Coos County Democrat Obituaries, Lancaster, New Hampshire, Wednesday, January 14, 2004 Copyright of the newspaper. Permission to include in the USGenWeb Archives was received. Frederick E. Brown Enjoyed auto mechanics EAST CONCORD, Vt. -- Frederick E. Brown, 69, of Oregon Road, died at his home on Thursday morning, Jan. 8, 2004 after a long illness. Mr. Brown was born in Bristol, Conn. on Jan. 29, 1934, the son of Everett and Florence (Long) Brown. He was raised in Bristol until the age of 21, at which time he moved to Vermont. In 1956 he married Alyce D. Howland. Over the years he worked for several employers, including the Atlas Foundry, Concord; Fairbanks Scales, St. Johnsbury; Whitney Motors, Lancaster; and DCI Lumber, Lisbon. Mr. Brown always enjoyed auto mechanic work in his spare time. Family members include four sons, Everett Brown of Brattleboro, Vt., William Brown of Gilman, Vt., Douglas Brown and Kenneth Brown both of East Concord, Vt.; three daughters, Florence Brown and Carol Lane both of Gilman, Vt., and Mary J. Brown of Lunenburg, Vt.; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His wife died in 1993, a son Donald E. Brown in 1999, and a great-great grandchild in 2001. Visiting hours were held on Friday at the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. A funeral service was held on Saturday morning at the East Concord Methodist Church. Burial will be held in the spring in Riverside Cemetery, South Lunenburg, Vt. Laval L. Corriveau Woodsman COLEBROOK -- Laval L. Corriveau, 77, of Monadnock Village, died on Jan. 6, 2004, at his home. He was born on April 28, 1926, in Bury, Quebec, a son of Aime and Auroro (Roi) Corriveau. In his youth, Mr. Corriveau worked on the family farm and later began cutting wood on his own. He was a self-employed logger and construction contractor until his health required him to work as a wood buyer part-time. He enjoyed working in the timber industry but also enjoyed visiting with friends, taking rides in the country, and spending time with his granddaughters. Family members include two sons, Peter Corriveau of Colebrook and Alan Corriveau of Colchester, Vt.; two granddaughters; five siblings, Marguerite Breton, Jeanne Corriveau and Claudette Biron, all of Quebec City, Paul Corriveau of Colebrook, and Clemence Lambert of Clearwater, B.C.; his companion, Jeanne Simard of Colebrook; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. His wife of 34 years, Bertha J. (Gilbert) Corriveau, died previously on October 6, 1999. Calling hours were held on Jan. 9 at the Jenkins Funeral Home, Colebrook. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Saturday, Jan. 10 at St. Brendan Catholic Church with Rev. Albert Bellefeuille as celebrant. An interment service will be held in the spring at St. Brendan Catholic Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Upper Connecticut Valley Home Health Services, c/o Sharon Covill, RR2 Box 13, Colebrook 03576; or St. Brendan Memorial Fund, c/o Doris Carrier, RR1 Box 15A, Colebrook, 03576. Condolences may be offered by going to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. Anita L. Forrest Known has ‘hat lady’ GROVETON -- Anita L. (Cloutier) Forrest, 79, of 16 Riverside Drive, Groveton, died on Jan. 5, 2004. Born on March 9, 1924 in Berlin, a daughter of Adelard and Roseanna (Bergeron) Cloutier, she was a lifelong resident of Groveton. Anita was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Church, Groveton. She was employed at Groveton Paper Company for over 30 years until her retirement in 1986. Many will remember her as “the lady of many hats” and for her love of dancing. She found great joy in her friends and family, especially her grandchildren. Family members include her husband of 57 years, John A. Forrest of Groveton; one son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Donna Forrest; three grandchildren, Derek, Matthew and Paige all of Denver, North Carolina; one sister, Florence Kingston; one brother, Lorenzo Cloutier both of Groveton; as well as many nieces and nephews. Three sisters and eight brothers predeceased her. Calling hours were held on Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Main-Armstrong Funeral Home; Groveton. A mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Friday, Jan. 9, at 11 a.m. at the St. Francis Xavier Church, Groveton with Fr. Daniel Deveau, pastor, officiating. Burial will be held in the spring at the Northumberland Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in Anita’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association; Concord