Obituaries July 19, 2017

Rose M. Allard

Rose M. Allard, 78, of Newport, died in Punta Gorda, Florida, on January 29, 2017.

Mrs. Allard was the daughter of Gerard and Aldea Chouinard. She graduated from Sacred Heart High School and Chandler School for Women in Boston, Massachusetts.

She was married to John “Jack” Allard for 57 years, and throughout his military career they traveled and lived in numerous places, finally making a permanent home in Oakridge, Tennessee, where they lived for many years.

Mrs. Allard was very much a social person who loved meeting and talking with new people. She was a knowledgeable bridge player and played several card games. She was a devoted wife and loving mother. She will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her husband, Jack; her daughter Julie Allard; her sisters: Geraldine Galipeau and Monica Chouinard; several nieces and nephews; and a special niece, Jessica Trevits, and nephew, Jonathan Davis.

She was predeceased by her parents and her sister Jane Davis.

A Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, July 29, at 11 a.m., at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Newport, with Father Roger Charbonneau officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Newport. A luncheon will follow at 1 p.m., at the East Side Restaurant in Newport.

Online condolences may be shared at www.curtis-britch.com.

 

Ruth Houston Jones Curtiss

Ruth Houston Jones Curtiss, 79, of Craftsbury, formerly of Albany, died gently in her sleep on July 11, 2017, at the Craftsbury Community Care Center.

She was born March 19, 1938, in Greensboro, the daughter of Joseph Houston and Beatrice (Corrow) Houston. She graduated from Craftsbury Academy in 1956 and from Johnson State College in 1960 with a degree in elementary education.

She married her first husband, Edward Jones, in 1959. They ran the Houston farm in Craftsbury. When Mr. Jones died in 1982, her three sons helped her continue to run the farm.

She married Ron Curtiss in 1984 and moved to Albany where they lived until moving to the Craftsbury Community Care Center in 2015.

“Ruthie” or “Grammy” was well known and loved by so many. She grew up on the Houston family farm in Craftsbury where she raised her three boys, all while working hard to plant and preserve the garden, raise chickens and run a state approved in-home kindergarten, which she did from 1972 to 1978.

She shared her lifelong love of farming, cooking, preserving, sewing, and animals, including all wildlife, with her friends and family. Her stories of her early days include how her love of horses began at a young age when she would lead the horse that ran the hayfork that lifted hay from the wagon, into the hay barn.

In addition, she spoke of adventures of riding off on daylong pony rides with her friend Jerry Denton. Her stories also included her fishing outings, which she loved to do.

Mrs. Curtiss was a member of the United Church of Craftsbury and the Horse and Buggy Club.

She leaves her husband, Ron Curtiss; three sons: James Jones and his wife, Annette, of Craftsbury, Tony Jones and former wife, Rebecca Tatel, of Craftsbury, and Andy Jones and his wife, Penny, of Elmore; six grandchildren: Nicole, Logan, Emily, Alysha, Kaitlyn, and Olivia; and two great-grandchildren: Adrienne and Lincoln. She also leaves two sisters: Shirley Benway of Hyde Park and Thelma Bloom and her husband, Richard, of East Brookfield, Massachusetts.

She was predeceased by her parents; her first husband, Edward Jones; and her best friend Janet Nelson.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the United Church of Craftsbury, 7 Church Lane, Craftsbury Common.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Craftsbury Community Care Center, 1784 East Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury, Vermont 05826, or the United Church of Craftsbury, P.O. Box 46, Craftsbury Common, Vermont 05827, or to a humane society of the donor’s choice.

Her smile, laugh, and love will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she touched.

 

Clemma Carolyn Davis Gebbie

Clemma Carolyn Davis Gebbie, 92, of Glover and Mansfield, Connecticut, died peacefully on July 13, 2017, in her beloved Shadow Lake home.

