Gertrude Louise Yates Piper

She was born on December 1, 1919, in Amsterdam, NY, the daughter of Walter W. and Ethel H. ( Tabor ) Yates. She was a 1937 graduate of Wilbur H Lynch High School. After high school she took a job at the Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Company and worked there until the plant left Amsterdam in 1955.

While at Bigelow-Sanford, she met Winthrop D. Piper, a government inspector for the mill. They later married, on May 13, 1944 in a ceremony in Amsterdam, NY. They were married for 36 years before his death in 1980.

In 1966, the family moved to Keene, Winthrop’s home town, and bought the home that she remained in for the next 50 years. She retired from Cheshire Medical Associates in Keene, where she worked as a receptionist for many years.

Mrs. Piper was a long time member of the St. James Episcopal Church in Keene; she sang in the choir and worked at their Thrift Store. She was also in the group that did the needle work on the memorial kneeler cushions in the church. She also sang with the Keene Chorale and was a member of the Cheshire Garden Club. She helped plant many of the plants within the Ashuelot River Park.

She truly loved tending to the gardens around her home; it was a showcase of all sorts of annuals and perennials. While inside, she loved to listen to classical music and was an Avid fan of her beloved Boston sports teams.

She is survived by her children: Lawrence H. Piper and his wife Penny of Keene and Pamela Dygert and her husband Paul of Osceola, NY; 12 grandchildren: Natasha Hastings of Marlborough, Dale Hastings Jr. of Keene, Jon Nickson and his wife Jennifer of Binghamton, NY, Cathy Kelley and her husband Chris of Camillus, NY, Charles Dygert and his wife Christine of Cicero, NY, Daniel Dygert and his wife Tammy of Munnsville, NY, Winthrop and Mundy Piper of Etna, NH, Geoffrey and Leslie Piper of Rochester, MA, Andy and Mimi Piper of Becket MA, Emilie and Phil Shipman of Enfield, NH, Linda Piper of Doylestown PA and Louis A. Piper of Coral Gables, FL; several great grandchildren and a sister Helen A. Joslin of Rexford, NY. She was predeceased by her husband of 36 years: Winthrop DeForest Piper, and a sister Jane M. Jordan.

A Memorial Service for Mrs. Piper will be held at St. James Episcopal Church, 44 West St, Keene, on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 10:00 AM. Calling hours will be at the Fletcher Funeral Home on Friday, March 18, 2016 from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. Burial will follow the services in the family plot in Woodland Cemetery in Keene.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made, in Gretchen Pipers name, to: Meals On Wheels, C/O Home Healthcare Hospice & Community Services, 312 Marlboro St., Keene, NH 03431

Fletcher Funeral Home & Cremation Services (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com ), 33 Marlboro St, Keene has been entrusted with her arrangements.