Jean Bruce

Jean Eleanor (Cribley) Bruce (7/11/1944 - 4/20/2025)



Jean Eleanor (Cribley) Bruce, 80, of Northfield and formally West Berlin, VT, passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at the Central Vermont Medical Center's hospice care suite, in Berlin, VT.

She was born in Sharon, CT to parents Herbert ("Bud") Cribley and Ethel (Flannagan) Cribley of Wassaic, NY, a small hamlet in the town of Amenia, NY. Throughout her life, Jean maintained deep connections to friends and family in the Hudson Valley, NY, area, especially with her cousin Lorraine Spatafora, who predeceased Jean in 2015.

Jean began her education in Wassaic, and, Amenia, NY. Her father's job at IBM brought the family to Vermont in the 1950's, where Jean later graduated from Essex Junction High School in 1962. After graduating, Jean married and began raising a family with former husband Kerry D. Kellett, in Concord, NH, whom she later divorced. Jean returned to VT and remarried on March 2, 1974, to Martin A.Bruce of Moretown. Jean went on to become a certified phlebotomist, emergency communications dispatcher, and administrative assistant. Jean retired early in 1990.

Jean was creative and artistic, and loved to sew, crochet, knit, and paint. She also loved camping, and music and especially loved hearing her son Brian sing and play guitar. Jean fought and survived stage IV head and neck cancer in early 2020.

Survivors include her loving husband of 51 years Martin of Northfield; adopted son/grandson Nathan of Barre, daughter Deborah of Northfield; son Brian and his wife Andrea of Loudon, NH; granddaughter Malloy Wheeler of West Berlin, grandson Sean and his wife Kelly of Hollywood, CA; and granddaughter Amy and husband Steve of Nashua, NH; her step-grandsons, and many nieces and nephews. Jean was preceded in death by a son Christopher in 1969, her brother David in 1970, Father Herbert in 1997, former spouse Kerry in 2012, Mother Ethel in 2013, and daughter Laura in 2020.

A celebration of life is planned for June 2025.



Jean's family wishes to thank friends and family for their support as well as Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, and the following staff at the Central Vermont Medical Center: Emergency Department, Doctor "Rachel", the medical teams of 2 North and 2 South, and the cafeteria for providing comfort carts.

We would also like to thank the A W Rich Funeral Home, in Essex Junction, VT, for their great care and compassion.