Brown McClay Funeral Homes

Vergennes & Bristol, Vermont

Brown Mcclay Funeral Homes

Earl Bessette

EARL BESSETTE

NEW HAVEN — Earl Bessette, 89, of New Haven, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, at UVM/Porter Medical Center in Middlebury. He was born on May 31, 1930, in Charlotte, Vt., to Solon and Helen Fletcher Bessette.

He married his wife Raymonde on July 7, 1949, at St. Peter’s Church in Vergennes.

Earl’s number one passion was the family farm, Elgin Spring Farm, where he lived and worked for 87 years of his life. He was active in the Town of New Haven, St. Peter’s Catholic Church, the Historical Society and Beeman Alumni.

He is survived by his wife Raymonde and their children, Earlene Smith of East Middlebury, Diane Bolduc (Eugene) of Shoreham, Alan Bessette (Debra) of New Haven, Denise Martin (Ray) of New Haven, Edward Bessette (Melanie) of New Haven, Laurie Vincent (Brad) of New Haven, and Lisa Bessette (Helen Myhre) of New Haven; his sister Lois Zeno (Toby) of Monkton; 15 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Doris Godard and Eleanor Hawley, and his son-in-law Eddie Smith.

A funeral service for Earl will be held at St. Peter’s in Vergennes on Monday, Dec. 23, at 11 a.m., with Father Yvon Royer officiating. Pallbearers include Duane Bolduc, Chris Bessette, Amos Martin, Taylor Bessette, Logan Bessette and Dylan Stearns. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery on Town Hill Road in New Haven following the ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Addison County Fair and Field Days Antique Barn – In Memory of Earl Bessette, c/o Earlene Smith, 400 East Main St., Middlebury, VT 05753.

35 Responses

  1. So sorry to hear about Earl. He truly led a very blessed life with his devoted family and friends. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
    Dawn Way (Lou and Bette Shepard ‘s daughter)

  2. Our sincere condolences to the whole Bessette family. Know that our prayers and thoughts are with you.

  3. Our sincere condolences to the whole Bessette family. Know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.
    Sent from Florida.

  4. Condolences to all of you. Earl was truly a Vermonter who was a friend to everyone he ever met. May he rest in peace and all of you find strength in your great memories. Hugs, Sharon

  5. Raymonde and family: We are so deeply saddened by the loss of Earl. He was a man that cared of his family and the farm around him. As he sat in his chair on the porch, he would speak of the deer in the far off fields they we, as visitors, had a hard time to see! His stories of years gone by, sharing those of Eleanor and Mother, are now only memories. We will cherish those stories of Elgins Spring Farm and long for the day when we will be united with him and those we have loved.
    May all of you be blessed with inner peace. He will be greatly missed!!

    Love you!!

    Donald and Cheryl

  6. I always enjoyed talking with Earl, a very clever and knowledgeable man. I will miss those times now but am happy that I had the experiences. I am sorry that I will not be able to attend Earl’s funeral as I must deliver Meals On Wheels at that time and can’t find a sub, but my thoughts will be with Earl and his family.

  7. Amazing man – Amazing family. Some of my greatest college memories are the times we spent at Elgin Springs Farm. My entire family loved being there and my dad enjoyed the hours talking farmer to farmer with Earl “Papa Smurf”. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time. Much love, John Diana Wendy Tammy Goddard

  8. To the Earl Bessette Family, We have many fond memories of doing business with the Bessette Family especially Earl, he was a one of a kind and took great pride in the Town of New Haven. We have missed him in recent years but in no way was he forgotten and never will be. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. R.I.P. my friend.
    Randy Clark, President
    Clark’s Truck Center
    Jericho, VT

  9. So sorry to hear of Earl’s passing..our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time..love the Chandler family..

  10. I will so miss talking to him on my walks down Plank Rd. He and is Gator were a fixture in the community.

  11. To all you Bessettes, your family has been a part of the sheffert family since Clem was 16???? Earl was full of history and so glad he wrote it down! He was a very special, proud hardworking farmer of the land. God bless him and all of you!

  12. Laurie and Family, thinking about you all during this sadness of losing your Dad.
    He will be remembered by many with his book!
    Aunt Ginger & Uncle David

  13. Sorry for your loss. My parents, who have passed, Laurence Clark and Scarlet Rose Clark spoke of Mr. Bessette. Amos & Carrie Higbee would keep them up to date of the friends from New Haven. Prayers to you all.

  14. Our Deepest Sympathy’s to all the Bessette family. May God Bless you all and give you comfort at this most difficult time.

  15. My condolences to all of Earl’s family. Earl was the lion of Lime Kiln Rd. He was mentor, father, grandfather and friend to both myself and my children from when they were young. He watched out for all of us while bringing along local history and a grand smile. His heart was full of love and compassion for all his surroundings. Our community will miss him as will I along with my rides in his Gator. He was indeed a blessing to us all.

  16. Sorry for your loss. Remembering great farming moments/stories growing up with our farming families.
    Vaughn Jipner

  17. Ed I’m so sorry to hear about your dads passing. What a wonderful man he was and you have so many beautiful memories. Prayers for you and Mel and your entire family.

  18. Raymonde and Family: I am so sorry for your loss. Earl was a truly remarkable person who gave so much to all he knew him. It is so sad to think that the family has lost another member of the Bessette family.

    Deb Gauthier
    (Daughter of Mildred Bessette Booska)

  19. Oh my heart breaks for you all…I called him Pop. He and Raymonde welcomed us into their hearts some 30 years ago! Elgin Spring was a wonderful place. My heartfelt condolences to all of the Bessette families!

  20. My deepest condolences to the Bessette clan. Earl was a kind caring man who always had a smile and a wave for everyone in town. I will miss seeing him. I feel like the town has lost a grandfather. May the memories be shared and passed down so he can live on in our hearts!

    Eva and Berend Doane

  21. Sorry to hear of the passing of Earl. He has been a part of New Haven for years. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

  22. Rob and I offer our sympathy to the Bessette family. Our favorite memory of Earl was in 2005 when he proudly led my parents through a tour of the family farm. He chuckled when he reminded my father of how much more milk the bulk cooler held than my father’s four cans from our fourteen cows in 1962!

    1. Thank you Ed and Rob. I really miss seeing you. Once in a while I stop at RSVP and see your offices there but you are always busy.

  23. Raymonde and family so sorry! You have lost a great man husband, father, grandfather and a good friend to so many. The large crowd at mass is a tribute to the caring and loving of so many lives he touched. He portrayed a life of caring and compassion!! He certainly has his place in Heaven now!
    I will always remember the story of the Pink eye and the bull!!

  24. Raymonde and family so very sorry for your loss of a great man father grandfather. A caring and kind man as was a tribute by so many attending the service on Monday. He had a great life with so many stories.
    I will never forget the one of the pinkeye and the bull. The guys in the barn will have to fill you in on this one. Earl surly is with God now!

  25. I would like to send my deepest condolences to the entire Bessette family on the passing of Mr. Bessette.. He was well known in our community and the father to many of my childhood friends. He will be greatly missed. You are all in my thoughts and prayers…

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