Sibyl Lander Fletcher Labonte
February 19, 1920 — January 4, 2016
Sibyl Lander Fletcher Labonte
SIBYL LANDER FLETCHER LABONTE
FRANCONIA, NH -- Sibyl Lander Fletcher Labonte, passed away on January 4th, 2016 at the age of 95. She was born February 19, 1920 in Newton, MA, to the late John J Lander Sr. and Dorothy P Robeson Lander. Sibyl was preceded in death by her brothers, John J Lander Jr. & Theodore C. Lander, her sister Jacqueline Lander Schofield and her late husband Ralph Andrew Fletcher (b.11/24/1895- d. 2/11/1983).
She is survived by her two sons, John Hebert Fletcher of Franconia, NH and Samuel Hill Fletcher of Bedford, NH, her daughter, Rebecca Ann Weymouth and husband Thomas T. Weymouth of Berryville, AR and her grandchildren Dorothy Erin Fletcher of Portland, OR and Samuel Hill Fletcher II of Manchester, NH.
Sibyl was known by many due to the wonderful, interesting, and full life that she lead. She was an active fisherwoman, skier (water and downhill), swimmer, berry picker and especially a hunter of ducks and upland birds. She traveled the world skiing and hunting and made many lifelong friends along the way.
It didn't matter to her if she was in a canoe in the backwoods of Maine at Beattie Pond or on the Bonaventure River in Quebec Canada, because the fish were trembling! In her 50's she landed a 75 lb salmon after fighting it for almost two hours in a long canoe on the Bonaventure.
She could be found skiing in Chile with Ralph, on Canon Mountain and Mittersill in the East, Aspen, Colorado and Utah in the West, and the snow fields of the Swiss Alps. From her annual trips to Davos, Switzerland many dear friendships were formed that lasted over 6 decades. She continued to ski well into her 80's. At 88 she made her last transcontinental trip to Switzerland and she was able to wine and dine with her friends as well as travel about on the trains to revisit her old skiing haunts.
One of the places that was dearest to her was Pleasant Pond in Caratunk, ME. Her mother, Dorothy (Robeson), when she was six years old, first visited the area in a horse drawn wagon. Dorothy's family made Pleasant Pond their summer home. Sibyl followed in her mother's footsteps, visiting 'P Pond' for over 90 years of her life. Sibyl always rose early in the morning and insisted on starting her day with a brisk morning swim before breakfast. While at P Pond she was known to search out many a berry patch and passed on her love of berry picking to her children. It did not matter, strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, because to those who were close to her, she was known as Madam Blueberry!
Another passion of Sibyl's was hunting. She roamed fields, forests, and marshes in her pursuit of elusive game birds. She spent many early mornings in duck blinds from South Carolina to Maskinonge, Que, Canada. She roamed the fields in Spain and Scotland to New Hampshire hunting upland birds. In her 80's she could still be found traipsing through the bird covers while leaving her son Sam 'in the dust'. During the off season Sibyl and Ralph spent many hours skeet shooting and Sibyl was a champion competition skeet shooter.
On February 28th, 1987 Sibyl was united in marriage to Robert N Labonte who survives her of the home. Sibyl and Bob made their home in Franconia, NH and had 28 wonderful years of marriage. They traveled the world over during their time together, visiting the Orient, the Alps, and the rivers of Norway. They loved their days of skiing and golfing together in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They also attended plays and after ski parties with all of their friends.
One of Sibyl's quotes in her Lasell Junior College yearbook was 'To always finish what I start' and that she did!
SERVICES -- In compliance with Sibyl's wishes there will be a private graveside service in the St Rose of Lima Cemetery in Littleton, NH. In the spring there will be a graveside service for family and friends at the Fairview Cemetery in Westford, MA. Following this service, there will be a reception to celebrate Sibyl's life. The time and date to be announced.
Memorial donations may be made in Sibyl's name to the Pleasant Pond Protective Association, PO Box 36, Caratunk, ME 04925 or Franconia Ski Club – Mittersill Valar T-Bar Fund, PO Box 462, Franconia, NH 03580.
