Geoffrey Wyman Tupper

1941 - 2015

FRANCESTOWN - Geoffrey W. Tupper, 73, resident of Francestown, died on Aug. 2, 2015 at his home surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.

He was born in Springfield, Vt. on Dec. 5, 1941, and grew up in Marblehead, Mass. son of Wyman and Edith (Wyman) Tupper. He made his home in Francestown for the past 20 years and formerly lived in Jaffrey and New Haven, Conn.

Mr. Tupper was a licensed clinical social worker employed by the Keene School District and also operated his own private practice. He graduated from Valparaiso University, Ind. and received a graduate degree in Social Work from University of Pennsylvania.

He was a U.S. Army Vietnam Era veteran and was honorably discharged in 1969 with the rank of Captain.

He had a particular compassion for alcoholics and their families, providing guidance for recovery. Mr. Tupper was involved in the family program at the Yale Child Studies Institute in New Haven, Conn.

Being a 15 year survivor of pancreatic cancer, he encouraged newly diagnosed people to be positive and "fight the beast". He amazed all his doctors for his will to live life in spite of illness. He proudly walked the Relay for Life Cancer Awareness event every year with friends and family.

In his retirement, he became passionate about natural resource conservation and the efforts to educate anyone who would listen about organic gardening and creating a backyard nature habitat. His love for all sentient beings was manifested in his love of animals. He helped established an animal rescue shelter for dogs and cats from high kill shelters and found them homes in Nova Scotia. He coordinated the middle school student volunteer program and made educational visits to schools with his retired racing Greyhound named Kevin Strong. He loved to watch young people learn about responsible pet ownership and animal welfare in general.

Mr. Tupper developed Nature's Art Writing Papers, unique writing cards, in hopes of encouraging people to hand write correspondence. He handpicked his specimens of leaves, ferns, wildflowers and grasses, laser printed on cards so realistic that people had to touch them to see if they are real. It was his joy to walk the country road with his dog, scouting out undiscovered flora.

In the words of his daughters, Geoff Tupper was "a loving, incredibly brave, understanding, wise, intelligent and compassionate man who lived one day at a time and had an attitude of gratitude". He is deeply missed.

Family members include his wife, Monica R. Derr of Francestown; two daughters, Rachel Tupper Winston and her husband, Michael Winston of East Haven, Conn. and Rebecca Tupper of Oakland, Calif., two grandchildren, Emma Winston and Riley Winston; a sister, Edith Bishop and her husband, Charles Bishop of Sebastopol, Calif.; a brother, Arthur Wyman Tupper of Provincetown, Mass.; two nieces, Anne Catherine Bishop, Sebastopol, Calif. and Kimberly Tupper Shiff, Washington D.C.; two nephews, Timothy Wyman Bishop of New Zealand and Benjamin Tupper of England. Predeceased by a younger brother George Chase Tupper and his parents Wyman Tupper and Edith Wyman Tupper, Marblehead, Mass.

There will be no calling hours. There is a memorial FB page. Donations can be made to organizations listed on the FB memorial page. Home Health Care and Hospice in the Monadnock Region is the family's first choice for donations. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go www.smith-heald.com.