Peg Pare Dies At Age 95

[Henry]

Swanton - It’s been said of the Greatest Generation that, “they stayed true to their values of personal responsibility, duty, honor, and faith.” No more could be said for that of Remi Ernest “Peg” Pare’ who died at his home in Swanton on Tuesday morning, May 22, 2018 at the age of 95.

A product of his upbringing, the third child of ten to Canadian immigrants Alcide E., a butcher in St. Albans, and his wife Blanche (Daze) Pare, he attended Holy Angels, St. Mary’s and graduated from Bellows Free Academy before signing with the Navy along with his brothers. He served proudly in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Colorado during WWII and was honorably discharged in December of 1945.

Like many of the depression era his work ethic was unmatched. After the war, he tended bar at the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, and the American Legion in St. Albans. He went on to have a lengthy career in the finance department at IBM. In 1948, he married the love of his life, Jeannette “Jan” (Ovitt) who predeceased him in 2008 after nearly 60 years of marriage.

True to his faith, Peg was a devout catholic and communicant of St. Mary’s Church, and a life member of the Green Mountain Post #1, American Legion.

Blessed with a retirement many only dream of, Peg and Jan enjoyed wintering in New Port Richey, FL where they golfed, played shuffle board and cards, and listened to Glenn Miller with his brother and sister in law, Romeo & Jo, and friends. Rarely a day went by without a 4 o’clock Manhattan before dinner, or a family party ending without a verse of Alouette. In his later years Peg enjoyed sitting on his porch at Country Club Estates overlooking the 7th hole where he got his only hole in one, watching the birds and playing cards with his brother and sister in law Dada & Polly, his sister Jane, and the occasional cribbage match with a special niece Kelly.

It’s not what we have in our life, but who we have in our life that counts, and Peg is survived by his daughter Carol McKinney and son in law Michael W. of St. Albans, his grandsons, Scott M. McKinney of South Boston, MA, and Brian C. McKinney & his wife Kerrin of Framingham, MA, his great grandsons, Aidan, Colin and Devin McKinney, his sister, Jane Magnant of St. Albans, his brothers, Raymond Pare & his wife Pauline of Swanton, Joseph Pare & his wife Carol of Rocky River, Ohio, sisters in law, Lillian Pare of St. Albans, and Joan Ducolon & her husband Ron of Swanton, and many nieces and nephews.

Besides his beloved wife Jan, Peg was predeceased by his siblings, Cecile Ferland, Jimmy, Fred, Henry, Romeo and Hubert Pare.

A special thank you to Terry Perron, who not only took care of Peg, but became a true friend.

Family and friends will honor and remember Peg’s life by gathering for a time of visitation in the Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main St., St. Albans on Friday, June 1 from 9:30 – 11:00 A.M. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Mary’s Church, 45 Fairfield St., at 11:30 A.M. Interment with military honors will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Peg’s name to: The Connor Roberts Memorial Fund, c/o Ben Roberts, 20 Tanglewood Drive, St. Albans, Vermont 05478.

To send Peg’s family a written expression of sympathy or to share a memory, kindly visit www.healdfuneralhome.com