Alex S Orum

Born in the midst of a snowstorm on February 7th, 1986 in New London, CT, Alex Orum was a struggler. The second child in the family, Alex could have been waited on hand and foot, but from an early age preferred to do it himself. Always preferring to struggle, he never took the easy path. As a small child, he loved books stashing them by the dozen in his bed. His favorite was Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach. An old soul, he showed depth of insight early on. In high school, he struggled to find a social group, but found safety and friends through his older sister. He was a solid contributor on the wrestling team before graduating from Griswold High School in 2004. Looking for a greater purpose and never afraid of a struggle, he joined the army. He served in Iraq and was awarded an Army Service Ribbon, a National Defense Service Medal and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal before being discharged. He came home from Iraq suffering from severe PTSD as well as concussive head trauma. After his time in the service, he struggled to adapt to civilian life. He began to find his footing in Vermont and fell in love with the town of Bradford and its people. There Alex was known for his generosity. If you needed a shirt, he’d give you the one he was wearing. He found in Bradford a job at a bakery, which was the first job he ever loved. When the bakery closed, he went to work at White River Junction VA Medical Center, where he found great satisfaction working with and for veterans.

Alex died suddenly on December 2nd, 2022. He leaves behind a daughter, Johanna whom he loved with his whole heart, his parents, Larry Orum of Rockport, MA and Norma Vivar of Storrs, CT., his sister, Angela Orum of Plainfield, CT and brother Andrew Orum of Norwich, CT along with their spouses. He will be missed by his nephew Tommy, many cousins and relatives from Maine to the Philippines, along with his dearest friends in VT and CT. A private celebration of life will be held in the spring.