It is with our deepest sympathy that we announce the passing of Stella A. Dugan (Devino) on Wednesday September 26th, 2023, at Porter Hospital in Middlebury, VT. She had been surrounded by her closest loved ones during her duration in the hospital and passed peacefully at the wonderful age of 93.
Stella was born in Panton, VT on February 27th, 1930, to Eunice “Peggy” Devino (Allen) & John Devino Sr. She grew up on a small farm in Addison where she attended the Methodist Church every Sunday & went to school in the one room schoolhouse down the road. As a teenager Stella moved to the big city of Vergennes and rented a room on South Water Street to attend Vergennes High School, which she graduated in 1948. At the age of 18 Stella married Rex V. Dugan in Addison, VT in a wedding dress made of a silk parachute that her mother custom made for her. She moved into the Dugan residence and started building the little house on East Street, Vergennes into a home to be proud of and for the generations of children to then be raised in.
Stella seemed to have a prerequisite of the number of three years – she met her husband and would marry him three years later on Christmas Eve 1948. She gave birth to her three children – Marcia in 1951, then her middle son John in 1954 & her youngest Stephen in 1957.
Stella worked at Simmons Precision in Vergennes where she retired after 30 years. In her 40’s she found her love of travel, which included visiting her son John while he was in the stationed in Hawaii to traveling Europe with a group from Addison County. She was an avid bowler in many leagues in Addison & Chittenden Counties where she grew many long-time friendships.
Stella was most importantly the matriarch to her family. She lovingly and without haste took care of many children in the neighborhood and most importantly her grand & great-grandchildren. She was indeed a much-loved lady who you would see at her grandchildren’s sporting events, concerts or musicals. She was the grandmother who would pull up a stool so you could make cookies with, teach you how to play Uno or maybe let you eat an ice cream cone before lunch. She was the cute little lady who would watch the school kids walk by each day on their way to or from school. During the baseball season her door would be open to the warm breeze and you could possibly hear her rooting for her Braves. And each Halloween she was the house you went to for homemade popcorn balls, Tootsie Rolls & an apple.
Stella is predeceased by her father John (1957), husband of 28 years Rex (1977), her son Stephen (1981), her brother Edward (1981), her brother John (1992) and her mother Eunice (1992). She is survived by her children Marcia (Randall) Ouellette, her son John (Aleta) Dugan; grandchildren – Christina (Robert) Shea, Annie (Eugene) Stearns, Diana (Scott) Rose-Joyal; Erika (JC) Hart, Adam Dugan, Stephanie Dugan, JC Dugan & Maci Dugan. Her Great-Grandchildren – Riley (Courtney) Shea, Konnor (Leigh) Shea, Taylor (Reese) Stearns, Seamus Rose & Logan Stearns. Great-Great Grandchildren – Oakley Shea (Riley) & Grayson Shea (Konnor). Sister-in-Law Jean Devino, Nephew Jay (Anne) Devino, Jill (Victor) Rugenius & Julie Devino and their families.
Wake will be held at Brown-McClay Funeral Home located at 48 South Maple St, Vergennes VT on Thursday October 5th from 5pm to 7pm. Family will have a private burial service at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that a donation be made to the Vergennes Fire Department – 50 Green St, Vergennes, VT 05491 in name of Stella Dugan.
A lovely tribute for a woman like no other. My heart goes out to your family.