Paul Michel Manseau (“Mitch”), 81, died 19 April 2026, at Mt. Carmel Nursing Home in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was born on 22 August 1944, in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the son of Roland Manseau and Claire Bessette Manseau.

He was previously married to Joanne Graham of Watertown, New York.

Mitch attended Assumption College in Worchester, Massachusetts, for preparatory school and his undergraduate degree. He joined the Air Force as a commissioned officer in 1967, going on to serve in the Vietnam War, for which he was awarded a bronze star and an air medal. He served as a United Nations peacekeeper in Lebanon, helping to prevent new armed conflict in the Middle East. Throughout his Air Force career, he was stationed across the country and the globe: Texas, Vietnam, Florida, Lebanon, Germany, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Massachusetts. Mitch was committed to furthering his education, and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Troy State University. Following his retirement in 1987, he returned to New Hampshire, which he had come to love while stationed at Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth in the late 1970s. He went on to work at a variety of management positions in New England.

Mitch considered himself first and foremost a “NH Outdoorsman.” As an avid hiker, he participated in the Appalachian Mountain Club and co-led the “Wednesday Group” hiking club. In addition to scaling peaks across the White Mountains, he sailed, kayaked, ran, and cycled. He loved to get others involved in outdoor activities, advocating for social opportunities and improving one’s health. Mitch ran the Omaha Marathon and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. While living in the Lakes Region, he developed a passion for forestry management and natural land conservation. A lifetime car enthusiast, he maintained his own vehicles for decades and even raced Porsches in Germany. Mitch sought out travel adventures throughout his life, visiting exotic destinations from his twenties right up until his seventies. He was interested in culture, history, philosophy, politics, and exploration, reading extensively his whole life. Most of all, he enjoyed people and would discuss any subject over a beer.

Born and raised a devout Catholic, Mitch broadened his spiritual perspective over the course of his life. In his later years, he became an active participant in the Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Plymouth.

Mitch was predeceased by his beloved brother, Roland. He is survived by his children: Nicole, in Milford; and Eric, in South Carolina.

SERVICES: Interment will take place at a date to be determined (likely in June) at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen. Please email mitchmanseau44@gmail.com to be informed.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the charity of your choice.