many caring friends and the family is very grateful for all their efforts to stay in touch and visit over the miles.
At John’s request, there will be no visiting hours. A graveside service will be held for the family in Swanton, Vt., at a future date.
John’s family wishes to thank all the dedicated and supportive caregivers at Gray Birch and Maine General Hospital.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kidder Memorial Home, 89 Grand Avenue, Swanton, Vt. 05488.
GALA D. DRAGON
ENOSBURG FALLS - Gala D. Dragon, age 75, passed away Monday evening, Jan. 31, 2005, at the Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans with her family at her side.
She was born April 6, 1929, in Sheldon, the daughter of the late Felix and Doris (Turner) Lamonda.
Gala was a resident of Enosburg Falls most of her life and for the past 18 years she was employed at the Brownway Residence in Enosburg Falls retiring on Oct. 27, 2004. She had been previously employed at the Holiday House Nursing Home in St. Albans and as an aide for the kindergarten bus for Wrightholm Bus Line in Enosburg. She loved to read, and collect dolls, owls, roosters and spoons.
She is survived by her husband, Marcel Dragon of Enosburg Falls; one son and his wife, Norman and Donna Couture of Enosburg Falls; six daughters and their husbands, Susan and William Deuso of Enosburg Falls, Linda and Frank Elkins of Montgomery, Tina and David Record of Richford, Cathy and Norman Michaud of Jericho, Marsha and Roland Lamore of Essex, and Lisa Couture of Enosburg Falls; 15 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Bessie LaBelle Riley of Bakersfield, Lucille Griggs of Bellows Falls, and Irene LaFlam of Enosburg Falls; several nieces and nephews; and a very dear friend, Shirley Thompson of Farmington, NM. She was predeceased by her first husband, Leon Couture; a son, Danny Couture; a granddaughter, Michelle Snider; a great-granddaughter, Alyssa Gervais; and three brothers, Richard, Carroll and Felix Jr. Lamonda
In keeping with Gala’s wishes she will be cremated and there will be no funeral services. Interment will be private and held at the convenience of the family in the spring in the All Saints Cemetery in Richford.
For those who wish, contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1460, Williston, Vt. 05495.
DIANE EDITH KILROY
RICHFORD / ST. ALBANS / SWANTON -- Diane Edith Kilroy, 62, of Richford, St. Albans and Swanton passed away Friday, Jan. 21, 2005, at Haven Health Care in St. Albans. For many years she struggled with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, and severe carpel tunnel syndrome in both hands that forced her early retirement in 1996. In 2002 she developed diabetes that cost most of her sight before developing the cancer that ended her life.
She was born in Providence, R.I. on Sept. 19, 1942, the daughter of the late John and Edith (Rubery) Kilroy. She is survived by one sister, Denise Provencal of Turner, Maine; and two aunts, Virginia Rubery of Cranston, R.I. and Mary Kilroy of Portsmouth, R.I. Mary was also her godmother. She also leaves five cousins and their families.
Diane earned two associate degrees from the Community College of Vermont (CCV): 1996 in Liberal Studies and 1998 in Secretarial Studies. She was working on a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Johnson State College when her illnesses forced her retirement.
She worked many years in Rhode Island and Florida before moving to Vermont in 1991. In Vermont she worked for Vermont Teddy Bear, as a work-study student at CCV, and in local nursing home. After retiring, she was an enthusiastic volunteer at various local organizations: Swanton Rescue, The Family Center, St. Albans Free Library, Franklin County Museum, the Chamber of Commerce, and on the hot line of the Rape Crisis and Abuse Center. She maintained a lifelong interest in history, traveling, cake decorating and, later, the Internet.
She participated in many support groups, for example, the Vermont Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired and those concerning fibromyalgia, where she helped many others. In her youth in Rhode Island she attended the Episcopal Church and was a long time member of the Order of the Rainbow for Girls. After moving to Vermont she attended St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and the Northside Baptist Churches in St. Albans. After moving to Richford she attended The Flowing River of Life Fellowship Church and the Richford Baptist Church.
Her Vermont family were her many friends and the CCV community with whom she organized and enjoyed various activities. Her family and friends would like to thank all the caring people who helped Diane in her final days: Richford Ambulance Service, Meals on Wheels, and the doctors, nurses, and health care providers at Enosburg Health Care, Northwestern Medical Center, Home Health, and Haven Health Care. Thanks is also extended to Thomas Cook of Spears Funeral Home.
A memorial service will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in St. Albans on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. After the service, there will be a reception held at Community College of Vermont, 142 South Main St., St. Albans.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Laurie’s House, PO Box 72, St. Albans, Vt. 05478.
JOHN M. ROWLEY SR.
MILTON -- John M. Rowley Sr., 76, passed away early Sunday morning, Jan. 30, 2005, at home surrounded by his loving family.
John was born in Milton on Oct. 15, 1928, the son of Lawrence and Helen (Shanley) Rowley. On Nov. 28, 1964, he married Ann Lombard in St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Milton.
John was a member of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, a former Milton Lister and a life-long member of St. Ann’s Parish. He was a Trustee of St. Ann’s Cemetery, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and served on the Democratic Town Committee in Milton. John also served as acting Postmaster in Milton in the 1960s.
After graduating from St. Michael’s College in 1951, John devoted his full time to dairying on the family farm. John’s shadow did not often fall far from his farm, the land he loved so well and tended carefully. He was rewarded to see his sons follow the furrows that he had plowed and left glistening in the sun.
John’s family always came first. John was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and a favorite uncle to his many nieces and nephews. He had a great love of skiing and took many of them on numerous trips to Smug’s.
