Roger E. Brassard

Roger E. Brassard, Retired Postmaster for Manchester US Post Office dies. Roger E. Brassard, 84, of 58 Chapleau Avenue, died at his residence on June 26, 2003. He was born in Manchester, NH on April 25, 1919, the son of the late George and Yvonne (Dubois) Brassard and had been a resident of Manchester for most of his life. Roger was the widower of Anita (Larochelle) Brassard who died in 2002. He attended local schools and graduated from Brown School in Manchester, attended Oklahoma State College of Business Administration ( an intensive course for all managers in the United States Postal Service) and trained in labor negotiations at the William F. Bolger Academy in Bethesda, Maryland. From 1937 to 1942 he worked as a Certified Welder for Riley Stoker and Boiler Corp., Worcester, Ma., and traveled throughout the United State building steam generators and boilers. He was a United States Navy Veteran, serving with the Seabees from 1943 to 1945 in the construction battalion, and served as First Class Petty Officer on Johnston Island, 900 miles from Hawaii. From 1945 to 1949 he owned and operated Brassard's Lunch. From 1949 to 1965 he owned and operated Brassard Jewelers on Elm Street and was a certified gemologist through the American Gemological Institute of New York. Between 1963 and 1971, he was Postmaster for the City of Manchester which was the largest Post Office in the State of NH. Roger served the longest term as Postmaster in the history of Manchester. Between 1971 to 1986 he was Postmaster for the State of New Hampshire which had 120 Post Offices under his jurisdiction. He retired from the Postal Service on August 20, 1986. Mr. Brassard was very active in politics. From 1949 to 1957 he was an Alderman for the City of Manchester and served four terms. From 1957 to 1963, he served on the Executive Council three terms under the Honorable Lane Dwinell and the Honorably Westly Powell. He was also a representative for the Governor of NH for the Mental Health Hospital in Concord for two terms and at the State Industrial School for one term. In 1960 he was named first in the nation as State Chairman for JFK's Presidential Election Campaign as well as a NH Floor delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, California and pledged to John F. Kennedy, badge number 8. In 1961 Mr. Brassard was appointed by the Governor as the official representative of New Hampshire to the inauguration of John F. Kennedy as President of the USA. In 1961 he was also a former candidate for Mayor of the City of Manchester. Mr. Brassard served as President for two years of the NH Association of Postmasters; was a member of the National League of Postmasters for 25 years; member of AARP; served as President of the NH Retail Jeweler's Association for two years; belonged to the United Commercial Travelers; the American Legion, Post # 79; the Catholic War Veteran and the Disabled American Veterans. Roger has held a real estate broker's license in the State of NH for 34 years. Roger has traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada, South America and Europe. He was the was a founder and President of the Algonquin Tennis Club in Manchester, NH. He was an avid tennis player and skiier. He was a lifelong parishioner of St. John Baptist Church. Early in his life, Roger was a musician and played the banjo. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and loyal to the numerous friends he made over the years. Family members include his daughter, Diane Hunt of Manchester, his predeceased son, Donald Brassard who died in 1998, four granddaughters, Nicole Horton of Manchester, Dawn Colvin of Des Moines, IA, Danielle Martineau of Goffstown and Tina Gagnon of Manchester; five great grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins. SERVICES: Calling hours will be at Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 250 Coolidge Avenue on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday morning at 10:00 in the Church of the Transfiguration. Interment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers donations may be made the the VNA, Home Hospice, 1800 Elm Street, Manchester, NH 03104, the NH Democratic Party or the the Church of Transfiguration, Alsace Street, Manchester, NH 03102.