Obituary: Roxanna "Roxy" Quero
October 5, 1936 - September 25, 2024
Roxanna "Roxy" Quero, 1936 -2024
Roxanna "Roxy" Quero, 87, of River Street in Montpelier, died on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at Barre Gardens. Roxy was born on October 5, 1936, in Montour Falls, New York, the only child of Andrew and Lucille (Evans) Tweedie.
Roxy’s dad was a professional engineer and magician, she worked on stage with him and was his best critic. When she graduated in 1954 from Bethlehem Central Senior High School in Delmar, New York, she attended more than 23 elementary schools in 40 of the continental United States. Her high school years were spent in many musical organizations (school and church), art and drama clubs, on the swim team and teaching summer swimming lessons for the Red Cross. In 1956, Roxy graduated from Vermont Junior College in Montpelier with an Associate of Arts degree, and in 1957 with a Stenographer’s certificate from Albany Business College in Albany, New York. In her college years during summer and winter breaks, Roxy worked for the New York State Department of Transportation.
On September 7, 1957, Roxy married the love of her life, Montpelier City Policeman Raymond H. Quero. They made their home at 185 River Street where her late husband, “Ray the Cop” had lived his entire life. He was the first security guard for the Vermont State Home, serving from 1973-1995. Roxy was a stay-at-home mom, an excellent seamstress making unusual Halloween costumes, dresses from her school day skirts, outfits for competitions and proms. She knitted mittens forever for anyone, sweaters for all, and heavy sweater jackets with zippers using a set pattern or her own design, plus requests for designs. In the early 1950s and 1960s Roxy designed the Christmas cards for the New York Thruway Department of Highway Maintenance Division.
Roxy enjoyed volunteering in their children’s lives. Over the years she taught church nursery school, drove and helped on field trips, coached youth softball, was assistant coach for Montpelier High School bowling league, served 9 years as field director for District #5 of the Vermont Girl Scout Council and as an assistant junior troop leader and cookie chairman for many years. She volunteered at St. Michael’s Catholic Elementary School for a number of years and worked Fridays for 10 years in the school’s library. Roxy was a league bowler for 30 years, a member of Trinity United Methodist Church and past member of the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries.
In January 1989, after her youngest child went off to college, Roxy began working at the Vermont State House as Office Assistant in the Secretary of the Senate Office. It was a job Roxy truly loved, not only for the people she met but the environment and especially her co-workers. She liked to say the most important part of her job was keeping the candy bowl filled, “the best one in the State House!” Roxy retired after 28 years of service on May 6, 2016. She was honored in a packed Senate Chamber with the reading of the Senate Resolution SR 10 for her superb public service. A reception followed with legislative members, family, friends, beautiful gifts, and many good wishes and hugs from Gov. Peter Shumlin.
Roxy’s job was in a sense, a sort of carrying on with her political ancestors. Her great-great-great-grandfather Jonathan Snow, on her maternal grandmother’s side, was one of the 30 freeman who voted for the organization of the town of Montpelier on March 4, 1791. On Roxy’s maternal grandfather’s side, her great-grandfather George C. Evans and his brother Goan Evans were representatives to the Vermont State House from Moretown, Vermont, in the early 1900s. George C.’s daughter, Annie L. Evans, married Burton W. Ward of Moretown, the founder of Ward Lumber Company. Roxy was very interested in genealogy, tracing her father’s origin to King Bruce of Scotland in 1300s. She traced all six family lives and produced albums with photos and written history for her four children.
Roxy, always smiling, loved her family, especially her seven grandchildren, her flowers, skiing, laughing, swimming, humor, her camp on East Long Pond, years of magic conventions with her folks, March trips to the Caribbean, and LIFE!
She is survived by her children Rae and her husband Dale Reagan of Moretown, Rick and his wife Sheila of Orange, Rorri of Montpelier, Ruchel and her husband Tony St. Hilaire of Hinesburg; grandchildren Mandy Reagan and partner Chris of Hudson, New Hampshire, Cole Reagan and fiancée Rozhay of Charlotte, North Carolina, Harlie Quero and partner Tristan of Champlain, New York, Tylar St. Hilaire of Hinesburg, Hunter Quero and partner Emma of Montpelier, Thomas Quero and partner Julia of East Montpelier, and Alix St. Hilaire of Hinesburg. Roxy leaves a nephew Shawn Hickok and his wife Betty of California, and many cousins in Florida, Hawaii, New York, Oklahoma, Vermont and Wisconsin. Roxy also leaves very special longtime friends Vanessa Davison and Priscilla Alexander.
Roxy’s beloved husband Ray died on July 4, 1995; her father died on January 14, 1994, and her mother on October 30, 2001. She was also predeceased by her sister-in-law Irene Hickok and good friends Diana Keeney, Doris Leno, and Bea Smith.
Funeral arrangements are by Guare & Sons Funeral Home, 30 School Street, Montpelier, VT. There will be no calling hours. Her committal will be held at 2 p.m. on October 5 (her birthday!) at the Green Mount Cemetery. There will be a party celebrating her well-lived life to be announced. Keep smiling!!
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Vermont Foodbank 33 Parker Road, Barre Town, VT 05641, Lamoille Area Cancer Network, 198 Farr Ave, Morrisville, VT 05661, or the WARMTH program, c/o Green Mountain Power Corp, 163 Acorn Lane, Colchester, VT 05446.