October 29, 1927 – February 18, 2022

Norma Leona (Grant) McDonough, 94, died Friday, February 18, 2022 at Sullivan County Healthcare in Unity, NH after a long period of declining health. She lived with her daughter and son-in-law  (Becky and Ben Nelson) for several years following her husband Fred's death until her health made life at SCHC her best option. The family is very thankful to the staff of SCHC that treated her with great respect and amazing care.

Norma was a vital member of the community, living in Newport with her husband and family on the family farm, Beaver Pond Farm since 1959. As the family matriarch, she was an integral partner in the business in all areas, most notably as the bookkeeper and baker into her late 80s, with her pies and breads gaining celebrity both near and far.  She retired from baking only when her health no longer allowed, and passed the apron strings along to family members with her great-granddaughter Willow Kennett now continuing with her recipes and passion. Norma and her husband Fred, who predeceased her in 2015, worked the family farm from the time they came back to NH after Fred's military service in 1959 through a farm transition when their daughter, Rebecca and her husband Bennie joined the business in 1985 and the partners expanded the business and built the sugarhouse and farm stand. In the early years of the partnership, Norma would make a ton of pies starting at 4 a.m., hustle to the stand and greet customers all day long, then hurry home to have dinner on the table for Fred and do the bookkeeping.  She and Fred loved to read, and would sit in the evening reading interesting passages or poems to each other as they devoured books…history, nature, science, philosophy, you name it. Norma also read four or five novels a week, especially fond of mysteries, and was a "regular" at Richard's Free Library. Norma and Fred also cared for their grandchildren Kathryn and Samuel at the farm through their school years and provided them with an amazing childhood full of experiences that can only be shared on a family farm, while Becky worked off the farm and Ben worked side by side with Fred and Norma in the fields and forests.

Norma volunteered on numerous boards and committees in the community and also worked as office manager for Dr. Denis T. Maryn in Newport in the 1960's, as bookkeeper in local banks in the '70s and most notably as NAAC Food Pantry Coordinator in Newport in the late 1980s and early 90s where she felt a true calling to serve. A faithful and devout Christian, Norma most recently attended Croydon Congregational Church where she served as Deacon for many years and continued serving as Deacon Emeritus while still able to attend church. She was loving, friendly, loyal, compassionate, extremely intelligent and savvy, caring, giving and dignified, and made many, many friends over the years. She was confidante to many, and helped nurture faith and joy in all who knew her.

Norma was professionally trained as a soloist, and her amazing soprano voice was heard in many area churches as she served as a church soloist and choir member for several decades. She was a member of the South Congregational Church choir and Area Choir for many years in the 1950s and 1960s, then became Choir Director at the First Baptist Church where she attended and served in the 1970s and 1980s. She left that position in the 1990s and became Choir Director at the Croydon Congregational Church, retiring from the position only when in her 80s.

Family was Norma's main focus in life and she delighted in large family gatherings where she would single-handedly prepare elaborate meals and desserts for the clan. Her favorite message, "Live, Love, Laugh," (and she added Sing) was evident in her everyday life, and she was deeply proud of her family. She enjoyed nothing more than gathering the clan together for family parties where laughter, singing around the piano and love abounded. She will be greatly missed by the family and is survived by her daughter Elaine (Parizo) Patterson and Elaine's daughters Shannon (Colson) Andre and her daughter Willow Kennett and her children, Heather (Patterson) St. Amand and her partner Paul Greenwood and their children, and Melanie (Patterson) Perry and her husband Chris and their children; daughter Rebecca "Becky" (McDonough) Nelson, Becky's husband Bennie and their daughter Kathryn (Nelson) Boutin, husband Andrew Boutin and their children, and Becky and Ben's son Samuel Nelson and his wife Melissa (Tilley) Nelson; son Fred McDonough, III and his wife Nancy (Porter) McDonough, their daughter Amanda (McDonough) Bolster and her husband Chris and their children, and Fred and Nancy's son, Joshua McDonough; several great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and brother-in-law John McDonough and his wife Gloria.

She was predeceased by the love of her life, Fred McDonough, Jr. and her sisters Barbara (Grant) Drew and Elaine Grant. Born in Manchester, NH October 29, 1927 (despite her birth certificate showing October 27) to parents William and Leona (Bartlett) Grant, Norma was married to Richard Parizo (daughter Elaine) and then to Fred McDonough (daughter Rebecca and son Fred). Norma described Fred as the love of her life, saying the best decision she ever made was to leave the life of a city girl to marry "that farmer" as her mother described Fred. They were married in 1956 in DeRitter, Louisiana when Fred was serving in the Army and moved back to Newport and the farm shortly after he got out of the service. A big piece of her was missing after Fred's death.

Heaven has gained an amazing voice for the choir of angels, and Norma and Fred are once again together. Norma's wise counsel, love and laughter will be greatly missed by her friends and family who pledge to continue to live, love, laugh, sing, and serve the community in her memory. Her family is ever grateful for her love, teachings and instilling in them the passion to serve others. As she said, "the only things you get to keep in life are the things you give away." There will be private family services in the Spring and a Celebration of Life at the farm (date to be announced) in the Summer. The family suggests donations be made to Richards's Free Library in Newport, Croydon Congregational Church, Sullivan County Healthcare Recreation Fund or the NH Food Bank in her memory.

Live, Love, Laugh, Sing…Serve!