InDepthNH.org scans the websites of New Hampshire funeral homes each week and selects at random some of our friends, relatives and neighbors to feature in this column. The people listed here passed away during the previous weeks and have some public or charitable connection to their community. InDepthNH.org is now offering obituaries through the Legacy.com service. We view this as part of our public service mission. Click here or on the Obituaries tab at the top of our home page to learn more. And if you know of someone from New Hampshire who should be featured in this column, please send your suggestions to NancyWestNews@gmail.com.

Mary M. Blaisdell, 84, of Concord, died May 10, 2026. She was a lifetime achievement honoree of the East Concord Lamplighters, a member of the Concord School Board, and organized Concord High School Class of 1960 reunions as class treasurer. (Bennett Funeral Home)

Dorothy (Meade) Campbell, 84, of Grafton, died May 7, 2026. She had been a teacher and principal at Indian River and had served as selectman and treasurer for the Town of Grafton. (Chadwick Funeral & Cremation Service)

Socrates James Chaloge, 90, of Manchester, died May 7, 2026. He owned Leslie Studio, which he once operated with his father, Perry Chaloge. photographing more than 5,000 weddings throughout Manchester, in addition to countless portraits, schools, and pageants. His original oil photography portraits may still be viewed at the Hampton Historical Society, where he was recognized for photographing Miss Hampton Beach during the late 1950s and 1960s. He served in the Air National Guard.  He taught photography classes at the YMCA in Brockton, Mass., and founded and was president of the New England Trade Institute (NETI). (Legacy.com)

Norman A. Colburn, 80, of Laconia, died May 8, 2026. He served on the Laconia Fire Department for 21 years, advancing from driver to deputy fire chief. In retirement, he worked in loss prevention for the N.H. Municipal Association. (Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home)

Charles Henry Cummings Jr., 77, of Greenland, died May 10, 2026. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He worked at Pease Air Force Base in civil engineering positions and later as head of the Reports and Analysis Branch in the 509th Transportation Squadron. In 1991 he transferred to the Industrial Relations Office at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. He worked as a labor relations specialist for 12 years and was chief spokesman for management while negotiating the collective bargaining agreement between the shipyard and the American Federation of Government Employees. He served 12 years on the Greenland Budget Committee, three years on the Conservation Committee, two years on the Land Use Advisory Committee and four years as a selectmen, from 2008 to 2011. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home)

David Holmes, 88, of Durham, died May 7, 2026. A U.S. Army veteran, he volunteered with the Peace Corps in 1963 andhelped establish savings and loan banks in Peru. He later become a Peace Corps administrator in the South Pacific islands of Tonga and Samoa. He was a career counselor at Fordham University, St. Lawrence University and UNH. (Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home)

John Linke “Jack” Lewis, 81, of Peterborough, died May 8, 2026. He spent his career with Chemical Bank in New York City, later JP Morgan Chase Bank, retiring in 2001 as senior vice president. He and his family moved to Dublin in 2002, and in 2020 to Peterborough. He was treasurer of the Peterborough Players and the Dublin Riding and Walking Club, and chaired the Dublin Conservation Commission. (Jellison Funeral Home & Cremation Services)

David Linatsas, 74, of Nashua, died May 10, 2026. He started his teaching career in special education in Nashua elementary schools. He then obtaining his doctorate in chiropractic at Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, Ga., andopened Nashua Family Chiropractic (known today as Lyphos Family Health). He retired in 2016 when his son, Brandon, took over the business. (Davis Funeral Home)

Robert Marquis, 72, of Stratham, died May 7, 2026. He was a counselor at Amesbury (Mass.) Middle School and then worked at SAU 21 in Hampton as a school psychologist. He was director of pupil services in Deerfield, special education director in SAU 56 in Somersworth, and assistant superintendent in Somersworth. He became superintendent of schools in Milford. (Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory)

Eric Paul Rochette, 55, of Nashua, died May 12, 2026. He was the owner of Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Nashua. He followed his father Paul into the funeral profession and had been a licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1991. He purchased the funeral home from his father in 2014, and he and his wife Deanna, became co-owners in 2019. He was a New Hampshire state representative for District 31, Ward 4 from 2005 to 2006 and for District 28, Ward 1 from 2007 to 2008. He served on the New Hampshire State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers from 2015 to 2020. He was a member of the Actorsingers of Nashua. (Rochette Funeral Home & Cremation Services)

Jack Tatirosian,M.D., 94, of Atkinson, died May 9, 2026. He was a captain in the U.S. Air Force and began his medical practice in 1966 in Haverhill, Mass. He was an internist and founding member of Pentucket Medical Associates. He retired in 2000. He was a staff member of Hale Hospital where he was also the chief of medicine for two years. (H.L. Farmer & Sons Funeral Home)

Scott Evan Trexler, 61, of Moultonborough, died May 8, 2026. He worked at Trexler’s Marina on Lake Winnipesaukee since he was a child. The marina was bought by his parents in 1972, and when his father died in 1980, he became more involved in the business, eventually assuming the role of general manager. (Mayhew Funeral Home) 

Ronald P. Voveris, 81, of Nashua, died May 13, 2026. He was a U.S. Army veteran and a social studies teacher at Nashua High School and then Elm Street Junior High School, where he dedicated 34 years. He Ron coached the “Twins” Babe Ruth baseball team for a decade and freshman baseball for Nashua High School. (Farwell Funeral Service)

WORDS OF WISDOM: “Life is never easy. There is work to be done and obligations to be met – obligations to truth, to justice, and to liberty.” — John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, May 29, 1917, to Nov. 22, 1963

Emily (Em) Madeline Peters, 28, passed away on April 29, 2026 in Boston. Em was born on February 27, 1998 in Rochester, NY. Our family moved to Amherst, NH in 1999.

