HELEN IDA BLYTHER

MIDDLEBURY — Helen Ida Blyther passed peacefully on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, with her loving caregivers at Helen Porter Memory Care by her side and after video chats with her children and a visit by her brother and his daughter.

Helen was born in Hubbardston, mass., to Walter P. Blyther and Lillian (Paro) Blyther on May 12, 1940, then moved to their farm in Hubbardston, Mass., as a youth and lived there for many years. She was one of seven children: Eunice, Dean, Helen, Carolyn “Cookie”, John, Duane and Betty.

She enjoyed time with family, fishing. In her later years, she loved Bingo and coloring. She had many challenges in her life, one of outliving two sons along with having a stroke in 1994. But she was a strong-willed woman who loved to have fun.

Helen was predeceased by her parents; siblings Eunice Lajoie, Dean Blyther, Carolyn “Cookie” (Blyther) Vermett and Betty Ann Blyther; sons Alexander Royal Vaillancourt and Roland John Vaillancourt; stepdaughter Alicia Hargett; and son-in-law Daniel Cox.

She is survived by her beloved children Walter J. Vaillancourt of Bristol, Vt. and Robin A. Cox of Tenino, Wash.; her brothers John Blyther of Houston, Texas, and Duane Blyther of Hubbardston, Mass., on the family farm.

She is survived by eight grandchildren, Jesse W. Vaillancourt (Laurie), Jacob Vaillancourt, Joshua Vaillancourt, Makayla Vaillancourt (Jerannchris Rivera-Heredia), Rebecca (Vaillancourt) Ziadeh, Jerimiah Gibbs (Megan), Stacy Schweitzer (Jeff) and Julie Cox; four great-grandchildren, Julia Ziadeh, Nevaeh Gibbs, Brooklyn Castine and Nolan Vaillancourt and his mom, Alyssa Reynolds; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at a later time. Donations can be given in her memory to Helen Porter Health and Rehab Center Middlebury, Vt., where she received wonderful care over the last eight years, or Addison County Home Health and Hospice. ◊