BETHEL, VT — Marianne “Nan” Brigham, 86, died at Valley Terrace in White River Junction on April 25, 2020 after a long illness. She was born in Chicago Ill. to Marshall Edward Dimock and Lucy Stotesbury Dimock. She attended a one room school in Jamaica, Vt, Whitcomb High School in Bethel, Vt and graduated from San Bernardino (Calif.) High School. She earned a BA from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She had advanced graduate courses in psychology, supervision and group treatment. She wrote her master’s thesis on alcoholism and attended the New England School of Alcohol Studies.
She worked for the Orange County California Welfare Department, the Vermont Department of Social Welfare, Family Service of New Haven Connecticut, and the Veterans Administration hospitals in Northhampton Mass. and White River Junction, Vermont where she was a clinical social worker and acting chief. She was the first director of social service at Gifford Memorial Hospital in Randolph, Vermont. She was a field work instructor for the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, and was a volunteer for Toys for Tots, American Cancer Society, Red Cross United Way, United Church of Bethel, Bethel Food Shelf, and White River Interfaith Caregivers. She was involved in starting the Interfaith Caregivers, and was treasurer of their board of directors.
She held offices in the Hampshire County Massachusetts Community Council, the New Haven, Conn. Social Workers Organization, the Massachusetts and Vermont chapters of the National Association of Social Workers, and was a certified social worker. She was a member of the Council of Social Work Education, and was on an advisory council to the Vermont Department of Social Welfare. She was vice chairman of the Northfield and White River chapters of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, chairman and secretary of the Board of Deacons of the United Church of Bethel, and secretary of Unity Circle of the United Church of Bethel. She was listed in Who’s Who of American women.
Her interests included being with her friends and relatives, intellectual and humorous pursuits, sports, fishing and hunting, reading, helping others, knitting, photography, painting, writing poetry, singing, studying nature, cooking and yard sales.
She married Wendell Phillips Brigham on March 17, 1972. He predeceased her in 2005. She was predeceased by four brothers, Milton, Mark, Edward and Timothy. She is survived by her brother, Davis Dimock and his wife, Victoria Weber. She is also survived by her stepchildren, Marilyn White, Darlene Wright and Maurice Brigham, nine step grandchildren, fourteen step great grandchildren, one step great great grandchild, as well as a niece and nephew.
A memorial service will be held at the United Church in Bethel at a later date due to Corona virus precautions. There will be no calling hours. Cremation will be followed by interment in the Cherry Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Church of Bethel. Online condolences may be left at www.dayfunerals.com. Arrangements are being made by Day Funeral Home of Randolph.