Ona Forty Obituary

Ona B. Forty, 100, of Barton died peacefully on September 26, 2022, in Newport, Vermont.

She was born in Royalton, Vermont on March 20, 1922, the daughter of Charles H. and Ruth (Clifford) Brooks.  She received her elementary education in a one room schoolhouse in Strafford and graduated from South Royalton High School where she enjoyed playing basketball. She attended Johnson Normal School and graduated with a degree in Education in 1942.  She married Robert Forty and with World War II going on, they moved to Portland, Maine where she worked at the U.S. Maritime Commission.  In June of 1945, Ona and Robert moved to Barton, a town she called home for the next 77 years, where they built their home overlooking Crystal Lake and created 40's Gun Shop.  She worked at American Maple in Newport for many years and in 1963 became secretary to the Administration at Barton Academy.  She continued in that position at Lake Region Union High School where she mentored many student assistants and provided them with great guidance and advise about work and life experiences.  She retired from Lake Region in 1983.

After retirement, Ona and Robert traveled to England and Ireland where they researched their family tree and connected with many new family members overseas.  They spent many winters at their home in Florida enjoying the warm weather and the many friends they connected with who were also from Vermont.  After Robert's passing, Ona continued to spend her winters in Florida with friends and family.  Ona always enjoyed her flower beds and vegetable gardens and played a mean game of cribbage.   Additionally, in her younger days, Ona enjoyed picking up her 30/30 rifle and taking to the woods of Sharon, Vermont and the great Northeast Kingdom to hunt deer with her husband Robert.

Ona is survived by her daughter, Connie Whigham and her husband Bill of South Hadley, Massachusetts; her granddaughter, Tonya Whigham of Manassas, Virginia and many nieces and nephews.

Ona was predeceased by her husband Robert of 57 years; her daughter Donna Lee Forty; her twin sister Ina Nye; and her brother Wilmer Brooks.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday October 22, 2022 at the Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, 12 Elm Street, Barton, VT . On-line condolences at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.