HANOVER, NH — Faith Mattison, 93, of Hanover, NH passed away at Kendal at Hanover, Wed, November 6, 2019. She was born November 2, 1926 to Edith and Joseph Mattison in Yonkers, New York, and summered in Cotuit, Cape Cod.
She was class of ’48 at Sweet Briar College and received her MS in Social Work from Simmons College in 1950. She started the Cantabrigia Book Shop offering out-of-print folklore and early American sheet music. In the 1960s and ’70s, she worked at the Pangloss Bookshop in Cambridge, MA, owned by Herb and Bunny Hillman. Faith joined the Hillman family – her “second family” – for vacations on an old farm in Rumney, NH. In 1980, she settled full time in Rumney where she reveled from her perch over the Baker River, in her sweet dogs, and in nature.
A remarkable volunteer, Faith helped the Moosilauke Health Center in Warren, NH qualify for federal funding, became its Director for $1.00 a year, and started its well-child program, among others. She held key positions on the Boards of the Quincy Bog Natural Area, the Rumney Planning Board, and the Whole Village Family Resource Center in Plymouth. She was recognized many times for her service, including by Governor Jeanne Shaheen on “Faith Mattison Day” in Grafton County in 2000. Faith also traveled extensively throughout the world and sailed, solo, with her dog, from Cape Cod to Virginia.
In 2002, Faith retired to Kendal at Hanover. There she was a hiking companion, dog walker, and player of every kind of indoor game. Toward the end, when she could no longer get to the games, her caring gaming companions brought the games to her – and that made all the difference.
Predeceased by two sisters and a brother, she is survived by her sister, Edie Gieg, of Kendal, and multiple Mattison nephews and nieces and Hillmans. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society for the Preservation of New Hampshire Forests or to Ammonoosuc Community Health Services.