The journey of life begins as a seed and ultimately returns to the earth. In between, a beautiful life blooms like a wildflower.
Many such wildflowers can be found in a garden in the North End of the Green Mountain city of Burlington, Vt., that is filled with wonderment and delight. Statues of various creatures, from bunnies to frogs to lizards and reptiles to birds and little bugs – not to mention many a magical fairy – are scattered throughout the yard. A black raven swings in the wind; an owl surveys the territory; birdhouses hang everywhere. And in August: a teddy bear picnic. And that does not even include all the real-life creatures that call the yard their home. Flowers abound on the ground, in an old shoe, shooting out of little houses. There is even a pond with fish. So much is going on — and every day the neighborhood children stop by to see what is happening and what new elements have been added. They point and laugh and smile.
The architect of this front and backyard sanctuary was Nancy Edna (Chase) Fitch of Port Leyden, N.Y., who passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 84 on June 3, 2026. It all grew out of one of her son’s high school biology projects in the 1980s and flourishes still today as a must stop on many a neighborhood walking foray. The yard is listed as a Backyard Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Nancy spent countless hours working on the yard throughout the year.
Her love for the garden and her connection to the community through the garden was chronicled in a beautiful article in Seven Days entitled “Fairy Tale,” written by Rachel Mullis. The headline notes: “A Secret New North End Garden Delights Anyone Lucky Enough to Find It.”
“When I was really little, my mother would take me into the woods and we would look for wildflowers,” Nancy said in the article. “That was always my favorite thing.”
Many people, young and old, would write little thank-you notes that Nancy held on to — and they also brought gifts to be placed in the garden.
“It is a living demonstration,” wrote Rachel Mullis, “of what it means to spend 60 years in one place and tend to that place like a family member, bringing joy to oneself and the community alike.”
“It is just my lifetime of interest,” Nancy said. “I just like to do this.”
The notion of being a steward of the land could also be seen in Nancy’s interest in Native American art and history, which, like her walks in the woods with her mom, she developed a few years later as a teenager. She loved to learn about Native American culture and enjoyed collecting Native American art and artifacts.
Soon after graduating from Port Leyden, Nancy married Harold “Boots” Fitch of Boonville, N.Y. The two would have celebrated their 66th anniversary in October. They have two sons: Darren and Damon. With their first child, Darren, born in 1961, they moved to Wappingers Falls, N.Y., where Boots began a career with IBM. A few years later they moved to Burlington, Vt. They would have their second child, Damon, in 1971. The couple remained in Burlington. Boots and Darren still live in Burlington — and Damon now lives just a short distance away in South Burlington.
Nancy and Boots spent many years running a local sporting goods store called the Outfitters, with locations in both Burlington and Essex Junction, Vt. Sports have been a big part of Fitch family life, with both sons being active in local sports such as hockey, soccer, tennis, bowling, and track and field.
After moving to Burlington, Nancy became an avid tennis player herself. She played on a 4.5 adult women’s tennis team that made it to Nationals in the 1990s — and has represented Vermont in the National Senior Olympics on numerous occasions. Oh, and not to mention, the “Fitch Family Tennis” outings were said to be legendary — and very intense. In later years, Nancy switched from tennis to pickleball, which she played up into her eighties.
Despite her fear of flying, Nancy traveled extensively all around the U.S., Canada and even a couple of times in Europe. The cross-country trips included numerous train trips to the West Coast, as well as a family cross-country trip via van that was highlighted by a thrilling river rafting trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. In more recent years, Nancy and Boots participated in numerous cruises.
There is no service planned at this time, but we will likely have a remembrance event in a few months.
Alas, the keeper of the garden has been whisked away to a new journey in the afterlife. She is now amongst her beloved fairies alongside God, where she can watch over her garden forevermore from above. She remains very much alive in the hearts and memories of her loved ones, her friends and the many people who still walk by the garden every day.