William "Bill" Charles Lauer

William C. "Bill" Lauer 64, of Swanzey, NH, passed away peacefully with his family at his side, at his home on Monday, December 27, 2021 following a brief illness. Bill was born August 12, 1957 in Huntington LI to William H., and Jeune (Gerth) Lauer. He grew up in Northport, Long Island, NY and was a 1975 graduate of Northport High School. Having an interest in the beauty of nature, Bill attended Paul Smith’s College, located in New York’s Adirondack State Park. Enthralled with the Adirondack region he became supervisor of Operations as caretaker of the MT Colden wilderness outpost and trail builder for the DEC in the High Peaks wilderness.

He subsequently returned to his hometown on Long Island launching an extended career as a bayman and commercial lobsterman. As a master craftsman, Bill also got to share his talents and diverse skills working as a carpenter for the Town of Huntington for 10 years, all while designing and building a beautiful home for his family close to the beaches in his home town.

Eventually, his desire for more land, love of nature and the great outdoors brought him to Swanzey, New Hampshire. Here, “Old Bridge Farm” evolved. As a self-motivated entrepreneur he continued building his unique handmade Adirondack furniture in a large workshop on his property. He built 4 high tunnel greenhouses that produced an abundance of pesticide-free fruits and vegetables that he sold at the local farmers market and through the “Old Bridge Farm” stand. He loved his Alpacas, Chickens and Geese claiming it gave the farm the ambiance needed. Any animal life excited him.

Bill will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his humor and kind spirit; but most of all his devotion to his family. To know him was to love and appreciate him.

He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Colleen A. (Hanrahan) Lauer, and devoted father of Dylan C. Lauer; sisters, Pamela (Kirk) Lewis and Lynne Holland; brother, Douglas (Denise) Lauer; son-in-law of Margaret and Bernard T. Hanrahan; sister in-law, Maureen (Phil) Stegemann; brother-in-law Brian (Joanne) Hanrahan, and Timothy Hanrahan; also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to call on Saturday, January 15, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene, NH. A prayer service and words of remembrance will be offered at 7:00pm. All those in attendance are required to wear facemasks and to maintain the physical distancing requirements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Mr. Lauer’s name may be made to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH 03301 (www.forestsociety.org/contributions) or to Monadnock Regional High School-Technology Education Department, 600 Old Homestead Hwy., Swanzey, NH 03446