Laconia----After years of giving to our Community, sadly, Doreen Knight, RN, died on September 19, 2013 at the Laconia Rehabilitation Center. Doreen always knew that nursing was the career for her. In high school, she volunteered as a junior nurses’ aide, called “candy stripers”, the first person to ever do so in Minneapolis. She then studied 48 months to earn both her Registered Nurse [RN] and a Bachelors’ degree in Nursing Science, from Hamline University, in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1959. She later earned her Masters’ degree, from Plymouth State University.
The week after university graduation, she married Gerald Knight, and they immediately moved to Boston, where Doreen became the evening charge nurse in infant surgery, at Boston’s Childrens’ Hospital. In 1960, they moved to New Hampshire and gave all their energies to their new home state. Doreen did bed-side nursing at Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock [then in Hanover], Littleton Hospital and Laconia’s Lakes Region General Hospital.
Doreen’s nursing career changed greatly when she worked for 13 years for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, in epidemiology. She specialized in searching for communicable disease sources, especially TB. Her efforts ultimately saved the lives of countless New Hampshire citizens.
Doreen’s contribution to the Lakes Region’s medical services came in the 1970’s, when Betty Farmlett, Edna Gadd, Bobbi Thomas, Alida Millham and Doreen established what is today’s Central New Hampshire Visiting Nurses Association [VNA] and Hospice. That agency today is one of the Lakes Region’s most honorable sources to countless people.
Her work in Hospice has become well known and appreciated by hundreds of Lakes Region families. She eventually specialized in the area of Bereavement, a Hospice program that continues to this day. Memorials honoring Doreen, may be sent to Central NH VNA & Hospice, at 780 North Main; Laconia, NH 03246
Doreen is survived by her husband of 54 years, Gerald; a daughter, Sara O’Sullivan, of Belmont and her fiancée, Robin Lounsbury. She has three grandchildren, Jonathan O’Sullivan and his wife Kaitlyn of Laconia and Emma and Samuel Knight, of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Also, a son, Jeffrey in Vermont and her sister-in-law Margaret Johnson and nephews Eric Johnson and Dr. Timothy Johnson, all of Minnesota.
Visiting for family and friends will begin at 1:00 PM, Sunday, September 29, 2013 in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia.
A service honoring Doreen and her contributions to the Lakes Region will follow at 3:00 PM also at the Funeral Home
Following the service, a special social hour will be at the Beane Conference Center, 39 Blueberry Lane, Laconia. As Doreen wished, the service’s theme of “September” even continues to the social hour!
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.