Rose M. Austin, 87, of Moretown, passed away at Rowan Court Nursing
Home in Barre on Thursday evening, October 8, 2009. Born in Hoosick
Falls, NY, on December 1, 1921, she was the daughter of the late
Charles and Verna E. (Moon) Woodard. On August 30, 1944, she married
Raymond E. Austin in Plainfield. Raymond predeceased Rose on April 4,
1995.
Rose attended Bennington schools and then received a full scholarship
to attend the University of Vermont, graduating with a perfect 4.0
average with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education. Rose
taught in the one-room schoolhouse on Moretown Common for seven years
and then, with her children growing, she remained happy and busy as a
homemaker and raising her family.
A longtime leader in 4-H, Rose was also active in the Moretown United
Methodist Church and Home Dem in both Moretown and Duxbury. Creative
artistically, Rose enjoyed ceramics, rug hooking and oil painting. She
also enjoyed her vast vegetable and flower gardens as well as classical
music.
Rose is survived by her son-in-law, John Van Sleet of Milton; four
grandchildren, Paul Van Sleet, Nancy Rochefort, April Slayton and
Marcel Austin; five great-grandchildren; her sister, Edna Russell
Prouty of Bennington; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family.
Her daughter Verna Van Sleet, her son Brian Austin, as well as four
sisters and three brothers predeceased her.
Memorial services will be held from the Moretown United Methodist
Church on October 17, 2009, at 11 a.m. Inurnment will be private in the
Mountain View Cemetery in Moretown. The family requests that flowers be
omitted; rather memorial gifts would be appreciated to Central Vermont
Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre, VT 05641
(www.cvhhh.org) or to the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service, P.O. Box
305, Waitsfield, VT 05673. To send online condolences please visit
www.perkinsparker.com. Assisting the family is the Perkins-Parker
Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury.
