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.
Denise T. Askin, Ph.D, 76, of Manchester and formerly of Bedford, died June 6, 2023. She held a PhD. In American Literature from the University of Notre Dame, and an honorary doctorate from Saint Anselm College, where she taught for many years. She was a professor of English at St. Anselm College since 1972, as well as executive vice president for 11 years and as a member of the board of trustees. Her research interests and publishing included the poetry of Walt Whitman, Henry James, T.S. Eliot, Flannery O’Connor, and Samson Occom, an 18th century minister and member of the Mohegan nation. She was a member of the board of trustees of the N.H. Humanities Council, for which she designed and led many seminars, especially for veterans who returned from war, and a literature and medicine program for doctors and other medical personnel. She was also a longtime CASA volunteer as well as a volunteer at VNA Hospice. (Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory)
Pauline Anne “Chip” Davidson, 81, of Nashua, died June 2, 2023. She was the widow of former Nashua Mayor Donald C. Davidson and worked as a legal secretary prior to her marriage. Later she was involved in their many family businesses, including, The Captains Corner, Davidson Flight Service and as president of Davidson Travel Service. (Farwell Funeral Service)
George Christo Pitarys, 85, of Nashua, died June 4, 2023. A U.S. Air National Guard veteran, he was the owner of George Pitarys Construction and co-owner of Pitarys Homes Inc. He was a member of the Elks Lodge No. 720, and a parishioner of St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church in Nashua and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Dracut. He worked with his sons on the old family farm on West Hollis Street where they operated a retail flower business. (Zis-Sweeney and St. Laurent Funeral Home)
The Rev. Henry M. Frost, 81, of Concord, died June 1, 2023. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served as associate pastor at Loudon Congregational Church and senior pastor at Loudon Center Freewill Baptist Church and the United Church of Danbury. He retired in 2021. (Bennett Funeral Home)
Edward Richard McFarland Jr., 88, of Laconia, died June 5, 2023. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and an accountant who established T&M builders with his brother-in-law and father-in-law, building many homes in Guilford, Conn., in the early sixties. He helped establish the Guilford Junior Football League and was an active member of the Lion’s Club. He relocated to Laconia in 1983 and was vice president of finance at Allen-Rogers Ltd. He was a board member of the Lakes Region Mental Health Center for many years. He was also a member and former treasurer of Wilkins-Smith Post No. #1 American Legion. For the past 25 years he served as president of the Blueberry Lane Condo Association. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)
Valmore A. Hannah, 87, of West Lebanon, died June 5, 2023. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he and his father opened Hannah’s Mobile Home Park in Lebanon in 1959 and ran the park until his retirement in 1999. He coached in the West Lebanon Youth Hockey Association, supported the La Salette Community, and was a member of the Lebanon Lodge of Elks. (Ricker Funeral Homes & Crematory)
Lee Hurd, 90, of Hanover, died June 1, 2023. A veteran of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, he headed the Information Technology department for 23 years at Split Ball Bearing in Lebanon. He served several terms as Hanover School District moderator. He also worked for Professional Systems Corporation in Vermont and developed IT programs for GW Plastics in Bethel, Vt. In retirement, he helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity. He served various boards at the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, as well as a term as president of the Board of Elders. He was a choir member of Burlington’s First Congregational Church. (Rand-Wilson Funeral Home)
David Abby Eastwood, 82 of Moultonborough, died June 3, 2023. He worked as a credit manager at Sears for 31 years and volunteered at Concord Hospital of Laconia, Lakes Region Care Givers, and Meals on Wheels of Moultonborough/Sandwich. He was also an active member of the Moultonborough United Methodist Church. (Mayhew Funeral Home)
Armand R. Soucy, 86, of Goffstown, died June 4, 2023. He worked for the Letendre and Phaneuf Funeral Homes for many years and retired from the City of Manchester Parks and Recreation Department with 25 years of service. After retirement, he worked at St. Peter’s Day Care where he was affectionately known as Mr. Armand. He volunteered for 27 years with The Saint Vincent De Paul Society. He was also an emergency room volunteer at Catholic Medical Center for over 30 years and amassed over 8,200 volunteer hours. He was honored as CMC Volunteer of the Year and received the 2016 Hillsborough County John D. Vaughan Award in recognition of his leadership and volunteer services. (Lambert Funeral Home)
John C. Forster, 87, of Durham, died June 3, 2023. A retired major in the U.S. Air Force, he was assigned as a B-52 co-pilot at Glasgow AFB Montana. In 1969 he was assigned as a B-58 aircraft commander at Little Rock AFB Arkansas. In 1970 he was assigned to the 480th tactical fighter squadron at Phu Cat AB, Vietnam, where he flew over 300 combat missions. He was a commander pilot with over 4,000 flying hours. (Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory)
Charles “Les” Adie, 86, of Nashua, died June 2, 2023. He taught at Wilmington (Mass.) High School, then at Nashua High School and Moody Junior High in Lowell, Mass., before becoming a math professor at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill, Mass. He also served as chairman of the Math Department, retiring in 1997. He continued to teach as an adjunct professor of mathematics at Southern New Hampshire University. He was president and treasurer of the Notre Dame Club of New Hampshire and ran his own handyman business, Adie Associates. (Farwell Funeral Home)
Dr. Janet Cate, 63, of New London, died June 6, 2023. She was a Sister of Saint Joseph for 10 years and was a professor at Boston University where she taught new teachers how to teach. She supervised students overseas in both the UK and Australia. In later years, she has been an active member of online communities for mindfulness, building community, and spirituality. (Chadwick Funeral and Cremation Service)
Mary Louise “Mary Lou” Linnemann, 76, a Windham, died June 1, 2023. She was a registered nurse in the Windham School District for almost three decades and was also a travel agent for America Travel. She did philanthropic work including for St. Matthews and the Lazarus House. (Carrier Family Funeral Home)
WORDS OF WISDOM: “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.” Mark Twain, Nov. 30, 1835 to April 21, 1910