David G. Clapp

David G. Clapp of Westmoreland NH died on October 5 at the Maplewood Home. Son of Alta (Galusha) and Roger Clapp, he was born in Easthampton Mass. and lived there on the family farm until he was 14. At that age, his family moved to Westhampton, nearer the apple orchard that was a big part of their livelihood. David tired of schooling shortly thereafter (he blamed Latin class), and after considerable wrangling with his mother, left his studies to work on her brother’s dairy farm in nearby Granby. His future wife first spied him there through the school bus window: he was standing in the barnyard shoveling manure.

A couple years later, Dave attended Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass, dedicating himself thereafter to dairy farming, first on family land in Westhampton and later on a larger farm he purchased in Westmoreland NH. He made his home there with his wife, Frances Taylor Clapp (died 2012) and their two children, Nancy Clapp Hillier and Jeffrey Clapp, both surviving. When Dave was forced to leave dairying after several decades in the business, he began a second career as, first, a health inspector and then a building inspector for the City of Keene. He worked for the city until his retirement, when he and his wife moved to a smaller home they had built on their farmland.

Dave will be remembered for his kind, gentle nature and his sense of humor. He loved outdoor work, his cows and his John Deere tractor, and in later years, busied himself splitting wood, clearing brush and managing his personal museum of antique hand tools. He was a longtime member of Westmoreland United Church, and served the town of Westmoreland in various ways over the years, as selectman, health inspector, planning board member, etc.

Besides his children, Dave is survived by his son-in-law, James Hillier of Westmoreland, and daughter-in-law Barbara (Bobbi) Clapp of Hyde Park NY, as well as four grand-children—Molly (and Odilon) Betancourt of Keene, Katie (and Damon) Evans of Raleigh NC, Emily Clapp of Manhattan NY, and Justin (and Mary Cappillino) Clapp of Morton PA. He also leaves four great grand-children: Diego and Jadira Betancourt of Keene, and Jasmine and Elijah Evans of Raleigh. His brother, Howard Clapp, died in 2013.

A memorial service will be held at the Westmoreland United Church on Saturday, October 24 at 10 AM, followed by a reception and burial at the North Cemetery. All who knew Dave are invited.

Donations in memory of David G. Clapp may be made to Westmoreland United Church, PO Box 214, Westmoreland NH 03467.