Letter To The Editor
The Value Of A Full Service Library
The Gilmanton Year-Round Library is asking for your support Voting
Day, March 10. The request is for $45,975. This is less
than half what it would cost for the Town to operate a comparable
library. The request amounts to ten cents per thousand of
assessment or about four tenths of one percent (.4%) of the total
tax rate at the current $22.93 per thousand.
For a few dollars on their tax bill a household will have continued
access to the Library’s collection of over 14,000 holdings,
including books, audio books, movies on DVD as well as numerous
periodicals and newspapers. Of additional value is the
State Interlibrary Loan System that makes available thousands of
additional books and hundreds of periodicals. A
revolving loan arrangement with area libraries widens the
availability of movies on DVD. The Library now offers e-books,
which further expands the material available. Six public computers
provide free high-speed access to the Internet. These computers
allow many folks the opportunity to search for jobs and the
capability to write and submit their resumes.
Every citizen of Gilmanton will have access to all of this for the
cost of one or two paperback books, or a couple of movie tickets.
Half the property owners will pay less than $25.68 on their tax bill
to keep the Library open. This amount will not buy a subscription
to many magazines or newspapers, or even a month’s access to the
Internet on cable.
Stan Bean
Gilmanton
Candidates Night in Gilmanton
Gilmanton School’s Student Leadership Team will be hosting
Candidates Night on Monday, March 2nd at 6:00 p.m. The event will
take place in the cafeteria at the Gilmanton School. Come and learn
more about each candidate before voting at the polls!
Obituaries
Melba Jean (Clifford) LaRoche
Gilmanton- Melba Jean (Clifford) LaRoche, 84, life-long
resident of Gilmanton, NH passed away on Wednesday, February 11th at
the Golden Crest Senior Wellness Resort and Spa, Franklin, NH in the
loving embrace of her family.
Born on May 12th, 1930 in Gilmanton, NH she was the youngest
daughter of the late Earle and Nellie (Ellsworth) Clifford. She
attended the Gilmanton Academy and graduated from Laconia High
School, class of ’48. She worked as an administrative secretary for
Sterling Engineering and Scott & Williams, as bookkeeper for Weeks
Dairy and 26 years with the US Postal Service, as clerk in the
Gilmanton Post Office and last as Postmaster of the Belmont, NH Post
Office.
Melba’s longtime dedication to the Town of Gilmanton began with her
family’s lifelong involvement in community service. Her mother
taught school at two of the original schoolhouses and was librarian
at the Gilmanton Corners Library. Her father was Road Agent for 22
years and her husband was Fire Chief and Commander of the Gilmanton
American Legion. She held the positions of elected Supervisor of
the Voter Checklist for 14 years, Library Trustee for 10 years and
Trustee of the Trust Funds for 20 years. She also served as Deputy
Town and School Treasurer, a member of the National Association of
Postmasters, Beech Grove Cemetery Association, Gilmanton PTA, Fire
Department Auxiliary and, many years ago, the Gilmanton “Coffee
Club”. She was a charter member of the Gilmanton
Ellis-Geddes-Levitt Unit #102 of the American Legion Auxiliary,
serving as Secretary for 53 years proudly supporting the needs of
Veterans at the local, state and national level.
She was an avid weather watcher and loved feeding the varied
wildlife that visited her home in Gilmanton. Her favorite trip was
“to the ocean” and she spent many, many wonderful vacations there
with family and dear friends.
In addition to her parents, Melba was pre-deceased by her loving
husband of 34 years, Alfred E. LaRoche, along with her sisters Lois
McClary, Ruth Stockwell and Evelyn Horan and brother Everett
Clifford.
She is survived by her three children; Candace Daigle and her
husband Raymond M. Daigle of Gilmanton, Michael A. LaRoche and his
wife Susan LaRoche of Hudson, NH and Stephan E. LaRoche and partner
Amy Rice of Lower Gilmanton, NH. In addition Melba leaves her four
adored grandchildren, Benjamin, Evan, Jacob and Victoria “Tori”, her
extended family including Samantha and Jaycob Hamel and Ethan Rice;
many loving nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and
dear, life-long friends including Virginia (“Ginny”) Stanley, Ned
and Elaine Lawson (Bernard, ME), loved grand-dogs “Snoopy” &
“Buckley” and many others with whom she shared love and laughter
during her lifetime. She always considered herself blessed in her
life with loving family and friends. She always had a kind word,
positive outlook and a hand of support for all.
There will be no calling hours. A spring interment and graveside
service for the family and friends will be held at the family plot
in the Beech Grove Cemetery. For those who wish, the family
suggests that memorial donations be made to the Stockwell
Scholarship Fund of the American Legion Auxiliary, c/o Mary
Richardson, 136 Loon Pond Road, Gilmanton, NH 03237, to further
Americanism and support Veterans, military, their families and their
community.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home &
Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, N.H. is assisting the
family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an
online memorial, go to
www.wilkinsonbeane.com.
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