CHARLES T. “CHARLIE” WILSON, St. George, VT,
died December 13, 2017 of a stroke following heart surgery. He taught graduate education courses at Saint Michael’s for a time. He had an education bachelor’s from Castleton State College (1969) and a master’s from the University of Vermont. He taught at Williston Central School for 35 years, first in math and then as the school’s first technology director and pioneered the use of computers there. He was a founder of VITA-learn (Vermont Information Technology Association for Learning), worked with educators around the state on technology in schools, and won awards for his work. He loved world travel, waterskiing and tubing, flying planes, doing Sudoku puzzles and playing guitar. He built his own home and lake house. Charlie is survived by his wife, Jane, a daughter a son and extended family.
ROBERT DECORMIER, Belmont, VT, died November 7, 2017. The famous composer, musician and prolific arranger of choral music was presented an Honorary Degree by Saint Michael’s at the May Commencement in 2016, sponsored by Nathaniel E. Lew of the College’s music faculty, who took over as conductor of the Vermont choral group Counterpoint from DeCormier in recent years. For well over half a century, DeCormier’s presence in the world of classical and folk music has been felt around the world and at home in Vermont, A graduate of Juilliard, he straddled classical and folk music, often bringing the two together in new ways. After Army service in World War II and being wounded, he came to sing in a socially conscious chorus, went to Juilliard, became a conductor of Jewish folk group and started arranging folk music. Around that time he met Harry Belafonte and soon was working with him on albums and other projects It became an extended collaboration. He began the Robert De Cormier singers in 1962, and the group toured and recorded. In 1970 he became director of the New York Choral Society. He also worked extensively with the popular folk trio Peter, Pau & Mary. In 1993 he started the Vermont, Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and
then Counterpoint. He and his wife lived on a farmhouse in Belmont, Vermont since 1956 on and off, moving full-time to Vermont in 1977. His son predeceased him that year. He is survived by his wife, Louise, a daughter and extended family. ROBERT L. DILLMEIER, Hobe Sound, FL, died February 6, 2018. Robert served on the Saint Michael’s Board of Trustees from 1993-99, and his family established the Dillmeier Family Scholarship in 1993 and Robert had been a Leadership Supporter of the College. A 1962 graduate of Brown University where he played lacrosse, was his fraternity president and earned an economics degree, Robert went on to a long and accomplished work career as an entrepreneur. He later earned his MBA from New York University. His diversified professional career started at Paine Webber, Jackson and Curtis as an investment banker. From there he co-founded Campbell and Dillmeier, a real estate investment trust consulting firm. He retired as president and CEO of Dillmeier Enterprises, a glass fabrication company in Fort Smith, AR. With offices in Garden City, NY, Robert served on the board of the Knights of Malta along with his time on the Saint Michael’s board. He was an accomplished seaman and member of a yacht club. He retired to Florida in 2017. Robert is survived by his wife, Margaret, two sons, David Dillmeier ’93 and Kurt
Dillmeier ’93, a daughter, Elizabeth Reilly ’88, and extended family including daughter-in-law Allyson Dillmeier ’91. ANTONIO “TONY” POMERLEAU, Burlington,
VT died February 8, 2018. He was an emeritus trustee, serving from 1970-78 and 1997-2003, and earned an Honorary Degree from the College in 1994, while sending two children and a granddaughter to Saint Michael’s. The Antonio and Rita Pomerleau Alumni Center at the College is named to honor Mr. Pomerleau and his wife of 71 years, Rita. Tony was born in Quebec and drew up in Newport, VT, in the Northeast Kingdom, before moving to Burlington in 1945. He and Rita raised 10 children. Tony built a business empire in the greater Burlington area and beyond. He was entrepreneurial and clever from his youth and a foray into the grocery business combined with an offer to get into the new “motel” business soon led to the innovative idea of creating a cluster of retail businesses joined together in the same location outside a city-center with convenient parking. His retail empire was born with the opening of the Ethan Allen Shopping Center in Burlington’s new north end in 1955. He also established a large insurance agency in the early 1950s, and lucrative real estate business with his oldest son, Ernest Pomerleau ’69. Once
IN MEMORIAM
earned her bachelor’s degree at the College of St. Rose in Albany in 1941. Florence was active with the Catholic Daughters, the Bishop’s Fund, and the Edmundite-administered St. Stephen’s Church in Winooski. She enjoyed travel, camping at Malletts Bay and time at the Winooski Senior Center. She learned to drive at the age of 75 when her husband, Lafayette, the former Winooski schools superintendent, died in 1987. Florence is survived by Dr. John Saucier, MD, and extended family.
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