Cecile Martin Costine

Cecile Martin Costine, 95, of North Road,

Lancaster,

died April 7, 2008 at Country Village Health Care after a long period of declining health.

Cecile was born and raised on a small farm in East Lancaster in a time of horse-powered farming and one-room schoolhouses. She was the third of eight children born to John Page Martin and Bertha (Marshall) Martin. Like her siblings, she helped on the family farm. They would, for example, drive the cows "cross-lots" through fields and woods to and from their summer pasture on the side of Mount Cabot--a long day's work!

Upon completing eighth grade at her much beloved Great Rock School she enrolled in the college preparatory course at Lancaster Academy, despite being told firmly by the principal that the "college course" would be far too difficult for a girl from one of the "rural schools."   But Cecile was determined.  She shared first place in her graduating class at Lancaster Academy and then was graduated with honors from the University of New Hampshire. She later received a master's degree from Boston University.

While in high school she and her sister Doris would drive the team of horses six miles into town to take milk to the Connecticut Valley Dairy on Depot Street, where the jugs would be emptied, rinsed and returned to the wagon. Their father would arise at 3:00 a.m. to milk the cows by hand so that the girls could make the delivery and still arrive at school on time.  The horses spent the day in the stables that once stood behind the Congregational Church.

Cecile taught English in Hopkinton and Lebanon before marrying Stanley Costine soon after Pearl Harbor Day in December 1941.  The marriage had to be kept secret because at that time married women were not allowed to teach.  At the end of the war, the couple moved from Fort Knox, Kentucky back up to Lancaster where they built their home and raised a family. Cecile taught for several years in Groveton and substituted in Groveton, Lancaster, North Stratford and Whitefield.  She had many happy memories from her teaching years.

She and Stanley were active charter life members of the Lancaster Historical Society in the 1960's and 70's and served on the Bicentennial Committee in 1964.  They did intensive research for the publication

Historical Sites and Houses of Lancaster NH

, which Cecile authored. Cecile also had a passion for genealogy and traced her ancestry back to John Howland of the Mayflower.

Through the flea markets hosted by the Historical Society, Stanley and Cecile became very interested in antiques and opened their own shop "The Other House" on their property on North Road. After Stanley's death in 1982, Cecile continued the shop and also spent countless hours writing her story of growing up on the small farm in East Lancaster for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Cecile is predeceased by siblings, Hazel, who died in the 1918 flu epidemic, Doris (Nash), Millard, Otis and Stanley.  She is survived by her four children: Martin of Manchester, Colin of Chester, Deborah of Southborough, MA, and Alan of Gorham; six grandchildren: Anthony, Beth, Tim, Mark, and Shawn Costine, and Molly McAdow; and three great-grandchildren: Aeris, Nehemiah and Micah Costine. A brother, Winston Martin lives in Tucson, Arizona, sister Clarice Hinson lives in Mount Pleasant, TX.  Sister-in-law Elaine Martin of Florida and Whitefield NH and brother-in-law Rodgers Hinson of Mt Pleasant TX. as well as many nieces and nephews.

Burial will be June 7th at Summer St Cemetery, Lancaster, NH in a joint ceremony with her older sister Doris who died last September

.

Donations in her memory to the Lancaster Historical Society would be greatly appreciated and may be sent to PO Box 473 Lancaster, NH. c/o Betty Newell or to the Caleb Group,

38 King's Square, Suite 9 Whitefield, NH 03598   (603) 837-9179