Wayne Eugene French

May 8, 1929 - October 22, 2024

"God is spirit and we must worship him in spirit and truth" - John 4:24

Wayne E. French (95) of Island Pond, Vermont, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 22nd at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center after a brief illness.

Wayne French was born on May 8th1929, in New York City, to Wayne and Katherine (Palmer) French.

He and his identical twin brother Arthur were raised in a historic farmhouse on the shores of Willoughby Lake in Westmore Vermont and attended the local one room schoolhouse.

Wayne and his brother spent their high school years at Mount Hermon School in Northfield, MA.  While there Wayne and his brother were co-Captains of the ski team and helped start the Outing club. Wayne also worked on the school newspaper and wrote poems, for which he won an award. Wayne and Arthur graduated in 1949 and went on to enter the University of Vermont where they continued to be involved in sports.  They were involved in Nordic events on the ski team and Wayne's specialty was ski jumping.  Wayne graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture.

During summer breaks, Wayne worked as a handyman at Camp Songadeewin on Willoughby Lake.  While there, he met his future wife, Nancy Burdan, who was working there as a camp counselor.  They were married in April of 1954.  Wayne and his wife moved to Durham NC, so he could major and graduate with a Masters in forest products from Duke University.  He and Nancy then moved back to Westmore so Wayne could work.

Wayne worked a variety of jobs to support his now growing family, ranging from sales to administrative roles and lived in Georgia, New York and New Hampshire.  While living in New Hampshire he opened a small shop in a barn on his property, where he made rustic furniture and also furniture in the Shaker style.

During summers spent back at Willoughby Lake in Westmore, Wayne and his wife built a house next to the French homestead. He retired at the age of 62 and moved permanently to Vermont five years later.  Here he continued his passion for crafting furniture and enjoying Vermont life to the fullest.  He volunteered at Old Stone House in Brownington where he would greet visitors to the Westmore room and answer questions.  Wayne was also a member of the Westmore Association board for 6 years, serving 3 years as President, a member of the Westmore select board and he and Nancy were both very active members of the Westmore Community Church, where he was a trustee for 6 years.

They enjoyed going to senior meals in the surrounding towns and made many friends during those lunches. It was during these lunches that Wayne would reprise his role of "Grandpa Asa" and tell jokes.  They eventually sold the house in Westmore and moved to Sunrise Manor in Island Pond, VT.

Wayne French is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Nancy and their three children; Steven and wife Kathy of Columbia Falls, Montana; Michael and wife Karyn of Glenside, Pennsylvania and Victoria Fletcher and husband Ralph of Suffield, Connecticut. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Tabitha French, Meghan Fletcher, Jason Fletcher, Jason Merrill and Aaron Merrill and also great-grandchildren Asa French and Mavis Merrill.  As well as numerous nieces, nephews and their families.

In lieu of flowers donations in Wayne's memory may be made directly to the Westmore Community Church.   Services will be determined at a later date.

Excerpt from "The Trusser Rests" by Wayne E. French:

My work is finished now.  The chores are done.

Cow bells sound from the night pasture.

And I rest,

For the sun will bring a whole day's toil.

But I think not of that now.  I am free.