Obituaries from January 26, 2001

Complete 2001 Obituary Archives
Complete 2000 Obituary Archives

Zane S. Blanchard

HAMPTON — Zane S. Blanchard, 72, of 799 Ocean Blvd., died Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001, in Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

He was born Oct. 17, 1928, in Lewiston, Maine, the son of the late Harold C. and Olive (Lameroux) Blanchard. He had resided in Hampton for 27 years coming from Yarmouth, Maine.

He was a graduate of Groveton High School and a 1950 graduate of Tufts University where he participated in the ROTC program.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean Conflict.

Mr. Blanchard was self employed as a manufacturers representative in the pulp and paper industry. He owned and operated Zane S. Blanchard & Co., Inc., retiring last year.

He served on the Hampton Highway Safety Committee; was a member of the Retired Naval Officers Association; the Tufts Alumni Association; the National chapters of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars; SCORE, TAPPI, and PIMA organizations.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Bonnie L. (Dumont) Blanchard; two sons, Bret S. Blanchard of Dennysville, Maine, and Scot S. Blanchard of Greenland; four grandchildren; and three nephews.

Funeral services will be held Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton.

Ruth A. Curtis

KENNEBUNK, Maine — Ruth Alden Curtis, 79, died Saturday, Jan. 20, 2001, at Kennebunk Nursing Center after fighting Alzheimer's disease and colon cancer.

She was born in Gorham, Maine, an 11th generation descendant of Mayflower passenger John Alden.

She was valedictorian of her class at Gorham High School in 1938 and of Gorham Normal School in 1942, having skipped two grades.

Mrs. Curtis taught elementary school in Sudbury and Boxford, Mass. After her marriage she served as her husband's administrative assistant, traveling all over Europe visiting schools in his capacity as dean of student affairs and vice president of international affairs at Boston University. At the beginning of their tenure the university had 800 foreign students. As a result of their groundwork the university today has more than 8000 foreign students.

She was successful during the 1950-60s at winning jingle and slogan writing contests and won many prizes for her efforts.

She inherited the diary of fifth generation descendent Austin Alden, who lived during the American Revolution and served in the French and Indian War, receiving as payment the land grant in Gorham where she was born. In high school she began work on having a transcription of the diary published. Completing her work after her retirement, it was published in 1986.

Last fall Mrs. Curtis, with her daughters and granddaughter, walked in the Kennebunk Memory Walk that raised money for Alzheimer's research.

She enjoyed reading, stamp and coin collection, organic gardening, sewing, weaving, knitting, needlework, enameling, and photography.

The widow of Staton Russell Curtis, her husband of 52 years who died in 1995, she is survived by two daughters, Martha Curtis of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and Sharon Curtis Phelan of Kingston; one granddaughter; one brother, John Alden of Gorham; and one sister, Ann Alden Kilgore of So. Portland, Maine.

Memorial services will be held Friday at 2:30 p.m. in United Baptist Church, 318 Main St., Saco, Maine. There was a memorial service held Thursday Exeter Congregational Church, Exeter. Spring burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Falmouth, Maine.

Memorial donations may be made to the National Alzheimer's Foundation, Maine Chapter, 163 Lancaster St., Suite 160, Portland, ME 04101.

Arrangements were by the Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, Saco.

Charles T. Mettam

DURHAM — Charles T. Mettam, 76, of Bucks Hill Road, died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, at his home.

He was born Nov. 5, 1924, in Bayonne, N.J., the son of Milton C. and Etta (Shine) Mettam. He resided in Westfield, N.J., for 20 years moving to Durham in 1987.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and served as a captain in the Army Reserves.

Mr. Mettam was a chemical engineer for Exxon retiring in 1970.

He was a former member of the Episcopal Church in Westfield.

He is survived by his wife, Jean Lawrence Mettam; one son, Dean Mettam of Rochester Hills, Mich.; three daughters, Andrea Rodgers of Durham, Georgeanne Mettam of South Londonderry, Vt., and Vanessa Mettam of Ann Arbor, Mich.; two granddaughters; two stepchildren, Abigail Donhauser of Lee and Jonathan Downer and his wife Patricia of Richmond, Vt.; and one sister, Helen Monteith of Pebble Beach, Calif.

