Marie T. Lareau, 88, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at Cedar Hill Health Center in Windsor, Vt.
Marie was born on September 1, 1936, in Glens Falls, N.Y., the daughter of Edward and Leda (Phenix) Lanoue. She attended St. Alphonsus Catholic School and St. Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls and graduated from St. Peter’s School of Nursing in Albany with her RN degree in 1957. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human services from Trinity College in Burlington, Vt., in 1985.
On August 30, 1958, she married Leon J. Lareau of Glens Falls. Together, they moved to Medford, Mass., where Leon worked on the Apollo Project at MIT. As their family grew, they relocated to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and eventually settled in Colchester, Vt. After her children were in school, Marie returned to nursing, working as an emergency room nurse at Fanny Allen Hospital in Colchester. She later transitioned to a primary care practice before retiring from nursing.
Marie had a love for crafting — especially quilting, macramé and crocheting — and was an avid gardener of both flowers and vegetables. A lifelong reader, she enjoyed nonfiction and nature books and loved working on puzzles. She was a devoted fan of bluegrass music and regularly attended local festivals.
Marie adored her dogs, including her Brittany spaniel, Peanuts, and her German shorthaired pointer, Ben. In winter, she fed birds and went cross-country skiing; in warmer months, she enjoyed walking, biking, hiking the Green Mountains and Adirondacks, and hiking with her dog Ben around Lake Iroquois.
Her favorite vacation spot was Maine. She especially enjoyed vacationing in New Harbor/Boothbay with her young family and the Ogunquit area with her husband and extended family. There, they walked the Marginal Way, dined on lobster, played cards and browsed antique shops. Marie was all smiles during her last visit to the Maine coast, in 2023.
She was predeceased by her husband, Leon Lareau; brother, Robert Lanoue; and sister Claire Stewart. She is survived by her sister Lorraine Veiel and her husband, Al; children, Peter and wife Heather, John and wife Annmarie, and Anne Marie and fiancée Willie. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Bobby and partner Megan, Sara and husband James, Eric and wife Dee, Matthew and wife Alyssa, Ethan and partner Allura, and Andrea; and step-grandchildren, Nicholas and wife Kelsey, Ryan, and Rachael. Marie was also blessed with great-grandchildren Scarlett and Aurora and many nieces and nephews.
The Lareau family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff at Cedar Hill Health Care Center in Windsor, Vt., for their thoughtful and genuine care of Marie during her brief stay.
Calling hours will be held on May 13, 2025, 4 to 6 p.m., at the Regan Denny Stafford Funeral Home, 53 Quaker Rd., Queensbury, NY.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on May 15, 2025, 11 a.m., at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Williston, Vt. Interment will follow at Resurrection Park Cemetery in South Burlington, Vt. Knight Funeral Home in Windsor has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be shared in an online guest book at knightfuneralhomes.com.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution in Marie’s honor to your local animal shelter.
This article appears in Apr 16-22, 2025.