Obituaries from September 29, 2000

Complete 2000 Obituary Archives

Richard A. Lewis

RAYMOND — Richard A. Lewis Sr., 78, of Rita Avenue, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000 at his home in Raymond.

He was born July 9, 1922 in Lynn, Mass. A longtime resident of Lynn and Nahant, Mass., he had resided in Raymond for the last 25 years.

He worked for many years as an office machine repairman for Avco Textron in Wilmington, Mass.

Mr. Lewis served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He retired as a sergeant in the army after more than 20 years of service which included a job as an office machine repairman in the White House during the Kennedy administration. He was the first non-commissioned officer to place the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in 1961.

Mr. Lewis was an active member of the Pearl Harbor Association and the American Legion Richard A. Mitchell Post 51 in Epping.

He was a sexton for the First Church of Christ in Lynn for many years.

Mr. Lewis was predeceased by his wife, Ruth (Potts) Lewis who died in December 1999 and also by a sister, Mary Thompson.

He is survived by two daughters, Dale Lewis Schriefer of Deltona, Fla., and Charlotte Hogan of Chester; one son, Richard A. Lewis Jr. of Lynn; one brother, Warren Hussey of Texas; four sisters, Ruth Burke of Lynn, Pearl Engle of Pennsylvania, Marian Holmes of Florida and Florence Wood of Illinois; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. at the Brewitt Funeral Home, On the Common, Raymond. Burial will full military honors will follow in the New Pine Grove Cemetery, Raymond.

Delma M. Henderson

HAMPTON — Delma M. Henderson, 66, of 195 Towle Farm Road, died Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2000 at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

She was born Oct. 29, 1933 in Washburn, Maine, the daughter of the late Wallace and Fay (Thomas) Brooker.

Mrs. Henderson was raised in Washburn and was a graduate of Washburn High School. She lived for many years in Hampton.

Mrs. Henderson was predeceased by her husband, Elwood R. Henderson.

She is survived by two sons, Michael R. Daignault of Mechanic Falls, Maine, and Randy W. Henderson of Henderson, Texas; three daughters, Patty L. Hazell of Seabrook, Valerie Hunt and Loretta L. Delisle, both of Hampton; four brothers, Earlon W. Brooker of North Berwick, Maine, Harold L. Brooker of Searsport, Maine, Loren S. Brooker of Dearborn, Mich., and Michael L. Brooker of Washburn, Maine; two sisters, June L. Baldwin of Gloucester, Mass. and Nelda F. Bowley of Johnstown, N.Y.; 12 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. Private burial will be in Washburn, Maine.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Timothy Knight Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 426, Seabrook, N.H. 03874.

Catherine C. Merchant

SEABROOK — Catherine C. Merchant, 80, of 698 Lafayette Road, died Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 at the Exeter Hospital.

She was born March 28, 1920 in Seabrook, the daughter of the late Frank E. and Melissa E. (Dow) Carter. She resided several years in Amesbury, Mass., moved to Hampton Falls in the mid-1950s and then returned to Seabrook in 1994.

She was a 1938 graduate of Amesbury High School.

Mrs. Merchant worked 40 years as the office manager for Standard Plumbing and Heating of Portsmouth, retiring in 1982. She and her husband also operated the Idle Anvil Antiques Shop from their home in Amesbury and Hampton Falls.

She was predeceased by her husband Donald Merchant, who died in 1985 and her sisters Irene Merrill and Carlene Perusse.

Mrs. Merchant is survived by her sister, Leona Papoulias of Salisbury, Mass.; her brother, Oliver Carter and his wife Caddie of Seabrook; a niece, Priscilla Marshall of Seabrook; and several nieces and nephews.

Burial was in the West View Cemetery, Hampton Falls.

Arrangements were by the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, Hampton.

William L. Cotter

EXETER — William L. Cotter, 84, of Front Street, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000 at his home.

He was born April 4, 1916 in Clarkson, N.Y., the son of the late William R. and Florence (Hill) Cotter.

Mr. Cotter had lived in Exeter for 20 years after moving from Brockport, N.Y.

He attended Brockport Normal School for one year and Rochester Institute of Technology for two years.

He was a longtime employee of General Electric in Brockport and won Employee of the Year honors for his work. He retired from Phillips Exeter Academy where he had worked as an electrician for 20 years.

Mr. Cotter was a 60-year member of the Masonic Lodge #59 of Exeter, a member of the DeWitt Commanders K.T. in Portsmouth, and a member of the Bektash Shrine in Concord.

In his spare time, he was an avid gardener, fisherman and outdoorsman.

He was predeceased by his wife, Doris (Harrington) Cotter, who died in 1995.

Mr. Cotter is survived by a daughter, Sandra Cotter of Exeter; two sisters, Margot Maxon of Hamlin, N.Y. and Maude Ohs of Etowah, N.C.; several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

There are no calling hours.

A memorial service will be held Friday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Phillips Exeter Academy Church with the Rev. Thompson officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Shriner's Hospital, 51 Blossom St., Boston, MA 02114, or to Seacoast Hospice, 10 Hampton Road, Exeter, NH 03833.

