Notable NH Deaths: Broadcaster Peter St. James; A Manchester Historian; A Police Officer From Milford

By 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.

Roger B. Arend, 87, of Hanover and formerly of Enfield and West Lebanon, died April 7, 2026. He founded Photographic Interpretation Corp (PIC) with two colleagues, performing flood control, erosion control, and dam safety studies for the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1980, he started Terra-Map, using early digital systems to map geology, land use, tax parcels, and electrical distribution systems and retired in 2008. He served the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College as an elder, deacon, delegate, choir member, church school teacher, and money counter for the Christmas market. He was a member of the Hanover Lions, Lebanon Rotary, Hanover Conservation Commission, North Country Chordsmen Barbershop Chorus, and Hanover Youth Hockey. (Rand-Wilson Funeral Home)

Robert Rockwell Bruce, 82, of Hanover, died April 10, 2026. At 33, he was general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission during the Carter Administration. He joined the Center for Digital Strategies at the Tuck School of Business as a research fellow, investigating the state of cyber security for the World Bank. He was elected to the Hanover/Dresden School Board and served as board chairman. He helped E.C. Fiber expand internet access to the rural reaches of the Upper Valley and advised CATV8, the public access channel. He was a partner in the New York-based international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, focused mainly on telecommunications law, policy and regulation. He chaired the firm’s international telecommunications practice. He co-authored books on international telecom regulations. (Rand-Wilson Funeral Home)

Tammy G. Cross, 66, of Stewartstown, died April 11, 2026. She was known to North Country students as school bus driver for Pittsburg, Stewartstown, Colebrook and Canaan, Vt., retiring in 2023. She worked at the Wilderness Ski Area in Dixville Notch for 10 years and at the former News & Sentinel in Colebrook, running the dark room and taking photos. She worked with former owner Fred Harrigan as a wedding photographer and Charlie and Donna Jordan with their former publication, Northern New Hampshire Magazine and later, The Colebrook Chronicle. She created the line-dancing program at the Great North Woods Center for the Arts. (Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home)

Ronald Douglas Evans, 84, of Andover, died April 13, 2026. He served in the National Guard and was recalled during the Cuban Missile Crisis, at Ft. Bragg with the U.S. Army. He began working for the N.H. Fish and Game Conservation Department in 1967. He was promoted to sergeant in 1980 and taught firearms and agility at the N.H. Police Academy. He retired in 1992 and worked for the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department and later the Merrimack County Sheriff's Department until his full retirement in 2014. (Chadwick Funeral Home)

John Patrick Jordan, 89, of Manchester, died April 14, 2026. He was a well-known historian and author, and in 1988, he was awarded the key to the city of Manchester. In 2001, he received a preservation award from the Manchester Historic Association, and the City Library honored him with a plaque for his efforts writing about Manchester’s history. In 2012, he was grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. (Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center)

Mary Jane Hoey, 91, of Laconia, died April 10, 2026. She was a media buyer for the Walter Thompson Agency in New York City, and one of her clients was the Robert F. Kennedy presidential campaign. She handled television and radio times spots and was in the hallway in California on the night when Kennedy was assassinated. She was active with the local Democratic party, worked at the Laconia Historical Museum, Belknap Mill projects, and helped organize the Lakeport Rail Station program. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)

Dr. Dana Lord Huntley, 76, of Exeter, died April 8, 2026. He earned his Ph.D. in British Literature from Drew University in New Jersey while also serving as a full-time faculty member at Northeastern Bible College. He moved north to Peterborough and was a founding elder of Monadnock Congregational Church. He taught at Conant High School in Jaffery. He and a partner opened Addison's restaurant at Silver Ranch, then founded Lord Addison Travel, a high-end travel service to the United Kingdom. He moved to Virginia to work as the editor of British Heritage Magazine. He sang with the Loudoun Chorale and the soulful Dixieland Jazz Band of the King’s Court Tavern in Leesburg, Va. He wrote multiple books, including “America's Forgotten Colonial History.”(Brewitt Funeral Home)

Sister Frances Lauranzano, 100, formerly Sister M. Antoinette, a Sister of Mercy for 78 years, of Windham, died April 13, 2026. She taught at elementary schools in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, including Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and St. Joseph School in Manchester, St. Mary School in Claremont, St. John School in Laconia, St. Mary School in Dover, St. Patrick School in Berlin, and St. Joseph School in Keene. She was a nurse’s aide at nursing homes in Massachusetts, and after she retired she volunteered at St. Joseph Hospital and St. Christopher School in Nashua. (Carrier Family Funeral Home)

Nancy Basehore Loomis, 81, of Canaan, died April 13, 2026. She volunteered, then taught, in Mascoma schools, and was instrumental in getting Canaan Elementary School rebuilt after a 1980 fire and later helped rally support for the construction of Indian River School. She worked as a remedial reading teacher and then taught English at Mascoma Valley Regional High School for eight years. She was a trustee of the Canaan Library for 19 years and a founding member of the Friends of Canaan Town Library. She served on the Canaan Historic District Commission and was a trustee of the Old North Church. (Ricker Funeral Homes & Crematory)

Kevin R. Maxwell, 60, of Milford, died April 11, 2026. He served in New Hampshire law enforcement in Brookline, Milford, Lyndeborough, and Mason, including as a patrolman and police prosecutor. At the time of his passing, he was the chief of police in Mason. He also served as a chaplain for many years. (Michaud Funeral Home)

Peter St. James, 72, of Warner, died April 9, 2026. He was a radio broadcaster and familiar voice to many in New Hampshire, recognized as Broadcaster of the Year by the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters. He served as a Warner selectman. He wrote outdoor columns for multiple publications and worked to promote conservation and preservation causes in New Hampshire. He received the Distinguished Service Medal from the N.H. National Guard and traveled with units of the Guard on multiple occasions to Kuwait and El Salvador. (Legacy.com)

Alice A. Senecal, 87, of Hooksett, died April 11, 2026. She was a Realtor and founder of the South Junior Deb softball League. She was treasurer for South Little League and a Girl Scout leader. She served on the Manchester and Nashua Board of Realtors as well as the National Board of Realtors. (Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center)

William John Zecker, 76, of Durham, died April 10, 2026. He and a partner established the Durham Book Exchange, serving as president for over four decades. He was a professional guitarist and played in a series of bands that included The Yellow Jackets, The Intruders and The Emeralds. He was bass guitarist for the band Truth that produced an album. They played at Manhattan venues and were the opening band for groups including KISS and Bonnie Raitt. KISS was initially the opening band for Truth. He played with accordionist Gary Sredzienski including at the Smithsonian and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the National Folk Festivals and at Gov. Jeanne Shaheen’s request in Romania. (Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory)

WORDS OF WISDOM: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister, Nov. 30, 1874, to Jan. 24, 1965

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.