Coos County Democrat Obituaries, Lancaster, New Hampshire, Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Copyright of the newspaper.  Permission to include in the USGenWeb Archives
was received.

Arthur S. Houghton
Army veteran

     BLUEPOINT, N.Y. -- Arthur S. Houghton died on Nov. 7, 2004.
     He was born on Oct. 2, 1926 in Philadelphia, the son of Arthur and
Cecelia (Guyon) Houghton.
     The family moved to Twin Mountain when Arthur was six years old. He
was graduated from Twin Mountain High School.
     Arthur served 20 years in the Army. After his Army retirement, he was
a photographer for the New York City Police Department. Later he was in
real estate, having been a broker and owner of his own company. His
favorite hobby was fishing.
     The family includes his beloved wife of 48 years, Agnes Ferguson; his
brother, William and wife Claire, and a sister-in-law, Patricia Houghton;
two nieces, four nephews and many cousins. His parents and his brother,
Patrick died previously.
     Calling hours were held at Raynor and DÕAngelio Funeral Home in
Bayport, N.Y. A Mass was held at Our Lady of the Snow in Bluepoint, N.Y.
Burial was in Arlington National Cemetery, with full military honors.

David E. St. Hilaire Jr.

Comptroller at Weeks

     BOW -- David E. St. Hilaire Jr. of Bow died on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004,
at Presidential Oaks in Concord.
     David was born on April 26, 1922 to David Sr. and Ethel St. Hilaire in
Huntington, N.Y.
     He bravely served in the Navy in the Aleutian Islands as a member of
Scouting Squadron Seventy where he survived numerous encounters with the
enemy while defending our nationÕs coast. After the war, he enlisted in the
Air Force Reserve where he served 20 years as a firefighter and a retired
Master Sergeant. He was also a volunteer firefighter for Greenwood, Mass.
and Lancaster.
     On his return from the war he married his wartime sweetheart, Beverley
Pitman in October of 1947.
     He earned an associateÕs degree in accounting from Bentley College and
held various accounting positions, the most notable being the comptroller
for Weeks Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, and most recently, as auditor for
the State of New Hampshire.
     David was active in the Episcopal Church and served as a lay reader
often. During his retirement, he became involved with St. John the
Evangelist Episcopal Church in Dunbarton and, with the assistance of his
wife and several others, helped the small church regain its congregation
and financial stability.
     Earlier in life, he participated in Boy Scouts as a scoutmaster and
helped many scouts learn to love the outdoors as he did. David hiked and
walked for years and was a very active walker in his retirement. He also
participated in the Strides for Breast Cancer walk for several years and
even doubled the five-mile walk to 10 just to challenge him.
     David also loved trains. In his early years he was an active
railroader and owner of the Cinder Valley Railroad -- one of many model
railroads of the day. He traded passes and information with model
railroading clubs and built his own engines, cars, and scenery. It was his
love of trains that carried him through his final years as he passionately
began resurrecting the Cinder Valley Railroad.
     The family includes his loving and devoted wife of 57 years, Beverley;
his daughter, Janet; his son, Robert and wife, Claudia; his
daughter-in-law, Deborah and grandchildren, Jody Lynn and Todd Robert; and
his brother, Francis. His son, David Gary died previously.
     A memorial service was held on Saturday, Nov. 20 at St. John the
Evangelist Episcopal Church in Dunbarton. A reception followed. A private
internment will be held at a later date.
     Memorial donations may be made to St. John the Evangelist Episcopal
Church, 270 Stark Highway - Rte. 13, Dunbarton, NH 03045; or to the
National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd St., Suite 1100, New York, NY
10016.
     The Cremation Society of New Hampshire is in charge of arrangements.

Ellen Mildred Curtis

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother;
care giver and baby lover

     GROVETON -- Ellen Mildred Curtis, 86, of Groveton, died on Sunday,
Nov. 14, 2004 at Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, with her family by her
side.
     She was born in North Stratford on March 11, 1918, a daughter of Levi
O. and Flora M. (Barron) Portigue.
     Mrs. Curtis worked as a cook at Dinty Moore Diner in Groveton and
worked at numerous factories and mills such as Stratford Plywood throughout
her years. She devoted many years to raising her granddaughter, Jessie and
also a great-granddaughter, Angela. She was a loving caregiver, who always
put her family first.
     Family members include a daughter, Linda Beaton and her husband Bob
Jr. of Groveton; three sisters, Melvina Weagle of Groveton, Alice Bigelow
of Genesis Elder Care in Lancaster, and Mary Ramsdell and her husband Ted
of Guildhall, Vt.; several grandchildren, Shelley Potter and husband
Linwood of Groveton, Michael Beaton and wife Wendy of Groveton, Brian
Beaton and his girlfriend Helena Bryant of Colebrook, Jessie Savage and her
husband Daniel of Lancaster, Donna Lanctot and her husband Roger of
Pittsburg, Curt McCarson and his wife Cookie of Littleton; along with many
great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces
and nephews.
     Her husband, Rollin Carl Curtis, died in 1970, her daughter, Elaine
"Gail" McCarson died in 1982, and her granddaughter, Kelley Rose Beaton,
died in 1971.Several brothers and sisters also died previously.
     At Mrs. CurtisÕs request, there were no calling hours. A graveside
service was held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17 in the Northumberland
Cemetery, with retired pastor Curtis Smith officiating.
     For directions to the service or to send the family condolences via
the on-line register book, go to www.legacy.com.
     Armstrong-Charron Funeral Home, Groveton, is handling the
arrangements.

James L. Collins Jr.

Served in the U.S. Navy

     WHITEFIELD -- James L. Collins Jr., 66, of Lancaster Road, died on
Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Littleton Regional Hospital, following a long
battle with cancer.
     He was born on Feb. 28, 1938, the son of James L. and Beatrice
(Porcella) Collins of Stoneham, Mass.
     Mr. Collins was a past agent for Metropolitan Life, Boston, Mass.,
past manager of Patriot General Life, Boston, Mass., and president and CEO
of Patriot Real Estate, Inc., Andover, Mass. and Derry. He moved to
Whitefield in 1984, where he purchased the North Gate Restaurant. He also
worked for Tom Gage Realty, Whitefield, The Red Coach Inn, Franconia, and
the Cabot Inn, Lancaster.
     He served in the Navy from 1955-59. He was a member of AmericaÕs First
day cover society, was an avid alpine skier and back packer, and loved
collecting hand-painted first day covers and coins.
     The family includes his wife, Carol (Stinson) Collins of Whitefield;
two sons, James L. Collins III of Hingham, Mass. and Michael B. Collins of
Whitefield and Andover; a daughter, Kathleen Collins of Florida; four
grandchildren, Jenna, Rebecca, Kayla and Michael; a sister, Beatrice
Gillespie of Stoneham, Mass. and Jupiter, Fla.; and several nieces and
nephews.
     A Memorial Service and interment will take place at a later date.
     Those who wish may make donations in his memory to the Oncology
Clinic, or Hospice of the Littleton Area, c/o Littleton Regional Hospital,
600 St. Johnsbury Road, Littleton, NH 03561.
     The Ross Funeral Home, Littleton Chapel, was entrusted with the
arrangements. Those who wish may sign an electronic register by logging
onto www.rossfuneral.com