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Rhea Coburn
Former owner of Colonial Arms Inn
WOLFEBORO - Rhea Adele Coburn, 94, of Wolfeboro, died Friday, May 4, 2001, at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Linda Coburn of York, Maine, after a six-year battle against cancer.
She was born Feb. 10, 1907, in Springfield, Mass.
For decades, she and her husband, Gordon W. Coburn, owned and operated the Colonial Arms Inn and Barn Dining Room in Wolfeboro. He died in 1959.
Mrs. Coburn enjoyed gourmet cooking and several forms of needlework. She was also an avid reader.
Family members include her daughter, Beverly C. Severance of Wolfeboro; her son, Bruce G. Coburn of York, Maine; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
There were no calling hours. Private graveside services will be held in Lakeview Cemetery, Wolfeboro.
Memorial donations may be made to the VNA-Hospice of Southern Carroll County and Vicinity, PO Box 1620, Wolfeboro, NH 03894, or the VNA-Hospice of Southern Maine, 42 Brickyard Court, York, ME 03909.
Lord Funeral Home, Wolfeboro, is in charge of arrangements.
Kenneth T. Leach
Avid CB and ham radio operator
ALTON BAY - Kenneth Taylor Leach, 84, of Black Point, Trask Side, Alton Bay, died Tuesday evening, May 1. 2001, at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover.
He was born June 7, 1916, in W. Peabody, Mass., son of Ernest C. and Grace E. (Taylor) Leach. He was raised in W. Peabody and had lived there for many years. He had been a full-time resident of Alton Bay since 1975, having summered in Alton Bay since the early 1960s.
He was a graduate of Peabody High School and had attended Bryant Stratton and Franklin Technical schools.
A U.S. Naval veteran, he served during World War II with the Seabees in Bermuda and the South pacific.
A master electrician, after retirement he was self-employed as K.T. Leach Electrician. Before self-employment, he had worked for Horace Sargeant Electrical of Danvers, Mass.
A Mason, he was a member of Jordan Lodge in Peabody, Mass. An avid Citizen Band and ham radio operator, he was a member of the Ham Radio Repeater Association.
He enjoyed living on Lake Winnipesaukee and loved fishing, golf and watching sports on TV.
Family members include his wife of 59 years, Jennette S. (Lilley) Leach of Alton Bay; one son, Raymond B. and his wife, Rose F. Leach of Phoenix, Ariz.; one daughter, Linda J. and her husband, Larry J. Libert of Rockport, Mass.; two grandchildren; and a niece and a nephew. He was predeceased by a brother, Norman Leach.
Services were held May 3 at C. E. Peaslee & Son Alton Funeral Home. Burial was at Oak Grove Cemetery, Peabody, Mass.
If desired, memorial donations may be made to Huggins Hospital, 240 So. Main St., Wolfeboro, NH 03894.
Bruce A. Steeves
Served in US Marines and Navy
FREEDOM - Bruce A. Steeves, 74, of Route 153, died Sunday, April 29, 2001, at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, after a courageous battle with cancer.
He was born April 7, 1937, in Malden, Mass., son of Herbert and Emma (Harrison) Steeves.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Aug. 1, 1954. He served there until 1957 and later transferred to the U.S. Navy, Submarine Division, in 1963. He retired as chief Petty Officer E7.
He served his country during both the Korean Conflict and Vietnam era.
He had been employed as a postal clerk in the U.S. Post Office in Conway, where he retired in 1996.
He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and was also a communicant of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Center Ossipee.
Family members include his wife of 35 years, Ernestine (Murphy) Steeves of Freedom; three sons, Keith Steeves of Conway, Garrick Steeves of Freedom and Craig Steeves of Dotham, Ala.; two daughters, Kim Steeves of Niantic, Conn., and Sharon Walters of Farmington; 11 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter; two brothers, Harrison Steeves of Lynn, Mass., and Warren Steeves of Berwick, Maine; and two sisters, Dorothy Boudreaux of Hampton and Constance Slattery of Rochester.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated this morning at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church, Moultonville Road, Center Ossipee. Burial will be at Lakeview Cemetery, Freedom.
Helen Varney
WOLFEBORO - Helen Varney, 89, formerly of Farmington, died Feb. 10, 2001 at the Brewer Rehab and Living Center in Brewer, Maine.
A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at the South Wolfeboro Cemetery. Baker-Gagne Funeral Homes and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.
Earl Dodier
SANBORNVILLE - A graveside service for Earl S. Dodier, who died Feb. 18, 2001, will be held Saturday, May 12, at 11 a.m. at Lovell Lake Cemetery in Sanbornville.
Friends are invited to attend. Arrangements are in the care of Peaslee Funeral Home of Sanbornville.
Marjorie “Marny” Banks
Retired educator, author, museum owner
WAKEFIELD - Marjorie “Marny” Gladdis Hannaford Banks, 94, of Wakefield Road, died Thursday, June 7, 2001, at Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro.
She was born March 27, 1907, in Fairfield, Conn., daughter of Clifford S. and Grace (Hannaford) Banks.