She was born on August 12, 1924, in Craftsbury, the daughter of Ellry and Mary Davis. She attended high school at Craftsbury Academy graduating in 1943. While at the academy she met her beloved Durward Gebbie. She enjoyed telling stories of her memories of Mr. Gebbie who would ski down the steep slopes of Ketchum Hill Road to visit her while they were dating in high school.

Mrs. Gebbie completed the nursing program at Barre City Hospital in Barre. She and Mr. Gebbie were married June 30, 1946, after he returned home from serving three years in North Africa with the Army Air Force.

They moved to Mansfield where Mrs. Gebbie worked as a registered nurse at Windham Memorial Hospital in Willimantic, Connecticut. She then worked at the Mansfield Training School, where she later retired after 25 years of service.

Mr. and Mrs. Gebbie worked full-time jobs, and sometimes multiple jobs, to make ends meet with a growing family. They enjoyed raising their children together, and instilled the value of hard work and the importance of family, which has stayed with them all to this day. She supported their children and provided endless rides to sporting events, concerts, and social functions, including taking time to be a Girl Scout leader in the late 1950s.

Mr. and Mrs. Gebbie moved back to Vermont in 1971 to purchase Lyndonville Hardware in Lyndonville. In 1975, they purchased St. Jay Hardware in St. Johnsbury.

Upon retirement, they became snowbirds and enjoyed Port St. Lucie, Florida, for the winters and Shadow Lake in the summers. She continued to stay busy and helped at the family hardware stores for many years.

She could never resist her favorite chocolates and always had a plate of homemade sweet treats for her many visitors. She enjoyed knitting special gifts for loved ones and had fun teaching her grandchildren to fish.

Survivors include her seven children: Darwin Gebbie and his wife, Priscilla, of Lebanon,

Connecticut, Donna Clauson and her husband, Jack, of Mansfield, John Gebbie of Waterford, Bradley Gebbie and his wife, Debbie, of Glover, Brenda Gebbie of Coventry, Connecticut, Carol Shepherd and her husband, Ron, of Grantham, New Hampshire, and Linda Johnson and her husband, Chris, of Palm City, Florida. She was loved by her 18 grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; friends Lillian Connolly and Gwen Maynard of the Northeast Kingdom, and Ron and Norma Gingras from Mansfield.

She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Durward; her sisters Gracie and Evelyn; and her grandson Gregory Gebbie.

Graveside services will be held at the East Craftsbury Cemetery on Whetstone Brook Road, on Saturday, July 22, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Glover Public Library at 51 Bean Hill Road, Glover, Vermont 05839, to the Mansfield Public Library at 54 Warrenville Road, Mansfield Center, Connecticut 06250, or to the Interfaith Sewing and Service Group, c/o Barbara Leary, 48 Doubleday Road, Columbia, Connecticut 06237.

To offer condolences go online at www.pearsonsfh.com.

 

Jay Walter Mead Jr.

Jay Walter Mead Jr., 84, of North Troy, died peacefully on June 5, 2017, at his home with his family by his side.

He was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to Elizabeth Gibson (Clarke) Mead and Jay Walter Mead Sr. He grew up in Amherst and Orange, Massachusetts, until his junior year in high school when his parents moved to Cape Cod. He graduated as valedictorian from Orleans High School on Cape Cod in 1950.

In 1951, Mr. Mead went to work for Nickerson Lumber Company. He began stocking shelves and sweeping floors at the Wellfleet and Orleans stores. He eventually rose to become vice president of purchasing and sales, and worked there for 39 years until his retirement in 1990.

He and his brother David and friends would spend the summers waterskiing on Orleans Town Cove, Cape Cod Bay, and Great Pond in Eastham, Massachusetts, where in 1957 he met his future wife Camilla Due, who was vacationing from Fairmont, Minnesota. They were married May 3, 1959, and made their home in Eastham, on Beach Plum Lane, and in 1972 on Great Pond. In 1986, they bought the farm in North Troy, and ran a bed and breakfast out of their home on East Hill until 2007. They enjoyed transporting many Long Trail hikers over the years. In recent years he took up gardening and found that he really enjoyed getting out and making things bloom. His rhododendrons and azaleas are a sight to behold, and will continue his light for many years to come.

