HANOVER, NH — Marion Copenhaver, pillar of her community and titan of the NH legislature, died in her sleep at Kendal at Hanover on November 19, 2019. She was 94.
Marion Lamson Copenhaver was born September 26, 1925, on her family’s farm in Andover, VT. She attended a one-room schoolhouse in Andover, graduated from Chester High and continued her education at the University of Vermont. She met John Copenhaver, an undergraduate at Dartmouth, and was married to him in 1946. She raised five children while her husband pursued his doctorate. The family returned to Hanover in 1953 where she helped found a local chapter of the Unitarian Fellowship, the Planned Parenthood affiliate in the Upper Valley and was the president of the Hanover PTA . She was an active golfer, skier and community figure, volunteering to find housing for new teachers in the Hanover school district, assisting with the Girl Scouts, the Ford Sayre ski program and was always on hand with a fresh homemade pie and a friendly smile when needed.
Once her brood had fledged, she was coaxed into running for the NH State Legislature, winning a seat in 1972, leading the ticket and faithfully representing Han-over for the next 28 years. She rose to the position of Assistant Minority Leader and was able to be an effective legislator by dint of her charm and personality. The Legislature was her true passion where she was known for her tireless commitment to creating better cost-effective long-term care for the elderly, disabled and those in need. At retirement from the Legislature, she was commended by Governor Jeanne Shaheen for “her determination, tenacity, hard facts, ingenuity, and unremitting hard work in achieving her goal of a more humane society.”
She is survived by her children John, Margaret, Christine, Eric and Lisa plus six grandchildren and one great-grandson. There will be a memorial service to honor Marion on December 15th at 2 p.m. at Kendal at Hanover.