Author: Canaan Town Library

Raymond T. Brown

From the October 16, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Raymond T. Brown, 77, died Friday morning, October 6, 2000 at the Alice Peck Day Extended Care Facility in Lebanon, NH. He was born in Canaan, NH on October 27, 1922 and had attended local schools. A lifelong Enfield resident, he had been employed by the former Baltic Woolen Mills, and later worked for many years as a custodian at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, retiring in 1992. He was a U.S. Army Veteran of WWII and a member of the American Legion. He was also a member of the Faith Baptist Church of Canaan, NH and the Enfield/Mascoma Lions Club. He enjoyed travel and spending time with friends. He was married to Sadie (Sanders) Brown who died October 27, 1992.

He leaves many nieces, nephews, and cousins in the Enfield/Canaan area. He was predeceased by his wife and one brother. Graveside committal services will be announced in the near future by the Ricker Funeral Home of Lebanon, NH.

Memorial contributions in memory of Raymond may be made to: The Enfield/Mascoma Lions Club Building Fund, PO Box 3, Enfield, NH 03748.

Mary L. Niles

From the January 8, 2001 issue of The Country Chronicle

Augusta, ME–Mary L. Niles, 99, formerly of Kennebec Plaza, died Monday, December 18, 2000 at Hanover Terrace Healthcare, Hanover, NH.

She was born in Manchester, NH on March 29, 1901, the daughter of Frank and Maude (Oakes) Goodwin.

Mary worked on the family farm in Augusta, ME for over 25 years. She also attended schools in Augusta. She married Walter L. Niles Sr. on June 30, 1920. During WWII, Mary worked at Bath Iron Works as a burner and a welder. Mary graduated from the Augusta State Hospital on July 12, 1959 then worked as a psychiatric aide for many years at the same hospital. She lived in Bath for several years and attended Woolwich-Wiscasset Baptist Church where she played the piano. Mary later worked in Boston as a seamstress at the Boston Naval Yard for 12 years. After her return to Maine, Mary was the Commissioner of the Augusta Housing Authority, from 1987 to 1991. All her life she had been connected with music; as a vocalist and violinist, playing a musical saw, piano, organ or alto horn. She played the violin with the Augusta Symphony Orchestra at the old City Hall, under the direction of Earnest R. Hill.

She was a past member of the American Legion, Post #2 Auxiliary. She was also an active member of the Kennebec Valley Assembly of God Church in Chelsea for over 10 years. Mary also did volunteer work on a monthly basis for the church as well as for Kennebec Long Term Nursing Care at Graybirch.

She was predeceased by her children, Kimber Niles, Kenneth O. Niles, Donald Niles and Walter Niles, Jr. Also a brother, Vincent A. Goodwin. She is survived by a son, Norman Niles, and his wife Marie, of Weeks Mills. Two daughters, Constance Boggs and her husband Robert, of Augusta and Eleanor Barney and her husband Reginald, of Canaan, NH

24 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Visiting was held on Thursday, December 21 from 10 to 11 am at the Knowlton and Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta, ME, where a funeral service followed at 11:00. Pastor Mikko Tervo officiated. Burial took place at Mount Hope Cemetery in Augusta, ME.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Assembly of God Church, Music Dept., Chelsea, ME 04330.

Freida Johanna Warde

From the January 8, 2001 issue of The Country Chronicle

Orange, NH–Freida Johanna Warde, December 28, 1905 – December 26, 2000.

Survived by: Bernard Warde, son, Haines Falls, NY; Anita Watson, daughter, Orange, NH; 4 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: Paul Warde, husband; Heinrich Meyer, father; Martha (Kahne) Meyer, mother; 3 sisters and 2 brothers.

Freida J. Warde, 94, died at her home, Tuesday, December 26, 2000, following a long illness. She was born in Stelle, Germany, December 28, 1905, a daughter of the late Henrich & Martha (Kahne) Meyer. She came to this country in the early 1930’s and was married to Paul Warde in 1934. Mr. Warde died in 1988. For many years, she had done domestic work for local families in order to provide money for her family back in Germany. She had lived in Westchester, NY; the Bronx, NY; Haines Falls, NY; and the Catskills area of New York before moving to Orange, NH in 1989. She was an active member of the Canaan Senior Center.

She had knitted hundreds of hats for use at the Intensive Care Nursery at Alice Peck Day Extended Care Facility. She enjoyed gardening and flowers, and caring for her family.

There will be no calling hours. Graveside Committal Services will be held in the spring in the Haines Falls Cemetery in Haines Falls, NY. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to: The Canaan F.A.S.T. Squad, Canaan, NH 03741 or to: The Visiting Nurse Alliance of VT & NH (VNA/VNH), 20 S. Main St., White River Jct., VT 05001.

The Ricker Funeral Home of Lebanon is in charge of arrangements.

