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 weeks 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.
The Rev. Marcel M. Allard, 85, of Manchester, died Jan. 23, 2024. He was ordained a priest in 1965 and served as pastor of St. Paul Parish, Franklin; St. Paul Parish, Candia; St. Francis Xavier Parish, Nashua; and St. Patrick Parish, Newport. He was associate pastor of St. George Parish in Manchester and temporary administrator of St. Theresa Parish, Manchester; Holy Family Parish, Gorham; and Sacred Heart Parish, Wilton. He was also pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Newton; Sacred Heart Parish, Manchester; Parish of the Resurrection, Nashua; St. Matthew Parish, Windham; Mary, Mother of the Church, Newton; St. Jude Parish, Londonderry; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Manchester; and administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Concord. During retirement, he served as a chaplain at several churches. (Durning, Bykowski & Young Funeral Home)
Wayne Brunt, 86, of Meredith and Barefoot Bay, Fla, died Jan. 20, 2024. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he was as a New Hampshire State Trooper and a member of the State Police dive team and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team. He was a K9 handler for search and rescue with his Beulah Belle bloodhound. Upon his retirement, he operated Brunt Septic Service. He also operated Sugarbear’s Sugar House and a custom sawmill. (Mayhew Funeral Homes)
The Hon. Helen Lauren Zanca Carney, 67, of Hancock, died Jan. 30, 2024. She served in President Ronald Reagan’s administration at the U.S. Department of Education and was executive director of the Young Republican National Federation from 1984 to 1986. She was an advance representative for Vice President George H.W. Bush on numerous foreign and domestic visits, including a historic trip to Poland in 1987. Later, she served as Midwest regional political director of Bush Quayle ’88. She was deputy political director at the Republican National Committee. She and her husband moved to Hancock and started a political consulting business, Norway Hill Associates. She was elected a state representative in 1995, representing Bennington, Greenfield, Hancock, Lyndeborough, Mont Vernon and Wilton. In 2015, she served as the state director for Carly Fiorina for President. She was a board member at Fleur de Lis Camp, a traditional all-girl overnight camp in New Hampshire. (Jellison Funeral Home)
Richard A. Chapman, 89 of Chester, died Jan. 28, 2024. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was a master electrician and business manager for local union 719 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) from 1985-1989 in Dover and then assistant business manager from 1989-1998 in Concord. He was trustee/treasurer for the local’s pension trust funds from 1979-1989, director of the joint apprenticeship training council from 1991-1998, secretary/treasurer of the Manchester Concord Building Trades Council from 1991-1998, and vice president of the N.H. AFL-CIO from 1996-1998. (Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)
Edward V. Collins, 89, of Manchester, died Jan. 27, 2024. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He was publishing manager at Lew A. Cummings Printing Company and coached CYO basketball at St. Pius X Church, East Little League, Babe Ruth, Sweeney Post baseball, Trinity High School JV basketball, and West High School JV basketball. He was a longtime member of American Legion Henry J. Sweeney Post No. 2. (Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center)
Ruth Helen (Foote) Covell, 80, of Pittsburg, died Jan. 24, 2024. She worked for several years at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital and more than 20 years at Indian Stream Professional Association, retiring in 2003. She volunteered for the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital Auxiliary and served as president. She served on the board for the development of the Home Health Service. She was chairman of the Pittsburg Bicentennial Committee and served on the Colebrook Recreation Center board for three years. She was a member of the Pittsburg Historical Society, serving as secretary. (Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home)
Donald Hoyt Cox Jr., 72, of Londonderry, died Jan. 24, 2024. He taught flying at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Mass. , and was a pilot for Empire Airlines. He worked for several airlines and was captain on the Boeing 757 and 767 on the Boston to Frankfurt, Germany route. He retired on the Airbus A320. He was a union representative and participated in the merger negotiations between Empire and Piedmont Airlines. He was a member and past president of the Flying Tigers Model Airplane Club of Londonderry. (Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium)
Daniel B. Farina, 60, of Keene, died Jan. 19, 2024. He worked at the Brattleboro Retreat, also for Savings Bank of Walpole in Keene. He was a paraprofessional at the TNT School in Keene and a middle school counselor at Newport, Keene, and Amherst Middle Schools. He played the trumpet in several bands and was principal trumpet with the N.H. Philharmonic Orchestra. He was a trumpet instructor at Keene State College for seven years and taught at Dublin Christian Academy, Elm City Music, and Brattleboro Music Center. (Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel and Crematories)
Donovan E. Funk II, 58, of Center Barnstead, died Jan. 23, 2024. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he grew up in Farmington, was a correctional officer at Strafford County House of Corrections. In 1987, he joined the Rochester Police Department, retiring in 2020. He was a patrolman, detective, juvenile prosecutor, housing authority officer and school resource officer. (R.M. Edgerly & Son, Inc.)
