Winnie Langtry, widow of Rev. Robert Langtry, pastor of the Hickory Bottom Charge from 1998 to 2002, passed away last July 1 in Franklin, N.H. Mava Cottle learned of her death after trying to contact her.

 

Here is what Barb Thomas wrote on her prayer chain posting upon learning of Winnie’s death:

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Dear Prayer Warriors, Many of you do not know our dear Winnie Langtry, wife of a former pastor, Bob Langtry, who served as our minister for three years, retiring in 2002. The Langtrys returned to their native New England. Later Bob passed away. Winnie remained active at the Hopkinton Senior Center and the Senior to Senior program at the local high school. She won several awards for her pies, which she made and gave away generously. We had not heard from Winnie for some time. Mava began an on-line search for her and discovered her obituary. Winnie touched many hearts when they lived in Loysburg. Please remember her three sons and their wives, grandchildren, and extended family in prayer. Most of all, sing a song of praise to God for Winnie — a life well lived! Thank you, Barb

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Winnie had made a trip back to this area, driving solo, after Bob died. The congregation was very concerned because she fell down our front steps while leaving a worship service during that visit. But Winnie insisted on continuing her journey after being treated in the ER for a large gash on her scalp.

 

One of her mission interests while here was the Back Bay Mission in Mississippi, where she had volunteered while she and her husband were serving a church in Houston, Texas. Even after Bob’s retirement Winnie made a trip back to the mission, where she served as a cook for a week. She also made a notable trip to Georgia, where she met former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalyn. She attended Sunday School at the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, where Carter still teaches weekly at the age of 95.

 

Winnie sent a contribution to St. John’s a few years ago after reading in the newsletter that funds were being sought to upgrade the lighting in the church basement.

 

Here is her obituary:

 

Winifred Woodbury Langtry, 89, passed away on July 1, 2019, at Franklin Hospital in Franklin, NH. She was born on June 18, 1930, in Concord, VT to Lester Woodbury and Ruby Keneson Woodbury. Winnie grew up in Boscawen, NH. After high school, she attended Keene Teachers College in Keene, NH, where she received a Bachelors degree in home economics education. 

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It was there she met Robert (Bob) Langtry, the love of her life. They married April 26, 1952, in a double wedding with her sister, Hilda, and brother-in-law Charles Goodnow. After a short Cape Cod honeymoon, they returned to graduate in May.

 

In June they moved to Ft. Benning, GA, as Bob reported for duty in the army.Following their time in the army, they moved back to New England. They moved to Wethersfield, CT, where Winnie worked in the Wallingford School District, teaching home economics and Bob entered Hartford Theological Seminary. They moved to Cuttingsville, VT, and Bob served Cuttingsville Congregational while continuing education at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. His next church was the Congregational Church of South Hero, VT. Winnie worked for the Extension Services in Burlington and wrote occasional columns for the Burlington Free Press. They stayed for a few years before moving to Morrisville, VT, to the First Congregational Church. Winnie worked as a home economics teacher at Lamoille Union Regional Vocational Technical School, and served as the first woman president of the Vermont Vocational Teachers Association. While there, she applied for a grant from the state of Vermont to get a Masters Degree in vocational education. She went to Temple University in Philadelphia for two years to get her Masters.

 

Meanwhile, Bob moved to the Elm Street Congregational Church in Bucksport, ME. Too overqualified for teaching in the Maine schools, Winnie took a job running the St. Andre's Home for Pregnant Women sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Maine. She also worked with hospice patients. They lived in Norfolk, MA, for a time while Bob was pastor at Federated Church of Norfolk before moving to Houston, TX to Bethel United Church of Christ. Their last assignment were three churches in Pennsylvania in Hickory Bottom Charge prior to retiring to Contoocook, NH in 2002.

 

Winnie was preceded in death by her husband, Bob, and her sister, Hilda. Winnie is survived by her son David (Joy) of Boring, OR; Gary (Angela) of Elkins Park, PA; and Doug (Donna) of Harwich, MA; sister Rhoda Hardy of Boscawen; brother Roger Woodbury of Concord; and brother Woody (Mabel) of Dade City, FL; and her brotherin-law Philip Langtry of Lexington, SC. Also five grandchildren several great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

 

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2019, at the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton. In lieu of flowers, the family requested memorial donations be made to the Slusser Senior Center, 41 Houston Drive, Contoocook, NH 03229 or to the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, 1548 Hopkinton Road, Hopkinton, NH.

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