Burton G. Curry

From the December 11, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Canaan, NH–Burton G. Curry, 100, a long-time resident of West Canaan, NH passed away on Sunday, December 3, 2000 in Deland, FL.

Survivors are his wife, Elizabeth T. Curry, two daughters, Margaret E. Hobbs of Hamden, CT and Mary K. Marshall of Deland, FL. Numerous grand, great grands and great great grandchildren.

Dorothy Curry Miller, 80, hid eldest daughter, preceded him in death on December 1, 2000 in Deland, FL.

Ada M. Sleeper

From the February 28, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Ada M. Sleeper, 86, of Enfield, died on Saturday, February 19th at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. She was born in Grafton, NH on July 25, 1913 a daughter of Edwin E. and Lizzie (Martin) Morse. She had been a resident of this area most of her life and was the widow of Lee V. Sleeper who died in 1957. She had worked as a nurse’s aide at Northwood Nursing Home in Manchester for several years. She enjoyed her pets, traveling and country music.

She leaves 6 children; Elizabeth Guerin of Enfield, Betty Dion of Gilford; Sharon Pillsbury of Canaan, Larry Sleeper of Canaan, Kenneth Sleeper of Enfield and Forest Sleeper of Enfield, 12 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by 13 brothers and sisters, 2 sons; Lee and Ralph, and a daughter Glenda Ada Sleeper Johnson.

Friends were able to call at Ricker Funeral Home in Enfield on Tuesday, February 22nd. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, February 23rd at the Community Lutheran Church of Enfield with Pastor John Crilley officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Grafton.

Mildred A. Dugan

From the August 21, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Mildred A. Dugan, 85, of Enfield died on Tuesday, August 15th, at the Alice Peck Day Extended Care Facility in Lebanon. She was born in Franklin, NH on May 2nd, 1915, a daughter of James and Kathleen (Lahair) Anastas. She was married to Edgar I. Dugan on June 30, 1945. Mr. Dugan died on February 26, 1972.

Mrs. Dugan was employed as a textile weaver by the Black Bear Woolen Mill in Proctorsville, VT at the age of 16. She later worked for the Baltic Mill in Enfield for 13 years and the Dartmouth Woolen Mill in Claremont for 15 years. Mrs. Dugan retired in 1982.

Mrs. Dugan is survived by a sister Loretta C. Godfrey of Rutland, VT; a brother Basil Pano of Franklin, NH; several nieces, nephews, and her close friend, Dororthy Mulherin of Enfield.

Friends called at the Ricker Funeral Home on Rte. 4 on Sunday, August 20th, burial took place on Monday in the Quechee Cemetery in Quechee, VT.

Dorothy E. Clough

From the December 20, 1999 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Dorothy E. Clough, 80, of Enfield died at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center on December 13, 1999 following a brief illness.

She was born July 30, 1919 and had been a lifelong resident of this area.

Mrs. Clough enjoyed yard sales, bingo, eating out, trips with seniors and church activities. She was a foster grandparent at Canaan Elementary School, a Head Start teacher in Canaan, and a clerk at Canaan Country Store. She will be remembered for her wonderful sense of humor and generosity.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank H. Clough; a daughter, Vicki LaLiberty; and a sister, Pauline Roberts.

Survivors include a son, John H. Clough of Canaan; a daughter, Peggy Wicki of Quechee; and seven grandchildren.

It was Mrs. Clough’s request that there be no services at this time and that her body be donated to Dartmouth Medical School for research. A memorial service will be held in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to United Methodist Church in Enfield, NH.

Lyle Winston Prior

From the January 10, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Lyle Winston Prior, 82, a longtime resident of Enfield, NH, died Sunday morning, January 2, 2000 at the Veterans Hospital in White River Jct., VT. He was born in Burlington, VT Sept. 15, 1917, the son of the late William & Della (Church) Prior. He was raised and educated in Burlington & Underhill, VT. He was married April 12, 1942 to Irene E. (Wilmot). A U.S. Army Veteran of WWII he served in the European Theatre with the Railroad Operations Battalion. For over 34 years he was employed by the B&M Railroad as a brakeman. Mr. Prior was a founder, Past President, and a life member of the NH Trappers Association; a life member of the Grafton County Sheriff’s Aux., and a life member of the Lebanon Lodge of Elks B.P.O.E. #2099. He was also a member of the Civil Air Patrol and was involved with their cooperation with the Fish & Game Department’s Search and Rescue activities. He was also a licensed NH fishing and hunting guide and hosted his own television show “Sportsman’s Scrapbook” on WNNE TV 31 from 1967-1968. For 17 years he had been active with the Lebanon Senior Center and their “Meals on Wheels” program.

