JAMES WALTON MCBRIDE

PANTON — James Walton McBride returned to the Earth March 4, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. He was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., to Carroll Raymond McBride and Doris Craig McBride Nov. 3, 1936. He was raised in Peacham, Vt., a boy with a mischievous glint in his eyes that belied his outer stoicism. He encouraged his children to succeed, reminding them frequently that he had been valedictorian of his class at Peacham Academy, his mantra being that you should learn at least one new thing each day.

In 1957, his family moved to a farm in Panton, Vt. His mischievous nature continued during his tenure in the Vermont National Guard, drag racing tanks with his fellow soldiers during their free time. He graduated from the University of Vermont, receiving accolades as the highest ranked Agricultural student, and proud to have studied genetics before the discovery of the double helix.

He returned to Panton to work on the family farm. There he met his wife, who was student teaching at the schoolhouse next door. Jim married Theresa Huestis June 15, 1968. For 57 years, they demonstrated kindness and love that few are blessed to experience. Their six children, James McBride (Kim), Amy Bourne (Jim), Terrance McBride, Carole McBride (Dirk Smits), Katherine McBride, and Amanda McBride were Jim’s greatest joy until his 10 grandchildren (Alyssa, Nicholas, Christopher, Noah, Adrienne, Brooklynn, Annika, Korbin, Margaret, and Ambrose), great-grandson (Jackson), and multiple grand-dogs arrived and took over that honor.

He described himself as a sports lover, nature lover, farmer, agriculturist and cook. After his first retirement from dairy farming, Jim transitioned to work for the Vermont Dairy Herd Improvement Association for 20 years, allowing him to remain connected to the agricultural community he loved. His second retirement allowed him to embrace his love of the outdoors as he puttered around the farm, collecting fossils, quarrying stones to build stone walls, flowerbeds and extensive gardens around their home, and walking miles upon miles of Panton’s scenic roads. When not gardening, he spent his summers floating in the lake and his winters testing and inventing new recipes with his newfound love for cooking. He instilled a competitive drive that surfaces during every family gathering in the form of cutthroat card games. Jim was never without a book or two, or three. By our estimates, he must have read at least 20,000 over his lifetime.

Jim was predeceased by his mother, father, and three siblings: Carroll Raymond McBride Jr., Barbara McBride Martin, and Keith Malcolm McBride.

He will be missed greatly by his wife, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family, who will carry on his work ethic, curiosity, love of nature and animals, and sarcastic sense of humor. We will especially miss his encyclopedic knowledge and inherent sense of direction as we navigate this world without him. At his request, there will be no service, but a request to perhaps share a cup of coffee and piece of pie with a neighbor in his memory.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jim’s memory to the Bixby Memorial Library in Vergennes, Vt. ◊