Marcel Leo Cote

Marcel Leo Cote Sr., 88, of Winooski passed peacefully on October 12, 2025.
Marcel was born in Winooski on April 11, 1937, the son of Omer and Eleanor (Marcotte) Cote. He attended schools in Winooski and served in and was honorably discharged as Private First Class of the US Army Reserve in 1956. He was married on July 5, 1958 to Theresa Therriault at Saint Francis Xavier Church. They made their home in Winooski and filled it with love, laughter, music and six children. Marcel worked for many years for Shelburne Limestone Corporation and the Demers family, his favorite job being what he called "a dynamite man" working with the quarry explosives.
He also worked several second and third jobs to provide for his growing family. For vacations, he would load his children into the family station wagon for camping trips with a giant canvas tent big enough to house eight. As his children grew and grandchildren were born, his new favorite role was Pepere. This was a role he cherished by filling his mysterious lunchbox with lollipops, taking them on road trips, keeping them entertained by guessing what was in his unwrapped gifts, teasing them to pull his finger, snow-blowing piles of snow into a "mountain" for sledding, dressing for Halloween so that they would not recognize him until he spoke, and let's not forget the many silly faces he made to leave an afterglow of smiles. Marcel was a simple, humble man, always ready for a game of cribbage or Aggravation, a dance floor, a western movie, a baseball game (especially the Boston Red Sox), a hot dog or an ice cold beer. Marcel genuinely cherished his time with his "Movie Star" Tessie, his children and extended relatives. He reveled in family gatherings with great pleasure and hearty laughs.
Marcel is survived by his devoted wife of 67 years, Theresa, and their six children: Marcel Jr (Sarah), Denise (Jay) Malloy, Lori (James) Deuell, Rhonda (Joseph) Siemons, Michelle (George J.) Goldsworthy and Sherri (Daryl) Decker; thirteen grandchildren: Kaleena (Michael) Leonard, Marcel III (Christina) Cote, Benjamin (Lyndsi) Cote, Alex (Kaleigh) Malloy, Alyssa (Brendan) Nickel, Andrea Deuell, Jamie (Austin Cartagena) Deuell, CeLynn (Bradley Elliott) Siemons, Mason (Olivia) Yandow, Louden Yandow, Haley (Ted Doonis) Decker, Braeden (Kaylie) Decker, Collin Decker, and two step-grandchildren: George W. and Eliza Goldsworthy; twelve great-grandchildren: Mila, Huxley and Brynn Leonard; Jacob, Dustin and Ava Cote; Kipp, Scout and Styles Cote; Isla and Emmett Malloy; Brooklyn Nickel (and soon-to-be sibling); his sisters: Jeanette Meunier, Theresa Matton, Blanche LaForce, Cecile Casavant, Claire Sprano and sister-in-law Marie Cote, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Marcel was pre-deceased by his parents, brothers Clement Joseph and Roger, and his sister Lucille Lemieux.
Those wishing to pay final respects to Marcel may gather on Thursday October 23, 2025 from 9:00-10:30 AM at LaVigne Funeral Home, 132 Main Street, Winooski, VT. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 AM at Saint Francis Xavier Church, 3 St Peter Street, Winooski, VT. Burial will be in Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery following the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Cerebral Palsy Foundation; online at cerebralpalsyfoundation.org or 3 Columbus Circle, 15th floor, New York, NY 10019 in memory of Marcel to honor a special friendship formed with (LNA) Alyssa and her son Mason, who left him with an afterglow of smiles.