WHITING, Vt. — Gloria Elaine Aldridge Bertrand was born on June 8, 1936, to Valma (Hutchins) and Gillard Aldridge. She passed from this life on July 3, 2026, at the age of 90 years old.
Gloria spent her early years at the family homestead in Sudbury, Vermont, where she spent hours as her father’s companion riding the milk route or making deliveries. She spent many happy hours with her family at her Uncle Gerald and Aunt Vesta Fenton’s home in Hubbardton.
After graduating from Brandon High School, Gloria attended college at Keuka College in Keuka Park, New York, and earned a degree in social work at a time when few women were encouraged to seek higher education. She lived in Harlem, New York for a time, working for the Girl Scouts of the USA. She and her girlfriends would spend time after work listening to jazz artists at Charlie Parker’s Birdland. Her favorites included Louis Armstrong (“that man could sweat!”) and jazz drummer Gene Krupa. Working for the Girl Scouts gave her the opportunity to meet with a young man and explain the Scouting program, which he wanted to bring back to his country. His name was Fidel Castro.
As exciting as New York was, home was calling, and Gloria returned to Vermont where she reconnected with an old family friend. She and Lawrence Bertrand married and purchased his family’s farm in Whiting, where they raised three children. Even as she raised her family and worked on the farm, her passion for social work never waned, and she opened a hugely successful summer day camp for underprivileged children on the farm. It ran for four seasons with the guidance and love of her friends, including Josie Trombley, Juanita Hornbeck, and Annabelle Ketcham, among others. Gloria realized that the best work was done when smart people got together to create solutions to problems.
Gloria and Lawrence ultimately divorced, and Gloria took a job with the Counseling Service of Addison County, transitioning from her work with children to serving older adults through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). Doing this work she found a hole in care that needed filling. Along with Anne Ginevan, director of Counseling Service of Addison County, Gloria educated herself about senior day programs, wrote grants, and obtained funding for a new program that culminated in Project Independence. Originally in the Middlebury Methodist Church basement, transportation was provided by Josie Trombley, meals were prepared by Eddie Gee, and health checks were provided by Sylvia Boyea. What once was a chance to gather for a few hours a day for cards, crafts and friendship grew into what is now Elderly Services Inc. of Middlebury. Gloria’s vision continues to provide services and opportunities to the elderly population of Addison County.
But life had more in store for Gloria. Gloria’s mother and aunts were all excellent cooks and bakers, and she learned early that food and conversation create community. So, she embarked on a new career and opened the Yankee Kitchen, (later the Center Street Kitchen) in Brandon. A large farmhouse table was brought into the restaurant (built by Harmon Thurston, before he founded New England Woodcraft), and the locals would sit and discuss local and world events over coffee and cigarettes. She and her daughter Colleen ran the restaurant with great efficiency and humor. Gloria made many new friends and would stay open late during blizzards to offer coffee to the road crews. One day a bus pulled up and a young musician named Billy Ray Cyrus came in for a cup of hot coffee. When he tried to leave a $20.00 tip, she ran out into the street and said, “young man, this is too much.” She enjoyed meeting people, from everywhere.
Gloria was very proud of her family. She knew education was critical and saw all of her children graduate from college. She is survived by her daughter Keeley (Jim) Weening, daughter Colleen (Bill) Wright, son Shannon (Carol) Bertrand. Her grandchildren, of whom she was so proud, include Matthew (Xander Stair) Bertrand, Addison (Tobias Yandow) Weening, Jamie Weening, Elizabeth Wright and Shannon Wright. Gloria also had a special place in her heart for her nephew Michael Bertrand who grew up on the farm, helping with chores. She had many well-loved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Gloria’s was a life well lived in an era when women had to fight for every right, and she knew how to do that! She would wish that each of her grandchildren grab life and live it fully.
The family would like to thank the caretakers and providers who helped her in this life and into the next, especially the amazing team at Porter Medical Center. Your compassion seems limitless.
A gathering to celebrate Gloria’s life will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, at Cafe Provence, 11 Center St., Brandon.
A private graveside committal service and burial will take place, at a later date, in the family lot, at Wallace Cemetery in Sudbury.
