The Passing of My Wife - the Co-Publisher of VT's Northland Journal

It is with profound sadness that I make the most difficult announcement I’ve ever made, that Penny, my dear wife of almost 37 years, Penny, away Friday night shortly before 11:30. She was 56 years old. Her death follows an almost two-year battle with cancer.

Although many of her family and close friends knew of her diagnosis, many other people did not. That is the way she wanted it, because she wanted to live the final chapter of her life under her own terms and not under the specter of pity and sorrow because, despite life being far too short for her, she insisted she had lived a more wonderful life than she had ever expected. During her battle, no matter how tough life became, if asked how she was doing, she’d say, “living the dream.”

Upon diagnosis, instead of cowering in the face of a death sentence, we went on what Penny called the “Living the Dream Tour.” We traveled the country from Maine to Michigan to New Mexico, visiting our children and grandchildren and simply going about celebrating life.

Born on May 28, 1966, to John and Ruth (Barrup) Curtis, Penny grew up in Brownington, the youngest of four children. Being the youngest and the only girl growing up with three older rough and tumble outdoorsmen brothers prepared her well for the challenges of life. Many young girls like frilly dresses, but Penny would hear nothing of it. If her brothers weren’t going to wear dresses, she wasn’t going to either. Her parents were poor, but they weren’t too poor to help those in need, a trait Penny inherited from them, along with their strong work ethic.

Fast forward to 1984, the year both Penny and I graduated from high school—she from Lake Region Union High School in Barton, and I from North Country Union High School in Newport. A few days after graduating, the two of us became an item. She welcomed me into her family of carpenters, woodsmen, and hunters. I was a person who could barely pound a nail straight, knew little about operating a chainsaw, and is still lucky to hit a 4x8-foot piece of plywood at 100 yards with a rifle. Despite those “shortcomings,” though, Penny loved me, and I was accepted into the family. In return, I apparently had a mellowing influence on her, the once-speed demon of the road.

Penny and I married on August 17, 1985, and the following year we welcomed identical twin sons, Curtis and Nicholas. And in 1991, we welcomed our daughter, Emily, into our lives.

I suspect there are probably few other couples closer than us. We did everything together, including being very active in our children’s lives as children and adults. Penny was happiest when she was cooking for a house full of family and friends. We also enjoyed traveling, camping, and exploring the country and meeting people.

For the last 20 years we published the Northland Journal, a monthly magazine. We also hosted a multitude of community events, including those to honor our veterans. Penny shunned the spotlight but trust me when I tell you, she was certainly the brains of the outfit.

Penny had many loves, but none of them surpassed the love she had for her children and grandchildren. To some of her six grandchildren she was known as “Gramma Gee,” and to others she was “Nana.” Surviving her are her children: Curtis Wheeler and his wife, Gabrielle, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and New Sweden, Maine; Nick and his wife, Abigail, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Emily Brugman and her husband, Robert, of Marquette, Michigan. She is also survived by the joys of her life: her grandchildren, Brooke and Daniel Wheeler, and Lucas, Annabelle, Henry, and James Brugman. She is also survived by honorary children, Lewis and Jennifer Hatch, and honorary grandchild, Lewis Hatch V, along with her beloved golden retrievers, Boulder and Molly, and her bed warmer of a cat, Kanga.

Also surviving her are her brothers Benny Curtis and his wife, Karol, and Lyle Curtis and his wife, Becky. She is also survived by her father-in-law, Wayne Wheeler, and his partner, Diane Saxton, and Scott’s brothers Jeff, and Kevin and Tammy and their families. She is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces. She was particularly close to her nieces, including Kelly Randall and Karissa Vinal, who she considered two of her own children.

In addition, she leaves behind too many friends to list. She is also survived by her beloved Northland Journal team.

Penny was predeceased by her parents, John and Ruth Curtis; a brother, Robin, at birth; by her brother Lee; and her mother-in-law, Pauline Wheeler.

In addition to being the co-publisher of the Journal for two decades, Penny worked in the healthcare field. That included working almost 30 years in the medical world, including as a pharmaceutical clinical analyst. For the last two years, she managed Northeast Kingdom Hematology Oncology in Newport. No matter what role Penny played in her medical career, she was a champion of patients of every socioeconomic class.

A woman of a deep, quiet faith, in times of struggle, family members and friends often turned to her for a nonjudgmental ear and a shoulder to cry on. Throughout her time on earth, she exemplified how to live honorably, and during the final chapter of her life, she taught those around her how to die with grace, dignity, gratitude, and humor.

People probably have no idea how much I am going to miss Penny. We lived together, played together, and worked together. She was my wife, best friend, business partner, and stabilizer all wrapped into one

           Oh, how I already miss her. Thank you everybody who was there for us during this last chapter of Penny’s life.