NEW LONDON, NH — On September 9, 2020, Carol Ann Tucker passed away at her home on Little Lake Sunapee Road in New London, NH, surrounded by her loving family and friends. She had bravely fought a long battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with grit and humor, always with her husband John, the love of her life, by her side. She was eighty six years old.

Carol O’Brien was born on November 2, 1933 to Anne O’Brien and Charles Durkee in Salem, Massachusetts. She attended school there, graduating from St. James Parochial School and then enrolling in Salem Teachers College and graduating in 1955. Carol worked in New Rochelle, NY as an elementary school teacher, then moved to New Hampshire.

In Claremont, she worked for sixteen years in the English Department at the Junior High School and received her Masters degree as a Reading Specialist. It was during that time, when John was Speaker of the NH House, that the title, “The Lady of the Speaker”, was coined, which she was very proud to own. Afterward, she worked for six years as a professor at the Claremont Technical College, from which she retired, having established the first Resource Center at the college.

Carol and John spent winters in Ft. Myers, Florida, returning to New London every summer.

Carol was a woman of faith, and was a long time member of the First Congregational Church in Claremont, the First Baptist Church of New London, and the Village Church of Ft. Myers, Florida, and enjoyed years of choral singing, as she was a talented vocalist. She participated in Area Choir Concerts, musicals and variety shows.

She was artistic and creative with a talent for painting on paper, canvas, metal, but most notably velvet. She studied theorem painting and became an accomplished juried artist in that media. Carol was an avid reader, a lover of dogs, and always dedicated to the wellbeing of those around her.

Carol was industrious, efficient, and organized, and never without a plan. Great planning resulted in the numerous travels she and John made. They travelled extensively to Europe and to over one hundred US National Parks and Sites, and proudly accomplished having camped from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Carol leaves behind her husband of forty nine years, John Tucker of New London, NH and their eight children: Catherine Sharp and husband, Sonny of Penacook, NH, Maryellen Kinhan of Warren Vt, J.Kelly Kinhan of Concord, NH, Sarah Guthrie and husband, John of Keene, NH, Kim Tucker Derocchi and husband, David of Westminster, Co, Jay Tucker and wife, Judith of Bradford, NH, Lynn Py and husband, Jamie of Portland, Me, and Beth Sanger and husband, David of Cape Coral, Fl. She was predeceased by an infant daughter, Martha. Her grandchildren include: Ryan, Garrett, Olivia, Laura, Grace, Brandon, Garrett, Spencer, Anna, Samuel, Sophia, Margarita, Elliot, Tomasa, Haley, Taylor, Griffin, Emily, Emma, and Addie. She had eleven great grandchildren.

She is also survived by her sisters Sandra Gill of Swampscott, Ma, and Beatrice Delande of Auburn , NH.

A graveside memorial for family will take place at a later date.

Contributions in Carol’s memory can be made to the Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice, 107 Newport Rd, New London, NH 03257.

To sign an online guestbook please visit www.chadwickfuneralservice.com.