Submitted
Verlene Peck Belden
Verlene Peck Belden, 91, passed away peacefully on Dec. 9 after a courageous 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s, surrounded by her loving family and enjoying the view of Lake Bomoseen.
Verlene was born on Dec. 2, 1932, and grew up in Londonderry, where she attended grade school. Her mother died after a long illness when Verlene was 13, and her father passed away the next year. As the oldest of three children, she took on caring for her family at an early age. She carried this sense of responsibility and strong work ethic with her throughout her life. She graduated from Chester High School in 1950 and attended Bryant College in Providence, Rhode Island. After first meeting on the school bus during high school, she married her high school sweetheart, Bruce Kent Belden, on Feb. 3, 1951. Bruce and Verlene spent the last 42 summers on Lake Bomoseen and owned a winter home in Naples Florida for 35 years. They were to celebrate their 73rd anniversary in February.
Verlene and Bruce began their family in an old 24-foot trailer while they worked and lived at the Belmont Drive-In Theater in Bellows Falls. They then had the opportunity to work at a new up-and-coming ski area called Mount Snow, in Dover. During their Mount Snow days, they also built and operated a 30-guest inn, the Sundown Lodge, in West Dover. Verlene was the innkeeper while raising four young children. Seeing an opportunity in the ski industry, Bruce and Verlene led a group of investors and purchased Pico Ski Area in 1964. For 23 years, Verlene was instrumental in the growth and prosperity of Pico as she managed the business office. Bruce was a hands-on operator, which meant Verlene was the go-to person in the early years while he was out climbing lift towers and trouble-shooting wherever needed. The ski area phone even rang in their home so she could answer at all hours, fielding questions and giving daily snow condition reports late at night.
Verlene loved to give back to her community. She was a member of the Fair Haven Congregational Church and volunteered for years as the church secretary. She organized church suppers and fundraisers, helped create biblical gardens, and more. She was also a volunteer docent at the Nature Conservancy of Southwest Florida in Naples, Florida. Verlene and Bruce enjoyed countless sailing adventures that began with their first wooden boat on Shelburne Bay. They raced in the Lightning class regattas on Lake Bomoseen and sailed extensively in the Gulf of Mexico, from Key West to St. Petersburg and all points in between, often with the Marco Island Sailing Club. Verlene was an excellent skier and tennis player, avid gardener and was the biggest fan of all her children’s and grandchildren’s activities. She was also an excellent hostess. She loved to have a good time and was always the first one out on the dance floor, the life of the party.
More than anything, she loved her time with family. In addition to other travels, she and Bruce drove and/or flew out West and to Alaska several times to spend time with children and grandchildren. Summers on Lake Bomoseen with her grandchildren and their winter visits to Naples, Florida brought her much joy. Verlene was blessed to have such a fulfilling life journey and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her devoted husband of over 72 years, Bruce; their four children: Deborah, Leslie (Roger), Kent (Bonnie) and Kurt; their seven grandchildren; Lindsay, Chelsea, Justin, Carly (Ty), Kipp, Pyper and Luca; three great-grandchildren; Jonah, Boden and Ryder, and her cat Sybil. She is also survived by siblings Oliver Peck and Lucille Stone and her nephew Brian Fitzgerald. Verlene was predeceased by her grandson Seth Holden, son-in-law Jerry Dixon, sister-in-law Kaye Peck, and her parents, Hazel and Raymond Peck.
The family would like to extend their profound gratitude to the staff at Bayada, Bayada Hospice, At Home Senior Care, and all the individuals who helped care for Verlene over the years.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association of Vermont at alz.org/vermont or to BAYADA Hospice at 190 S Main Street Suite 2 in Rutland in honor of Verlene. Calling hours will be held at the Clifford Funeral Home on Friday Dec. 15 from 4-6 p.m. A funeral service will be held Saturday Dec. 16 at the United Church of Benson at 1 p.m. Burial will be at the family plot in Benson.
