Katherine (Bell) (Dyer) Traquair

She was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to the late Myrtle (Lingle) and Lewis Graham Bell on April 10, 1942. She moved to West Keene in 1954 and graduated from Keene High School in 1960. She attended Keene State College from 1960-1962 and again from 1980 -1986, graduating with a B.A. in Business.

She was fortunate enough to find love twice in her lifetime. She married William Dyer in 1964 with whom she had three daughters. An active member of the Coast Guard, he died in a car accident in Hawaii in 1970. Love found her again with Robert Traquair, but they waited 19 years before marrying in 1991. Bob predeceased her in 2021, after an extended battle with Alzeheimers.

Katy was a dedicated stay-at-home mom for many years, supporting her daughters’ activities in various ways. She returned to Keene State as an adult learner finishing her degree just as her girls were starting to leave the nest. She worked in the office at Whitney Brothers for 15 years before retiring. After retirement, she continued to enjoy camping, traveling and time with her grandchildren.

Katy was an accomplished horseshoe pitcher winning many NH state titles and contending for the New England title. She participated in a number of World Horseshoe tournaments as well. When not pitching, she enjoyed bowling in leagues at Yankee Lanes. In the last 15 years she has been an active member of the Caregivers 24/7 support group and helped to raise money for the Alzheimer Association.

She was a devoted member of Trinity Lutheran Church for 70 years. Her faith was a cornerstone of her life that helped her face adversities with grace and gratitude. She loved spending time with her family and friends, baking, knitting, and doing puzzles. Katy cherished trips to the ocean for walks on the beach, especially in York, Maine.

She is survived by her sister Susan Hamel, loving daughters Deborah Dyer-Quinn, Cynthia Cote, and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Majer, and her stepchildren Debra ‘Dejay’ Schneider, Susan Novak, Robert ‘Skip’ Traquair, and Edward ‘Ed’ Traquair. She is also survived by her grandchildren, and numerous other relatives.

Katy was predeceased by her youngest stepson William ‘Bill’ Traquair.

A Memorial service to celebrate her life will be held at 1pm on Saturday March 16, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church. A private family burial will take place at Monadnock View Cemetery at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Katherine Traquair to Trinity Lutheran Church, 100 Maple Ave Keene, NH 03431.