Norma C. Lafayette

Norma C. Lafayette, 87, passed away peacefully in her sleep May 30, 2022. Norma was born October 10, 1934, the daughter of the late Allard and Clara (Devino) Cross, of Grand Isle. She loved growing up in Grand Isle and forever loved the Islands and her wonderful memories there. In 1953, she married Wayne A. Lafayette in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grand Isle. They spent their honeymoon in Montreal. In 1956 they moved to their present home in Milton where they raised their nine daughters. Norma spent her married life devoted to her husband and children. She loved Christmas, and meticulously wrapped presents and lovingly displayed the ornaments she received over the years throughout the house and on one of her five Christmas trees. She was particular about their storage and display and would know if something was misplaced or missing. As she aged, she would tearfully pack them away at the end of the season and tell them, “God willing, I’ll see you next year.” When she wasn’t rocking a baby, baking birthday cakes, winning at cribbage by the pool, baking pies, ice fishing, knitting mittens and Christmas stockings, she was running her annual garage sale. She always had “good stuff,” and was excited to open for her 46th year next weekend. She was never a penny off in her checkbook and discouraged dickering at the garage sale because her prices were fair. She loved the woodstove but liked her bedroom so cold she knit all of the Cabbage Patch dolls leg warmers! Norma kept all of her children’s baby books, student projects, concert programs, as well as clippings from the BFP of any sporting event write-ups; she ran any forgotten lunches and homework to school, and without hesitation “carted” her kids and their friends around town to wherever they needed to go. She attended dozens of meets, matches, and games each season to watch her daughters and grandchildren compete in all manner of sporting events throughout Vermont, New England, and New York. Every year Norma and Wayne grew a beautiful garden and spent hours canning tomatoes, dilly beans, and making pickles, spaghetti sauce, zucchini bread, and crab apple jelly. For years they packed up a rented van and the station wagon and drove the family to Englewood, FL for spring break or trekked to Maine to go antiquing. They would visit the Islands to ice fish and go to Mass at Isle La Motte, and use these opportunities to stop by Snowfarm Winery to pick up Mom’s favorite wine, “Rose Red.” Wayne and Norma returned to Montreal many times to celebrate their anniversaries, watch the “Habs,” eat at their favorite restaurants, and make mischief with friends. It warms our hearts that Mom passed away in Montreal, where her life began with Dad. She was a “tough old bird” and persevered these past five years as she deeply grieved Dad’s passing. Norma is survived by her children, Marcia Duffy, Debra Deforge (Kincaid), Amy Lafayette, Pamela Lafayette (Donald Royce-Roll), Mary Parizo (Jeff), Bonnie Stillman (Scott), Susan Lafayette (Gary Jackson), Betsy Jordan (Matthew) and Deanna Lafayette (Keiran Rutherford); her grandchildren, Matthew and Kevin Duffy, Jessica Groeling, Kincaid, Lydia and Sadie Deforge, Winter and Willa Royce-Roll, Tabitha Tucker, Garrett Habecker, Addison and Lucy Stillman, Calvin and Stella Jordan and Beatrice, Luke and Isaac Lafayette; her great grandchildren, Alexander, Reese, West and Hobey Duffy, Evelyn and Philip Groeling, Anthony and Abigail Deforge, Cayden and Madilynn Tucker and Benjamin and Eliot Habecker; Her sister Johana Harris, her brother-in-law Paul Mears, and sister-in-law Jane Lafayette, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband of 62 years; her son-in-law, Gary Duffy, her in-laws Delbert and Frances Lafayette, sisters-in-law Doris Mears and Elsie Sumner; and brothers-in-law Douglas Lafayette and John Sumner. Norma was a devout Catholic and raised all of her daughters in the Catholic faith. It is in that faith that we believe our parents are eternally together with God, at peace, and surrounded by love. It is our time now to cherish their memories and live out their legacy. Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Minor’s Funeral Home, Milton, Vermont. Masks are requested and appreciated. A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, June 9, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church, Milton. Burial to follow at St. Ann Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Norma’s name to the American Red Cross or St. Ann Food Shelf.