Clare Fairbanks

EAST DORSET - Clare (Barton) Fairbanks, 96, a resident of Village Street in East Dorset, passed away Friday, February 12, 2010, at Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, Vermont. Clare was born in Croydon, New Hampshire, on May 20, 1913, the daughter of Chester and Annie (Hafford) Barton. She received her education in Croydon, Newport and Claremont, N.H., schools, graduating from Stevens High School, class of 1930. Clare worked for Green Shoe Manufacturing Co. in Boston, Massachusetts, for 30 years. After going back to school for accounting classes, Clare worked for Boston Financial Co. as a financial supervisor in Quincy, Massachusetts, before moving to Vermont where she volunteered for 19 years at the Wilson House in East Dorset. Clare was an energetic and remarkable woman of great faith who was truly loved by her family and many friends. She enjoyed her volunteer work, exercise class, her dog and two cats and spending time with her family.

Clare is survived by her daughter, Bonnie Lepper of East Dorset; her son, Edward Fairbanks Jr. of Jacksonville, Florida; five grandsons, Nelson Laplante, Michael Laplante, Kevin Laplante, Edward Fairbanks III and Christopher Fairbanks; 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Fairbanks Sr., who passed away in 1981; and her siblings, Chester, Arthur, Walter, Bernard and Dewey Barton and Hazel Barton Mitchell.

A Mass of the resurrection will be celebrated Tuesday morning, February 16, 2010, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church in Manchester. Interment will be held in the family lot in Mountain View Cemetery in Claremont, N.H., on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held Monday evening from 5-8 p.m. at Brewster Funeral Service, 34 Park Place, Manchester, Vermont, when the family will be in attendance. If friends desire, memorial gifts in Clare's memory may be made to The Wilson House or the Rutland Regional Medical Center Intensive Care Unit or Palliative Care Department, c/o Brewster Funeral Service, PO Box 885, Manchester, VT 05255. To send the family personal e-mail condolences, please visit www.sheafunerslhomes. com.

The family has entrusted arrangements to the care of Brewster Funeral Service, 34 Park Place, Manchester, Vermont.

View the guest book at www.rutlandherald.com/ obits.