1949
Christine
2016
Christine Douglas
October 12, 1949 — February 15, 2016
Christine Ann Douglas, 66, of St. Johnsbury peacefully passed away on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, after a yearlong battle with HLH.
She was born in St. Johnsbury on Oct. 12, 1949, the eldest of four children to Raymond and Germaine (Hebert) Desilets. Chris graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1967, and worked briefly at St. Johnsbury Trucking before pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. Christine married Michael Douglas, the love of her life, on Sept. 15, 1973.
Chris graduated from Fanny Allen Memorial School for Practical Nursing earning her LPN in 1970, and starting her nursing career at St. Johnsbury Hospital, where she was born. In 1972, the St. Johnsbury Hospital and Brightlook Hospital merged, forming Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. Chris began working in the Special Care Unit at NVRH, and was the first NVRH employee to admit a patient to the new hospital on Feb. 14, 1972.
Always one to continue learning, Chris returned to school and graduated from the New Hampshire Technical College in 1995, becoming a Registered Nurse. She became the Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator at NVRH in June 1995 until her retirement in November 2015. Chris touched the lives of many who enrolled in this program as well as her coworkers, colleagues and volunteers by explaining heart disease, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and encouraging exercise.
Chris led by example when it came to wellness. She absolutely loved hiking mountains across New England with her friends, the Mountain Mamas, and climbed over 20 local peaks in the year before she took ill. She was active in the St. Johnsbury Town Band and made many great friends there.
The greatest joy in Chris's life, however, was always her children and grandchildren. She was a devoted and loving mother and grandmother. She raised two Eagle Scouts, and was heavily involved in scouting with her boys. She attended nearly all of her children's sporting events, band concerts, plays, and performances. Recently, she was at her happiest spending time with her grandchildren, reading them bedtime stories and heaping affection on them.
She is survived by her husband Michael; her parents: Ray and Gerry Desilets of St. Johnsbury; her mother-in-law Patricia Douglas of St. Johnsbury; two sons Brian Douglas and wife Sarah of Fairport, New York, and Joshua Douglas of Washington, D.C.; three grandchildren: Jack, Lilah, and Brandon Douglas; sister Mary Reinhardt and husband Bill of Gilmanton, New Hampshire; two brothers: Raymond Desilets and wife Jeana of Danville, and Russell Desilets and wife Beth of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law Deborah Smith and husband Dennis; nieces and nephews: Cindy Bugnacki and husband Mike, William Reinhardt and wife Nicole, Rebecca McGregor and husband Andrew, Jordan Cota and husband Drew, Nicquelle Timson and husband Shawn, Gage Desilets, Shae Desilets; many grandnieces and grandnephews; extended family; and her fellow Mountain Mamas.
Visiting hours will be held at the Sayles Funeral Home this Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Johnsbury this Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m., at St. John the Evangelist Church with Fr. Christopher Micale officiating.
Burial will be in the springtime at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in be made to either: NVRH Cardiac Rehab Program, NVRH Development Office, P.O. Box 905, St. Johnsbury Vermont, 05819; or Norris Cotton Cancer Center: DHMC Development Office, Attn: Michelle Clark, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, 03756.
Memories and condolences may be shared privately at www.saylesfh.com. The Sayles Funeral Home is located at 525 Summer St. in St. Johnsbury.
She was born in St. Johnsbury on Oct. 12, 1949, the eldest of four children to Raymond and Germaine (Hebert) Desilets. Chris graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1967, and worked briefly at St. Johnsbury Trucking before pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. Christine married Michael Douglas, the love of her life, on Sept. 15, 1973.
Chris graduated from Fanny Allen Memorial School for Practical Nursing earning her LPN in 1970, and starting her nursing career at St. Johnsbury Hospital, where she was born. In 1972, the St. Johnsbury Hospital and Brightlook Hospital merged, forming Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital. Chris began working in the Special Care Unit at NVRH, and was the first NVRH employee to admit a patient to the new hospital on Feb. 14, 1972.
Always one to continue learning, Chris returned to school and graduated from the New Hampshire Technical College in 1995, becoming a Registered Nurse. She became the Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator at NVRH in June 1995 until her retirement in November 2015. Chris touched the lives of many who enrolled in this program as well as her coworkers, colleagues and volunteers by explaining heart disease, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and encouraging exercise.
Chris led by example when it came to wellness. She absolutely loved hiking mountains across New England with her friends, the Mountain Mamas, and climbed over 20 local peaks in the year before she took ill. She was active in the St. Johnsbury Town Band and made many great friends there.
The greatest joy in Chris's life, however, was always her children and grandchildren. She was a devoted and loving mother and grandmother. She raised two Eagle Scouts, and was heavily involved in scouting with her boys. She attended nearly all of her children's sporting events, band concerts, plays, and performances. Recently, she was at her happiest spending time with her grandchildren, reading them bedtime stories and heaping affection on them.
She is survived by her husband Michael; her parents: Ray and Gerry Desilets of St. Johnsbury; her mother-in-law Patricia Douglas of St. Johnsbury; two sons Brian Douglas and wife Sarah of Fairport, New York, and Joshua Douglas of Washington, D.C.; three grandchildren: Jack, Lilah, and Brandon Douglas; sister Mary Reinhardt and husband Bill of Gilmanton, New Hampshire; two brothers: Raymond Desilets and wife Jeana of Danville, and Russell Desilets and wife Beth of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law Deborah Smith and husband Dennis; nieces and nephews: Cindy Bugnacki and husband Mike, William Reinhardt and wife Nicole, Rebecca McGregor and husband Andrew, Jordan Cota and husband Drew, Nicquelle Timson and husband Shawn, Gage Desilets, Shae Desilets; many grandnieces and grandnephews; extended family; and her fellow Mountain Mamas.
Visiting hours will be held at the Sayles Funeral Home this Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Johnsbury this Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m., at St. John the Evangelist Church with Fr. Christopher Micale officiating.
Burial will be in the springtime at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in be made to either: NVRH Cardiac Rehab Program, NVRH Development Office, P.O. Box 905, St. Johnsbury Vermont, 05819; or Norris Cotton Cancer Center: DHMC Development Office, Attn: Michelle Clark, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, 03756.
Memories and condolences may be shared privately at www.saylesfh.com. The Sayles Funeral Home is located at 525 Summer St. in St. Johnsbury.
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