CRAFTSBURY – Fielda Althea Tarbell (Dick) Calderwood passed away peacefully with family by her side on October 16, after 102 years of a well-spent and fulfilling life.
She was born in Mapleton, Me., January 18, 1922, to Maurice and Elva Tarbell. Her parents moved to southern New Hampshire, eventually buying a dairy farm in Windham where Fielda grew up well versed in farming skills.
She attended Plymouth State College, but paused her studies to marry Leon Dick in December, 1942 (during WW2 and gas rationing made a challenge for her Navy brother, Wilbur, to get leave from his submarine and a ride to the wedding). They, also, ran a dairy farm in Windham while raising six children, two of whom died prematurely. Fielda was left to run the farm and raise the youngest two when Leon passed away. She obtained her teaching degree at Rivier College in Nashua, NH and taught at Pinkerton High School.
Church friends introduced her to a dairy farmer, Martin Calderwood, from Vermont and they married in 1966. She and her young twins moved to Craftsbury where she worked alongside Martin on their farm and maple sugaring operation. She taught math at Craftsbury Academy for 15 years and at Lake Region High School for five. Her care for her students extended beyond their time in her classroom and many kept in touch and visited through the years.
She was active in leadership roles at East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church, the Orleans Northern Essex Retired Teachers Association, on the Craftsbury Planning Commission, and on the board of the Craftsbury Community Care Center (where she would enjoy living for her last seven years). She and Martin bought a retirement home in Fort Myers, Fla., to spend their winters, but they always had to be back in Vermont in time for sugaring season.
She was well known for her homemade doughnuts that she sold along with Echo Hill Farm maple syrup at the Craftsbury Farmer’s Market. Fielda loved playing board and card games with friends and seemed to always have a jigsaw puzzle in progress. She liked to travel; touring the states (including Alaska) with Martin in their camper as well as several trips to Europe. She and Martin were active square dancers with the Lamoille County Swingers with whom they traveled and performed dance demonstrations in Ireland and Europe. At 91 years old, she toured Italy with Randi’s family. She loved to be active and declared that she wasn’t going to spend her later years in a rocking chair!
Family was very important to Fielda and they loved her back. She loved to be surrounded by family and enjoyed interacting and laughing with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a strong woman of faith who lived out her beliefs through caring actions, praying for others, and leading and teaching in the church. Her calm, peaceful faith carried her through many trials and sorrows while her close fellowship with Him allowed her to enjoy the many blessings she saw around her.
She was predeceased by her brother Wilbur Tarbell (MIA); her first husband, Leon Dick; their children David, Barbara, and Randi, and by her second husband, Martin Calderwood. She is survived by her daughter Earlo Pelletier of Windham, N.H., and her children Charleen (Michael) Michaud, Bob (Brenda) Pelletier, and their children; her son Donald (Cindy) Dick of LaGrange, Texas, and their children Dawn Stone, Heather, and Michael Dick; her son Randi’s wife Louise Calderwood of Craftsbury and their sons Doug (Taylor) Calderwood, Andrew (Maddie) Calderwood and their children; and son Ricki (Lynn) Calderwood of E. Highgate, and their daughters Charlotte (Steve) Martin and Rebekah (Bryan) Just and their children.
Visiting hours will be at the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church on October 25, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The memorial service will also be at the church at 10 a.m., October 26, with burial at the East Craftsbury cemetery following the service.
Donations in her memory may be given to the East Craftsbury Presbyterian Church (1773 E. Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury, VT 05826) or the Craftsbury Community Care Center (1784 E. Craftsbury Road, Craftsbury, VT 05826). Messages to family may be sent through curtis-britch.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Curtis-Britch-Davis & Bouffard Funeral Home, Craftsbury Common.
