Ronald Leo Pomerleau

Ronald Leo Pomerleau of Amherst, NH, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend passed peacefully at his home with his wife of 60 years, Nancy (Norwood) Pomerleau, and his two daughters, Anne and Susan Pomerleau, by his side.

Ron was born in Rochester, NH on January 9, 1935 to Beatrice (Turmelle) and Edward Pomerleau. When Ron was young, his family moved from Rochester to Portsmouth, NH, where Ron, his two brothers, Glen (Butch) and David Pomerleau, and sister, Diane (Pomerleau) Hardy, grew up. Ron attended St Patrick’s Parochial School and then, Portsmouth High School until his graduation in 1952. Ron remained connected with his high school classmates throughout the years, and he and Nancy recently attended his 70th High School reunion. Following high school, Ron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was active duty for three years and spent most of his service in Iwakuni, Japan. In Ron’s words, the Marine Corps changed his life; Ron was honorably discharged as a Sargent.

After the Marine Corps, Ron was accepted to the University of New Hampshire on the GI Bill. At UNH, he was president of his fraternity, Theta Kappa, and in four years he graduated with a B.A. in Romance Languages. Ron was in the insurance business for a short time in Boston, MA, but decided to change the direction of his career. With French being Ron’s first language, he embraced his cultural heritage and his university education, and took a job teaching French at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, NH, where he met his wife, Nancy Norwood, who was teaching art at the time. Soon after they met, Ron and Nancy were married. During his time teaching, Ron’s love of the French language, France, and his love of travel led him to take part in a summer French language immersion program for teachers through a NDEA Grant in Arcachon, France. Ron’s passion for languages and travel would remain steadfast with him throughout his life. After nine years in the teaching profession, Ron and Nancy chose to pursue careers in Real Estate, homebuilding, and land development which took them and their two young daughters to Amherst, NH, where Ron and Nancy have lived for the past 50 years.

Ron was a land developer, a homebuilder, and also did home remodeling in the Hillsborough County area as well as out of state through his company, Nathan Lord Corporation. He served as Chairman of the School Board for the Town of Amherst when the Supervisory Committee voted to separate Amherst and Milford for high school education. In addition, Ron served on The Ways and Means Committee in Amherst, held a Real Estate Broker License throughout his career, and was a member of the Homebuilders’ Association.

Ron was no stranger to hard work. He took his first job as a golf caddy at age 11 at the Portsmouth Country Club and Ron’s love of golf would follow him throughout his lifetime. He not only enjoyed golfing with family in different parts of the world from Bermuda to Scotland, but he also enjoyed golfing with friends and in different leagues at the Amherst Country Club. True to Ron’s character with everything, he never gave up and got his first hole-in-one after 75 years of playing the game at the age of 86 at the Amherst Country Club. Additionally, Ron not only had a love for the game of golf, but he also obtained a private pilot’s license, was a world traveler, an avid reader, had a love for the movies, a good story, fine cuisine and cooking, had a love of nature, a love of animals, a love of geology, history, archaeology, and politics, but most importantly, he had an unwavering love for and loyalty to his family and friends.

Although Ron just returned to the Catholic church in the last few years, it is without question that he lived and embodied Christian values throughout his lifetime. Ron always was the first to help a family member or friend in need and was a gentleman in the truest definition of the word - he had a way of putting people at ease and of making anyone feel welcomed and comfortable around him.

Ron is survived by his wife, Nancy (Norwood) Pomerleau; his daughters, Anne and Susan Pomerleau; his granddaughters, Katherine and Olivia Pomerleau Gardner; his brother and sister- in-law, David and Gail Pomerleau of Roanoke, VA; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Karl and Louise (Marchildon) Norwood of Amherst, NH; his brother-in-law, Louis Hardy of North Branford, CT; his sister-in-law, Martha (Norwood) Armstrong of Goffstown. NH; his brother-in- law, Thomas Wiggin of Peterborough, NH along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Ron is predeceased by his brother and sister-in-law, Glen (Butch) and Phyllis (Schurman) Pomerleau of Durham, NH; his sister, Diane (Pomerleau) Hardy of North Branford, CT; and his sisters-in- law, Patricia (Bohan) Pomerleau of Roanoke, VA, and Susan (Norwood) Wiggin Brighton of Amherst, NH. Ron leaves behind a legacy of love to all those who have had the privilege to know him.

There will be a funeral service at St. Patrick Church, 34 Amherst St., Milford, NH, at 10 am on February 25th to celebrate Ron’s life.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ron’s name can be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at https://www.nmcrs.org/get-involved/donate or to the Amherst Town Library, 14 Main Street, Amherst, NH 03031.