Em attended school in Amherst and graduated from Souhegan High School in 2016. Em enjoyed photography and art where they demonstrated a talent for painting. Em also enjoyed playing the guitar and ukulele. Em was part of the Amherst Congregational Church Youth Group where they participated in mission trips to serve the communities in Tennessee and New York City.

After high school, Em lived and worked in New Hampshire, Cape Cod and the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. Em was a devoted friend who dedicated themselves to causes that supported the LGBTQ+ community. Em also was always prepared to help those living with addiction. They carried Narcan with them and used it several times to help someone who had overdosed. They were passionate about equality and fairness in the workplace which led them to take action. Em helped lead workers to organize and form a union at a grocery store where they worked. Em also worked for a non-profit organization providing food, clothing and child care to those that needed help.

Em is survived by their parents, Eileen Marie (Hodges) Peters and David Lester Peters of Amherst, NH; brother Andrew Partrick Peters of Merrimack, NH; sister Katherine MacKenzie Peters of Essex, MA.; and grandfather Gerald L. Hodges, Jr. of Rochester, NY. Em is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins. Em is predeceased by her maternal grandmother Mary “Dolly” (Curley) Hodges and paternal grandparents Eugene Monroe Peters and Gloria Shirley (Thorne) Peters.

Some of our fondest and happiest memories were spent together on family vacations. Whether we were camping, visiting Old Orchard Beach, or exploring national parks, we were happy. Em’s time on this earth was far too short. We loved them dearly and they will always remain in our hearts. We will miss their good-natured teasing and many inside jokes. We will miss their creativity, compassion for others, and their beautiful smile.

Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend calling hours at Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple Street in Wilton, NH on Sunday, May 24, 2026, from 2 – 4 pm. A service will be held following calling hours at the funeral home. The arrangements are in the care of the Michaud Funeral Home, 32 Maple St., Wilton, NH. To view an online obituary or leave a condolence, please visit our web site at www.michaudfuneralhome.com

House Democrats have a nearly perfect record of voting against proposed bans on personal income taxes. On Thursday, they’ll face a different dilemma:

Whether to vote in favor of giving the state the power to impose a progressive income tax.

Rep. Thomas Oppel, D-Canaan, plans to bring an amendment to the floor Thursday “providing that: the legislature may impose progressive-based income taxes, and revenues derived from such taxes be used exclusively to fund public schools in order to offset local property taxes.”

Oppel was part of the “Cut Our Property Taxes!” group organized by former Executive Councilor Andru Volinsky to push for the so-called “3-3 Tax Savings Plan” that would institute a 3% income tax for all residents and a $3 tax per $1,000 of equalized property value for all homeowners.

His amendment Thursday goes further, imposing a graduated income tax.

“Any assessments, rates, and taxes imposed on income shall be considered reasonable and proportional if they are imposed at the same rates across the state even though they are imposed and levied progressively; that is, at rates that rise or increase in whole or in part, as the income being taxed increases,” Oppel’s amendment reads.

House rules allow any member to offer an amendment to any legislation, but even if there were procedural barriers, Republicans are happy to have Democrats cast this vote. Democratic leaders like Rep. Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, and Sen. Rebecca Perkins-Kwoka, D-Portsmouth, have publicly rejected an income tax and can’t be happy to have it back in the election-year conversation. Republicans, on the other hand, greeted the news with delight.

“House Democrats just filed an amendment to push for an income tax and hijack the state constitution,” the House GOP posted Tuesday. “House Democrats know Granite Staters overwhelmingly oppose an income tax. They do not care. Our message has not changed: HELL NO to income tax. Not now. Not ever.”

And House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, added, “The Committee to Elect House Republicans would like to make Taxin’ Tom Oppel an honorary board member.”

Income taxes are a tricky issue for Democrats, as Joyce Craig demonstrated in her failed 2024 governor’s race. Democrats like Cinde Warmington insist they oppose a broad-based sales or income tax. However, they’re also promising voters they will lower their property taxes.

Volinsky’s approach is to use an income tax to shift about $1 billion from property taxes to income taxes, lowering the property tax burden.

Warmington has yet to say where she would find the money to lower property taxes without cutting state funding to public schools.

Republicans like Rep. Dan McGuire, R-Epsom, head of Granite State Taxpayers, want to tackle high property taxes by controlling spending. They’re pushing a bill to put a local property tax cap on the ballot in every community.

“Our outrageous property tax levels are the result of unchecked spending on schools and, in particular, school administration,” said McGuire. “Well-run states in this regard, like Idaho and Utah, spend half as much per pupil as we do and get similar results.

“Voters in November will get a chance to stem the bleeding if the Senate and House can get together on HB 1300, a school property tax cap bill.”

Polls show more than 70% of Granite Staters oppose an income tax.

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.