On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Madeleine Jeannine Ferland Carleton was called home to be with her Lord. Madeleine, who was born June 14th, 1931, was raised on a serene family farm in Venise-en-Quebec, Canada, where she learned to ride horses and cherish the outdoors. Born of the late Leonard and Rolande Keroack, Madeleine had two siblings, a sister, Jacqueline, and a brother, Michel.  Although her time with them in childhood was limited by age differences and boarding school, they established strong relationships as adults and regularly enjoyed life together. At only 16 years old, Madeleine attended college in Quebec City, where she earned a degree in Dietetics. She then moved to Toronto, Canada for a residency at St. Michael’s Hospital. After her training, she worked a short stint in New Brunswick before taking a job at Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, VT. It was there she met John Carleton, her beloved husband of 67 years. Madeleine became a U.S. citizen but never lost her beautiful French accent, her mastery of the French language, or her love of the Canadian culture.

Madeleine and John faithfully raised eight children, four boys and four girls. While raising her family, Madeleine continued her career in dietetics, working as the head of the Dietetics Department at the Medical Center of Vermont. Later, working at Birchwood Terrace Health Care Center, she helped her children experience the beauty of serving by volunteering with the residents there.

Madeleine had a deep love for God. She lived her life according to the strongly held tenets of her Catholic faith. Her love for God was reflected in her tireless devotion to her family, her career, and her acts of service. She had a special love for the children of Smile Train, an organization dedicated to providing free cleft correction surgery in over 75 countries, which she supported habitually. Madeleine loved reading and the arts and regularly supported local libraries as a reliable volunteer. She also enjoyed orchestrating contests and opportunities, which encouraged exploration of these cultural endeavors among her children and grandchildren. Many of these contests and opportunities occurred at the bi-annual family reunions, which she adored, and where she was known to share her wit and wonderful sense of humor. Further, she passed along her great love of gardening, which was a routine element of her daily life and a nurturing hobby.

Madeleine was pre-deceased by her sister Jacqueline Ferland, her son James, also known as ‘Nimmy’, and her first born daughter Theresa Bower, also known as ‘Creep’.

She is survived by her husband ‘Jack’, her brother Michel Ferland and her children: David; John and his wife Michelle; Thomas and his wife Julia; Carol Hitchcock and her husband Eugene; Deanna Plourde, and her husband Edward; Melissa Carr and her husband Michael, as well as her niece, Coleen Zook. Her legacy also includes 17 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren with one more on the way.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday July 6, 2026 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at A W Rich Funeral Home – Fairfax Chapel.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday July 7, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke Catholic Church in Fairfax, VT, with Reverend Harr officiating.  Burial will be held on Wednesday July 8 at 11:00 a.m. in the Vermont Veterans Cemetery in Randolph.  Memories and condolences may be shared at www.awrfh.com . In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of her favorite charities, Smile Train; PO Box 96231, Washington, DC. 20090-6231.