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Laconia--------Mrs. Rita M. Sawyer Ford, 78, of 27 Addison St, died at her home on Thursday, December 19, 2002 with her family around her.
Mrs. Sawyer Ford was born December 27, 1923 in Lowell, MA, the daughter of George and Marie (Lantagne) LaBranche. She lived in Lowell, MA graduating from Lowell High School and from the Concord Hospital School of Nursing, Concord, NH. In 1945, she moved to Laconia and was a registered nurse at the Lakes Region General Hospital for twenty years before retiring in 1966.
Mrs. Sawyer Ford was very active in the Lakes Region. She was a former president of the Lakes Region Drum & Burgle Corps for many years and also was involved in many service organizations.
Mrs. Sawyer Ford was a communicant of St. Joseph Church.
Survivors include two sons, Stephen Sawyer and Martin Sawyer and his wife Phyllis (Nesbitt) Sawyer, all of Laconia; two daughters, Mary R. Sawyer and Melanie Sawyer both of Laconia; several nephews and nieces including Kel LaBranche of Vero Beach, Florida who lived with Mrs. Sawyer Ford for many years; 5 grandchildren, Joshua Champagne who is serving in the U. S. Air Force, Kendra Sawyer-Anderson of Washington, Kalie Nesbitt, Sara Stevens and Jessie Stevens all of Laconia; two brothers, Leo LaBranche of Albuquerque, New Mexico and George LaBranche of Lowell, MA; and a sister, Pauline Donovan of Lowell, MA.
She was predeceased by her first husband, James E. Sawyer, Sr., who died in June, 1972; her second husband, Clayton A. Ford, who died in November, 2001 and by a son, James E. Sawyer, Jr., who died in Vietnam in June, 1969.
Calling Hours will be held on Sunday, December 22, 2002 from 6:00-8:00 PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, December 23, 2002 at 10:00AM at St. Joseph Church, 30 Church Street, Laconia, NH. Rev. Gary Kosmowski, Pastor of the church, will officiate.
Spring burial will be in the family lot at Union Cemetery, Laconia.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Community Health & Hospice, 780 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246
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