Lucille (Aldrich) Brown
ST. ALBANS: Lucille (Aldrich) Brown passed away peacefully and gently at her home in the early hours of March 5, 2024, at the age of 96 and a half.
Lucille was born on August 16, 1927, to the late Clarence and Laura (Rich) Aldrich of St. Albans Bay. She attended St. Mary’s Grammar School and graduated from Bellows Free Academy in 1945. On June 12, 1948, she married Curtis E. Brown. Over the next 14 years, their family grew from that of a young married couple to a large bustling family with seven children. Eventually, that family grew to include 24 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild. Curtis and Lucille were married for 69 years. He predeceased her on May 22, 2018, just 3 weeks shy of their 70th wedding anniversary.
In addition to all the work that family life entailed, Lucille worked for many years at the Fonda Container Company, first as an order processing clerk, and later as a secretary. When she ended her time at Fonda, it allowed her to devote more time to her family and to so many of the community activities that she loved.
Lucille joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 758 Auxiliary in 1950 and quickly found a calling. A lifetime member, she held numerous local, state, and national positions over the years, including Auxiliary President 1956-57 and 1965-67, District President 1965-66, Department President 1969-70, Eastern Conference President 1982-83, and a National District Council Member. In 2013, she received the Mrs. VFW award at the state convention, recognizing her decades of work for the organization.
She was a dedicated Women of the Moose member, earning the degrees of Academy of Friendship in 1977, Star Recorder in 1979, and College of Regents in 1998 and serving as Deputy Grand Regent for that year. She was a lifetime Franklin County Senior Center member, serving on the Board of Directors for several years, including as President from 2004-2006. She was also a member of the American Legion Post #1 Auxiliary, the Ladies of St. Anne, and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
Lucille was passionate about community involvement. Never one to sit still for long, she could be found delivering Meals on Wheels, organizing raffles, selling Buddy Poppies, participating in the Dart League, planning vacation bus trips for the Senior Center, working at (and playing) bingo, and most certainly working on dinners at “The Club.” Most weekends, you could find her and Curtis at the VFW, preparing, cooking, and serving dinners for the community. In 2009, Curtis and Lucille received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Community Service, recognized at a ceremony in Montpelier.
Lucille was devoted to her faith which provided proven strength to her in difficult times, even on her last day on earth. A lifelong member of the Holy Angels parish, she believed in serving God and service to others. She kept Adoration at the church in the early morning hours, rarely missed a Mass, and campaigned annually for the Bishop’s Fund.
Lucille loved music, and she loved to dance. Watching her and Curtis dance to a Polka or Waltz was a joyful experience. She also loved to march in parades, and memories of this carried through her later years…if you stopped by to visit, her feet would frequently be tapping along to a Sousa march.
She loved to travel, attending conventions with Curtis throughout every part of the country. Their trip to Hawaii in 1982 brought wonderful memories and was talked about for years. The annual Aldrich Sisters’ Trips became legendary, with the girls traveling to Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and other places, and we all looked forward to hearing about their adventures when she returned home. As much as she loved to travel, she missed Curtis dearly, and they would each wait for their nightly phone call until they were reunited.
Above all else, she loved her family. It brought her incredible joy to witness marriages, graduations, baseball games, swim meets, school plays, and dance recitals. She looked forward to family reunions each summer, with relatives from near and far gathering to spend time together. Every holiday would bring a full house, a full table, and so much happiness to Lucille. There were Easter egg hunts in the front yard, a never-ending string of children in Halloween costumes at the door, football on in the background on Thanksgiving Day, and her favorite of all — Christmas. As our family multiplied over the years, we outgrew our regular gatherings at the house, celebrating instead at the VFW, which offered a bit more elbow room. She and Curtis would sit in absolute contentment as the holiday chaos of four dozen people swirled around them. It was the happiest event of the year.
Lucille opened her home, love, and kitchen to anyone in need. You would not leave her house hungry, ever. Not only would you get a big plate of food, you would most certainly get a dessert or two. Our matriarch in the truest sense of the word, Lucille was the heart of a home that was never quiet, always filled with people, laughter, and love. She welcomed her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, all of their friends, her neighbors, her peers, and her community. We will all miss her so very deeply.
