Celia Asbell

Celia Marie Asbell of Burlington, VT passed away peacefully at the age of 70 on Sept 9, 2025, from complications following pancreatic cancer.
Celia grew up in St Albans, but moved to Burlington to attend UVM in 1973. After college, while working for J.C. Penney, she was transferred to Warren, PA where she lived from 1977- 1982. Upon returning to Burlington, she served as Box Office Manager for the Flynn Theater from 1982-2000. After receiving an MBA from UVM, she joined Gallagher, Flynn & Co, where she worked from 2000-2019, getting her CPA license in the process. After leaving GFC, Celia taught courses in Financial Accounting at her alma mater, UVM. In 2019, she received a graduate degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola New Orleans, and began teaching courses in Theology there shortly after.
Celia has been a Music Minister in the Catholic Church since she was 9 years old. She currently serves as Organist and Choir Director for St. Joseph Cathedral, and provides music at several other churches in the area. Her singing, organ playing, and choir directing has made her beloved by literally thousands of parishioners over the years. She also serves as Treasurer for the VT Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
She was active on the boards of many Chittenden County organizations, including the Champlain Valley Folk Festival, VSA Arts, Mater Christi School, the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, Vermont Choral Union, and Burlington Baroque.
Celia is survived by her husband Paul Asbell, her mother Anne Kenyon, and siblings Michael Kenyon, Steve Kenyon, Bill Kenyon, Karen Boudreau, Kathy Brooks, Mary Hewitt, and Julie Kenyon.
Family and friends are invited to call on Sunday September 14,2025 at the Ready Funeral Home 261 Shelburne Road Burlington from 4 pm to 6 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St Joseph's Cathedral Church 29 Allen St. Burlington on Monday September 15,2025 at 12 pm (Noon)
Burial will be on Wednesday September 17, 2025 at 12 pm at Mt Calvary Annex Pomeroy Street Burlington. A memorial service and celebration of Celia's rich life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests memorial donations maybe made to Habitat for Humanity or Doctors Without Borders.