BELMONT ---- Linda Frawley, 74, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 8, 2024, after a brief illness.
Daughter of Patricia (Barrows) and Francis D. Frawley, Linda was the first born of five children on New Years’ Day, 1950. Linda was brought up in Lowell, MA to be a strong, independent woman. She loved people and treasured the relationships she built and grew from childhood until the day she died. Linda’s days were happiest enjoying both adventures and quiet times with friends and family, her dogs, Morgan and Merry, and working in her gardens.
Linda was gifted to appreciate the beauty and power of words and how to artfully put them together to express ideas and emotions. She loved reading and writing. Linda put her special talents in public relations and communications to work in the things she believed in. These passions included advancing communities, charitable efforts, historic restoration and preservation, investing in women’s achievements and politics.
Linda’s early interest in journalism led to work for a local newspaper during high school and earning a BA in Journalism from Suffolk University.
Linda held senior communication and public affairs roles in education, health care and corporate enterprises – including at Lowell Technological Institute/University of Lowell, MA, California State University & Colleges, Joslin Diabetes Center, MA, a major Chubb Corporation subsidiary in New Hampshire and the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications. As Principal of Cotton Hill Consulting Group, she provided strategic communications, development and project support as an independent consultant.
Linda was always active in politics and worked on campaigns at the local, state and national levels. She served on many economic and cultural efforts. She was a founder of the Heritage Commission in her local community, an Incorporator of the Belknap Economic Development Council and served on the Board of the Belknap Mill. She was serving on the Committee guiding the design and construction of a Christa McAuliffe Memorial Statue and was a national and Boston committee member of The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox, MA.
Linda is survived by her dear niece, Samantha Starmann (husband Scott, daughters Stella and Greta) of Breckenridge, CO, daughter of her sister Patrice Frawley of Rockford Bay, Idaho. Linda is also survived by sister Debbie Frawley Drake of Laconia and her children, Adam Frawley (Emily and son Lucas) of Windham, ME and Elizabeth Drake (Michael Coutu and son Theodore) of Reading, MA), sister Pamela Thurston her husband, Mark, and son, Jonathan (Colleen) all of Sanbornton and son Jason (Ashley Coddington) of Belmont. Linda was predeceased by her parents and her beloved brother, Francis D. Frawley III.
Other loving survivors include her extended family of relatives and her close circle of friends who became her family throughout her life, from childhood to today.
Calling Hours will be held on Friday, March 15, 2024, from 4:00pm-6:00pm, in the Carriage House at Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH 03246.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 10:00am, at Saint Joseph Parish, 96 Main Street, Belmont, NH 03220, by Father Iain MacLellan.
Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Garfield Street, Laconia, NH 03246.
For those who wish, memorial donations in Linda’s name may be sent to Edith Wharton Restoration, Inc., (The Mount), 2 Plunkett Street, Lenox, MA 01240 or the Belknap Mill Society, 25 Beacon Street East, Laconia, NH 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, Laconia, NH, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.