InDepthNH.org scans the websites of New Hampshire funeral homes each week and selects at random some of our friends, relatives and neighbors to feature in this column. The people listed here passed away during the previous week and have some public or charitable connection to their community. InDepthNH.org is now offering obituaries through the Legacy.com service. We view this as part of our public service mission. Click here or on the Obituaries tab at the top of our home page to learn more. And if you know of someone from New Hampshire who should be featured in this column, please send your suggestions to NancyWestNews@gmail.com.
James Wood Squires, M.D., of Hollis, 85, died Dec. 9, 2022. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force as a flight medical officer, he was a founder of the Matthew Thornton Health Plan, New Hampshire’s first HMO. He was a general and vascular surgeon as well as the president and CEO. He retired in 1996 and entered the political arena by winning a seat in the New Hampshire Senate. He ran for governor in 2000. In 2001, he was the founding president of the Endowment for Health, which distributed more than $33 million to N.H. community organizations during his tenure. He also served as Hollis town moderator for 24 years, Hollis school district moderator for 19 years, and moderator for the Congregational Church of Hollis for decades. He was named Physician of the Year by the N.H. Hospital Association in 1994, Citizen of the Year in 2003 by the Nashua Chamber of Commerce, and winner of the Pettee Medal Award by the University of New Hampshire in 2012. (McGaffigan Family Funeral Home, Pepperell, Mass.)
Annette M. (Ragazzo) Cooke, 76, of Salem, died Dec. 14, 2022. She served as a state representative, a member of the Salem School Board, a Kelley Library trustee, a member of the board of directors for the Salem Boys and Girls Club, a member of the Salem Charter Commission, a member of the Salem Lions Club and a member of the Salem Area Women’s Club GFWC. She worked as a grant writer for the Derry Boys and Girls Club. She was a member and eucharistic minister at St. Joseph’s Church, organized the church fair and was a song leader. She was named Volunteer of the Year by Gov. Judd Gregg and was given the Ganley Award and the Lions Club’s Melvin Jones Award. (Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home)
Brian A. Cashman, 67, of Litchfield, died Dec. 13, 2022. He began his career as a deputy sheriff with the
Essex (Mass.) County Sheriff’s Office, and then as a patrol officer in the Newburyport Police Department.
He was a federal special agent for the then-Naval Investigative Service, now known as the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service (NCIS). In 1985, he was assigned to the foreign counterintelligence squad at
Norfolk, Va., handling and investigating the spy case of John Walker who had been selling top-secret
Navy messages to the Soviet Union for two decades. He was appointed to the New Hampshire Parole
Board and was an agent in the Defense Department’s Defense Security Service. Later, he was president
of the New Hampshire chapter of the American Society for Industrial Security, and was an insurance
fraud investigator, an investigator and regional manager for a national media company, and teacher of
high school diploma equivalency classes to inmates at Rockingham County House of Corrections.
(Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory)
Jackey H. Roberts, 58, of Chocorua, died Dec. 14, 2022. She spent the entirety of her education career with the Governor Wentworth Regional School District in numerous positions including principal, assistant principal, classroom teacher, and in special education posts. (Lord Funeral Home)
Walter G. “Skip” Stewart, 67, of Rochester, died Dec. 14, 2022. A U.S. Army veteran serving for more than 20 years, he was a professional drummer, and with his best friend, Paul Gentile, they toured and played with their band in many local venues. He was a lifetime member and former chaplain of the Disabled American Veterans and volunteered at many DAV events. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home)
Kerry Lee (Wadsworth) Bergeron, 60, of Belmont, died Dec. 9, 2022. She was a bail commissioner, justice of the peace, and notary. She was an active parishioner at Saint Joseph’s Parish in Belmont, and last month’s church fair was dedicated in her honor. She was also a member of the Intertribal Council of Laconia, collecting toys which were donated to a Native reservation for Christmas. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com)
Major (Ret.) Christopher B. Howard, 77, of Hudson, died Dec. 12, 2022. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he worked as a senior software developer at Lowell Shoe and HH Brown for 27 years. He volunteered with his sons’ boy scout troop. After retiring in 2005, he volunteered for the Nashua Soup kitchen and sang in the Concord Chorale as well as his church choir. (Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)
Mitchell Ryan Emery, 36, of Lancaster, died Dec. 9, 2022. He was sales manager at Moms North Country in Groveton. He received Polaris Industries’ Top Gun Award for sales for all of the Northeast in 2020. (Bailey Funeral Home)