Regional Office; 10 Ferry Street; Suite 427B; Concord, NH 03301-4059. For directions to the service or to send the family your condolences go to www.legacy.com. Joanne Fyon Joanne (Joanna) Gay Fyon, 50, of Jefferson passed away peacefully at home on Thursday morning, Jan. 8, 2004 with her sister Sandy at her side. Her death followed a long struggle with breast cancer. Joanna was the daughter of the late Winnifred (Haskett) Fyon. Her family includes her father Charles Fyon of Montreal and Camden, S.C., her husband David Govatski of Jefferson, her best friend Lucy Wyman of Lancaster, and five other siblings. Joanna was born in Montreal, Canada on March 22, 1953. She moved to the New Hampshire Lakes Region to race sled dogs, and a year later relocated in Jefferson where she had lived since. A woman of many talents with an adventurous spirit, Joanna worked as a sawyer, truck driver, waitress, restaurateur, US Forest Service trail crew member, lobbyist for the Rails to Trails Program and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Joanna was certified in EMT and wilderness medical care, which skills she used on the Bretton Woods Ski Patrol and Jefferson Ambulance Service. She was chosen as the Citizen of the Year by the Town of Jefferson in 1989, and in 1993 by the NH Municipal Association for her contributions to the local recycling and solid waste management programs. Her greatest passions and gifts have, however, been most evident in her rich collection of friends, and her husbandry of her landmark home and llama herd on Route 115. Raised with horses and converted early to the charms of llamas, Joanna was a leader and mentor for newcomers in the animal world. For years she appeared at the Lancaster Fair and in local parades with her Morgan horse Tuckerman. More recently, she received numerous awards annually from the Fryeburg Fair Llama shows through the fall of 2003. In 2002 she was thrilled to receive the first Herdsman Award to be given to a woman. Joanna’s natural talents also included a fine sense of color and design and a green thumb that produced luxuriant flowers and spectacular vegetables (“It’s the llama dung, of course.”). She was a natural athlete, enjoying running and swimming at her beloved family summer residence at Lake Manitou in Quebec. In addition to her kindness to animals, her sense of place and her commitment to the earth, Joanna loved and valued her family, friends and visitors from near and far. Her heart and home were open to all and she will be greatly missed. A celebration of Joanna’s life will be held on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 17, at 1 at the Jefferson Town Hall. Friends are asked to bring food to share for a communal meal. At Joanna’s request, please refrain from sending flowers. If you wish to give something in her memory, consider giving some time to the charity of your choice. Jane Hopkins Loved children, computers LITTLETON -- Jane Hopkins, 57, of Mann’s Hill Road, died unexpectedly on Jan. 4, 2004. A native of Littleton, she was born to Leland and Dorothy (Richardson) Ramsey on Dec. 16, 1946. She attended school in Littleton and married Rodney Hopkins in 1966. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed children, spending as much time with them as she could. She loved computers and spent many hours on hers. Family members include her husband, Rodney Hopkins of Littleton; two sons, Rodney Lee Hopkins of Littleton and Michael James Hopkins of Dalton; two grandchildren; a brother, Jim Ramsey of Littleton; and two sisters, Judy Ramsey and Jill Corey, both of Littleton. There were no calling hours. The funeral service was held on Thursday, Jan. 8, at All Saints Episcopal Church in Littleton, with Rev. Barbara Tholl officiating. Burial will be in Wheeler Hill Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are by Pillsbury Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Inc. For more information, visit www.pillsburyfh.com. Adele Leah Labrecque Volunteer, camper BERLIN -- Adele Leah (Legere) Labrecque, 82, of 747 Kent St., formerly of 12 Granite St., died on Jan. 10, 2004 at Androscoggin Valley Hospital. Born in Westbrook, Me. on Sept. 23, 1921, she was the daughter of Arthur and Rose (Pinette) Legere. She was graduated from Jay High School in Maine in 1939. While living in Berlin, she was a housekeeper for St. Vincent de Paul Nursing Home for seven years. She was a member of Guardian Angel Church, now known as Good Shepherd Parish, and was an honorary member of the Ladies of St. Anne. She was a volunteer at the