Dera M. Preston

BARRE - Dera Mae (Brown) Preston, 77, formerly of Barre, Vermont, passed away peacefully on May 26, 2018, in Fresno, California.
Dera was born on July 8, 1940, in Bethel, to Elsworth J. Brown and Bernice M. (Trask) Brown. Dera attended school at the Octagon Schoolhouse in East Bethel.
Dera was a homemaker and lived in Orange. She worked as a bartender at Danny's Pub in Barre, until she retired to California in 2005 to be closer to her family.
Dera was an avid lover of country music. She had seen many of country music's top entertainers in concert and collected their music. She loved NASCAR racing and was a faithful fan of Jimmy Johnson.
She was a member of the Fresno County Pace program for seniors. She also enjoyed reading, gardening, animals, baking and donating to charitable causes.
Dera is survived by her brother, Donald Brown, and wife Maureen, of East Bethel; her daughter, Claire, and son-in-law Shaun Buirch, of Fresno; her son, Joseph Peterson, of Lebanon, New Hampshire; four grandchildren, Angela Blodgett, of Fresno, Daniel Blodgett, of Moore, Oklahoma, Joseph Peterson Jr. and Faith Peterson, of Lebanon; and five great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her first husband, Ethan S. Jones, of Orange; husband Dennis Preston, of Barre; and longtime companion, Donald Columbe, of Barre.
A celebration of life service will be held on June 16, 2018, at 1 p.m. at 5442 Columbia Drive, South Fresno, CA 93727. Cards or flowers may be sent to this address. A separate service will be held later in the year for family and friends in Vermont. Remembrances may be made to any charitable organization of your choice in her name.