Claire Truchon Martel, age 81, of Iron Street, Ledyard, passed away Monday at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Martel was born in Laconia, NH on May 1, 1929 and graduated from Laconia High School. She later
attended Notre Dame School of Nursing in Manchester NH before transferring to Keene State College where she graduated in 1952. She later completed graduate studies at the University of New Hampshire.
Her distinguished teaching career began in 1952 at Keene, NH Junior High School and later Hanover, NH High School and Laconia (NH) High School. In 1957, she accepted a position as a Civil Service Appt. Teacher Supervisor at the Theadore Allison High School, Trinidad, The West Indies. Upon returning, she taught at Norfolk Catholic High School and in 1964 began at Ledyard High School as Department Head of Home Economics. She retired in 1977 after 25 years of teaching.
She served as State F H A Advisor for 4 years in NH and the State Board Advisory Committee on curriculum in education in NH. She also served as Vice chairperson on the Board of Public Health, Ledyard Nursing Association and was a member of the National Home Economics and National Teachers Associations.
On June 22, 1957,she married Raymond E. Martel at Lady of Lakes Church, Lakeport, NH. Mr. Martel died March 12, 2009.
She is survived by a son, Stephen F. Martel and his wife Tammy of Griswold, CT, and 3 grandchildren, Brooke, Dylan & Tori.
Her family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Wednesday from 5-7pm. Her funeral will gather on Thursday at 9:30am at the funeral home to a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Rte. 12, Gales Ferry at 10:30am. Private burial will be in Laconia, NH.
Flowers will be gratefully accepted or donations in her memory may be made to the Clara Barton Diabetes Camp (www.bartoncenter.org), P.O. Box 356, No. Oxford, MA 01537.
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