Marie
T. Lareau, 88, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at
Cedar Hill Health Center in Windsor, Vt.
Marie
was born on September 1, 1936, in Glens Falls, N.Y., the daughter of
Edward and Leda (Phenix) Lanoue. She attended St. Alphonsus Catholic
School and St. Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls and graduated from St.
Peter’s School of Nursing in Albany with her RN degree in 1957. She
earned a bachelor’s degree in human services from Trinity College
in Burlington, Vt., in 1985.
On
August 30, 1958, she married Leon J. Lareau of Glens Falls. Together,
they moved to Medford, Mass., where Leon worked on the Apollo Project
at MIT. As their family grew, they relocated to Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,
and eventually settled in Colchester, Vt. After her children were in
school, Marie returned to nursing, working as an emergency room nurse
at Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester. She later transitioned to a
primary care practice before retiring from nursing.
Marie
had a love for crafting — especially quilting, macramé and
crocheting — and was an avid gardener of both flowers and
vegetables. A lifelong reader, she enjoyed nonfiction and nature
books and loved working on puzzles. She was a devoted fan of
bluegrass music and regularly attended local festivals.
Marie
adored her dogs, including her Brittany spaniel, Peanuts, and her
German shorthaired pointer, Ben. In winter, she fed birds and went
cross-country skiing; in warmer months, she enjoyed walking, biking,
hiking the Green Mountains and Adirondacks, and hiking with her dog
Ben around Lake Iroquois.
Her
favorite vacation spot was Maine. She especially enjoyed vacationing
in New Harbor/Boothbay with her young family and the Ogunquit area
with her husband and extended family. There, they walked the Marginal
Way, dined on lobster, played cards and browsed antique shops. Marie
was all smiles during her last visit to the Maine coast, in 2023.
She
was predeceased by her husband, Leon Lareau; brother, Robert Lanoue;
and sister Claire Stewart. She is survived by her sister Lorraine Veiel and her husband, Al; children, Peter and wife Heather, John and
wife Annmarie, and Anne Marie and fiancée Willie. She also leaves
behind her grandchildren, Bobby and partner Megan, Sara and husband
James, Eric and wife Dee, Matthew and wife Alyssa, Ethan and partner
Allura, and Andrea; and step-grandchildren, Nicholas and wife Kelsey,
Ryan, and Rachael. Marie was also blessed with great-grandchildren
Scarlett and Aurora and many nieces and nephews.
The
Lareau family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the
staff at Cedar Hill Health Care Center in Windsor, Vt., for their
thoughtful and genuine care of Marie during her brief stay.
Calling
hours will be held on May 13, 2025, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Regan Denny
Stafford Funeral Home, 53 Quaker Rd., Queensbury, NY.
A
mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on May 15, 2025, 11 a.m.,
at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Williston, Vt. Interment
will follow at Resurrection Park Cemetery in South Burlington, Vt. Knight
Funeral Home in Windsor has been entrusted with arrangements.
Condolences may be shared in an online guestbook at
knightfuneralhomes.com.
In
lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Marie’s
honor to your local animal shelter.