West Rupert-Wendy Marie Silakoski (née Hughes) died peacefully in her sleep on March 16. She was 75 years old.

Brave and fiercely independent, at the age of 17 she orchestrated her family's emigration from London, England. Shortly after arriving, she met her husband Leon John, to whom she would be married for 54 years. She and Leon traveled extensively, and always savored the journey as much as the destination. Their camping trips criss-crossed the country from Alaska to Florida.

She moved from Avenel, New Jersey to West Rupert, Vermont in 1988. Wendy and Leon spent years building the rural two-room hunting camp into their home, and it became the place she was truly happiest.

Wendy loved animals, from her cherished pets Harry and Gracie to the hummingbirds she fed from her kitchen window and the wild bears she photographed. She was an avid green thumb, and prided herself on her mountainside garden. She was also a voracious reader and lover of music. She believed strongly in the American dream and community service, donating much time and energy to the local Meals on Wheels program and other charities.

She will be remembered among those lucky enough to have known her well for her dignity, her love of family, her sharp sense of humor, her piecrust, and her refusal to settle.

Wendy is survived by her beloved husband Leon; her sister Lesley; her siblings-in-law Anne, Tom, Maggie, and Ted; her children Richard and Wendy-Leigh; and her grandchildren, Chelsea-Leigh, Raymond and Alex.