Beverly Kemp

Beverly Kemp passed away peacefully on August 30, 2018, after a brief illness, at Summerhill in Peterborough, New Hampshire. She was 87. Beverly was born in Winthrop, Massachusetts on August 1, 1931 to John H. Fenton and Margery (Douglas) Fenton. She graduated from Winthrop Senior High School in 1949 and was Valedictorian of her class. Beverly attended Middlebury College briefly before leaving to marry her childhood sweetheart, Lawrence L. Waitt, in 1951. As an Air Force family they lived in California, Virginia, New York, Maine and Louisiana, raising two sons. Every summer they enjoyed a vacation at Lake Winnipesaukee, where the couple met as teenagers.

Beverly completed her college degree with a Bachelor of Science in Education at Syracuse University and taught elementary school for many years. In 1976, after her husband had retired, they were able to live their dream of moving to New Hampshire, settling in the town of Hollis. There they spent many happy years renovating their home, gardening and traveling to their favorite places, Scotland and England, as well as enjoying visits with the family. Beverly also continued to teach in Windham, NH and then in Brookline, NH, retiring in 1996. She served as Treasurer and then President of the Hollis Women’s Club, was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and the Red Cross and was involved in many church activities, including the Sunday School, at All Saints Episcopal Church in Peterborough.  She was also a member and chaplain of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, which provides educational opportunities for female students worldwide. Sadly, her husband Lawrence passed away shortly before they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in December of 2001.

In 2006, Beverly married Ridge Kemp, whom she met through their mutual interest in photography. They settled at his home in Virginia and had five happy years together, enjoying travel and visits with family and friends until Ridge’s death in 2011. Beverly then returned once again to New Hampshire to live in Peterborough.  

She is survived by her son Douglas Waitt and his wife Catherine (Scerbo) Waitt of New Ipswich, NH; her son John Waitt and his wife Katherine Rosewater of Center Barnstead, NH; her granddaughter Megan (Rosewater-Waitt) Koerber and her husband Phillip Koerber of Concord NH; her granddaughter Iris Waitt of Milford, NH; her great grandson Weston Koerber and great granddaughter Adelaide Koerber both of Concord, NH; a sister Priscilla (Fenton) Abercrombie and her husband Jack Abercrombie of Santa Rosa, California; and cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, September 13th at All Saints’ Church, 51 Concord St, Peterborough, NH.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.). Information can be found on their website: https://donations.peointernational.org/ .

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