Laconia, NH- Daniel Louis Dempsey, Jr., 75, passed away peacefully on May 28, 2011 at Concord Hospital surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with illness.
Abraham Lincoln once said, “And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” Though the loss of a loved one as special and irreplaceable as Dan is difficult to understand and accept, his family finds comfort in knowing that the years that Dan was here on earth were spent fulfilling his dreams, and, as Abe Lincoln suggests, were full of life!
Dan grew up in Cambridge, MA and was born on July 20, 1935. As a young boy, you would find him playing in Harvard Square with his brothers (Neil, William, and John Dempsey) and sister (Mary Dempsey Holian, pre-deceased). There were three important aspects of Dan’s life: (1) furthering knowledge whenever possible through reading, traveling, and conversing, (2) helping others by serving his country and in law enforcement, and (3) spending time with his family and friends. These three themes were present in his life until the day he died.
He graduated from Ringe Technical High School in Cambridge, MA, and then served in the United States Army during the Korean War Conflict. After his service, he joined the Lancaster Police Department. The greatest accomplishment of his career was the work that he did as Captain of the New Hampshire State Police (1962-1986). Dan loved his role and time spent acting as Captain. He welcomed the challenges of the job and enjoyed working with people. During this time, he also graduated from the FBI National Academy and from St. Anselm’s College with a degree in Criminal Justice. During his retirement, he served as a Special Deputy, U.S. Marshal and Deputy Sheriff of Belknap County.
Dan’s professional accomplishments could not have been realized without the support of his loving family. He met the love of his life at the age of 21, his wife of 54 years, Elizabeth “Poppy” (Paquet) Dempsey. From the moment they met, their life was a wonderful adventure! Dan and Poppy shared a love of traveling. They had been to almost every state in the country, visited countless national treasures, and enjoyed spending time together in New Hampshire, down in Florida at their “winter home,” and anywhere the road may have taken them. Dan and Poppy had three children: Pamela, Andreana, and Daniel, all of who he was immensely proud of. Pamela, the eldest child, is married to Francis “Sank” O’Connell and lives in Winchendon, MA with their two sons, SPC Jason O’Connell (Kuwait) and Kyle O’Connell. Middle sibling Andreana Grimaldo is married to Raymond Grimaldo and lives in Shrewsbury, MA with their three daughters, Amy Grimaldo, Alicia Grimaldo, and Allison Grimaldo. Youngest child, Daniel Dempsey III, resides in Loudon, NH with his wife Cindy Dempsey and their three children, Josh Silva, Cori Dempsey, and Tyler Dempsey. He was blessed with many nieces, nephews, and friends in both New England and Florida, as well as across the country.
Dan had a great passion for his work in law enforcement and loved to travel. However, the greatest pride in his life was his family, and especially his eight grandchildren. His family will always remember him for the stories he told, how he always seemed to know the answer to any question he was asked whether it was about politics, nature, directions, or the news, and how dependable and caring he was. He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter. He also enjoyed fishing with his friends in Florida. He loved to read, learn, and share new things. He was an honest and trustworthy man. He showered his family with countless life lessons that they will always hold near and dear to their hearts.
Although Dan is no longer here with us today, his legacy will live on for years and years to come. He will be remembered as the dedicated Captain of the New Hampshire State Police; as a loyal servant to the law enforcement profession; as a veteran of the United States Army; as a loving and loyal husband; as a devoted and adoring father; as a proud and caring grandfather; as a compassionate and irreplaceable brother; and as a respected man to all that knew him. His life is a lesson to all of us that we should live our lives to the fullest, which is exactly what he did each and every day. As his family and friends continue through this journey without Dan, we know that he will be watching over us and we are comforted by his joyous memory, which has and will continue to brighten all of our lives.
Dan’s life will be celebrated on Friday, June 3rd at the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH with calling hours from 4 to 7 p.m. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 4th at Calvary Cemetery, N. Main Street, Lancaster, NH.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to NH State Police Benevolent Association, 33 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305 or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.