Notable New Hampshire Deaths: A Bedford Pilot And Veterans From Bedford, Chester, Claremont, Lancaster

By Staff Report, InDepth NH

InDepthNH.org scans the websites of New Hampshire funeral homes each week and selects at random some of our friends, relatives and neighbors to feature in this column. The people listed here passed away during the previous weeks and have some public or charitable connection to their community. InDepthNH.org is now offering obituaries through the Legacy.com service. We view this as part of our public service mission. Click here or on the Obituaries tab at the top of our home page to learn more. And if you know of someone from New Hampshire who should be featured in this column, please send your suggestions to NancyWestNews@gmail.com.

Henry Farnsworth, 89, of Lancaster, died Aug. 11, 2026. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and worked on fishing boats in Gloucester, Mass., then moved to Plainfield, where he was a dairy farmer. He traveled to Boston to work as a commercial fisherman. He spent many years fishing the Grand Banks of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1973, he, his wife Dora and family settled in Lancaster. He was a long-time N.H. Farm Bureau member. (Legacy.com)

Mary-Jean (Trachier) Chaput, 85, of Manchester, died Aug. 9 2026. She earned a Master’s degree in library science and was research librarian in many venues, ending her career at the Frank P. Carpenter Library in Manchester. She was a founding member of the Village Green Quilters and the first woman member of Club Richelieu Manchester. (Legacy.com)

Glen A. Falklenham, 96, of Whitefield, died Aug. 5, 2026. He was an industrial arts teacher at Lincoln High School and was drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as a sergeant during the Korean War. He was a founding member of the Boys and Girls Club of Salem and a longtime member of the Salem Kiwanis Club. He managed his three sons’ Little League teams and was the league’s equipment manager. (Goundrey Dewhirst Funeral Home and Cremation Service)

Panagiotis “Ben” Karavasilis, 88, of Bedford, died Aug. 5, 2026. A native of Greece, he served as a military pilot in the Royal Air Force in Greece. He was an electrical engineer for more than 30 years, working at Sanders Associates, Lockheed Martin, and BAE Systems. He was director of airborne systems in the Surveillance Systems Division, and before retiring was director of the company’s design center. He was a contributing member of the F-22 Raptor program. He was an active member of AHEPA and the Pan-Macedonian Association. (Legacy.com)

Paul A. Marcotte Jr., 83, of Plaistow, died Aug. 11, 2026. He was an engineer before moving into sales and became an entrepreneur, creating several startup companies, including Asia Direct. He was employed by Centronics Data Computer, Vicor Corp., and Dynamem Corp. He was a member of the National Guard in Manchester. He coached his children’s sporting teams and was a former member of the Plaistow Planning Board. (Brewitt Funeral Home)

Robert McDermott, 78, of Chester, died Aug. 8, 2026. He served in the National Guard and had a long career as a regional sales manager with Verizon/Nynex. He was a well-known paranormal investigator, avid reader and researcher who gave presentations on the Smuttynose Island murders and founded New England Sky Watchers, hosting public skywatches throughout New Hampshire. (Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium)

Michael F. Richmond, 64, of Claremont, died Aug. 6, 2026. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and was a high-ranking officer of the Eagles club. He taught at Unity Elementary School as a paraprofessional and as an instructor of adult education. He then taught at Stevens High School for several years. He was administrator of the Claremont Moose Club and a 29-year member of the American Legion Post 29, holding several leadership positions. (Stringer Funeral Home)

Robert F. Smith, 93, of Gilford, died Aug. 7, 2026. He was an international banker, business owner, and leader of philanthropic causes. He worked for General Electric from 1953 to 1981, eventually becoming the company’s treasurer. In 1981, he joined American Express as senior vice president and treasurer. Six months later, he was elected vice chairman of American Express Bank Ltd. and a member of its board. He became the bank’s president and chief operating officer in 1983 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1985. He served as a trustee on several boards, including as treasurer of the board of directors of Cendant Corp. He also served for 25 years on the board of trustees of Bentley University. He received an honorary doctorate from St. Anselm College in 1986 a second honorary doctorate from Bentley University in 1997. He was a founding partner of Car Component Technology (CCT), the largest manufacturer of automobile front-wheel-drive axles in the world. After retiring, he owned The Wineing Butcher and Sawyer’s Dairy Bar. He helped establish the Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region Endowment Trust and the Holy Trinity Endowment Trust. He was an original founder and treasurer of the Sakowich Charitable Trust, which has given away more than $6 million since 2016. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)

Vance Spaulding, 76, of Bedford, died Aug. 8, 2026. A U.S. Navy veteran of 34 years, he served four years of active duty and 30 years in the Naval Reserve and attained the rank of lieutenant commander. He worked for Public Service of New Hampshire and later owned and operated his own contracting company, VAST Improvements. He was a construction superintendent for ARENCO and Stenbeck Design. (Lambert Funeral Home)

WORDS OF WISDOM: “Life and death matters, yes. And the question of how to behave in this world, how to go in the face of everything. Time is short and the water is rising.” – Raymond Carver Jr., short story writer, May 25, 1938, to Aug. 2, 1988

This story was originally published by InDepth NH.