F. Joan Dargie, 92

STAMFORD, Vt. — It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Mother, F. Joan DiLego Dargie of Stamford at the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington.

Born Florence Joan DiLego on July 16, 1932, in North Adams, Mass., to V. James and Eva (Blanquart) DiLego, she grew up in North Adams.

Always the Mom of Moms, she loved all her babies, but her first "real baby" was helping to care for her little sister Maryann when Joan was only 6 years old. Many babies followed, little brother Paul a few years later and then little brother Ronnie. Always a multi-tasker, Joan also worked for her mom at the accounting office answering the switchboard. It was at the switchboard that she "fell" for the voice of a hard-working young man who she would eventually meet and marry.

Joan married Henry Dargie on April 21, 1957, and they spent 47 years together. They raised six children with Joan always caring for the babies of relatives and friends along the way. and Henry ran three restaurants together, The Colonial Restaurant on the Mohawk Trail in the '60s and later, with all the children pitching in, Dargie's Colonial Restaurant on Ashland Street and finishing with the Howard Johnson's in Williamstown. From 1976 through the early 1980s, she drove a school bus for Stamford School, while still working in the accounting office during Tax Season. She also took care of her 7 grandchildren from birth to adulthood, following through with caring for her 7 great-grandchildren from birth until they were taking care of her. Even in her final declining years, residing at the Veterans Home in Bennington, she always surrounded herself with baby dolls.

Joan was an artist. Early in life she "colorized" black and white photos for local photography studios, prior to color film portraits. Joan was an accomplished pianist. She was a highly regarded cake decorator. She designed and created amazing cakes for many occasions, especially her legendary wedding cakes. Joan learned cake decorating by watching others, the same way she acquired her cooking skills. From meatballs and sauce to catering large crowds, Joan was an excellent cook. The family gathered for Sunday dinners for many years and everyone was welcomed. Joan was an expert seamstress and loved sewing, also crocheting where she made hundreds of projects (except that one afghan), crossword puzzles, cryptograms and reading. She crafted and worked on numerous projects with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had a loving and giving soul and was always there to help anyone she could.

Joan loved her annual family vacations: in the early years to Old Orchard Beach in Maine with her children and close family members. Also other cherished trips to Canada and visiting her son James' family wherever they were living: Hawaii, Texas and California. She was able to combine California trips to visit her beloved niece Beth DiLego also. In the later years, she enjoyed spending time on Cape Cod with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Cardinal Unit at the Vermont Veterans Home. You are wonderful people.

Joan is survived by five of her children, Pamela Costine, Cynthia (Robert) Lamore, Mary (Glenn) Beverly, Christopher (Nancy) Dargie, all of Stamford, and James (Robin) Dargie of Calabasas, Calif. She is survived by 5 grandchildren: Jennifer Senecal of Clarksburg, Jessica (David) Bugbee, Megan Bouchard, Alex (Erica) Dargie, of Stamford and Sophia Dargie of San Francisco. She is also survived by her seven great-grandchildren; her sister Maryann DiLego and brothers Ronald (Diane) DiLego and James (Barbara) Wilson, along with many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband, Henry Dargie; her son Mark Dargie and grandsons Jeffrey Lamore and Stephen Beverly; son-in-law Robert Costine; and brothers Vincent and Paul DiLego.

FUNERAL NOTICE: The funeral for Joan Dargie will be Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at 11 a.m. at FLYNN & DAGNOLI-MONTAGNA HOME FOR FUNERALS WEST CHAPELS, 521 West Main St., North Adams, Mass. Burial will follow in Millard Cemetery in Stamford. A calling hour will be held Thursday morning from 10 to 11 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in care of the funeral home. To add to the Book of Memories, please visit www.flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com.