John William Paeplow, DVM passed away peacefully at Woodbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing in Berlin, Vt., on Friday, February 21, 2025.
John was born on February 5, 1941, to William and Jane (Cummings) Paeplow in Buffalo, N.Y. He spent his childhood in Snyder, N.Y. He enjoyed playing sports with friends and neighbors, fishing with his father, and family vacations in the Zoar Valley.
His fondest memories were of spending parts of his summers with his Canadian cousins, Bill, Dick and Harold (Ozzie) Miller, on their farm in Guelph, Ontario. He developed a sincere admiration for his uncle, Dr. Henry Miller. Later in life, he would often tell people that he patterned his life after him. One of his favorite stories about Dr. Miller was how the man would administer his services based on a sliding fee scale, then donate the surplus funds to needy people around Guelph. Whenever John helped a neighbor or donated his own time or resources to some community project or initiative, it was probably Henry’s influence weighing on him.
John was an accomplished athlete at Amherst Senior High School. Following graduation, he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. There, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, followed by a doctorate in veterinary medicine.
John moved to northern Vermont to start his practice. He began his career as a large-animal specialist, which gave him the opportunity to visit the dairy farms and meet the people throughout the region. Being a real “people person,” John truly enjoyed these interactions. However, after a few years of driving through whiteout blizzards in the middle of the night to deliver a calf or tend to a colicky horse, John began exploring the merits of hosting a small-animal practice.
John married Theresa Isabel Duffy of Milton, Vt. They settled in Georgia, Vt., and took great joy in watching their three active sons, John William (“Bill”), Patrick and Martin, grow up. In the summer, they travelled extensively. The highlight of the winter was flooding their tennis court to form a hockey rink that was enjoyed by many in the community. John has several happy memories of these years surrounded by his immediate and extended family, as well as the many friends he made along the way.
Although veterinary medicine was the focus of his professional interests, John’s passion for folk music, especially the banjo, lasted a lifetime. In his later years, he was happiest strumming his banjo and singing along. He also drew a sense of fulfillment from working Belgian draft horses, as well as the succession of German shepherd dogs he owned over the years.
Late in life, John battled through serious health challenges. He faced these with the same “never give up, never give in” mantra he lived his entire life by. The nurses, along with the entire staff, of the Woodbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center were steadfast allies in this final battle. They went far above and beyond the call of duty consistently, and certainly demonstrated themselves to be testaments to their professions. To list them all by name would become oppressive to the reader while risking omission.
John is survived by his sons, Bill of Georgia, Vt., Patrick of Goffstown, N.H., and Martin (Dez-Ann) of Manchester, N.H.; his grandchildren, Julien Paeplow and Lesly Zapata; and his sister, Margaret (Richard) Viehe of Newport Beach, Calif., and Chautauqua, N.Y.
John’s family will receive family and friends on Saturday, March 15, 2025, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Heald Funeral Home, 87 South Main St., St. Albans, VT. A memorial service will be held at noon, with the Reverend Dr. Russell Willis officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to Franklin County Animal Rescue, 30 Sunset Meadow, St. Albans, VT 05478.
Assisting John’s family is the Heald Funeral Home, where messages of condolence are welcome at healdfuneralhome.com.
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2025.