Cynthia Fradd Blood

Cynthia Fradd Blood, age 94, died on Thursday, December 27 at the Manor at Birch Hill Retirement Community in Manchester, NH. She was born on October 23, 1924 in Manchester to Walter Richard and Florence (Fifield) Fradd. She was a 1942 graduate of Central High School where she enjoyed singing the lead role in three operettas. She attended the University of New Hampshire for one year. Due to a shortage of nurses during WW II, Cynthia felt called to nursing, and in 1943 joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital School of Nursing in Boston. She was awarded the John P. Reynolds Medal and graduated as a registered nurse in 1946. She returned to Manchester and worked for the Manchester VNA, then taught for two and a half years at the Elliot Hospital School of Nursing.

On December 23, 1949, Cynthia married Parkhurst Holbrook Blood of Manchester. Together they raised two children, Charles and Martha. Cynthia loved her role as mother and homemaker, but throughout her life was also involved in a variety of community organizations including: one of the first women to serve as a trustee of the Portsmouth Hospital, member and past president of the Portsmouth Hospital Guild, coordinator of Home Health Services at the Portsmouth Rehabilitation Center, founder and eventual Executive Director of the Rural District Health Council (a visiting nurse agency servicing rural towns in NH), first woman elected to the Board of Trustees of the Piscataqua Savings Bank in Portsmouth, (continuing as a corporator of the bank), and co-chair of the Portsmouth RSVP program. During her last 16 years in Portsmouth, Cynthia especially enjoyed volunteering weekly at her neighborhood Dondero Elementary School in the nurse's office and the library. In 2007, Governor John Lynch presented Cynthia with the NH Partners in Education "Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award."

From childhood through her adult life, Cynthia was an active church member and volunteer, singing in choirs at Grace Episcopal Church in Manchester and the North Congregational Church in Portsmouth, where she also volunteered many hours for various church boards and functions. Following the death of her husband, Parky, in 1982, Cynthia returned to her Episcopal faith, joining St. John's Episcopal Church in Portsmouth. In 2007, she returned to Manchester and enjoyed many years of bridge playing, socializing, concert-going and family gatherings prior to suffering a stroke in July.

Cynthia was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings Elizabeth Fradd, Richard Fradd and Marjorie Glennan. She is survived by her two children, Charles (Judith) of Manchester, Martha (Greg) Balfany of La Crosse, WI, five grandchildren, Elizabeth Blood (Romeo Melloni), Christopher Blood (Emily Kalina), Brian (Mikaela) Balfany, Diane (Matt) Sitkowski, Katherine Balfany, one great-granddaughter, Parker Jaclyn Balfany and several nieces and nephews.

Cynthia's family would like to thank the caring staff of The Manor at Birch Hill and the VNA Hospice of Manchester for their compassionate care of Cynthia during her final months and days.

A Memorial service took place on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at Grace Episcopal Church, 106 Lowell St., Manchester.

Memorials may be given to the VNA Hospice of Manchester and Southern NH, 1070 Holt Ave., Suite 1400, Manchester, NH 03109, or Grace Episcopal Church, 106 Lowell St., Manchester, NH 03101

Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester, assisted with arrangements.

To send a message of condolence visit www.lambertfuneralhome.com