NORBERT PIERCE CONANT

SALISBURY — We are grieved to announce the passing of Norbert Pierce Conant of Salisbury, Vt., on the morning of Aug. 21, 2024, at McClure Miller Respite House in Colchester. He was 83.

Born on Aug. 11, 1941, in Burlington, to Harold Conant Sr. and Millicent (Wimett) Conant, Norbert was the youngest of four children. His mother remembered him as being very sweet and shy when young, hiding under the bed when visitors arrived. One of his first memories was of riding in a wagon to pick wildflowers with Marion (Noyes) Nuceder, who often cared for him when his mother was at work. When a bit older, Norbert spent free time outdoors, hunting, fishing and exploring the woods around Salisbury, and hitchhiking to nearby towns with his brothers and friends, in a way few youngsters would be allowed today.

After high school, Norbert enlisted in the U.S. Army and proudly served in Munich, Germany, from 1961 to 1963. This time abroad sparked a lifelong passion for travel. He loved driving the backroads in New England, sometimes going all the way to Maine and back within a day. Later in his 40s, he explored further afield, often with his daughter, Heidi, to places such as Costa Rica, South Africa, England and Portugal. Lunenburg, Nova Scotia was a very special place for him. He and Heidi visited four times in the last 15 years of his life.

In 1964, Norbert married Pamela Gonzalez of Middlebury, Vt., after being introduced by their mutual friend, Jeffrey Drinkwine. The couple remained married for 21 years. In the early days of their marriage they purchased a three-acre parcel of land on a hill in West Salisbury with beautiful views of Moosalamoo Mountain and the surrounding fields. In 1973, Norbert began building the family home with the help of his father-in-law Narciso Gonzalez, using blueprints created by Pam. It was there the couple raised their two daughters, Heidi and Gretchen, and Norbert continued to live until 2020.

Despite a divorce in 1988, through the years Norbert and his family grew closer. They spent holidays together and met monthly for meals and walks. Pam often assisted Norbert with administrative tasks, and he helped her with handyman chores. Their relationship, though not perfect, was marked by consistency and devotion. When Norbert was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021, the entire family united, combining their strengths to ensure his wellbeing.

Fiercely independent until the last, Norbert ultimately moved in with Gretchen the summer of 2022 and lived with her for over 1.5 years before transitioning to Quarry Hill Memory Care in South Burlington, where he lived for six months before succumbing to Alzheimer’s.

Norbert was a kind and loving father. A sixth-generation Vermonter, his character was shaped by his hometown of Salisbury. He enjoyed meeting new people (particularly old-time Vermonters and people from other cultures) and had a dry sense of humor. Resourceful and resilient, he could always be counted on to pair a flannel shirt with Maverick jeans and leather work boots with style. He found joy and beauty in socializing, travel, nature, and his daughters. His legacy is one of stoic independence, consistency and an indomitable spirit.

Norbert is survived by ex-wife Pamela and daughter Gretchen of Grand Isle, his daughter Heidi of Winooski, as well as his brother Harold’s children, Nicole, Shaune, Joseph and Stephanie (Conant), and his sister Maxine’s children Stephen and Tracey Desatelles.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Homeward Bound, Addison County’s Humane Society. ◊