Maureen Kane Wheeler

Greenfield, NH - Maureen Kane Wheeler, age 76, died peacefully at home in Greenfield, NH, on May 10, 2025, after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

A proud-to-be Vermont farm girl, she was born on August 25, 1948, in Burlington, the first child of George and Rolande (Moreau) Kane of Sheldon. She graduated as valedictorian from St. Mary's High School in St. Albans in 1966 and from UVM in 1970 with a degree in Mathematics. She married her love, Paul Wheeler, in May 1978 at St. John the Baptist Church in Enosburg Falls. Her professional career was spent primarily in the computer software field, working at both National Life of Vermont in Montpelier and IBM in Essex Junction, where she became a certified project manager. Jericho was her home for the entire time of raising her family; retirement took her to St. Albans, and later to Greenfield.

Maureen was a very social person who loved engaging with people from all walks of life. She also loved to cook and to travel. She was a great mom. While her boys were growing up, she and Paul were active hockey and lacrosse parents: Maureen always had the best seat in the house, keeping score for Mount Mansfield Union HS hockey games. The family also hosted foreign exchange students for nine years, and she later stayed involved with the EF program as a coordinator. Her initiative in "making the world a little smaller" rubbed off on her sons, whose lives have involved significant amounts of overseas study, travel, residence, and even marriage.

In retirement Maureen volunteered at Red Cross blood drawings. She was immersed in her family's genealogy, maintained everybody's contact information, and organized family reunions for many years – no small feat considering the size of her very extensive family.

She was also the best big sister ever.

She is survived by her devoted husband of almost 47 years; sons Barton (Mei Yuki) and Samuel (Allyson Glazier); her beloved granddaughters Iris Maple Glazier Wheeler and Opal Delphine Glazier Wheeler; and her five sisters: Margaret "Peggy" Brown (Parker), Paula Kane (Greg Pierce), Janet Kane (Ben Brungraber), Celeste Kane-Stebbins (Greg Stebbins), and Brenda Hammond (David).

She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and an aunt; and by nine international exchange student "children" who became a part of her extended family, one year at a time while attending Mount Mansfield Union High School: Berit Indset (Norway), Maarten Swets (Netherlands), Alina Rodriguez-Velasco (Ecuador), Bruno Bartoletti (Italy), Rasmus Henriksson (Sweden), Danielle Pedrana (Australia), Vibor Travaš (Croatia), Rahel Seiler (Switzerland), and Kyong-Sae Min (South Korea); many of whom she enjoyed visiting later in their own home countries.

She is predeceased by her infant son Simon; her parents; her brothers Michael, James "Jimmy", and Marc, and brother-in-law Jim Farrell.

The family especially wishes to note the tremendous professional and personal care provided by Dr. Kim Dittus at the University of Vermont Cancer Center; by Dr. Eric Bonnem and his staff at Monadnock Community Hospital's Oncology, Hematology, and Infusion Center; and by the Hospice at HCS staff, "Nurse Nancy" and aide Kay in particular, for the care and encouragement that made Maureen's final months bearable, and her home-stay possible to the very end.

Donations in Maureen's name can be made to the Red Cross, either American or International; or to the dedicated care services noted above.

A celebration of her life-so-well-lived will be held Sunday, June 22 at the Dairy Center (Stonebrook Room) in Enosburg Falls, VT from 1:00 to 4:00.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Monadnock Ledger-Transcript on Jun. 5, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Maureen Wheeler

4 Entries

Suzanne (Moreau) and Toyohiko Muraki

June 27, 2025

We were so shocked and saddened to learn of Maureen´s passing. The news came from a chance encounter between her niece Emily Stebbins-Wheelock and my brother Tom Moreau at a youth baseball game both were attending representing respective offspring. Emily was acting on a hunch as a possible family relation, and that her family had just gathered for a celebration of Maureen´s life. Tom related the news to me, seeing as we were born the same year.
Maureen and I, having shared "afternoon first grade" due to Babyboom adjustments, became fast friends for a year, but our paths did not cross again until years later over an impromptu Moreau family lunch in St. Albans. It took no time to get caught up on the past 40+ years, and again it felt like we were fast friends. Our last encounter was pre-Covid in No. California when we first met Paul, and hosted them overnight. It was such fun learning of similar but parallel experiences in our lives. We never said goodbye, so look forward to our next rendezvous, Maureen.

Alina Rodriguez de Vuille & Family

Planted Trees

Alina Rodriguez de Vuille

June 19, 2025

In loving memory of Mom Maureen from Alina, her husband Alain, her son Emanuel and her family from Ecuador.
"When I die, when my coffin is being taken out, you must never think I'm missing this world.
Don't shed any tears, don't lament or feel sorry, I'm not falling into a monster's abyss.
When you see my corpse is being carried, don't cry for my leaving. I'm not leaving, I'm arriving at eternal love.
When you leave me in the grave, don't say goodbye. Remember a grave is only a curtain for the paradise behind.
You'll only see me descending into a grave, now watch me rise. How can there be an end when the sun sets or the moon goes down.
....
When for the last time you close your mouth, your words and soul will belong to the world of no place no time".

Jalaloddin Mohammed Balkhi Rûmi
Persian poet

Rasmus Henriksson

June 3, 2025

To Maureen
You became like a second mother to me during one of the most important years of my life. It's been over 20 years since I, an insecure 17-year-old, was welcomed with open arms on Packard Road. I turned 18 there. We´ve had the chance to see each other again, both in the U.S. and in Sweden, and I´ve been able to show you both my homeland and my family.

I´ve just put my two sons to bed, and it feels strange realizing that I´m probably a grown-up now, even though it´s been more than 20 years since I became one legally.

I will forever be grateful for the way you welcomed me - without you, I would never have gained the lifelong friendships I have with Bart and Sam. As my boys grow up, I will tell them about you, and I plan to show them Vermont, which I will always consider my second home.

Vila i frid

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