Martha Elizabeth Dalton, a longtime resident of St. Albans, passed away peacefully Sunday, October 2, 2022 with her good friend Wanda and sister Kathy at her side. In her final hours Martha was also blessed to have her beloved boss Dick Bashaw and devoted Hoyt St. neighbor Daniel Locke keep vigil.
Martha was born in Granville, New York on August 22, 1938 to Helen Cecilia and William Francis Dalton of Poultney, VT. Martha’s fondest and most vivid memories were of a wonderful childhood spent with her sisters and cousins in Poultney. Martha’s formal education began in Poultney, continued in St. Albans and culminated with her graduation from Albany Business College in Albany, New York in 1957. However, Martha was a voracious reader, out of the box thinker and the ultimate life-long learner. She continued to study for the rest of her long, well-lived life auditing courses at UVM in the sixties, studying Latin and Greek during summer institutes at Dartmouth and Brown Universities from 1982-2017 and taking part in every reading and writing group offered by the St. Albans Free Library until 2018 when failing health confined her to home.
Martha had a long and varied work life which began at age 19 when she became the bookkeeper for her father’s business. Martha moved on to become a small business owner and operator: Dalton Auto Parts, Morrisville, VT and Dalton Auto Parts, St. Albans, VT. In 1990 Martha began working for Dick Bashaw as driver and chief cheerleader, a position she truly cherished. Health concerns forced Martha to retire at age 79 after twenty-nine plus years of sharing good times with Dick at Collins-Perley, local and not so local road and cycling races and day trips all over Vermont.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents Bill and Cecilia Dalton and her sister Anne Dalton Knox. Those left to mourn her passing and cherish the memory of her wit and wisdom are her CANE (Classical Association of New England) family with whom she studied each summer, her St. Albans Free Library family who supported her with books, DVDs, calls, cards and visits during these past four years and her family of birth: sister and brother in law Helen and Kevin J. Collins of Venice FL; sister Kathy Shanahan of Blaine WA; nephew and niece Kevin and Merri Collins of Ridgewood NJ; niece Mary Collins Morales of Venice FL; nephew and niece Lee and Charlene Shanahan of Seattle WA; nephew Jeremy Shanahan of Seattle WA and great nieces and great nephews Madeleine, David and Adelaide Morales, Dalton and Ryan Collins and Calle, Declan, Mason and McQuaid Shanahan. She also leaves a very dear cousin, Jack Dalton and his family of Middlebury VT.
Martha’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the St. Albans Free Library. All who knew and loved Martha are invited and encouraged to attend. A reminder will be published just prior to the date. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Martha Elizabeth Dalton hosted by A W Rich Funeral Home.
Martha Elizabeth Dalton, a longtime resident of St. Albans, passed away peacefully Sunday, October 2, 2022 with her good friend Wanda and sister Kathy at her side. In her final hours Martha was also blessed to have her beloved boss Dick Bashaw and devoted Hoyt St. neighbor Daniel Locke keep vigil.
Martha was born in Granville, New York on August 22, 1938 to Helen Cecilia and William Francis Dalton of Poultney, VT. Martha’s fondest and most vivid memories were of a wonderful childhood spent with her sisters and cousins in Poultney. Martha’s formal education began in Poultney, continued in St. Albans and culminated with her graduation from Albany Business College in Albany, New York in 1957. However, Martha was a voracious reader, out of the box thinker and the ultimate life-long learner. She continued to study for the rest of her long, well-lived life auditing courses at UVM in the sixties, studying Latin and Greek during summer institutes at Dartmouth and Brown Universities from 1982-2017 and taking part in every reading and writing group offered by the St. Albans Free Library until 2018 when failing health confined her to home.
Martha had a long and varied work life which began at age 19 when she became the bookkeeper for her father’s business. Martha moved on to become a small business owner and operator: Dalton Auto Parts, Morrisville, VT and Dalton Auto Parts, St. Albans, VT. In 1990 Martha began working for Dick Bashaw as driver and chief cheerleader, a position she truly cherished. Health concerns forced Martha to retire at age 79 after twenty-nine plus years of sharing good times with Dick at Collins-Perley, local and not so local road and cycling races and day trips all over Vermont.
Martha was preceded in death by her parents Bill and Cecilia Dalton and her sister Anne Dalton Knox. Those left to mourn her passing and cherish the memory of her wit and wisdom are her CANE (Classical Association of New England) family with whom she studied each summer, her St. Albans Free Library family who supported her with books, DVDs, calls, cards and visits during these past four years and her family of birth: sister and brother in law Helen and Kevin J. Collins of Venice FL; sister Kathy Shanahan of Blaine WA; nephew and niece Kevin and Merri Collins of Ridgewood NJ; niece Mary Collins Morales of Venice FL; nephew and niece Lee and Charlene Shanahan of Seattle WA; nephew Jeremy Shanahan of Seattle WA and great nieces and great nephews Madeleine, David and Adelaide Morales, Dalton and Ryan Collins and Calle, Declan, Mason and McQuaid Shanahan. She also leaves a very dear cousin, Jack Dalton and his family of Middlebury VT.
Martha’s life will be celebrated on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the St. Albans Free Library. All who knew and loved Martha are invited and encouraged to attend. A reminder will be published just prior to the date. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences.
To share a memory or send a condolence gift, please visit the Official Obituary of Martha Elizabeth Dalton hosted by A W Rich Funeral Home.
