The Rockingham News Obituaries, Rockingham, New Hampshire, from Friday, March 14, 2003 Copyright retained by the newspaper. Permission recieved to include in the USGenWeb Archives. Ernest P. Barka DERRY - Ernest P. Barka, 80, of South Ave., died Monday, March 10, 2003, at his home. He was born July 19, 1922, in Lawrence, Mass., the son of the late Deeb and Nizme Barka and was a lifelong resident of Derry. He was a 1941 graduate of Pinkerton Academy, Derry, where he was a nine-letter athlete. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. Mr. Barka was active in family businesses with his brother Kalil running Barka Oil Co. and Barka Grocery. He served on the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners for more than 28 years. He was a founder of the Rockingham County Nutrition and the Meals on Wheels programs, and has been the chairman of the Board of Directors since 1997. The Board of County Commissioners honored his continuing life of public service by naming the assisted living facility in his honor in 2002. This tribute is an acknowledgment of his commitment to the county’s mission of "Caring for Generations." He was recognized by the N.H. Association of Counties as the County Commissioner of the Year in 1999 and had received the Vaughn Award from Governor Jeanne Shaheen. He also served for many years as a member of the N.H. House of Representatives for Derry. He served for 29 years on the Derry School Board and was recognized for that by having the West Running Brook School Gymnasium dedicated in his name. He was a member of the American Legion Lester Chase Post No. 9 in Derry and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1617 in Derry, serving as commander in 1954-1955. He is survived by one son and his wife, Greg E. and Mary Ellen Barka of Derry; one stepson, Robert Barka of Derry; one stepdaughter, Jane Kirkpatrick of Nashua; two grandchildren; one brother, David Barka of Derry; and several nieces and nephews. Calling hours will be held Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Peabody Funeral Home and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 26 Crystal Ave., Derry. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery, East Derry. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Ernest P. Barka Assisted Living Community Fund, 117 North Road, Underhill Wing, Brentwood, NH 03833. To sign an online guest book, visit www.peabodyfuneralhome.com. James F. Dionne SANDOWN - James F. Dionne, 33, died Sunday, March 9, 2003, in Elliot Hospital, Manchester. He was born in Lawrence, Mass., and was raised in Haverhill, Mass. He had resided in Sandown for two years coming from Amesbury, Mass. He attended St. Joseph Grammar School and was a 1987 graduate of Whittier Regional Vocational and Technical High School. He received the Carpentry Award at graduation and was a tri-captain of the wrestling team and well as a member of the track, football and baseball teams. Mr. Dionne was employed by Jerry Construction of Hudson. He was a member of the Carpenter’s Local No. 111 of the Merrimack Valley and had worked for several local contractors. As a child he was a member of the St. Joseph Little League. He is survived by his wife, Stacy (Howes) Dionne; two sons, Matthew B. and Nicholas J. Dionne, both of Sandown; his parents, George E. and Carol (Murphy) Dionne of Haverhill; one brother, George E. Dionne Jr. of Amesbury; two sisters, Lynn A. Lamontagne of Haverhill and Susan A. Sullivan of Plaistow; his maternal grandmother, Beatrice (Zemoitel) (Murphy) Wiggins of Haverhill; his paternal grandmother, Rose A. (LeClere) Dionne of Reading, Mass.; and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Thursday in All Saints Church, Haverhill. Spring burial will be in Hillside Cemetery, Haverhill. Memorial donations may be made to a fund to benefit the Dionne Children, c/o Community Bank and Trust Co., P.O. Box 1648, Plaistow, NH 03865. Arrangements were by the Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, Plaistow. Joan M. Leva FREMONT - Joan M. Leva, 48, of 24 South Road, died Saturday, March 8, 2003, at her home. She was born March 24, 1954, in Salem, Mass., the daughter of Arlene (Baker) Fontaine of Beverly, Mass., and the late Everett O. Fontaine. She resided in Beverly for several years and in Fremont for 12 years. She was a graduate of Beverly High School and attended North Shore Community College in Beverly. Mrs. Leva was a manager at Wal-Mart in Plaistow. She had previously was the owner and operator of Hair Etc. in Beverly. She enjoyed spending time with her family, quilting and working with stained glass. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her husband of 25 years, John W. Leva of Fremont; two sons, Jonathan J. Leva and Nicholas R. Leva, both of Fremont; one brother, Paul Fontaine of Topsfield, Mass.; three sisters, Sheila Parker of Hamilton, Mass., Arlene Thompson of Salem, Mass., and Pauline Vibert of Epping; many nephews and one aunt. She was predeceased by two brothers, Everett Fontaine and Richard Fontaine. Funeral services were held Tuesday in the Stockbridge Funeral Home, Exeter. Burial will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Rockingham VNA/Hospice, 137 Epping Road, Exeter, NH 03833. Gino J. Mattozzi Sr. PLAISTOW - Gino J. Mattozzi Sr., 76, died Thursday, March 6, 2003, at the Lahey-Hitchcock Clinic in Burlington, Mass. He was born in Trenton, N.J., and had resided in Plaistow since 1995. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict serving aboard a landing ship tank and was a member of the Seabees. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Mattozzi served in the Fall’s Township, Pa., police force for 13 years and was later elected a district justice serving for 12 years. He was serving as president of the N.H. Chapter of the LST Association and vice-president of the Seabees Island 101. He was a member of the Country Pond Fish and Game Club and was chairman of the club’s annua* game dinner" for senior citizens. He was a 4th degree member of the Bishop Peterson Assembly of the Knights of Columbus, Salem; and a member of the N.H. Chiefs of Police Association. He is survived by his wife, Sharon (Hill) Mattozzi of Plaistow; three sons and their wives, Butch and Karin Mattozzi, Gino J. Jr. and Linda Mattozzi, and Mark and Patti Mattozzi, all of Pennsylvania; one daughter and her husband, Valerie and Jamie Sharp of Delaware; one stepdaughter, Laura Harder of Haverhill, Mass.; one stepson, Eric Neff of Newton; seven grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one sister, Phyllis Solammi of New Jersey; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services were held Wednesday in The Brookside Chapel & Funeral Home, Plaistow. Spring burial will be in Plaistow Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the N.H. Veterans Home, Tilton.