Heidi Keyworth Albanese of the Mad River Valley passed away unexpectedly on May 31, 2016, at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington. She was loved by many friends, family and members of the community. She is sorely missed.
Heidi's gift to the world was her generosity in wanting to help others. At an early age she learned to prepare food from helping her mother. She discovered her innate gift of service to others through nourishing them. She ran a food truck during her college years at UVM. Here in The Valley she started at The Warren Store and became deli manager and quickly moved to running her own cafe at the Warren Airport. She mastered her skills during those years as owner of the Dinersoar Deli. She won Taste of the Valley twice. She ran the food service for the Mad Dash for 20 years on a volunteer basis. She began running the kitchen at Yestermorrow Design/Build School, where she emphasized locally grown organic meats and produce. She also is remembered by many children for working in the Waitsfield Elementary School and Green Mountain Valley School programs. She catered many events, weddings and wakes. Recently, she has been providing comfort and food to the elderly at their home.
Heidi was an open, vivacious, sweet, caring person. She made friends quickly and adopted many as her own family. At her wedding to James, she wanted all of her friends and family to be in the wedding party. All her friendships were dear to her. She tried her best to help anyone in need.
Heidi was born June 18, 1963, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, to Barbara Stratton-Appleton and William Keyworth. She graduated from Ipswich High School with top honors. She participated in sports and was a top soccer player, a whiz on the field. She also was a volunteer at the local nursing home. She loved the elderly. In grade school she was bused to another school to tutor younger children in math. Heidi attended the University of Vermont with a major in geriatrics.
She leaves behind her devoted best friend and husband, James Albanese; mother, Barbara Stratton-Appleton; stepdad, Malcolm Appleton; and father, William Keyworth. Heidi loved her children above all else, birth and her stepchildren whom she treasured as her own. Her life was devoted to them. She will always be cherished by her beautiful children, Deirdre and Timothy Darr; and stepchildren, Autumn, Dakota and Solomon Benjamin, Heather Buczkowski and Alex Darr; and grandbabies, Lincoln, Merlin, Piper and Rockwell. Heidi is also survived by her siblings, William Keyworth, Jeremie Millow, Michelle Keyworth, Adam Redding, Heather Keyworth, Deborah McManaway White, Sarah McManaway and Michael McManaway. Lisa Keyworth, her sister, previously passed away. Heidi was a loving aunt to all of her nieces and nephews.
So many loved her; the outpourings of sympathy have been overwhelming and greatly appreciated.
Heidi was a big fan of the Grateful Dead. She traveled around the country to see them on tour beginning during her summer breaks in college. She loved the outdoors. Fishing in the summer, skiing in the winter. Foraging in the woods, spring, summer and fall, for fiddleheads, ramps, mushrooms, chaga and other wild edibles. Heidi was a member of Warren United Church and then joined and became a faithful member of the Church of the Crucified One in Moretown, where she gained status as a Franciscan nun.
Her life was spent caring for the entire community and all the children that she called her own. She will be remembered as a loving mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, compassionate friend and imaginative individual. There will be a communitywide remembrance of her life at the Church of the Crucified One in Moretown on Thursday, June 9. Church service will be at 3 p.m. and a celebration of her life will follow.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers please make a contribution to Heidi's favorite charity, Everyone's Child. The website is everyoneschild.net and address is Everyone’s Child, 20 Vermont Route 100 South, Moretown, VT 05660. Assisting the family is Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences visit www.perkinsparker.com.
