HARDWICK – Evelyn (Evie) Gauthier, 87, of Hardwick, passed away peacefully at home with family on October 26.
Evie was born March 24, 1934, in Greensboro Bend to Alexander and Yvonne Messier. She attended schools in Greensboro and graduated high school from Our Lady of the Mountains Academy in Gorham, N.H.
On February 7, 1959, she married Arthur Gauthier at St. Michael’s Church in Greensboro Bend and became stepmother to his two daughters, Diane and Lorraine. They then had three sons, Daniel, David, and Ronald.
Evie was a worker beginning while she was growing up on the farm with her family in Greensboro Bend and then working for the campers on Caspian Lake. After graduation, she worked for Aetna Insurance in Connecticut. Once she and Arthur were married, they became chicken farmers at home in Mackville and then operated the well-known snack bar, Evie’s Chickencoop. She also worked at the A & W, Foster’s Vermont liquor store, and the Grand Union. However, her favorite by far was driving a school bus for Wildcat Busing, which she did for 23 years before retiring in 2005.
She loved her family and friends and her sense of humor stayed with her until the end. During her life she enjoyed snowmobiling, ice fishing, card playing, bingo, casino trips, and camping with her close friends Bill and Betty Corrow. Their adventures included many trips near and far with their pop-up camper, with the greatest being a cross-country trip to Alaska.
Evie is survived by her stepdaughters Diane Martin of Glenville, N.Y.; Lorraine Gauthier of Newport; Dan and his wife Robin of Wolcott; David Gauthier, Ron Gauthier and his wife Donna, of Hardwick. Evie also leaves grandchildren Michael, Michele, Nicholas, Alexander, and Jessica, as well as great-grandchildren Juliana, Leah, and Lucie and sister-in-law Florence Messier.
She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, Arthur, brother Ernest Messier and wife Blanche and brother Raymond Messier.
A funeral mass will be celebrated by Father Thomas Aquinas at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, at St. Norbert’s in Hardwick. Committal will follow at St. Michael’s cemetery in Greensboro Bend.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Evie’s memory can be made to Lamoille Area Cancer Network, 198 Farr Ave, Morristown, VT 05661 or Hardwick Rescue Squad, PO Box 837, Hardwick, VT 05843.Arrangements are under the direction of des Groseilliers Funeral Home, Church Street, Hardwick. Memories and condolences are welcome at dgfunerals.com.
