Frank James Obuchowski

Frank James Obuchowski passed Saturday, May 13, 2017 at the White River Junction Veteran Association Medical Center surrounded by family and the grace of God. Frank was the son of Harry Anthony Obuchowski and Helen Kissel Obuchowski. He was born February 14, 1930 in Bellows Falls, VT, the youngest of four brothers and one sister: Joseph, Anthony, John and Elizabeth who have all previously passed.

Frank attended elementary and high school in Bellows Falls and graduated in 1948. He played baseball and basketball in junior high and played three years of varsity baseball in high school. He also played summer baseball. Frank made many lifelong friends in school. He attended the Class of 1948’s reunions every five years. He worked for the A&P Tea Company part-time all through his high school years, taking time off for sports.

In 1952, Frank went into the Army during the Korean War. Four of Frank’s friends entered the service at the same time. All went overseas except Frank; he was schooled by the Army and became an instructor at Fort Knox, KY, Company A 761st Tank Battalion Combat Command B 3rd Armored Division. He was awarded two citations from the 3rd Armored Division for Outstanding Performance as an Instructor. Frank made some lifetime friends from the service. He served 2 years Active Duty, 6 years Reserve Duty, and then received an Honorable Discharge.

On April 30, 1955 Frank wed his long-time love Joan Evelyn Daniels at the Sacred Heart Church in Bellows Falls where Frank had been baptized and served as an alter boy. They lived in Bellows Falls for two years where they had their first son Peter who lived for one day. They moved to Newport, NH where Frank was employed by the A&P Tea Company as an assistance manager.

Frank and Joan had three children in Newport: a son David, daughter Nancy, and son Mark. While in Newport Frank enjoyed hunting and fishing. Frank was the communicant of the St Patrick Church, member of the church committee, and member of the Knights of Columbus. Frank and Joan made many lifelong friends while in Newport. Sixty years after leaving Newport they still corresponded and visited with them. The family spent many summer days at Lake Sunapee.

In 1966, Frank and family moved to Troy, NH to enter retail business with Joan’s brother Robert Daniels. Together they operated the Daniels Village store for multiple years then went into the hardware business. They ran the Village Barn True Value Hardware store for twenty years.

Frank served on many town committees and held multiple offices – the Board of Directors for the Troy Ambulance, Fair Hearings Office for Welfare, Water Commissioner, Cemetery Trustee and Chair Person, and Town Auditor. He served on the Budget Committee and was Chair Person for twenty years, then later he served as the Water & Sewer Commissioner, Troy Industrial Development Committee, and the Helping Hand Board of Directors.

Frank also served as the Chair Person for the Troy Summer Recreation Program (Sand Dam) for ten years. With help from federal grants and Tom Affiels, he turned the old swimming hole into a first-class summer recreational program – every child in Troy can swim. Later with matching funds he established a softball field on the north end of Troy for adults. One of Frank’s proudest accomplishments was the formation of the Gap Mountain Athletic

Association, consisting of a Babe Ruth team that played in the city of Keene League, three little league baseball teams, two peewee baseball teams, and a girls’ lassie league softball team. The Gap Mountain Athletic Association was supported with gift donations and raffles. Frank’s children were all athletes in football, baseball, softball, field hockey and basketball. Frank and Joan stayed active, attending ball games to watch their children.

Frank was an avid hunter of hare, turkey, deer, bear, and moose; he also loved to fish. His sons and grandsons hunted and fished with him. Frank, with sons and friends, hunted Utah, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania with gun and bow.

Frank was an active member of the Immaculate Conception Church in Troy for over forty-five years. He served on the committee for the church, was an usher, an alter server on many occasions, and the church’s handyman. Frank was also a Justice of the Peace and Bail Commissioner for the State of New Hampshire, Keene District Court, and Jaffrey District Court.

Frank and Joan were married for nearly 61 years before her passing in March of 2016. They enjoyed vacations with the family; they would go to Lake Minerva and Lake Winnesquam. Frank and Joan also enjoyed guided bus tours, having traveled to all but 2 states in the lower 48, St John’s in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Mexico.

Frank was very proud of his children and grandchildren. If you didn’t have 15 minutes to spare, don’t ask! Survivors include son David, his wife Wendi and their children Erin and Sean; daughter Nancy, her husband Ralph and her three children Tucker, Eli and Scout; son Mark, his wife Kasandra and their boys Dillon and Zachary; and brother-in-law Randy Daniels and wife Judy. Frank had many nephews, nieces, and cousins as well.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Immaculate Conception Church, 33 School St., Troy, NH. Calling hours will be Friday, June 23rd at Fletcher Funeral Home, 33 Marlboro Street in Keene from 4-7pm. A memorial service mass will be held Saturday, June 24th, at Immaculate Conception Church in Troy at 11:00am, followed by a reception at Papagallos. A private burial will be held on Sunday, June 25th at Bellows Falls Sacred Heart Cemetery.