Loretta Kenison

Loretta Landry Kenison, with her sense of humor, joy in every day things, love of nature, warm smile and caring manner, passed away peacefully at her home in Concord on Friday, July 14, 2017 surrounded by her loving family. She was just shy of her 104th birthday.

Loretta, a first generation American, was born August 19, 1913 in Conway, New Hampshire, the third of four children and only daughter of Wilfred and Mary Conway Landry who immigrated to New Hampshire from New Brunswick, Canada and County Mayo, Ireland. Her parents met and married in Lincoln, NH and eventually settled in Conway where Wilfred opened Landry’s Garage on Main St. Wilfred and Mary created a simple but loving home for their four children who all grew up with a great appreciation of music, nature and the outdoors. Loretta was predeceased by her brothers Thomas Gerald, Leo (John) and Laurence and her husband Frank Rowe Keni-son who was born in North Conway, N.H.

Loretta was raised in Conway and graduated from Kennett High School in 1931. After graduation she moved to Boston to attend the Chandler School. Upon graduation in 1933 she returned to Conway and worked in the offices of the Mears Heel Company.

While growing up Loretta and her brothers enjoyed hiking and skiing in the White Mountains. They often played music together for various local groups with Loretta playing the piano. She was known for her beautiful singing voice and sang regularly in the church choir and performed as a solo vocalist for various groups in the Conway area.

On April 8, 1939 Loretta Landry and Frank Rowe Kenison were married in Conway and moved to Concord where he was the New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General. She returned to Conway in 1942 with their son Thomas while her husband served in the US Navy during World War II. After the war they lived for a short time at the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachu-setts, returning to Concord in 1946 where they eventually built a house and raised their three children. From that time until her husband passed away in 1980, she was by his side as he served as Attorney General, as a New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice and for 25 years as Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

A devoted and original member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Concord, Loretta enjoyed sing-ing in its choir for many years. She was a loyal volunteer for the Visiting Nurse Association for 50 years. She was a member of the Concord Garden Club for over 40 years and a long-time volunteer for the Concord Flower Mission and the Concord Hospital Associates. She always en-joyed welcoming the newest members to the New Hampshire Bar Association at a coffee hosted annually by the N.H. Supreme Court and was a lifetime member of the N.H. Supreme Court Society.

Loretta lived independently in her own home after the death of her husband for over 30 years until she turned 100 at which time her oldest son moved to Concord to keep her company. She loved a good joke, a good prank and a good laugh. For many years she loved playing bridge and hosting bridge parties for her friends. She was a loyal Red Sox and Patriots fan, watching every game that she could. She especially loved gazing up at Mt. Chocorua from her perch overlooking Iona Lake and remembering her days hiking and skiing in the White Mountains. She loved New Hampshire and thought the White Mountains were the most beautiful place on earth.

Above all else, Loretta loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. At 103 she sang and played Christmas carols on her piano for them. She discussed politics avidly and was a life long Republican but proud to have been able to cast a vote for a woman President.

Loretta was a fun-loving and independent woman, so pleased that she could live in her own home. Her daily routine until a short time ago included completing the Concord Monitor cross-word puzzle and taking a jaunt on her treadmill. She lived a full and happy life.

Loretta leaves behind her children Thomas Kenison of Concord, Mary Kenison of Manchester and Frank Kenison and his wife Pamela of Concord. She was a loving and devoted grandmother or “Nanny” to Jeremy Kenison and his wife Meghan (Piotrowski) and great-grandsons Carter and Tucker Kenison of Kailua, Hawaii; Benjamin Kenison of Boston MA, Erin Kenison of Lafa-yette IN and Ian Kenison of Washington DC.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating her life will be held at Christ the King (St. John the Evan-gelist) Church, 72 S. Main St. Concord on Thursday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Loretta’s name may be made to her favorite charities: the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 54 Portsmouth St. Concord NH (forestsociety.org); Concord Regional Visiting Nurse Association, 30 Pillsbury St. Concord NH (crvna.org) or The New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street, Concord NH (nhhistory.org)

Arrangements are entrusted to the Bennett Funeral Home of Concord.