Our
beloved champion, son, brother, cousin, nephew, friend and all around
amazing human Drew Lalumiere was taken from us too soon, on May 9,
2024. Though we are heartbroken at his departure, we are all the
better for having known and loved him, and he will live forever in
our hearts and memories.
Drew
was born 35 years ago on the banks of Otter Creek in Ferrisburgh, a
fitting place for a boy who loved the natural world and all it had to
offer. Taught to fish and hunt by a family that cherished those
traditions, he took to the water like a fish himself, and his
lifelong love of hunting and angling began. He would go on to fish
and hunt all over the world, chasing his passion even on family
vacations.
After
college, Drew was drawn to the world of agriculture, where he proved,
as he always did, that he would succeed at anything he set his mind
to. He cultivated the earth and honed his skills and soon produced
some of the finest hay Vermont had to offer. He took immense pride in
his work — in any job he did, really — and it showed, from
bending hoops for his sister’s raised beds to nearly single-handedly
building a pole barn big enough for his kicker wagons. He could fix
anything, build anything, mend anything and tend anything. He was as
strong as a bull and as gentle as a soft rain and was that way with
every person, animal and blade of grass in his life.
Drew
is survived by his longtime love and partner, Caitlin; sweet cat,
Millet; mother, Deb; and sister, Andrea. He is predeceased by his
father, Tony, and beloved beagle, Maggie. There isn’t enough ink or
room to print the full list of the people who loved Drew and feel his
loss. We are so very grateful for the outpouring of support our
family has received during this time.
Besides
his family and friends, there was nothing that Drew loved more than
to cast a line or sight a buck, and so we ask that when next you bait
a hook or check your windage, smile to yourself and know that this is
the time when you are truly closest to our friend, brother, son.
A
celebration of life open to all friends, family and loved ones will
be held on June 1, 2024, 3 p.m., with a game supper to follow, at our
home on Otter Creek. Donations in memory of Drew can be made to the
Lake Champlain Walleye Association or Green Mountain Conservation Camp Scholarship Fund.
This article appears in May 8-14, 2024.