Obituary for Gerald A. Bilodeau
Gerald André Bilodeau passed away in the presence of his loving family on January 14th, 2022..
Our Dad was born on January 24, 1930, to Odilon and Germaine (Lanoue) Bilodeau. The third of ten children, Gerald was born in an apartment above his parents' Ice Cream Parlour in St. Albans, Vermont. As the family grew larger, they moved to a Dairy farm on Bronson Rd.
Gerry, as you all know him, would regale his children with stories of driving a team of horses and his love of life in the country. On that farm he developed his lifelong love of gardening. Those summers of rich sun filled tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and even the eye tearing horseradish he ground into paste became part of all of us. Later he brought in and grew blackberries that strung on fences the length of the entire yard. All his grandchildren and great grandchildren stained their faces and clothes with Gerry’s delight.
Gerry often recalled playing football for legendary BFA St. Albans coach Bob White. He loved to talk about being a strong farm boy playing linebacker and enjoying the rough play.
After graduating from BFA St. Albans, Gerry studied at St. Michael's College. It was there, in the early '50s, he developed his lifelong love of the New York Giants while watching their training camp.
After college, Gerry spent time working on the Railroad in CT, on the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and as a traveling salesman in the Midwest. During a visit back home in VT in 1957, Gerry attended a dance at St. Jean Baptiste hall, where he met and fell in love with a beautiful tall woman with long black hair, Anne-Marie Villemaire. We all stayed in love with her.
Gerry and Anne-Marie married in December of 1957 and moved to start their life together in New York City. There they welcomed their firstborn, Marguerite, in January of 1959. Finding that big city life wasn't for them, they returned to Vermont. Eventually settling in Winooski and finally moving to Cedar Street where they remained until 2014. Our dad loved this home, always working to make things efficient and functional. They raised five children in a home centered on faith and family and filled with the abundance of Gerrys' garden, his home cooking, working wood lots and using all the resources he could to make our life function and at times…even enjoyable!
Gerry spent 25+ years working for IBM before retiring in 1992. After retirement, he and Anne-Marie volunteered as eucharistic ministers at St. Francis Xavier and cared for the sick and aging as home health aides. Gerry volunteered in the resettlement program to help Sudanese refugees adjust to their life in Vermont. It was an interesting contrast to come upon him as he was visited by two young men, brothers Abraham and Moses, who towered over our little frenchman. When he wasn't volunteering or attending daily mass, Gerry loved woodworking and building windmills in his backyard in Winooski.
Gerry spent his last years at Mansfield Place Assisted Living & Memory Care in Essex, Vermont. Many thanks go to Mansfield place for making his twilight years comfortable.
Gerry is survived by his Children: Tom and Ruth Bilodeau, of Alexandria, VA; Tim Bilodeau of South Burlington and Deb Bilodeau of Colchester, VT; Martha and James Allen of Colchester, VT; Andrew and Betzi Bilodeau of Essex, VT; Siblings: George, Denis, and Richard; Grandchildren: Daniel, Ben, Claire, Elise, Mark, Laura, Katie, Alex, Mikayla, Isaac, Ramona, Gemma, and Acadia. Great Grandchildren: Dakota and Mason. Sons-in-Law: Lloyd Goodrow and Matthew Racine. Besides his parents, Gerry was predeceased by his wife Anne-Marie and daughter Marguerite and Siblings: Marcel, Rita, Larry, John, and Denise. His sister Jeannette died just shortly after his passing.
At Gerry's wishes, there will be no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a donation in his memory may donate to St. Francis Xavier School Development, 5 St. Peter Street, Winooski, VT, 05404 .
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on August 8th 11:00 AM at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 3 St. Peter Street, Winooski, with Father Joseph Sanderson celebrating. Immediately following, interment will take place at the family lot in St Francis Xavier Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care and direction of LaVigne Funeral Home and Cremation Service.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)
Our Dad was born on January 24, 1930, to Odilon and Germaine (Lanoue) Bilodeau. The third of ten children, Gerald was born in an apartment above his parents' Ice Cream Parlour in St. Albans, Vermont. As the family grew larger, they moved to a Dairy farm on Bronson Rd.
Gerry, as you all know him, would regale his children with stories of driving a team of horses and his love of life in the country. On that farm he developed his lifelong love of gardening. Those summers of rich sun filled tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and even the eye tearing horseradish he ground into paste became part of all of us. Later he brought in and grew blackberries that strung on fences the length of the entire yard. All his grandchildren and great grandchildren stained their faces and clothes with Gerry’s delight.
Gerry often recalled playing football for legendary BFA St. Albans coach Bob White. He loved to talk about being a strong farm boy playing linebacker and enjoying the rough play.
After graduating from BFA St. Albans, Gerry studied at St. Michael's College. It was there, in the early '50s, he developed his lifelong love of the New York Giants while watching their training camp.
After college, Gerry spent time working on the Railroad in CT, on the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and as a traveling salesman in the Midwest. During a visit back home in VT in 1957, Gerry attended a dance at St. Jean Baptiste hall, where he met and fell in love with a beautiful tall woman with long black hair, Anne-Marie Villemaire. We all stayed in love with her.
Gerry and Anne-Marie married in December of 1957 and moved to start their life together in New York City. There they welcomed their firstborn, Marguerite, in January of 1959. Finding that big city life wasn't for them, they returned to Vermont. Eventually settling in Winooski and finally moving to Cedar Street where they remained until 2014. Our dad loved this home, always working to make things efficient and functional. They raised five children in a home centered on faith and family and filled with the abundance of Gerrys' garden, his home cooking, working wood lots and using all the resources he could to make our life function and at times…even enjoyable!
Gerry spent 25+ years working for IBM before retiring in 1992. After retirement, he and Anne-Marie volunteered as eucharistic ministers at St. Francis Xavier and cared for the sick and aging as home health aides. Gerry volunteered in the resettlement program to help Sudanese refugees adjust to their life in Vermont. It was an interesting contrast to come upon him as he was visited by two young men, brothers Abraham and Moses, who towered over our little frenchman. When he wasn't volunteering or attending daily mass, Gerry loved woodworking and building windmills in his backyard in Winooski.
Gerry spent his last years at Mansfield Place Assisted Living & Memory Care in Essex, Vermont. Many thanks go to Mansfield place for making his twilight years comfortable.
Gerry is survived by his Children: Tom and Ruth Bilodeau, of Alexandria, VA; Tim Bilodeau of South Burlington and Deb Bilodeau of Colchester, VT; Martha and James Allen of Colchester, VT; Andrew and Betzi Bilodeau of Essex, VT; Siblings: George, Denis, and Richard; Grandchildren: Daniel, Ben, Claire, Elise, Mark, Laura, Katie, Alex, Mikayla, Isaac, Ramona, Gemma, and Acadia. Great Grandchildren: Dakota and Mason. Sons-in-Law: Lloyd Goodrow and Matthew Racine. Besides his parents, Gerry was predeceased by his wife Anne-Marie and daughter Marguerite and Siblings: Marcel, Rita, Larry, John, and Denise. His sister Jeannette died just shortly after his passing.
At Gerry's wishes, there will be no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a donation in his memory may donate to St. Francis Xavier School Development, 5 St. Peter Street, Winooski, VT, 05404 .
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on August 8th 11:00 AM at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 3 St. Peter Street, Winooski, with Father Joseph Sanderson celebrating. Immediately following, interment will take place at the family lot in St Francis Xavier Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care and direction of LaVigne Funeral Home and Cremation Service.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)