Obituary of Nina Belle Towne

MILTON, VT - Nina Belle Hazen Towne, 90, of Milton passed away on 20 Mar 2017 at her home after a long illness. Nina was born in East Braintree, VT the only daughter of Rev. C. Arthur Hazen & Doris Hasey Hazen in 1926. She attended schools in her father's Parishes of Weybridge, Chelsea, Norwich, Swanton & graduated in 1944 from Bangor High School in Maine. She was working as a bookkeeper at the former Bruhn’s Office Equipment Company on Church Street in Burlington when she met, & in 1948 married, Carroll E. Towne. For the next 27 years Nina joyfully & affectionately devoted her life to homemaking, raising together with Carroll their 8 children on their dairy farm & enjoyed warmly welcoming all who dropped in. After all 8 children had graduated high school she became a Milton town lister & Justice of the Peace for many years. Nina was a longtime active member of her United Church of Milton family. She belonged to the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a wonderfully-creative cook & seamstress, prolific knitter & enjoyed mending. She loved little children -- especially her own children, grand- & great-grandchildren -- & flying kites. For many years she care gave Carroll's widowed father John in their home & oversaw her widowed mother's care. Especially in retirement she & Carroll traveled near & far to visit family & friends. Nina is survived by her husband of 69 years & devoted caregiver Carroll, their children & spouses Caffy (Dennis) Roberts, Christopher (Rosanne) Towne, Annie (John) Desranleau, & Mary (Raymond) Hepburn all of Milton, Timothy (Perla) Towne of Monument, CO, Judith (Nathan) Johnston of Georgia, VT, Matthew (Donna) Towne of Cresson, TX, & John (Rachel) Towne of Milton Mills, NH, 16 grandchildren & their 8 spouses & 22 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by foster brother Robert Herold, & siblings-in-law Bette Hazen, Audrey Towne, Neil & Bobbi Towne & Alice Sheppard besides many nieces, nephews & cousins. She was preceded in death by brothers Carroll & wife Marion Hazen, Harold "Tunney" Hazen; and by siblings-in-law Robert & Thelma Towne, Laura & Milton Parsons, Leland Stanley, Paul & Augusta Towne, Dorothy & Arthur Mayo, Helen & Glenn Smith, Pearl & Clayton Welch, Eugene & Arlene Towne, Donovan Towne, Thomas Sheppard, & Ellsworth Patno. Visitation hours will be Thursday March 23, 2017 from 5-8pm at the Minor Funeral Home in Milton. Funeral services will be held at 10am on Friday March 24, 2017 at the United Church of Milton. Nina's family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to United Church of Milton, P.O. Box 107, Milton, VT 05468.