Edna R. Bemis

Edna (Tracy) Bemis 93, passed away peacefully on the evening of Friday, May 9, 2025 at her home in Jacksonville, Vermont.

Edna was born at home on Boyd Hill Road in Wilmington on September 15, 1931 to Edgar and Ruby (Green) Tracy. Edna walked cross-lots to the Dix Schoolhouse with her brothers, who would escort her through the pasture and past the cattle she dreaded. Her family moved to Shearer Hill Road and she went to Wilmington Central School for a short while before her family relocated to Whitingham. Edna was a Girl Scout and often attended the Green Mountain Girls Camp in Dummerston. She was a four year Glee Club and Band member at Whitingham High School and graduated in 1950. Her classmates voted her Cutest, First to Get Married, and Best Dancer. She was surely all of those things! Her classmates were near and dear to her and she reunited with them annually for over 50 years.

While attending Whitingham Central School, Edna aka “Tiny” was paired off with the much taller Howard “Bud” Murdock Bemis from the Number 1 School House for the annual one act play. Edna had to sit on Bud’s lap for her part. The rest is history. Their courtship included joyrides in Bud’s “not so shiny” green Model A. Despite the car often ending up where it didn’t belong, she went on to marry him on August 1st 1951 in Wilmington. They lived in Whitingham, welcomed 5 children and then bought their home in the Village of Jacksonville in 1968.

As one could imagine, raising five spirited children was no small feat. Her children remember her as a strong swimmer who loved the lake, a 4-H Mother, a Sunday School Teacher, and one particular incident when she crashed the family Corvair station wagon while fetching the older kids in a snowstorm. Edna never did care for driving.

While raising her children Edna held various jobs. She worked at the Dairy Bar (which later became Dot’s Restaurant owned by daughter Patricia and Son-in-law John). She did housekeeping and served as a school lunch lady. In 1981, she became the treasurer of Bemis Line Construction, the family business. Edna, with the help of her granddaughter Aimee, saw bookkeeping modernized, taking the business from hand-written ledgers and typewriters to computers and copying machines. Edna retired in 1994.

Edna was involved in many community activities throughout her life. They brought her great friendships, joy, as well as to many interesting places. Edna loved the Lord and attended the Whitingham Church for over 70 years before transitioning to the Jacksonville Church. She was also a member of the North River Grange, Order of the Eastern Star (Treasurer), The Couple’s Club, the Home Demonstration Group, and the Breakfast Club. She prepared thousands of renown donuts during her tenure with the Couple’s Club. Her commitments with Eastern Star sent her to Mt Hood in Washington and all around New England. She loved to travel with Bud, her family, and her friends (just not so much by train).

All through her life, Edna had an ear for music and was a well-tuned tenor in the church choir. She enjoyed attending concerts with her sister-in-law Evelyn, loved a good polka on the radio, and dancing with Bud at any and all social gatherings. She spent early spring days at the sugarhouse making sure there was plenty of easy cheese and the kids all had dry mittens. As only a matriarch could, she saw to it that family traditions like making root beer and holiday gatherings were upheld for decades and was always up for hosting the family for an ever-polarizing midday “tuna pea wiggle” lunch. She loved doing puzzles. Edna leaves her family with numerous cherished handcrafted crocheted heirlooms including personalized Christmas stockings.

Edna is survived by her husband of a remarkable 73 years, Howard “Bud”, as well as her five children; Dana (Patsy) Bemis of East Dover, Rodney (Cheryl) Bemis of Naples, FL & Jacksonville, Randy (Jackie) Bemis of Jacksonville, Joanne (Daniel) Birch of Readsboro, and Patricia Reagan of West Wardsboro. She will be remembered by 11 grandchildren whose childhoods were all enriched by experiences running amuck at Grandma’s house eating Schwann ice cream push-pops, playing dress-up, watching and behaving like the Little Rascals. Edna leaves 17 great grandchildren, many of whom have measured time by how long it took them to grow past their 4’ 11” great grandma. All who were blessed to love Edna learned quick that “Good things come in small packages”.

Edna was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Harold, Victor, Derwood, James, & Donald, her sister Goldie, sister-in-law Evelyn (Bemis) & her husband Orrin Kingsley, nephew Todd Kingsley, and Son-in-Law John Reagan.

Friends and family are welcome to call on Wednesday May 14th, 2025 5:00-7:00 pm at Shea Family Funeral Home at 44 Main Street in Wilmington, VT. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday May 15th, 2025 at the Jacksonville Church. Interment into the Jacksonville Cemetery will be held after the service.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Edna’s memory to The Whitingham Community Church PO Box 558 Whitingham, VT 05361.