Colebrook News & Sentinel Obituaries, Colebrook, New Hampshire, from Wednesday, May 5, 2004 Copyright retained by the newspaper. Permission recieved to include in the USGenWeb Archives. LEORA HARTLEN Mrs. Leora H.(McKeage) Hartlen, 85, of Colebrook, died on Monday, April 26, 2004 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. She was born in Columbia on December 19, 1918, daughter of the late Robert and Mabel E. (Harding) McKeage. She was married to the late Kenneth A. Hartlen and lived most of her life in this area. A loving mother and grandmother, she raised four children and two grandchildren, Angele L. Smith and Marie Tubbs, both of Colebrook, through the Great Depression and World War II. She loved to cook, read, and care for neighborhood children. She selflessly opened her home to many relatives in need over the years. Her favorite pastimes were taking long walks through the woods and fields in the North Country that she loved, and caring for a special dog named Lucky. Predeceased by all seven brothers and sisters and two daughters, Cleona Hartlen and Lorraine Allen, she is survived by a daughter, Connie J. Cross of Monroe; two sons, Vernon K. Hartlen and Freeman B. Hartlen, both of Colebrook; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; one great-great granddaughter; one aunt, Viola Sutton of Colebrook; and numerous nieces and nephews. There will be no calling hours. A private memorial service will be held by her family on May 8, 2004. Expressions of sympathy in Leora's memory may be made to the North Country Humane Society, Fish Pond Road, Columbia, NH 03576. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Jenkins Funeral Home of Colebrook. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. JACQUELINE HOLDEN Jacqueline A. (Emery) "Jackie" Holden, 83, of Orange, Mass., died on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 in the Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol following an illness. Born in Lebanon, N.H., on June 18, 1920, she was a daughter of Charles and Alice (Bliss) Emery. She grew up in Lebanon, graduating from Lebanon High School in 1938. She moved to Colebrook after her marriage to Gordon M. Holden, later moving to Orange in 1954. Her husband died in 1969. An employee of the Erving Paper Mills for thirty three years, she retired in 1985. In 2003, she received the Massachusetts Crime Watch Award for senior citizens at the Statehouse in Boston, along with commendations from Rep. Christopher Donelan, D-Orange, and State Senator Stephen Brewer who remarked at the time a quote from the late George Burns: "Age is mind over matter, if you donšt mind, it don't matter." Since her involvement in TRIAD, the community policing effort between police, service providers and the elderly, she has been involved with many programs. Serving as President since 1992 when the program was first established in Orange, she also started the SALT Council, Seniors and Law Together. Always the senior citizens' advocate, she served on the North Western District Attorney's TRIAD steering committee, offering other groups information to protect the elderly. Recently, she had worked to get the Orange TRIAD and Orange Council on Aging to form a partnership to get programs out to the whole senior community of Orange. An avid bowler, she had been a member of several leagues at the French King Entertainment Center for many years. Active with the Order of Eastern Star for 45 years, most recently with Greenfield Arcana Chapter of Western Star, Chapter 50, she had also served as Past Worthy Matron of Athena Chapter 25 in Orange. During the 1960s, she had coached Lassie League softball. and her teams went on to win the Franklin County Championship more than once. A sports enthusiast, she was a huge fan of the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. On the local level, she enjoyed watching kids' volleyball and football teams. Among her hobbies were whist, cribbage and bingo. Survivors include sons Lee G. Holden and his wife Betty of Lawton, Okla., Keith J. Holden and his wife Mari Lou of Willmar, Minn., Victor A. Holden and his wife Sherie, of Pinnacle, N.C.; a daughter, Muriel A. Holden of Waltham; nine grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and one great, great-grandchild; sisters Shirley Dahill of Ossipee, N.H., Verna Greene, Sandra Jillison and her husband Don, all of Athol; and several nephews and nieces. Besides her husband Gordon, she was predeceased by a brother, Lewis "Bud" Emery. Funeral services were held on Tuesday morning, May 4 at Witty's Funeral Home in Orange, with interment following in Tully Cemetery, Orange. Calling hours were held at the funeral home on Monday afternoon and evening. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Orange TRIAD, c/o Orange Police Department, 400 East River Street, Orange, MA 01364; Athol Memorial Hospital, 2033 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331; or the American Heart Association, 20 Speen Street, Framingham, MA 01701. JIMMIE RICKER Mr. Jimmie E. Ricker, 84, of Colebrook and more recently of Lancaster, died on Tuesday morning, May 4, 2004, at the Country Village Center in Lancaster. Mr. Ricker was born on October 8, 1919. From an early age, he worked on the family farm and was later self-employed as a farmer. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and will be remembered for his willingness to visit with family and friends. Mr. Ricker is survived by two stepsons, Darrell Brooks of Stark, and William Brooks and his companion Francese Goulette of Colebrook; a stepdaughter, Lillian Bresette of Stratford; a sister, Edna Ricker of Stewartstown; and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, his siblings and his wife, Reva (Brooks) Ricker. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, May 6 from 9-11 a.m. at the Jenkins Funeral Home, with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy in Mr. Ricker's memory may be made to a charity of one's choice. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. PATSY SMITH Patsy Ann Smith, 64, of Colebrook, died on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 at the Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook. She was born on September 13, 1939 in Parker, Ariz., the daughter of Everette and Zelma (Watkins) Cobb. Mrs. Smith attended school in Sacramento, Calif., and was married to Lincoln Smith on December 8, 1956. The couple moved to Colebrook in 1975. Mrs. Smith worked numerous jobs, to include working as a nurse in an elder care facility and baking at the IGA. However, most of her life was spent taking care of people in their homes and raising foster children in her own home. At one point the Smiths were caring for over 32 foster children in their home. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, reading, sewing and camping. Mrs. Smith is survived by her mother, Zelma Cobb, of California; her husband, Lincoln Smith; two sons, Anthony D. Smith of Oklahoma and Curtis L. Smith of Lemington; four daughters, Camilla J. Stewart of Colebrook, Christine A. Strange of Oklahoma, Valerie L. Smith of Columbia, and Beatrice Feugere of Oregon; two brothers, Russell Cobb of California and Billy Cobb, also of California; 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son, Kenneth, in 2000. Calling hours were held on Sunday, May 2 and Monday, May 3 at the Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook. Funeral services were held on Monday morning at the funeral home, with interment in Colebrook Village Cemetery. Donations in memory of Patsy Smith may be sent to the Two Rivers Ride for Cancer, care of Rosemary Mulliken, First Colebrook Bank, 147 Main St., Colebrook, NH 03576. SPC SOLOMON BANGAYAN MEMORIAL SERVICE A memorial service in honor of Spc. Solomon Bangayan, will be held on Sunday, May 9 at the River of Life Worship Center in Colebrook. Spc. Bangayan was the stepson of Victor Therrien, formerly of Beecher Falls and now of Jay, Vt. He was killed on January 2, 2004 while serving with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq. His funeral was held in the Philippines, the native country of both Solomon and his mother, Helen Therrien. Sunday's memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Representatives from the Army will present the family with a flag, and Spc. Bangayan will posthumously be granted citizenship of the United States. The service will also include a gun salute in his honor. SPC INTERMENT SERVICE ARLENE HEATH An interment service for Arlene M. (Dwinell) Heath, 95, who died on February 22, 2004, will be held on Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m. at the Alice Hunt Cemetery in Canaan, with Pastor Larry Clough officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Jenkins Funeral Home of Colebrook. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net.