Louise J Poole

Born on June 8, 1933 in Price, Utah, Louise was the daughter of Philip and Valda (Halverson) Johnson. Louise grew up in Utah, and had fond memories of time spent growing up in Green River and playing in neighborhood baseball games in Washington Terrace, a war-time housing project in Ogden, where neighbors of all ages spent hours together having fun. Louise graduated from Weber County High School in Ogden, Utah.

Louise met her beloved husband John after he returned to Utah following his service in the Navy during the Korean War. The two met on a blind date arranged by their mothers, and were married six months later in Ogden on a very snowy December 26, 1954. They enjoyed 63 years of marriage before John passed away in August of 2018.

Louise and John lived in Murray Hill, NJ; Hanover, NH and Bethlehem, PA before moving to Bow in 1970. Louise was, among other things, a skilled bridge player, an avid reader and a devoted grandmother. Louise took classes at the NH Technical Institute and later worked as the bookkeeper for the company started by John, Plasma Materials, Inc., where she had a reputation for being a meticulous bookkeeper.

Louise enjoyed many diverse activities during her lifetime. She and John traveled near and far with family and friends. While her daughters were growing up, Louise was a ski instructor for the Ford Sayre Program at the Dartmouth Skiway and a Girl Scout troop leader with two of her dearest friends. She played golf, bowled in the Bow women’s bowling league, and planted a beautiful garden. Many hours were devoted to watching concerts presented by the Concord Community Concert Association and simulcasts of the Metropolitan Opera in local theaters. Louise was a longtime member of the American Contract Bridge League, and played duplicate bridge in Bow for many years. Her life-long love of bridge brought her many hours of fun with family and friends, and she cherished the decades-long friendships that she formed around the bridge table. Those bridge friends, as well as the librarians at Bow’s Baker Free Library, were trusted sources of numerous book suggestions that she enjoyed over the years, particularly during the quiet last eighteen months.

Louise was predeceased by her parents, her husband John and her two sisters Phyllis Cowley and Marjorie Terkelson. She treasured the calls and cards she received from her niece Connie Kendrick of Roy, UT which maintained her connection with her family from Utah.

Louise is survived by her daughter Jeanine Poole and her husband, Tom Moran, of Concord; her daughter Elaine McKechnie and her husband, David, of Gloucester, MA; and two grandsons she adored, Connor McKechnie of Jacksonville, FL and Ryan McKechnie of Gloucester, MA. She is also survived by her brother- and sister-in-law, Edward and Joan Poole of Orange Park, FL; their children Mark Poole and his wife Cheryl, Brenda Daehn and her husband David, Steve Poole and his wife Anne, and Brad Poole, along with their children and grandchildren, with whom she enjoyed many family gatherings during her life.

A private graveside service and celebration of life will be held on August 7, 2021.

For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations may be made in Louise’s name to support The Baker Free Library Foundation at 509 South Street, Bow, NH. 03304.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Bennett Funeral Home of Concord, NH.