Avis de décès de Dorothy-G. Stevens

DOROTHY G. STEVENS - WELLS RIVER - Dorothy G. Stevens, 98, of Wells River, passed away Thursday, March 12, 2015, at her home on Bible Hill Road. She was born Dorothy Elizabeth Gibson on Sept. 25, 1916, to Albert W. and Florence Warden Gibson at their home on Leighton Hill in Newbury. She graduated as valedictorian from Wells River High School in 1934. In 1938, she graduated from UVM with a degree in Secondary Education, and taught English at Lamoille Central Academy in Hyde Park. On Aug. 25, 1940, she married David C. Stevens and they had three children, Albert, Philip, and Susan. They lived in South Burlington until 1953, when they moved back to her childhood home to care for family members. Dorothy devoted her life to her family and to community service. In the area of education, she was a member of the Wells River School Board and bookkeeper for the district for 15 years. She served on the planning committee for the union school, was the first Chairman of the Blue Mountain School Board, and sat on the Executive Board of the State School Directors Association. Dorothy became a member of the Wells River Congregational Church in 1928, and held many offices including moderator, deacon, trustee, president and secretary of the Women's Fellowship. She was trustee and treasurer of the Atkinson Retirement Home and board member of the Atkinson Retreat Center. She was also a trustee and secretary- treasurer of the Wells River Cemetery Association. Dorothy served as board member and secretary of the Wells River division of the Oxbow Senior Independence Program during the construction of an 18 unit senior housing project in Wells River, and was a member of the Wells River Action Program (W.R.A.P.). Dorothy was very active in conservation activities of the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts. She was a member of the VACD Education and Information Committee, Auxiliary President for several terms, and chair of the Soil Stewardship Committee. Dorothy served as Auxiliary President of the Northeast Region of the National Association of Conservation Districts and received the Northeast Region Distinguished Service Award. During her later years, she became a contributing author for the local Bridge Weekly Sho-Case newspaper, and readers have looked forward to her stories of past times. In 2012, she published a book of some of her stories, "The Cow Pasture Golf Course." She learned to use the computer to aid in getting the stories and book published. Out of all her accomplishments, Dorothy was most proud of her family. She never tired of hearing of their achievements, especially in education. Dorothy was predeceased by her husband, David; brothers, Winston and Warden Gibson; and her son, Albert. She leaves her son, Philip and his wife, Sonja Stevens; daughter, Susan Lemmon; daughter-in-law, Barbara Stevens; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and her great-great-grandson. She also leaves her special Home Share Now companion, Janis Moore; and canine friend, Mavis. Visiting hours will be Tuesday, March 17, 205, at the Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch St., Woodsville, N.H., from 5 to 7 p.m. A service will be held at the Wells River Congregational Church, UCC, 76 Main St., Wells River, Vt., on Wednesday, March 18, 2015, at 11 a.m. A committal service will be held at the family plot in the Wells River Cemetery on June 5, 2015, at 10 a.m. Ricker Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Woodsville, N.H., is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wells River Congregational Church, UCC; or to the Baldwin Memorial Library, 33 Main St. N., Wells River, VT 05081.