Josephine "Jo" A. Kardek Gaucher
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Josephine (Kardek) Gaucher of Exeter NH and formerly of Barrington NH and Lady Lake FL passed away on Monday, March 15, at Exeter Center after a period of non-COVID-related declining health, just a few days shy of her 96th birthday.
Born on March 19, 1925, in Amesbury, MA, she was the daughter of Peter Kardek and Nellie (Dziris) Kardek. In 1947, after her marriage to Roger "Pete" Gaucher, she moved to Exeter to raise her family and begin her working career while still maintaining close ties to her immediate and extended family in Massachusetts.
Jo and Pete were devoted to each other for the 69 years they were married. When Pete joined the Exeter Fire Department, Jo joined the Women's Auxiliary. When Pete managed the Exeter Handkerchief Company, Jo joined him on his buying trips to New York City. When Pete entered the Exeter Center Nursing Home, Jo visited him every day and was by his side when he passed away.
Jo loved spending time with her family and friends. Following in the footsteps of her parents, for years she and Pete hosted holiday celebrations at 6 Maple Street. When Pete built their cottage in Barrington, it became the location for numerous gatherings. Jo enjoyed the years spent with Pete at the family cottage on Swain's Lake in Barrington, where she entertained their extended family and friends, particularly at large annual celebrations on the Fourth of July and Labor Day. There was an abundance of food surpassed only by an abundance of love at these Gaucher parties. After their retirement, they spent the winter months in Florida, first in Bonita Springs and then several years in The Villages with many of their northern friends.
Until she was 78, Jo worked at various manufacturing jobs. She was employed by the Exeter Mill, Exeter Footwear, and several local electronic components firms. Throughout her working years, she was devoted to caring for her mother and father in Amesbury and for Pete's father Hector, stepmother Mary, and her twin sister Katherine, who shared their Maple Street home.
Jo was predeceased by her beloved husband Pete in 2016; by her brothers Walter, Edward, Joseph, and Stanley; and by her sisters Sophie and Jean. She is survived by her daughter Jean Mayhew and her husband Al of South Glastonbury, CT; son Peter Gaucher of Derry, NH; her sister-in-law Ann Kardek of Amesbury, MA; and her numerous nieces and nephews and their growing families, all of whom were a source of great joy to her throughout her entire life.
The Gaucher family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the staff and hospice workers at Exeter Center, especially for keeping Jo and the other residents so safe during the pandemic. There are no calling hours. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Saturday, March 20, at St. Michael's Church in Exeter followed by burial in the Exeter Cemetery. The service will be live streamed on the church's website, https://stmichaelparish.org/. The Brewitt Funeral Home of Exeter NH is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the NH SPCA, PO Box 196, Stratham NH 03885, or to the religious charity of one's choice.