Hilda Mae Edson Yates, died peacefully on September 3, 2020 at the Jack Byrne Center at the age of 79, after a long battle with cancer. She was a loving wife, thoughtful friend, and a matriarch to her family, her community, and the many people whose lives she touched around the world.

Hilda was born March 2, 1941, at Windsor Hospital, the second of four children born to Ralph and Vernice Edson. Hilda grew up on Edson Farm in West Windsor, where she was molded by the bucolic and demanding life of rural Vermont. Her fondest memories of childhood were of riding horses with her family and friends. Hilda attended Albert Bridge Elementary School, during which she survived polio. Her best friend growing up was Anne Harvey.

Hilda graduated from Windsor High School in 1959, where she was honored along with David Taylor as Mr. & Mrs. of the Class of 1959, and the Vermont Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen award. She was named Most Popular, Best Speaker, Best Personality, and Most Versatile in her yearbook superlatives. She then attended the Forsyth School for Dental Hygiene at Tufts University, where she made lifelong friends with her classmates. She graduated with an Associates Degree in May of 1961, kicking off a 50 year career in dentistry, where she cared for and got to know thousands of patients.

In July of 1961, Hilda met her future husband, William "Bill" S. Yates, on a blind date in Burlington, Vermont, set up by mutual friend John Sinclair. They married on September 1, 1962. Their first years as a couple were spent on US Air Force bases, where Bill, an air force officer, was stationed as an air traffic controller and top ranking Air Force wrestler. They lived, for various spans of time, in Duluth, Minnesota; Biloxi, Mississippi; Boulder, Colorado; West Point, New York; Cartwright, Labrador, Canada; and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

In 1967, after Bill had been honorably discharged from the Air Force, Hilda and Bill purchased a farm along Route 44 in Windsor, Vermont. Together they raised livestock, harvested and sold hay, ran a fencing company and a construction company, sold yarn, tended magnificent flower gardens, and raised their children while they both pursued their own careers.

In the Yates Farm barn, they ran a popular clothing store, "Total Inspiration", where the Davis Brothers Garage Band would frequently practice. On the farm, Hilda and Bill hosted Fresh Air Fund children and foreign students through the Future Farmers of America. She catered the Vermont 100 Mile and 50 Mile races for many years and was a 4-H leader in Windsor County. Hilda and Bill enjoyed teaching and hiring the youth of Windsor and West Windsor, giving them opportunities to learn and work. These young adults are forever a part of the Yates family.

For the past 13 years, Hilda and Bill have hosted dinner at Yates Farm every Wednesday for their growing family. Hilda found great pride in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren, and would always catch up with them at family dinner. "Tell me everything," she would say, then she'd tease their stories out.

Though Hilda lost her sight, she didn't let it stop her great love of reading. She switched to audio books, and regularly listened to a book a day in her last months.

Hilda is survived by her loving husband, Bill; her siblings Sandy Tuttle, Brenda Miller, Perry Edson and Jean Robinson; her children, Anne (Chris Morley), Jim (Amanda Yates), Bill (Tammy Yates),Susan (Greg White) and Travis Lawyer (Destiny Lawyer); and her grandchildren, Nick (Xhesi Hysi), Ted, Bill, Sarah, MacKenzie, Daniel, Steven, Samantha, Sophia, Henry, Reeve, Trevor, Camden, Isabella, Ethan, Madison, Owen, Levi, and many adored nieces and nephews.

As Kurt Vonnegut wrote in Sirens of Titan , "A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved." Hilda loved everyone that was around to be loved, and in Hilda's heartbreaking absence, her loved ones will carry on that tradition.

A graveside service will be held Sunday, September 20, at 2PM in the Brownsville Cemetery.  Attendees will be encouraged to sit or stand on the large, open, grass embankment that overlooks Hilda's burial site. In keeping with State requirements, all attendees are required to wear a mask and practice social distancing.  In the case of inclement weather please bring an umbrella.  Condolences may be expressed to Hilda's family in an online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com .

Coming soon, Hilda's little free library that will contain her favorite books to share. To be a contributor to the purchase of her audio favorites in paper, email alyates13@yahoo.com