Annette E. Blais

LEMINGTON, VT — Annette Eldora Blais, 88, of Lemington, Vt., passed away on Friday morning, Jan. 18, 2019, at the Coös County Nursing Hospital in West Stewartstown, New Hampshire, after a long period of declining health. She was born in Thetford Mines, Québec, on March 29, 1930, the oldest daughter of the late Alphonse and Alma (Dumas) Couture. She spent her first two years in Thetford Mines before her parents moved to a farm in Saint-Herménégilde, Québec. Later the family moved to Coaticook, Québec. She was a 1947 graduate of the École normale Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur (FCSCJ) in Sherbrooke, Québec, and was employed as a primary school teacher in the Coaticook area for four years. Annette met her future husband Joseph while each was visiting their parents in Coaticook. After marrying at the Église de Saint-Edmond in Coaticook, July 7, 1951, the couple settled in Colebrook, NH, for five years, then built a house in Lemington, Vt. In 1956, Annette became a naturalized United States citizen. After raising her family, Annette held several volunteer and part-time jobs before taking a long-term job, for a few days a week, at Scott’s Hardware in Colebrook. As a homemaker, Annette was a quintessential child of the Great Depression – caring for a vegetable garden, canning fruits and vegetables, creating new clothes out of old clothes, and judiciously conserving resources while raising a large family with her husband Joe. She enjoyed near weekly visits with her parents, his parents, their many siblings, numerous cousins, and dozens of nieces and nephews – nearly all of whom lived less than two hours away. She loved the many flowers she planted around her home. Later in life, nothing gave her greater pleasure than to see her grandchildren. She was active in the Catholic Church. Together with her husband, she ran errands and provided support for those who were older and in need. She leaves behind three children, Donald Blais of Austin, Texas, Diane West of Williston, Vermont, and Patrick Blais and husband Warren Adams of Washington, D.C.; four grandchildren, Amanda West and partner Rupak Chakraborty of Brookline, Massachusetts, Natalie West and partner Ryan Blair, and Brendan West and partner Monica Keithcart of Williston, Vermont and Gideon Smith-Adams of Washington, D.C.; four sisters, Jeannette Vanasse, of Barton, Vermont, Jeannine Jolin, Liliane Lanciaux and husband Martial, Ida Couture and partner Marcel Poulin, and one brother, Réal Couture, all of Coaticook. She is preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Joseph (June 8, 2016), and two sons, Norman (1969) and Raymond (1966). She is also preceded in death by two brothers-in-law, Gilles Vanasse and Lucien Jolin. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2019, at 11 a.m. at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Colebrook, followed by a graveside interment at St. Brendan's Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mrs. Blais may be made to the Catholic Women’s Club of St. Brendan’s, c/o 55 Pleasant Street, Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook, NH.

Annette E. Blais

March 29, 1930 - January 18, 2019