Claremont, N.H. —
She was predeceased by her parents and husband, Norman E. Brodeur, second husband Ronald “Ronny” Greenleaf; brother, Irving B. Norton, brother, Reuben “Bud” Norton; sister, Lena J. (Norton) Hedrick; half-brother, Carroll M. Hickman, half-sister, Sarah “Sadie” (Hickman) Murphy, half-brother Robert H. Hickman.
Reta is survived by son, Larry N. Brodeur and wife, Natasha of Claremont; daughter, Jane M. (Carton, Smith) Brodeur of Cornish; stepchild, Randy Greenleaf and wife, Linda (Reta’s good friend) of Claremont, stepchild Ronald “Ronny” Greenleaf of Vermont; also many nieces, nephews and many good lifelong friends. She cherished them all.
She always enjoyed visits from niece, Michele and her husband, Reggie and nephew, Mark Bates and his wife, Karen.
She was raised during the Great Depression and learned at an early age that if you wanted something you had to earn it. She passed this wisdom to her children. She was only 12 when her dad died of a heart attack and 18 when her mom was run over by a driver who was on the wrong side of the road. Life was not easy but she never complained and always persevered. She was educated in Claremont schools, including Stevens High School.
Reta worked in a factory in Detroit during the war, helping with the war effort. Back in Claremont she worked at the Army & Navy Store (later called Marson’s), a laundry and eventually at Tampax, later called Tambrands and Proctor & Gamble where she was the laboratory supervisor until retirement. She worked there from June 1964 thru June 1986 and still had many friends she made there.
In her later years she would go with Larry went on hundreds of rides and adventures together. Larry spent many hours with her taking her to see the wonderful leaves in the fall and going to country stores to poke around. She loved to play cards and Bananagrams (a game like scrabble) for hours with Jane, while eating too much junk food. She loved all animals especially her cat, Princess, and golden retriever Goldie. She was always getting treats for and visiting the many animals on Jane’s farm.
Reta loved to draw and paint, work in her flower garden, go camping, visit friends, swing on her glider, drink an occasional beer and spoil her pets. She enjoyed painting on small flat rocks or plastic eggs to give to the kids at the school where Jane (AKA “Miss Jane”) works. Reta was a member of the Claremont Garden Club for many years, she was also a member of the American Legion. For years she volunteered at many events to help the Sullivan County Humane Society raise money. She spoke her mind and at times it got her in trouble. She was stopped for speeding a few times. When the policeman told her the speed limit was 35, she told him “Well it shouldn’t be!”
Friends may call at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street in Claremont on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A celebration of her life will follow at The Common Man restaurant. Burial at Mountain View Cemetery will be later in the spring, the date to be announced.
In lieu of flowers please donate to: Sullivan County Humane Society, 14 Tremont Street, PO Box 111, Claremont, NH 03743, In memory of Reta Brodeur.