Category: Obituary: Y

Stephen Yardley, the spouse of the Reverend Jane Dwinell, died 23 Feb 2021 in Shelburne, Vermont. Sky, as he was known, had been living with dementia since 2015, and had shared the story of that journey in a series of Sunday services and workshops he and Jane presented at UU churches.

Sky was born 18 April 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Needham, MA. After graduating high school in 1968, he attended Amherst College for three years, before deciding to pursue other interests. He traveled to British Columbia, stopped at Esalen, went to Hawaii, and trekked on the Appalachian Trail. Sky met a resident of Frog Run Farm, a commune in Vermont and moved there in 1973. He enjoyed acquiring practical and physical skills and started a dairy with three other commune members. In 1976, he and his partner, Polly Jerome, went to Iceland, worked for a year, and used their earnings to travel in Europe. In 1979, Sky and another commune member started Vermont Produce Cooperative, trucking produce from Boston to co-ops in Vermont, and then organic produce back to Boston.

He began delivering to Corner Café, a vegetarian restaurant in Randolph VT in 1984, and met Jane Dwinell, the café owner. In 1985 they embarked on their life journey together, building an off-grid homestead, Full Moon Farm, in Irasburg VT. They raised their two children, Dana and Sayer, there. While homesteading and parenting, Sky attended Woodbury College and became a family mediator.

In 2006, Sky and Jane retired and set off on other adventures.  They volunteered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, explored the rivers and canals of France in a houseboat, built and traveled in a tiny house, and cruised up the Intercoastal Waterway from Georgia to Lake Champlain in another boat. When Sky began showing signs of dementia, he and Jane traveled across country bringing that story to 25 congregations.

Sky was a curious, playful, easygoing and loving partner, parent and friend. His found joy in the natural world: working in the woods, hiking or skiing mountains, or floating on the water. He loved music — especially playing the piano and enjoying the live music of New Orleans — and had a song for every occasion. He is survived by his beloved life partner and wife, Jane Dwinell, of Alburgh, Vt.; his daughter Dana Dwinell-Yardley of Montpelier, Vt., and her circle of chosen family; his son Sayer Dwinell-Yardley and his partner, Emma Tait, of Burlington, Vt.; and other family.

Donations in Sky’s memory may be made to the Lake Champlain Committee, 208 Flynn Ave. #3F, Burlington, VT 05401, or lakechamplaincommittee.org; or to the South Burlington Community Justice Center, 19 Gregory Dr., South Burlington, VT 05403.

The Rev. Dayton Theodore Yoder, 100, died August 9, 2006. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Garrett Theological Seminary, and a masters degree at Drew University. In 1933 he received preliminary fellowship, with final fellowship on January 19, 1933. He served at Montpelier, VT, until 1938, then at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, WA. He worked for the UUA from 1961-1970. His life partner Lucille Bursch died just three months after his death. He is survived by his daughter Nancy Yoder of Ashland, OR and his son Richard Yoder of Boston, MA. A memorial service was held at the Spokane church.