Page 20 — THE LACONIA DAILY SUN, Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Dr. Charles E. Wilder, 85 LACONIA — Dr. Charles Edward Wilder, 85, of 34 Taylor Home Drive, Laconia, New Hampshire, passed away on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at his home. Dr. Wilder was born in Madura, India to Congregational missionary parents. His father, Edward Wheeler Wilder, devoted his life as a physician to heading a hospital there. Charles attended Kodaikanal School, an American missionary boarding school in the mountains of South India, with his three brothers. They were to remain close for the rest of his life. After high school, in 1942, leaving his family behind, he traveled to the United States in an American troop ship under blackout conditions. He entered Antioch College at age 16, later transferring to Baldwin Wallace for the Navy V-12 pre-med program and graduating from college at age 19. After further training at the Great Lakes Training Center, the Navy sent him to Boston University School of Medicine. During his training, he spent summers hitching rides on freight trains, sleeping under the stars, hiking and traveling across the country, working a wide variety of jobs. Some of this travel was with Kodai School friends with whom he remained close his whole life. His postgraduate training, after the award of his M.D. degree, included a residency in tropical medicine in Canal Zone. His active duty in the Navy took him to North Carolina, Japan and Korea. Back in the States, he was awarded fellowships first from Harvard and Tufts and then from the U.S. Public Health System, giving him the opportunity to publish his research in scientific journals. Attracted to New Hampshire’s hiking, skiing and sailing, he became Laconia’s first cardiologist. He began the solo practice of cardiology and internal medicine in a small office in his home on North Main Street, with an EKG machine, a simple lab, and
OBITUARIES
an exam table. For the next thirty years, he was to find caring for his friends and neighbors in a small town very rewarding. During his first year of medical practice, while married to Gisela Hanstein, his daughter, Inga, was born. Some years after their divorce, he married Nancy Eddy who shared his passion for hiking and skiing. They won several trophies racing their sailboats. He also joined famous guide, Willi Unsoeld, for challenging mountain climbing in the Himalayas. He was a dedicated father and during his retirement enjoyed taking his grandchildren hiking and boating and sharing with them his love of poetry and literature. He also enjoyed researching his genealogy and continued a lifelong commitment to supporting national and international charities. In 2008, he and Nancy celebrated their 30th anniversary. In addition to their other interests, they took advantage of retirement to travel more widely, exploring nature and varied cultures. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, daughter, Inga Robbins, brothers and sisters-in-law, Dorothy Wilder, David and Peggy Wilder, Donald and Alison Wilder, and granddaughters, Talia and Sarah Robbins. There will be no calling hours. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 2:00 pm at the Laconia Congregational Church, 69 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of his favorite charities, Central Asia Institute, P.O. Box 7209, Bozeman, MT 59771, or the Mayhew Foundation, Newfound Lake, P.O. Box 120, Bristol, NH 03222. Wilkinson-Beane-SimoneauPaquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.
Jayne, M. Ruel, 53 CENTER HARBOR — Jayne Marilyn Ruel, 53, of Waukewan Rd., Center Harbor, passed away Friday, February 11, 2011, at her home surrounded by her loving family, after a lengthy illness. Born on April 20, 1957, in Exeter, NH, she was the daughter of Donald R. and Yvonne B. (Metcalf) Wright. Jayne was raised in the Moultonborough – Center Harbor area and attended the local schools there. After school Jayne got married and had her children, for 30 years she was the proprietor of her very successful painting business, “Jayne’s Painting”. Jayne was considered a nurturer by her family; she loved gardening and animals, and spending time with her family and many friends in the area. Jayne is predeceased by her former husband, Peter J. Ruel, formerly of Center Harbor, in November, 2009; and her parents. She is survived by her two loving sons, Wesly Ruel, of Center Harbor,
and Jason and wife Jessica Ruel, also of Center Harbor; three sisters, Susan and husband Geoffrey Adjutant, of Wolfeboro, Lorraine Walpole, of Bethlehem, MD, and Deborah and husband Rick Danforth, of Belmont; two grandchildren, Dylan and Matthew Ruel, of Center Harbor; mother and father in-law, James and Diane Ruel; brother and sister in-laws, Alan Ruel, Michelle and Frank Wright, Anne Marie and Mark Beauchemin, Jane and Brian Allen, and Patrick Ruel; and many more friends in the Lakes Region area. Donations may be made in Jayne’s memory to the NH Humane Society or to a charity of one’s choice. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011, at Mayhew Funeral Home (Rtes. 3 and 104), Meredith, from 6:00 pm through 8:00 pm. Mayhew Funeral Homes of Meredith and Plymouth are handling the arrangements. www.mayhewfuneralhomes.com
