Bettejane’s Obituary Bettejane (“Beejay”) Barnes, of Hanover, MA, passed away peacefully at home on April 29, 2019. Born in St. Johnsbury, VT on May 30, 1929, the daughter of the late Hazel Badger (Daniell) Dowdell and Clarence H. Daniell, Beejay spent her early years on the family farm in Danville, VT. A polio survivor, she spoke often of the fond memories of summers spent, first as a camper and then later as a counselor, at the Vermont Thorpe Camp for Crippled Children.
After graduating from Brattleboro Memorial High School (’48), Beejay went on to Union University School of Nursing (’51). It was while she was in nursing school, she met the love her life, Marshall, and they married in 1954. After several years of private duty nursing, Beejay enjoyed a thirty-year career as a pediatric nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Norwalk, CT.
She and Marshall raised their family in Wilton, CT, where Beejay also volunteered as a troop leader with the Girl Scouts of America. She enjoyed most of her retirement years on Cape Cod, before relocating to Northern Vermont, and then finally settling in Hanover. Beejay, who had a heart for adventure, enjoyed camping, biking, sailing, cruising, a good party, and her dogs.
Nothing, however, was more important to Beejay than her faith and her family. No matter where she was living, she always found her soul at rest in Church where she was involved in various ministries and bible study. She counted her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as her greatest blessings.
In addition to her parents and husband, Beejay was pre-deceased by her brother, Clarence “Dan” H. Daniell, Jr. and sister Beverly A. McCann. Beejay is survived by her three children, Wendelyn Barnes and her husband Albert Knipfing of Red Bank, N.J., Stuart Barnes and his wife Tarrae of Groveland, MA, Jan DiTullio and her husband Steven of Hanover, MA; nine grandchildren, Michael Guyder and his fiancé Lauren Kelley, Joseph Guyder, Danielle Guyder, Brittany Guyder and her husband Eric Shenson, Andrew Barnes and his wife Whitney, Alex Barnes, Kimberly Donahue and her husband Michael, Lindsey DiTullio, and Phillip DiTullio; three great-grandchildren Liam, Eloise, and Hayden; her sister Marvourine Filgate, many dear nieces and nephews, as well as her dearest friend, June Carpenter. A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at 9 a.m. at St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish in Hanover.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Camp Thorpe 680 Capen Hill Road, Goshen, VT 05733.
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