FRANCONIA, NH -- Sibyl Lander Fletcher Labonte, passed away on January 4th, 2016 at the age of 95. She was born February 19, 1920 in Newton, MA, to the late John J Lander Sr. and Dorothy P Robeson Lander. Sibyl was preceded in death by her brothers, John J Lander Jr. & Theodore C. Lander, her sister Jacqueline Lander Schofield and her late husband Ralph Andrew Fletcher (b.11/24/1895- d. 2/11/1983).
She is survived by her two sons, John Hebert Fletcher of Franconia, NH and Samuel Hill Fletcher of Bedford, NH, her daughter, Rebecca Ann Weymouth and husband Thomas T. Weymouth of Berryville, AR and her grandchildren Dorothy Erin Fletcher of Portland, OR and Samuel Hill Fletcher II of Manchester, NH.
Sibyl was known by many due to the wonderful, interesting, and full life that she lead. She was an active fisherwoman, skier (water and downhill), swimmer, berry picker and especially a hunter of ducks and upland birds. She traveled the world skiing and hunting and made many lifelong friends along the way.
It didn't matter to her if she was in a canoe in the backwoods of Maine at Beattie Pond or on the Bonaventure River in Quebec Canada, because the fish were trembling! In her 50's she landed a 75 lb salmon after fighting it for almost two hours in a long canoe on the Bonaventure.
She could be found skiing in Chile with Ralph, on Canon Mountain and Mittersill in the East, Aspen, Colorado and Utah in the West, and the snow fields of the Swiss Alps. From her annual trips to Davos, Switzerland many dear friendships were formed that lasted over 6 decades. She continued to ski well into her 80's. At 88 she made her last transcontinental trip to Switzerland and she was able to wine and dine with her friends as well as travel about on the trains to revisit her old skiing haunts.
One of the places that was dearest to her was Pleasant Pond in Caratunk, ME. Her mother, Dorothy (Robeson), when she was six years old, first visited the area in a horse drawn wagon. Dorothy's family made Pleasant Pond their summer home. Sibyl followed in her mother's footsteps, visiting 'P Pond' for over 90 years of her life. Sibyl always rose early in the morning and insisted on starting her day with a brisk morning swim before breakfast. While at P Pond she was known to search out many a berry patch and passed on her love of berry picking to her children. It did not matter, strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries, because to those who were close to her, she was known as Madam Blueberry!
Another passion of Sibyl's was hunting. She roamed fields, forests, and marshes in her pursuit of elusive game birds. She spent many early mornings in duck blinds from South Carolina to Maskinonge, Que, Canada. She roamed the fields in Spain and Scotland to New Hampshire hunting upland birds. In her 80's she could still be found traipsing through the bird covers while leaving her son Sam 'in the dust'. During the off season Sibyl and Ralph spent many hours skeet shooting and Sibyl was a champion competition skeet shooter.
On February 28th, 1987 Sibyl was united in marriage to Robert N Labonte who survives her of the home. Sibyl and Bob made their home in Franconia, NH and had 28 wonderful years of marriage. They traveled the world over during their time together, visiting the Orient, the Alps, and the rivers of Norway. They loved their days of skiing and golfing together in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They also attended plays and after ski parties with all of their friends.
One of Sibyl's quotes in her Lasell Junior College yearbook was 'To always finish what I start' and that she did!
SERVICES -- In compliance with Sibyl's wishes there will be a private graveside service in the St Rose of Lima Cemetery in Littleton, NH. In the spring there will be a graveside service for family and friends at the Fairview Cemetery in Westford, MA. Following this service, there will be a reception to celebrate Sibyl's life. The time and date to be announced.
Memorial donations may be made in Sibyl's name to the Pleasant Pond Protective Association, PO Box 36, Caratunk, ME 04925 or Franconia Ski Club – Mittersill Valar T-Bar Fund, PO Box 462, Franconia, NH 03580.
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