New Hampshire Nursing News - June 2022

June, July, August 2022 New Hampshire Nursing News • Page 23
IN MEMORY OF OUR COLLEAGUES
Head Nurse in the Medical-Surgical area, leading to the
role of Night Supervisor. She was instrumental in
developing and heading up the Elliot Hospital's first
post-anesthesia recovery unit in 1958. Sally transitioned
to the clinic setting, working for 34 years as a
Registered Nurse at the Keene Clinic, now Dartmouth
Hitchcock Clinic in Keene. She spent her last 28 years
as a urology nurse working alongside Dr. Arthur
Cohen. She retired in 1998.
Barbara Anne (Connor) French
Notre Dame Grad
Gabrielle ‘Gaby’ L. (Pratte) Drouin, 93,
passed away on April 14, 2022. She
graduated from the Notre Dame
Hospital School of Nursing with her
nursing diploma in 1949. She enjoyed
going out regularly with the
"Nightingales," her fellow retired RNs.
St. Joes Nurse
Frances (Catoggio) Parrott, 83, passed
away on April 17, 2022. She practiced
for many years at the St. Joseph Hospital
in Nashua.
St. Joes Nurse
Lois D. (Mowrey) Velcheck, 80, passed
away on April 18, 2022. She practiced in
the delivery room, as an elementary
school nurse and then an orthopedic
nurse for many years for St. Joseph's
Hospital in Nashua before retiring in
2005.
Psych Nurse
CMC Nurse
Janice I. Smith, 79, passed away April
22, 2022. She practiced as a RN at the
NH State Hospital for many years.
Dorothy J. (Feeney) McCarthy, 84, died
April 23, 2022. She obtained her nursing
diploma in Maine in 1958 and practiced at
Catholic Medical Center, Lakeshore
Hospital, and VNA Hospice. Following her
retirement, she dedicated her time and
talents to volunteering for the Catholic
Medical Center Parish Nurse Program.
State Representative
Barbara Anne (Connor) French,
95, died on April 16, 2022. A New
Hampshire native, she obtained a BS in
biology from UNH in 1947. She went on
to Cornell University, affiliated with the
New York Hospital School of Nursing,
and obtained a BSN in 1950. She first
practiced as an RN at the NH State
Hospital, as a head nurse and nursing
instructor for the School of Nursing. She
went on to practice as a child welfare
social worker for the State of New
Hampshire Department of Welfare and
drug education consultant at the New Hampshire
Department of Education. In 1963 she began a
lengthy career as a school nurse serving the Concord
School District for over 35 years with 15 years spent
at the Rundlett Junior High School. In 1967 she
obtained a Master’s in Education from Mount St Mary
College in Hooksett.
During her years as a school nurse, Barbara served
as a member of the National Association of School
Nurses (NASN). In 1968, she was the first secretary
for the just formed NASN. In appreciation of her
service to the children of New Hampshire, she was
the recipient of the NHNSA School Nurse of the
Year Award in 1990. Today, the NHSNA recognizes
important contributions to school nursing by
presenting the Barbara French Award.
Barbara was active in her hometown
politics of Henniker, New Hampshire.
She was a member of the Henniker
Planning Board as well as a member
and chair of the Henniker Democratic
Committee. She was elected to her first
term in the New Hampshire House of
Representatives in the 1992, representing
Merrimack, District 5. Though defeated
in the 1994 election she ran for office
again, and served as representative from
1996 to 2010, and from 2012 to 2016.
Representative French served for ten
elected terms, a total of 20 years. While
in the legislature she served on numerous committees
including the NH Women's Lobby Board of Directors
and was a member of Advocates for Women and
Families and the Children's Caucus.
She became a member of the New Hampshire
Nurses Association upon her graduation from Cornell
and RN licensure in 1963, a membership she held
continuously. She was active in NHNA’s Commission
on Government Affairs attending and frequently
speaking during nurse legislative day programs.
She never forgot her roots as a school nurse and
combined her legislative talents focusing on the health
needs of children and their families. In honor of her
achievements the policy and practice arena nurses of
New Hampshire recognized French as the 1998 New
Hampshire Nurses' Association Legislator of the Year.
Lifelong Learner
Donna Louise (Carvalho) Moody, 76,
passed away on April 26, 2022, in
Vermont. She worked in various
settings as an LPN for 15 years. In
1982, she graduated from the NHTI in
Concord having earned an associate
degree and her RN. She practiced for
42 years in active nursing working in
Med/Surg, ICU, Home Health Care, and Hospice.
After leaving the Wonderful World of Nursing,
Donna earned a BA in 2011, a MA in 2013 and her
PhD in 2016 in Anthropology from UMass Amherst.
Donna taught at UMass Amherst as a Graduate
Student and most recently at Franklin Pierce
University. Donna worked tirelessly for 20 years with
local, State, and Federal entities as the Repatriation
Coordinator for the Abenaki Nation. Those efforts
culminated in the return and reburial of over 200
Abenaki Ancestors
Exeter Nurse
Sandra ‘Sandy’ (MacDougall) Cross, 83,
passed away on April 27, 2022. She
obtained her nursing diploma from
Boston City Hospital and went on to
obtain a BSN from UNH. She practiced at
Exeter Hospital, for many years, as an RN
in the OR, and eventually working at
Eventide Home as an administrator for 30
years, assisting the Elderly, where she retired in 2003.
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