Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory

12/23/2025

Obituary for Jean Ester Fortier -

Durham, NH - Jean Ester Fortier died at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital on December 22nd, 2025. Born in Troy, New York on March 19th, 1954 she was one of six siblings.

Jean enjoyed a 28 year long career as an LNA. She loved crocheting, often making blankets and hats for the Baby and Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Thomas More in Durham. She was also a mother of two.

The family would like to thank the healthcare workers at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and Dover Rehab Center that kept Jean in good care and spirits, including Kathleen, Kayci, Emily, Ashley, Nick, and Dr Lynch.

Jean is survived by her daughter ChrisAnn Wiechert, son-in-law Rich, granddaughters Hailey, Emma, and Christianna, grandsons Richard and Evan, adopted grandson Gerard, and three “granddogs”---Rufus, Luna, and Gizmo.

She will be buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Otisfield, ME. Next to her son Thomas Frotton, brother Kenneth Fortier and father Raymond Fortier.

Service details to come. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Trevor Project. https://give.thetrevorproject.org

12/16/2025

Video Tribute for Jim Hilton -

Watch the video for Jim Arthur Hilton

12/16/2025

Obituary for Norma Ellen Howcroft -

Newmarket - Norma Ellen Howcroft, 77, of Newmarket died peacefully December 14, 2025 at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover.

She was predeceased by her parents, Florence Lepage and Norman Howcroft.

Norma was survived by her husband Douglas Barringer of Newmarket; her brother, Eugene M. Lapage of Kingston; her sister, Kathy Taveirne of Russell, MN; and cousins Mark, Matt & Jason Mongeon.

Norma's joys in life were watching TV and most of all riding in the car on back roads to see the farm animals and wild life, and going to the beach to feed the gulls.

A visiting hour will be held on Friday, December 19th from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket. A graveside service will follow in Riverside Cemetery at 10:45 a.m.

12/13/2025

Obituary for Jim (James) Arthur Hilton

Jim Hilton’s energy and enthusiasm for life was evident from the very moment he came into the world on May 27, 1954. He was the son of Phyllis Keene Hilton and Frederick Arthur Hilton both from Maine.

He was an inspiration and a light - more like a blowtorch- to kindle the light in many people. He is survived by his loving wife Pamela Nelson Hilton, two sisters, Margaret Elizabeth dEntremont (Chuck), Catherine Lynne Johnson (Joel), and 10 children: Heather Marie Kern, Jason Matthew Kern, Jeremy Arthur Hilton, Heather Anne Bird, Theresa Hilton Takushi, Nicholas Clark Littlefield, Joshua Sanchez Hilton, Evan Vasudev Hilton, Rosadelia Sanchez Myers, Caitlyn Hilton DesRoches, and nineteen grandchildren. All were blessed by his love, devotion and passion for fun. He died peacefully at home on December 12, 2025.

More than anything, his love for Jesus Christ gave him the strength to love and be present with those around him.

Jim served as an elder at Durham Evangelical Church. His hope was to encourage and disciple young men and to assist in small group ministry.

Jim had an enthusiasm that was larger than life, and was a master at building community. Whether through church small groups or conducting one of his many Guinness Book of World Record events in St. Albans, VT - Jim knew how to bring people together to do good and give back to others - and have fun doing it! Jim saw that in a world full of distraction, recreation and leisure were important for people of all ages - from the youngest children to the elderly. We all need a place to gather as a community and have fun, and Jim took it upon himself to make that a reality for so many communities.

Jim was known for living his life large. His early career accomplishments include many world’s largest records like the world‘s largest snowman, scarecrow, and pancake in Saint Albans, Vermont. His masterful coordination with people allowed him to also achieve the world’s largest ice cream sundae in collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Jim was a Recreation Director in St. Albans, Vermont; Carrabassett Valley, Maine, and for 27 years in Newmarket, New Hampshire where he coordinated the construction of the Newmarket Recreation Center and the Sunrise Sunset Senior Center, athletic fields, and a premier recreation department.

As a professor at the University of New Hampshire, he inspired the next generation of recreation directors to follow in his footsteps. He received the University of New Hampshire Recreation Management and Policy Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to recreation throughout New England.

Jim won many awards for his accomplishments in recreation, including the Teresa S. Brungardt Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Vermont Recreation and Parks Association honoring exceptional contributions to parks and recreation. He also received the Citizen of the Year Award in New Hampshire and Young Man of the Year in Vermont.

Jim loved his family, playing the guitar and singing uplifting music, fishing, reading books about gardening, and having adventures with friends and family.

Visiting hours with family will be held at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket New Hampshire on Tuesday, December 16 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The funeral service will be held at Durham Evangelical Church on Wednesday December 17, 2025 at 4 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Autism Alliance in memory of Jim Hilton. www.autismalliance.org

12/12/2025

Service information for Susan F. Gregory -

Lee, NH - Susan F. Gregory, 84, of Jenkins Road died peacefully December 4, 2025 at her home in Lee.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 18th from 6 - 8 p.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 20th at 10 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Andrew Jarvis Drive, Portsmouth, NH. Spring burial will take place in Homeland Cemetery, Bristol, NH.

