Mary Ellen Koehler

Mary Ellen Koehler, 79, of Vernon, VT died peacefully on March 27, 2025 at Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, NH. She was born on June 22, 1945 in Keene, NH to Theodore A. and Evelyn Flora Christian Koehler, who owned the Old Village Schoolhouse Antique Shop in Fitzwilliam, NH, where Mary Ellen grew up. She attended Monadnock Regional High School and graduated from Bennington College and Keene State College's nursing program. Known to all as an unusually caring and giving person, she worked at various nursing facilities in the Brattleboro area, such as the Retreat, Pine Heights, and most recently at Vernon Green, where she was the night nurse supervisor. She provided compassionate and attentive care to elderly persons. She was also involved all her life with caring for children in her neighborhood, her beloved pets, and even the wild animals in the area, in particular near her cabin in Vernon, where she spent her later years. She was a faithful member of Guilford Community Church for many years and ran a program there providing meals for shut-ins as well as preparing church community meals. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, Theodore Koehler, Jr. She is survived by her partner of 25 years, Barry Levitt; her good friend, Faith Jobin; her nieces Marcia Johnson and Sherrie Schallack; her nephew Scott Corliss; her great-niece Sarah Corliss; and her great-nephews Jeremy Johnson and Brett Nemeth. A graveside service was held on June 7, 2025 in Fitzwilliam. Donations in Mary Ellen's memory may be made to Guilford Community Church, 38 Church Road, Guilford, VT 05301.