Whitehill Stone House

09/17/2025

09/17/2025

Barbara Joyce Whitehill died on September 2, 2025. She was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor after being admitted to the North Country Hospital in early August. She was later moved to the comfort of the McClure-Miller Respite House where she died.

Barb was born February 29, 1936, to Grace (Brown) and Lucian Whitehill. She grew up on the family farm. She often said that she had the best childhood anyone could have ever wished for. Following her graduation from Brighton High School in Island Pond and Vermont College in Montpelier, she worked at IBM, which gave her the opportunity to live in many places throughout the United States. After her retirement she returned to the Northeast Kingdom. There she began her second career working in libraries where she found her passion in helping people love books as much as she did.

Barb enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. and Europe with her siblings, friends, or even by herself. Her favorite place to visit was the U.K., but her most memorable trip was probably when she rode into the Grand Canyon on a mule! She was an avid nature lover who could often be found gardening or watching the birds and animals that frequented her land. She was always ready to drop everything for a walk or a hike.

Barb was predeceased by her parents; siblings Phyllis Burroughs, Anita Plummer, and David Whitehill; nephew Michael Plummer; and niece Susan Breeyear. She is survived by her sister, best friend, and hiking companion Norma Lemieux, and her brother Ken, who was there for her no matter the situation. She will be missed by her nieces and nephews who will always remember her wit and infectious laugh as well as the many adventures they had with her. Barb also leaves several cousins and many close friends, especially Gayle and Doug who supported her during some tough times.

In keeping with her wishes a private memorial service will be held later in the fall. Donations in her name can be made to the Dailey Memorial Library, 101 Jr. High Drive, Derby, Vermont 05829 or the McClure Miller Respite House, 3113 Roosevelt Highway, Colchester, Vermont 05446. Online condolences may be made at curtis-britch.com.

07/08/2025

2016 pics

07/08/2025

2015 reunion pics

07/02/2025

We're about six weeks out from the 97th Annual Whitehill Reunion and Meeting! Keep an eye out for another postcard coming your way - we will be asking folks to RSVP and to share their email addresses with us. We will continue to send out information by mail, but we also want to begin reaching out digitally.

Updates & reminders for this year:
*Lunch will be a potluck meal - Please plan on bringing a lunch item to share with others. We will provide plates, cups, utensils, and beverages.
*We will have lawn games and puzzles for families to enjoy.
*There will be a group picture after lunch.
*We will be unveiling our plans for the restoration of the Stone House and kicking off a capital campaign!
*There will be door prizes and a raffle!

Additionally, we now have an online platform for accepting donations to the Whitehill Home and Library Association for the restoration of the Stone House. Follow this link to support this work:
https://givebutter.com/jevafG

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to seeing all of you on August 16th!!

07/01/2025

2014 Reunion

07/01/2025

2013 reunion pics. 46 days until this year's reunion on August 16.

06/13/2025

2012 Reunion

06/02/2025

2011 Reunion Pics...........enjoy

05/22/2025

2010 Reunion

02/17/2025

It may seem early, but we want you to save this date - the Annual Whitehill Family Reunion will be on Saturday, August 16 this year! There will be much more information to come - keep an eye out for a postcard and more posts here as we get closer.

02/11/2025

We are sad to hear of the passing of Susan Breeyear. She was heavily involved with the Stonehouse having served as a board member for many years.

Susan Lemieux Breeyear, wife, mother, daughter and well-loved member of Trinity Baptist Church in Williston, passed away at the age of 74 on October 10, 2024 at UVM Medical Center after complications from a rare form of cancer.

She was born in Barre, Vt., on April 14th, 1950, to Conrad and Norma (Whitehill) Lemieux of Graniteville, Vt. Susan majored in English at the University of Vermont and joined the Peace Corps so she could teach English as a Second Language to students in Senegal, West Africa in the 1970s. After her college years, Susan was the former Assistant Manager of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Durham, NH, and enjoyed playing her guitar and singing for others to share her faith. She met her husband, James J. Breeyear, in Burlington, Vt. while she was student teaching at a grade school in Essex. They fell in love and married in Williamstown, Vt. on June 8, 1974. Susan worked at the University of Vermont in the Romance Languages Department, then as the Language Resource Center Coordinator in the Language Lab, and she retired after fifteen years in her position at Saint Michael’s College as the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology. Susan loved crafting, gardening, reading, taking walks and hiking. She was very devoted to her family and enjoyed participating in the Whitehill family reunions held in Ryegate, Vt. each year. After retirement, Susan found her love of quilting. She made beloved quilts for everyone in her family and gave them out as gifts to others as quickly as she finished them. Susan’s good-natured, yet sarcastic sense of humor was loved by all who knew her, and her generous and willing spirit touched the lives of many.

Susan is survived by her husband, James Breeyear, her two daughters, Elisabeth Finstad and Sarah Hyde, her grandchildren, Alex Breeyear, Alicia Potvin, Autumn Finstad, Luke Hyde and Judah Hyde, and her mother, Norma Lemieux.