Roger Gillim Credit: Courtesy Roger L. Gillim, 82, passed away on December 1, 2025, at the University of Vermont Medical Center after a brief illness. Roger was born on November 16, 1943, to John and Byrl Gillim. A self-described “good Jewish boy from Brooklyn,” he left home at 16 to atte nd Earlham College in Richmond, Ind. There, he developed a lifelong passion for learning and intellectual inquiry. He studied abroad in the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, read Shakespeare and practiced countless string quartets at all hours, and made dear, lifelong friends along the way. As a graduate student at Ball State University, he met the love of his life, Sandra (Sandy) Herr. Graduate school didn’t stick, but Sandy did. They married in October 1967, barely six months after they met, and remained inseparable for 58 years. Rog and Sandy settled in New York City after marrying, where he scandalized his wife’s employer with his wild hair, horn-rimmed glasses, purple sneakers and socialist politics. He rode a motorcycle (Sandy sat side-saddle), began a career in computer science, and otherwise enjoyed the art and vibrancy of New York in the ’60s. In 1970, Roger and Sandy traveled to Vermont to visit friends. While initially they intended to stay for a weekend, they immediately fell in love with the place: its seasons, landscape and, above all, its people. Soon thereafter, they quit their jobs and apartment in Manhattan and spent a first freezing winter in a rambling old farmhouse in Fletcher. A year later, they purchased a “starter home” (with heat!) in Underhill, where they would live for the next 53 years. Roger will be remembered for his animated spirit, his bawdy and often irreverent sense of humor, his passion for books and learning, and his warm, unpretentious demeanor. He played the viola for nearly 70 years, performing with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Philharmonic, his beloved Octet and more musical groups than can be named. He was a man of many serial pursuits: baking bread and pies, brewing beer, playing handbells and attending Bible study at the United Church of Underhill, and having a ball with the Underhill/Jericho Lions Club. Life was too endlessly interesting to pin him down to any one hobby for long. A gifted public speaker and writer, he easily mixed wisdom with humor. He was beloved for his thoughtful guest sermons at the church and Memorial Day speeches, and his legendary letters excusing his children’s school absences were minor works of art. Driven by what a dear friend called a “thirst to know and understand,” he delighted in sharing his latest discoveries in history, science, religion, politics and current events — whether you wanted to hear them or not. Above all, Roger was exceedingly kind and generous, welcoming strangers into his home (you never knew who was going to show up for breakfast), giving away more than was sensible and always putting the needs of others first. No one made friends with strangers more easily than Rog. It didn’t matter whether you were a CEO or the janitor sweeping the floor, he wanted to know you and hear your story — so long as you were willing to hear one or two of his! Not long after he met someone, he would know their name and life story, which he would remember in fine detail the next time their paths crossed. He had a terrific sense of humor, sometimes skirting the edge of the inappropriate, often leaving his patient wife wondering what he might say next. “Roger is a man of the people,” one of his care providers recently remarked. His family could not agree more. More than anything, Roger was devoted to his wife and sons, his extended family, and his wide circle of true friends, especially Brian and Catherine Lloyd, Peggy and Angelo Dorta, and Angie and Bill Meltzer, with whom he shared more than 70 years of friendship. Roger retired from the Vermont Department of Health in 2009 after a long career in health care research. He spent retirement exactly as he wished: surrounded by books, coffee, laughter and family. Despite many years of health challenges, he never lost his sense of humor or his ability to connect with others, and he always took time to express heartfelt gratitude for the love and care shown to him by the many helpers in his life. Roger leaves behind his wife, Sandy, to whom he was married for 58 years; his son Sebastian and his wife, Tracy Harty; his son Seth and his wife, Kala; and two beloved granddaughters, Addie and Evie. He also leaves behind a large and loving extended family of in-laws, nieces and nephews. His family would like to thank the many doctors and nurses who cared for him over the years, especially Dr. Rick Dooley and nurse Julia Jacques at Thomas Chittenden Health Center. His final years were spent at Maple Ridge Assisted Living, where he received warm and attentive care. The family is especially grateful to Amanda Champney, the very special person who, for the last eight years, provided both Roger and Sandy with devoted support and care and became an adopted daughter whom he loved dearly. A celebration of life will be held at the United Church of Underhill at 2 p.m., Saturday, February 21. Memorial contributions in Roger’s name may be made to the organization of your choice that reflects the values he held dear: his love of music, his intellectual curiosity, and his care and concern for others. Or just do something unexpectedly and irrationally generous. It’s what he would have done, after all. Please visit awrfh.com to share your memories and condolences. Sweet dreams, Pop-Pop. We love you. The post Obituary: Roger Gillim, 1943-2025 appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less