BRISTOL ---- John David Monahan, 87, passed away on Sunday, May 4, 2025, after a period of declining health.
John was born at Memorial Hospital in North Conway on August 18, 1937, to Charles Monahan and Gladys (Butterfield) Monahan Ainsworth.
He was a 1956 graduate of Laconia High School and went on to enlist in the US Army where he proudly served as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He often joked that he never landed in a plane he took off in.
In his early years, John worked for New England Telephone & Telegraph in Plymouth. He went on to work various jobs in the manufacturing industry before retiring from Aavid Engineering.
To say that John was a devoted outdoorsman is an understatement. He will always be remembered for his love of hunting and fishing and how he taught his sons. John had a deep appreciation for history and craftsmanship. In his younger years, he enjoyed exploring old cellars and searching for antique bottles. He carried this into his later years, buying and selling antique pieces of the past during his retirement.
He is survived by sons Mark Monahan of Bristol and Matthew (Wendy) Monahan of Hebron, daughter Kelli Monahan (Jackson) of Little River, SC; grandchildren, Amelia, Madelynn and Mark Monahan, Jr., a great grandchild McKinley Monahan, brothers, Matt Monahan, Herbie, Dana and William Ainsworth and Bob Davis. He was predeceased by a younger brother Doug Ainsworth (1989) and an infant grandson Eric John Monahan (1990).
A private family service will be held at a future date.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation
Services/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 wilkinsonbeane.com.