FAIRFIELD, William Robert Howrigan passed away at the age of 90 on the evening of October 1st at his home with his wife, children, and grandchildren by his side. He was born on May 29, 1919, in the Stone House on his family farm in Fletcher, the third son of William and Margaret (McCarthy) Howrigan. Robert married Frances Virginia Mawn in St. Mary’s Church in St. Albans on February 12, 1949. Virginia survives him along with their six sons and three daughters, 37 grandchildren, and six great- grandchildren.
He attended one-room schools in Fletcher and Fairfield, graduating from St. Mary’s High School in St Albans in 1937. He was a life long and proud member of St, Patrick’s Catholic Church in Fairfield, serving as a greeter and opening doors for parishioners to the age of 90. He was a well known Franklin County dairyman and maple sugar maker. He was always active in local and state community service. He was first elected selectman in Fletcher at the age of 23, and also served as Justice of the Peace in that town until purchasing his first farm in Fletcher in 1948. He was a licensed agent for Farm Bureau Insurance and served for a short time as a U.S. Customs inspector in Alburgh, VT. In September 1953 he and his wife Virginia purchased the McFeeters Farm in Fairfield, which became their home, Misty Maples Farm. Through the years, several adjoining farms were added to the original acreage.
Misty Maples Farm
“The Lord, the land, the animals and the maples. These are our providers…”
Robert was a member of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery and also a member of the Franklin County Maple Producers Coop. He had a lasting and rewarding relationship with Sam Cutting of Dakin Farm to whom he sold maple syrup for over 30 years. His agricultural contributions included Franklin County Farm Bureau president, member of the Franklin-Grand Isle County F.H.A. Board and the VT State A.S.C.S. Board. He also served on the VT Maple Promotion Board, VT Sugarmaker’s Association, and VT Maple Industry Council. Recognitions included VT/NH Soil Conservation Farmer of the Year, 1960; VT Sugarmaker of the year, 1986; VT Maple Person of the year, 1989; Franklin County Maplerama Community Service Award, 2002; and VT Maple Industry Council Sumner Williams Award, 2005.
In 1959, Robert became a member of the building and site committee for the new Fairfield Center School, the community project of which he was most proud. This committee negotiated and secured the land for the Fairfield School Complex from Mr. & Mrs. S. Allen Soule. He was elected to the Fairfield School Board in 1960 and served for 21 years as a School Director. During this time the new Fairfield Center School was built and six one-room schools were closed. He also served on the St. Albans City, Town, and Fairfield Supervisory Union Board. Other community service included: Kerbs Memorial Hospital director, Northwest Medical Center incorporator, VT State Banking Commission, member of the VT State Whey Authority Board, Burlington Savings Bank Advisory Board, Bent Northrop Memorial Library Trustee, St. Patrick’s Cemetery Association trustee, St. Albans Historical Society member, and a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus.
A strong believer in family and friends, and dedicated to dairy farming and maple sugaring, Robert built his public service duties around his priorities at home. His greatest reward was his family, and especially his grandchildren. He was a proud American and loved to instill his patriotism and respect for those who came before us, sacrificing to protect our way of life. He was proud of his Irish heritage and loved the St. Patrick’s Day celebration, along with his own version of an Irish jig or two! Robert loved a good story and had an infectious laugh that endeared him to all.
In addition to Virginia, his wife of 60 years, survivors include his nine children: Patrick and Paula (Barrette) of Sheldon, Mary and John Schreindorfer, William Robert Jr. and Patricia (Flanagan), Eileen and Garry Trudell, Daniel and Shelley (Read), David and Peggy (Hubbard), Brian and Cari (Brady), Catherine and Steven Beauregard, and Mark and Sarah (Duffy) Howrigan all of Fairfield. He will be dearly missed by his 37 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
He also leaves his brother Thomas G. Howrigan, MD of Fletcher, and sisters Loretta Magnan and her husband Henry of Fairfield, Kathleen Connor of Burlington, and Teresa Manahan and her husband John of St. Albans. He also leaves his brothers-in-law Bernard Connor of Fairfield and Andrew Mawn and his wife Katherine of Woburn MA, and sisters-in-law, Anne (Rowley) Howrigan of Fairfield, Elizabeth “Betty” (Mawn) Mercure of St Albans, Patricia (Mawn) Heimberger of Cocoa Beach, FL, Sister Rita Mawn of Saranac Lake, NY, and Kathleen (Mawn) Tabor of St. Albans and many nieces, nephews and godchildren.
Robert was predeceased by infant brother Bernard Howrigan, Senator D. Francis Howrigan and his wife Neva, Sgt. Raymond “Pat” Howrigan USMC; killed in action in Iwo Jima in 1945, Harold J. Howrigan, Mary Howrigan Connor, RN, Emmett and Rose Howrigan O’Connell, Frederick Connor, John and Margaret (Mawn) Yuen, Edward “Joe” Mercure, and John Heimberger.
A Mass of Christian will be celebrated on Monday, October 5th, at 11 am in St. Patrick’s Church in Fairfield. Interment will follow in the family lot in St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Friends may call at the Brady-Levesque Funeral Home on South Main Street, St. Albans, on Sunday from 3-9 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Resurrection House, 20 River Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983 or Franklin County Home Health Agency, 3 Home Health Circle, St. Albans, VT 05478. An online condolence book and photo album has been established at the funeral home website:
www.bnlfh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home and Commemorative Services
