In Memoriam: Claudette Latreille

The following was sent in an email to Middlebury College employees by Executive Director of Food Service Operations Dan Detora on June 12, 2020. An obituary is available online.

Dear Faculty and Staff,

I write with the sad news that Claudette Latreille died on Sunday, June 7. Claudette had worked in Dining Services since joining the College’s staff in 1998.

Since 2018, Claudette had been a checker in Proctor Dining Hall, where she interacted with many students as well as staff. She was generous, caring, and friendly, and her coworkers knew she would do anything she was asked to do to the best of her ability. Her coworker and longtime friend Donna Jewel said she had a good sense of humor and always had stories to tell.

“The students really liked her,” said Dawn Boise, Claudette’s supervisor. “She was very creative and loved to decorate the dining hall for Mardi Gras, the holidays, and other occasions, and then to watch the students’ reactions as they came in. Sometimes she brought in candy and they loved that too.”

“Claudette would take the high school students working in the dining hall under her wing,” said Tammy Iffland, one of Claudette’s coworkers. “She’d help them and show them what to do.”

Claudette was born November 30, 1958, and grew up as one of nine children on her family’s dairy farm in Monkton. She graduated from Mount Abe High School in Bristol in 1977.

During her time in Dining Services, Claudette’s roles also included servery supervisor and cook. Before coming to Middlebury, she worked at the Basin Harbor Club, the Hillsboro Club in Hillsboro Beach, Florida, and on her family’s farm.

Claudette loved gardening and growing flowers and vegetables of all kinds. She also loved animals and willingly took some in when others would not.

Claudette is survived by her husband, Charles Foote, and their daughter, Jessica Riney.

Due to COVID-19, formal services are not planned.

Donations may be made to Winnie’s Legacy Canine Rescue through PayPal at WinniesLegacy@gmavt.net (donate as a friend, not a service). Checks may also be sent to 91 Dart Hill Road, North Ferrisburg, VT 05473 (make checks out to Valerie Mullin and in the memo write Winnies Legacy).

We will miss Claudette and feel very fortunate to have known and worked with her.

Dan Detora
Executive Director of Food Service Operations