12/12/2025

Obituary for Janet Morin -

Longs, SC - Janet Morin, 75, passed away on December 8, 2025, surrounded by love. Anyone who ever met Janet remembers the same thing: her joy. She had a gift for making people feel seen, welcomed, and lighter just by being in her presence. Her smile arrived before her words, and her eyes spoke warmth, kindness, and an unshakeable faith that carried her through every chapter of her life.

Born one of seven children to Victor M. and Mary Lauretta (Hanlon) Scafati, both deceased, Janet grew up in a bustling household of five girls and two boys in Dedham, Massachusetts. She cherished her large family deeply and remained close to her siblings throughout her life; she is predeceased by her younger sister Laurie.

Janet built her adult life around family, faith, and the quiet, generous acts of care that left lasting footprints on everyone she met. She lived for many years in Stratham, New Hampshire, with her husband, Will, until his passing in 2014. Their life together was rooted in devotion—to each other, to their home, to their blended family, and to the church and community they cherished. In 2018, Janet moved to Longs, South Carolina, while spending her summers on Cape Cod with family. Those months became a tradition of laughter, beach days, and a full social calendar shared with friends and neighbors “on the right side of the bridge”.

Her faithful German Shepherd, Otto, was her constant companion after Will's death—protective, gentle, and devoted. He remained by her side until his peaceful passing at age 16 in 2023.

Janet is survived by her four children—Lauren and her husband Michael of Centerville MA; Michael of Middleton NH; Kristin of Decatur, GA; and Jason and his wife Kari of Chula Vista, CA —each of whom brought immeasurable joy to her life and she treasured the family that grew around her.

She was endlessly proud of her eight grandchildren—Nathan, Cody, Vida, Aneesa, Jayla, Lawson, Andrea, and Rhiley—who each carry pieces of her joy and spirit forward. She also leaves behind her great-granddaughter, Ella, who brought her pure delight in her final years.

She is also survived by her five siblings, David, Mary, Stephen, Joanne and Judith, whose bond with her created a lifetime of shared memories, laughter, and love.

Janet’s life was shaped by faith, generosity, and the quiet but powerful ways she cared for others. She was the person who baked for you before you knew you needed comfort, who prayed for you without being asked, and who remembered every detail about your life because she listened with her whole heart. For many, their first conversation with Janet might have been short but it was undoubtably unforgettable. As one dear friend said, “Her defining characteristic was joy. Her eyes said everything.”

Her loss leaves a loving family with aching hearts and countless memories of her laughter, devotion, and the gentle strength she carried with effortless grace.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 17th from 4 - 6 p.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, December 18th at 11 a.m. at St. Michael Church, 9 Lincoln Street, Exeter, NH. Burial will take place at a later date in Calvary Cemetery, Newmarket.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Pl., Memphis, TN 38105

Visit www.kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guestbook.

12/12/2025

Obituary for Leroy Wendell O'Connor -

Hampton - Leroy Wendell O'Connor, 65, of Hemlock Haven died unexpectedly December 3, 2025 at his home in Hampton.

Born April 1, 1960 in Exeter, he was the son of Wendell B. and Frieda (Booker) O'Connor.

He was a graduate of Winnacunnet High School.

Leroy enjoyed carpentry work, gardening, his truck and his dog Bailey.

He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Pamela (St. John) O’Connor; his aunt, Mary of Pennsylvania; his cousins, Bonnie and Brenda of Pennsylvania; nieces, Ashley & Mysia Dye; and a special sister-in-law, Judi Phillips.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, December 19th at 1 p.m. in Center Cemetery, North Hampton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the funeral home to assist with funeral expenses or https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-pamela-honor-her-husbands-memory

12/12/2025

Obituary for Lynn A. Loichle -

Newmarket - Lynn A. Loichle, 65, passed away peacefully at home on November 30, 2025, surrounded by the love and comfort she cherished throughout her life.

Born on April 9, 1960, Lynn grew up in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood of Springfield, Massachusetts, on Old Farm Road. She was a proud graduate of Cathedral High School, Class of 1978. The beloved daughter of Robert, a World War II Navy Veteran, and Audrey Boland of Springfield, MA, both deceased, Lynn is survived by her brothers, Jay and Alison Boland of Huntington, MA, Diane Boland, sister-in-law, and Wayne and Sandi Boland of Ludlow, MA. She was also a loving aunt to four nieces, Elise Boland, Serenity Greenwood, Danielle Boland, Leigh Boland, and two nephews, Spencer and Jeremy Boland.

Lynn married the love of her life, Roger Loichle, whom she often said was the best thing that ever happened to her. Through Roger, she gained two stepsons whom she adored: Jethro Loichle and his wife, Jennifer of Eliot, Maine, and Aaron Loichle of New York. Lynn was a proud and joyful grandmother to Alexander, Luke, Emma, and Grace, all of whom brought great light into her life.

