Sharon E. Covill

Sharon Elaine Covill died on March 27th, 2010 after an intense and valiant battle with cancer.  Sharon was born in West Stewartstown on September 14, 1956 and lived most of her entire life in the North Country.  She is survived by her husband, sweetheart and confidant of 26 years, Michael, who described Sharon as "not an A type personality but a AAA type."  The couple is noted for their witty staged photographs for their Christmas cards, a tradition that is cherished by friends and family.

Sharon is also survived by her mother and best friend Audrey Bassett of Clarksville, NH whom Sharon called "more fun than any mother could be and as much a girlfriend as a mom."  Surviving siblings include Jon Bassett of Wells, ME, Marc and Erin Bassett and their very special daughter Natalie of Boulder CO, Dana Bassett and Michele Bassett and their wonderful sons Tyler and Chase of Woodstock, GA, Cynthia and Lee McClain of Enfield, NH,  Michael and Terry Bunnell of Lebanon NH, and  Maureen Bunnell of Lebanon, NH.   She was the daughter of the late Joseph Bassett.

She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in nursing and spent her entire professional career caring for the ill and the infirmed and their families and directing programs in Northern New Hampshire and Vermont, particularly home health agencies.  She was instrumental in the evolution of hospice care in Vermont for spearheading the Medicare Pilot Project for Hospice. In 1994 she co-founded the hospice program at North Country Home Health and Hospice Agency. Most recently she served as Director of Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital Home Health from 2000 to 2007.  In May of 2009 she received her Master's Degree in Nursing Science from the University of New Hampshire where she was chosen by her class to present the commencement address.  She received a 4.0 grade point average, another testament to the hard work that was the hallmark of her entire life.  She has also been published in scholarly journals for her research in "Nursing Knowledge of Depression in Palliative Care."

Sharon enjoyed and played classical music especially Chopin and she had a particular fondness for the Wizard of Oz.  If ever anyone lived her life like "there is no place like home," it was Sharon.  She was the personification of compassion, caring and hard work.  Even in her final days her concerns lie with her husband and her mother, she worries more about their well-being than her failing health.  After all, her life was dedicated to caring for and loving others.  This was Sharon Elaine Covill.

A service for the celebration of Sharon's life will be held at the Whitefield Baptist Church on April 10th, 2010 at  11 o'clock.  Committal will be at a later date.  Memorial donations may be made to the Sharon E. Covill Alternative Therapies Fund for Hospice/Palliative Care, c/o North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, 536 Cottage St., Littleton, NH 03561.  A reception for family and friends will be at the Spalding Inn in Whitefield following the funeral.