Mary K. Presby
June 20, 1908 — August 18, 2004
Mary K. Presby
MARY K. PRESBY
BATH, NH Mary K. Presby, age 96, of 471 Pettyboro Road, passed away on August 18, 2004 at her home after brief complications of old age.
Born at home on Walker Hill in Lisbon, NH on June 20, 1908, she was the daughter of David and Nora (Conway) Nihan.
Mary attended the Walker Hill School in North Lisbon and was a graduate of Lisbon High School. On October 15, 1928, she married Lester W. Presby of Bath, NH. Together, they purchased his home place, which they named Klay Knoll Farm, where they worked and raised their family. Mary first caught the eye of her future husband when she won a hand-milking contest in Sugar Hill, NH in the 1920s.
Along with her husband, Mary worked in their business interests of dairy farming, lumber operations, raising stock and crops for market, and maple sugar production. Every sugaring season, Mary made hundreds of her famous plain donuts, which she served with maple syrup to guests at the farm. For many years, they owned a prize herd of Ayrshire cattle. In recent years, Mary had been an owner of the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and a partner in the Mt. Washington Hotel and the Bretton Woods Ski Area.
During her career, Mary had been a member of the NH Farm Bureau; the Pine Grove Grange in Bath; Trout Unlimited; acted as a business advisor to the Mt. Washington Hotel and Resort; and, following her husband, held the Boston Post Cane as the oldest resident of Bath.
In her free time, Mary loved to shop, cook, pick berries, play cards, and visit with family and friends. One of her favorite hobbies was to photograph dairy barns in the region. During the 1950s, Mary was a finalist in the Mrs. New Hampshire contest, which was held at the Allen A Resort in Wolfboro, NH. In 1998, Mary and Lester celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Lisbon Town Hall. Until very recently, Mary frequently traveled about New Hampshire and Vermont in her red Chevy convertible.
Mary is survived by two sons, William Presby and wife Elledra of Lisbon and Lynn Presby and wife Brenda of Freedom, NH; five grandchildren, David Presby of Sugar Hill, NH, Bradley Presby of Bethlehem, NH, Wayne Presby of Littleton, NH, Kathy Rae Emmi of Lewiston, Maine, and Penny Korte of Laurel, Montana; 10 great-grandchildren; 1 great great-grandchild; nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Lester, in 2000; her parents; infant daughter, Lois Presby in 1931; three brothers, Carroll, Maurice, and Dennis; and grandson, Adam Presby of Bath, NH in 1992.
SERVICES There will be no calling hours, and a committal service will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory, to The Friends of Bath, P. O. Box 165, Bath, NH 03740.
Arrangements and care have been entrusted to the Pillsbury Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Inc. To view an online memorial or to send a message of condolence, please visit www.pillsburyfh.com.
BATH, NH Mary K. Presby, age 96, of 471 Pettyboro Road, passed away on August 18, 2004 at her home after brief complications of old age.
Born at home on Walker Hill in Lisbon, NH on June 20, 1908, she was the daughter of David and Nora (Conway) Nihan.
Mary attended the Walker Hill School in North Lisbon and was a graduate of Lisbon High School. On October 15, 1928, she married Lester W. Presby of Bath, NH. Together, they purchased his home place, which they named Klay Knoll Farm, where they worked and raised their family. Mary first caught the eye of her future husband when she won a hand-milking contest in Sugar Hill, NH in the 1920s.
Along with her husband, Mary worked in their business interests of dairy farming, lumber operations, raising stock and crops for market, and maple sugar production. Every sugaring season, Mary made hundreds of her famous plain donuts, which she served with maple syrup to guests at the farm. For many years, they owned a prize herd of Ayrshire cattle. In recent years, Mary had been an owner of the Mt. Washington Cog Railway and a partner in the Mt. Washington Hotel and the Bretton Woods Ski Area.
During her career, Mary had been a member of the NH Farm Bureau; the Pine Grove Grange in Bath; Trout Unlimited; acted as a business advisor to the Mt. Washington Hotel and Resort; and, following her husband, held the Boston Post Cane as the oldest resident of Bath.
In her free time, Mary loved to shop, cook, pick berries, play cards, and visit with family and friends. One of her favorite hobbies was to photograph dairy barns in the region. During the 1950s, Mary was a finalist in the Mrs. New Hampshire contest, which was held at the Allen A Resort in Wolfboro, NH. In 1998, Mary and Lester celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with an open house at the Lisbon Town Hall. Until very recently, Mary frequently traveled about New Hampshire and Vermont in her red Chevy convertible.
Mary is survived by two sons, William Presby and wife Elledra of Lisbon and Lynn Presby and wife Brenda of Freedom, NH; five grandchildren, David Presby of Sugar Hill, NH, Bradley Presby of Bethlehem, NH, Wayne Presby of Littleton, NH, Kathy Rae Emmi of Lewiston, Maine, and Penny Korte of Laurel, Montana; 10 great-grandchildren; 1 great great-grandchild; nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her husband, Lester, in 2000; her parents; infant daughter, Lois Presby in 1931; three brothers, Carroll, Maurice, and Dennis; and grandson, Adam Presby of Bath, NH in 1992.
SERVICES There will be no calling hours, and a committal service will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory, to The Friends of Bath, P. O. Box 165, Bath, NH 03740.
Arrangements and care have been entrusted to the Pillsbury Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, Inc. To view an online memorial or to send a message of condolence, please visit www.pillsburyfh.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary K. Presby, please visit our flower store.
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