Elise B. Riddel

BARRE TOWN - Elise Beck Riddel, 96, of Wildersburg Common died on Monday, January 12, 2026, at her home in the care of her family.

Born on September 15, 1929, in Barre, she was the daughter of Charles and Katherine (Brown) Beck. She was a graduate of Spaulding High School, class of 1948 and the Fay School of Boston, class of 1950.

On January 25, 1958, she married Allan “Noonie” Riddel at St. Monica Church in Barre. She worked for Vermont Life Magazine in the 1950s, a job she left to raise her family of three girls. When her girls were older she went back to work as a special education tutor at Spaulding High School from 1978 to 1985. She loved this job but retired in 1985 to help her mother after her father died. Elise continued tutoring as a volunteer at the Adult Basic Education Center and as a volunteer for the Early Book Center at Barre City Elementary school, working many years with Kindergarteners.

Elise was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend. She was never known for her baking skills or her seamstress skills, but she took care of others with her love, patience, guidance, good sense of humor and her generosity. She raised three daughters and in later life was a caregiver to her husband of 53 years, providing loving care during his battle with Parkinson’s and aggressive skin cancer. Elise soon became a caregiver again after her husband died, when she convinced her sister Mary Ann Beck to move back to Vermont from Colorado during the last months of her battle with lung cancer. Elise continued to be a caregiver to her entire family until her death.

Spending time with family was the most important thing to her. She did not limit her generosity to family however, and was a great friend to others, helping them as she could and enjoyed sending flowers and angel figurines during times of sickness and hardship. While she was known for her kindness she also had a rebellious side. She liked to write letters to the editor and was a bit of an agitator at family get togethers. She once got mad at a crossing guard and gave them the peace sign and as a result was reprimanded by the authorities.

Elise was an avid reader and a political junky, reading and watching about political events and was a member of the Barre Democratic Party. She was an advocate and supporter for environmental issues and especially loved wolves. She loved to hike in her younger years and loved to walk in her older years. Other interests included golfing at the Northfield Country Club where she was a member, playing bridge and singing. She played bridge throughout her life, and she was in choirs in graded school, high school and as a member of St Monica Church.

In her 50s Elise and her father took a two-month cruise around South America and this sparked her interest in travel. Her travels included Alaska, Greece, and Ireland. To celebrate her 80th birthday, she took her family to Yellowstone National Park to see the wolves. To celebrate her 85th birthday she took her family to Costa Rica. These are two adventures her family will always remember.

Survivors include her daughters Mary Riddel of Barre, VT; Nancy Moore and her husband, Neil of Dover, NH; and Joanne Adams and her husband, William of Barre, VT; and her grandchildren Brooke Beal and her husband, Caleb; Paige Moore; and Chris Adams and his wife, Courtenay as well as her beloved grand dog Murphy.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband Allan “Noonie” Riddel, her brothers Paul and Leonard Beck, and her sister Mary Ann Beck.

A funeral will be held in the spring.

Elise’s family would like to thank Dr. Priscilla Carr and Dr. Bramm Starr for the wonderful care she received from them and the staff at Adult Primary Care in Barre. Her family will be eternally grateful for the wonderful care she received from her exceptional caregivers (Jan, Julie, Jill, Lisa, Penny, Alice, Donna, Karen, and Erika). They provided loving care to Elise and were also there as a support system for her family.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Monica Church food shelf, 79 Summer Street, Barre, VT 05641; Central Vermont Humane Society, 1589 VT-14S, East Montpelier, VT 05651; or Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641.