White River Jct., VT – Doreen Anne Wyatt, 52, died Friday January 26, 2018 after a courageous 14 month battle with renal cancer in the company of her loving fiancé and family.

She was born September 27, 1965 in Hanover, NH a daughter of Edward L. and Constance A. (Hall) Wyatt. Doreen attended schools in Lebanon graduating from Lebanon High School Class of 1984. During her early years she enjoyed travelling with family including trips to China Lake, Maine with her family to go fishing and swimming, going to an Alabama Concert in Lake George, NY with her mom, Dottie and Laurie and going to "grammie" LaFlam's after church where they would tell stories over Olvaltine and popcorn. She also enjoyed going to the auto races with her parents where she met many drivers over the years including her future husband, Francis Colson. They were married May 14, 1988 at the Meriden Congregational Church in Meriden, NH, where she had attended as a child. They lived together in Massachusetts for nearly 20 years and added a precious son and daughter to their family. While living in Massachusetts Doreen enjoyed going to BINGO and the races with her step-daughter Michelle. She was devoted wife and mother who followed her husband in the NASCAR racing series from Maine to Florida. She also followed her children's events as a football and BMX racing mom for Frannie and a cheerleading mom for Katy. She made and decorated special cupcakes for many of their school events, a trait that Katy continues to do for her two daughters. Doreen was proud to be present and partake in the births of her two special granddaughters, Caleigh and Zoey

Doreen was later divorced and returned to live in the Upper Valley near her long list of family and friends to complete her life. She worked in various floral, retail and food industry positions, most recently at China Station in Lebanon until her diagnosis in November 2016.

She was a special person with a kind heart and a lovely smile. She attributed her loving beliefs and background to her maternal grandmother who cared and helped to raise her. Doreen was the best friend anyone could ever have. She will be greatly missed and always loved. She felt especially grateful for her relationships with her special life-long friend, Kathy Cole who she shared many of life's challenges with and Kathy's family who she has known since kindergarten as well as the Edwin Leavitt family whom loved and adored her.

Eleven years ago she met William "Harvey" Aldrich and she experienced new adventures such as hunting, fishing, spending time together at their camp in Rochester, VT, sitting by camp fires, riding Harley Davidson's through the White Mountains as well as going to flea markets and yard sales from here to there, creating a vast collection of items they enjoyed together. She was an avid New England Patriots fan and went to a game in Foxboro with Harvey to celebrate her 50th birthday. She also enjoyed watching the Red Sox and Bruins and continued to follow the NASCAR Races. She especially enjoyed Kyle Busch and all of Joe Gibbs Racing and Brittney Force and all of John Force Racing. Doreen found the love of gardening and made sure all the gravesites of those who passed including her friends and classmates, Nancy Clark and Sherri Royce, were blessed with flowers each year. She was asked to make several floral arrangements for wedding and funerals over the years. Country music was always a great part of her life, she especially loved to sing and dance. She sang on stage at the former Top Hat Restaurant in Ascutney at the age of eight and enjoyed going to kitchen junkets at a very young age. Doreen also sang with friends Joy Goodnow and Eddie Leavitt and sang solo and duo at many memorial services for loved ones through the years. She also attended many concerts including an AC/DC concert to celebrate her 51st birthday.

Doreen is predeceased by her father Edward Wyatt; maternal grandmother Evelyn C. Hall and brother-in-law Francis LaFlam.

She is survived by her mother Constance A. Wyatt of White River Jct., VT; her fiancé William "Harvey" Aldrich and his mother Margarete Aldrich both of White River Jct., VT; son Francis Colson III of Baldwinville, MA; daughter Katharine Colson and her partner Justin of Fitchburg, MA, step daughter Michelle Gavin and her husband Billy of Gardner, MA; sister Cynthia LaFlam of Claremont, NH; twin brothers Douglas and Donald Wyatt of White River Jct., VT, sister Wanda Bayer and her husband Mark of Williston, VT; grandchildren Abby, Ryan, Caleigh and Zoey as well as many cousins, nephews, nieces and extended family Sharon Aldrich, Alan and Chandra Aldrich and their children Amber, Aliza and Alan Jr.

A graveside service will be held at a time later in the spring in the Hartford Cemetery with a private committal also in the Post Mills Cemetery.

She and William "Harvey" took many trips to Wells Beach Maine. Doreen loved summertime at the beach and said it was just where she felt she always belonged. If your ever feeling lonely or missing her just look for the sunshine, sunflowers, frogs butterflies and a warm breeze or just sit on the beach with your toes in the sand and listen to the roaring ocean and you'll feel her soaking up the sun and feeling at home while resting in peace.

Condolences may be expressed to Doreen's family in an online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com.

In honor of Doreen please give a gift of your time or resources to a family who is caring for a loved one with cancer or make a contribution in her memory to St. Jude's Children's Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 3810 or www.stjude.org/give