Obituary for Charlotte E Drury (Craig)
Charlotte Evelyn (Craig) Drury, 97, of Nashua, New Hampshire passed away at Southern NH Medical Center on Wednesday, October 23rd, with her loving family members at her side. She was born in Boston, MA on December 1, 1921 to the late Irving and Eula (Westcott) Craig. Charlotte attended the Brookline schools until 1935 when the family moved to Newton, MA. She was a 1939 graduate of Newton High School. While in high school, Charlotte was a member of Rainbow Girls and rose to the position of Worthy Advisor. Following high school she attend-ed the Burroughs Business School of Boston. She was employed by Merchants National Bank of Boston and later by United Mutual Fire Insurance Co. During WWII Charlotte volunteered at the Boston Evening Health Clinic and served food to visiting servicemen at the Stage Door Can-teen. She married Lt. Curtis E. Drury on February 25th, 1945. Shortly afterward he joined the crew on the USS Indiana in the Pacific Theater and Charlotte returned to her family’s home in Newton. At the end of the war they lived in Bremerton, WA for a short time while his ship was de-commissioned then returned to the East Coast and moved to Saco, ME. Five years later Curtis was called back to active duty for his service in the Korean Conflict and Charlotte returned to Newton, MA to stay with her family. Upon his return in 1952, he took a position at Improved Machinery (IMPCO) and the family moved to Nashua.
Charlotte was an active member of First Church for many years, assisted and chaired the Autumn Fair and began the fish chowder luncheon during the fair. She also was a member of the Wom-en’s Society and numerous committees. She also taught Sunday School. She and her family be-gan the family Advent Service, which was held during the Christmas Pageant. Charlotte was also active in her community. She was a neighborhood volunteer for the United Way and served as the City Chairman in the early 1960s. She was a a past President and Treasurer of the Good Cheer Society, which provided home nursing care in the city for decades. In 1974, she spear-headed the establishment of the Nashua Visiting Nurse Service and served on its first Board of Directors, which today has grown and expanded into Home Health and Hospice Care. In 1973-74 she and Curtis spent one year living in northwest England, on the outskirts of Manchester, while he was on a business assignment. Upon returning home, she turned her focus to helping her daughter with childcare and after school activities for her three grandchildren. She was always a loving and devoted mother and grandmother. Following Curt’s retirement from Impco in 1983, they established Nashua’s first mailbox and package shipping storefront business, the Nashua Mailbox & Business Services on Amherst Street. The business thrived under their proprietorship for 18 years. They sold the business in 2001 to begin their retirement. She was pre-deceased by Curtis, her husband of 64 years, in January, 2009. In her later years she enjoyed reading and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her two daughters, Diana Philbrick Young of Millsboro, DE and Carolyn Dru-ry of Nashua; her only sister, Helen Jonah and her husband Maxwell of Sarasota, FL and their three children; three grandchildren, Wesley Philbrick III and his wife Jessie of Litchfield, Steph-anie (Philbrick) Provost and her husband Jarod of Goffstown, and Heidi (Philbrick) Buxton and her husband Steve of Nashua. She also has three great grandchildren, Curtis and & Ashley Bux-ton, Victor Philbrick and a step-great grandson Noah Benoit. She led an active and full life.
SERVICES: A Funeral Service will be held at the Shaw Chapel at The First Church (Congregational) UCC, One Concord Street in Nashua on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 1:00 pm. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Interment prayers and burial will follow at Edgewood Cemetery in Nashua.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Home Health and Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054.
Charlotte was an active member of First Church for many years, assisted and chaired the Autumn Fair and began the fish chowder luncheon during the fair. She also was a member of the Wom-en’s Society and numerous committees. She also taught Sunday School. She and her family be-gan the family Advent Service, which was held during the Christmas Pageant. Charlotte was also active in her community. She was a neighborhood volunteer for the United Way and served as the City Chairman in the early 1960s. She was a a past President and Treasurer of the Good Cheer Society, which provided home nursing care in the city for decades. In 1974, she spear-headed the establishment of the Nashua Visiting Nurse Service and served on its first Board of Directors, which today has grown and expanded into Home Health and Hospice Care. In 1973-74 she and Curtis spent one year living in northwest England, on the outskirts of Manchester, while he was on a business assignment. Upon returning home, she turned her focus to helping her daughter with childcare and after school activities for her three grandchildren. She was always a loving and devoted mother and grandmother. Following Curt’s retirement from Impco in 1983, they established Nashua’s first mailbox and package shipping storefront business, the Nashua Mailbox & Business Services on Amherst Street. The business thrived under their proprietorship for 18 years. They sold the business in 2001 to begin their retirement. She was pre-deceased by Curtis, her husband of 64 years, in January, 2009. In her later years she enjoyed reading and spending time with her family.
She is survived by her two daughters, Diana Philbrick Young of Millsboro, DE and Carolyn Dru-ry of Nashua; her only sister, Helen Jonah and her husband Maxwell of Sarasota, FL and their three children; three grandchildren, Wesley Philbrick III and his wife Jessie of Litchfield, Steph-anie (Philbrick) Provost and her husband Jarod of Goffstown, and Heidi (Philbrick) Buxton and her husband Steve of Nashua. She also has three great grandchildren, Curtis and & Ashley Bux-ton, Victor Philbrick and a step-great grandson Noah Benoit. She led an active and full life.
SERVICES: A Funeral Service will be held at the Shaw Chapel at The First Church (Congregational) UCC, One Concord Street in Nashua on Tuesday, October 29, 2019 at 1:00 pm. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Interment prayers and burial will follow at Edgewood Cemetery in Nashua.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Home Health and Hospice Care, 7 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, NH 03054.