Shirley Alice LaPlante Obituary
Shirley Alice LaPlante (Neé Judd) 97 of Newport, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 surrounded by her loving family.
She was born in North Troy, Vermont to the late Frank and Mildred Myott Judd.
Of humble beginnings as a proud life-long Vermonter, she was taught how to be prudent and appreciate everything for which she worked so hard.
Among her many hobbies, she loved knitting, ceramics, country music and square dancing. In her heyday, they called her “Swinger”, because she loved to dosido around the dancefloor. Square dancing was what she missed most as she aged. She bragged right up until the end that she swung any man around the dancefloor who was new to swinging.
For many years, she proudly held various officer titles and was a member of the Daughters’ of Isabella and the North Country Swingers. She often enjoyed attending contra dances, fiddling competitions and Sunday afternoon rides.
She was a member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church for the majority of her life; her faith meant a great deal to her during times of celebration and to lean on in times of need.
In addition to spending time with family during the holidays, she fancied St. Patrick’s Day, considering her grandmother was an immigrant from Ireland with the last name “Duffy”.
And Shirley made the best scrambled eggs around. She said the secret was to stir them the whole time they were cooking so they’d come out fluffy. She learned this from her years of waiting tables at the former Eastside Restaurant, formerly owned by her in-laws, Lewis and Gertrude LaPlante Essaff.
Shirley loved writing and receiving letters and she had the best penmanship you ever did see, often boasting that she always received an “A” in school for it. In every letter she’d put a quote and one of her favorite quotes was:
“Here’s to it and to it again. If you ever get to it and can’t do it, come see me, I’m used to it.”
Her 97 years have yielded many cherished stories of her childhood and the wisdom from life lessons which she generously shared with family and friends.
Born in the roaring 20s, she saw and experienced such things as the newly passed federal bill “giving women the right to vote”, radios, washing machines and refrigerators were all newly invented, Calvin Coolidge was president and the price of gas averaged between .10 and .21 cents a gallon. She often mentioned she was born around the same time as the Queen of England.
At nearly 5 feet tall (on a good day), she was small in stature but large in stubborn determination.
Her independence meant a great deal to her – proven by her perfect driving record for 80 years, having driven herself to Montpelier in her father-in-laws’ Plymouth to get her driver’s license at the age of 16; but especially in her later years by avoiding an assisted living home which she successfully achieved.
She was predeceased by her son, Terry LaPlante, her daughter, Sally LaPlante Lemieux, the father of her children, Arthur LaPlante, and her siblings, Leo Judd (Joyce), Priscilla Judd Cheney (Wayne), Theresa Judd (Smith Dale) and her sons-in-law Marcel Tanguay and Joseph Lemieux Sr.
She leaves behind an extensive family that loved her very much including her daughter, Nancy LaPlante Tanguay, her brother Terrill Judd (Nancy), her grandchildren Janet Tanguay (Marianne), Jamie Tanguay (Andrea), and Julie Gendron (Peter), Randy LaPlante (Anita) who visited her daily, Art LaPlante (Monique), Dana LaPlante (Natalie) and their mother Rita LaPlante, Shania LaPlante, Susan Wu (Gene), Joseph Lemieux (Elisa), and Philip Lemieux (Che).
Of her seventeen great grandchildren, two lovingly provided her healthcare so that she could stay in her home: Thank you, Bethany Glodgett and Belinda Webster (Kyle).
She also had six great, great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews along with many special friends and neighbors.
Friends may call on Saturday January 28, 2023 from 8:30 A. M. until 10:30 A.M. at the Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, 37 Lake Road, Newport, followed by funeral services at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday January 28, 2023 at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Church with Father Benny Chittilappilly officiating, and where a mass of Christian burial will be celebrated. Interment will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday May 20, 2023 at St. Mary’s Cemetery. If friends desire, memorial contributions may be made in Shirley’s name to the North Country Swingers, Attn: Hazel Markwell, 246 Elm Street, Apt 203, Newport, VT 05855 or Orleans/Essex VNA & Hospice, 46 Lakemont Road, Newport, VT 05855. Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.
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