WESTMINSTER, Vt. – Lorraine Cote Miller died Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, in the home she loved so much, surrounded by the family she loved so much. She was born Nov. 20, 1942, in Concord, Vt. She graduated from Concord High School in 1960 and from Sheldon Academy of Beauty Culture in 1961.
She began her career in North Walpole and Bellows Falls, where she met her husband, Dick Miller. They were married in 1965 and remained happily together for 57 years.
While working as a hairdresser and helping thousands of people look and feel their best, she raised her family and became deeply involved in her community. She belonged to the Greater Falls Women’s Club, volunteered at Park’s Place and Westminster Cares, and served on the board of the Westminster Institute. In 2021, Dick and her were named Westminster Citizens of the Year.
She loved spending time outdoors with friends and family. She especially loved skiing, kayaking, and hiking, and there is a well-worn track on the roads and trails around their home from daily walking and snowshoeing. Lori and Dick traveled around the US and Canada by motorcycle and found adventure and friends around the globe.
Lori expressed her creative gifts in her oil and watercolor paintings, handicrafts, and in her gardens. She earned the title of Vermont Master Gardener and was a member of the Saxtons River Art Guild. She attended Saint Charles Church, singing in the choir and spending many mornings tending the gardens there.
Lori leaves behind her husband, Dick, her sons, Todd (Cathy) and Troy (Christina), brother Paul, sisters Priscilla and Linda, and her grandchildren Apollo and Nyx. She was predeceased by her parents, Louise and Raymond Cote, and her brother Richard Cote.
There are no calling hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, March 11, at 11 a.m. at Saint Charles Church, 31 Cherry Hill Street, Bellows Falls, Vt. There will be a reception directly following at the Westminster Institute, 3435 US-5, Westminster, Vt.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Westminster Cares 3532 US-5, Westminster, VT 05158, www.westminstercares.org/ or to Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire 88 Prospect St, White River Jct, VT 05001 www.vnhcare.org/.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster St, Bellows Falls, Vt.