Harriet Amy Fisk Gaffney died from metastatic breast cancer on Feb 23, 2026, at the Central Vermont

Medical Center in Berlin, Vermont. She was 96 years old. She was living independently in her home

with some assistance until November of this past year, when she learned she had breast cancer.

She was born on the Fisk Farm in Barton, Vermont, on January 12, 1930, the daughter of Earl and Amy

Fisk. She lived there with her family of two brothers and three sisters until they sold the farm and

moved into town. She sang in the choir, played softball, and was a cheerleader for the basketball team.

She attended Lyndon Teacher's college, graduating in 1950. Here, she sang in the choir, and played

soccer and softball. Later, she received her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of

Vermont in 1976.

She married Roy Nelson Gaffney from Lyndonville, Vermont, in 1952. He died previously on April 13,

2019, of cancer after 66 and one-half years of marriage. They had three children; JoAnne Gaffney

Sweeney of Scarborough, Maine, Daniel Wilson Gaffney of Wentworth, New Hampshire, and David

Roy Gaffney of Sanbornville, New Hampshire, who predeceased his parents in 2008 of a pulmonary

embolism. She also leaves two grandsons, Benjamin William Sweeney and wife, Crystal of Falmouth,

Maine and Michael Jon Sweeney of Somerset, California; and three great-grandchildren, Emerson,

William and Elliot Sweeney of Falmouth, Maine. Her siblings predeceased her; a brother, Earl Owen

Fisk in 1997 and William Fisk in 2024, and three sisters, Marion in 1992, Helen in 2006, and Florence

in 2012. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.

After graduation from Lyndon Institute, Harriet taught school in South Cabot, Vermont in a one-room

schoolhouse for two years. After their marriage, Roy and Harriet lived briefly in the Northeast

Kingdom in St Johnsbury, Vermont, where JoAnne was born. They then moved to Wilmington,

Delaware for 5 years, and their son David was born. Roy worked at DuPont in Wilmington, and Harriet

stayed at home. They returned to Henniker, New Hampshire, where Harriet supported her husband to

get his engineering degree while she taught school in Newbury with two children for three years. They

settled in Waterbury, Vermont, and purchased a house on Wissell Mountain, and Daniel was born in

1961. Roy worked for the State of Vermont, and she taught school in Duxbury, Vermont, for nine years

and in Waterbury, Vermont, for fourteen years, retiring in 1989.

Harriet volunteered at the Senior Center in Waterbury, served as a driver for the Waterbury Swim Team,

became a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts, was voted in as Director and Secretary at Blush Hill Country

Club and supervised the Junior Golf Team at Blush Hill. In her spare time, she was an avid reader,

hooked and braided rugs, made many quilts, gardened, and researched family genealogies. She and Roy

were avid golfers and enjoyed many fun times at Blush Hill Country Club with lifelong friends.

Roy and Harriet bought a cottage on Rangeley Lake in Maine in 1984 and spent many wonderful

weeks there with friends and family. After their retirement, they vacationed every winter, usually for two

months, from 1981 until 2007. They traveled to several places in Florida, Harbor Island in South

Carolina, Topsail Island in North Carolina, Sedona, Arizona, and St Simon's Island in Georgia.

Burial will be private at the convenience of the family at the Welcome O. Brown Cemetery in Barton,

Vermont. Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury are assisting the family.

To send online condolences, visit https://www.vtfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?page=1

In lieu of flowers, people can send donations to the Waterbury Senior Center in Waterbury, Vermont.

https://wasca.org/