Visiting hours will be held Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. George's Episcopal Church, 1 Park Court, Durham.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the church with the Rev. Michael Bradley, rector, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. George's Church, 1 Park Court, Durham, NH 03824 or to the Homemakers of Strafford County, 215 Rochester Hill Road, Rochester, NH 03867-1775.

Assistance with the arrangements was by the Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home, Newmarket.

Patricia R. Morgan

HAMPTON — Patricia R. Morgan, 78, formerly of Tuttle Avenue, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001, at Webster at Rye Health and Retirement.

She was born March 17, 1922, in Cambridge, Mass., the daughter of the late Joseph and Harriet (Wilde) Reynolds. She resided in Andover, Mass., from 1955 until 1970 and was a longtime summer resident of Hampton, moving here in 1970. She wintered in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, until 1998.

She was a graduate of Emmanuel College, Boston.

Mrs. Morgan was a real estate agent in Andover and for the Dunfey family in Hampton.

She was a communicant of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church and a charter member of Abenaqui Country Club, Rye Beach.

The widow of Robert L. Morgan, who died in 1993, she is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law, Robert L. "Duffy" and Patsy Morgan Jr. of Hampton, C. Gary Morgan of New York City, and Jeffrey J. and Lynn Morgan of South Norwalk, Conn.; five grandchildren; two brothers, Hugh Reynolds of New Jersey and Robert Reynolds of Florida; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by one brother, Joseph, and one sister, Mary.

Calling hours will be held Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, Hampton. Burial will be in High Street Cemetery, Hampton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal OutReach Program, 289 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH 03842.

Robert S. Roberge

GREENLAND — Robert S. Roberge, 64, of 304 Post Road, died Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2001, at his home.

He was born Feb. 8, 1936, in Saco, Maine, the son of the late Ernest and Josephine (Krajewski) Roberge.

He was a 1953 graduate of Thornton Academy, Saco, and served with the U.S. Army Reserves.

Mr. Roberge was formerly a manager for Diamond National Building Material Co., a sales representative for Bostick - Division of Textron and prior to his retirment was a toll collector for the N.H. Turnpike Authority.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Barbara (Reed) Roberge; two sisters, Pauline Weiss of Center Harbor and Mary Lou Connolly of Chicago; one brother, Ernest Roberge Jr. of North Waterboro, Maine; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by one brother, Francis Roberge.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 11 a.m. in St. Michael Church, Front Street, Exeter.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o St. Michael Church, 9 Lincoln St., Exeter, NH 03833.

Arrangements are by the J. Verne Wood Funeral Home, Portsmouth.

Ernest A. Simpson Jr.

HAMPTON — Ernest A. Simpson Jr., 86, of 20 Taylor St., died Monday, Jan. 22, 2001, at Seacoast Health Center after a lengthy illness.

He was born Jan. 12, 1915, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of the late Ernest A. and Elizabeth (Betts) Simpson.

He was a graduate of Highstown (N.J.) High School and a 1938 graduate of Duke University, Durham, N.C.

He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II serving with the 9th Armored Division as a first lieutenant. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star.

Mr. Simpson was a sales representative in the auto parts industry for Curtis Industries in Ohio.

He was a member of the Hampton United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Jules "Judy" (Boykin) Simpson; one son, Ernest A. Simpson III of Haverhill, Mass.; three daughters, Barbara Simpson Verns of Rochester, N.Y., Susan L. Rambeau of Winter Springs, Fla., and Martha E. McEntee of New York City; five grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and three nieces.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Marie (Craig) Simpson; and one brother, Stuart H. Simpson.

Services will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in Hampton United Methodist Church, 525 Lafayette Road, Hampton. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Seacoast Hospice, 10 Hampton Road, Exeter, NH 03833 or to the Hampton United Methodist Church, 525 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH 03842.

Assistance with the arrangements was by the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, Hampton.

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