Louise Marie Ravet

Born in Peabody, Massachusetts, Louise was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother. She was the second oldest of nine children born to Walter Edward Waring and Marie Anna (Petrie) Waring.

Louise is survived by her daughters, Jennifer Knechtmann of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and Charline Brown of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire; her sons-in-law, James Allen Knechtmann and Andrew Brown; and her beloved grandchildren, Andreana Marie Brown and Nickolaus Sebastien Brown, who were among the greatest joys of her life. She is also survived by her brothers, Walter J. Waring and James Waring; her sister, Lauri Perry; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John “Jack” Ravet; her parents, Walter Edward and Marie Anna Waring; her brothers, Russell Waring and Charles Waring; and her sisters, Jeanne Reed, June Arsenault, and Elizabeth Stedman.

In the 1950s, Louise’s parents purchased property on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire. Some of her fondest childhood memories were of helping her father build cottages on the property that would later be rented during the summer months. From her father, Louise developed a lifelong love of building, creating, and figuring out how things worked. She continued to enjoy working with her hands and tinkering with projects throughout her life.

Louise graduated from Newfound Regional High School and later attended Pierce College for Women in Concord, New Hampshire. She worked as a bookkeeper for several years and eventually operated her own bookkeeping and tax preparation business alongside her husband, Jack, who was a Farmers Insurance agent.

In the 1990s, Louise opened her own business, Accent Umbrellas, where she combined her business experience with her love of making things. Designing and custom-making umbrellas allowed her to spend time working in a shop, much as she had enjoyed doing alongside her father years earlier.

After Jack’s death in 2006, Louise traveled frequently to the East Coast to spend time with her daughters and their families. In May, she had the great joy of watching her granddaughter, Andreana, graduate with a master’s degree in education. She was very much looking forward to seeing her grandson, Nickolaus, graduate from college, and although she will not be there as she had hoped, her family knows she will be there with him in spirit.

Louise also had a lifelong love of animals. Over the years, she shared her home with several dogs and a few cats and had a particular affection for playful Shih Tzus. She also loved spending time with her grand dogs whenever she visited her family in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

Louise was a member of the Alameda Lioness Club and was an active volunteer while her daughters attended St. Barnabas School and Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, California. Helping others came naturally to her. When Louise was around, no one stayed in need for very long. She had an enormous heart for both people and animals and was always looking for a way to lend a hand, solve a problem, or simply make someone's life a little easier.

Louise will be remembered for her generosity, her independence, her creativity, and her deep devotion to her family. She leaves behind not only the family she loved so dearly, but a lifetime of things built, problems solved, animals cared for, and people helped along the way.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local animal shelter or The Senior Dogs Project.