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Laconia--------Henry Clevenson, 83, of 21 Ledges Drive, passed away peacefully at 6:00AM on Friday, August 30, 2002 due to heart failure at the Lakes Region General Hospital.
Mr. Clevenson was born February 9, 1919 in Laconia, NH, the son of Harry A. and Sarah F. (Goodman) Clevenson. He will be remembered as a simple man, a devoted son to his parents, Harry & Sadie, and a devoted husband to his wife, Sally (Kopelowitz) Clevenson, his sons Dr. Lawrence Marshall Clevenson and Howard Rodgers-Melnick, his daughters, Marilyn (Melnick) Budd, and Deena Clevenson, his granddaughters Richelle (Budd) Caplan and Eleza (Budd) Lustgarten, and his great-grandchildren, Moira, Meirav, and twin great grandsons Eliezar and Yitztok Caplan of Jerusalem, Israel; three brothers, Julius Clevenson of Ashfield, Ohio, Sam Clevenson of Schenectady, N.Y., and Sherman Clevenson of Newport News, Virginia; two sisters, Diane Stone of Worcester, MA and Helen Clevenson of White Plains, NY, and many nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by a son, David Clevenson, in 1993.
Henry owned and operated Clevenson&Mac226;s Quik Laundry & Cleaners for thirty-three years. He was a civic leader of the Laconia Community, always encouraging youth activities, was instrumental in seeing to it that Laconia was a safe place to raise children. Through his efforts as treasurer for the City of Laconia, tennis courts at Lake Opechee and basketball courts in Lakeport were funded. He was himself a champion tennis player, as well as a life master in bridge. He enjoyed challenging his mind and body, and excelled in everything he attempted. He was instrumental in starting the Laconia Little Theater, the precursor to the Streetcar Company, and though he would say he couldn&Mac226;t carry a tune in a wheelbarrow, he sang and hummed all his life, and when he did sing it was with great gusto.
He served in the Navy during WWII and was an aerial photographer. He later apprenticed at the Achber Studio as a portrait photographer. In his life, he has taken thousands of wonderful photographs, and most recently became an active member of the Taylor Home CLC Community, and enjoyed making photographic portraits of the residents and staff there. His family is grateful for the care and attention he received at Taylor.
Henry was a spiritual leader in the Jewish community, serving as gabbi (ritual chairman) for many years, and had a marvelous knack at remembering peoples&Mac226; names. He and his siblings instituted a charitable fund for the children of the Temple B&Mac226;nai Israel Sunday School, to provide study materials for the wealth of knowledge available.
If a man's success is measured by the number of friends he had, Henry was a most successful person. He moved easily in all circles, without prejudice or judgment, accepting people for who they were, not for what they owned or even achieved. In this way he was able to encourage achievement in all people, all ages, all abilities. He was always willing to help people, strangers or family, it didn&Mac226;t matter, always ready with a quick handshake, and a sunny smile. He thought of himself as a simple person, but his family saw him as an exceptional human being, one of a kind, the sort of person anyone would like to know. He was humorous, warm affectionate man, and had a powerful love for living . For his family, he was the brightest spirit, the brightest light of the menorah, and his happy disposition and positive outlook on life will be missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Clevenson was a member of the Laconia Bridge Club, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Laconia Post #1670, the American Legion Wilkins Smith Post No. 1, The Laconia Lodge of Elks #876 and was a volunteer at the Lakes Region General Hospital as well as for the Food Kitchen at the Laconia Salvation Army.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 1, 2002 from 10:00AM until Noon at the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, using the Carriage House entrance, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH followed by a graveside service at the family lot in Union Cemetery, Laconia. Flowers are welcome or donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Harry & Sadie Clevenson Fund, Temple B&Mac226;Nai Israel, 210 Court Street, Laconia, NH 03246. Following the graveside service, friends and family are invited to gather at Temple B&Mac226;nai Israel, 210 Court Street, Laconia. Shiva will be held for three evenings beginning Sunday at 7:00PM at 21 Ledges Drive, the Congregate Living Center of the Taylor Home, in the family room on the third floor.
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