Jeanne Griffin's Daughter Dies At The Age Of 62

Jeanne is a parishioner of St. Luke's Parish here in Fairfax:

Valerie J. Griffin, 62, of Derby, VT passed away on May 30, 2014 at her home in Derby, VT. She was born June 23, 1951 inNewport, VT to M. Jeanne (Chainey) Griffin and the late H. Dean Griffin.
She graduated from Sacred Heart High School in the class of 1969. She was in the first madrigal singing group started by Sr. Edmund of Jesus. Val was also in the first folk group at St. Mary’s Church. She was the concert pianist for many of the musicals at Sacred Heart School. Valerie attended nurses' training at Fanny Allen in Burlington and later worked as an LPN at Dartmouth Hitchcock for a few years and in the Tacoma, Washington area for nearly 30 years. Valerie's nursing and compassion encompassed more than just in a working situation. She took care of two young boys in Tacoma,Washington while their mother was unable to care for them. She loved animals and was always supplying them with food and care, especially chipmunks!

Val moved back to the Derby, VT in November of 2006 after the death of her brother whom she cared for for 10 years. She joined the senior choir and folk group at St Mary's Church until her lungs no longer allowed her to sing. Val organized the Sunday adorations and the veterans adorations with her best friend. She was also co-founder of the Cenacle of Life group at St. Mary’s Church. Val was a Eucharistic Minister for Mater Dei Parish and visited the sick bringing them the Holy Eucharist. Cancer is a monster but Val never gave up helping others and doing the things she enjoyed the most. She spent most of the summers along
brooks fishing for trout with Neena. She planted a blueberry, raspberry and strawberry patch on her land along with a small fruit tree orchard and still made time for a vegetable garden.

She is survived by her best friend Neena Gratton of Derby, VT, by her mother M. Jeanne Chainey of Hyde Park, VT, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was predeceased by her daughter Kellie Marie, by her father H. Dean Griffin and by her brother Robert Griffin.

Friends may call from 6-7 P.M. on Wednesday June 4, 2014 at the Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, 4670 Darling Hill Road, Newport. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday June 5, 2014 at St. Mary Star of Sea Catholic Church in Newport with Monsignor Peter Routhier celebrating a mass of Christian burial. Interment will follow in Lake Road Cemetery,Newport Center, VT. Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to the NEK Spay-Neuter Program, 172 Sias Avenue, Newport, VT. On-line condolences may be sent to the family through the funeral home website atwww.curtis-britch.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch-Converse-Rushford Funeral Home, locally family owned and operated.

Funeral Service

Thursday June 5, 2014, 11:00 AM at St. Mary's Church