A kind and gentle soul, Lynn was known for her warm heart, sharp wit, and the way she could make anyone laugh. She loved deeply and remained connected with those she cared about, regardless of the distance. Lynn found joy in sunshine, the beach, and the quiet beauty of nature.

She had a special place in her heart for her beloved dogs—Rusty, Frosty, Buck, and Hannah—who were her loyal companions.

Lynn was a gifted artist whose many creations decorated her home with color and life. In her twenties, she played softball for Mory’s Pub, proudly proving that late bloomers can still have plenty of fun. She also enjoyed time at the casino and truly had the “luck of the Irish.” But most of all, Lynn felt at peace at home, often relaxing with a nice glass of wine.

To her friends, including those she considered family, Lynn was like a sister—someone who could talk for hours, who always showed up, and who brought laughter and love into every conversation. Her kindness, humor, and light will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Lynn’s spirit will forever live on in the hearts of her family, her dear friends, and all whose lives she touched.

12/10/2025

Service information for Janet M. Morin -

Longs, SC - Janet M. Morin, 75, of Longs, SC and formerly of Stratham, NH died December 8, 2025 at Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC.

A visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 17th from 4 - 6 p.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, December 18th at 11 a.m. at St. Michael Church, 9 Lincoln Street, Exeter, NH. Burial will take place at a later date in Calvary Cemetery, Newmarket.

Visit www.kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guestbook.

12/08/2025

Obituary for Michael A. Provost -

Newmarket - Michael A. Provost, 73, of Beech Street died unexpectedly December 4, 2025 at York Hospital.

Born May 22, 1952 in Exeter, he was the son of Arthur Charles Provost Jr. and Jean (Zych) Provost.

A graduate of Oyster River High School, he went on to graduate from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor’s Degree in Resource Administration Management.

Michael previously owned the Rockingham Ballroom and Victoria Catering. He guided the Lamprey Heritage Tours in Newmarket. Many years he worked on the Economic Development Initiatives with the National Main Street Program in communities of Newmarket, Jaffrey, Dover and Rochester.

He was predeceased by his wife, Shirley (Malek) Provost; his parents; his brother, Keith Provost.

Survivors include his son, Christopher Provost and his wife Alicia and two grandchildren, Rayleigh and Jeremiah of Wells, ME; his brother, Scott Provost of Barrington; his sister, Patti Ann (Provost) Clark of North Berwick, ME; two nieces and a nephew; many cousins.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 11th from 2 - 4& 6 - 8 p.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 12th at 11 a.m. at the funeral home followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery, Newmarket.

Visit www.kentandpelczarfh.com to sign an online guestbook.

12/06/2025

Service information for Michael A. Provost -

Newmarket - Michael A. Provost, 73, of Beech Street died unexpectedly December 4, 2025 at York Hospital.

Born May 22, 1952 in Exeter, he was the son of Arthur Charles Provost and Jean (Zych) Provost.

Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 11th from 2 - 4 & 6 - 8 p.m. at Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, 77 Exeter Road (Route 108), Newmarket.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 12th at 11 a.m. at the funeral home followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery, Newmarket.

12/02/2025

Obituary for Marian Rita Keeler (Misaner)
April 1930 – November 28, 2025

Marian Rita Keeler (Misaner) passed peacefully on November 28, 2025, surrounded by love and memories of a life well lived. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, in April 1930, Marian grew up with a determined spirit and a mind for numbers. She was a proud 1949 graduate of the Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, where she distinguished herself as one of only 5 female day students in the class of 633 students.

Marian’s heart was forever tied to the outdoors and the ocean. As a young woman, she spent her summers in Gloucester, where sea air and sunshine shaped some of her happiest memories. She later lived with her parents at the historic Blynman Farm on Summer Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea, a place that deepened her love for Cape Ann’s natural beauty.

A longtime resident of Essex, Massachusetts, Marian was well known for her warmth, kindness, and friendly smile. Marian enjoyed a career managing and presiding over municipal creditunions for the towns of Manchester, Beverly and Stoneham. Many in the community will fondly remember her later years working at Crosby’s Market in Manchester-by-the-Sea, where she greeted neighbors and visitors alike with genuine care and conversation.

Marian was predeceased by her mother, Margaret, and her father, Everett, a World War I veteran of the Canadian Royal Army. She is survived by her daughter, Joan Hoysradt, her husband, John Morrison, and his children, Jess and Tim. Marian also leaves behind her daughter, Jean Loebelenz, Jean’s husband, Brian, and their children, Michael and Amanda. She is also survived by, her son, Fred Hoysradt, his wife, Michelle Flanders, and her sons, Sam and Cody.

Marian’s life was marked by quiet strength, sharp wit, and a deep appreciation for simple joys—an ocean breeze, a familiar path in the woods, and the comfort of home. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.