Robert Haskins Thomas Dodson, 96, of White River Junction, Vt., and with ties to Dartmouth College in Hanover, died Dec. 12, 2022. Educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard College, Dartmouth College, Harvard Business School and the Centre des Études Industrielles in Geneva, Switzerland, he served in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. He was best known as one of the last Antarctic explorers of the dog team era. He was an assistant geologist and dog team driver on the 1947-48 Ronne Antarctic Expedition, the last U.S. Antarctic expedition to use dog teams for land transportation. The Dodson Peninsula on the ice-bound Weddell Sea at the eastern base of Antarctica’s Palmer Peninsula was named for his father. He was a life-long Fellow of the Antarctican Society and served as the society’s president in the 1980s. (Rand-Wilson Funeral Home)
Geraldine Catherine Conroy, 62, of Tuftonboro, died Dec. 10, 2022. Her obituary states that she was known by everyone in the Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro areas: “She waited on us, tended bar for us, catered parties, mentored others at ‘her’ restaurants and helped friends when they were sick.” She worked at the Lakeview Inn, J&G’s Place at the Kingswood Golf Course and “J& G’s Place” on Union Street. (Baker-Gagne Funeral Homes)
Jewel Winnifred (Garris) Hebert, 88, of Rochester, died Dec. 11, 2022. She was a past president and life member of the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary and member of the Somersworth Hilltop Lions Club, Democratic Women’s Club, and the Family Motor Coach Association. Her husband Ray was co-owner of Hebert’s Supermarket with his brothers, Roland and Donald, for over 30 years. She was a comptroller for James K. Horne Oil Company in Dover and Right on Target in Somersworth. She was also hostess/receptionist at the Dolly Copp Campground in Gorham. She served as a Girl Scout leader and helped build a camp for girl scouts. She and her husband built houses with the Habitat for Humanity Family Motor Coach group for 10 years. (J.S. Pelkey & Son Funeral Home)
Gail Angela (Rouleau) Jutras, 74, of Milan, died Dec. 9, 2022. She was a member of Good Shepherd Parish, where she served as eucharistic minister. She worked for Northern Human Services as an administrative assistant for over 30 years. She was also a long-time volunteer at Saint Vincent de Paul Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. (Bryant Funeral Home & Crematory)
Francis P. “Frank” Dunn, 72, of Salem, died Dec. 8, 2022. He and his wife Neale owned Hilltop Food and Deli in Windham, where they were known for cruise nights and fundraising activities for local charities. (Carrier Family Funeral Home & Crematory)
Michelle Kapos, 71, of Candia, died Dec. 10, 2022. She worked alongside her husband at the family salon, Peter’s Images Salon in Concord, for 20 years. She served as a member of the state Board of Cosmetology for five years. She was director of the Joy Ministry for Children for 10 years, and was recording secretary for the Philoptochos Society. Michelle received the ministry award from The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston in 2020 for her outstanding service to the church. (Connor Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center)
Maureen Scanlon Desmarais, 78, of Jaffrey, died Dec. 11, 2022. She was a physical education and Title I teacher at St. Patrick’s Elementary School and then was co-owner and operator of a flower and gift shop in Jaffrey for many years. She served on the Jaffrey selectboard, was a member of the Jaffrey Women’s Club, and was active in state Democratic politics. (Cournoyer Funeral Home & Cremation Center)
Kenneth Everett Mayo, 93, of Nashua, died Dec. 9, 2022. He made his career with Sanders Associates until the late 1960s, when he became one of the founders of a spin-off firm, Sanders Nuclear Corp., as a collaboration between Sanders Associates and Cambridge Nuclear Corp. That company worked on developing small nuclear power sources for remote situations, such as heating Navy diver suits for arctic conditions. He had a long career as a mechanical engineer and engineering consultant, including developing the plutonium nuclear reactor site at Hanford, Wash. He was a member of the board of the Nashua Symphony, the Nashua Arts & Science Center, and the Unitarian Church of Nashua, where he also sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. He was a member of the Nashua ActorSingers. He was active in the Nashua chapter of the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen. He also served several terms as a member of the N.H. Governor’s Advisory Council on Nuclear Energy. He was an instructor at Rivier College in Nashua. (Davis Funeral Home)
Arthur Robert Farrow Sr., 65, of Salem, died Dec. 10, 2022. A diesel and small engine mechanic, he worked at Granz Marine, Canobie Lake Park, B&H Marine and Laidlaw Bus Company. He also owned Farrow’s Power Equipment, where he worked side by side with his father and father-in-law. He taught at Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical High School. He was a member of the Salem Derry Elks Lodge 2226 as well as a member of the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Club. (Douglas & Johnson Funeral Home)
