Carolyn Lawler Manning

Her parents, James H. and Elizabeth Cecile (Riley) Lawler welcomed their daughter into the world on February 20, 1930, in Reading, MA. She resided in North Quincy, Peabody and Gloucester, MA before moving to Keene, NH in 1987 with her husband, Francis E. Manning.

Carolyn found Keene to be a warm and friendly place to live. Following the death of her husband in 1997, and later her significant other, she decided to spend her spare time helping others. She felt she was returning the many kindnesses the people of the community had shown to her during sad times and her life in Keene in general.

She was proud of her Irish ancestry and the sense of humor to go with it. She loved the many special people she met. Her favorite thing to do was to spend time chatting with and having lunch with her friends.

She was a member of the Cheshire Republican Woman’s Club, the Keene Woman’s Club, the Troy (NH) Woman’s Club and the NH Circle of Home and Family.

She worked at the Keene Senior Center, the former Plus Fashions in Keene, and the Eastern Gas & Fuel Associates of Boston, MA, to name a few.

Given back to her community, Carolyn was a volunteer with the RSVP, the Monadnock Humane Society, the Keene Senior Center and Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services.

She is survived by a niece, Susan A. Lawler of Weymouth, MA who shared a special bond with Carolyn; and her dear friend for many years, Sharon Cook of Spofford.

Her husband, Francis Manning; brothers Richard and James Lawler; niece Julie Dupuis; nephews Richard Lawler, Jr., Roger Dupuis, Paul Dupuis; great-nephews Christopher and Brian Lawler; sister-in-law Ann Manning Dupuis, and longtime companion John O’Brien, predeceased her.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at 11:00am in the Monadnock View Cemetery, Park Avenue, Keene, NH.

For those who wish, donations may be made in Mrs. Manning’s memory to Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431.