Colleen Pierce Kerr 1936-2026
Colleen Vaughan Pierce Kerr passed away peacefully at home in Waitsfield with her family by her side on April 28, 2026. Colleen was a lover of nature and the New England Patriots. She was always happiest when she was outside walking her dogs, tending her gardens, and watching for her favorite birds. She loved having her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren visit.
Colleen Vaughan Pierce was born in April 1936 to Leslie and Mildred (Grady) Pierce in Lyndon, Vermont. She was the sixth of seven children. Colleen graduated from the Lyndon Institute in 1954 and attended Lyndon State College. In April 1957, she married William Thomas Kerr in Lyndonville, Vermont. Tom and Colleen had five children, and in 1962, they purchased an old farmstead in East Burke, Vermont, and started a Christmas tree farm. After their children were in school, Colleen went to work at Burke Mountain Ski Area in the food and beverage department. She became the food and beverage manager at Glen Ellen Ski Area when the family moved to Waitsfield in 1970. In 1973, she began work at the Chittenden Bank and remained there until her retirement in 1998.
Colleen was predeceased by her daughter Deborah (Debbie) Kerr and leaves behind her husband of 69 years, Tom, and children Cathleen (Cathy) Kerr, James (Jim) Kerr, (Jill), Brian Kerr (Molly), and Rebecca (Becky) Smith (Jay). Grandchildren: Wysteria Jackson (Ryan), Samantha Johnson (Erik), Connor Kerr (Elizabeth), Melissa Criswell (Edward), Charlotte Kerr, and eight great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Colleen’s memory to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (www.cvhhh.org). The family wishes to thank the kind and caring staff at CVHHH for their assistance. Perkins-Parker Funeral Home, Waterbury, VT, is assisting the family with arrangements. There will be a graveside service at the family’s plot in Waitsfield with a reception to follow on June 27, 2026, at 1 p.m.
