Madison, New Hampshire

‘Fred’ Therrien (Wilfred J.) 91 peacefully passed from his home that he built and loved on Boulder Road to his new home with God on May 18, 2016. He had enjoyed a long visit with his family, friends & Caregivers that very morning listening to funny stories, travel adventures & daily life.

Fred began coming to NH back in the late 1950’s after he found the perfect piece of land he had always wanted which he purchased from Guy & Nellie Nickerson. They graciously made their screened in porch available for him to sleep on while he built his ‘cabin-in-the-woods’.  He travelled to Madison every Friday night, worked diligently until Sunday afternoon, then returned home to Amesbury, MA – where he was born & raised.  Boulder Road was, at that time, a dirt road and there was no electricity.  Fred cherished this place and all he ever wanted was to retire & live there until he died.  There were lots of cookouts, games, parties & lobster feasts that he & Flo (his partner of 35 years) had for their family & friends.  His first building after the cabin was a 2-bay garage, office, summer kitchen with a fieldstone fireplace, then he added “the shop” for the tractor (his retirement present to himself), later he added his own personal duck pond, paths thru the woods to his daughter Donna’s house and an oval loop path on the property so he had access to wood for the fireplaces – later known as the “15-minute Walk About path” which continues to be enjoyed by his family & neighbors.  He & his dear friend Ed Marshall had many harrowing experiences cutting trees & dealing with the ‘fall-out’ of same – it was all good.  He loved his ‘cabin-in-the-woods’!

Fred was born in Amesbury, MA on Jan 24, 1925 to Alfred Joseph Therrien & Celestine Marie (Quellette) Therrien.  On January 26, 1942, 2 days after he turned 17, he enlisted in the US Navy, his prior employment having been ‘student’.  He served for 4 yrs., on the USS Chemung & the USS Escambia, covering Iceland, Africa, Sicily, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England, the Azores, Hawaii, Ulithi, Okinawa & Japan.  He received various medals  for his service - the World War II Victory Medal, American Theatre, Asiatic Pacific Theatre, European African Middle Eastern Theatre (2 stars) and Good Conduct .

While in the Navy he married his sweetheart, Theresa Francis Chretien on November 22, 1944.

He received an Honorable Discharge in January 1946 with a rating of 1st Class Petty Officer.

On August 25, 1948 he & his wife welcomed their only child, Donna Marie into the world.

After the service he worked for Haverhill Paperboard (later purchased by the Continental Can Company) for 28 years.  He was always studying to improve his knowledge and his job position in the power plant.  He took Dale Carnegie courses to improve his management skills and studied continually to improve his education earning: 1st & 2nd Class Fireman License and later, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class Engineer’s License and Nuclear Power Plant Senior Supervising Engineer License in 1972.  He valued education & self-improvement.  He retired from Kraft General Foods after 11 yrs. as Chief Engineer.

He belonged to the National Assoc. of Power & Mechanical Engineers.

Fred’s wide-varying personal interests included drafting (he sold some of his work to Popular Mechanics Magazine), target shooting and creative writing; he earned his Private Pilot’s license in 1963.  He purchased his first motorcycle, a Motoguzzi, and enjoyed touring with his friend Bob Emond & his wife.

He & Theresa – divorced in November 1962. Fred was introduced by a friend to June Lane, they enjoyed spending time together & she was like a second mother to his daughter, Donna. 

Years later, he married ZoeAnn Warakomski in 1972 – they divorced in 1980, after any joyous adventures of travelling around Canada & the US

Later he met Flo (Flora Gunn) who became his constant companion until her death in 2011.  They shared many retirement years together.  In 1979, Fred’s first granddaughter, LeeAnn Stevens, was born.  They raised Flo’s granddaughter Susan Russell until she left home.  Fred & Flo took the two girls to see as many of NH & ME’s attractions as they could and both girls have fond memories to cherish.

Fred said himself, “I’ve lived a long & full-filed life and did everything I wanted to do”.

He is survived by his daughter, Donna Nichols and her husband, Charlie of Madison, granddaughter, LeeAnn Stevens of Los Angeles, CA, his sister Irene M. Mason of Amesbury, nieces; Nancy Bowman of Stratham, NH, Sandra Fortier of Salisbury, MA, Susan  Paolino of Amesbury, MA & Doris Borges of Antrim, NH.

He was pre-deceased by his parents, his brother, Norman, nephews, William, Arthur & Leonard.

The family would like to thank all of Fred’s dedicated Caregivers who have facilitated him being able to live his life, at his ‘cabin-in-the-woods’  to the fullest till he passed:  Virginia Thomas, David (Taffy) Case, Venna Wilcox & Kachina Price, Claudia (Rose) Eastman, Mary Jeanne Luckey, Robin Jensen, Gretchen Behr-Svendsen.

Remembrance gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society, Manchester, NH.

Cremation arrangements are in the care of Lord Funeral Home, Route 28, Wolfeboro, NH 03894.  Stories, tributes & condolences may be shared by visiting, www.lordfuneralhome.com.

There will be a Celebration of Fred’s Life held at the Madison Community Baptist Church on Sunday, May 22, 2016 @ 2:00pm and a reception after in church’s Undercroft.

 Service Information