Marjorie Richardson Sherwin Haggard

After a period of declining health, Marjorie Sherwin Haggard (Richardson), age 90, of Manchester, N.H., died at home on in the loving company of her family. She was born in Town Hill, a small village within the municipality of Bar Harbor, on Mount Desert Island, Maine May 30, 1929. Marjorie was the second daughter of Lynwood L. Richardson, the island's blacksmith, and Evelyn Richardson (Hamilton), a homemaker. She was raised in Town Hill and graduated from the Bar Harbor High School in 1947. After one year of employment as a nurse's aide at Mount Desert Hospital, she was awarded a scholarship in nursing to White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. She graduated in 1951 and continued working at that institution as a surgical nurse. In 1952 she married John Martin Sherwin, then in the United States Marine Corps, and as they moved to different bases in the service she became employed in operating rooms elsewhere. Upon settling in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1965, she assisted her orthopedic husband and subsequently many of his junior partners in surgery until her retirement in 2002.
Mrs. Sherwin was very active in volunteerism in New Hampshire. She was twice awarded certificates of merit for volunteer activities by two different governors. She worked as a volunteer at Red Cross Blood Drives, at pre-school audio screenings, in Girl Scouts, as a member of the Elliot Hospital Associates, and she served as President of the Auxiliary to the New Hampshire Medical Society in 1984.
Marjorie was an excellent seamstress and made clothing for herself and her children when they were young. She taught herself latch hook needlework and many of her pillows and scatter rugs can be seen in the family home. She was also a great lover of dogs and babies and made friends with any she encountered. Marjorie was an excellent cook and entertained as often as she could. She was a passionate reader and passed her love of reading on to her children. In her younger years her favorite outdoor activity was ice-skating. When a significant wedding anniversary approached, Marjorie made a deal with her husband that if he agreed to an in ground pool in the backyard, she would be responsible for the maintenance and chemical balancing. Hers was the cleanest pool in Manchester, and her pride and joy. With her husband, and travelling in their private aircraft, weekends were often spent at her childhood home on Mount Desert Island, Maine, a source of great pleasure for both of them. Marjorie kept up a rigorous correspondence with her many friends from across the years and across the U.S. until worsening arthritis and tremors made it impossible for her to use that form of communication.
Marjorie was predeceased by her sisters, Dorothy Luce of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Janet Sprague of Pittsfield, Maine. Her husband, Dr. John M. Sherwin, predeceased her on February 11, 2004, after 52 years of marriage.
On September 2, 2006 she married Robert G. Haggard, Col USMC (ret), a widower and close family friend from the early days of her first marriage. They spent their time between her home in Manchester and his home in Austin, Texas, and enjoyed 12 years of marriage before he predeceased her on March 24, 2019.
Survivors include a daughter, Elizabeth "Betsy" Akerman (John) of Mansfield, MA, a daughter Jane Sherwin and her twin brother James "Jim" Sherwin (Carol), both of Manchester, a brother Brian (Ellie) of Town Hill, Maine, her dear cousin Judy Hamilton and her husband Dennis Riegel of Walpole, MA, five stepchildren: Charla Plotke (John) of Murrell's Inlet, SC, Mark Haggard of Daleville, VA, Dr. Aneysa Sane (Dr. David Sane) of Daleville, VA, Dr. Connie Irick (Ron) of Shawnee, KS, and Robin Clemons (Dr. David Clemons) of Austin, TX, two biological grandchildren, John Sherwin II and his sister Jessica Taylor, both of Manchester, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A Funeral Service was held on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Brookside Congregational Church, 2013 Elm Street, Manchester, NH. Burial followed in Pine Grove Cemetery, 765 Brown Avenue, Manchester, NH. Memorial Donations may be made in her name to: Manchester Animal Shelter, 490 Dunbarton Road, Manchester, NH, 03102. The family would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to Home Instead Senior Care of Manchester and The Manchester VNS Hospice of Manchester and Southern NH for the loving and compassionate care of their mother in her final months.