Courtney Marie (Baker) Daffinrud died peacefully, surrounded by family, at the Lahey Hospital in Massachusetts on July 26, 2024. Courtney was a graduate of St. Johnsbury Academy, the University of Vermont, and Saint Michael’s College. She was loved fiercely by her parents, six siblings, husband, three children, extended family, friends and so many other people whose lives she touched.
Courtney was the first of seven children, and, as such, held a quiet power that made it easy to follow her lead. Growing up as the oldest in a big, loud family, Courtney never took the spotlight, always preferring to observe her siblings while they shined, sang and made her laugh. If you were lucky enough to sit right next to her, you may have gotten her razor-sharp narrative of an event, but she was never going to fight for airtime. Throughout her childhood, Courtney excelled in school, played sports and helped to wrangle her many younger siblings. She was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis when she was 11, and navigating her many health challenges only seemed to make her stronger and more capable. She beat all the odds forecasted by her illness and surpassed so many predictions to have a thriving family and career.
While studying psychology at the University of Vermont, Courtney discovered a passion for working with children on the autism spectrum, particularly those with profound verbal and functional challenges. She became laser-focused academically and professionally, knowing at a young age that she wanted to help children with this profile to find their way in the world. Shortly after graduating from UVM, Courtney worked at the May Center on Cape Cod, gaining skills and finding inspiration that would fuel her career.
It was at the May Center that she met Eric Daffinrud. The two fell in love and were married in 2006. They were a perfect match, and Eric loved her deeply from the moment he met her until the moment she passed. Together, they had three children, Lennon, Sawyer and Anders. Courtney loved her children more than anything and often said she would rather be at home hanging out with them than doing just about anything else. She and Eric built a beautiful life for their family in Kirby, Vt., where they renovated a farmhouse so their children could access the amazing community at Riverside School. Her family loved gathering at her house, and Courtney treasured all the time she spent with her parents, siblings, and her many nieces and nephews, who all felt a special safety and love around her.
Throughout her life, Courtney continued to pursue her passion for helping children. She attained her masters in psychology from Saint Michael’s College and became a board-certified behavior analyst. Shortly thereafter, she began to build her dream — a center where children of the Northeast Kingdom in need of intervention could attain life-changing services. Kingdom Autism & Behavioral Health Services was born out of Courtney’s love for working with these children and grew to be a hub of autism services in Vermont. Courtney mentored staff members, developed curriculum that would serve this niche of children and made a lasting impact throughout the state. Her center, and those who learned from her, will carry on in her honor, working as tirelessly as she did to help children find a way to access their potential.
Courtney’s family, friends and professional community will never be the same without her. She was a stabilizing force, a voice of reason, a cheerleader, a caretaker and someone whose advice was always treasured.
Courtney is predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Roberta Cronan and Leo Cronan; paternal grandparents, Lily Baker and Joseph Rocha; and uncles, Michael Cronan, Kenneth Cronan and Joseph Rocha.
She is survived by her husband, Eric Daffinrud; her children, Lennon Daffinrud, Sawyer Daffinrud and Anders Daffinrud; her parents, Mary Ann Baker and David Baker; her siblings, Abbey Baker, Shannon (Baker) Dugger, Heather Baker Morris, David Baker, Cullen Baker and Lily Baker; and her 10 nieces and nephews.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at caledonialifeservices.com.