Thelma S. Boudreau

Thelma S. Boudreau

    Thelma S. Boudreau, 95, formerly of Swanzey and Keene, NH, died Monday, August 11, 2014, at the Applewood Care and Rehabilitation Center in Winchester, NH. She was born in Pittsfield, Mass., June 13, 1919, the daughter of Leroy and Mae (Platt) Strange.

    She resided in the Pittsfield area for many years and attended local schools. She worked for several years at Crane and Company in Dalton, Mass., makers of paper for U.S. currency as well as quality stationary. She was a hard worker and no job was too challenging for her. She did house cleaning for several families in the Dalton area for many years and was proud of her cleaning skills. She spent summers as a cook and nanny on Nantucket and in Moody, ME. In later years, she lived in Bradenton, FL, where she worked at a local hospital sterilizing surgical instruments, as well as working for a social service agency as a caregiver.
    Mrs. Boudreau was an adventurous and independent spirit who loved to hike, go camping, and travel in her motorhome. She was an excellent swimmer and was a certified swimming instructor. She was also an avid reader, as well as a lover of crossword puzzles. Her knitting skills were such that her grandchildren could always expect new hats and mittens at Christmas.
    In the early nineties, she left Florida and moved to Dexter, ME, to be near her daughter and grandchildren. Mrs. Boudreau resided there until moving to Keene in 2005. While in Keene, she enjoyed riding her scooter around the city, making frequent trips to the library and the Castle Center where she enjoyed visiting with others. She was a woman of faith and read her Bible daily, and was a member of the Church of Nazarene in Keene.
    She was predeceased by her husband of ten years, Homer Boudreau; and two brothers, Albert Strange and Francis Strange.
    She is survived by her son, Bruce Mispel and his wife, Sandra, of Swanzey with whom she has resided for the past four years; a daughter, Toni Cunningham and her husband, Brian, of Dover-Foxcroft, ME; five grandchildren, Wendy John and her husband, Robert, of Swanzey, Douglas Mispel of Swanzey, Dale Kerstetter and his wife, Heather, of Corinna, ME, Guy Kerstetter and his wife, Erica of Bethlehem, NH, Lolly Armstrong and her fiancé, Chris Mauldin of Loganville, GA; 14 great-grandchildren, Christopher John of Winchester, NH, Jennifer John and Zackarie John, both of Lake Tahoe, CA, Emma John of Swanzey, Nicole Kerstetter and Brittany Kerstetter, both of Corinna, ME, Kelsey Kerstetter, Devon Kerstetter, Jasmine Kerstetter and her fiancé, Mitchell, all of Bethlehem, NH, as well as Alex, Sadie, Ryan, Marissa and J.J. of Loganville, GA; two great-great-grandchildren, Bobby John and Simon John, both of Winchester; and a special niece, Barbara Richards of Miami, FL.
    A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 30, at 11 a.m., in the Church of the Nazarene, 55 Maple Ave., Keene, NH. Family and friends are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Monadnock Humane Society, 101 West Swanzey Rd., West Swanzey, NH 03446. The Foley Funeral Home www.foleyfuneralhome.com, 49 Court St., Keene, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements.