1935-2023
Nat a lie ( Mi l ewski) Surprenant passed away peacefully at Summercrest Assisted Living in Newport, NH at the age of 87. She was born November 13th, 1935, in Clinton, MA. She attended St. Mary’s Cathol ic School and graduated with a concentration in secretarial work and shorthand in 1952. Natalie went to work at Surprenant Manufacturing later that year as the personal secretary to the vice president and plant manager and the rest is history. She met her future husband Richard (Dick) Surprenant and they were married on September 10th 1955.
Dick was the Sales Manager for Surprenant Mfg. and traveled extensively. They soon moved to Syracuse, NY where Nat and Dick’s first child, Lynn was born in 1958. A move or two later and their second child, Gary was born in Boylston, MA. in 1960. Soon after, the business was sold, and Dick went to work for the new owner ITT. In corporate life if you want to move up you have to move. Natalie recently counted 17 moves in all!
A self-described “Housewife” Natalie was anything but. She got involved right away in every town and state they moved to. Her church was always first, and Natalie helped in the office with her secretarial skills and with extra help in the classrooms whenever she could. Her volunteering extended to churches, schools and hospitals wherever she lived. Natalie and the children spent summers on Lake Winnipesaukee where she, always barefoot, would pick blueberries, garden, teach the kids and their friends how to swim and dive and enjoy the outdoors. In the winter (no longer barefoot) she enjoyed both downhill and cross-country skiing. Nat was a voracious reader.
Upon Dick’s retirement in 1979 they moved full time to their summer home on Governor’s Island in Gilford, NH. As the years passed they moved twice again to Asheville, NC and then, eventually, to New London, NH to be closer to Lynn and Gary and their families.
Natalie will be remembered for her sparkling blue eyes and the wonderful warm smile that came with them. Her warm personality, and genuine care for others will be missed. Natalie is survived by her husband Dick, brother Robert Milewski of Clinton, MA, Son Gary and his wife Valerie and their children Paulina and Kayden of New London, NH, and her grandchildren Christopher and Tara Simonson both of New York, NY. Natalie was predeceased by her daughter Lynn in 2020.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Natalie’s memory to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration at: theaftd.org. A funeral will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Church in New London, NH at a later date.
