New Hampshire is a small place. You feel that most when the weekly obituaries come out. It’s not just names on a screen; it’s the guy who fixed your plumbing for twenty years or the woman who sat three pews over every Sunday. This week, we’re looking at a heavy mix of local legends, quiet neighbors, and a couple of tragic stories that have the whole state talking. Honestly, it’s been a rough stretch for some of our communities.
Between the biting January cold and the usual winter respiratory bugs, the local funeral homes in Manchester, Concord, and the North Country have been busy. There’s a lot to process.
Notable Deaths in NH This Week: A Closer Look
The loss of a child always hits the hardest. This week, the NH State Fire Marshal's Office confirmed the passing of a 5-year-old girl who had been fighting for her life since a New Year's Day apartment fire in Manchester. It’s the kind of news that makes you want to hug your own kids a little tighter. Fire officials have been using this tragedy as a somber reminder about smoke detector maintenance, but for the family, it’s just an unspeakable void.
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Up in Epping, the town is mourning Lionel "Li" J. Cote. He passed away on January 12 at the age of 92. If you lived in Epping, you knew Li. He was a Navy vet, a PSNH chief planner, and a former Selectman. He was basically the definition of "Granite State grit." He spent 71 years married to his high school sweetheart, Irene. That kind of longevity is rare these days. He was also the guy who helped build the town's first skating rink and raised money for their first ambulance.
Down in the Seacoast and Merrimack Valley, we lost some pillars of the community too:
- John T. Regula (Nashua): Passed on January 14. He grew up on a farm and spent his life devoted to his faith and his family.
- Nancy Emma Staples (Cremation Society of NH): Born in Vermont but a long-time presence here, she passed at 86.
- Gerard E. Poliquin (Nashua): A lifelong Nashua resident who died at 92. He was a familiar face in the Gate City for nearly a century.
- Alice Loiselle (Manchester): She was 84 and passed away suddenly on January 11. She was known for keeping those old-school family traditions alive.
The Health Side: What’s Going On?
You might be wondering if there's something in the air. Well, yeah, there is. The NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently put out their weekly surveillance report. While we aren't at "epidemic" levels for the flu, the numbers are high.
About 7.9% of all deaths in NH this week and the weeks leading up to it have been linked to pneumonia and influenza (P&I). That’s just under the 8.9% threshold that triggers the "epidemic" alarm, but it's enough to keep the hospitals on edge. So far this season, twenty-one adults in the state have died from flu-related complications. Most of these cases are coming out of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties, which makes sense given the population density.
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CDC data also shows that COVID-19 isn't gone, though it’s "not changing" much in terms of growth rates right now. It’s just... there. A constant background noise that still takes a toll on the elderly and the immunocompromised.
Sudden Losses and Local Impact
Sometimes it’s not illness, but just the hazards of New Hampshire life. Earlier this month, an 81-year-old man was killed in Manchester after being struck by a car on Valley Street. The driver was a 16-year-old. It’s a double tragedy—one life gone, and another young life changed forever by a split-second accident.
Then you have the "quiet" passings. The ones that don't make the front page but matter just as much. Like Leon Joseph Tremblay in Lebanon, who died at 95. Or Virginia "Gigi" Schendler in Goshen, a photographer and "forest protector" who passed at 84. These are the people who shaped the character of our towns. When a "forest protector" dies, who steps up to watch the trees? These are the questions that linger in small towns.
Why We Track This
It sounds morbid to track deaths, but it’s how we measure the health of our society. When we see a spike in a certain area, it tells us where the resources need to go. If the deaths in NH this week are skewed toward respiratory issues, it’s a sign to get your shots or maybe wear a mask in the grocery store for a bit.
It also keeps us connected. Reading an obituary for someone like Arthur "Joe" Bergeron Jr. from Berlin—who died at 89—tells you a story about a man who loved the North Country and stayed there his whole life. It’s a roadmap of a life well-lived.
Practical Steps for the Week Ahead
If you’re feeling the weight of these losses or just looking to stay safe, here’s what you can actually do:
- Check on your elderly neighbors. This cold snap is no joke. Pipes freeze, but so do people. A five-minute phone call or a quick knock on the door can literally be a lifesaver.
- Fire Safety check. After the Manchester tragedy, it's worth it. Check your smoke detectors today. Not "next week." Today.
- Vaccination. If you haven't grabbed a flu shot, it's not too late. The season usually peaks in February, so you've still got time to get some protection.
- Support local families. Many of the families mentioned above have asked for donations to local charities—like the Veteran’s Cemetery or local hospice houses—in lieu of flowers. It's a great way to honor a legacy.
We’re a community that looks out for its own. Even as we say goodbye to those who've passed this week, we keep moving forward, carrying a bit of their stories with us. Stay safe out there on the roads and keep an eye on each other.
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To stay updated on local health alerts and official death statistics, you can visit the NH DHHS Division of Public Health Services website for their latest surveillance reports. For specific memorial service details, checking the websites of Phaneuf Funeral Homes or the Concord Monitor obituaries section is your best bet for the most current information.