Martin G. Hewson

January 1, 1929 - March 20, 2016

PITTSBURG – Martin G. Hewson, 87, died peacefully on March 20, 2016, at the Coös County Nursing Hospital in West Stewartstown after a long period of failing health. He was born on Jan. 1, 1929, in Plattsburgh, NY, the son of Elmer and Hartie (Martin) Hewson. Marty attended schools in Chazy and Altona, NY, and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol in his high school years during World War II. In 1947, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (later the U.S. Air Force) and served until 1957, with duty stations in Texas, Washington, British Columbia, Canada, and Vermont during the Korean Conflict. He attained the rank of T/Sgt as a member of the Air Police. On Jan. 7, 1956, he married Anne Miner in St. Patrick’s Church in Rouses Point, NY. Marty became a U.S. Border Patrol agent in 1957, graduating in El Paso, Tex.; he was then assigned to the sector headquarters in Brownsville, Tex. Several years later, he transferred to the Richford, Vt., station, and in 1968, he transferred to Pittsburg, NH, as an Immigration Inspector. For 27 years, Marty was a petitions adjudicator for the processing of all Chinese petitions coming through New England. He retired in 1995 with 47 years of government service. From 1960 until recently, Marty held a number of civic positions. He was a member of Kerbs Memorial Hospital Board of Directors in St. Albans, Vt.; president of the Richford, Vt., Lions Club; president of the Richford Disaster Organization and the Richford Youth Organization. He was a member of the board for the Cold Weather Research in Lyme, NH, and from 1973-88 he was chairman of the board of directors at the UCVH in Colebrook. He also served as president of the Indian Stream clinic from 1980-82. Marty was a board member of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, and he was active for many years as an EMT and CPR instructor in the 1970s, serving also as president of the Pittsburg Ambulance Corps. Marty also served as vice president of the Pittsburg Planning Board, and at one time was chairman of the school boards for town of Pittsburg and for St. Albert’s School. He was a vice president of the 45th Parallel Investment Club in Colebrook, and he held offices as a 4th degree Knight of Columbus in Our Lady of Grace Council 3028 and Navigator of Our Lady of Grace Assembly 2317. He was elected Grand Knight for the state of NH in 1993. Marty was also an active member of the N.H. Minutemen. He was a member of the Coos County Law Enforcement Assn, holding office as secretary/treasurer, and he was a member of the Fraternal Order of Retired Border Patrol Officers. In 2009, Marty published a book entitled “The Border Patrol’s Silent Sentinels,” with many of the area’s best stories about his and his colleagues work adventures. Marty was a communicant at St. Albert’s Catholic Church in West Stewartstown and was an active volunteer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Columbia. He also served as a lecturer and Eucharistic minister. He is survived by his four children, Martin Hewson, Jr. (Debra) of Derby Line, Vt., Susan Hewson of Dexter, NY, Thomas Hewson (Laurie) of Pittsburg, and Eric Hewson and fiancée Corina Brooks of Ashland NH; 8 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his loving wife, Anne, in 2009; a son, Mickey Hewson; his companion of the last few years, Aldea Belanger; and a brother, Donald Hewson. Calling hours will be on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook, NH. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday morning, March 23, at 11 a.m. at St. Albert’s Church in West Stewartstown with The Rev. Craig Cheney as celebrant. A graveside committal with military honors will be later in the spring at St. Albert’s Cemetery, of which notice will be given. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mr. Hewson may be made to the North American Martyrs’ Parish, for the benefit of St. Albert’s, 55 Pleasant St., Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements in NH are under the direction of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook.