Philip G Taaffe

He was born in Keene on December 13, 1925 and attended local schools, graduating from Keene High School in 1943. Mr. Taaffe enlisted into the United States Navy after High School and served during World War II. He was very proud of being the first crew on the USS Little Rock. After an honorable discharge, he returned to Keene where he worked for Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as a Manager for 22 years. He then worked for Cheshire Oil and retired from there in order to spend more time with his grandchildren.

On November 15, 1947 he married Frances P. Kelly in a ceremony in Keene.

Mr. Taaffe was an 8 year City Councilor of Ward 3 here in Keene, he was a member of the Lions Club and volunteered time for the Cheshire County Historical Society. He was also a Lifetime member of Saint Bernard’s Catholic Church.

He enjoyed and found success in restoring Antique Travel Trunks and Steamer Chests, and there was a Monadnock Profile written about him in the Keene Sentinel. He was an avid fan of playing Golf and Tennis, having a membership at the Keene Country Club. When not working on trunks he enjoyed building clocks from kits and dabbling in his collector hobbies of N scale model trains and collecting stamps and coins.

Mr. Taaffe is survived by his wife of 64 years, Frances P. Taaffe of Keene; two sons: Paul Kelly Taaffe and his wife Debra of Jaffrey and P. Nickalos Taaffe and his fiancée, Christine Young of Stoddard; a brother: Roy Carroll; one sister, Ellen Mason and her husband Robert all of Keene; as well as two grandchildren: Molly Taaffe and Alexander Taaffe, both of Jaffrey. He is predeceased by two sisters, Dorothy Kazanas and Ann Ladam.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Keene on Friday at 10:00. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Calling Hours will be held Thursday from 5:00 until 7:00 at the Fletcher Funeral Home.

Memorial Donations may be made in Mr. Philip G. Taaffe’s name to the Historical Society of Cheshire County (www.hsccnh.org/), 246 Main Street Keene, NH 03431-4143.

Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com), 33 Marlboro St., Keene is in charge of the arrangements.