She retired from the Fairfield, Conn., School System in 1970 after serving more than 41 years. Her position at the time of retirement was that of guidance housemaster of Stillman House at Roger Ludlowe High School (the Fairfield School System in on the House Plan).
She was a “people person” for adults and young people alike. She graduated from Smith College, received her master’s degree from Columbia University, and completed her sixth year of study at New York University.
After many years as summer campers on Balch Pond in Wakefield, she and her sister, Elizabeth, retired to Wakefield Corner in 1974, having come from Fairfield, Conn.
An educator and community leader, she served as president and was a life member of the Connecticut Education Association, president of the Fairfield Education Association, area representative and life member of the National Education Association.
She was author of the book, “Through the Open Doors of the First Congregational Church of Wakefield, NH” and also authored three church pageants for special celebrations. They were “Recollections,” “Pageant of Brides” and Bicentennial Pageant.”
She served as chairman of Wakefield’s yearlong Bicentennial Celebration’s many activities. She had also served as president of Delta Kappa Gamma.
After she retired, she was known as the “Story Lady” in schools in Connecticut and New Hampshire.
She was a member of the Greenfield Hill Church in Fairfield, Conn., a past master of Greenfield Hill Grange and a member of the original Planning and Organizing Committee when Fairfield moved to representative town meeting form of government.
In New Hampshire, she was a member of the Huggins Hospital Auxiliary, a member of the Puppeteers, and an associate member of First Congregational Church of Wakefield and the Parish Helpers of the church. She was also an honorary member of the Wakefield Woman’s Club, a president of the Wakefield/Brookfield Historical Society and a member of the New Hampshire Farm Museum in Milton.
She and her sister were co-owners and originators of the ‘“Lemonade and Gingerbread” Gift Shop and the Museum of Childhood, both in Wakefield.
Family members include her sister, Elizabeth Banks MacRury of Wakefield; and several cousins.
A memorial service was held June 12 at First Congregational Church, Wakefield, with the Rev. John Tamilio II officiating. A memorial service will also be held Friday, June 15, at 11 a.m. at Greenfield Hill Congregational Church in Fairfield, Conn. Burial will be at Oak Lawn Cemetery, Fairfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the “Restoration of the Spinney Meeting House” in Wakefield c/o the Wakefield Heritage Commission, Wakefield Town Hall, 2 High St., Wakefield, NH 03872.
Arrangements are in the care of C.E. Peaslee and Son Funeral Home, Wakefield.
Marguerite Hollenbeck
Longtime summer resident of Alton Bay
ALTON BAY - Marguerite Faye Hollenbeck, 75, of Alton Bay and 8450 Danbury Lane, Hudson, Fla., died Saturday, June 9, 2001, at Lakes Region General Hospital in Laconia after a long illness.
She was born April 19, 1926, in Washington, D.C., daughter of Audley Anderson Peckover Savage and Winifred Maude (Austin) Savage. She lived in Hamden, Conn., for 23 years before moving to Florida. She summered in Alton Bay for 54 years.
She was a member of Kingswood Golf Club in Wolfeboro.
Family members include her husband, William Phelps Hollenbeck of Alton Bay and Hudson, Fla.; two sons, Bruce Phelps Hollenbeck of Orefield, Pa., and Wayne Harmon Hollenbeck of Middletown, Conn.; a daughter, Leigh Carole Hewitt of Middletown, Conn.; three grandchildren; a sister, Mary Alice Wallace of Maryland; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by three brothers, Eric, Harold and John, and one sister, Barbara.
A funeral service was held June 12 at Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home in Laconia. The Rev. George Hankins-Hull, spiritual care coordinator at Lakes Region General Hospital, officiated. Burial will be in the family plot at Lakeview Cemetery, Wolfeboro.
William L. McCarthy
Retired seaman, park ranger for many years
FREEDOM - William L. McCarthy, 81, of Square Brook Estates, died June 5, 2001, at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
He was born Sept. 9, 1919, in Chelsea, Mass., son of William and Gertrude (Carroll) McCarthy. He attended schools in Winthrop, Mass.
He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1935 and served in WWII and the Korean Conflict, retiring in 1970. He was known as the youngest Bos’n on the East Coast. During his time in the Merchant Marine, he sailed and traveled around the world several times and was able to speak in four languages.
After his retirement, he and his wife, Barbara, made their home in Freedom. He also worked as a park ranger at Echo Lake State Park in North Conway for many years.
Family members include his wife, Barbara (Gould) McCarthy of Freedom; a daughter, Steva Parkman and her husband, John, of Camden, Maine; a son, David Smalley and his wife, Audrey, of Essex Junction, Vt.; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Jodie Diamond of Ossipee; cousins Dan and Lena McCarthy of Conway; dear friends Kay Winn and Gert and Joe Barry; and nieces and nephews in Massachusetts.
There were no calling hours. A private family service will be held at a later date.
The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Lokiclan Wolf Refuge, PO Box 1186, Conway, NH 03818.
