Joanne Ringquist, 78, died March 17, 2012, at her home in Fair Haven, VT. She was born October 29, 1933, in Canandaigua, NY, the daughter of Gordon VanGelder and Helen Irene Maxon. She was raised by her grandparents, Louis and Alma VanGelder. On December 20, 1952, Joanne married Gordon K. Ringquist whom she met on a blind date. The couple moved from Rochester, NY to Vermont in 1957 and to Castleton in 1962. In the years that followed, Joannes passion for food and the restaurant business grew as she learned from and worked for Ernie and Willa Royal. Later, Joanne and Gordon owned and operated Ringquists Dining Room in Bomoseen for over 20 years. Prior to her retirement, Joanne worked for Metromail in Rutland and at Green Mountain College in Poultney. The couple was well known for the homemade donuts they sold at local farmers markets and from their home. On many weekends a steady stream of friends and neighbors were drawn to the Ringquist home by the promise a warm homemade donut. Upon retirement, Joanne and Gordon became part of the Young at Heart Senior Center in Poultney. Joanne was a volunteer in the Centers program that clips coupons for our Troops. While she enjoyed the daily lunches and participating in the activities at the Center, she especially appreciated and valued the friends she made there. Joanne was a gifted knitter and loved to share her handiwork. She made lap blankets for nursing home patients, clothing for newborns at RRMC, and doll clothing for the RSVP doll rescue program. She enjoyed solving and building puzzles. She loved gardening, feeding and watching birds, and her annual trip to the Addison Wildlife Preserve to watch the migrating waterfowl. She was an avid collector; her family is convinced there was never a yard sale she could pass by. Joanne is survived by her husband, Gordon and their children J. Eric and his wife Colleen and their children Emily and Ethan; Carl and his wife Alice and his son Christopher; Linda and her husband Joseph Doran; Karen and her husband Jeffrey Close and their daughters Jennifer and Allison; Carolyn (Sam) and her husband George Chandler and their sons Geoffrey and Alexander; Van and his children Chelsea and Gavin; and Becky and her husband William Short and their daughters Anne Marie and Lyndsie. She is also survived by five great-grandchildren, her brother Gordon (Skip) VanGelder, her sisters Helen Rowe and Janet VanGelder, eight step and half siblings, and many nieces and nephews. Joanne was predeceased by her parents and an infant son, Nathan. There will be a memorial service at 2:00 pm Saturday, March 24, 2012, at the Ducharme Funeral Home, 1939 Main Street, Castleton, with the Reverend Audrey Murdock officiating. The family will continue to receive friends after the service until 4:00 pm. At her request, Joanne donated her body to the Anatomical Gift Program at the UVM College of Medicine. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society at American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718 Arrangements are under the direction of the Ducharme Funeral Home Inc. www.ducharmefuneralhome.com