George Edmund Bouffard, 85, affectionately known as Pops or Pépère, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2024 at the McClure-Miller Respite House in Colchester after a very brief illness. He was surrounded by his loving family.

George was born in Colchester, VT on January 26, 1939 son of Arthur and Alice (Piché) Bouffard, who predeceased him. He was raised in Winooski and attended St. Francis Xavier School and Winooski High School, Class of 1957. He graduated from St. Michael's College in Colchester. During college he was a member of the ROTC corps and served with the Vermont Air National Guard for 9 years post graduation.

In June of 1961 he married his college sweetheart, Jacqueline (Lapierre) Bouffard of Shelburne, VT, who survives him. They were happily married for 63 and a half years. While living in Winooski they were blessed with 4 children: Gerard (Kathy Johnson), Denise (Roger) Giroux, Marc Bouffard, and Michelle (Jonathan) McKay. They also have 9 loving grandchildren: Andrew (Courtney) Giroux, Allison (Taylor) Besse, Marie, Thomas, and Nicholas Bouffard, Jeffrey (Hannah Rouleau) Giroux, Colin, and Aaron McKay, and Jasmine Weaver. They have one great-grandchild, Adelaide Giroux.

His work career began as a high school teacher in Greensboro Bend, VT and continued at Hinesburg High School before moving on to the Vermont Department of Labor. He was an Employment and Training Specialist, and for 38 years was particularly focused on finding great jobs for military Veterans.

As a life-long member of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Winooski, George was a member of the St. John the Baptist Society (now Catholic Financial Life Insurance), for years. This group worked diligently to provide funds in support of St. Francis Xavier School as well as multiple other Catholic Churches, schools and groups in our local area. Five generations of his family have passed through the St. Louis Convent and its successor, the St. Francis Xavier School.

For many years he worked as a part-time painter, first for a painting contractor in Winooski and then for the former Medical Center Hospital of Vermont where he painted anything from the peaks of UVM Gutterson Field House to the walls of operating rooms. Eventually his painting tasks turned to helping family and friends with their projects as painting always gave him such great satisfaction.

George enjoyed many outdoor activities in his retirement including, camping, gardening, farming, and social walks around the neighborhood. One of his cherished traditions for many years was to pick wild fiddlehead ferns every spring to share with many acquaintances. It was a simple yet meaningful activity that reflected his appreciation for nature and the small pleasures in life. He especially relished attending his grandchildren's musical performances, sporting and scouting events.

George will be remembered for his kindness and his playful spirit. He had a knack for bringing joy to those around him as a lighthearted instigator of fun. He connected especially well with his grandchildren with playful traditions such as big bear hugs and gentle kitty cat hugs, all with the appropriate animal sound effects. The youngsters always squealed with delight, wrapped in his loving arms.

In addition to his wife, children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter, George is survived by his 2 brothers: Charles (Mary) of Plymouth, CT and Gerald Bouffard (Mary) of South Burlington. Also, his Lapierre brothers-in-law, their wives, and several nieces, nephews and cousins from the Bouffard, Lapierre and Piché families.

Our family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to family, friends and the community for your out-pouring of support, caring letters, and phone calls during this challenging time. A very special thank you to Dennis Sanders, MD of Champlain Valley Hematology and his caring and compassionate staff who provided treatment to George which improved his quality of life for an additional nine years. He would always look forward to his monthly light-hearted bantering with medical staff during his treatments. A special thank you to the UVM/MC hospital doctors and nurses, Danielle (Lapierre) Goodrich, Paramedic Extraordinaire and UVM McCure-Miller Respite teams that were so loving and caring with all of their assistance.

Visitation will be held at the LaVigne Funeral Home, 132 Main Street in Winooski from 5:00pm to 7:00pm on Thursday January 23rd. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, January 25, at 11:00 am at St. Francis Xavier Church on St. Peter Street in Winooski.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to St. Francis Xavier School, 5 St. Peter St., Winooski, VT 05404, or online at www.sfxvt.org. Additionally, in memory of George's gentle spirit, reach out to someone who needs more human connection, or do a good deed in his name.