LYNDONVILLE — Constance “Connie” Carol (Kimball) Hamel of Lyndonville passed away peacefully Feb. 22, 2020, with her family by her side.
She was born Oct. 18, 1948, in Middlebury, Vt. She was the youngest of six children and grew up helping with her family’s dairy farm. In 1966 she graduated from Middlebury Union High School and began working as a secretary at Middlebury College.
In 1968 she married Lawrence “Larry” Hamel of Coventry, Vt. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018. Her pride and joy was being a mom. She loved being with and taking care of her family, gardening, reading, sewing for her children, and Golden Ball Tai Chi. After her kids left the nest she was delighted to work at Words Ink and then Edward Jones. In recent years she enjoyed traveling with Larry to Hawaii, Tennessee and Napa Valley with the Community Circle gang.
Each summer she looked forward to family reunions when all her children and grandchildren would gather from around the country to reminisce and enjoy Vermont adventures.
Connie was a resilient woman, miraculously recovering from a brain hemorrhage in 1983. She also celebrated five years breast-cancer-free in April 2019.
She is survived and will be deeply missed by her husband Larry; four children and their spouses: Darcie of Corvallis, Ore., Dennis of Greensboro, N.C., Jereme of Worcester, Mass., and Janelle of Windham, Maine. She leaves behind five beautiful grandchildren: Elise, Jasper, Lucas, Cody and Romy. She is also survived by her brother Wayne Kimball, sister Kathy Wetmore, and her nephew — who was like a brother — John Fuller. She will be missed by her sisters-in-law and their families: Gloria Menard, Lucille Porter, Brenda Hamel-Bissell and Jeanette Perkins, and many nieces and nephews. She will also be missed by her dear friends Pat and Rich Marino, Brady and Mariette Metcalf and friend and walking companion Anita Wellman.
She was predeceased by her parents Burton Kimball Sr. and Florence Kimball, her sister Gladys Warner, brother Burton Kimball Jr., and sister Margaret Roy.
The family would like to thank the Wellmans of Finney Hill, Marilyn Fuller, Dr. Kubica, Dr. Ready, the wonderful staff at Caledonia Home Health and Hospice, and staff at NVRH. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice, 165 Sherman Drive, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.
A celebration of life is planned for this summer.◊