Douglas Lee Russwick

Douglas Lee Russwick, 90, a long-time resident of Canterbury, passed away peacefully May 28th, 2019 at Boscawen, New Hampshire, surrounded by his family.

Born February 26th, 1929 in Salem, New Jersey, Doug was the son of the late Beatrice (Davis) Ruesswick Denison. He was raised in the Salem area, and graduated in 1946 from Penns Grove High School. A week later, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and after training at Great Lakes Training Center, he was shipped to the Philippines. Doug studied to be admitted to the Tome Institute, before being selected to enter the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in the fall of 1948.

At Annapolis, he was a member of the Academy Choir when in December 1949 they sang Handel's Messiah with the Hood College Choir. At the first rehearsal as Doug looked across the room, he saw Caroline "Cal" Wunderly, then a student at Hood College and the blind date for his roommate. He knew then, "That's the girl I want to marry." and by the next rehearsal, Cal was his date. Shortly after graduation, they were married on June 14th, 1952 in Acton, Massachusetts, and two weeks later Doug went to sea on the USS Bronson, a destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea, followed later by attending submarine school, and proudly serving on the USS Atule.

Following his discharge from the Navy, Doug and Cal found a house in Canterbury Center in the fall of 1957, which they purchased in the spring of 1958 for their family. One of Doug's earliest participations in the Canterbury community was with the Canterbury Volunteer Fire Department, fighting the legendary Worsted Church fire. This participation continued for many years as he served on boards, committees and groups in town, including chairing the Canterbury Planning Board, the Canterbury School Board, and various roles for the annual Canterbury Fair. He was a member of the Canterbury United Community Church where he sang in the choir, performed with the Canterbury Players, and was one of the founders of Aukee, the town ski tow located on the Ruesswick property. Doug was also active in leading activities and supporting numerous projects while helping raise his five sons.

Trips to the Osgoodite cellar holes, sledding parties in the Borough, picking up a warm kitchen stove donated to the Canterbury Fair auction, moving Jim Lilly's garage, pool parties after the Fair, Christmases with Skip and Alma Young, and visiting Alex and Liz Standish on Beaver Island for annual church picnics, were just a few of the numerous anecdotes Doug used to describe and capture Canterbury during the 1960's, and the vibrant community and friends that he loved so well.

After moving to Morrill Road in 1982, Doug and Cal's craftsman octagonal home continued to be a central gathering place for family and community, including family holidays, an annual Christmas party, and continuing a neighborhood tradition of watching the Super Bowl game together. Doug was often found in his vegetable gardens or working on a landscaping project, which included maintaining his large lawn and cultivating blueberry bushes. He enjoyed traveling, most recently participating in an Honor Flight New England trip to Washington, DC, and looked forward to time spent with his family each summer at Rangeley Lake in Maine. Doug was employed by IBM working first as a computer technician, then as a salesman, Concord Clinic as a manager, and most recently, at Canterbury Elementary School as a math specialist.

Doug's greatest source of pride was his family, and he leaves his wife of 66 years, Caroline (Wunderly) Russwick of Penacook; four sons and their spouses, Kent Ruesswick and Doneta Fischer of Canterbury, Glenn Ruesswick and Pam Stone of Camden, ME, Mark and Deborah Ruesswick of Walpole, and Wayne Ruesswick and Becky Ford of Camden, ME; a daughter-in-law, Barb Cook of Canterbury; eight grandchildren, Tareah, Alethea, Eric, Heidi, Sophie, Ginger, Max, and Gabe; a brother, Rodman Denison of Newark, DE; Four great grandchildren, and nieces, nephews, and numerous friends in Canterbury and beyond. He was predeceased by a daughter, Sarah Ruesswick, a son, Scott Ruesswick, and his parents.

Services will be held someday soon at the Town Hall on Old Tilton Road. Interment will follow at the family lot in Maple Grove Cemetery, Canterbury, NH.
Contributions in his honor may be made to the Canterbury fund, PO Box 216, Canterbury, NH