Alphonse C. Ratté, 87

LONDONDERRY — Beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather Alphonse (Al) C. Ratté passed away on June 28, 2021 at home in Londonderry surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Brattleboro, VT, on November 22, 1934, he was the son of the late Alphonse and Elizabeth Ratté. Al grew up in Brattleboro, VT, and was a long-time resident of Hudson, NH, Gilford, NH, and then in 2018 he moved to Londonderry, NH. He attended Wentworth Institute in Boston, MA, and the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, graduating with a BS Electrical Engineering and an ROTC Commission in the US Army. He served 26 months on active duty in the US Army Security Agency Training Center & School at Fort Devens, MA. Al started his primary career, employed by General Electric, in Syracuse, NY, and then Sanders Associates in Nashua, NH. In retirement he was employed, part time by Hannaford Brothers Supermarket in Gilford, NH.

Al had a love for all things in nature. He enjoyed bird watching, hiking, fishing, kayaking, golfing, skiing down Tuckerman, games of croquet, and the beloved Ratté family camping trips every summer. Quick-witted, and incredibly wise, Al always had a riddle to recite or joke to tell. He even had his grandchildren convinced that candy could grow on trees (a favorite pastime of theirs to harvest a treat when visiting him in Gilford).

He was faithful to his morning routine of coffee and a muffin, and in the afternoons he loved to watch the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots, as well as enjoy his favorite treats: mint chocolate chip ice cream, cookies, and Beefeater martinis, with two olives.

Al also grew to love his "second family" of wonderful home health aides and VNA nurses. He won the hearts of all who knew him because of his warm presence, welcoming smile, and kind words.

Besides his loving parents, Al was predeceased by his wife Anita (Wilson) Ratté of Gilford, NH; his brothers, Richard Ratté of Brattleboro, VT, Charles Ratté of Saxtons River, VT, and Edward Ratté of Mineola, NY; sister, Dorothy (Ratté) Lyman of Alstead, NH; and his step-son, John Wilson of Mt. Pleasant, SC.

He is survived by his sister, Joann (Ratté) DelColliano of Asheville, NC; his children, Renee Ratté and her husband Tom Frantz of Andover, NH; son, Scott Ratté and his wife Darleen (Aubrey) Ratté of Derry, NH; daughter, Denise (Ratté) Garcia and husband David of Dover, NH; son, Craig Ratté and his wife Karyn (Niemela) of Nashua, NH; step-daughter, Debbie (Wilson) Miller and her husband Bill of Dubuque, IA; and step-son, Jeff Wilson of Mt. Pleasant, SC; his former wife, Vilma Ratté of Newburyport, MA; grandchildren, Ryan Ratté, Matthew Ratté and his wife Elizabeth, Andrew Janowicz and his wife Kristina, Hannah (Frantz) Goumas and her husband Kevin, Caleb Frantz, Morgan Ratté, Marisa Ratté, Oscar Garcia, Carlos Garcia, Gabriel Miller, Natalie Miller; and two great-granddaughters, Penelope Ratté and Poppy Ratté.

Following cremation, calling hours will be held on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Peabody Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 290 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, NH.

The burial will be held privately in NH State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Hwy., Boscawen, NH. To send a condolence or for more information, please visit, www.peabodyfuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to support one of his passions: NH Audubon or Londonderry Trailways.