Amelia D. Whipple

NEWPORT -- Amelia Dandrow Whipple, 89, of Pine Street, died June 18, 2009, at her home.

She was born in Newport, July 14, 1919, to George F. and Georgianna (Dandrow) Peters. She was raised and educated in Newport graduating in 1937 from Towle High School.

During her childhood years, she had many adventures. A few of these spirited memories she loved to remember and share with her family were: walking to the Catholic church with her mother and Irene Boyle every Sunday morning, fishing adventures with Grandpa Dandrow who was also her card playing partner, tap dancing and playing the piano, and summer vacations to Vermont with her mother and grandmother Dandrow.

Even during her adult years while raising a family and working in the family businesses, she found time to enjoy life as seen through her hobbies. She loved dancing several nights each week with "Allen" Whipple while listening to music, watching movies (then later television), reading, gardening, sewing, knitting, making clothes and rug hooking.

IN HER LIFE: She enjoyed playing bridge, attending auctions and finding collectibles, photography activities, bowling, and travel. She traveled extensively throughout North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pole. She loved preparing and decorating for holidays and family events. For 45 years, she made a tradition of weekly Sunday dinners with her children and grandchildren. She also had a great love for bulldogs.

Her business career began in the 1930s when she assisted her husband, Leland Allen Whipple, measuring footage of logs on the landing. She also operated a taxi business with her husband and drove the taxicab. She assisted Allen (Leland) to originate a Hudson Automobile Franchise in Newport in the late 1940s and a Pontiac-Oldsmobile Dealership in Claremont in the late 1950s. Amelia, with Allen, organized L.A. Whipple, Inc. Used Car Sales in 1950.

From its inception in 1952 as a rest home until sold in 1957 as a nursing home, Woodlawn Manor was home for the Whipples. They caringly balanced family and business and the business grew to have nearly 30 beds. Amelia performed the family business bookkeeping activities for L.A. Whipple, Inc. as well as for United Construction Corp., which Allen started in 1960. She handled all the bookkeeping services for over 50 years while remaining active with her own interests.

She was a truly dedicated member of Newport's community as seen by her extensive town involvement. She was a member of the Newport Business Professional Women's Club (BPW). She held positions in the local BPW offices, was active at the state level, and attended national conventions. She organized the first ever prize speaking contest in Newport. She was a member of the Newport Garden Club, the Newport Historical Society, the Newport Women's Club, the Richards Free Library and Arts Center, the Newport Opera House Association, the NH Civil Defense Team (of World War II), the Red Hat Society and volunteer at the Newport Thrift Shop.

She is survived by her three sons, Allen Whipple and his wife, Rose, of Claremont, Cary Whipple and his wife, Loretta, of Newport, and Rodney P. Whipple and his friend, Bobbi Gouin, of Newport; her 11 grandchildren, Laurie Hillebrand and her husband, Dr. Thomas Hillebrand, of Claremont, Allen L. Whipple and his wife, Dianne, of Claremont, Lana Farris and her husband, Edward, of Charlestown, Cary L. Whipple and his wife, Christy, of Newport, Christine Skarin of Newport, Tod Whipple and his wife, Yesenia, of Newport, Rodney Whipple Jr. and his wife, Kathryn, of Grantham, Paul Whipple of White River Junction, Vt., Elizabeth Tesone and her husband, John, of Poughkeepsie, NY, Michael Whipple (who's on active duty for the USAF) and his wife, Eliza, of Grantham, and Kristian Whipple of Washington, D.C. 28 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; her foster son, Bernard Root of Cassadaga, Fla., and her foster daughter, Joyce Plourde of Charlestown.

Her husband, Leland Allen Whipple, predeceased her in 2001.

SERVICES: A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Church, 32 Beech St., in Newport. Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery in Newport. The Rev. Richard E. St. Louis, Jr. will officiate.

Friends may call Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Newton-Bartlett Funeral Home, 42 Main St., in Newport.

Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society NH Division, Gail Singer Memorial Building, 360 Rte. 101, Unit 501, Bedford 03102-6821 or to Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice, PO Box 2209, New London 03257.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Newton-Bartlett Funeral Home (www.newtonbartlett.com).