Thu. Jan 9th, 2025
Black and white side profile of an older man with a beard, wearing a wide-brimmed leather hat and looking into the distance.
Photo by Jack Rowell

Birth March 27, 1952

Barton, VT

Death Dec. 27, 2024

Burlington, VT

Details of service

A celebration of Graydon’s life will be held at a later date to honor his legacy. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Vermont Traditions Coalition at PO Box 323, Williamstown, VT 05679.


Graydon Barron Stevens passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends on Dec. 27, 2024, in Burlington, Vermont, at the age of 72. Born on March 27, 1952, in Barton, Vermont, Graydon was the beloved son of Bruce and Priscilla Stevens.

Graydon spent the early years of his life on his family farm in West Glover. At the age of 10, his family moved to a house that had several rental cabins, known as Mack’s Cottages, on Lake Salem in Derby, Vermont. These formative years, surrounded by Vermont’s natural beauty, shaped his love for the outdoors and close-knit community living.

Graydon attended grade school in Barton and went on to graduate from North Country Union High School in Newport, Vermont, in 1970. During his high school years, he participated in theatre, excelled as a soccer and basketball player, and showcased his passion for music by forming a party band with his classmates. This early musical endeavor led him to a lifelong journey as a folk musician, performing and organizing events such as the Cabin Fever Folk Festival that brought people together through the power of music.

In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, Graydon was a chimney sweep, operating a business called “Soot n’ Cinder Chimney Sweeps.” He grew the business to service about 1,600 properties per year in Chittenden and Addison Counties. He will always be remembered as a championship horseshoe player and for creating the political bumper sticker, ‘Moonlight in Vermont OR STARVE.’

In the mid-1990s, Graydon founded a business called “Adventure Guides of Vermont, Inc.,” which served as a precursor to the nonprofit organization VOGA (Vermont Outdoor Guide Association). In 2001, he launched Vermont Outdoors Woman and “Doe Camp.” Graydon served as the Executive Director of these initiatives for the remainder of his life, passionately championing their impact. His efforts advocated for outdoor professionals and enhanced access to Vermont’s natural resources, bolstering the state’s image as a premier destination for outdoor adventure and skill development. In 2019, Graydon collaborated with Senator John Rodgers to establish September as River Cleanup Month in Vermont. Additionally, Graydon stepped up to help ensure the LCI Father’s Day Derby would continue when its existence was threatened in 1997. He served for many years as a volunteer on the board of its parent organization, Lake Champlain International, helping to guarantee that its mission of protecting fisheries and water quality continues to this day. Graydon also contributed his expertise as a board member of The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council.

Graydon was an avid hunter and fisherman who loved the land and enjoyed teaching others to appreciate Vermont’s natural resources and wildlife. His tender heart was evident in his rescue and raising of wolf dogs. He was a founding father of the Vermont Traditions Coalition and the Champion Lands Leaseholders Association which was the voice for thousands of Vermonters who protect the traditional values of hunting, fishing, recreation, farming, and timber harvesting to name a few.

Graydon’s life was a tapestry woven with music, cooking, and a deep connection to his Vermont roots. He worked tirelessly with tact, diplomacy, and curiosity to promote the enjoyment of the great outdoors, with respect for both the environment and the individual. He will be remembered for his warm smile, his talent for bringing people together, and his unwavering love for his family, friends, and community. Graydon was a man who was not driven by money but rather by principle.

He is predeceased by his parents, Bruce Larrabee Stevens and Priscilla Barron Stevens, stepfather Ernest Mack, Aunt Ruth Barron, and beloved nephew, Taylor Stevens McLaughlin. He is survived by those who knew and loved him, including his brother, Larry Bruce Stevens, and sisters, Rowena Stevens Drown and Carley Stevens-McLaughlin; nieces and nephews, Eric Stevens, Tinah Stevens, Rhonda Coates, Jarrett Drown, Jamie Drown, Cassandra Townshend, and Calista Corley; life-long best friend, Frank Stanley; and many others.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Graydon Barron Stevens.