ELEANOR LYNN ZINKE

VERGENNES — Eleanor Lynn Zinke took her leave of us on a beautiful Vermont spring afternoon, May 9, 2024, as quietly and calmly as she lived her life. Born in Connecticut, Lynn moved with her family to South Florida when she was eight. As an adult, Lynn lived several places, including stints in Arizona and Bermuda, before heeding her cousins’ advice and settling in the hill country of Northern Vermont during the early 1970s with her former husband and two children.

Lynn’s early career in administration and operations took her from Rossignol and Garmont to Garden Way and Harrowsmith, as well as opening and managing Chapters Bookstore and Cafe in Shelburne. After her children grew up and moved into their careers, Lynn took the opportunity to purchase a one-way, around-the-world plane ticket, finally indulging her wanderlust. One of her favorite stops was an extended visit in Hong Kong, which allowed her to travel solo deep into mainland China, an experience she cherished. The conclusion of her trip resulted in a two-year stay in Boston, where she worked at the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union before returning to Vermont.

As Lynn settled back in, she found a new home base in a lovely cottage, perfectly sized for her, on the lake outside Vergennes. Lynn then worked a series of retail jobs, often with friends, primarily in Shelburne village. This allowed her to indulge her passion for meeting new people and more importantly, helping them. Whether it was assisting a customer decide on the perfect wedding gift, bringing a grieving friend a Harrington ham and a bottle of wine, or helping an old friend, as she aged, with day-to-day tasks, one of Lynn’s greatest strengths was her capacity to help others in ways large and small.

Lynn’s greatest pride was her children, Meghan (Andrew) and Senan, whom she supported and encouraged in all their endeavors. It brought her no small measure of joy to have her intrepid children ultimately return to their home state, where she was able to see them regularly and involve herself in their lives.

In addition to her children, Lynn is survived by her sisters, Gay (Mike) Gallagher, Diane Cooper and Karen (Irv) Rose; her cousin, Blair (Bob) Hall and their children; several nieces, nephews and extended family. Special thanks go to Kasie, Tim, Aria, and Sebastian, for their excellent care of Lynn during her final years.

Lynn loved the arts in all forms: literature, fine arts, music, dance, performing arts, etc. In lieu of flowers, if you are so moved, a donation in Lynn’s name to your local library, museum, performing arts center, or other arts foundation would be appreciated. A memorial celebration may be planned at a later date.◊