BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Virginia C. Maurelli, 81, of Bellows Falls, Vt., passed away peacefully at home under hospice care Nov. 10, 2020. She was born in Buffalo, N.Y., Aug. 13 1939, to Giuseppe and Filomena (Battaglia) Maurelli.
She attended Buffalo State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She went on to teach in Buffalo and Miami, Fla. She moved to Vermont in 1966. She was a longtime member of the Christian Family Circle Church in Westminster and actively involved with Camp Blessing. She was a social worker with the state of Vermont from 1976-2000. After retirement, she returned to teaching in Claremont, N.H. and the Hopi Mission School in Arizona. She will be remembered by all who met her for her generous spirit, faith, her smile, laughter, spunk, hospitality, and most importantly her love of family.
“You don’t choose your family; they are God’s gift to you as you are to them” Desmond Tutu.
In her last days she was embraced in love by both her given and chosen family. Words cannot express the gratitude we have for the outpouring amount of love, support, and prayers we have received during this journey.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her infant daughter Naomi; two brothers John and Joseph Maurelli; and two sisters Eva Hilderbrandt and Ruth Vastola. She leaves behind her lifelong companion Don Schweisthal; two daughters Lisa (Ted) Preister of North Dakota and Ruth (Robert) Kenney of Montana; two granddaughters Kayla Gilchrist and Helaena Preister; brother Louis (Mary Ann) Maurelli; sister Rebecca (Richard) Wegner; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Due to the pandemic, a celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Memorial donations can be made in her honor to Camp Blessing at www.campblessing.com or to the American Cancer Society.