Loraine McFarland Pease

Loraine was born on August 22, 1926 to Brigham and Delta McFarland of Hyde Park, Vermont. She was valedictorian of her class at Lamoille Central Academy (now Hyde Park Elementary) and went on to graduate from Smith College in 1948. She spent her junior year in Mexico, which initiated her lifelong interest in Latin America. After graduation, she taught Spanish at the Stoneleigh School in Greenfield, Massachusetts.

Loraine married Dr. Clifford Atherton Pease, Jr in her family home in Hyde Park on December 27, 1951. She moved to South America with her husband, who worked for the Agency of International Development and traveled extensively establishing public health programs in Paraguay, Peru and Costa Rica. Loraine immersed herself in the life of the communities where they were stationed, operated as the real diplomat in the family and won many local golf tournaments. Upon their return to the US, they raised their children in Falls Church, Alexandria, and Fairfax, Virginia, Stamford, Connecticut and Hyde Park, Vermont.

Loraine and Clifford were married for thirty nine years. She was a devoted mother to her three children: William, James and Julia, as well as a doting grandmother to her five grandchildren: Adam, Katherine, Sean, Calvin and Eliza. She was a beloved aunt to Sarah Pease of Fairfax, Virginia, Virginia Raley of Strasburg, Virginia, and Leslie White of Eden, Vermont. She regularly gathered her family around her every summer in Hyde Park, teaching them all how to love dogs, garden, swim, and play croquet, badminton and golf.

Loraine was predeceased by her husband, Dr. Clifford Pease, Jr. in 1990. She is survived by her three children: Dr. William Pease of Berkeley, California, James and Molly Pease of Morrisville, Vermont and Julia and Scott Olson of Centerville, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Second Congregational Church, P.O. Box 216, Hyde Park, Vermont 05661. Due to Covid concerns, the family is planning a memorial in Hyde Park in the summer.