Walter Cemel passed away peacefully on the evening of June 24, two weeks shy of his 94th birthday. He was born on July 6, 1928 in Claremont, NH where he lived until moving to Burlington in 1957. He graduated from New England College in Henniker, NH prior to serving in the US Navy during the Korean conflict. He was employed by Nabisco for 32 years until his retirement in 1988.
He was our beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, uncle and friend. Walt’s greatest gifts were his kindness, generosity and good humor. He had the best sense of humor and his quick wit stayed with him until the end. How we loved to hear him laugh! Nothing gave Walt more pleasure than his family, sharing many happy celebrations and cherished moments together.
Dad always made things fun for us kids when we were growing up and he made each of us feel special and loved. Summers were exciting with boating, picnics, swimming and going for creemees. He would take us sliding in the winter and every year he made an ice rink in our backyard where we and our childhood friends spent many happy hours skating and playing hockey.
Walt’s energy level throughout his life was remarkable. He took great pride in his homes and kept them looking beautiful, inside and out…and he did the same for his children’s homes. He loved making repairs, mowing lawns, building things, running errands and doing whatever he could to make life easier for his family and he always made us feel like we were doing him the favor! He excelled at woodworking, whistling while he worked. Walt made many projects for family and friends, including many beautiful birdhouses. Years ago, he helped his son build a beautiful post and beam home. He was very interested in old stone walls and how they were constructed and enjoyed building them at his homes.
Walt never tired of reminiscing about the good old days. His home town reminded him of Mayberry and he always said he had the best childhood. He was very mischievous as a youngster and had many entertaining stories that we’ll always remember. His favorite place to spend time was at Lake Sunapee, NH. We all spent many special times at Deedee’s parents’ cottage there. He also enjoyed the coast of Maine, particularly York and Ogunquit.
Walt cared deeply for animals and was always concerned about their welfare. He adored his cats and they entertained him every day.
Walt will be missed very much and we take solace in knowing that he lived a long and happy life with exceptional good health. We’ll forever carry with us all the memories he created for us and stories he shared with us along the way. How incredibly fortunate we were to have had him for so long and we will miss him deeply until we meet again.
Walt is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Deedee (Osgood) Cemel, his daughter Lynn Cemel of Georgia, his daughter Joy Donlan and her husband Rick of Essex, his son Rick Cemel, wife Sue and two grandsons, Ryan Cemel and Kyle Cemel, all of Ft. Myers, FL. He also leaves special friends Steve, Sandy, Em and Olivia Loisel as well as friend Brian Bessette. He was predeceased by friend Denis Osborne. Walt resided at The Arbors in Shelburne for the last two years of his life. Our family would like to profoundly thank everyone who cared for him in such a loving and exceptional way.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Arbors at Shelburne Holiday Fund, 687 Harbor Road, Shelburne, VT 05482 or Humane Society of Chittenden County, 142 Kindness Court, South Burlington, VT 05403.
A Celebration of Life will be held on September 11th from noon to 4:00pm with the Eulogy beginning at 1:00pm at the Essex Resort , 70 Essex Way, Essex Jct., Vermont, inside the “Atrium Room” at the Main Inn. Refreshments to follow.