Origene and Marie-Jeanne Vanasse

Love Everlasting: Brownington Couple Passes Away on Same Day

Marie-Jeanne (Cormier) Vanasse, 93, of Brownington, VT passed away peacefully on March 4, 2024, at 12:10 am in Magog, Quebec with her daughter, Carmen, at her side. Marie-Jeanne had struggled with Alzheimer's for many years.

While enroute to Canada to pay his last visit to his wife with his son Don and daughter-in-law Sue, Origene Vanasse, 94, of Brownington, VT passed away suddenly of heart failure in Orleans, VT at 9:20 AM on March 4, 2024. He had just been told of his wife's passing two hours earlier.  Shortly after receiving the news, his son Gaston and daughter-in-law Gail arrived at the fire station to be there with their father.

Marie-Jeanne "Jeanne" was born September 10, 1930, in Coaticook, Quebec to Moise Cormier and Rose-Aline Cloutier.  She was the fifth of 10 children.

Jeanne left school during the 5th grade due to her father's passing to help her mother raise her younger siblings. As she got older, she got a job to help support the family. During this time, she would contribute her entire paycheck toward family expenses, saving a dime each time for Sunday mass.  As a young woman, Jeanne joined the convent but had to leave due to illness. It was then that she met Origene.

Origene "Gene" was born July 5, 1929, in Martinville, Quebec to Oscar Vanasse and Bernadette Richard. He was the second of 13 children.

Gene left school after the 7th grade to help his parents with logging and work on the family farm. He grew up baling hay for the neighbors and his family's farm.  His career as a truck driver began at age 15 and he held a valid CDL license until his demise.

Gene and Jeanne married on September 1, 1956, in Coaticook, Quebec.  They soon moved to Springfield, MA where Gene worked days in a factory and trucked at night to support their two children.  He had a strong independent streak and disliked having others controlling his job. In 1959, the family moved to Brownington, VT and continued to grow until they had five children. Gene began the Vanasse Farms trucking business, by buying and selling his own cargo, especially hay and Christmas trees. He was very particular about loading hay and would not allow anyone but himself to load his trailers. When his sons grew older and were able to drive, they worked with him. As he reached the retirement years, his son Gaston purchased the business.  But Gene's passion for driving was so great that he refused to give up trucking and only semi-retired.  He loaded hay onto the trailers until he was 85 and continued to drive trucks until 88 years old.   It was a proud day for him when he obtained his US citizenship at the age of 92.

Jeanne was a meticulous stay at home mother who raised their five children while Gene worked to support the family.  She delighted in giving a helping hand to anyone who needed it, especially if it involved crafting or being part of the cleanup crew. She was skilled at making uniquely creative crafts for family events and their New Years Day family parties were always filled with laughter and fun. Jeanne would also assist Gene in his truck garage, either handing tools to him or painting rims.  She would bring the children out with her and have them help. In the winter, she would shovel the driveway, sometimes late at night, to make sure the trucks would not get stuck in the snow.

The family loved her soup! No one could quite make it like she did. She also enjoyed ice cream. Her ice cream sundaes were unrivaled.  Any topping you could ask for, she had it in the pantry! Jeanne and Gene enjoyed playing card games and taught their children and grandchildren so they could have card nights. Jeanne especially loved parades.  She would attend any parade and would encourage the grandchildren to make a parade to celebrate relatives' birthdays.  They would play instruments, use noise makers, and sing while riding their bikes, scooters, wagons, and Big Wheels. She really enjoyed watching the July 4th parade in Derby. She also took pleasure in sitting on her porch and just watching traffic go by.  Both her and Gene enjoyed watching Gaston and his family hay the fields by their house. Sometimes Gene would take his lawn mower, using it as a 4-wheeler, and follow the hay baler around the fields.

As a French speaking Canadian couple that moved to the US, Gene and Jeanne had to overcome the language barrier and their English was self-taught.  Sometimes they spoke English mixed with French, but they still were able to communicate with the English speaking in laws and grandchildren.

