GILFORD ---- Virginia ‘Ginny’ A. (Rathbun) Dechene, a cherished and precious woman, known for her kind, loving, caring and humorous personality, was lifted up to her eternal home on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the young age of 63. Surrounded by family and friends, Ginny passed peacefully in her home in Gilford, NH, after her courageous battle with bone and brain cancer.
Ginny is the wife of Henry ‘Hank’ Dechene. Born and raised in Providence, RI, Ginny is the daughter of the late Charles and Ora (Denoncour) Rathbun. Ginny was affectionately named “Peachy Girl” by her dad and that name was carried by Ginny throughout her life. Ginny moved to New Hampshire in 1982 with her mom and stepdad and that is where Ginny met her husband Hank in 1983.
After high school, Ginny embarked on what became a lifelong journey of providing care for the elderly and disabled. She was employed by Genesis Healthcare (formerly known as McKerley’s) in Laconia, NH for over 40 years. She was a true embodiment of love, care and selflessness who devoted her life to nurturing and supporting others, both in her personal and professional life.
Ginny was a shining light in the lives of all who were blessed to know her. Her laugh was infectious and her kind heart embraced all of her journey on this earth and was marked by love, compassion, kindness and her unwavering love for her family, friends and all the patients she cared for. Her passing has left a tremendous void in the hearts of her family, friends and all whose lives were touched by her.
Ginny loved to laugh and make everyone feel like family. She had a unique zest for life, always seeking adventure and embracing the joy of every moment. She was the life of the party and especially loved spending time with her husband, daughters, sisters, brothers-in-laws, nieces, nephews and her granddaughter. A good time to Ginny was family time. Ginny loved to host game nights with her family and friends that were filled with love, laughter and lots of food. If a party needed planning, Ginny was on the job! She loved catering, cooking, baking and organizing fun-filled family events. She was famous for her homemade spinach rolls, pizza, salmon and Shepherd’s Pie.
When Ginny was not giving her all to others, which was not often, she enjoyed relaxing on the beach with a good book, crafting and tending to her vegetable garden.
Prior to her passing, Ginny wanted to make sure that her obituary not only included information about who she was and what she offered to others throughout her journey in this world, she wanted her family and friends to know what they meant to her and how blessed she was to have them in her life.
“Hank, my soulmate, my best friend and the father of my children…
I will be forever grateful that you let me pass the way I wanted to and
for taking good care of me. Thank you for being my life mate.”
“My dearest sisters, I am blessed to have such strong, beautiful and
powerful women in my life. My wish is that the bond of your
unbreakable sisterhood and faith continue on with my legacy.”
“I want all of my nieces and nephews to know that I love them and
they will always have a special place in their crazy Auntie’s heart.”
“The greatest gift in my life that I will always be thankful for is my
loving daughters and my beautiful and precious granddaughter who
is the bestest girl to who I send a bushel and a peck and a hug around
the neck!”
“To all that I love, please remember me with a smile on your face
and cherished memories in your heart. It is time for ladybug to sign
off…I love you all!”
She leaves behind her three loving and cherished sisters Deborah (Rathbun) Etchell of Belmont, NH, Pamela (Rathbun) Tavares of Cranston, RI and Diana (Rathbun) Woodruff of Warwick, RI. Ginny is also survived by her two daughters Michelle (Dechene) Audet and Amy (Dechene) Drew of NH and her precious granddaughter Taylor Drew of NH. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. In addition to her parents, Ginny is predeceased by her brothers Charles and James Rathbun of Laconia, NH.
Ginny leaves behind the legacy of love, family, humor and cherished memories.
At this time there will be no services.
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.