Eleanor F. Newton passed away on February 24, 2026, at the UVM Medical Center in Burlington, Vt., at the age of 95 years following an extended illness. She was the second child of Col. William A. Newton and Elizabeth Sprague, born on April 4, 1930 at Barre City Hospital.
Eleanor attended the Hollow School, a one-room schoolhouse in North Ferrisburgh. She graduated from Burlington High School in 1947. Her three youngest siblings fondly recall her teaching them to make papier-mâché puppets of Mother Goose characters, which they then used to act out stories. She graduated UVM in 1951, Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in linguistics, concentrations in English, Spanish, Latin and Russian. After graduation she enlisted in the WACs and was honorably discharged in February of 1954. She worked at the American Bible Society and for Harcourt, Brace and World book publishers in New York City, editing and translating textbooks from English to Spanish and Russian. Throughout her life she battled significant illnesses, but worked to make the best of each day. She enjoyed sharing and listening to others’ life stories and developed fond friendships with many caregivers.
She was predeceased by her parents; two brothers, Edward A. Newton and William Jr.; and one sister, Shirley Kivelowitz. She leaves behind three sisters, Elizabeth Packer of Long Island, N.Y. (formerly Williston, Vt.), Dorothy Newton of Williston, Vt., and Louise Riekert of Enola, Penn.; and many nieces and nephews. The family is planning a graveside service at the North Ferrisburgh Cemetery in the spring.