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Marie B. Belanger

Marie Blanche (Coulombe) Belanger passed away early Friday morning May 15, 2020 less than 3 weeks from her 109Th birthday, just before 1:00AM on a gentle breeze filled with the scent of spring blossoms to rejoin her loved ones that had passed before her, most particularly her two daughters Carmel and Rolande. Blanche, as her friends knew her, or more familiarly, Memere, was born on June 8, 1911 in St Euphemie, Quebec, Canada to parents the late Adelard and Elmina (Theberge) Coulombe. She moved to Nashua, NH with her parents and siblings when she was 11 years old. She later became a proud Naturalized Citizen of the U.S. in 1947 and was extremely patriotic.

In 1930 she married the late Girard Belanger with whom she was a devoted parent to 6 children. Girard passed in 1969 and Memere was adamantly independent for 50 years. She lived in a small house at the Baseball Park in Pine Valley, on the edge between Milford and Wilton, NH for 55 years, including the years she and Girard raised their children. She worked until retirement at the Abbot Worsted Mill where she would walk to and from work in Wilton, NH, in the spinning division, spinning wool onto large bobbins. Memere would later move to the Mill Apartments at 40 Bridge Street in Milford, NH along the river’s edge. She would later spend several years at Ledgewood Bay in Milford, and her last years at Crestwood Center also in Milford.

Memere lived her life devoted to her extensive family, and her Catholic faith. While at Bridge Street she would walk daily to the Share Building at St. Patrick’s Church to volunteer her time for many years. Even in her 90’s she would often be seen walking to Church, never asking for a ride to go or do anything. She also volunteered to help with Meals on Wheels during the same period of time. When she was not helping others or at church service she was always watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy every night of the week. She would also remark that every Thursday morning when she was in her 90’s that she would get up at 4:00AM to get the Milford Cabinet newspapers when they were delivered to the Mill Apartments to bring them up to the “old Ladies” in the building, of which she was 10+ years their senior. She never saw her age as being old, but was equally proud of every birthday she celebrated. In addition, she had an incredible memory, and always remembered all birthdays, and even that of her Grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, her husband and all her brothers and sisters, and many nieces and nephews, she was also predeceased by her Granddaughter Maryann Belanger, her daughters Jeanne D’Arc (Carmel) Simpson and Rolande Levesque, and her son-in-law David Gleneck. She is survived by her daughter Margaret Gleneck of Nashua, NH, her sons and daughters-in-law Raymond “Joseph” and Bessie Belanger of Merrimack, NH, Normand and Gail Belanger of Milford, NH, Joseph “Phillippe” and Patricia Belanger of Nashua, NH, a son-in-law Adelard Levesque of Nashua, NH, along with 13 Grandchildren, 17 Great-Grandchildren and 10 Great-Great-Grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She spent her life as an example to all for how to show love to everyone and that independence and helping others can go together, as well as how self -determination and faith in yourself and your beliefs can get you through most anything….in other words Hope can indeed be eternal!

Services will be private. A memorial mass will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Local Share in your community. She will be laid to rest next to her Husband Girard and her Daughter Jeanne D’arc at Mount Cavalry Cemetery in Wilton, NH. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com.