Norma Covill

Norma Elizabeth Covill, 86, of Main Street in Pittsburg, NH, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2021, at her daughter’s home in Eliot, ME, after nearly a year-long courageous battle with a brain tumor.

She was born in Colebrook, NH, to J. Kenneth and Dorothy Symns (Barker) Lynch and grew up on South Hill.  Norma attended the South Hill School for Grades 1 through 8 and high school at Colebrook Academy where she graduated in 1952.  On May 25, 1957, Norma married Gordon L. Covill and settled in their home in Pittsburg, NH, where they raised their 5 children and created more memories with their 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

In 1951 during high school, Norma started working after school and Saturdays at First Colebrook Bank and continued full time in June 1952 after graduation, working until her second child was born in 1960 and then stayed at home to raise her children.  In 1970, Norma replaced Hollis Young as the Tax Collector for the Town of Pittsburg, where she worked out of her home office until retiring on December 31, 2014, after 44 years of service.  In addition to her tax job and caring for her family, she returned to work at First Colebrook Bank in 1974 until her retirement in 1993.

Norma was a woman of faith and a member of the Farnham Memorial United Methodist Church.  She was a wonderful cook, creating many meals for family and friends and special memories at holiday gatherings.  Norma was well-known for her delicious baked beans, providing a canner-size pot of beans for school and church bake sales over many years.  She sent supplies of baked beans, loaves of homemade bread and other baked goods with her oldest son each year for friend and family hunters at Cowen Hill Camp.  She loved doing things for her children, being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, working with her hands in her flower gardens and the Town gardens with the Pretty Up Pittsburg crew, and very much loved to beautify her home and help others with what she called her amateur landscaping skills.  Norma and her family had a large vegetable garden and she canned, pickled and put up preserves for all to enjoy.  In their retirement years, many mornings Norma and Gordon met up with friends and family for breakfast before they started their day of activities, and it was a regular occurrence on Sunday mornings after church.  They also enjoyed their Friday night suppers at favorite eateries with family and friends and always looked forward to following up with dessert and playing cards/games after the meal at alternating homes each week.  Their days were full and frequently Norma was seen heading out with Gordon in their pickup truck to gather wood together for heating their own home as well as selling cords of wood to many.  Norma was always up for an adventure, whether kayaking, trips to the ocean, or traveling to new places . . . and if it was, perhaps, a grandchild’s adventure, she would post a map on her wall and follow their adventure on the map.

Norma is survived by her 5 children:  Roger Gordon Covill and wife, Debbie, of Gorham, NH, Julieann Hilda Gagnon and husband, Richard, of Manchester, NH, Cindy Lynn Madore and husband, Daniel, of Canaan, VT, Robin Lee Fosher and partner, Ernie DelleDonne, of Eliot, ME, and Lafe Stephen Covill of Portsmouth, NH;  11  grandchildren: Mandi (Covill) Miller and husband, Matt, Danielle (Covill) Reichert and husband, Tobey, Zacharie Covill and wife, Dencie, Justine, Alexandra, Courtney, and Mallorie Madore, Joshua Fosher and wife, Lani, Natalie (Fosher) MacNeill and husband, Terrance, Lyndsey Fosher, and Garrett Fosher; 7 great-grandchildren: Carsen, Hannah, Molly and Noah Miller, Camden Reichert, Kai Fosher, and Rin Nunez; her sister: Martha Fedele of Newport, VT; her brother: Ralph Lynch and wife, Barbara, of Colebrook, NH, and her sister-in-law: Betsy Lynch, of Colebrook, NH; brothers- and sisters-in-law in the Covill/Covell Family: Robert Covill and wife, Margaret, Lesley Covell and wife, Ruth, Gary Covell, Linda Covell, Katherine Covill, Roberta Covill all of Pittsburg, NH, and Betty Covell of Ronan, MT; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband: Gordon in 2018; a sister: Edith Lynch; 2 brothers: John Lynch and Richard “Dick” Lynch; brothers-in-law: Frank Fedele, Bernard Covill, Lindsey Covill, Edwin Covell, and Jim Shallow; sisters-in-law: Violet Covell, Geneva Shallow, Joanne Foote, and Hilda B. Covell.

SERVICES:  A Funeral service is scheduled for August 14, 2021 at 1PM at the Farnham Memorial United Methodist Church with burial immediately following.

Expressions of sympathy in Norma’s memory may be made with donations to the Farnham Memorial United Methodist Church, 1613  Main Street, Pittsburg, NH 03592 which was very important in Norma’s life; or equally meaningful in support of brain cancer research to MGH Development Office, Attn: Heidi Bergmeyer, Brain Cancer Research Fund of Dr. Jorg Dietrich, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114-1101; or the York Hospital Hospice “Home Health Foundation” at 127 Long Sands Road #12, York, ME 03909 or https://www.homehealthfoundation.org/donate/donate-online/.

Online condolences and memories may be extended at www.saylesfh.com.