Geraldine Marie Stanton

Geraldine Marie Stanton (Todd), 89, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2025,

surrounded by loved ones at The Meadows in Rutland, VT. Born in Malden, MA, on December

13, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Walter Leo and Olive Louise (Sidebottom) Todd.

Gerry’s life was defined by a passion for learning and a relentless spirit of adventure. After

graduating from Medford High School in 1954, she earned her teaching degree from the

University of Lowell (1958) and later her Master’s degree from the University of Bridgeport

(1973). A dedicated educator, Gerry taught elementary and special education in Fairfield, CT,

for twenty-five years until her retirement in 1991.

It was during her time at Lowell that she met the love of her life, Thomas (Tom) Joseph Stanton,

on a blind date. They married in 1957 and shared 51 years of marriage until Tom’s passing in

2008. Together, they were pillars of the Fairfield Irish Club, where Gerry found great joy in Irish

dancing.

An avid outdoorswoman and longtime member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Gerry’s

physical feats were inspiring. In 1992, she and Tom completed their goal of summiting all of

New England’s sixty-five 4,000-foot peaks. Their adventures took them across the globe: they

trekked through Nepal to Everest Base Camp, summited Mount Kilimanjaro, navigated the

Grand Canyon in a dory, and explored China, India, Israel, Vietnam and many more places. Even

after Tom's passing, Gerry’s wanderlust never faded; she continued to explore the world,

visiting Cuba, Scandinavia, Antarctica, and Japan. Over the course of her travels, she was proud

to have visited all seven continents.

Beyond her travels, Gerry was an accomplished artist and a committed volunteer. After

relocating to Bluffton, SC, in 2003, she spent many years serving her community at the local

library and the community kitchen. In 2022, she moved to Rutland to return to the state that

meant so much to her. She and Tom had purchased a home in Vermont in the late 1960s, and

together with their children, created an enduring bond to the Green Mountain State—skiing,

hiking, and thriving in the mountains she loved.

Gerry is survived by her two children, Thomas Walter Stanton of Ira, VT, and Mary-Elizabeth

(Beth) Stanton and her partner David Service of Pittsfield, VT, as well as many beloved cousins,

nieces, and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Tom; her brother, James Todd; and

her sister, Marjorie Anne Moulaison.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made in Gerry’s honor to the

Appalachian Mountain Club https:www.outdoors.org/donate, the Vermont Food Bank

https:www.vtfoodbank.org/donate, or your local food bank. A private celebration of life for the

family will be held at a later date.