Friends called at the Ricker Funeral Home, 56 School St., Lebanon, NH Tuesday evening from 7-9 pm. Funeral services were conducted Wednesday morning at 10 am in the funeral home with the Rev. Patricia Williams officiating. Burial will be in the spring in the Lakeview Cemetery in Enfield, NH. Memorial contributions may be made to the Enfield F.A.S.T. Squad, Enfield, NH 03748 or to a charity of one’s choice.

Survived by:

Mrs. Irene E. Prior, wife, Enfield, NH

Steven L. Prior, son, West Jordan, UT

William I. Prior, son, Enfield, NH

Bruce E. Prior, son, Enfield, NH

Donna Schmanska, daughter, Enfield, NH

13 Grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Preceded in death by Otis Prior, brother and Muriel Pierson, sister

Leon Tadeusz Kremzner

From the January 24, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Canaan, NH–Leon Tadeusz “Lee” Kremzner, 75, died unexpectedly Tuesday January 18, 2000 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

A respected scientist who moved to Canaan in 1983, Mr. Kremzner, at the time of his death, was serving as a selectman.

He was born September 16, 1924, in Wyszkow, Poland, as an American citizen born abroad, and came to the United States in 1930. He attended schools in Newark, NJ and left Newark College of Engineering to serve in the Army during WWII. He was a Corporal in the Anti-Tank Company 406th Infantry Regiment, part of the 102nd Infantry, and served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Mr. Kremzner received several medals, including the Bronze Star.

He graduated from Seton Hall College in 1949 and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Rutgers University in 1955. He did postdoctoral work at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.

On August 26, 1956 he was married to Louise M. Roik. They lived in several New Jersey communities, including Upper Saddle River, Pennington, Ho-Ho-Kus and Chester. Mr. Kremzner was an associate professor of neurochemistry and a senior research scientist at Columbia University. For more than 30 years, he taught and conducted research on Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and nerve regeneration. He is credited with developing a method for isolating acetylcholinesterase. He published more than 50 papers and held 4 patents. Mr. Kremzner served as an advisor to the U.S. Army Medical Research Laboratories and to the National Science Foundation. He retired in 1986.

Mr. and Mrs. Kremzner moved to Canaan in 1983. They ran the Inn on Canaan Street, which was selected by Yankee Magazine in 1995-96 as one of the best places to stay in New England. Mr. Kremzner was active in town affairs and was elected selectman in 1998. He loved the town and worked many hours to make it a better place.

Mr. Kremzner loved the outdoors and was extremely active. He was usually one of the first to swim at Canaan Street Lake in the spring and one of the last in the fall. He loved to skate, ski and take walks with his dogs, which he adored. He enjoyed spirited conversations with friends and family around the dinner table. He believed that his proudest accomplishment was his family and his greatest joy was bringing up his children.

Survivors include his wife of Canaan; his son, Mark, of Vancouver and ME; a daughter, Madeline Olsen of Post Mills and son, Stuart of Bloomington, IL; son, Raymond of MD, from a previous marriage; two brothers, Stanislaw of Vacaville, CA and Sigmunt of Pawley’s Island, SC; and two grandchildren.

Services were held Saturday at 1:30 pm at the Cardigan Mountain School Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 710 West 168th St., New York, NY 10032-9982 or to the Canaan FAST Squad, Canaan, NH 03741. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rand-Wilson Funeral Home in Hanover.

Robert R. Charbono

From the July 31, 2000 issue of The Country Chronicle

Enfield, NH–Robert Raymond Charbono, 68, died at home on Thursday, July 20, 2000.

He was born in Enfield on May 2, 1932, a son of Earl and Bernice (Daigle) Charbono. He attended Enfield High School, and in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict.

Mr. Charbono was a skilled bookbinder and his working years were spent at Dartmouth Printing, Rumford Press, Whitman Press, and Lebanon Graphics. He retired in 1991.

He enjoyed working in his vegetable garden, watching baseball games, visiting with friends at Janet’s Roadside Cafe and at Chases’s Garage, and spending time with his family.

He married Diane F. Coutermarsh on July 28, 1956, and they resided in the home in which he was born.

He was predeceased by two sisters, Lois Charbono Kenney and Bernice Charbono Donovan, and a brother, Richard Charbono.

Mr. Charbono leaves his wife of Enfield, three children, Nancy M. Charbono-Ricard of Canaan, Karen M. Ibey of Enfield and Thomas R. Charbono of Northfield, and their spouses, Alan Ricard, Gerald Ibey, and Kathy Charbono; five grandchildren: Christopher Hitt, Victoria Ibey, Lauren Charbono, Kaitlin Charbono and Robert Ibey; brothers, Earl, Paul, Stephen, David and Donald Charbono and William Gray, and a sister, Joyce Charbono Ruel; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service was held on Tuesday, July 25th at 2 pm at Ricker Funeral Home, School St., Lebanon, with Pastor John Crilley officiating. In Lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the FAST Squad, PO Box 373, Enfield, NH 03748.