Gaston R. Begnoche

MONTGOMERY CENTER - Gaston R. Begnoche, age 81, passed away at his home Saturday morning, February 18, 2017 with his loving family at his side.

He was born October 8, 1935 in Swanton the son of the late Elise & Leoni (Vaillancourt) Begnoche.

Gaston was a lifelong farmer and in 1958 he and Therese purchased their farm and with his knowledge of bloodlines and insemination he turned a Jersey / Holstein farm into a thriving Registered Holstein business. In 1967 he was voted Vermont Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year. The demand for his cattle was extensive. He not only sold his cattle locally but internationally too, shipping as far as Japan & Brazil. Gaston retired from farming in 1997. Once the cows were gone he focused his attention to woodworking. With the help of Roger Chauvin he logged many different species of trees from the farm. Much of this timber he had sawed into usable wood that he turned into kitchen cabinets for his family with the help of Clem Rogers. Gaston served in the Vermont Army National Guard for 8 years receiving an honorable discharge in 1962 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was a member of the American Legion Post #42 of Enosburg Falls.

In more recent years you could find Gaston at Bernies with his coffee buddies discussing the topics of the day. His summers were spent taking care of his garden which included blueberry bushes and corn. He enjoyed talking and joking with his corn customers. Everyone was very sad when he had to stop selling corn in 2015. Although, no longer growing corn he continued with his garden and blueberries and enjoyed giving away any excess produce.

During baseball season you would find Gaston glued to the TV watching his Red Sox. He was a loyal fan to the end whether they won or lost. He also enjoyed hunting & fishing. He especially loved spending time at deer camp, planning hunting strategies and playing cards with family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Therese (Landry) Begnoche of Montgomery Center; his children, Susan Paradis of Berkshire, Armand Begnoche and his wife Mikal of Bozeman, MT, and Marcel Begnoche of Highgate, his grandchildren, Abigail Paradis, Kylie Begnoche, Violet Begnoche & Hans Begnoche; his great grandson, William McMahon IV; his siblings, Pauline Shepard of Montpelier, Connie Turner and her husband Arnold of Westboro, MA, Carmen Scott and her husband Dean of Montgomery Center, and Leon Begnoche of Swanton; his sister-in-law, Cecile Demers and her husband Ralph of Jupiter, FL; many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, Gaston was predeceased by his mother & Father-in-law, Lucien & Alida Landry; son-in-law, Paul Paradis; and his brother-in-law, Armand Frenchy Landry.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 11:00 AM at St. Isidores Catholic Church, 169 Mountain Road, Montgomery Center with Rev. Karl Hahr celebrating the Mass of Christian burial. Interment will take place this spring in St. Isidores Cemetery.

Visiting hours will be held Wednesday from 4-7 PM at the Spears Funeral Home, 96 Dickinson Ave., Enosburg Falls.

For those who wish, contributions in Gastons memory may be made to Franklin County Home Health Agency - Hospice Program, 3 Home Health Circle, St. Albans, VT 05478 or to the Gaston Begnoche Forestry/Agriculture Scholarship, C/O Luc Gates Foundation, 2443 Sampsonville Road, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450.