John Henry Lovering

John Henry Lovering, husband to Melanie (Mattson) Lovering for 56 years, passed away on May 10, 2025, surrounded by his family.
Born on Aug. 13, 1947, John grew up in Marlborough, NH and later lived in Hampton and Dover, NH. He was the son of Henry Roger Lovering and Sylvia (Beauregard) Lovering, brother to Carol (Lovering) Graves Cook, and part of a close-knit extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He will be missed by his two daughters, Kim (Lovering) Willoughby and Amy (Lovering) Beauregard, and his sons-in-law, Will Willoughby and Peter Beauregard. He took great pride in his three grandchildren-Helen Willoughby, Gavin Beauregard, and Alec Beauregard-and delighted in sharing his love of movies, science, and making videos with them.
For 35 years, John was everybody's favorite biology teacher at Triton Regional High School, where he brought a sense of humor and showmanship to his classes while creating a place of belonging for all students. In his roles as leader of a gifted and talented program and as a media production instructor, he helped hundreds of students find their voice-and gave them the space and courage to share it.
His enthusiasm for performance and storytelling extended beyond the classroom and into his retirement. For two decades, John volunteered his time and expertise as a producer and editor for local radio and TV stations. At WSCA in Portsmouth, NH, he was the creator and host of Audio Theatre, a program celebrating the Golden Age of Radio, and was the audio engineer for the show Don't Dis My Ability. In 2014, he founded the storytelling show True Tales Live, which he produced and nurtured for nine years, lending his warmth, wit, and technical skill to every episode.
In his later years, John enjoyed volunteering as a video editor for PPMtv and writing and hosting a podcast called Heirloom Radio. Five hundred Heirloom Radio episodes are available to listen to on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, keeping the spirit and history of old-time radio alive for a new generation of listeners.
John also had a passion for antique radios and carefully restored many that had been passed down through families, reviving not just their sound, but the memories they held. He brought his radio collections to retirement homes, where he'd play vintage radio shows and talk about their history and performers, evoking joyful memories for the residents.
No description of John's life would be complete without mentioning the challenge he faced in his thirties, when he was diagnosed with cancer and told he would never walk again. With quiet determination-and the steadfast love and support of his wife, Melanie-he survived and recovered to not only walk, but to hike seventeen of the White Mountain 4,000 Footer peaks with her by his side. Their journey through illness became a testament to the strength of their partnership. John never took his recovery for granted; he felt deeply fortunate to have lived to see his children and grandchildren grow up, and to share so many years of love, friendship, celebrations, and laughter.
John was a kind and loving husband and father, a meticulous mower of lawns, and one hell of a storyteller. He will be sorely missed.
A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Alnoba, 24 Cottage Rd., Kensington, NH. Lunch and refreshments will be served. A short program of shared stories will begin at 11:15 AM, followed by time to eat, connect, and remember John together.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in John's memory www.cancer.org. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.