Lorraine Mary Rivest

Lorraine M Rivest 92, of Keene, NH, passed away on December 17, 2024, at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, with her entire family of daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great, great, grandson by her side.

Her parents, Howard Hawkins and Emelia (Savard) Hawkins welcomed their daughter into the world on October 28, 1932, in Laconia, NH. Lorraine grew up in the Lakes region on Paugus Bay, Laconia NH and in Gilford NH. As a young child she loved to sing. She had a beautiful voice and performed on stage locally. She enjoyed her time swimming and ice skating on Paugus Bay & Lake Winnipesaukee. She attended local schools and was a graduate of Laconia High School.

As a young adult, Lorraine worked as an inspector at Scott Williams in Laconia. It was while working there that she met her future husband, Raymond Rivest. They were married on August 21, 1954 at the Lady of our Lake Church in Lakeport, NH. Together they started their family of 7 children in Manchester NH before moving to Keene in 1965. They created many wonderful memories including family vacations at Rye Beach, trips to the White Mountains, trips to The Lakes Region and Canada to visit family, camping at Shir-Roys Campground, picnics and swimming at Swanzey Lake and Surry Dam, and she loved dancing with her husband. Sadly, Raymond passed away on September 25, 2009, after 54 years of marriage.

Lorraine began her career in retail as a candy girl at Grants Department Store in Keene. Shortly after she became a department manager at Kings and later at Bradlees before retiring in 1998. Lorraine was a devote Catholic, dedicated to her faith, and longtime active member of St. Bernards Church in Keene and member of St Anne Sodality. Lorraine lived independently in her home and enjoyed spending her mornings reading with coffee in the sunroom, weekly shopping trips with her daughters, Tuesday visits with her friends, Gini Rouleau and Jan Miller, lunches with her widow’s group, keeping connected with her sister and brother, decorating her house for the changing seasons and holidays, time spent relaxing outside in the sun on the deck or patio and in the gazebo and frequent visits from her daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

She will be missed by many, especially her children, Debra Rivest and her partner, Michael, of Keene, Linda Rivest of Keene, Brenda Fortier and her husband David, of Vernon VT, Laura Fontaine and her husband Mark, of Swanzey, Barbara Durant and her husband Steve, of Marlborough, Kimberly Fontaine of Marlborough, her 15 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren; 2 great, great grandsons; her sister Betty Cresswell of Burnt Hills NY and her brother Howard Hawkins and his wife Linda of Rochester NH; her daughter in law, Rose Mary Rivest, of mobile AL; her sister in law Mary Jane Rivest of Bristol NH; many nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Lorraine was predeceased by her husband Raymond Rivest, in 2009, her son, Michael Rivest in 2011, a son-in-law, Brian Fontaine in 2022, a great grandson, Franklin Brown at birth, a great grandson, Aaron James Lazzaro at birth, and a brother-in-law, Charley Cresswell.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 24, 2025, at 11:00 AM at St Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene. Burial in St Joseph Cemetery, Keene, will be held in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Rivest’s memory to the NH Catholic Charities, 161 Main Street, Suite 200, Keene, NH 03431 or to the Shriners Children Hospital in Boston