John "Jack" E. Heavisides

Rochester, NH- John E “Jack” Heavisides, 93, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, surrounded by family and friends.

Jack was born in Lebanon NH, the eldest child of John G.L. and Erma (Nichols) Heavisides. His childhood was spent throughout the Upper Valley. Summers were often spent working on his grandparents’ farm in Woodstock, VT.

He attended the One Room School House where he helped to teach the younger students math. He graduated from Hartford High School, Class of 1951 then served in the US Army for two years during the Korean War, stationed at Murphy Army Hospital in Waltham MA. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to White River Jct. and worked at the Hartford Oil Company.

He married Theresa Carter of Lebanon NH on October 6, 1956. They made their home and raised their four children in West Lebanon. Jack and Theresa enjoyed square dancing as members of the Twin State Squares, where Jack served as president for a time. During the summer the family would go camping, oftentimes with friends that were also square dancers. Jack and Theresa enjoyed almost 50 years of marriage until her death in February 2006.

After working at Hartford Oil, Jack worked at Allard Dairy then Super Test Milk, making deliveries, but his true vocation was that of a skilled carpenter. Jack took his first position in carpentry with Sheldon Bellemore, later working for Quechee Lakes, Max Boynton and Brian Alderfer before becoming self-employed until his retirement in 1995.

Carpentry was also his relaxation. After a hard day or week at work, he could be found in his shop building furniture, picnic tables, or toys. Up until a few months before his death, he could still occasionally be found in his shop replenishing his supply of wooden toys.

Jack is a former member of the United Brethren Masonic Lodge 21 F&AM in White River Jct. He and his brother Stephen helped their dad build the Masonic Lodge on Sykes Ave.

He was an active member of the Hartford Alumni Association. He and his classmates enjoyed building floats for the alumni parade. One of their favorite floats was The Beverly Hillbillies, in which he was Jed Clampett.

At the age of 90, he started writing and then self-published his memoirs.

He is predeceased by his wife, parents, sister Eloise Brantley, brother Stephen, and infant brother Richard.

He is survived by his four children, Karen Perkins (Don) of Dunbarton, NH; Katherine Plunkett (Tom) of Voluntown, CT; John ’Jay’ Heavisides (Celia) of Goffstown, NH; and Janet Drake (Collin) of Hartland VT; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; sister Shirley Clifford of Kingsport, TN, brother Douglas (Carol) of White River Jct. VT; and sister-in-law Sandy Heavisides of Claremont NH, and Carole Hamilton of Rochester NH, a longtime family friend, his companion and caregiver for the past 7 years, to whom the family is very grateful.

A visitation will be held at the Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction on Sunday, March 22nd from 1-3pm followed immediately by a funeral service at 3pm. Interment with full military honors will be held at a later date in the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center, VT.

Condolences may be expressed in an online guestbook at www.knightfuneralhomes.com.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Vermont Chapter of the American Parkinson's Disease Association, PO Box 61420, Staten Island, New York 10306 or the American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202