Laconia---Alice Currier Atherton, 85, of 25 Ledges Drive and formerly of 17 Taylor Home Drive, died at the Congregate Living Center, Taylor Community, on Thursday, January 19, 2006.
Mrs. Atherton was born June 17, 1920 in Laconia, the daughter of Richard A. and Edith (Marden) Currier.
Mrs. Atherton grew up in Concord and graduated from Concord High in 1937 and from Concord Business College in 1938. On July 6, 1942, she married N. Porter Atherton who died in 1970.
While in high school, Mrs. Atherton participated in the music programs, playing French horn in the orchestra and band and singing in the Glee Clubs. She studied piano and organ with Martha F. Gale, organist at the First Congregational Church. Before her marriage, she was organist at the Suncook Baptist Church and the Congregational Church in Penacook.
In 1946, Mrs. Atherton moved back to Laconia and enjoyed a long musical “career” as organist at The Unitarian Universalist Society of Laconia and as a substitute at many of the churches in the area. She also played for dances with the Al Blackey and Speed Dicey Orchestras and for forty years played for the summer square dances in Holderness with Mr. Dicey and most recently with Lester Bradley and Ginny Loring.
Mrs. Atherton was a forty-five year member of the Eastern Star in Tilton. She was a four-time Grand Organist in New Hampshire and was organist for the Penacook, Franklin and Bristol Chapters and was a sixty-five year member of the DAR in Concord. Her working career included twenty-two years as secretary of the Congregational Church in Laconia. After her retirement in 1994, she acted as financial secretary there for four years. She enjoyed eating out, quilting and other hand work, the company of friends and her dear family. She loved life and had a “good run for her money”.
Survivors include two daughters-in-law, Sandra Linehan Atherton of Northfield and Sherrill Atherton Crow of Londonderry; four grandchildren, Meghan, Alyson, David Atherton, Jr. and Andrew Atherton; a great grandson, David Atherton III; a brother and sister-in-law, George and Marilyn Currier of California; a sister-in-law, Helen Atherton Olden, of Center Harbor and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her two sons, David Atherton in 1986 and George Atherton in 2001 and by her sister, Mildred Currier Langley, in 1965.
There will be no calling hours.
A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at 11:00AM at the Laconia Congregational Church, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH. The Rev. Dr. Warren H. Bouton, Pastor of the Church, will officiate. Spring burial will be in the family in Leavitt Cemetery, Chichester, NH.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Laconia Congregational Church, General Fund, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH is in charge of the arrangements.
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