Nancy (Kuzmich) Piper

Nancy (Kuzmich) Piper MANCHESTER — Nancy J. Piper (nee Kuzmich), 93, of Manchester and most recently of Concord, New Hampshire, passed peacefully at the Merrimack County Nursing Home on May 14, 2021, with her son and daughter-in-law by her side. Nancy was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, on Sept. 1, 1927, the daughter of Dorothy Thrasher of Claremont and Nathan “John” Kuzmich of Russia. She was an example of the blending of longtime Yankees in Claremont with the Russians and other immigrants who came to work in the local mills around 1900. Nancy is a direct descendant of Mayflower passengers Stephen Hopkins and Constance Dudley, on her mother’s side. Nancy’s grandfather on her father’s side had preceded his family to America emigrating from Russia to establish a residence and acquire work. He then went to Ellis Island to pick up his son, Nancy’s father, who had traveled across the ocean and arrived alone at Ellis Island at age 5, in 1906, with a tag attached to him that read “Nathan John Kuzmich, Claremont NH.” Nancy graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stevens High School in Claremont where her mother, “Dot,” worked as the secretary to the principal for over 30 years and her father was the foundry foreman for the then-booming Joy Mfg. Co. Nancy started her career as a legal secretary for prominent Claremont lawyer Robert Buckley. After marrying and moving to Laconia, she went on to work for future United States Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Hugh Bownes. After relocating to Manchester, New Hampshire, where she raised her three children in the southeast end of the city on Villa Street, Nancy worked in the offices of the Manchester Girl’s Club, the YWCA and then for the United Way as the executive assistant to the director. Ironically, Nancy’s future daughter-in-law worked in the same building at the same time, although the two would not meet until much later. Along with being an avid Boston Red Sox and Celtics fan, Nancy was a voracious reader and an accomplished seamstress. She was also a knitting aficionado, making beautiful cable and Irish popcorn sweaters, many colorful afghan blankets and everyone’s favorite mittens. Nancy is survived by her three children, Richard D. Piper of New York City, Thomas J. Piper and his wife, Kristin Spath, of Concord, and Patricia L. Marchand and her husband, Danny Marchand, of Manchester; her four grandchildren, London Piper of Concord, Benjamin Piper and his wife, Angela, of Concord, and Nathan and Cody Marchand of Manchester. She also leaves behind four great-grandchildren, Dylan, Zoey, Sage and Grady. In addition to being predeceased by her parents, she was also predeceased by son-in-law Robert Riger, Richard’s husband. Per Nancy’s request, services will be private and she will be buried in the Thrasher family plot at Mountain View Cemetery in Claremont alongside her parents, grandparents and aunt. The Petit-Roan Funeral Home in Pembroke is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, Nancy would prefer that donations be made to the Concord SPCA. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.petitroan.com.