Russell C. Stacy

Russell Clyde Stacy, of Mont Vernon, NH, died May 12, 2009 at Catholic Medical Center, Manchester, NH. He was born in St. Petersburg, Florida on February 19th, 1922. He was the son of Mary Ellen Barnes and William H. Stacy and grew up in South Hadley, MA, where he attended school and graduated from South Hadley High in 1940. He worked as an apprentice for G.E. in Pittsfield, MA until he joined the Army Air Force December 21, 1942. During WW II he was a Top Turret Gunner on B 29s and later served as a Gunnery Instructor. With the 20th Bomber Command, 244th AAF Base Unit, he flew combat missions over �The Hump�, earning an Air Medal, Asia Pacific Service Medal with 5 Bronze Stars and Overseas Service Bar. Following his discharge from the military he pursued his career in engineering which led him to relocate several times and working on U.S. government defense contracts for numerous companies. An early retirement from engineering allowed him to begin another career of real estate management in the Milford area and to pursue his interests of local history, geography, rail trails, machines, maps and walking. Active in every community he ever lived in, Russell participated in church, Boy Scouts, Mont Vernon Historical Society, Lamson Farm, and offered support to the Conservation Commission by mapping trails, and the Cemetery Commission by building the authentically replicated �Pearly Gates� for the Mont Vernon Cemetery. Vigorous throughout his life, he enjoyed spending time outdoors and encouraged everyone else to do the same. In support of this passion he worked with other volunteers to create new and maintain old new trails and bridges along Purgatory Brook. He was eager to share his love of nature and the outdoors with people of all ages and had a knack for educating the young and uninitiated and luring them to new discoveries. Russell is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marguerite (Peg) Stacy. He also leaves son Charles Stacy and his wife, Sonia, and son, Peter of Salisbury, MA as well as a daughter, Amantha Stacy Moore and her husband, Stephen and their two sons, Nathan, his wife, Heddi Nieuwsma, and their son, Augustus, of Lowell, MA, and Curtis. Russell is fondly remembered for his energy, kindness, generosity, humor, his inquisitive mind and adventurous spirit. Visiting hours are Sunday, May 17th from 2:00-5:00 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, N.H. Burial will be private. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 23rd at 10:00 am in the Mont Vernon Congregational Church, South Main Street, Mont Vernon. In lieu of flowers, Russell asked that donations be made to a charity of one�s choice.