South Woodstock, VT. Clover Breiling Durfee, 92, passed away unexpectedly at her home in South Woodstock on Tuesday morning, July 7, 2020. She was born in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY on September 24, 1927, the daughter of Ralph and Leila (Wadsworth) Breiling. Clover attended Cornell University and being an avid horseback rider, she was accompanied there by her Morgan horse. After graduating in 1949, Clover worked in the chemistry lab at the New York-Cornell University Hospital while taking night classes at Cooper Union Art School. When Clover was in NYC, her parents moved to South Woodstock and cared for her horse. The separation from her Morgan proved to be too much, so Clover moved to Vermont. She worked in the lab at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (now Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center). Clover married John Durfee in 1952 and lived with John in Bethel for thirty-eight years before she moved South Woodstock.

Clover and John raised their children in Bethel. Clover was always heading somewhere in her Volkswagen Beetle—taking her children to swim lessons, ski lessons, horseback riding lessons, art lessons, tennis lessons, and other creative endeavors. Clover also made time to be a Cub Scout den mother, Sunday school teacher, and a volunteer ski instructor at Pinnacle Ski Ways. She took art classes at Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth and worked with clay in her home studio. Always having a Morgan horse, Clover would ride on the back roads around Bethel, occasionally show at the Stock Farm, and rode in the historic GMHA 3-Day Hundred Mile trail ride. After moving to South Woodstock, Clover volunteered at Glad Rags, the Woodstock Senior Center, the Woodstock Garden Club, and served on the boards of Mid-Vermont Red Cross and Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society. She loved attending local book club meetings and kayaking with the Woodstock Kayakers. Clover cherished her family, friends, and animals. She had a deep sense of affection for the environment and fairness to all of humanity. She designed and built her South Woodstock home to be completely free of fossil fuel by relying on active and passive solar (along with a cozy wood stove!).

Clover is survived by four children: Bobbie Durfee of Pittsfield, VT; Eric Durfee and his wife Helen of Incline Village, NV; Tamara Durfee of Burlington, VT; Lang Durfee and his wife Lorraine of Bethel Vermont; seven grandchildren: Travis Durfee and his wife Pamela of Pleasanton, CA; Nathan Durfee and his wife Michelle of Charleston, SC; Kress Reed and her husband Clayton of Denver, CO; Jessica Bender and her husband Jeffrey of West Point, NY; Andrew Durfee and his wife Morgan of Quechee, VT; Matthew Durfee of Bethel, VT; and Emily Durfee of Austin, TX; and six great grandchildren: Emma, Jeffrey, Chase, Logan, Calvin, and little Remy Clover.

Clover was predeceased by her sister, Patsy Chazen, and her brother, Robert Breiling.

Clover will be fondly remembered for many things—her easy smile, witty charm, grit, political views, friendship, generosity, affection for animals, and her passion for the environment. She loved Vermont and South Woodstock. Clover would often say, "It's been a great ride!"

At Clover's request, there will be no service. An online guest book is available at www.cabotfh.com . Knowing Clover, in lieu of flowers, a donation to your local humane society or animal shelter would make her spirit smile.