Harry L. Hampton Jr
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Harry L. Hampton Jr., 97, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and resident of The Ridge at RiverWoods, Exeter, New Hampshire, died of natural causes on April 20, 2021.
He was born February 3, 1924, in Norfolk, Virginia to Margaret (Peggy) Woods and Harry L. Hampton and attended grade schools in Florida, New Jersey, Illinois and New York, followed by academics at Dartmouth. His college education majoring in Government was interrupted by military service and completed after World War II.
He served as First Lieutenant, Weapons Platoon Leader, Company L, 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division in Belgium and Germany. Harry returned to New York City in late July 1946 as the Officer in Charge of the Liberty ship, the SS Darell M. Ritter transporting the pets (including "Wolf" his German Shepherd) of the redeployed troops to America.
He married Virginia Scully of Mamaroneck, New York in 1949 and they raised their family in Larchmont, New York. During that time he was the executive director of two industrial trade associations: Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) and Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) in New York City. Harry was a dedicated "Music Commuter" chorale member, lover of Dixieland jazz and a weekend sailor on Long Island Sound.
The SAAMI office relocated to Connecticut in 1981 and Harry and Ginny settled in Branford, Connecticut. He took early retirement to better care for Ginny who suffered from early onset Alzheimer's disease.
Harry married his "Guardian Angel" and second Great Love, Margaret (Peg) Kremer Hotchkiss on November 26, 1988 in Branford. They resided there until their move to The Ridge at RiverWoods, Exeter New Hampshire in 2004.
Harry and Peg shared a mutual love of travel, music, history, reading and enjoying time with family and friends. They spent several winters on Beer Can Beach, Longboat Key, Florida and joined "Elder Hostel" trips which took them throughout the United States, Asia and Europe.
Summer family reunions at Silver Bay YMCA, Lake George, New York were an annual highlight and an opportunity for Harry to share ice cream and some of his incredible memories with grandchildren and children alike. His skill as a typist and as a world class correspondent helped him cultivate and maintain friendships around the world.
Harry is survived by his loving wife, Peg H. Hampton and their four shared children: his daughters Marcia W. Hampton (Larry Steinman) of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Pamela G. H. (Scott) Bundy of Boxborough, Massachusetts and step children, Nan (Leonard) Campbell of Center Harbor, New Hampshire and Henry (Katrina) Hotchkiss of Pittsfield, Vermont.
He had ten grandchildren: Ross and Robin Bundy, Lauren and Stephanie Steinman, Nathaniel, Andrew, Jonathan and Abigail Campbell, and Emma and Evan Hotchkiss and six great grandchildren.
The family is very thankful for the amazing staff and care givers at The Ridge as well as the Rockingham VNA Hospice support. An interment service at the Lawnhaven Cemetery in Kittanning, PA will be held at a later date.
www.brewittfuneralhome.com