Paul H. Gill Jr., 81, of Merrimack, died Jan. 26, 2024. He was a private detective after college and then served as a lieutenant and prosecutor for the Hollis Police Department, where he was also a firearms instructor. He operated Gill Security installing alarms for residential and commercial businesses. (Legacy.com)
Beverly Elizabeth Jones, 93, of Laconia, died Jan. 27, 2024. She was an elementary school teacher for the Laconia School District for 41 years in grades 1-3, most years spent at Pleasant Street School. She retired in 1993 and became an author at the age of 64. She wrote and illustrated the book, “The Magic Shell,” traveled to schools throughout New England for signings and workshops. She was the director of Laconia Endowment Educational Foundation (L.E.E.F.). (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home)
George Katis, 75, of Bedford and formerly of Nashua, died Feb. 1, 2024. He with his sons owned Nashua Wallpaper and Paint, Deans Carpet of Manchester and three Ace Hardware locations in Nashua, Manchester and Bedford. He was a personal friend of Red Sox player Ted Williams and served as gaming manager of the executive board of the Ted Williams Foundation, helping raise millions of dollars over the past few decades for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth. He was a sponsor of the Nashua Goes Back to School Program, which he helped launch 20 years ago. In 2023 he received the Ron Krauss Award – Nashua Education Foundation. He also received the Good Scout Award, 2016 Businessman of the Year Award presented by the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce and the 2017 Citizen of the Year Award presented by the Nashua Chamber of Commerce. (Dumont-Sullivan Funeral Home)
Kenneth M. Liporto, 80, of Stratham, died Jan. 29, 2024. He was a head football coach in Vermont and New Hampshire schools, leading several teams to state championships. He taught fifth- and sixth-grade physical education at Dover Middle School. (Stockbridge Funeral Home)
Jane E. McAvoy, 70, lifelong resident of Bradford, Mass., died Jan. 29, 2024. She worked at the IRS and for the U.S. Postal Service in managerial positions for more than 40 years, with the last several years as postmaster in Pelham. (H.L. Farmer & Sons Bradford Funeral Homes)
Donna J. (LaFargue) Munson, 70, of Swanzey and formerly of Winchester and Keene, died Jan. 19, 2024. She was the Swanzey Town Clerk for 10 years, retiring in 2016. She was office manager at Blais Realty of Swanzey for 20 years. (Cheshire Family Funeral Home)
Walter R. Nelson, 82, of Amherst, died Jan. 24, 2024. He was a member of the Amherst Volunteer Fire Department and served as a lieutenant and captain for 25 years. He was employed by BAE Systems for 40 years before retiring in 2001. (Smith & Heald Funeral Home)
David Cushing Neville, 90, of Concord, died Jan. 25, 2024. He was a city planning in Wilmington, Del., and state planner in New Hampshire. He worked on the redevelopment of Wilmington’s Market Street and Great Bay in New Hampshire coordinated with the N.H. Department of Planning and Development. (Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory)
Terri Ann (Rollins) Noyes, 67, of Alton, died Jan. 26, 2024. She served on the Alton and Prospect Mountain school boards for many years. (Alton Funeral Home)
Dolores C. (Morse, Marston) O’Neal, 94, of Deerfield, died Jan. 28, 2024. She volunteered at the George B. White School in Deerfield and helped with the family businesses, Granite State Well Drilling and Granite State Oil. She volunteered for many organizations including the American Legion Auxiliary Post 103, Deerfield Fair Association for more than 60 years, Deerfield Historical Society, Deerfield Women’s Club, and the Deerfield Food Pantry. (Brewitt Funeral Home)
Father Peter Elias Papps, 69,of Concord, died Jan. 24, 2024. He had a 25-year career in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Concord, as first assistant U.S. Attorney, then as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire three times. He retired in 2010. He was also ordained in the Greek Orthodox ministry, serving roles in his home parish of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Jamaica. He served as priest of Taxiarchai Greek Orthodox Church in Laconia for seven years. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home)
William G. Sprague, 89, of Keene, died Jan. 18, 2024. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he was a steel worker, furniture mover, construction worker, roofer, meat cutter, landscaper, milk delivery driver, small loan officer, insurance financer, oil services dispatcher, salesman, and sales manager during his lifetime. He was probably best known for operating GW’s Dogs, a hotdog stand, during the summers in downtown Keene. He was a guitarist in the Gary Skillings Iron Skillet Band and The Right Path Band, playing bluegrass and gospel music at churches in the area. (Foley Funeral Home)
Gerald Richard Surette, 77, of Litchfield, died Jan. 24, 2024. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and worked for the Xerox Corp. for 20 years. He volunteered for the N.H. Fish and Game Department and contributed to their “Let’s Go Fishing” guide. He was a member of the Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department from 1977 to 1983 and a member of the Litchfield Zoning Board during the 1980s. (Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium)
James N. Tamposi, 104, of Nashua, died Jan. 6, 2024. He was an aviation pioneer, founder of Daniel Webster College, and a U.S. Army veteran, serving during World War II as a flight engineer and crew chief on a B-25. With friends Warren Rudman and Harry Sheffield, he founded New England Aeronautical Institute in 1965, later becoming Daniel Webster College. He received the Citizen of the Year Award in 1986. (Farwell Funeral Service)
Robert C. Towle Jr., 76, formerly of Boscawen, died Jan. 30, 2024. He and his wife started the Black Forest Nursery in 1986, and the business is now run by his daughter. He was employed for AT&T in Concord for many years and was a member of the Franklin Elks Lodge 1280. (Smart Memorial Home)
Wayne R. Urso, 68, of Millsfield, died Jan. 24, 2024. He was a senior software engineer and consultant and was an active member of Kiwanis, serving as president in 2006-07. He was a member of the board of directors for the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital and raised charitable funds as president for the Upper Connecticut Valley Community Coalition. He helped revive midnight voting in the town of Millsfied for the First in the Nation primary. (Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home)
Frank (Francesco) Charles Vaccaro, 103, of Nashua, died Jan. 23, 2024. He played the bass fiddle in big bands including the Larry Clinton Band, the Bob Bachelder Totem Pole Orchestra from Boston, and the Ted Herbert Orchestra. (Rivet Funeral Home)
WORDS OF WISDOM: “Tell your friend that in his death, a part of you dies and goes with him. Wherever he goes, you also go. He will not be alone.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti, Indian philosopher, May 11, 1895, to Feb. 17, 1986