Holiday Center, MESH, Senior Meals and RSVP, where she knitted lap robes for the nursing homes and baby bonnets for AIDS babies. Mrs. Labrecque had camped at Israel Campground in Jefferson since 1975. Her favorite pastime was spending time with her family. The family includes five sons, Daniel Labrecque of Kankakee, Ill., Conrad Labrecque of Concord, Paul Labrecque of Berlin, Raymond Labrecque of Dummer and Andre Labrecque of Stark; five daughters, Dianne Arenburg, Anita Villeneuve and Corinne King all of Berlin, Pamela Legendre of Randolph and Gail Doherty of Gorham; 27 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Her husband, Paul J. Labrecque, died on July 21, 1995. Calling hours were held on Monday at Fleury-Patry Funeral Home in Berlin and a Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Tuesday at St. Anne Church of Good Shepherd Parish. Interment will be in St. Kieran Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Holiday Center, 27 Green Square, Berlin, NH 03570. Wilfred E. Laramee Worked on the last river drive COLEBROOK -- Wilfred “Willy” E. Laramee, 76, of Titus Hill Road, died on Jan. 8, 2004 at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital. Born on July 29, 1927 in Colebrook, he was the son of Alfred and Wilma (Hall) Laramee. Mr. Laramee served in the Army in Germany after World War II from 1945 to 1948 in the police force and later was re-activated during the Korean War until his honorable discharge in 1951. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal and three Bronze Service Stars. He also served as a reservist until his honorable discharge in 1973. He enjoyed working in the woods for Brown Co., and was involved with the last river drive down the Androscoggin River. He then worked as a machinist for the Beecher Falls Division of Ethan Allen until his retirement after 33 years. Mr. Laramee held many jobs as a young man, working for many Main Street merchants. He enjoyed painting, roofing, woodworking, gardening, fishing, hunting and raising animals. His greatest love was working with children, whether as a 4-H instructor or supporting Colebrook athletics. He was a loving family man and will be greatly missed. The family includes his wife, Pauline “Polly” M. (Hamlin) Laramee of Colebrook; five children, Rebecca Borry of Alexandria, Bill Laramee of Colebrook, John Laramee of Weare, Jim Laramee of Gulfport, Fla., and Martha Laramee of Hudson; four grandchildren; his aunt; and cousins. The funeral was held on Sunday at Trinity United Methodist Church in Colebrook, with Pastor Priscilla Hull officiating. Memorial donations may be made to the Colebrook School’s Booster Club, care of Dodie Smith, First Colebrook Bank, Main Street, Colebrook, NH 03576. For additional information, go to www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. Edna B. Lehan Catholic Daughters of America charter member WHITEFIELD -- Edna B. Lehan, 94, of Sartwell Place, died on Jan. 7, 2004 at Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster. She was born on Dec. 19, 1909 in Littleton, the daughter of Phillip W. and Florence (Smith) Brunelle. Mrs. Lehan was a lifetime resident of Littleton, spending the last few years of her retirement in Venice, Fla. She was a member of the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and a charter member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Court Bellefleur 1208. Mrs. Lehan worked as a secretary at Littleton High School and at Littleton National Bank for many years. She enjoyed spending time with her family. The family includes one son, James Lehan of Arcadia, Fla.; two daughters, Elizabeth “Betty” Meunier of Littleton and Sally Bruni of Gorham; 17 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren; one brother; and several nieces and nephews. Her husband, Joseph Lehan, died in 1980 and her daughter, Dorothy Cole, in 2002. A Mass of Christian burial was held on Saturday at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Littleton, the Rev. Joseph Klatka celebrant. Burial will be St. Rose Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Sartwell Place, care of Morrison Nursing Home, 4 Terrace St., Whitefield, NH 03598. For additional information, go to www.pillsburyfh.com. Jessie Hartson McBride Will be remembered for helping others GROVETON -- Jessie Hartson (Hopps) McBride, 85, of Pike Street, died on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004 at Weeks Memorial Hospital, Lancaster after a brief illness. Born on Oct. 3, 1918 in Magog, Quebec, a daughter of Ralph and Edith (Hartson) Hopps, she