John H. Hutchinson

John H. Hutchinson, 94, longtime resident of Wilton NH, died peacefully on Friday April 24, 2026 at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua NH after a courageous three year battle with the effects of kidney failure. John was born in Newport NH on September 30, 1931, the only son of Frank and Jane (Howland) Hutchinson. He grew up in Newport, graduating from Towle High School in 1949.

He was a 1953 graduate of the University of New Hampshire where he earned his degree in Business Administration. John’s professional life was defined by a distinguished career in banking, beginning as a teller at Wilton National Bank in 1954 (which eventually merged with Indian Head National Bank). He rose through the ranks to become Vice President and Branch Manager. I remember fondly his walks back and forth from the bank to the post office in town whistling all the way. His early success allowed for a meaningful retirement devoted to his wife of 60 years, Marilyn, following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. This allowed for them to take trips throughout the United States (including both Alaska and Hawaii), plus Bermuda, Canada, and many Caribbean Islands. Local travel even included a ride in a hot air balloon!

John was very involved with the town of Wilton where they lived for most of their married life and had various positions with many organizations in town some of which included the Wilton Business Association, Trustee of the Trust Funds, Winter Carnival Committee, and the Masons Clinton Lodge No. 52.

He was a longtime member of the Second Congregational Church in Wilton serving on committees there often (usually in some sort of treasurer role). One of his favorite parts of the Sunday morning services included his time with the church choir. Many friendships developed over the years and even as he became homebound the church family remained very important to him. Lamar, Steph and Cindy made sure he was hooked up to Zoom calls for the Sunday morning choir rehearsal and worship service. Quite recently, he was able to attend a ‘good old fashioned hymn’ sing at the church with his daughter Debbie in tow. A good time was had by all.

And here I veer off the traditional obituary because in our eyes John was so much more. As his oldest daughter (and the one who could put the words down best, according to my sister) I reached out to the family and asked for what they will remember most about John. Here is a compilation of those reflections:

He was an avid skier and very good at it in his younger days; his daughters tried but never really got it! He was very good at golf (three holes-in-one to his credit) and at one time or another belonged to both the Nashua Country Club and the Amherst Country Club and if I remember correctly, was club champion at each at least once! He tried desperately to get his daughters to play, bribing them with dinner out after Sunday evening golf but they never really caught the bug, although Martha has enjoyed it a little more lately!! The grands also enjoyed the occasional game of golf starting at a young age. Luc is remembered for driving a golf ball through the sunroom window. Grandpa didn’t get mad, in fact he said

it was a good hit! He also told him that going forward plastic golf balls would be used! Dylan got to play the Ponemah Golf Course with him early on and was quite impressed by the fact that Grandpa only brought a six iron…to play the entire course! Horseshoes was another passion, installing pits in the backyard to up his game often on display at Wilton Old Home Days celebrations years ago. He was an avid Boston sports fan and if they were on TV he was watching: Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox alike, although I think the Celtics were his favorite. Of course he also added in many a golf tournament as well.

He had so many amazing qualities, some remembered fondly and others just remembered. The look over his glasses when someone acted up, the way his face lit up with a smile or a laugh with visits from the grands first and then, in the last four years, the great-grands. Family time was something every one of us enjoyed with him, whether it be sleepovers, sleeping on the rug in their living room, or watching The Sound of Music on TV and making mansions out of cardboard boxes for Stuart Little. Christmas Eve was a special time for all when we would gather in the basement while he worked the bar, and then he played Christmas Carols on the organ as we all tried to sing. He attempted to teach Hannah how to read music and play the organ too….but that didn’t go so well.

He was a collector, for sure. He had books of postcards collected over the years mostly town based, but he even started collecting soccer postcards when Dylan and Luc were so interested in it. Genealogy was another passion which also has landed in multiple notebooks in his closet. He traced his family back to times of the Mayflower!

His love of the whole family was insurmountable…. he remembered something that was going on with each of us from oldest to youngest, whether it be wedding plans, school, or health issues. He always checked in no matter how much time passed in between visits. He was an amazing caretaker, taking care of his wife Marilyn for years at home then spending hours with her in a nursing home as multiple sclerosis took over her body.

You could see the inner spark in his eyes when he was looking at any of the great-grandkids; he was so good with them. He could always find some humor, especially with the littles. They brought him smiles with every visit, whether running around in circles throughout the house like Graham and Beckett, or just sitting with him in his recliner like Elliott and Elsie.

One of the best more recent moments was when he was able to attend my retirement party a tough feat at best at the end of January this year, but he held Elsie for close to an hour in his lap, keeping them both quietly entertained.

And finally, who knew Dad was a Jimmy Buffett fan? While I tried to compile his tax information (a task that nearly broke our father/daughter relationship) he would play Buffett music on his Alexa, I think mainly to keep me going, but he said he enjoyed the beat. After each of my many visits there recently, our night would end with a “Thank you, thank you, thank you” from him, to which I would reply, “You’re welcome, you’re welcome, you’re welcome”. It’s our turn, “Thank you thank you, thank you”. Bubbles up Dad…..

John is survived by his two daughters, Deborah Hutchinson Broadley and her husband Keith of Milford NH and Martha Hutchinson Mackintosh and Gary Jensen of Temple NH; three grandchildren, Dylan Jackson Broadley and his wife, Emily of Milford NH; Hannah (Mackintosh)Lawler and her husband Brandon of Milford NH; and Lucas Moses Broadley and his wife Alyssa of Kingston NH; four great-grandchildren, Graham John and Elliott Labrie Broadley of Kingston NH and Beckett Jackson and Elsie Josephine Broadley of Milford NH; and two nephews, Kevin Downing and his wife Diane of Candia, NH and Christopher Downing and his wife Nicole of Shelburne, VT.

John was predeceased by his wife Marilyn (in 2017), his parents, his granddaughter Ryann Colleen Mackintosh, and his son-in-law, Robert C. Mackintosh, Jr.

SERVICES: A calling hour will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in the 2nd Congregational Church, 25 Gregg Street, Wilton, NH. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM in the Church. Burial will conclude in the Laurel Hill Cemetery, Wilton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John’s name to The Second Congregational Church Memorial Fund, PO Box 246, Wilton, NH 03086 or to the Wilton Open Cupboard Food Pantry, PO Box 111, Wilton NH 03086. Please note “in memory of John Hutchinson” on your donations.

Arrangements are in the care of the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. To share a memory or offer a condolence please visit www.smith-heald.com for more information.