CHRISTINE F.F. SLEEPER

SLEEPER CHRISTINE FRANCES FERNALD SLEEPER Christine Frances Fernald Sleeper passed away quietly while surrounded by family on February 15, 2015 at Kirkwood Corners in Lee, NH at the age of 98. It's fair to say, she died of old age. Christine was born on September 20th, 1916 in Nottingham, NH. She attended Robinson Female Seminary in Exeter, NH; the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH; and Radcliffe College in Cambridge, MA. She earned her pilot wings at age 25 in 1941; she was an air traffic controller at Logan Airport in Boston, MA in 1944; and she volunteered for the Red Cross and served in Europe during the end of World War II. She married Col. Raymond S. Sleeper of Laconia, NH, in 1946 and raised six children while moving every 3 to 5 years to a new Air Force base. Over the course of her Latin, French, and Greek teaching career, Christine taught at Pinkerton Academy, Derry, NH; Lexington High School, Lexington, MA; Surrattsville High School in Clinton, MD; Wright State University in Dayton, OH, Northern Virginia Community College in Fairfax County, VA, and Herndon High School in Herndon, VA. Christine never stopped learning while she travelled the world-she took her Latin students and herself, alone, to dozens of countries across the entire planet. Her children, her students, and her teaching colleagues remember Christine as creative, energetic, willing to help anyone learn, and always prepared to Carpe Diem! Christine is survived by her brother Walter Bartlett Fernald and his wife Natalie W. Holt of Greenland, NH; her brother Richard Thompson Fernald and his wife Mary Alice Beairsto of Tucson, AZ; her children: Anthony R. Sleeper and his wife Jeanne Leopold of Hudson, FL; Jonathan A. Sleeper and his wife Melissa Cable of Vero Beach, FL; Jane E. Sleeper of East Fallowfield, PA; Raymond S. Sleeper, Jr. and his wife Tamsin Thurlow of Nottingham, NH; and Harry A. Sleeper of Bedford, MA; her grandchildren: Tina Raum Sleeper and her husband Jeff Green of Mechanicsville, MD; and Kimberly DeStacy Sleeper and her husband Michael Verbanic of Charlotte, NC; Melissa Diane Sleeper and her husband Richard Allen Weatherly of Newport, WA; Faith Alice Sleeper of Washington, DC; her great grandchildren: Brandon Raum, Jacob Green, Alexcis Green; Cassandra DeStacy, Jesse DeStacy; Ashley Nichole Sleeper and her husband Gerald Cramer, Brittany Jo Sleeper, and Michael K. Hofmann Sleeper; and her great great grandchildren: Jackson Alexander Cramer and Kinsley Brielle Cramer. Christine was pre-deceased by her husband, Col. Raymond S. Sleeper; her youngest son, Grant Rollins Sleeper; her parents Frank Hare Fernald and Almena Frances Wadleigh; her brother Frank Wadleigh Fernald and his wife Jessamine Piccott; her brother Author Thomas Fernald and his wife Jean Malcom; her brother Alfred Elwell Fernald and his wife Phyllis Howe; her youngest brother Robert Clayton Fernald; and her grandson Michael Anthony Sleeper. A graveside celebration of Christine's life will be held at 11a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2015 in the family plot at Bayside Cemetery, 1345 Union Avenue in Laconia, NH. A Celebration of Christine's Life will also be held September 20, 2015 at Herndon High School in Herndon, VA at 1 p.m. Everyone invited. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to help Latin teachers pursue educational travel to: Christine Fernald Sleeper Educational Travel Scholarship, National Latin Exam, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Condolences may be sent to: Raymond S. Sleeper, Jr., 8 Ledge Farm Road, Nottingham, NH 03290. The family would like to thank Kirkwood Corners, Compassionate Companions, and Wentworth Hospice for assisting them in providing Christine every grace and kindness imaginable. Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com www.wilkinsonbeane.com