Mr. Mead and his family spent vacations and holidays at the family camp in Rangeley, Maine, where they enjoyed snowmobiling, skiing, putting up wood for the winter, and puttering. The camp remains a special place with memories of dad.

He was a diehard Red Sox fan, classic car aficionado, and Lionel train enthusiast, with much time spent with his sons and grandson running the trains. He had a natural knowledge of photography and had his own photo shop for a time. His pleasure was that his daughter Robin followed in his footsteps in her photography career. Mr. Mead was a great listener, whether visiting with a friend or enjoying the instruments played by his children.

A problem solver, and as prepared and organized as they come, he had an uncanny ability to figure out almost any project — he had many of them — and passed this intelligence onto his children and especially his grandchildren.

He is survived by Camilla, his wife of 58 years; and their children: Robin Leavitt and her husband, Jonathan, of Casco, Maine, Dorian and his wife, Tonya, of Sterling, Virginia, Courtney of North Troy, and Pollyanna of Mechanic Falls, Maine; four grandchildren: Sierra, Jeremy, and Neva Leavitt of Maine, and John C. Mead of Virginia; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother David.

The children hosted “Remembering the Life of Jay Mead — Our Dad,” on July 9, at Rose Apple Acres Farm with many friends and relations in attendance from Cape Cod and Maine, as well as local friends.

The family asks people to please consider a donation in Mr. Mead’s name to Orleans Essex VNA and Hospice Inc., 46 Lakemont Road, Newport, Vermont 05855. Mr. Mead donated his body to UVM Anatomical gift program at the College of Medicine in Burlington.

 

Marie Lucienne Spencer

Marie “Lucy” Lucienne Spencer, 88, of Coventry, died peacefully surrounded by her family on July 11, 2017, in Newport.

She was born on May 18, 1929, in Claremont, New Hampshire, to Telesfore and Beatrice (Gagne) Sylvester. On November 20, 1965, she married Kirk Spencer, who survives her.

She worked at the former Frank’s Steakhouse in Newport, and at JCPenney in Middletown, Connecticut, as a buyer. She also worked at the Wonder store in Burlington. She owned and operated, along with her husband Kirk Spencer, Used Auto Parts in Coventry and Hebron, Connecticut.

She loved and adored her niece Barbara and her husband, Rick, and enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband, Kirk Spencer, of Coventry; by her niece Barbara DeVost and her husband, Rick, of Coventry; by her grandchildren: Jessica Guyette and her husband, Jeff, of Coventry, Victor L. Carter II and his girlfriend, Carrie Lucas, of Coventry, Faith Therrien Carter of West Burke, and Albert Farley and his wife, Tamera, of North Troy; by her great-grandchildren: Emilee Guyette, Bailee Guyette, Amanda Johnson, Rusty Perry, and Skiler and Whyatt Farley; by four great-great-grandchildren; and by her siblings: Cecile Vinci of Portland, Connecticut, Pauline Sylvester of Arizona, and Ora Crawford of Maine; by a special family: Bill Farley’s family of North Troy; and by numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She loved her pets: Angel, Princess, Frosty, Miles, Heidi, Ginger, Mercedes, and Lilly.

She was predeceased by her son Victor L. Carter; and by her siblings: Peter Sylvester, Joseph “Paul” Sylvester, Telesfore Sylvester, Anita Sylvester, and Juliet Sylvester.

A graveside service was held on July 15 at the Coventry Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter, 502 Strawberry Acres, Newport, Vermont 05855, or to the Mary Wright Halo Foundation, 1073 Upper Quarry Road, Newport, Vermont 05855.

Online condolences can be shared at curtis-britch.com.