BRISTOL — Kande and Gary Guilmette, kind and loving partners, parents, grandparents, and friends, passed away on Dec. 1, 2019. Kande was 70 and Gary was 71.
Kande and Gary are survived by their children, Brande (Maurice), and Brie (Trace), and grandchildren Cree, Kyi, Cora and Noah. Kande is survived by her mother, Beatrice (Lalancette), siblings William (Ha), Robert (Cathy), Lori (Keith), and Barry Gerlack. She was preceded in death by her father, Lawrence Gerlack. Gary is survived by his brother, Paul (Valerie), and was preceded in death by his mother, Helen (Wright) and father, Leo.
Kande was born on Jan. 26, 1949, and grew up in South Burlington. After earning her degree, she built a career as a software systems analyst; she ultimately formed her own company, where she attended to her clients with personal affection and professional acumen. Kande was driven to help others live well, beginning with her daughters. She was at once a model of principle and a dynamo who hurled masses of laughter and love at top volume and in high gear. 
Gary, born Sept. 17, 1948, grew up in South Burlington on the same block as Kande. Gary was a meticulous builder, woodworker, and inexhaustible fountain of remarkable craftsmanship, curiosity, tenacity, and the desire to improve. He wanted to know about everything from economics to medicine, and how to do everything from rebuilding boat motors to meditating. He was uniquely generous in passing knowledge along, and patient in guiding even the most dense adult or distracted child though a project.
What is easy to picture: Kande, recounting some misadventure- punctuating the story with full-body gesticulation and interrupting it periodically with hysterical laughter while Gary nods and shrugs and giggles. What is difficult to picture: a pair more synergistic than Kande and Gary — a double dose of youthful mindset here, a complementary brew of benevolence, vision and skill there — their combined efforts culminating in thoughtful, painstakingly crafted gifts, biking adventures, gardening and foraging exploits, food snobbery, and trips to shower love on their children, grandchildren, and many other loved ones. We will miss these fine people.
A memorial service was due to be held on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 3 p.m. at the Ready Funeral Home South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Road in Burlington. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the National Aphasia Association of Vermont ([email protected]) or the Vermont Suicide Prevention Center (vtspc.org).
To send online condolences to the family visit readyfuneral.com.◊