Marylou Alther

She was born in Albany, NY, on May 17, 1960, to Mae and George Foy. Marylou grew up in Rutland, VT, and attended Rutland High School. She receive her undergraduate degree from Nashua College in 1982, and completed her Masters in Special Education at the University of New England.

She met her husband, Phil Alther, in 1985. They were married on December 20, 1986.

First and foremost, Marylou was a teacher. She loved her work and delighted her students with her sense of humor and her ability to combine that with a sense of fairness. She was strict as well. Her teaching career began at Chesterfield Elementary School. She loved her students, and they were fond of her. It was a great loss to Marylou when she could no longer work at the Keene Middle School as a Special Educator. She retired from KMS in October of 2022.

Cross-stitch and knitting were her special talents. She did beautiful work and many family members are fortunate to have some of her pieces.

The Maine beaches were her favorite places to be on summer vacation. She and her husband Phil loved Maine – both for the ocean and the food. They visited in Maine for many years and always stayed right near the water.

Mrs. Alther is survived by her husband, Everett P. Alther, Jr. of Keene, NH; son, Michael Ryan Alther of Caribou, ME; brother, Michael F. Foy of California; cousins, Marcina Janicelli, Susan Provenzano, and Tom and Brian Foy; stepson, Shannon Alther and his wife, Susan and their daughter, Susannah of Stratham, NH; stepdaughter, Gretchen Alther of Honolulu, HI; as well as her best friend who was by her side during her last hours, Kathy Kent.

In addition to her parents, Marylou was predeceased by her son, Jeremy Foy.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, March 18, 2024 at 11:30am in the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene, NH. All are welcome to attend. A gathering to continue the celebration of Marylou’s life will follow the service at a place to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, family requests that memorial donation in Marylou Alther’s name be made to the Cheshire Health Foundation, 580 Court Street, Keene, NH 03431, to benefit Cheshire Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit.

The Alther Family would like to acknowledge Cheshire’s ICU for their compassionate and respectful care for Marylou and her family.