C. Donald Stritch

AUBURN - C. Donald Stritch, 82, of Auburn died Jan. 5, 2014, at his home after a brief illness.

Born in Sanford, Maine, on July 6, 1931, he was the son of Bertram and Gertrude Stritch.

Don graduated from the Coburn Classical Institute, Class of 1949. He earned a bachelor of arts degree as well as a master's degree in history from the University of Maine in 1953.

He served with the United States Air Force.

On July 16, 1966, he married Bertha Britton. Since that time, they have lived in Auburn in the house that he built in 1960.

Don served six terms with the New Hampshire General Court since 1993, where he was vice chairman and later chairman of the Election Law Committee as well as chairman of the Special Committee on Legislative Redistricting.

He was a Rockingham County Commissioner from 2003 to 2013. He also was selected as a member of the U.S. Election Commission Standards Board from 2003 to 2005.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner, a longtime friend, said, "He was known as a great orator who frequently changed votes with his speeches on the floor of the House of Representatives and often used humor to bring opposing sides together."

For more than 50 years, he served the town of Auburn in his capacity as principal of Auburn Village School, Longmeadow Cemetery trustee, president of Auburn Historical Society, school moderator, member of the School Board, Auburn Lions Club and Volunteer Fire Department, and more than 40 years as town moderator. He also was a Freemason. Don enjoyed fireworks displays and coin collecting.

Devoted to public service, Don served in a plethora of local, county, state and federal positions in his lifetime.

Family members include his wife, Bertha Stritch; his daughter, Jeanne Ukwendu and her husband, Michael, and their three children, Elizabeth Daigle, Hannah Daigle, Christian Ukwendu; two sons, Jaison Stritch and his wife, Eve, and Brandon Stritch and his wife, Kelly, and their two children, Rebecca Presser and Christopher Presser..

Services: A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Longmeadow Congregational Church, 4 Wilsons Crossing Road, Auburn.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association Memorial and Honor Program, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, Ohio 44720.

The Connor-Healy Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 537 Union St., Manchester, is in charge of the arrangements.

For more information or to sign the online guest registry, please visit: www.connorhealy.com.