Carroll Davies French

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.