Gene fully retired to take care of Jeanne when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  He took over the housework, cooking, and laundry; all things he had to learn since she had overseen the house care.  When the disease progressed, he moved in with her at a nursing home in Canada so she would not be alone.  They shared a room for almost 2 years.  He was very committed to her care until he could no longer do it and she had to be moved to the Alzheimer's unit.  Even then, he stayed in a room at the nursing home so he could be close by and visit her every day.

Jeanne was the wind beneath Gene's wings. It showed in the ways he cared for her during her Alzheimer's battle and by dying on the same day as her so she would not have to go to Heaven alone.

They are survived by their children:

Carmen (Vanasse) Young, (predeceased by husband Dino Young) and their children: Dameion, his wife Melinda, Deanna, her husband Linc, Charlene, her husband Pierre, Alton, Michelle, and Shawntel.

They were predeceased by their son Denis Vanasse.  Survived by his widow, Amber Bickford, and their son: Dustin and his fiancé, Tracey.

Michel Vanasse and his son, Brandon and his wife Elizabeth.

Gaston Vanasse, his wife Gail, and their children: Logan, his wife Chelsea, Leslie, Nicholas, and his girlfriend Sabrina.

Donald Vanasse, his wife Sue, and their children: Adam, his wife Cathy, Patrick, and Bradley.

They are also survived by many great grandchildren: PJ, Zoie, Taylor, George, Ava, Zander, Alex, Autumn, Bella, Tristan, Drayden, Brooklyn, Oden, Bradley Jr., Aydria, Sebastian, Elena, Skyllarai, Sophia, Zaryia, Atticus, and Isla.  Also, honorary grandchild: Michelle Olden.

The brothers and sisters of the Vanasse family: Réal (Liette Grenier), Dolorès, Rosaire (late Gisèle Carrier) (Louise Nadeau), Denise (late Yvon Cardin), Lise (Raoul Lapré), Gisèle (Paul Bédard), Paul-Émile (Suzanne Labrecque), Juliette and Yvan (Jocelyne Boivin). They were the brother and sister-in-law of the late Renaud (the late Marielle Labbé), the late Gaétane (the late Ludger Payeur) and the late Gérard.

The brothers and sisters of the Cormier family: Thérèse (late Rolland Lemerise), Normand (late Bella Carignan) (Clémence Madore), Philippe (Lisette (Louise) Viel) and Pauline (late Denis Lauzon). They were the sister and brother-in-law of the late Rolland (the late Gisèle Carignan) (Thérèse Turcotte), the late Rose-Aimée (the late Rosaire Rodrigue), the late Simonne (the late Roger Fontaine), the late Roger (the late Ginette Jubinville) and the late Denis (Madeleine Cotnoir).

They are also survived by several nephews, nieces, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

The family would like to give extra special thanks to the staff at Stanstead Manor (Stanstead, Quebec) for the excellent and loving care that they provided for their parents.   Thank you to Orleans Fire dept and Orleans ambulance for their quick response in attempting to help Gene.  Special thanks to cousins Diane Michaud and Andre Vanasse for their invaluable assistance with Jeanne's Canadian funeral arrangements and more.  Thank you to Dr Mitchell Sullivan, Dartmouth hospital, the staff, and the doctors (special thanks to Dr Laura Eastman) for their special care of Gene.

Calling hours to be held at St. Edward's Parish Hall, 250 Main Street, Derby Line, VT from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM on Friday, April 5, 2024.  Funeral services will immediately follow at 11:30 AM at St Edward's Catholic Church officiated by Father James Butts.  Meal and Celebration of life to follow at St Edward's Parish Hall.

Interment ceremony in St. Theresa's Cemetery on Sunday June 23, 2024. Time to be announced.

In honor of Jeanne, we are asking people who are attending the burial ceremony to join us in making a BIG parade of vehicles to the cemetery.  Meeting place to be announced.

Should friends desire, contributions in their memory may be made to the NEK Fraternal Order of Eagles #4329, 56 Eagle Nest Dr, Newport, VT 05855. On-line condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.  Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch & Bouffard Funeral Home, & Cremation Service, locally family owned and operated.