CONCORD ---- Barbara Ann (Gilman) (Leclerc) Smart, 79, left this Earthly world on the morning of April 28, 2021.
True to her demeanor, she didn’t go without a fight. Mom overcame and persevered through a lifetime of obstacles. Born with a heart defect, she was not expected to live into adulthood and, surely, she was not supposed to carry children. She married Ronald Leclerc (deceased) in 1961 and, despite the warnings, gave birth to two children; a daughter, Louisa Leclerc Simpson (husband Craig) of Canterbury, NH, and a son, Michael Leclerc (deceased 1985). It was soon after that she discovered that she was a candidate for the very first, pioneering open heart surgery to be performed at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA. She was told that she may never wake up from this surgery. But, she did, and went on to have another child; Lorene Leclerc Ellis of Gilford, NH.
After her divorce, she married Ronald Smart (deceased 2004) of Meredith and lived happily with him until his death. Following his death, mom moved to “Elderly” (she hated that title and would have liked to change it to “Housing for People Experiencing Longevity”) Housing at Heritage Terrace in Belmont. There she enjoyed many card games and sharing stories and jokes with her new-found friends. She moved in with her oldest daughter in 2018 where she got to live in a house with four generations and see her grandchildren and great-grandchildren often.
She is the beloved grandmother of Sarah Dickinson, Allison Ellis, Sean Ellis, and the beloved great-grandmother of Logan Dickinson, Adleigh Dickinson, and Ava Johnson. Mom also leaves her lifetime friends; Zarne Whiting, Lillian Kurowski, and Gloria Boisclair… friends ‘till the end.
Mom was a medical marvel, having lived through a broken heart when her son died suddenly, overcoming alcoholism to achieve 28 years of sobriety, living for more than 20 years with COPD and CHF, surviving surgery for a brain tumor in 2016 and 30 rounds of radiation, to surviving another 30 rounds of radiation three years later when the tumor came back. Mom bounced back from COVID-19 just this past December. Mom’s motto was, "Never, never give up." And she didn’t. Ever.
More than a medical marvel, Mom was an avid golfer and a very good one at that. Her china cabinet is stuffed with trophies and recognitions from Mojalaki County Club and Oak Hill County Club from her years as club champion. She traveled often, and far, taking many cruises with her partner in crime, Mary Laurent, including flying to Oahu and visiting with her son who was stationed there, shortly before he passed. Mom worked many jobs and had several occupations – her words were that she has been, “Everything but a stripper or a server…But there still was time”. Most notably was her managing the office of long time Franklin MD, Dr. Kropp, creating Annalee dolls, and working second shift with her “crew” at Aavid Engineering. Mom was always game for yard sales and browsing the shops, but never bingo. She rarely stayed still, that is until her body wore out.
Mom was born in Newport, NH, on September 21, 1941. She was the daughter of the late Ruth (Makenzie) Gilman and Marshall “Guy” Gilman. She is one of four siblings; twin brothers Robert Gilman, Franklin, NH, and Richard Gilman (deceased), and her baby sister born the night of mom’s senior prom – Debbie Gilman Mills, Holmen, WI.
When mom and her family moved to Franklin, NH, she spent the summers of her early years helping her beloved grandparents out at the farm in North Newport planting and harvesting their world-famous gladiolas. When her baby sister was born, and until Debbie became an adult, she took care of her like her fourth child. While she could still drive (safely) she would make the rounds visiting with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We will miss her company.
One of her favorite places to be was Short Sands in York Beach, Maine. As a youngster, that was her family vacation spot, and later on it became her spot to bring her children. She was able to visit there for a last time two years ago and enjoyed a stroll around the beach and boardwalk using the “beach wheelchair” which allowed her to participate with the gang. This is where her daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and siblings will gather at a future date to say a formal good bye.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home is taking care of her remains and going by mom’s preplanned wishes (contract filled out in 2007!) to be cremated with no services.
Please, no flowers or other offerings. Just live your dash…like mom did 1941 – 2021.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.