Arrangements are by the Brewitt Funeral Home, Exeter.

Frances L. Buxton

KENSINGTON — Frances L. Buxton, 90, of 194 Drinkwater Road, died Monday, Sept. 25, 2000 at the Exeter Hospital.

She was born Aug. 7, 1910 in Exeter, the daughter of the late Robert and Mabel (Hunt) McNeill.

After attending local schools, she moved to Newburyport, Mass., where she graduated from Newburyport High School in 1929. She attended Danvers State Hospital School of Nursing, attended Boston City Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as valedictorian of the Class of 1933. She attended Simmons College Department of Nursing and received a bachelor of science degree in 1936. She also attended St. Anselm College, the University of New Hampshire and Boston University, in preparation for becoming a faculty member of the Exeter School of Practical Nursing, now known as New Hampshire Technical College in Stratham. She was the director of the practical nursing program.

After her retirement in 1973, while wintering in Titusville, Fla., she aided in developing a program for the mentally retarded. She was president of the Helping Hands Organization and developed the guidelines for the Hospice of St. Francis.

Mrs. Buxton was an active member of the Family Support Council, Community Developmental Services of Region Eight in Portsmouth. She was a member of the Kensington Congregational Church, the Kensington Historical Society and the Friends of the Kensington Library. She was inducted as a charter member of Sigma Theta Tau of Simmons College in 1990 and also Sigma Theta Tau International.

She was predeceased by her husband Horace F. Buxton who died in 1978; two sons, Robert who died in 1973 and Anthony who died in 1996; one daughter, Nancy who died in 1957; and a brother, Wallace E. McNeill in 1994.

Mrs. Buxton is survived by three daughters, Dorothy B. Milbury of Exeter, Janet R. Buxton of Kensington, and Elizabeth Ann Buxton of Ohio; six sons, Richard E. Buxton, William G. Buxton, and Stanley F. Buxton, all of Kensington, Donald R. Buxton of Brentwood, Kenneth B. Buxton of Nottingham, and Jonathan D. Buxton of Antigua, West Indies; many grandchildren, great- grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Thursday at the Kensington Congregational Church and burial followed at the Buxton Family Burial Grounds in Kensington.

Memorial donations may be made to either the Kensington Congregational Church, 128 Amesbury Road, Kensington, NH 03833; the Kensington Historical Society c/o Warren Clark, 8 North Road, Kensington, N.H. 03833; or to the Great Bay Training Center, 2061 Woodbury Ave., Newington, N.H. 03801-2893.

Arrangements were by the Brewitt Funeral Home, Exeter.

Louise Riblet Leyon

EXETER — Louise Riblet Leyon, 97, died Sept. 25, 2000.

She was born Feb. 25, 1903 in Newaygo, Mich., the daughter of the late Fred W. and Grace (McKee) Riblet.

She grew up in Muskegon, Mich. and graduated from the University of Michigan.

Mrs. Leyon taught art in Denver, Colo., before marrying and settling down in Wellesley, Mass. In 1999 she moved to Exeter to live with her daughter.

She was active in the Wellesley Congregational Church and its sewing circle, volunteered at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for many years, and served as a Cub Scout den mother. Twice a year, for 50 years, she would donate blood.

She enjoyed playing bridge, cooking, doing any kind of handwork, and silk-screen printing.

Mrs. Leyon was predeceased by her husband, Renus Edward Leyon, and a brother, S.K. Riblet.

She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth and her husband David S. Dodge of Exeter; two sons, John R. Leyon and his wife Teddy of Jamestown, R.I., and Robert E. Leyon of Carlisle, Pa.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Wellesley Congregational Church, Wellesley, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the national American Red Cross.

Arrangements are by the Brewitt Funeral Home, Exeter.

Donald J. Butler

HAMPTON — Donald J. Butler, 53, of 8 Jeffrey Drive, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000 at the Exeter Hospital.

He was born March 8, 1947 in Troy, N.Y., the son of Elizabeth (Alward) Butler of Clifton Park, N.Y. and the late Leander Butler.

Mr. Butler was a graduate of Shenendehowa Regional High School in Elnora, N.Y. He graduated Salem State College, Salem, Mass., with a bachelors degree in business.

He resided in New York for most of his life, moving to Boston and Virginia before moving to Hampton in 1982. He was an employee of the U.S. Treasury Department in Andover, Mass. for the past 26 years, most recently working as an audit manager.

Mr. Butler was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He was an active member of the Hampton Youth Association, serving as the past president and was also the basketball commissioner for several years and coached basketball, baseball and soccer.

He was predeceased by a brother, Bruce Butler.

Mr. Butler is survived by his wife of 27 years, Heidi H. Butler; two sons, Jonathan Butler and Jeffrey Butler, both of Hampton; a daughter, Kate Butler of Hampton; one brother, William Butler of Woodside, Calif.; one sister, Leeann Warren of Schenectady, N.Y.; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

A mass of Christian burial was held Thursday at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, Hampton. Burial was in the High Street Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Hampton Youth Association, P.O. Box 81, Hampton, NH 03843.

Arrangements were by the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, Hampton.

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