Roger H. Aldrich

SUGAR HILL - Roger Homer Aldrich, 91, died at his home, surrounded by his family, Nov. 28, 2014.The son of Homer and Dorothy Aldrich, and a lifelong resident of Sugar Hill, he attended local schools, graduating valedictorian from Dow Academy in 1941.Roger attended Northeastern University for two years before volunteering for the U.S. Army in 1942. He trained as an engineer at Fort Leonard Wood and Carnegie Tech. He served with the 62nd topographical corps of engineers in the European theatre of operations from Omaha Beach to Belgium and Germany. He was discharged with the rank of staff sergeant, with five battle stars and the good conduct medal. After service, he was employed at Cannon Mountain as a ski patrolman. In 1956, he started work for Harrison Publishing House as a printer, where he worked until 1973, when he left to devote his time to running and developing the family business, Polly's Pancake Parlor with his wife, Nancy, until his recent retirement. He loved cooking and developed most of Polly's house-made bread recipes and several of the original pancake recipes.Roger was dedicated to his community. He was one of the organizers and a longtime member of the Sugar Hill Fire Department. As a past president of the Sugar Hill Improvement Association, he was instrumental in organizing the group that petitioned to separate Sugar Hill from Lisbon, making Sugar Hill the youngest independent town in New Hampshire. He served as a member of the Sugar Hill Board of Selectmen from 1962 until 1987, and continuing as moderator for three more years. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the New Hampshire Municipal Association for several years. He served as a Past Master of the Sugar Hill Grange, Past Master of Kane Lodge #64, A.F. & A.M., as well as a member of the Littleton and Lafayette Lions clubs.He was an avid hobbyist. Since age 10 he had made ship models and was a model railroader since 1956. A collector of military miniatures since age 3 to death. In the early 1950s, he began researching and painting his own miniature collection. He was an avid military historian with an emphasis on U.S. military history. This led to an interest in muzzle-loading weapons culminating in an acquisition of a full-size working replica of an 1840 Mountain Howitzer cannon. He organized the Sugar Hill Independent Howitzer Battery that entered and won several competitions. He had an interest in wood carving, which led to the creation of two eagles that he presented to the Town of Sugar Hill. He created Trot Trot I and Trot Trot II, the little red horses that have greeted generations and over thousands of customers at Polly's Pancake Parlor.He had an interest in writing and storytelling, publishing his own works about his World War II experience, growing up in Sugar Hill, Sugar Hill's succession from Lisbon and a history of Franconia's Iron Mine history. In later years, he regaled many of his friends with stories and history of the area via Facebook.Roger loved to travel and he and his wife Nancy experienced the cultures of England, France, Central America, South America and India, to name a few. In 2004, he traveled to France as a guest of the French government and was presented the Legion of Honor medal as a veteran of the Normandy invasion on the 60th anniversary of D-Day.He loved his town fiercely and loved the view of the White Mountains even more, requesting in his last hours to be placed where he could look out at his beloved Mount Lafayette and Franconia Range.He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nancy Dexter Aldrich; daughter, Deborah Alice Aldrich, Sugar Hill; daughter, Katherine Aldrich Cote and her husband, Dennis N. Cote, Sugar Hill; grandchildren, Emily Cote, Bethlehem, and Christopher Cote, Minneapolis, Minn.; a sister, Nancy Aldrich D'Amato and her husband, Richard D'Amato, Milford; and niece, Dorothy D'Amato Lagrimas, Woodbridge, N.J.

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services: A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m., at the Sugar Hill Meeting House. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to The Roger H. Aldrich scholarship, c/o Lafayette Lions Club, Beverly Frenkiewich, 1106 Route 117, Sugar Hill, NH 03586 or North Country Home Health and Hospice, 536 Cottage Street, Littleton NH 03561. Arrangements and care have been entrusted to the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home and Crematorium. For more information, go to www.pillsburyphaneuf.com.