Dr. Richard Hood

Meredith's first Eagle Scout

LACONIA - Dr. Richard Frank Hood, 82, of 227 Ledges Drive, #322, Taylor Community, died on Saturday, May 1, 2010, at Ledgeview, Taylor Community.

Richard, the son of Herbert Shirley and Mildred (Harris) Hood, was raised in Meredith where he graduated from high school in 1945 and was the town's first Eagle Scout.

Richard served in the Navy during World War II from June 1945 to July 1946. Under the G.I. Bill, he attended and graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1950 and was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity. From 1950-1953, he served in the Army during the Korean War with the rank of second lieutenant. He then continued his education under the G.I. Bill and attended Tufts University Dental School in Boston from 1954-1957.

In 1957, he married Ann Elliottt Graham. In that same year, he started a dental practice in Concord with Jack Freese. In the early 1970s, he opened his own practice on South Street, retiring from dentistry in 1991.

Dr. Hood was involved with Northeast Delta Dental Insurance from its inception. He served on the Board of Directors and became Vice President of Professional Services until his retirement. He was a member of the N.H. Dental Society and a deacon at the South Congregational Church in Concord.

In 1991, he moved from Concord to his second home on Lake Winnisquam in Laconia where he spent the rest of his life. He loved to travel and spend time with family.

Dr. Hood is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ann (Graham) Hood, of Laconia; his children, Nancy Ann Hood of Laconia; Gregory Hood and his wife, Linda, of Manchester and their children, Peter and Eric Hood; Andrew Hood and his wife, Beverly, of Narragansett, R.I., and their children, Kathryn and Michael Cartier; Deborah Hood of Barrington, and her children, Trevor and Justin Messineo; Diana and her husband, Mark Palmer, of West Covina, Calif., and their son, Jacob; a sister and her husband, Nancy and Arthur Morrill, of Meredith; a brother and his wife, Herbert and Jody Hood, of Leroy, Kans.; a brother-in-law, Paul Rich, of Laconia; He was also survived by several nephews, nieces, grand nephews and nieces.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Nancy Graham Rich and a sister and brother-in-law, Priscilla and Warren Hill.

There will be no calling hours. A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 7, 2010, at 11 a.m. in the Laconia Congregational Church, 69 Pleasant St., Laconia. The Rev. Dr. Warren Bouton, pastor of the church, will officiate. Private family burial will be in the family lot in Union Cemetery, Laconia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of the Lakes Region, PO Box 1536, Laconia NH 03247-1536, or to Boy Scout Troop 55 of Meredith, N.H. 03253

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is in charge of the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to wwww.wilkinsonbeane.com.