Arthur “Bud” Norman Provencal, 73, of Derry, NH, passed away on Monday, August 20, 2018 due to health complications. Bud was born in Central Falls, RI on December 26, 1944. He graduated from Dracut High School in 1962 and continued on to receive a Certified Aircraft & Powerplant License from East Coast Aero Tech, Bedford, MA. Bud was married to Ruth Janet Gagne on October 1, 1966; they were married 51 years. Bud worked as an airline mechanic for Delta Airlines, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA and prior to that, Northeast Airlines, Boston, MA; he later obtained his Private Pilot License in 1988. Bud and his wife Ruth owned and operated Brook-Lea Service, Auto Repairs, Body Shop, Dealer Sales & Gas Station, plus apartments in Pelham, NH for 27 years.
Bud and Ruth moved to Derry, NH in 2001 on a small hobby farm raising their own produce and a variety of 57 fruit trees and blueberries. Their love of God’s creatures made their dreams come true while raising goats, pigs, horses, cows, turkeys and chickens. Bud raised a variety of birds for the Make A Wish Foundation. Bud enjoyed snowmobiling, camping, boating, fishing with his spouse and their three children. Bud’s Catholic faith, his love for God and Country, he joined the Knights of Columbus in 1992. He served as the Past Grand Knight in Pelham, 1st and 2nd Degree Chairman and Chancellor in Derry, and the State Kidney Chairman for Derry. Buddy’s last service for the Knights was July 25, 2018 delivering the “Can Trailer” for charities and the Kidney Fund. Bud being a 3rd and 4th Degree Knight, he and Ruth enjoyed having the Knights and family parties on the grounds of Deer Run Farm, their little hobby farm.
Bud is survived by his wife Ruth (Gagne) Provencal; his children, Norman A. and wife Sheila (Marie) of Cabot, AR, Jennifer Provencal-Niebla of Derry, Julie A. Provencal-Levesque of Methuen, MA; his grandchildren, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Katherine Niebla all of Derry, and Gabriel and Rose Ann Levesque; his great grandchild, Kayden Patnaude of Derry; his brothers, David and wife Jane (Burton), and Thomas and wife Maureen (Straughn), his sister, Nancy Heyner and husband Robert; as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, and other family and friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Norman and Janyn (Zolkos) Provencal.
Calling hours were held on Friday, August 24th from 9:30 – 11:30am in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry. A Mass of Christian burial followed at 12:00pm in St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 26 Crystal Ave., Derry. Private family burial was in the Gibson Cemetery in Pelham. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Research Hospital and Kidney Foundation, One Medical Center Dr., Lebanon, NH 03766.