Lynn Burnie Clapham, 78, of East Richford Slide Road, Richford,
passed away on December 6, 2023, at the Franklin County Rehab Center
in St. Albans, Vt.
Lynnie was born in
Montréal on October 3, 1945, to James and Jessie Burnie, both of
whom had emigrated from Scotland at the beginning of World War II.
After graduating from school, Lynnie went to work at Canadian Pacific
Railroad in Montréal, where she was employed for more than 30 years.
Working for CP was the beginning of her great love of travel. Her
first adventure was by train across Canada, four days and nights with
her “nose pressed against the glass, I didn’t want to miss
anything.” Over the years, Lynnie traveled to the Caribbean, all
over Europe and to many places in the United States. She also made
six trips to her family home in Scotland, realizing her dream of
exploring her family heritage.
While on
vacation in Vermont, Lynnie met her future husband, Chuck Clapham.
They married in Stowe in 1984 and made their homes in Montréal and
Richford, eventually settling in Richford full time after her
retirement from Canadian Pacific.
Retirement and
inactivity were not in Lynnie’s character. Shortly after her
retirement from the railroad, she became the executive assistant at
Twincraft Skincare. For 17 years, Lynnie brought her organizational
skills and travel expertise to Twincraft as an invaluable part of the
team.
After her
second retirement, Lynnie enjoyed gardening, exploring antique shops,
watching old movies and sharpening her skills as a Words With Friends
player. On any given day, she would have between five and 10 games
going with her friends, winning handily far more often than not.
Left to
cherish her memory are her husband, Chuck Clapham, and the many
people that started out as coworkers and went on to become beloved
family.
Should you
wish to make a memorial donation of any kind, please consider one
that would help children in need. And when you have a moment, make a
pot of tea and have a shortbread cookie, or go out with your friends,
enjoy an order of cashew chicken and plan your next adventure. And
send love to Lynnie.
This article appears in Dec 13-19, 2023.