Paola (Metellini) Leclerc, 86, of Windham, NH passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, July 24, 2021 after a period of declining health. Paola was born February 17, 1935 in Trieste, Italy and was the daughter of the late Giuseppe and Alida (Zuberti) Metellini. She was raised in Trieste and met her husband Rene H. Leclerc in Italy while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force at Aviano Air Base near her home.
After marrying Rene on January 21, 1956, Paola and her family lived in many locations while Rene served. They spent several summers in Trieste and also lived for periods in Frankfurt, Colorado Springs, Mountain Home (ID), Modesto (CA), Springfield (MA), eventually settling in Portsmouth, NH. Paola and Rene then relocated to Windham around 2001 to be nearer to some of their grandchildren. Paola was very artistic and enjoyed painting and knitting, and she was an accomplished seamstress as well. She was proud to have made many of her children’s clothes growing up as well as all of their doll’s clothes. She was a long-time communicant of St. Matthew Church in Windham where she was very involved in craft-related groups making prayer shawls and dolls for sick children.
Members of the family include her two daughters, Denise A. Lewis of Naples, FL and Lisa A. Tovey and her husband Jim Tovey of Windham. She and Rene had six grandchildren: Jacqueline (Lewis) Lavallee, Nicholas Lewis, James Tovey, Nicholas Tovey, Megan Tovey and Catherine Tovey. She also had one great grandchild, Emery Lavallee. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Rene, in 2007, as well as her one brother, Sergio Metellini of Trieste, Italy.
There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at 10:30 am at St. Matthews Church located at 3 Searles Road Windham, NH. Burial will follow at Cemetery on the Plain in Windham. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Republic Mission. Checks can be made to St. Matthew Church, noting “DR Mission”. The Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium of 15 Birch St. Derry, NH is assisting the family.