CLAREMONT, NH — Claire A. Petuck, age 96, passed away on March 19, 2025 in Lebanon NH.
Claire was born in 1928 in Claremont, NH, the daughter of Ernest and Augustine (Capistran) Couture. She attended St. Mary’s schools, graduating from HS in 1945, and went on to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Boston where she trained as a nurse and received her RN in 1951.
Claire came from a large and happy extended family and was the oldest of many cousins. When she was in her 60s and 70s her parents as well as several aunts and uncles were still living in Claremont and she enjoyed visiting, helping them, and playing cards with them. Her family played all kinds of card games, and Claire also enjoyed playing bridge with her friends and later at the Claremont Senior Center.
She worked for much of her career in Claremont at what is now Valley Regional Hospital, and also was Director of Nursing at Newport Hospital. In her later career, because of her organizational and management skills she was usually in charge of the department where she worked. She particularly loved her time as the charge nurse in the Operating Room in Claremont. After her retirement from nursing she worked at the Corner Book Shop in Claremont and there enjoyed sharing her love of books with others.
Her husband, Walter J. Petuck DC, PhC was a WWII veteran and chiropractor. They were married in 1951. He predeceased her in 1982.
She is survived by her son Walter Petuck Jr and his wife Cindy of Aptos, CA; her granddaughter Kristin Luks and her husband Howard of NYC, NY; her daughter Kathryn Petuck and her husband Clifton Below of Lebanon, NH; her foster granddaughter Bonnie Nutting of Lebanon, NH; her sister Jane Collins of Winston-Salem, NC; her sister Janet Genovese and her husband Jim of Winston-Salem, NC; as well as many nieces and nephews and cousins.
Visiting hours will be at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street in Claremont, NH on Friday, March 28th from 11AM to 12PM. A graveside service will follow at 12:30PM at Mountain View Cemetery in Claremont. Donations to the Fisk Free Library in Claremont may be made in lieu of flowers.
