Rachel J. Plante
SWANTON: Rachel J. Plante, age 96, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on March 3rd, 2024, at Brownway Residence.
She was born on May 26, 1927, in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada to the late Leo & Bella (Brodeur) Fontaine.
Rachel attended schools in Canada. She married Maurice Plante on August 12, 1946, her husband of nearly 62 years, in Bonsecour, Quebec, Canada.
Rachel was a housewife, a hired hand, a cook, a gardener, and a business partner, and she was a very good seamstress sewing clothes for her family. Rachel did all these things and somehow became a SUPER mom — loving, caring, and funny!
Rachel worked hard most of her life. She worked on the farms, in the barn, helping with the chores, cleaning the equipment, and feeding the chickens and livestock. She planted, weeded, and harvested gardens and fruit trees. She fed and housed the loggers who worked on the farm in Island Pond, VT. She was even a hired apple picker out on the islands of Lake Champlain. She worked as a cook when the family owned the Sunny Hollow Restaurant in Colchester, VT. She helped in the management of Wildwood Valley in Morgan Center, VT. She also worked in several factories when she was young and when she lived in Andover, CT.
Rachel received and enjoyed lots of visitors in her life, family, and friends, and somehow managed to feed them all and feed them well, no one left hungry. She was an excellent cook.
The family moved a lot! Rachel cleaned and painted each and every one of those homes until they were spotless! She was also meticulous about her appearance as well. She loved polish on her nails and having her hair curled and styled. Rachel had the brightest blue eyes. She was witty with a wonderful sense of humor and a contagious laugh; she would get us all laughing until our cheeks hurt!
Later in life, once she retired, she made lots of quilts which she gave to her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed making lots of cookies to give away, especially around the holidays.
Later still, she met Donald Bessette and his family, in 2010, and enjoyed the life they shared together, including camping, snowmobiling, and partying until he passed away in 2020.
She loved to play cards with friends and family. She enjoyed playing cards until the end of her life and she also loved playing Bingo. More recently, Rachel enjoyed playing Bingo and took part in activities with friends she made at Brownway and found a good friend in her neighbor, Madeline Freeman.
She made such a big, wonderful, and loving family. Rachel is survived by her children Leona Eade, Ginette Kroeger and her husband Robert, John Plante and his wife Colleen, Lise Rheaume and her husband, Guy; 14 grandchildren Lynn Broderick (Todd Baker), Deborah Medor (Brian), Heather Graff Baker (Damian), Melissa Lamothe (Jamie), Jessica Provost (Keith), Aaron Forcier (Erin), Brian Forcier (Cathy), Kari Plante (Armond), John Kyle Plante, Nicole Canto (Michael), Megan Plante (Ryan), Amber Renaudette (Jared), Adam Rheaume, and Alex Rheaume (Mikaila); 24 great-grandchildren Joanna Broderick (Erik), Tera Broderick (Chris), Benjamin Medor, Nicholas Medor (Michelle), Emma Medor (Anthony), Alaysha Graff (Alex), Konrad Graff (Liz), LeAnn Graff (Will), Olivia Eade (Isaac), Gabriella Ruiz (Leo), Lilly Michelle Lamothe (Bryce), Naomi Provost, Leah Provost, Daniel Forcier, Alden Forcier, Chloe Greenia, Ayanna Raymond, Isabelle Canto, Kadyn Benjamin, Avery Coolum, Ashton Coolum, Mya Renaudette, Ahna Renaudette and Holden Renaudette; and five great-great-grandchildren June Oldham, Julia Oldham, Greyer Corey, Artemis Van Hoag, Torben Tomberg. She is also survived by her step-sister, Floreen Fontaine, her brothers-in-law, Raymond Plante and Bernard Vincellette; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Rachel is predeceased by her parents, Leo and Bella (Brodeur) Fontaine; her stepmother, Alice (Yakowchuk) Fontaine; her husband, Maurice Plante and their infant son, Joseph; her step-brother, Alvin Fontaine and his wife Betty; son-in-law, Charles Eade; and many other in-laws.
Family and friends are invited to Rachel’s life celebration to include a memorial service on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 2 pm at the Goss Life Celebration Home, 89 Grand Ave., Swanton, VT 05488. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Special thanks to the staff of Brownway Residence who loved and cared for Rachel, especially at the end of her life. Thank you.
For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, contributions in Rachel’s memory can be made to BAYADA Hospice, 600 Blair Park, Suite 306, Williston, VT 05495, Missisquoi Valley Rescue, 120 First Street, Swanton, VT 05488 or the American Cancer Society, 237 East Ave. Burlington, VT 05401.
Condolences, photos, and favorite memories may be shared through www.gossfs.com
