Keith "Skip" Haynes

W. STEWARTSTOWN — Keith “Skip” Haynes, 85, died peacefully on Monday, Aug. 29, 2016, at Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, due to complications from a stroke, and with his loving family by his side. Skip was born in Pittsburg, NH, on Nov. 13, 1930, the son of Stewart and Hazel (Danforth) Haynes. He went to Pittsburg schools, spent his childhood in Pittsburg and lived his entire adult life on Back Pond Road in Stewartstown. While helping out on his uncle’s farm in Stewartstown, he met the love of his life, Emily Harriman, who he married on his birthday in 1952. Skip will be remembered by family and friends alike as an extraordinarily hard worker and a gifted welder. Early on he worked on road construction and hauled logs and pulpwood, then in 1959 he went to work for Beecher Falls Manufacturing Corp-- “the factory.” For a year he worked nights in the sawmill, then moved to the day shift with the maintenance department, and in 1971 he became the millwright of the then newly constructed sawmill where he remained until he retired in 1996. His skill with a welder and wrenches was also put to work at home as he spent most evenings and weekends in his garage building truck bodies, farm trailers, and welding together and repairing just about anything that came through the door. When it came to something especially difficult to fix, he was fond of saying he just needed a bigger sledgehammer. In retirement he continued working in his garage, raised replacement heifers for a time, cut and split firewood, brush-hogged fields, and helped his children and grandchildren with whatever they needed assistance with. It wasn’t all work for Skip though. He loved riding his farm tractor, four-wheeler and snowmobile and he thoroughly enjoyed driving here and there throughout the North Country, with McDonalds a favorite stop whenever he was in Lancaster. Cakes, cookies, and pies were a passion, but asked what kind of pie he would like, he would always comment “anything but lemon, that’s all we ever had when I was a kid.” He was a child of the depression where lemons were one of the few fruits available at the time, and he said that everything his mom made had lemon in it, which led to his keen dislike for anything lemon. Above all else, Skip was dedicated to his family. A loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Skip was there for everyone, ever supportive, always helping out, always doing far more for his family than himself – his family always came first. He was sympathetic to injuries, real and perceived, yet when it came to minor bumps and bruises, his common refrain was “it’s a long ways from your heart, you’ll be okay.” Skip is survived by his loving wife of more than 63 years, Emily Haynes of Stewartstown; his daughter Kathleen Adams and husband Wayne of Stewartstown; his sons Eldon Haynes and wife Diane of Stewartstown, Scott Haynes and wife Roxanne of Pittsburg, and Kevin Haynes and wife Paula of Colebrook; his grandchildren Jeffrey Haynes, Betsy Gray, Ashley Haynes, Gregory Haynes and Cassandra Atwood; his great-grandchildren Hannah, Brody, Mackenzie, Isabella (Little Izzy) and Emily. Not to be left out is his toy poodle sidekick, Hershey. Skip is also survived by his sisters Majel Hawes of Pittsburg, Beverly Jenkins and husband Barry of Colebrook, and his brother Wayne and wife Judy of Florida; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Stuart and Hazel Haynes, his sisters Ramona Bilski, Glendowyn Bunnell, Rowena Hann, Waneta Thibeaul;t and his brothers Warren and Bradley Haynes. There are no public calling hours. A graveside committal service will be held on Thurs., Sept. 1 2016, at 1 p.m. at the Piper Hill Cemetery on Rt. 3 in W. Stewartstown. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mr. Haynes may be made to the Community Baptist Church, for the purpose of the youth program, c/o Pastor J. Weberg, 15 Bridge St., Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook, NH.

Keith "Skip" Haynes

November 13, 1930 - August 29, 2016