Marcel Leo Cote Sr., 88, of Winooski, Vt., passed peacefully on October 12, 2025.
Marcel was born in Winooski on April 11, 1937, the son of Omer and Eleanor (Marcotte) Cote. He attended schools in Winooski and served in and was honorably discharged as Private First Class of the U.S. Army Reserve in 1956. He was married on July 5, 1958, to Theresa Therriault at Saint Francis Xavier Church. They made their home in Winooski and filled it with love, laughter, music and six children. Marcel worked for many years for Shelburne Limestone Corporation and the Demers family, his favorite job being what he called “a dynamite man,” working with the quarry explosives.
He also worked several second and third jobs to provide for his growing family. For vacations, he would load his children into the family station wagon for camping trips with a giant canvas tent big enough to house eight. As his children grew and grandchildren were born, his new favorite role was Pepere. This was a role he cherished by filling his mysterious lunch box with lollipops, taking them on road trips, keeping them entertained by guessing what was in his unwrapped gifts, teasing them to pull his finger, snowblowing piles of snow into a “mountain” for sledding, dressing for Halloween so that they would not recognize him until he spoke, and let’s not forget the many silly faces he made to leave an afterglow of smiles. Marcel was a simple, humble man, always ready for a game of cribbage or Aggravation, a dance floor, a western movie, a baseball game (especially the Boston Red Sox), a hot dog, or an ice-cold beer. Marcel genuinely cherished his time with his “Movie Star” Tessie, his children and extended relatives. He reveled in family gatherings, with great pleasure and hearty laughs.
Marcel is survived by his devoted wife of 67 years, Theresa; their six children: Marcel Jr. (Sarah), Denise (Jay) Malloy, Lori (James) Deuell, Rhonda (Joseph) Siemons, Michelle (George J.) Goldsworthy and Sherri (Daryl) Decker; 13 grandchildren: Kaleena (Michael) Leonard, Marcel III (Christina) Cote, Benjamin (Lyndsi) Cote, Alex (Kaleigh) Malloy, Alyssa (Brendan) Nickel, Andrea Deuell, Jamie (Austin Cartagena) Deuell, CeLynn (Bradley Elliott) Siemons, Mason (Olivia) Yandow, Louden Yandow, Haley (Ted Doonis) Decker, Braeden (Kaylie) Decker and Collin Decker; two step-grandchildren: George W. and Eliza Goldsworthy; 12 great-grandchildren: Mila, Huxley and Brynn Leonard; Jacob, Dustin and Ava Cote; Kipp, Scout and Styles Cote; Isla and Emmett Malloy; and Brooklyn Nickel (and soon-to-be sibling); sisters: Jeanette Meunier, Theresa Matton, Blanche LaForce, Cecile Casavant and Claire Sprano; and sister-in-law, Marie Cote; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Marcel was predeceased by his parents, brothers Clement Joseph and Roger, and sister Lucille Lemieux.
Those wishing to pay final respects to Marcel may gather on Thursday, October 23, 2025, 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Lavigne Funeral Home, 132 Main St., Winooski, VT. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. at Saint Francis Xavier Church, 3 Saint Peter St., Winooski, VT. Burial will be in Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery following the mass.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, or at 3 Columbus Cir., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019, and made in memory of Marcel, to honor a special friendship formed with (LNA) Alyssa and her son, Mason, who left him with an afterglow of smiles.
This article appears in The Tech Issue.