Joanne E. Griffith, 70, of Baird Lane, Waitsfield, passed away in the
comfort of her family at the Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin on
Monday, June 14, 2010, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born in Montpelier on December 29, 1939, she was the daughter of the
late Clesson E. and Florence (Baird) Eurich.
Joanne was a 1957 graduate of Waitsfield High School and continued her
education at the Utica (NY) School of Business where she earned her
associates degree as a medical secretary. Following college Joanne
worked as a secretary for the Vermont Commissioner of Agriculture in
Montpelier before moving to Hartford, CT, where she was employed as a
secretary in the Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Hospital. She later
was employed by Anchorman Systems Answering Service in Enfield, CT, for
many years.
Returning to her Mad River Valley roots in 1989, Joanne worked for
Valley Communications for several years, was a courier for Green
Mountain Messenger and most recently worked as a cashier at the Mad
River Glen Ski Area.
In her leisure time, she enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and
traveling. She will be fondly remembered for her love and devotion to
her entire family, especially her grandchildren.
Joanne is survived by her partner in life, Andrew Baird Jr. of
Waitsfield; her daughter, Lori Martins and her husband Jose of Ludlow,
MA; her sons, Brian Griffith and his wife Rebeca of Suffield, CT, and
Mark Griffith and his wife Beverly of Aurora, CO; Andrew's children,
Mistylee Miller of Richmond, James Baird and his partner Toni Legge of
Fayston, and Tiger Baird of Waitsfield; her grandchildren, Jessica and
Ryan Griffith, Angela, Rebecca, Olivia and Alyssa Martins, Eden
Ettienne, Kelly Baird, Andrew Baird IV, Alexander Baird and Carleigh
Baird; a great-grandson, Lucas Longtin; two sisters, Carol Downer and
her partner Ernest DeChaine of Lanesboro, MA, and Susan McDonald and her
husband Dennis of Broken Arrow, OK; two brothers, Kevin Eurich and his
wife Sheila of Warren and Steven Eurich and his wife Elaine of No.
Fayston; her brother-in-law, Donald Demas of Northfield; three aunts,
Barbara Eldredge of Waterbury, Madaline Kingsbury of Waitsfield, and
Christine Crill of Rome, NY; as well as nieces, nephews and extended
family. A sister, Nancy Demas; two nephews, Michael Downer and Alan
Demas; a brother-in-law, Phillip Downer; an uncle, Edward Eurich; and
Andrew Baird's daughter-in-law, Erin Baird, predeceased Joanne.
A service to celebrate the life of Joanne Griffith will be held from the
Waitsfield United Church of Christ on Thursday, June 17, 2010, at 11
a.m. with inurnment to follow in the Waitsfield Common Cemetery. There
will be no calling hours. For those who wish memorial gifts would be
appreciated to the American Heart Association, 434 Hurricane Lane,
Williston, VT 05495 (www.americanheart.org) or to the American Cancer
Society, 55 Day Lane, Williston, VT 05495 (www.cancer.org). To send
online condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com. Assisting the
family is the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in
Waterbury.