Norman “Peter” Reynolds, 94, of Londonderry, died Dec. 10, 2022. He began his career at the Rockingham Park Racetrack at the age of 9 and worked his way up to track superintendent. He was employed at the racetrack until the fire in 1980. He was also a police officer for the Town of Salem for 17 years. He came out of retirement at the age of 90 to work for Goundrey Funeral Home. He helped establish Kennedy Memorial Hospital for children, where he would bring a pony named “Proud Boy” in his car to visit the children. He devoted many hours to the Rockingham Park Racetrack Ministry. He was a member of the VFW auxiliary and Salem Derry Elks Lodge, 2226. (Goundrey Dewhirst Funeral Home)
Helen Louise Lord, 91, of Pittsburg, died Dec. 13, 2022. To many, she will be remembered as the school lunch lady. She worked for over three decades preparing and serving lunches at the Pittsburg School. She also spent her summers working at the Glen. She was a library trustee, supervisor of the checklist, member of the Firemen’s Association, the Old Home Day Committee, the Park Committee, and the Concerned Citizens of Pittsburg. (Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home)
Hon. Richard L. Cogswell, 74, of Effingham, died Dec. 11, 2022. He was a New Hampshire State Representative in 1992. He served with the U.S. Navy Reserves for nearly 25 years and retired as a chief petty officer. He was a member of the First Congregational Church in Ossipee and volunteered with Caring Hands and Celebrate Recovery ministries. He was one of the founders of White Horse Addiction Center Inc. in 2014, where he was a senior outpatient therapist. He also worked at Lakeview Neuro Rehab and Spaulding Rehab. He was president of R.L. Cogswell & Associates. (Lord Funeral Home)
Honey C. Hastings, 79, of Temple, died Dec. 10, 2022. She was an attorney whose practice centered on family law issues. She was a family mediator for divorce and parental rights cases and provided continuing education for attorneys, mediators, and others involved in family law issues. She drafted legislation to update N.H. statutes dealing with divorce, alimony, parental rights, and mediation. She was the author of the N.H. Divorce Handbook, which she updated in 2007. She was the current president of the Temple Historical Society. (Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium)
Anita Maria Conant, 64, of Hampton Falls, died Dec. 8, 2022. She was the postmaster of Newcastle and was involved in a car accident in 2005 that left her paralyzed from the neck down, unable to speak and requiring a ventilator to breath. She bore her condition with dignity and grace for nearly 18 years. Despite her injury, she went on motorhome trips to Florida and attended many Phillies spring training games, Penn State football games, college bowl games, NASA space shuttle launches, and more. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home)
Michael Hanchett, 61, of Cornish, died Dec. 9, 2022. He was an EMT/paramedic and became one of the inaugural full-time crew members on the newly incorporated Upper Valley Ambulance in Fairlee, Vt. He trained and mentored many new EMTs and paramedics. He later transferred to the Hanover Fire Department where he worked as a firefighter-paramedic until his retirement in 2012. (Ricker Funeral Homes & Crematory)
Kenneth G. Carr, 91, of Barnstead, died Dec. 13, 2022. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he was assistant fire chief for the Air Force at the Tracking Station in New Boston until his retirement. He was a 66-year member and past commander of the American Legion, Earl B. Clark Post 42. He was a long-time member of the Center Barnstead and Barnstead Parade fire departments and a long-time member of the Masonic Lodge in Pittsfield. He was a trustee and treasurer of River Cemetery alongside his wife, Ann, and later his daughter, Nancy. (Roan Family Funeral Home – Still Oaks Chapel)
Susan (Carmichael) Coy, 76, of Milford, died Dec. 11, 2022. She taught in the school systems of Nashua, Amherst and Merrimack and also Conventry, R.I. She was a reading specialist who helped many autistic children become literate. She also tutored children through the N.H. Masons. Sue attended First Baptist Church, where she and her mother, Trudy, started a youth service program. (Smith & Heald Funeral Home)
Charles B. Fletcher, 84, of Claremont, died Dec. 10, 2022. The family tells a story in his obituary of his attempt at becoming a police officer: He tried his hand as a law enforcement officer for a short time until one day, while directing traffic, he created such a traffic jam, he walked back to his cruiser and said, “They’ll figure it out on their own.” Instead, he served as a call firefighter. He was hired full time at the Claremont Fire Department in 1971 and rose to the rank of assistant chief. He was the local training officer and state-certified rescue diver. He was a state instructor for fire officer certifications. He was also one of the original cable men in Claremont, installing and building out the city’s original cable television network. (Stringer Funeral Home)
Arnold Irwin Seixas Rocklin-Weare, 73, of Weare, died Dec. 10, 2022. He served as town auditor, an administrative law judge and was a candidate for the N.H. House of Representatives in 2014 and 2016. He was a Mason who reached the level of Master at Harmony Lodge in Hillsborough. He was past secretary of the local branch of the NAACP. (Waters Funeral Home)