GILFORD ----- Dr. Lee Raymond Willett, of Gilford, always liked to joke that he was very young when he was born, and in his family’s opinion he was still very young when he died on Thursday, January 27, 2022, at the age of 73, surrounded by family.
Born in Manchester, on March 25, 1948, to Ramsay and Marcella (Goulet) Willett, the 2nd of 5 sons, Lee grew up in Laconia and attended St. John’s School and Laconia High School (’66) where he met his one true love. At St. Anselm’s College (’70) he built several friendships that lasted his entire life.
At its core, Lee’s is a love story from start to finish. He began dating the love of his life, Joanne (Hughes) Willett at the age of 14, and for the next 60 years they were inseparable – living, working, and raising a family together. Hand-in-hand until the very end, Joanne was his whole world, and he spent his life making sure that she and the family and friends they made together had everything they needed.
He was the best dad and grandfather anyone could ever want, teaching that vulnerability and kindness are true strength, you should always get a receipt, and few challenges don’t feel more manageable once you are on the lake with a gin and tonic in hand. He never met a dad joke he wouldn’t repeat a million times. When he wasn’t patching up kids, he was keeping busy fixing everything else, spending time on the Big Lake, traveling with his wife, and finding ways to make his grandchildren laugh. Lee was a lover of small pleasures—quite literally. He appreciated tiny things like his Mini Cooper, miniature dachshund, small boat engines, airplane bottles of booze, and tiny cans of soda. He took immense pleasure and pride in the simple act of being content with what he had.
Lee’s other lifelong passion was caring for the families of the Lakes Region as a pediatrician for 42 years. Having attended medical school at the University of Vermont, where he made a few more life-long friends, he returned to his hometown in 1977, to join a pediatric practice. He was everyone’s favorite doctor. He is remembered by patients and colleagues for his wisdom, humor, and gentle compassion. The doctors and nurses with whom he would take time to patiently teach, the families who received cards at Christmas of particularly hard years that simply said “Balance: $0.00,” the teenage parents who never felt any judgment – only respect and support. He witnessed countless triumphs and tragedies, helping families through both the hardest times of their lives and their most joyous, like delivering the children of parents he had cared for as children themselves, and attending their weddings.
He was a man of faith and an active member of the St. Andre Bessette Parish. He was also a member of the Winnipesaukee Yacht Club since 1982, enjoying days on Bear Island and nights on the porch with friends.
In December of 2020, Lee was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Instead of giving up, he and Joanne fought bravely and savored every day he was given. Recently faced with the knowledge that he was at the end, he confidently declared, “We had a good year.”
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Joanne (Hughes) Willett of Gilford; two sons, David Willett and his wife Rachel Sauter, and Mark Willett and his wife Renée Martin; three grandchildren, Vivian, Isla and Isaac; four brothers, Ramsay "Randy" Willett, Jr. and his wife Elaine of Meredith, Daniel Willett and Gayle Brown of Houston, TX, James Willett and his wife Julie of Pepperell, MA, and Thomas Willett and his wife, Jamie of Dover; brother-in-law, James Hughes and his wife Terry of Laconia; eight nieces and nephews; and many, many cousins. Survivors also include thousands of patients across three generations of the Lakes Region community.
At this time, the family will be holding Private Services.
In lieu of flowers the family encourages blood donations to address the current shortage, and many acts of kindness.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services and 603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, NH, 03246 is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.wilkinsonbeane.com.