NORTHFIELD – Ida Heath Sanborn, 86, of Cabot, Barre Town, and finally Northfield, passed away on Thursday, October 26, at Mayo Residential Care in Northfield.
Born on June 1, 1937, in Saint Johnsbury, she was the first of three children of Herbert Bernard and Marion Mabel (Hatch) Heath.
Ida was a life-long Vermonter. She grew up in the town of Cabot and remained close to her grandparents and other relatives in nearby Walden. She graduated from Cabot High School in 1955, where she was a member of the high school band, with her younger sister and brother, and the women’s basketball team – serving as a defensive stalwart in an era when offensive and defensive players were each restricted to playing on their respective halves of the court. Growing up, Ida loved to spend her time with friends and bicycling around the area. Very recently, she had pleasant dreams of bicycle riding as a youth. We can imagine her in heaven, bicycling with all the friends she loved while on earth.
After high school, Ida attended Vermont Junior College in Montpelier and graduated with an associate of science degree in 1957. Upon completion of her time in college, she married her husband and life-long companion, Mayo Elwin Sanborn of Barre, on September 1, 1957 in the chapel of Bethany Congregational Church of Montpelier. This union produced two very loved children, Jeffrey and Scott. Ida was a wonderful homemaker who deeply loved and cared for her husband and sons.
Ida pursued outside employment when her children began to “leave the nest.” She worked as an administrative assistant with University Associates in Psychiatry and later documented court depositions. Ida and Mayo purchased the Barre location of Capitol Stationers, Incorporated in 1988. This store became Mayo’s Capitol Stationers of Barre, which specialized in cards and gifts, office products, and book sales; the store was a well-loved fixture of Barre’s downtown area. Ida served in multiple roles at the store, to include Clerk of the Corporation, bookkeeper, assistant manager, sales representative, and a multitude of other roles that are often unseen but were vital to being a business owner. Ida and Mayo retired and closed the store in 2002. Of all the jobs in her lifetime, Ida’s favorite was working as a telephone operator in Cabot, using manual intervention to operate switchboards to connect communicating parties. During that time, it’s possible that she was one of the town’s most informed residents.
She used her passions and experience to build a thriving business and serve her community. Ida served with the Greater Barre Jaycee Anns (including a term as president) to promote civic and cultural improvement of the area, the Salvation Army, the Cub Scouts as a den mother, the Barre Merchant’s Bureau (serving as president in 1997), and in the church through numerous support roles.
Ida’s commitment to her Lord and Savior grew significantly over the past 30 years. She was a devoted member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Berlin and served the Lord faithfully. Her thirst for learning about God’s Word was never quenched. She loved the members of the church, who provided a warm fellowship and enduring support during tough times. Additionally, she led a Bible study group at Mayo Residential Care and worked diligently to spread the gospel of the truth.
Many of Ida’s most cherished memories were of time spent with grandchildren. She cared for her two oldest grandchildren, William and Jane, during numerous extended summer and holiday trips. They spent time together exploring, learning, and helping at Mayo’s Capitol Stationers of Barre, building tree houses, riding the lawn mower, playing in the snow, completing crossword puzzles, and simply having fun. With her two younger grandchildren, Anna and Elsa, she loved to cook and read together. Her four grandchildren provided many joys over the years.
Survivors include Ida’s first son Jeffrey of Morrisville; her second son and daughter-in-law Scott and Chong Kyu of Gainesville, Va; four grandchildren and spouses: William and his wife, Diana and Jane and her husband, Rainier from Scott and Chong Kyu and Anna and Elsa from Jeffrey and former wife, Jen Watkins; two great-grandchildren Desmond and Blanca from William and Diana; her sister Bernardine Haslam of Essex Junction; her brother Herb Heath and wife, Tina of Barre; and her sister-in-law Martha Sanborn of Barre Town, as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Ida will be missed.
A memorial service to honor and celebrate her life will be held on Tuesday, November 7, at 11 a.m. in the Hooker Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre. Family and friends may call on Monday, November 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the funeral home. For a memorial guestbook, please visit hookerwhitcomb.com
The family thanks the staff at Mayo Healthcare in Northfield for their care and support to Ida.