John is survived by his wife Ann of Milton and their four children and spouses, Lawrence and Clare (Connor) Rowley, John and Catherine (McCrory) Rowley Jr., Thomas and Cris (Lamberson) Rowley, and Jennifer (Rowley) and Richard Parizo II all of Milton; and his grandchildren, Connor, Brendan, Mary, Katherine, Tyler, Lee, Grace, and Jack Rowley, Amanda Parizo and step-grandchildren Beth, Cara, and Jenna Parizo; his sisters, Theresa Cosgrove of Chevy Chase, Md., Joan Hurley of Hamburg, N.Y., Anne Howrigan and her husband Harold of Fairfield, Vt.; his sister-in-law, Linda Paradee of Grand Isle; his brother-in-law Robert Lombard and his wife, Mary Lou of Milton; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Lawrence, Aloysius and Patrick Rowley; his sisters Dr. Mary Busino, Elizabeth Duffy and Frederica Rowley. Also by his brother-in-laws, Phillip Cosgrove, Daniel Hurley, Dr. William Busino, Vernon Duffy, Bruce Paradee and his sister-in-law Theresa Rowley.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005, at 11 a.m. in St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Milton. Burial will follow in St. Ann’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of John to the VNA, Hospice of the Champlain Valley, 1110 Prim Road, Colchester, Vt., 05446.
Visiting hours will be on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the Minor Funeral Home in Milton.
DONALD OLIVER POLAND
SWANTON -- Donald Oliver Poland, 72, a resident of 62 Spring Street in Swanton Village, died unexpectedly late Sunday evening, Jan. 30, 2005.
Born in Lincoln, Vt., June 21, 1932, he was the son of the late Gerald M. and Anna M. (Merrill) Poland. He was associated for 36 years with the former Central Vermont Railroad and the two greatest loves of his life were deer hunting and his family.
He leaves his wife of over 50 years, Alice Poland of Swanton; three daughters, Deborah Rypacek of Houston, Texas, Pamela Cota of Essex Junction and Donna Yarnell of Milton; a sister, Marlene McAllister of Waterbury, Vt.; a sister-in-law, Lorraine Poland of Gilford, N.H. and grandchildren, Donald Swofford, Adam Cota, Cathy Cota and one expected to be born in April.
At Donald’s request there will be no public funeral service or calling hours. Gifts in his memory may be made to Missisquoi Valley Rescue, P.O. Box 22, Swanton, Vt. 05488, or to the charity one’s choice.
Arrangements have been under the direction of the Kidder Memorial Home, 89 Grand Ave., Swanton.
RAYMOND THEODORE FREDETTE
HIGHGATE - Raymond Theodore Fredette, 101, joined his wife, Eleanor (Hemingway) Fredette on March 30, 2005, passing away at the Franklin County Rehab Center. He was born in Chittenden, Vt. on April 2, 1903, the son of the late Henry L. and Birdie (Manning) Fredette.
Raymond was self-employed as an interior decorator and was a member of the Wallingford Lodge 96, F&AM.
Survivors include his son, David A. Fredette, Sr. and his wife, Andrea of China Spring, Texas; his two daughters, Sharon Mosher and her husband, Douglas, and Nancy St. Francis and her companion, Charles Minckler all of Highgate Springs; his 52 grandchildren, 76 great-grandchildren and 42 great-great-grandchildren; his step-children, Richard Dudley of Hartland, Vt., Harold Dudley of Fort Myers, Fla. and Viola Martin of St. Albans; two sisters, Hazel Young of Canajoharie, N.Y. and Pearl Hall of Glen Falls, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Raymond is predeceased by his loving wife, Eleanor (Hemingway) Fredette in 1992; his two sons, Theodore E. Fredette and Weston W. Fredette; his three daughters, Vivian Fredette, Joyce M. Parker and Lorraine A. Cail; his four brothers: Charles H. Fredette, Chester W. Fredette, Wilbur Fredette and Robert R. Fredette; his sister, Gladys Shannon; and his step-son, Leonard Hemingway.
A celebration of Raymond's life and interment in the Highgate Center Cemetery will be held this summer at a date to be announced.
Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Lyceum Program at the Franklin County Rehab Center, 110 Fairfax Road, St. Albans, Vt. 05478.
MARY OLIVE STETSON
RICHFORD -- Mary Olive Stetson, age 91, passed away Wednesday, March 30, 2005, at her home surrounded by her family.
She was born Sept. 8, 1913, in Richford, the daughter of the late Hibbard P. and Olive (Hicks) Guilmette.
She was a life long resident of Richford and a member of All Saints Catholic Church in Richford. She was a dental assistant for Dr. Towle for many years. She also cleaned homes and baby sat for many families in the area. She was a giving and caring mother, grandmother and friend. Her door was always opened for any one who needed a warm place or something to eat.
She is survived by her children, Roland “Junior” Stetson Jr., and Kathleen DiPerna both of Richford; her grandchildren, Cheryl Dinsmore, Marylee Stetson, Lori Couture, Leonard Stetson, George Olio, and Kellie Olio; 17 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Louise R. Doe of Richford; a brother-in-law, Jack Pevo of Odessa, N.Y.; several nieces and nephews; and her care giver for the past 13 years, George Ryea of Richford. She was predeceased by her husband, Roland Stetson Sr. in 1976; two sisters, Frances E. Pevo, and Lora A. Dougherty.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 2, 2005, at 11 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church in Richford with Rev. Frank Eksterowicz celebrating the mass of Christian burial. Interment will be later this spring in All Saints Cemetery.
A time of visitation will be held Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Spears Funeral Home, 140 Main St., Richford.
For those who wish, contributions in her memory may be made to All Saints Catholic Church, Main St., Richford, Vt. 05476.
The family would like to thank the Franklin County Home Health Agency staff and Rosaire Bisson, PA for the care provided to Mary.
