Evelyn Lucille Storey Willard
Evelyn Lucille Storey Willard, 90, of Derby, died and went peacefully to be with the Lord on October 21, 2022. She was at her home, surrounded by family. She was born on February 10, 1932, in Derby, to the late Arthur and Beulah (Curtis) Storey.
Evelyn graduated from Derby Academy in 1951 as class valedictorian. She was voted most likely to succeed and received scholarships to attend Vermont Junior College. She met Gordon Willard at Jay’s Snackbar in Derby. They married and started a life in the city but returned to the Northeast Kingdom to purchase the Willard General Store in Brownington, where they started a family.
Evelyn had a distinguished career with lengthy stays at Community National Bank and Ethan Allen’s accounting department, where she stayed until her retirement. She didn’t stop working long and went on to work at Northern State Correctional Facility and eventually settled in as an assistant librarian at the Haskell Opera House in Derby Line, until she finally took her leave to be with family.
Most important to Evelyn was her steadfast faith and service to Jesus Christ. She held multiple memberships at local churches including the Free Will Baptist Church in West Charleston, Barton Baptist Church, and the Bible Baptist Church in Derby Line. She was a fountain of music and praise, serving as pianist and vocalist often.
She enjoyed walking, biblical study, church work, music of all kinds, writing, and taking care of children. Second only to her love for Jesus was her love for children and family. Words on paper cannot express the unconditional love and sacrifice that Evelyn (“grammy” to everyone her junior) devoted to her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, all the unofficial adoptees, and the many children from famine and war-torn regions of the world whom she not only contributed money to, but also loved and cherished as her own.
As one grandson said, “Grammy had more adopted grandkids than anyone. Everyone called her Grammy. She had enough candy, tissues, hugs, sweaters, and snacks for every kid in the whole world. She forgave you before you forgave yourself. She loved you before you knew her name. And she was praying for you before you even noticed her. She made the best toast, loved ice cream more than you do, and couldn’t get enough maple syrup. She was brilliant, head of her class, scholarships, most likely to succeed, and least likely to boast about any of it. She was humble but quick-witted and fast to defend the innocent or weak. And for a five-foot tall, little old lady, she could take down a giant with the Word of God. Ultimately, she just wanted to obey Him, testify the gospel of Jesus Christ, and make children happy.”
Evelyn “Grammy” Willard is survived by her daughters: Carol Willard of Derby and Janice Sayers and her husband, Roger, also of Derby; by her grandchildren: Luke Willard and his wife, Debbie, of Brownington, Jaime Provencher and her husband, Jon, of Barton, Mandi Berube of Irasburg, Gordon Sayers of Newport, and Lance Sayers of Newport; by her great-grandchildren: Nickolas Willard of Newport, Katelyn West and her husband, Devin, of Irasburg, Faith Kempton of Wolcott, Olivia Collins and Everlee Collins of Barton, and Brianna Hansen of Brownington; and by her first great-great-grandson Conan Zion Perkins of Wolcott, several cousins, nieces, and nephews, and a host of children and adults who needed a grammy.
She was predeceased by her brother Reverend George Storey, and her sisters Pauline Glover, Laura Lebrecque, and Jane Sanders.
A funeral was held on Sunday, October 30, at the Curtis-Britch and Bouffard Funeral Home in Derby.
If friends desire, memorial contributions in Evelyn’s name may be made to the Agape House of Mercy, 2853 U.S. Route 5, Derby, Vermont 05829, and specify “for the children.”
Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.
Edwin Robert Blanchard
Edwin Robert Blanchard, 75, of Orleans, died on October 27, 2022, in Newport. He was born on December 9, 1946, in Essex, the youngest of seven children, to Walter E. and Carolyn (Bliss) Blanchard. He grew up on the family farm. In 1968 he was drafted into the United States Army where he served a year and a half in Vietnam. In 1971 he joined the U.S. Army National Guard, where he served four years.
Upon returning from Vietnam, he met and married his lifelong partner Aline (Thibeault) Blanchard. Together they raised six children and worked alongside each other in the woods, logging and driving truck. He spent most of his years self-employed, driving mostly in New England, but he did get to see much of the country in the couple of years he drove cross-country for B&B Trucking. He met many people along the way who became his friends. He loved recalling the stories of the people he met and the adventures he had with them. He had a great love for animals and especially enjoyed traveling with their dog Venus on the truck.
