Vaughnette Christine (Nystrom) Neal passed away surrounded by love, peace, and with dignity on Jan. 11, 2023.
She was born Jan. 30, 1933, in Brookline, Vt., daughter of Fred and Davida (Olsson) Nystrom. She joined siblings Vivian, Vernon, Calvin and Din (Gordon) on the family farm. Her mother passed away three months after Vaughnette’s birth, leaving a lifelong impact.
When she was 12 years old, she and her Dad moved to a farm in Walpole. She graduated from the Walpole Academy in 1949 at age 16. Unable to pursue her dream of being a physical education teacher because of age and college requirements, she went off to the Rutland Business School with her best friend, Peggy Patch. After deciding that wasn’t for them, and after many adventures, they settled back in Walpole, both marrying, raising children and laughing over the phone on a daily basis.
While raising her family, Vaughnette was involved with many community activities, including Den Mother for the Cub Scouts, active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Fresh Air program and anything else Peggy volunteered her to do. She was an excellent athlete and shared her skills and knowledge by coaching many youth basketball and softball programs. She was the player/coach for the Hubbard Farms softball team and later turned her attention to golf and her new-found love of the sport.
Vaughnette did bookkeeping for local small businesses while her children were young, then was employed by the U.S. Postal Service, Cheshire County Savings Bank and Brown and Roberts Hardware.
She was a longtime member of the Walpole Congregational Church, serving on many committees. She shared her beautiful voice with their choir along with the Bellows Falls Community Choir, Keene Chorale and the Union Church in Westmoreland. There weren’t many trips to her children’s sporting events or car rides that sing-alongs weren’t included.
Vaughnette loved to travel, especially her trip to Sweden and many cruises with friends and family. Her love of Ogunquit, Maine, made that a family favorite. She was an avid Boston sports fan, enjoying many games at Fenway Park. A little secret is she was a very competitive card player, rarely letting her children or friends win!
Vaughnette is survived by her children: Verne Gage (Donna), Kevin Gage (Kim), Christine Gowen (Tim) and Brian Gage (Ellie); and her stepchildren, Mary Beer (Joe) and James Neal (Patti); some of her greatest joys, her grandchildren: Andrew (Alyssa), Jeannine (Tim), Christopher (Charissa), Kevin (Janet), Tiffany (Jesse), Cassidy (Rachael), Melissa (Michael), Josh (Ajlan), Jesse (Maria), Zach, Scott (AnnLouise), Patrick (Molly) and Laura (Doug); her great-grandchildren: Vaughn (Nina), Mariah, Gavin, Gage, Regan, Julianna, Syon, Amalia, Magnolia, Ophelia, Frances, Levi, Ronan, Vada, Clayton, Austin (Amanda), Bronwen, Gillian, William, Ellery, Leo, Mila and Nolan; her great-great-grandson, Alexander; and many Nystrom/Olsson cousins, nieces and nephews.
Vaughnette is predeceased by her husband, Leslie Neal; her stepson, John Neal; her siblings; her parents, including her stepmother, Evelyn (Rink) Nystrom; her nieces, Karin Nystrom and Wendy Nystrom; her nephew, Paul Stagner; and her dearest friend of 76 years, Peggy (Patch) Graves.
As we reflect on the life of our mother, many things come to mind. Her ability to laugh, forgive, and to also show amazing strength and courage. In spite of a 45-year war with rheumatoid arthritis, she never let that interfere with living her life with kindness and joy. Vaughnette was an amazing wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend to many. Her gift of love and laughter will always stay with those lives she touched.
Her family would like to thank the staff at Maplewood Assisted Living, her private caregivers coordinated by her granddaughter, Tiffany Snelling, and Hospice Services, all offering her amazing care which we will always be grateful for.
Calling hours will be held Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel, 44 Maple Ave., Keene.
A graveside service and celebration of life will be held in the spring per her wishes.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Vaughnette’s memory to the Rheumatology Research Foundation, 2200 Lake Boulevard NE, Atlanta GA 30319.
All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel and Crematories, 44 Maple Ave., Keene NH 03431 (www.cheshirefamilyfh.com).
