Leora Dunphy

Leora “Lee” Lilly Dunphy, age 80, of Brown Farm Road,  passed away at her home, surrounded by her family on Friday, July 2, 2021.

Lee was born in Hartford, CT, on February 10, 1941, daughter to the late Otis John and Lilly Christine (Olson) Thompson. She grew up in CT until her family moved to Lyndonville in 1946. She graduated from Lyndon Institute in the Class of 1959 and the next year on November 11th she married her high school sweetheart, Ronald Allen Dunphy. She attended the Sheldon Beauty School in Burlington, VT and later owned & operated Lee’s Beauty Shop of Lyndonville on the Back Center Road for 43 years.  Lee enjoyed travelling, camping, water aerobics, wintering in Arizona and loved dancing.  She was a former member of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Lyndon Fire Department, like taking trips to the casinos, loved getting together with family. Lee went lovingly by many names and titles at home: Mom, Wife, Nanny and Grandma to name a few. Her Roman Catholic faith was important to her and was blessed to receive the Sacrament of Anointing while in the hospital. She had a huge heart and passed that love onto her family and everyone she knew. Lee will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Ronald, of Lyndonville, 3 daughters: Patricia “Tissy” Rogers and husband, Christopher, of Phoenix, AZ, Paula Eaton and husband, Bill, of Kirby, Peggy Dunphy and companion, Todd Bell, of Lyndonville, her brother: Otis Thompson, Jr. his wife, Linda, their children and families of Lyndonville, her brother-in-law: Jack Dunphy, wife, Leslie and their families of Lyndonville and Chicago, 9 grandchildren: Pamela’s children: Morgan Kallahan, Stephanie Kallahan, Tissy’s Children: Nicole Bennett (Richard), Jake Rogers, Benjamin Rogers, Paula’s Children: Christina Kelly (Patrick), Tyler Eaton (Katelyn Scheisser), Kiersten Eaton (Gavin Wood), Peggy’s daughter:  Darien Smith, and 5 great-grand children: Dalton Wood, Kalvin Wood, Roxanne Kelly, Dax Smith & Leora Smith. She is alo survived by a very special friend: Bonnie Blanchard of Proctor, VT, and last but not least, her Shih Tzu: Missy

She was predeceased by her oldest daughter in 2015, Pamela Jean Kallahan.

Friends may call on the family from 2-4 and 6-8PM Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at the Guibord Funeral Home, 15 Main Street in Lyndonville, VT. A private prayer service will be held for the family at 8pm.  There will be no public services at this time.  Burial will take place at a later date at the Lyndon Center Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to either  the Breast Cancer foundation (please choose one) or to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, Vermont Chapter, 300 Corner Stone Drive, Suite 128, Williston, VT 05495.

Written by her grandson, Tyler Eaton

When I was young, and you were not

My child brain had had a thought

A question - I was very bold:

“How did you get so very old?”

The answer you had simply stated:

“To become old, I’ve sat and waited!”

Witty, sure, but not quite true -

There’s a lot you’d got up to

There’s several things destroyed by time -

Our bodies first, and then our mind

Maybe we should think about the things we want to do

Or sit around and wait, that has value too

Days to weeks to months to years

You’re out of time, or so we fear

A question first, before you go -

How did you get so very old?