Remembering George Freeman Winfield

Age 72, Shelburne, Vt.
Passed away on March 23, 2020

Born April 8, 1947, he was the son of Gerald F. and Louise (Parks) Winfield, who served as missionaries (China) and worked as part of the U.S. Foreign Assistance Program (Burma) and as authors. Ted spent three of his early childhood years in Burma, and then was raised in McLean, Virginia where he met his first true love, Nancy Donaldson Winfield, when they were nine years old. They were married in their mid-twenties in Virginia at Ted's mother's house and had two beautiful daughters, Mollie and Lida. Together, living first in Kentucky and then in Vermont, until, tragically, Nancy passed away following a long illness in 1995. Since then, she has been loved and greatly missed by Ted and their daughters. He was both father, mentor, and incredible guide to his daughters Lida Winfield and Mollie (Winfield) Jewett and her husband, Travis Jewett.

In 1997, Ted met Nancy Herman, and the gift of his second loving relationship began. They loved to dance, to cook, and to travel together. In addition to their professional work, Ted and Nancy were both massage therapists and practitioners of watsu (water massage). They created "So Just Relax," a bed and breakfast in their home in Shelburne with a yoga studio and a greenhouse with a warm pool for watsu. On May 29, 2002, Ted and Nancy were married in the beautiful gardens that they created at their home. He became a beloved step-father to Ariel Teitelbaum (partner Peter Mazurak) and Maija Barnett (husband Rob Barnett). Ted was a kind and caring grandfather to Casey Jewett, Geneva Jewett, Lyla Barnett, and Calista Barnett. He loved nothing more than collecting shells with his grandchildren at the beach. Ted was an expert at identifying shells which he learned from a scholarship he had with the marine biologist Eugenia Clark when he was in high school.

Ted loved an adventure, and with his wife, Nancy Herman, traveled the world in his retirement - visiting family in Venice, Indonesia, and Australia; visiting his sister Nancy Cogan and brother-in-law Bruce Cogan in Australia; recently spending loving time with his sister Harriet Warfield, in Winchester, VA and his sister Margaret Sullivan and brother-in-law Dan Sullivan, in Falls Church, Virginia. His many nieces and nephews loved their Uncle Ted.

A gardener with fingers of gold - Ted could make anything grow including beautiful blueberry patches, grapevines, asparagus beds, and fruit trees, which he loved. His love for the land was matched by his compassionate heart for others. Ted was an excellent pie maker and showed his love for his family through the beautiful food that he prepared. Throughout his life, Ted was surrounded by strong women - his mother, three older sisters, his wives, his daughters and step-daughters. He had a deep respect for the feminine and his generosity of heart knew no bounds.

Ted was a graduate of Haverford College, Vice President of his Senior class and had recently attended his 50th reunion where he experienced much happiness and re-acquaintance. He earned a Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley and built a strong and successful career committed to public health administration. He rose to the position of Associate Dean for Finance at the University of Vermont Medical School before becoming Vice President for Budget and Resource Management at the University of Vermont. He served on the boards of numerous organizations including but not limited to The VT Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Cradle to Grave Arts. In all of these rolls he was regarded by all as an exceptional leader, facilitator and administrator. In all aspects of his life his motto was "Presume success."

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