CHICHESTER – Robert A. “Bob” Gagne, 80, of Chichester passed away on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at Epsom Healthcare Center following a brief illness. Born on May 16, 1938 in Waterbury, CT, he was the son of the late Fernand and Laura May (Lang) Gagne. Bob was a caring, loving husband and father.
He was an avid outdoorsman and adventurer. To Bob a handshake mattered, it was your word, your honor. As a lad Bob held the NH state pole vaulting record while attending Newport HS.
He then proudly served in the U.S. Army National Guard and the U.S. Air Force. He had to eat bananas at the MEPS station to meet the minimum weight standards. He was stationed in Cheyenne WY and Okinawa Japan, where he admired the Japanese culture and took up martial arts.
He enjoyed todays MMA immensely. After the military, Bob worked for the Valley News printing and writing a weekly hunting and fishing column. It is also where he met the love of his life, Kathy Romano.
Later he would work for the Concord Monitor, producing that papers first color photo of the first moon landing, Apollo 11. Next he became manager of Graphic Services for the State of NH for 20 plus years. Upon retirement Bob was acting N.H. Senate Sergeant of Arms for a short period but the lure of the open road was too much.
Bob and Kathy needed to explore the far corners of this great nation in their RV. Anyone who came across his path was greeted by a smile, a joke, or a funny story. Bob built 2 houses with help from family and friends and became an accomplished woodworker, building cabinets in both his own homes and building his sons oak staircase.
Cutting all with wood off his own property. Bob beat cancer in his late 20s but the radiation treatments of 1968 did take their toll later in life. This humble, loving, funny man will be missed by many.
Besides his parents, he is predeceased by a sister, Jeannette Kelley as well as his brothers-in-law, George Kelley, John Coronis and Ero Neimei. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen (Romano) Gagne of Chichester, with whom he shared 54 years of marriage, his son, Robert “Bob” Gagne of Chichester; daughter, Charlene Wallace of Deering; sisters, Irene Neimei and Marlene Coronis both of Newport; three grandchildren, Shayne, Shelby and Gabriel Wallace; two great grandchildren, Brycen and Brayleigh as well as several other beloved brother and sister in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. A Celebration of Bob’s life will be held on Wednesday, March 6th from 11:00am-1:00pm at the Still Oaks Funeral & Memorial Home, 1217 Suncook Valley Highway, Epsom.
A brief service will be held starting at 11:00am. Friends and family are invited to begin gathering at 10:30am. Burial with Military Honors will be held at 2:00pm at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen.
In Lieu of flowers please make donations to The Disabled American Veterans, 3725 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, KY 41076 or Live and Let Live Farm, 20 Paradise Lane, Chichester NH 03258. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.
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