LACONIA----Lawton P. “Lonnie” Bourn, Jr., 77, of Colebrook, NH and a longtime resident of Laconia, died on January 4, 2020 at Lakes Region General Hospital of a chronic illness with family by his side.
Lonnie was born on June 2, 1942, in Hartford, CT, the son of the late Lawton and Hildreth (Aiken) Bourn.
Lonnie lived in Keene, NH for his elementary school years. He moved with his family to Pennsylvania and Massachusetts before attending and graduating from Keene State College with his bachelors’ degree in education. Following his graduation from Keene State, he entered the masters’ program at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana earning a Masters Degree in Industrial Arts.
Lonnie met his wife, Gail Axelson, in 1983, while volunteering with special needs adults. They were married in Lahore, Pakistan, on June 24, 1984, where he was working with United States Agency for International Development training workers with Pakistan’s Water and Power Management. In addition to the USAID work in Pakistan, he worked on USAID projects in Egypt and India.
After returning to Laconia, New Hampshire in 1991, Lonnie was the Tech Prep Coordinator for New Hampshire followed by the School to Work Coordinator for New Hampshire Department of Education. He took pride in working with school districts to set up the programs within their districts to support young adults in their future careers. Upon retirement in 2004, he began driving the LRGH shuttle and recently driving for Mr. C’s taxi service. He enjoyed talking with all his passengers while driving around the state.
Lonnie’s passion for the past 15 years was designing and building their log cabin in Colebrook, New Hampshire. He and his family would spend weekends and vacations at the cabin. He especially loved sitting on the deck taking in the scenery and watching their Springer Spaniel, Rigbee, run through the fields. Lonnie named the place, Rigbee’s Lair.
As an avid outdoorsman, Lonnie enjoyed fishing, hunting, and canoeing with his family and friends throughout the Great North Woods of New Hampshire. He spent many years researching his Aiken Family history, which has deep roots throughout New England and that include the Aiken Knitting Mill and the Cog Railway. In addition to being an outdoorsman, Lonnie loved playing the banjo and autoharp with various groups spanning from his college years through his adult life.
Lonnie leaves his wife of 35 years, Gail A. Bourn; his daughters, Margaret Bourn of Portland, Oregon, Jennifer Bourn of Covington, Kentucky, Katherine Bourn of New York, New York, and Rebecca Bourn of Boston, Massachusetts, and his son, Lawton P. Bourn III, of San Francisco; his sisters, Pamela Arend of Maine and Hildreth Trainor of Massachusetts; along with many family and friends.
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia NH, using the Carriage House entrance.
A Celebration of Life will be held in Colebrook, New Hampshire in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, Lonnie requested that donations be made to the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 7312, Gilford, NH, 03247, for students pursuing an education in Building and Trades.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.