He leaves behind his wife of 52 years, Aline, and their children: daughter Charlotte Maynard and her husband, Todd, their daughter Jessica Ahyakana and her husband, Curtis, and their daughters Evelyn and Elizabeth, and Dennis Maynard, all of Wasilla, Alaska; son Todd Blanchard and his fiancée, Danielle Huntington, of Newport, Todd’s daughter Morgan Blanchard and her partner, John “Curtis” Hardy, and their son Waylon of Barton, and daughter Raegan Blanchard of Irasburg, and Danielle’s children Brady and Hayden Boivin and Kamryn and Macie Huntington; daughter Jeanie-Marie Blanchard and her partner, Tim Powell, of Barton, Jeanie-Marie’s children Dakota Warner and his partner, Nia Wigley, of Johnson, and Jade Warner of Barton, Tim’s son Matt Powell and his partner, Desiree Coffin, and their daughter Kinslee of Irasburg; son Trampess Blanchard of Barton; and daughter Margo Blanchard and her daughter Leilani Blanchard of Barton; his sisters Fredericka Leithead of West Charleston and Lydia King of Irvine, Kentucky, brother-in-law Serge Thibeault and his wife, Marcia, of Swanton, and sister-in-law Pat Anderson of St. Albans, and his lifelong best friend and “brother” Robert Dennis of Winooski, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his eldest son Chad A. Blanchard, his parents Walter E. and Carolyn E. (Bliss) Blanchard, father- and mother-in-law Edward and Leona (Pariseau) Thibeault, and brothers Alwyn Blanchard and Wallace Blanchard and his wife, Anita, and his sisters Jean Searles and her husband, Dick, and father of her children Louis Murray Sr., and Anita Petroziello and husband, Tom, and father of her children Clayton Holmes, brother-in-law Marcel Thibeault and his wife, Sharon, brother-in-law Arthur “Pudge” Leithead, and by brother-in-law Raymond King.
Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m., on Friday, November 4, at the Curtis-Britch and Bouffard Funeral Home, 12 Elm Street, Barton, with Reverend Christine Moseley officiating. Full military honors will follow the service.
Interment will be held at 10 a.m., on Saturday, November 5, at Lakeview Cemetery in Westmore.
Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter, 4473 Barton Orleans Road, Orleans, Vermont 05860.
Online condolences at curtis-britch.com.
Terry Faulkner Phillips
Terry Faulkner Phillips, 93, of Morgan, died on October 25, 2022, at Hidden Creek. She was surrounded by her son Charley and several caregivers who had provided loving care for her over the years. Mrs. Phillips was born on July 23, 1929, in Richmond, Virginia, to the late Donald and Isabel (Birdeau) Faulkner. She was married to Charles Weston Phillips on March 27, 1954. Mr. Phillips predeceased her.
She graduated from the St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Virginia. She went on to graduate from Sweetbriar College in Virginia, where she received a bachelor’s degree in English. Her class yearbook described her as being a “genuine individual whose interest in people and willingness to lend a hand is boundless. Terry could show you what the meaning of the word friend is.”
Terry was an avid skier, tennis player, and bridge player. She was also a dog obedience trainer in Lexington, Virginia, and she enjoyed hiking and walking with her many dogs at Hidden Creek. In her younger years, both she and her loving sister Closey worked during the summer at Quimby’s in Norton, a well-known summer resort.
Terry was a member of the Garret Club of Buffalo, New York. She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal church in Buffalo and the R.E. Lee Episcopal church in Lexington. In recent years, she became a member of the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Newport, and was ministered by the Rev. Bob Wilson. She was also active in the past with the Circle of Friends in Morgan.
Mrs. Phillips is survived by her son Charles W. Phillips Jr., and his spouse, Gwyn Phillips, both of Black Mountain, North Carolina, and by her grandchildren: Sophia Phillips of Asheville, North Carolina and Kyle Phillips of Black Mountain, North Carolina. Other surviving relatives include her brother Donald Faulkner Jr., and his wife, Mary, both of Woodstock, many nieces and nephews, including Mack Faulkner and his wife, Mary Yvonne, of Richmond, Virgina, Cecilia Soscia and her husband, John, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Jim Faulkner and his wife, Sol, of Charleston, South Carolina, Whit Dickey Jr., of Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence “Spoon” Dickey and his wife, Renee, of Palm Desert, California, John Dickey and his wife, Julie, of South Hamilton, Massachusetts, Colt Dickey and his wife, Lynn, of San Rafael, California, Closey Giffen and her husband, Bruce, of Anchorage, Alaska, and sister-in-law Martha Faulkner of Richmond, Virginia.
She was predeceased by her daughter Terry Phillips, who died in 1985, her loving sister Closey Dickey, formerly of Lebanon, New Hampshire, and her nephew Don Dickey.
Terry was famous for her keen sense of humor, and had many friends in Richmond, Buffalo, and Lexington, Virginia.
Her godson, the Reverend John Middleton of Missouri, will attend and officiate at services to be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Newport, in concert with the Reverend Bob Wilson. Services are to be held on Saturday, November 12, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 44 Second Street, Newport, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Terry’s name many be made to the Orleans-Essex Visiting Nurse Association (Orleans Esssex VNA and Hospice), 46 Lakemont Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.
Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.
DEATH NOTICE
Gardner Anders Dales
It is with a heavy heart that the family of Gardner Anders “Andy” Dales announces his death on October 21, 2022, at the Greensboro Nursing Home. He died just 12 short days following the death of his wife, Judy Boyd Dales.
The family is planning a memorial service in his honor next summer, with a date, time, and location to be announced.
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