Rosemary Theresa Durgin

Rosemary Durgin, formerly of Fairlee, VT and Hanover, NH, passed away at Woodstock Terrace on the first full day of summer, June 21st, shortly after reaching her 90th birthday.She was born in NJ on May 13, 1927, only child of Victor Cantlupe and Helen (Schmidt)Cantlupe. She grew up in suburban Newark, NJ, attended secretarial school, and worked inManhattan as a young woman. The summer of 1952 she went on a 2-week vacation to northernMaine and New Brunswick with a friend, and met Maurice (Buster) Durgin. Sparks flew, andafter two weeks, he proposed- and she said yes! Six months later she traded in city life for thewoods of Forest City, ME. where she learned to cook on a wood range, pump water by handand live without electricity. Love conquered all and soon the children followed- three while theylived there, and three more who were born after they moved to Calais, ME, where theyremained until 1968. A move to Fairlee, VT that summer, and then18 years later, to Hanover,NH, brought them to the Upper Valley, where Rosemary was constantly busy with the largefamily and, eventually, grandchildren, too. Always a devout Catholic, she was active in churchlife and befriended many Catholic students and staff at Aquinas House. She was a EucharisticMinister with the Chaplaincy at DHMC. An excellent cook who loved to feed people, Rosemarybrought cookies and cakes with her when she volunteered, and to people she met and liked inher daily life. Family gatherings were often held at the Durgin home where a huge simmeringpot of homemade meatballs and several lbs. of spaghetti were often consumed. She had anotorious "sweet tooth" and bought bags of chocolates that she "hid" in the front hall closet somethingthat the grandchildren figured out quickly as they grew. Openly generous by nature,she and Buster offered home-cooked meals and friendship to many Dartmouth College studentsover the years- some of whom were from other countries, and some who were just too far fromtheir own hometowns to get back for Holidays. Once she knew you, you were alwaysconsidered a part of her family.A few years after Buster passed away, Rosemary moved to FL. to live with daughter, Mary, and family for 5 years, then returned to VT in 2012 to live at Woodstock Terrace. Though her memory was not always intact, her sense of humor and grace never abandoned her, anshewas grateful and gracious til the end. Rosemary was pre-deceased by her husband in 2004, herson Thomas Durgin, grandson AJ Dupont, and sons-in-law James Dupont and Bryce Morrill.She is survived by and will be missed greatly by daughters Anne Dall (Tony) of Lyme, NH, MaryDupont of Port Orange, Fl., and Helen Durgin of Plains, MT., sons Peter (Claire) Durgin ofChester, VT, and John (Christy) Durgin of Fairlee, VT, grandsons Barrett Morrill of SanFrancisco, CA, Michael Durgin of Burlington, VT, Austin Durgin of Fairlee, VT, Nick Kapusta ofLebanon, NH and Anthony Kapusta of Anchorage, Alaska, granddaughters Lisa Morrill Carvey(Sam) of Langley, WA and Rachel Durgin (Alex) of Denver, CO, and great-grandson ElliotDupont of Port Orange, FL. The family wishes to thank the wonderful and caring staff ofWoodstock Terrace for their loving support of Mom in her final years.A Mass, burial, and celebration of Rosemary's life will be scheduled for some time in September.The Hale Funeral Home and Cremation care of Bradford, VT is in charge of arrangements.To view an online guest book, go to www.halefuneralhomes.com

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