Beth Margaret Farnham

CHELSEA - Beth Margaret (Richardson) Farnham, age 59 of Chelsea, Vermont, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family and friends, on Friday, May 20, 2016, after a brief and incredibly courageous battle with cancer.

Born on September 10, 1956 to Kermit and Margaret (Goulette) Richardson, Beth joined brother, Kim, and sister, Sue. Her brother, Mark, was born the following year. Beth grew up in Orange, Vermont and spent her summers at her family’s camp in Corinth. She attended Orange Center School and Spaulding High School, where she graduated in 1974. She then went on to attend Champlain College.

On September 18, 1976, Beth married the love of her life, best friend, and constant supporter, David Farnham. Together they welcomed daughter, Melinda, in 1978, and son, Brian, in 1981. Beth loved being a wife and mother. She and David supported their children in their education, extra-curricular activities and dreams.

Early in her career, Beth worked as secretary for her father, Kermit, when he was Lecturer for the National Grange and then provided childcare to families in her home. On June 6, 1988, Beth and David purchased the Chelsea Country Store. In 1997, Beth and David were awarded the “Local Storekeeper Award” for outstanding service to the community and excellence in storekeeping, by the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Vermont Country Store. In 1998, they were recognized with the “Harold C. Childs Contribution Award,” for their ongoing support for athletics at Chelsea High School. Together they owned and operated the store for 18 years.

After selling the store, Beth began a career providing care to the elderly. At the time of her cancer diagnosis, she was working at Mountain View of Vershire. She took great pride and joy in providing care for the residents.

Spending time with family and friends was the most important part of Beth’s life. She cherished time spent with them and the conversations that they had. She also enjoyed traveling, gardening, and cooking. Beth was a past member of the Riverside Grange as well as the First Branch Ambulance Service.

She leaves behind David, her best friend and husband of 39 years. An amazing mother, Beth leaves behind her daughter, Melinda, her husband Jeremy, and her son Brian, and his wife, Amanda. Beth was blessed with five grandchildren, Kylee, Chase, Greyson, Calahan, and Wyatt. She cherished every moment that she had as their Meme.

She is survived by her brother, Kim Richardson, and his wife, Joan, sister, Sue Perreault, and brother, Mark Richardson, and his wife, Sherri. Beth is also survived by her mother-in-law, Josephine Farnham, her brother-in-law and sisters-in-law and their spouses, Robert Farnham and his wife, Charlene, Pam Grimard and her husband, Joe, Linda Kuban and her husband, Ed, Carolyn Black, Beverly Farnham, and Patty Driscoll. She is survived by her uncle, William Goulette, aunt, Vivian Butler, and uncle, Tom Goulette, and his wife Janet. Beth is also survived by her cousins, many nieces and nephews and their children with whom she had many great memories of their time spent together.

Beth was blessed by the special friendships of Alan Ackerman, Dede Melvin, and Mark and Brenda Vermette, and their two sons, Tyler and Jonathan, who Beth thought of as her own children.

She was predeceased by her parents, Kermit and Margaret Richardson, father-in-law, Wayne Farnham, brother-in-law, Kevin Farnham, aunt, Barbara Beede, uncle, Stephen Goulette, uncle, Francis Butler, and brother-in-law, James Black.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, May 27, 2016, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, in Barre, Vermont. A celebration of Beth’s life will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2016, at 11 a.m. at the United Church of Chelsea, in Chelsea, Vermont. Interment will take place in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Washington, Vermont.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the First Branch Ambulance Service, PO Box 74, Chelsea, Vermont, 05038 or the Last Mile Ride at Gifford Medical Center, 44 South Main Street, Randolph, Vermont, 05060.

The family would like to thank the friends and family that supported and cared so deeply for them and Beth during her illness. They would also like to thank the staff at Gifford Medical Center, the staff at the Central Vermont Medical Center’s Oncology and Hematology department and the staff at the National Life Cancer Treatment Center. As well as the First Branch Ambulance Service members.