Mary Rochford Niemi

Mary Rochford Niemi NEWPORT, NH –Mary Rochford Niemi of Newport, NH, died July 8, 2024 at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care after a period of declining health. She was 95. Born to the late C.W. Howard Rochford and Hazel Van Guilder Rochford Field on April 15, 1929, Mary lived her whole life in Newport. She met her husband Richard Eino Niemi at Towle High School where she graduated with the class of 1947. They married in 1950 and had two children, Michael and Beth Niemi who now live in Merrimack, New Hampshire and Andover, Massachusetts, respectively. Mary was an award-winning figure skater at the Newport Winter Carnival and one of the Mount Sunapee Ski Club’s first members. The mountain became a focal point in the Niemis’ lives. There, Mary taught her children to ski, and later sent her grandchildren off to learn with her husband. Richard passed on January 13, 2022. Mary spent her 22-year career at Sugar River Savings Bank where she worked her way up from teller to officer. She managed the Warner and the Sunapee branches and was instrumental in recruiting customers from the bank’s competitors, developing a reputation for customer service. She retired in 1995 as an officer at the Newport branch. In retirement, Mary redirected her inability to sit still into further acts of service. For years, Mary volunteered at the Newport Thrift Store in numerous roles, including serving a stint as its treasurer. She enjoyed curating its revolving stock with creative and thoughtful attention. Throughout life, Mary also made time for joy and camaraderie. She was an avid golfer, teeing off with the Ladies League at the John H. Cain Golf Club on Wednesday nights. As an honorary member of the New Hampshire Women’s Golf Association, Mary competed in local tournaments. And in the winter, she’d spend a month in Florida to play golf with her friends. When they weren’t at the green, Mary and Richard would spend summer days up on Ledge Pond sunbathing, grilling with family, and listening to the loons. In retirement, Mary found a kindred community in her local chapter of the Red Hat Society. To grandchildren, extended family, and friends, Mary will be remembered as “Nana”, a doting caregiver. In a family filled with working parents, she happily took her grandchildren in during school breaks or summer vacations. Mary’s love for them was patient, confectionary, and generous. In the winter, she sent the young skiers off to the mountain at the crack of dawn with a big breakfast and thermoses of hot chocolate. And on her valuable summer mornings in retirement, she taught her grandson to golf. Mary met the traditional expectations of her silent generation with grace. She modeled self-reliance and leadership to her daughter and granddaughters — working outside of the home and rising through the banking ranks with a high-school education. Her devotion to service came not from social expectation but a commitment to her family, friends, and community. And though she was infinitely patient and kind, she never sacrificed a shred of dignity when giving her love and attention. Offered praise or admiration for the inordinate time she gave to those around her, Mary shrugged it off. It was just the right thing to do. Mary is survived by her son, Michael and his wife Susan Niemi; her daughter, Beth, and her husband Eric Daum; her three grandchildren: Hannah, Rachel, and Karl; her sisters Jacquelyn Field and Cheryl White-Lozoraitis; her sister-in-law Kiyoko Rochford; and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her brothers Steven, Michael and William Rochford. A private graveside service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her name to the Lake Sunapee Region VNA and Hospice, PO Box 2209, New London, NH 03257.