Urban Christopher Wakefield
Urban Christopher Wakefield of Lyndonville, Vermont died at Summercrest in Newport, N.H., Monday, Aug. 10, 2009.
Urban was born in Morristown,Vt., on Jan. 17, 1909, the son of Jamie and Ethel (Sweet) Wakefield. On June 20, 1936, he married Marion Anderson in Craftsbury, Vt.
A graduate of Peoples Academy in 1925, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Northern University in 1931 and his Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Vermont in 1941. He started his teaching career in a one-room school in Elmore, Vt. From 1935 to 1942 he taught math and science at Peoples Academy in Morrisville. In 1939, he became an official Vermont State Basketball referee. He worked games in Lamoille, Washington, Orleans and Caledonia counties until 1959.
He was principal of Chelsea High School in Chelsea, Vt., from 1942 until 1946. During those war years he also served as chairman of the Rationing Board and also supervised the Victory Farm Volunteers. In 1946, he became Superintendent of Schools for the Caledonia North Supervisory District-a position he held for 28 years until his retirement in 1974.
For over 35 years he served on the Board of Trustees of Lyndon Institute. He was a life member of the Vermont Superintendents Association and a member Emeritus of the AASA. He belonged to the Lyndon Area Chamber of Commerce. For over 25 years he had perfect attendance at the Lyndonville Rotary Club.
In 1998 he was honored by being named a Paul Harris Fellow, and in 2005 he was declared a Life Member. He was a life member of Mt. Vernon Lodge in Morrisville and served as Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star. In 1985, in recognition of their service to the community, Urban and his wife, Marion, were honored as Citizens of the Year by the Lyndonville Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. A similar honor was bestowed upon them by the local Grange in 2005.
Urban was always interested in and involved in various sports. He served as President of the local bowling league, he was an active member of the St. Johnsbury Country Club and for 21 years served on the Vermont Golf Scholarship Committee. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He was a staunch member of the Lyndonville United Methodist Church and served in numerous capacities:
teacher, Board of Trustees, and chairman of the building committee when extensive renovations were done at the church in 1992.
He was predeceased by his wife of over 70 years, and his brother Dayton of Morrisville, Vt. He leaves four children, a daughter, Deanna Stowell and her husband, Norman, of Claremont, N.H.; three sons, Dayton and his wife, Sarah, of Middlebury, Vt., Douglas and his wife, Judy, of Arlington, Va., and Dana and his wife, Pamela, of Denver, Colo.; 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Urban also leaves a sister, Carolyn Fernandez of Northfield, Vt.
Services will be held at the Lyndonville United Methodist Church on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 11 a.m. Interment will take place in the Andersonville Cemetery in Glover, Vt. Memorial contributions can be made to Lyndonville United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 543, Lyndonville, VT 05851.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Pearsons Funeral Home, located at 70 Church St., Lyndonville. To sign the online register go to www.pearsonsfh.com
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