She is survived by her children Allan & Christine Brown, of St. Albans; Curtis A. Brown, of St. Albans; Dayton Brown, Sr., of Franklin; Gary Brown & Ronetta Bushey, of Berkshire; Susan & Richard Brier of St. Albans; and Cynthia Brown of St. Albans.
She leaves her grandchildren Linda Horner & Tom Townsend of Fairfax; Paul & Tara Talley of Bakersfield; Daniel Jr. & Julie Martell of St. Albans; James Martin Jr. of Hinesburg; Michelle & Thierry Wiss of France; Crystal & Tom Lavoie of Warwick, RI; Sebastian & Patricia Brown of Newport; Amberly Brown & Michael Martin of St. Louis, MO; Dayton Jr. & Heather Brown of Fairfax; Jedidiah & Ashley Martin of Riverside, CA; Ryan Brown & Krystal Kelley of Milton; Joseph Martin of St. Albans; Clarisse Talley of Bakersfield; Joshlyn Ovitt of Meridan, CT; Amy Chauvin of St. Albans; Heidi Chauvin & Johnathan Bushee of Bakersfield; Jamie Chauvin of Fletcher; Dylan Martell of St. Albans; Curtis Allan Brown of Swanton; Lucas Paradee of Myrtle Beach, SC; Connor Brown of St. Albans; Amanda Ladue of Roanoke, VA; and Justin Bushey of Enosburgh.
Also surviving are her great-grandchildren Isabelle, Riley, Noah, Mia, Cadence, Nicolas, Lilly-Rose, Jackson, Kylee, Levi, Alexavier, Elijah, Winter, Hope, Melodie, Jonathan, Harmony, Symphony, Caleb, Carter, Cody, Braelynn, Aubriella, Eliana, Justin Jr., Declan, Madison, Charlotte, Daniel, Luke, Beau, Leland, Allie, Ian, Isaac, Paige, Andrea, Alyssa, Alex, Zachary, Macaiden, and Mattaus; and one great-great-grandchild, Salem.
She is survived by her siblings Dorothy Dussault of St. Albans; Joan Pauley of Concord, NC; John Aldrich of Hagerstown, MD; Shirley Abell of Concord, NC; a goddaughter, Diana Gosselin, and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents and her husband Curtis, she is predeceased by her daughter Laura Lee Jane Talley, her granddaughter Kristina Irene O’Dell, her great-grandson Bradley Brown, and her daughter-in-law Sandra Brown. Also, her siblings and their spouses Margaret & Boyd Morgan, Boyd & Barbara Aldrich, Vincent & Thelma Aldrich, Theresa Aldrich, Paul Dussault, James Abell, and Frances Aldrich.
The family would like to express thanks to the caregivers that allowed Lucille to remain in her home these last several years, which was her wish. Laura Bushey was instrumental in this goal and provided much love and care during this time. Wanda Baillargeon, Bonnie Pollard-Allen, Peggy Coon, Calista Rabtoy, the staff of Northern Green Mountain Family Medicine, Franklin County Home Health, and others provided great support to both Lucille and the family members who dedicated themselves to her care, and for that we are most grateful.
The void in our family with Lucille’s passing is enormous, but we are so comforted to know that she is now dancing with her beloved Curtis once again.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 2 – 4 pm and 7 – 9 pm at the Heald Funeral Home, 87 So. Main Street, St. Albans.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at 11 am at the Immaculate Conception Parish, Holy Angels Church, 245 Lake Street, St. Albans. Prayers of committal and interment will take place at a later date at the Mount Calvary Cemetery.
Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Cancer Aide and Research Fund, 406 W. 34th Street – 10th Floor, Kansas City, MO 64111, or Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home, 3573 S. Waverly Rd., Eaton Rapids, Michigan 64111 or The Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Ave. – Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Honored to be serving the family of Lucille Brown is Rett Heald at Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at www.healdfuneralhome.com
