Around Town: Feb. 20
Condolences
Joan Mulford Braun passed away peacefully in the company of family at her home in Shelburne, Vt., on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025. She was 87. A longtime resident of Charlotte, Joan directed the experiential and service-learning program DUO (Do Unto Others) at Champlain Valley Union High School from the late 1970s through the 1990s.
Joan was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1937, the eldest of John Mulford and Virginia Compton Mulford’s four children. As a girl she attended the Agnes Irwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1959 with a bachelor’s. That year she married Theodore E. Braun, Jr., who was completing medical school at Penn. They remained happily married for more than 60 years until his death in October of 2021.
In 1970, Joan and Ted moved to Charlotte where they raised their three sons and were active residents of a town they richly enjoyed for nearly 50 years. Joan was elected to the Charlotte School Board in the early 1970s then pursued a masters of education at the University of Vermont.
After she received her degree, she joined the direction center at Champlain Valley Union High in the fall of 1978. Her leadership of the DUO program took her around the United States as a leader in the then-innovative field of experiential public education. Her work, partnering high school teens with community mentors, brought her into contact with a great variety of students, people and businesses throughout Chittenden County — a diversity of humanity and experience she sought and nourished throughout her life.
After retiring in 1997, she devoted herself to volunteer work with the Charlotte Senior Center; the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s in Burlington, where she and Ted were engaged members for more than 50 years; international travel; and the lives of her expanding family of grandchildren. She deeply enjoyed activities that brought her into the natural world she so treasured in Vermont; she walked, gardened, skied, biked, swam and kayaked. She also took great pleasure in UVM basketball and the vital artistic community in and around Burlington. Theater, music of all sorts, and the work of local craft and fine artists elicited her delight and support. In 2016 Joan and Ted moved to Shelburne where she maintained a wide circle of strong friendships that sustained and enriched her.
She’s survived by her sisters, Margaret Bartholomew of Shelburne, Nancy Burrill of San Francisco, California; her sons Theodore Braun III of Los Angeles, Michael Braun of Houston, Texas, and Stuart Braun of Portland, Maine; three daughters-in-law, Lori Froeling, Sandra Hurtado and Colleen Kelly; and by her beloved grandchildren, Isabella Hurtado-Braun, Daniel Hurtado-Braun, Samuel Braun, Lucas Braun and Grace Braun.
Services will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral Church, Burlington, on Feb. 21 at 1 p.m., with a reception to follow at the Hotel Champlain. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s and the Charlotte Library.
Claire R. Houghton, 90, a resident of Charlotte, passed away Jan. 12, 2025, at the University of Vermont Medical Center after a brief illness. Surrounded by her loving family, Claire was welcomed into the kingdom of heaven to reunite with her beloved son Brent, her husband Clifton and her parents Gladys and Cecile Robarge.
Claire was born in Hardwick, Vt., on Dec. 18, 1934, the daughter of Cecil and Gladys Robarge. Claire spent her early years in Hardwick where she graduated from the Hardwick Academy. She married Clifton Houghton on Sept. 21, 1957, at St. Norbert’s Church, Hardwick. They then settled in Charlotte to raise their two boys, Brian and Brent, in the house they had built together. Claire continued to live in the house her family shared after Clifton died on Nov. 15, 1992, which is where Claire remained until her final days.
Claire leaves behind her son Brian, with whom she shared a close bond and loved dearly. Together they worked daily at the barn overseeing his cattle, affectionately referred to by Claire as “the girls.” It was in this that she found her passion. She never feared hard work nor found a task her strong will could not help her complete. Claire found joy in rising early to go to the barn to spend her day tending to her “girls,” maybe mending fences or handling whatever task that day might bring. She continued this daily routine until her passing.
Claire was predeceased by her parents, husband Clifton and son Brent (April 12, 2011).
Survivors include her son Brian (Nancy Steady) of Charlotte, grandchildren Eric and Ashley of California, sister Cecily Powers (Wendell), nephew David Powers, nieces Sara Magro (David), Mary Jane McCormack (Brad) all of Rutland as well as several great nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that tax deductible donations be made to the Charlotte Food Shelf, Inc., P.O. Box 83, Charlotte, VT 05445
Congratulations
Stella Martenis of Charlotte was named to the fall honors list at the Community College of Vermont.
Lucas Kelley and Nicholas Reynolds of Charlotte were named to the fall dean’s list at the Community College of Vermont.
Zachary Santos of Charlotte made the dean’s list at Fairfield University for the fall semester.
Parker Main of Charlotte was named to the University of Hartford’s dean’s list and president’s list for the fall semester.
Jadin Brown and Lily Richardson of Charlotte were named to the Champlain College president’s list for the fall semester.
Amelia Anair, Brennan Murdock and Stuart Robinson of Charlotte were named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the fall semester.
Griffin Veltkamp of Charlotte earned dean’s list honors at the University of Tampa for the fall semester.