Roger H. Zanes Jr.

New London, NH-Roger H. Zanes, Jr., 78, died on February 20, 2008 at his home in New London. The cause of death was lung cancer. Mr. Zanes was born in Larchmont, NY on January 11, 1930, the son of Roger H. Zanes and Mabel (Caruthers) Zanes.
He was graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale College with a B.A. in Economics. In January 1951, he interrupted his Yale studies to enlist in the United States Air Force where he spent four years during the cold war as a Russian language specialist and working in signals intelligence as a traffic and cryptographic analyst.
Mr. Zanes subsequentally spent a 33 year career with the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa). His work with Alcoa in international sales and marketing took him all over the world and allowed him to live with his family in El Salvador, Great Britain and Switzerland. In the late 70s, he was asked by Alcoa to find ways to establish a relationship with the non-ferrous metals industry of the People's Republic of China. Today, Alcoa has a very firm partnership with China's aluminum industry that grew from these initial efforts. On retirement in 1989, Mr. Zanes and his wife moved to their present home at the Highland Ridge Condominium Association in New London. He began what grew into 18 years of service to Highland Ridge as its permanent treasurer and at times its secretary and chairman. Besides volunteer work for the New London Historical Society, Habitat for Humanity and Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust, Mr. Zanes served six years as a Director of the Kearsarge Area Council on Aging including two years as Chairman. During his chairmanship, Mr. Zanes found the building that is now the Chapin Senior Center and he and his good friend, Hugh Chapin, worked together to obtain all local permits for the Center and to raise the nearly $1,000,000 needed to purchase and maintain it.
Mr. Zanes was a skier and fly fisherman. His favorite recreation was hiking in the Alpine countries of Austria and Switzerland with his family.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nina Sue (Streepey) Zanes, a daughter, Susan H. McLaughlin of Ridgewood, NJ, a son, Roger H. Zanes, III of Zionsville, IN and five grandchildren. At Mr. Zanes' request, there will be no memorial service. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lake Sunapee Region Visiting Nurse Association, P.O. Box 2209, the New London Hospital, 273 County Road, or to the Kearsarge Area Council on Aging, P.O. Box 1263, all New London, NH 03257.