Mary L. Robitaille

A kiss on the cheek and an “I love you”, always preceded goodbyes with Mary Linda Robitaille (71), as it was the same on August 13, 2022 as she left this world in the same miraculous way she arrived, by the grace of God.  Mary was to most a seemingly unassuming women, but upon examination she was miraculous.  She was a Kidney Cancer survivor, and lived over 20 years with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, and CREST syndrome. At 13 she endured a broken back during an automobile accident, and subsequently became the first child in NH to receive spinal fusions (2). At the time these were complicated surgeries which left her in a year of traction, and in casts and braces until age 18.  Regardless, their success allowed her to walk and helped to advance medical care for children with spinal injuries. 

As a child Mary grew up in Maine and NH and graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1969. She then met and married the love of her life, the late Lawrence Larck.  Together they traveled across the U.S. and Europe and had two daughters.  She was a devoted Catholic, great cook, talented writer, dedicated mother, and proud grandparent. She also cared for the elderly and infirmed as a nursing assistant while attending college and earned her BS and MBA at SNHU.  Professionally, Mary was employed as a Director at Visiting Nurses Association, and later at John Hancock and Oxford Health, until she medically retired at age 50.  As an advocate for children’s rights, she was a foster parent, a CASA volunteer, and ran the nonprofit, Defend the Children. She was successful in working with NH State Representatives to write laws that better protect children from abuse and neglect.

Mary joins her daughter Marie Driscoll, her parents, Joseph Robitaille and Bernice (Wiggin) Robitaille, former husband, and brothers, Joseph Robitaille, Donald Robitaille, Richard Robitaille, and many other family members and friends. She leaves behind her daughter Laura Jo Larck Bishop and husband Fred Bishop, and their children, Autumn and Nathaniel all of Bedford NH, and step-grandchildren Holly Hayes of Merrimack, NH and Karina Towne of Hooksett, NH; and her son-in-law Eric Driscoll, and grandchildren Dylan and Mary of Bedford, NH; along with her best friend Stephanie Chase, her brother Charles Robitaille and wife Pat, her sisters, Claudia Reaves and husband Lee, Nancy Reed, and Sandra Philbrook all of NH, and sister-in-law Helen Robitaille of SC, and many friends, nieces, and nephews. 

A committal service will be held on Wednesday, August 17^th at 2:30pm at the Mt. Calvary Mausoleum. Please consider a donation in Mary's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or support small business by sending flowers from your local florist to someone special and give them a kiss on the cheek and tell them I love you.