had been a resident of Groveton for 80 years. She was a graduate of Groveton High School class of 1936. She was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Church and a past member of the daughters of Isabella. Jessie was a very exceptional woman who loved children, playing Bingo and doing crosswords puzzles. She was always helping others. She worked for Gary and Bea Normandeau for many years, as well as other local families, doing housekeeping. Family members include her son, James “Mickey”McBride of Brookline; four grandchildren, Michael McBride of Amesbury, Mass., Barry McBride of Salisbury, Mass., Steven McBride of Punta Gorda, Fla., and Kelsey McBride of Brookline; five great grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; her sister, Patricia Locke of Groveton; many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her husband, James McBride died in 1986. Jessie’s four sisters, Marjorie Paquette, Dorothy Dumas, Pauline Pierce, Colleen Fournier, and one brother, Kenneth Hopps, all died previously. Calling hours were held on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Main-Armstrong Funeral Home in Groveton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 14 (today), at St. Francis Xavier Church, State Street, Groveton, with Fr. Daniel Deveau, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Northumberland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Francis Xavier Church, 10 State Street, Groveton, NH 03582. For directions to the service or to send the family your condolences via the online register book, go to www.legacy.com. Joseph N. Richards Purple Heart Recipient, mason STARK -- Joseph N. “Joe” “Red” Richards, 85, of Nash Stream Road, Stark died on Jan. 5, 2004 at Week’s Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on Sept. 29, 1918 in Albion, R.I., a son of Amedee and Marida (Pelogain) Richards, he has been a resident of Stark most of his life. Joe was a member of the St. Francis Xavier Church; Groveton. He was a WWII Army veteran, and served in the battles of Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge. He owned his own masonry business (Joe Richards Masonry) and had worked as a mason on most of the buildings that are of brick in the Groveton and Lancaster area. Joe, along with three other Groveton residents, received a “Purple Heart” stamp plaque from the Groveton Post Office on Veteran’s Day 2003. Family members include his daughter, Bonnie L. Lehde of Windsor Locks, Conn.; two grandchildren; one brother, Zephrin Richards of New Bedford, Mass.; three sisters, Jeanette, Violet and Theresa all of New Bedford, Mass.; nieces and nephews. His wife, Rachel L. Richard died previously, on Sept. 18, 1999. At “Red’s” request there will be no calling hours and a graveside service will be held in the spring in the Emerson Road Cemetery, Stark. Main-Armstrong Funeral Home, Groveton is in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to the Richards’ family to help defray costs: Bonnie Lehde, 5 Nash Stream Road, Stark, NH 03582. For directions to the service or to send the family your condolences via the online register book go to www.legacy.com. Otis Freeman Ricker WHITEFIELD -- Otis Freeman Ricker, 67, of Highland House, died on Jan. 8, 2004 at his residence. Born on Dec. 2, 1936 in West Stewartstown, he was a son of Freeman and Mattie (Sweeney) Ricker. Otis attended area schools and was a saw operator for the Whitefield Lumber Company and various other mills in the area. He married Mary (Wright) Ricker on Oct. 25, 1958. He was also employed by Norton Pike. Otis enjoyed hunting, fishing, and attending the senior center functions. The family includes his wife of 45 years, Mary Ricker of Whitefield; one son, Kenneth Dean Ricker of Gilman, Vt.; six daughters, Carol Ann Ricker of Walla Walla, Wash., Cynthia Lee Ricker and Kathy Alice Simpson, both of Littleton, Jessica May Ricker of Toledo, Oh., Diana Marie Ricker of Princeton, Mass., and Sharon Lin Ricker-Perez of Hubbardston, Mass.; his mother, Mattie Sweeney of Whitefield; four brothers, Bert Ricker and Ronald Ricker, both of Clinton, Mass., Terry Ricker of Orange, Mass., and Timothy Ricker of Whitefield; 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Tuesday at the Pillsbury Funeral Home in Littleton, with the Rev. Albert Bunnell officiating. Burial will be in the Perry’s Cemetery in Pittsburg. Memorial donations may be made to the Littleton Area Senior Center, Cottage Street, Littleton, NH 03561. To view an online memorial or to send a message of condolence, visit www.pillsburyfh.com.