Edward
J. Sbardellati, 77, of Middlesex, Vt., passed away at his home on
April 17, 2024. He is survived by his loving wife, Clare McFadden;
daughter, Sarah Sbardellati; sons, Adam and Ian Sbardellati; four
grandchildren, Bayley, Maya, Hazel and Celia; and his close cousin,
Dr. James La Paglia.
Ed
was born in Derby, Conn., on December 3, 1946, to his parents, Edward
Sr. and Genevieve Bilcz Sbardellati.
Ed
married Jean Miller in 1968. They had two sons, Adam and Ian, before
their eventual divorce. In 1989 he married Clare McFadden in Calais,
Vt. They built a home in Middlesex that they shared until his death.
Their daughter, Sarah, arrived in 1991.
Ed
loved school and often joked that he would have kept going back if
they let him. The first in his family to graduate from college, he
earned an AB history degree from Norwich University in 1968, an MS in
elementary education in 1972 from Southern Connecticut State
University, an MED in special education in 1975 from the University
of Vermont, and a PhD in special education in 1980 from the
University of Pittsburgh.
He
started his career as a middle school teacher at Willis School in
Ansonia, Conn., before moving to Vermont, where he was a consulting
teacher in special education. In 1981, he joined a team at Washington
County Mental Health that played a key clinical role in the
successful effort to close the largest state institutions in both New
Hampshire and Vermont for individuals with autism and developmental
delays—the first states to do so in the country.
Ed
is credited with bringing applied behavioral analysis (ABA) to the
state of Vermont, by helping to establish and maintain the first ABA
graduate training programs in the state through Washington County
Mental Health and the University of Northern Vermont. Ed continued to
support individuals with special needs and their families, in Vermont
and Massachusetts, throughout his nearly 40-year career.
In
honor of his leadership, the Vermont Association of ABA and
Washington County Mental Health Services established the Ed
Sbardellati Award for Excellence and Innovation in School-Based
Mental Health Services, also known as “The Eddie.” The award is
granted to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the
field in Vermont.
Ed
had many interests and hobbies, including a longtime membership in
the Vermont Association for Applied Behavior Analysis; snowshoeing
with his friends; golfing, skiing, gardening, traveling, kayaking,
photography, science fiction; and studying U.S. and world history.
One
of Ed’s passions was travel. Over the years, he and Clare visited
many places. Some of his favorites were in the Caribbean, Central
America, California and Europe. Proud of his Italian heritage, he
visited Italy three times, enjoying the history, culture, and,
especially, the food and wine. He also fulfilled a dream of seeing
some of the antiquities in Greece, particularly the Acropolis in
Athens. He was always up for exploring and learning. If a problem
arose while traveling, he would say, “We are on an adventure!”
Ed
lived his life with enthusiasm and intensity. He had a lifelong love
of learning, held strong opinions and enjoyed a good argument. He was
generous with his time and resources and dedicated much of his energy
towards helping children and families and teaching and mentoring
students. He cherished his deep connections to friends, colleagues
and family.
Ed
was predeceased by his parents and his brother, August Sbardellati.
Arrangements
are in the care of Guare and Sons Funeral Home in Montpelier, Vt.
Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at
guareandsons.com.
Memorial
contributions may be made to World Central Kitchen,
or Washington County Mental Health Services, or PO Box
647, Montpelier, VT 05601-0647 (attn CYFS programs).
A
celebration of life will be held at the Zenbarn in Waterbury, on June
15, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
This article appears in The Animal Issue 2024.