"We always used to go on Saturdays and get hot fudge sundaes, and then she would get done work and sit with us. She was very family-oriented, she could never have children of her own. So she kind of took that grandparent role on."

Listen

Holly Barrett-Willard remembering great-aunt Betty LaBombard

Burlington, Vermont

"You wish that he would know how many people loved him."

Listen

Martha Chessie remembering father Robert Kirkbride

Ludlow, Vermont

"They used to call them 'big grandpa hugs,' because he always had the best big hugs, and he always wanted one more."

Listen

Kris Owens remembering father David Reissig

St. Albans Town, Vermont

"We really mattered to him. I want everyone to know how much he mattered to me."

Listen

Dawn Burdo remembering father Bob Burdo

Burlington, Vermont

"I would play old Hindi film songs, Bollywood songs, as they're called. And, you know, she would sing along, and it was just a good feeling...And now when I do that, I listen to music, and I cry. But you know, it's just a beautiful memory."

Listen

Raj Rawal remembering mother Rama Rawal

Essex, Vermont

"My dad represented Cambridge and Waterville, and it was always about what was good for his constituents. So, he didn’t always align himself with what his party thought. And that was perfectly fine, because that’s what was good for the people of Waterville and Cambridge. It’s always about someone else."

Listen

Mary Kathryn Juskiewicz remembering father Bernard Juskiewicz

Barre, Vermont

"I would call her just to figure out how to cook something, or if I was ticked off at somebody or, you know, I got a new job, or I bought something."

Listen

Tommie Murray remembering mother Naomi McCullough

Burlington, Vermont

"I think that's what people will remember, or miss, is like driving by, and he's just not out there, you know, just his physical presence. You know, there's just all those little things that are really hard to measure, that leave a community when somebody passes."

Listen

Troy Paradee remembering father Brad Paradee

Fairfield, Vermont

"The reason why she donated her body, she said she wanted them to study her brain … And she only had one request, she said, 'I want them to cover me up at night because I get cold.'"

Listen

Donna Demers remembering mother Ivalou Dike

Burlington, Vermont

"A number of times we took her out dancing with us, because my mother loved to dance, and she would go with myself and all my friends, ‘cause I was single. She was like, part of the group."

Listen

Robin Wescott remembering mother Coralyn Wescott

Burlington, Vermont

"All the kids in the neighborhood always came over here. You know, she always had popsicles and stuff for everybody."

Listen

Jack Hesford remembering mother Marilyn Hesford

Essex Junction, Vermont

"I think he was always looking at the underdog, and how he could help that person, or help that group."

Listen

MaryJane Stinson remembering father John Kupferer

Burlington, Vermont

"We had a long life together, but it’s still ... I miss the heck out of him, really do."

Listen

Janice Dunster remembering husband Melvin Dunster

Waterbury, Vermont

"We did auctions, we went to Boston buying stuff, New Hampshire, Waltham ... That was always interesting, ‘cause you never knew what you were going to get or what you bought. So that was fun. We had a lot of good times together."

Listen

Andrew Swett remembering father Ralph Swett

Brownington, Vermont

"I think she made a good impression on people, I know she really did on our family."

Listen

Valerie Becker remembering mother Carolyn Lane

Brattleboro, Vermont

"Oh, she loved classical music, and she went to the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, she was a subscriber to that concert series for over 30 years."

Listen

Jean Baker remembering mother Joan Louise Bruns

Burlington, Vermont

"She was my role model for sure about like, living it up and travel ... she loved to travel, and she was very inquisitive and very, very much into adventure."

Listen

Chris Copley remembering aunt Jane Lane

South Burlington, Vermont

"She always had these jello salads she would make, with jello with fruit, and everybody seemed to love 'em."

Listen

Diane Bean remembering mother Margaret Guthrie

Williston, Vermont

"I think there was nothing more that she loved than being in a gaggle of people."

Listen

Paul Gutwin remembering mother Leona Gutwin

Burlington, Vermont

"Oh he loved the nature! He loved Burlington ... He loved to go on the lake, him and my mom."

Listen

Vesna Gracanin remembering father Smail Gracanin

Burlington, Vermont

"Even 'til the end, she always wanted to make sure that someone had a birthday card or a birthday present, or a Christmas present. And giving was the biggest joy for her."

Listen

Barbara McHenry remembering mother Pierrette Rose Vidal Muir

Burlington, Vermont

"She didn't know how to type, so she had this old-fashioned typewriter that I think that my grandmother had had. And she had a book, and she would just sit on the living room floor with everything around her, and just like practice, practice, practice typing."

Listen

Erika Smith remembering mother Deborah Lee Conrad

Berlin, Vermont

"When we were younger, she pretty much looked out for us."

Listen

Brian Terrier remembering sister Laura Jean Smith

Milton, Vermont

"We were a snowmobiling family years ago, and my mom had her own snow machine and whatnot. And we would take off with her and try and lose her, and she always kept up with us."

Listen

Michael Boulerice remembering mother Pauline Boulerice

St. Albans, Vermont

"He liked to stay with great-granddaughter and -son. He used to like talk with them a lot."

Listen

Sivika Sharma remembering grandfather Megh Nath Sharma

Essex Junction, Vermont

"I always had a fun time, like always joking around with him, like I‘d hide around the corner, I'd scare him or like, put tape on his phone or something."

Listen

Andrea Martinson remembering coworker Kevin McLenithan

North Bennington, Vermont