| Carroll
Davies French
Carroll
Davies “Dave” French, 87, of Langdon, died peacefully March 9, 2016, at his
home in Langdon, NH, where he has been a resident since 1986. |
He
was born the son of Carroll and Harriet (Fera) French on June 20, 1928, in
Jersey City, NJ.
He
grew up mainly in Scarsdale, NY, but also attended the Punahou School in Hawaii
and graduated from the Lakeside School in Seattle, WA. He graduated from Yale
College in 1950 and Harvard Law School in 1956.
His
strong belief in a citizen’s responsibility to perform public service led him
to enlist in the army during the Korean War. Fluent in German, he was assigned
to Army Counterintelligence in Austria (1951-54). For many years he practiced
business and corporate law in New York City at Dewey Ballantine and Reid &
Priest and served as Assistant General Counsel at American Can Company in CT.
After
retiring to NH, he taught business law as adjunct faculty at Keene State
(1988-1993). His extensive volunteer
work included serving as Commercial Law Liaison on an American Bar Association
project in Albania for five months to help set up a democratic legal system
after the fall of the Iron Curtain, as treasurer of the Board of Trustees of
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, as an arbitrator on the National
Association of Securities Dealers Board of Arbitration, as chairman of the
Langdon Zoning Board of Adjustment, and as corporate secretary of the Alstead
Historical Society. In 2000-2001 he was
on the Sullivan County Study Committee appointed by the County Delegation to
make recommendations concerning the County government.
Formerly
a moderate Republican, he became a registered Democrat in 1998 and enjoyed
working with the Sullivan County Democratic Committee for many years. He ran
twice for the state senate without success but was elected to be Sullivan
County Treasurer in 2008. During these
years he was also a partner in a small dairy operation in Alstead, bidding in
cow auctions and keeping the books.
Dave
read three newspapers daily and contributed many letters to the editor on
far-ranging issues, but mainly urging reforms for a better-functioning
government. Being a good steward of his
land, maintaining trails for hikers and hunters, boiling maple sap in his
little sugar house, splitting wood, and reading before his woodstove engaged
him into his eighties. He will be
remembered by those who had the good fortune to know him for his amazing sense
of humor, his commitment to doing the right thing, and his endless ability to
argue his point.
Survivors
include his loving wife of 16 years: Marcia French; two daughters: Susan Fine
and her husband Patrick of Sunapee, NH, and Reston, VA, Alice Jacobs and her
husband Jeremy, Jr., of East Aurora, NY; four grandchildren: Joshua Fine,
Zachary Fine, Melissa Jacobs, Jeremy Jacobs, III; brother: Alan French of
Andover, MA; two nieces: Catherine French, Hilary French; nephew: Thomas
French; three step-children: Leslie Golemme and her husband Brian of Norwell,
MA, Brian Cooper of Foxboro, MA, Lise Anderheggen-Leif of Seattle; four
step-grandchildren: Ryan, Isabella, and Cooper Golemme, Gabrielle Leif; and
many other extended family members. Mr. French’s first marriage to Sarah French
ended in divorce. He is predeceased by a previous wife: Janet Anderheggen
French.
His
family will plan a gathering of family and close friends in remembrance of Mr.
French in June. Foley Funeral Home (www.foleyfuneralhome.com) of Keene is assisting the family with arrangements.
In
lieu of flowers, the family requests for those who wish, donations may be made
in Mr. French's memory to Planned Parenthood of Northern New England or Home
Healthcare, Hospice & Community Services. | |