Donald P. Couturier

Donald P. Couturier, 83, formerly of Manchester, died June 16, 2020 at Bedford Hills after a period of declining health due to end stage renal disease.

He was born in Manchester on April 9, 1937 to Firmin and Alice (Chicoine) Couturier, and lived in Manchester for most of his life.

Donald served his country in the US Air Force and his state in the NH Air National Guard, working at Grenier Air Field and Pease Air Force Base. He retired as Senior Master Sergeant, after 39 years of service. He worked primarily in Equipment Management Support for the 157th Refueling Wing and the KC135, providing support for Operation Desert Storm. In addition, he served as Commissioner on the Manchester Water Works Board of Water Commissioners and had worked for the NH Liquor Commission and the Manchester Airport.

Donald was a member of the Air Force Sergeant's Association and served as the President of the NH National Guard Enlisted Association for a number of years. He also had served as a member and area Chairman of the Executive Council of the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the US, for which he was awarded a Distinguished Service Award. He worked with the NH National Guard Family Support Program, served on the committee to get NH National Guard license plates and enjoyed displaying his special number on his car. Donald was a member of American Legion Post 79 in Manchester.

He was a communicant of St. Anthony Parish, having graduated from St. Anthony High School where he met his lifelong love, Cecile. He was proud of his Franco-American heritage, having been a member and officer in the Association Canado Americaine and awarded The Order of the Legion of Honor.

He enjoyed bowling, gardening vegetables, interior decorating and watching the Red Sox. He was fond of attending live music and theater performances and he excelled at dancing the jitterbug. Donald loved a good old-fashioned family BBQ, where he cooked for everyone, then would eat his favorites, a hamburger and a hotdog with the works.

Donald was predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Cecile C. (Jean) Couturier in 2017.

The family includes four children, Diane Scholfield and her husband, David, of Alabama, Marc Couturier of Manchester, Pauline Hughes-Wentland and her husband, George, of Florida and Louise Berry and her husband, Richard, of Virginia; seven grandchildren, Gregory, Matthew and Daniel Scholfield, Brendon Couturier, Zoe Hart, Catherine and Allison Berry; three great grandchildren, Colton, Clover and Kelsier; four siblings, Jeannette Laplante and her husband, Roger and Jeannine Chandonnet all of Manchester, Leo Couturier and his wife, Barbara, of Derry and Robert Couturier and his wife, Constance, of Bedford; brother-in-law, Roger Jean and his wife, Francine, of Bedford; and predeceased sister-in-law Pauline Boulanger's daughter, Bonnie; cousins, nieces, nephews and godchildren.

SERVICES: A public walk-through wake with masks, social distancing and limited interaction with the family, is Tuesday (6/23) from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester. A Mass of Christian Burial, maintaining social distancing guidelines, will be celebrated Wednesday (6/24) at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony Church, 172 Belmont St., Manchester. Committal prayers will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 474 Goffstown Rd., Manchester.

Memorial donations may be made to: National Kidney Foundation, Finance Dept., 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016, or www.kidney.org/donate.