Helen D. Thompson

RICHFORD – Helen D. Thompson, age 94, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 22, 2022 surrounded by her loving family at Our Lady of the Meadows in Richford.

She was born in Concord, NH on May 28, 1928 to the late Sylvio J. & Helen C. (Camp) Desroches.

Helen was raised in Littleton, New Hampshire and graduated from Hanover High School in 1946. She met Harold, the love of her life, while working at the Carolina Hotel, and the two got married on December 27, 1950, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. After traveling a bit, they settled in Richford in 1967 and made their forever home. Helen was always proud of her antique shop, The White Elephant Shop, and enjoyed working beside Harold in the flower shop in Richford, and the time they both spent as Foster Grandparents. Later in life, they loved traveling in the camper, heading south where they could enjoy warmer weather and couch dancing together. Helen’s daughters’ recall their mom being their number one fan at their Over 30 League Softball games. Helen was a spitfire, a fashionista, she loved fancy hats, thrift shopping, collecting antiques, reading mysteries, and doing things a lady in her 80’s shouldn’t do- like riding waterslides at the Jay Peak Pump House. She loved sweets; any kind of doughnut or pie would do, but she especially enjoyed Karen’s whoopie pies, with a black coffee or a Martini. She was a long-time parishioner of the All Saints Catholic Church and her faith meant a lot to her.

She is survived by her five children, Daniel Thompson of St. Albans, Candy Barbeau of Key West, FL, Mandy Guilmette and her husband Jody of Richford, Jenny Stryker and her husband John of Richford, and Sam Thompson and her husband Dennis Himes of Montgomery; grandchildren, Damian Goodhue, Taylor Guilmette, Lindsy Shea, Karl Daberer, Danielle Daberer, Megan McAllister, Macey McAllister, Christina Smith, Matthew Stryker, Nevaeh Stryker, Steven Stryker, Jay Stryker, Sara Stryker, Taylor Stryker, Hannah Himes, and Courtney Himes; 16 great grandchildren; her sisters, Catherine Fortune and Barbara Desroches; her nephew, Russell Desroches and his wife Katrina and their son Connor; the Wood family relatives; and several special friends. Besides her parents, Helen was predeceased by her husband, Harold Thompson of nearly 60 years, in 2010; her grandson, Andrew Thompson; her brother, Sylvio J. Desroches, Jr.; and her son-in-law, Jeff Barbeau.

Family and friends are invited to Helen’s Life Celebration events to include visitation on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 from 6-8:00 PM at the Goss-Spears Life Celebration Home, 96 Dickinson Ave., Enosburg Falls, VT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 2:00 PM at the All Saints Catholic Church, 152 Main St., Richford, VT. Interment will immediately follow in the All Saints Catholic Cemetery, VT Route 105, Richford, VT.

For those who wish, contributions in Helen’s memory may be made to Franklin County Home Health and Hospice Agency, 3 Home Health Circle, St. Albans, VT 05478 or Meals on Wheels, 875 Roosevelt Hwy, Suite 210, Colchester, VT 05446.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the awesome staff at Our Lady of the Meadows for all the love and care they provided to their “Hollywood.” Your work with our seniors is so important. Thank you.

Goss Life Celebration Homes is the area’s exclusive provider of Life Celebration events. Please visit our website to share condolences, photos and favorite memories at www.gossfs.com