from the Lowers ’ grandson , Ernest LaBrie ! A few days later , “ Ernie ” and I talked on the phone . He confirmed that he came to live with his grandparents , Bill and Ila , when he was three months old . According to Ernie , Ila started baking in her own home in the early 1950s , rising early to start the donuts before reporting to work at the mill . At first , she sold donuts to the neighbors , and then it grew from there . When Bill and Ila would vacation on Lake Champlain in the summer , Ila was selling donuts to other campers in the campground . When Bill retired from the Woolen Mills several years later , Ila quit her job as a seamstress there , and it was then that they went into full swing , creating a substantial business of baking pies , cakes , bread , and of course , donuts . The Lowers then converted their garage into a bakery , purchasing a big commercial oven to bake multiple loaves of bread and started selling donuts and bread to local restaurants and stores . Some people may wonder what my drive was behind this obsession with the Donut Man . I ’ m not really sure how to answer that . Perhaps it was the novelty of stopping at a roadside stand to buy donuts before there were “ Dunkin Donuts ” in our area . Or maybe it was the warm connections I made with memories of making donuts with my own grandmother , and a special childhood friend whose mother always had homemade glazed donuts waiting for us . It ’ s possible that we all have faint memories that leave us wanting to know more . Whatever the reason , my curiosity has led to uncovering a sweet piece of history in the rural town of Johnson , Vermont . I never imagined that my search would be such a fun and fascinating adventure , meeting interesting people along the way , and that it would lead me to find both the “ Donut Man ” and the “ Donut Woman !” Bill and Ila Lower may have been gone for 50 years , but plenty of people still remember them !
Mary Alexander Peet ( on right ) with her twin sister , Martha Alexander ( on left ) in front of the Lower ’ s gravestone , Lamoille View Cemetery , Johnson , VT , October , 2021 ( Photo courtesy of Mary Alexander Peet ).
Mary Alexander Peet is a retired teacher living in Richmond , Vermont . She has never made a batch of donuts herself . Mary would love to hear from anyone who might remember the Lowers and their baking business and / or have photos to share . Please reach out to Mary at mpeetfarm @ gmail . com
Some of the research shared by Mary Alexander Peet
The Vermont Writers ’ Prize is a collaboration between GMP and Vermont Magazine . It was created in 1989 as a way to celebrate Vermont , writing , and to honor Ralph Nading Hill , Jr ., a Vermont historian , author , and long-time GMP Board member . The contest is open to all Vermont residents , including seasonal and college students , and you can be a professional or amateur writer .
VTMAG . COM SUMMER 2023 17