Veterinarian had a lifetime passion for folk music, especially the banjo
John William Paeplow, DVM passed away peacefully at Woodbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing in Berlin, Vt., on Friday, February 21, 2025. John was born on February 5, 1941, to William and Jane (Cummings) Paeplow in Buffalo, N.Y. He spent his childhood in Snyder, N.Y. He enjoyed playing sports with friends and neighbors, fishing with his father, and family vacations in the Zoar Valley. His fondest memories were of spending parts of his summers with his Canadian cousins, Bill, Dick and Harold (Ozzie) Miller, on their farm in Guelph, Ontario. He developed a sincere admiration for his uncle, Dr. Henry Miller. Later in life, he would often tell people that he patterned his life after him. One of his favorite stories about Dr. Miller was how the man would administer his services based on a sliding fee scale, then donate the surplus funds to needy people around Guelph. Whenever John helped a neighbor or donated his own time or resources to some community project or initiative, it was probably Henry’s influence weighing on him. John was an accomplished athlete at Amherst Senior High School. Following graduation, he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. There, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, followed by a doctorate in veterinary medicine. John moved to northern Vermont to start his practice. He began his career as a large-animal specialist, which gave him the opportunity to visit the dairy farms and meet the people throughout the region. Being a real “people person,” John truly enjoyed these interactions. However, after a few years of driving through whiteout blizzards in the middle of the night to deliver a calf or tend to a colicky horse, John began exploring the merits of hosting a small-animal practice. John married Theresa Isabel Duffy of Milton, Vt. They settled in Georgia, Vt., and took great joy in watching their three active sons, John William (“Bill”), Patrick and Martin grow up. In the summer, they travelled extensively. The highlight of the winter was flooding their tennis court to form a hockey rink that was enjoyed by many in the community. John has several happy memories of these years surrounded by his immediate and extended family, as well as the many friends he made along the way. Although veterinary medicine was the focus of his professional interests, John’s passion for folk music, especially the banjo, lasted a lifetime. In his later years, he was…
Veterinarian had a lifetime passion for folk music, especially the banjo
John William Paeplow, DVM passed away peacefully at Woodbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing in Berlin, Vt., on Friday, February 21, 2025. John was born on February 5, 1941, to William and Jane (Cummings) Paeplow in Buffalo, N.Y. He spent his childhood in Snyder, N.Y. He enjoyed playing sports with friends and neighbors, fishing with his father, and family vacations in the Zoar Valley. His fondest memories were of spending parts of his summers with his Canadian cousins, Bill, Dick and Harold (Ozzie) Miller, on their farm in Guelph, Ontario. He developed a sincere admiration for his uncle, Dr. Henry Miller. Later in life, he would often tell people that he patterned his life after him. One of his favorite stories about Dr. Miller was how the man would administer his services based on a sliding fee scale, then donate the surplus funds to needy people around Guelph. Whenever John helped a neighbor or donated his own time or resources to some community project or initiative, it was probably Henry’s influence weighing on him. John was an accomplished athlete at Amherst Senior High School. Following graduation, he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. There, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, followed by a doctorate in veterinary medicine. John moved to northern Vermont to start his practice. He began his career as a large-animal specialist, which gave him the opportunity to visit the dairy farms and meet the people throughout the region. Being a real “people person,” John truly enjoyed these interactions. However, after a few years of driving through whiteout blizzards in the middle of the night to deliver a calf or tend to a colicky horse, John began exploring the merits of hosting a small-animal practice. John married Theresa Isabel Duffy of Milton, Vt. They settled in Georgia, Vt., and took great joy in watching their three active sons, John William (“Bill”), Patrick and Martin grow up. In the summer, they travelled extensively. The highlight of the winter was flooding their tennis court to form a hockey rink that was enjoyed by many in the community. John has several happy memories of these years surrounded by his immediate and extended family, as well as the many friends he made along the way. Although veterinary medicine was the focus of his professional interests, John’s passion for folk music, especially the banjo, lasted a lifetime. In his later years, he was…