Alma Langlois

Alma (Hansen) Langlois, 93, of Manchester, passed away on April 6, 2013 at St. Teresa's Manor Nursing Home after a period of failing health.

She was born February 6, 1920 in South Portland, ME, the daughter of Johan A. and Ruby (Graffam) Hansen. She attended South Portland schools, graduating from South Portland High School in 1937 as valedictorian. In 1941 she received her BA degree With Distinction in English from the University of Maine, Orono. At graduation, she was awarded the Portland Alumnae watch as outstanding women student. While at Maine, she was president of the Sophomore Eagles, an editor on the campus newspaper, a member of the All-Maine women, and served as president of the Women's Student Council. She was active in athletics, and played on the All-Maine women's basketball team.

After graduation she worked in the personnel department of the Aetna Insurance Company in Hartford, CT. She then left to become the Director of Girls Scouts in Melrose, MA. In 1943 she married Leon Langlois of Manchester, and following WWII moved to Manchester to make her home. She was employed in the office of Leavitt's Department Store for 16 years and then taught English at Manchester High School Central for 22 years until her retirement in 1984. She also served as advisor to the Little Green, Central's student newspaper, for 21 years. She was twice names a semi-finalist in the National Journalism Teacher of the Year competition run by Columbia University Press.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She enjoyed writing as a hobby, having had both fiction and non-fiction published in a variety of publications. She was the author of a monthly column, Mirror on Manchester, written for the NH Sunday News. She also published five books of poetry. She was predeceased by her husband Leon in 1998 and by a son, Roy in 2000.
Family members include two daughters, Pauline Smith and her husband, Brian Wallace of Princeton, MA; and Janet Balch and her husband Hank of Manchester; a son, Dr. Stephen Langlois and his wife Donna of Deerfield; a daughter in law, Lynda Langlois; 11 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be at Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 243 Hanover St., Manchester on Friday from 4 to 8 PM. Funeral services will take place on Saturday morning in the funeral home chapel at 10:00 AM with a committal service to follow in Pine Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memorial to the Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter, 490 Dunbarton Rd, Manchester, NH 03102. For more information or to view an on-line Tribute, go to www.phaneuf.net .