Helen S. Dockham, 80
GILFORD — Helen S. Dockham, 80, of 192 Potter Hill Road, died at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon on Thursday, February 10, 2011. Mrs. Dockham was born March 4, 1930 in Gilford, the daughter of Clarence E. and Maude (Sleeper) Sawyer. Mrs. Dockham was a lifelong resident of Gilford. She had been employed at New England Telephone, Lakes Region Transit and for eighteen years had been employed at the Citizen Publishing Co. Mrs. Dockham was a member of The Lakes Region Vineyard Church. Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Donald R. Dockham, of Gilford; twin sons, Dean C. Dockham and his wife, Lisa, of Gilmanton and Dennis V. Dockham and his fiancée, Tammy Chaperon, of Gilford; two grandsons, Justin Michael Dockham and Joshua Dean Dockham and their mother Teresa A. Dockham of Mich. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Dockham
was predeceased by a sister, Beverly Sawyer. Memorial calling hours will be held at the WilkinsonBeane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 from 4:00pm-7:00pm using the Carriage House entrance. A Memorial Service will be held at the Gilford Community Church, 19 Potter Hill Road, Gilford, on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 10 am. Burial will be in the family lot in Pine Grove Cemetery, Gilford in the spring. For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to The Lakes Region Vineyard Church, 175 Mechanic Street, Lakeport, NH 03246. Wilkinson-Beane-SimoneauPaquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.
Florene ‘Betty’ O. Fagan, 86
GILFORD — Florence “Betty” O’Brien Fagan of Gilford, NH, passed away peacefully, at home, surrounded by her family on February 8, 2011. Betty was born on September 21, 1924 in New York City, where she met and married Gerald A. Fagan, II, on September 18, 1948. They lived in Hudson, Ohio until 1974 and then relocated to Gilford where she has lived for the past 35 years, also spending time in Key West and Sarasota, FL. Betty graduated with a BS from Manhattanville College and a BFA from Kent State University. For the last 65 years, she looked forward to the fall, when she would meet up with her Manhattanville classmates. Throughout her life, Betty worked to improve her craft , studying with other artists and teachers. Betty was a nationally-know artist, with drawing and painting as her passion. She has artwork in both public and many private collections. Betty embraced the art world with friends from many generations and, through her paintings, her legacy will continue. Her courage, strength and ability to maintain a positive attitude were the qualities that so many people admired. When friends speak of Betty, the conversations will be filled with
joy, smiles and reflections of what an extraordinary person she was. Betty is survived by two sons and four daughters and their spouses, Gerry and Kathy Fagan, Gilford, NH, Devitt and Gary Liptak, Gilford, NH, Celeste and Gordon Craig, Sanbornton, NH, Margaret Fagan-Smith and Scott Smith, Cambridge, NY, Eileen (Ree) Fagan and Cheska, Bow, NH, and Peter Fagan and Ann Merlini, Ojai, CA., eight grandchildren, Sara and Victor Nicholas, Gilford, NH, Jeremiah and Haruka Dutch, Yokahama, Japan, Kevin and Rennie Liptak, Washington, DC, Nick Liptak, Brooklyn, NY, Gerry and Catie Craig, Sanbornton, NH and MaggieRose and Ellory Smith, Cambridge, NY and three great-grandchildren, Ellie and Jade Nicholas, Gilford, NH and Miaumi Kohama-Dutch, Yokahama, Japan. Her husband, Gerald A Fagan, II predeceased Betty, on August 4, 2000. A celebration of life will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Community Health and Hospice, 780 N. Main St., #1, Laconia, NH 03246 or to St. Joseph’s Indian School, 1301 North Main Street, Chamberlain, SD 57325. A special thanks to Sharon Christenson for all of her help and support.
Winter Home Safety subject of presentation to Elders Friendship Club LACONIA — A Winter Home Safety presentation will be given at the Laconia Elders Friendship Club meeting at the Leavitt Park Clubhouse at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16. Susan Kelly MPA, OT/L, an occupational therapist from Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice will provide attendees with a supply check
list to help build a comprehensive emergency kit to get through most situations. She will also review the risk factors contributing to falls in and around the home, and will offer ideas to prevent a fall by modifying those risk factors. For more information, call Barbara St. Pierre at 524-4786.