Nicholas Preston, 99, died November 27, 2017 at Harvest Hill in Lebanon, NH. He was born on August 10, 1918 in Norwich, Connecticut to Samuel Paskiewich and Sophie Michaelovich Paskiewich. His parents had emigrated from Russia in 1912 and returned later, living there for one year with Nicholas and his older brother Peter.
Nick graduated from Norwich Free Academy, Norwich, CT in 1937. He then worked and eventually put himself through American International College, graduating in 1943. Having wished to become a doctor since childhood, he majored in both Chemistry and Biology. He also pursued his love for the Liberal Arts and Languages, studying Poetry, Philosophy, French, and Russian.
His academic pursuits were interrupted when he was called to military service after graduation. Recognizing his passion and dedication, the U.S. Army assisted in his medical education at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY, where he graduated in 1947.
He met his future wife, Marian Holland Britton, while he was in medical school, and they were married December 22, 1945 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in New Britain, Connecticut. Dr. Preston served as a surgical intern and resident at Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT from 1948 to 1950. He held a Fellowship at Yale University where he did significant research in cancer diagnosis, publishing "Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Amino Acids in Cancer Diagnosis." He was also Assistant Surgical Resident at Yale New Haven Hospital from 1950-1951 and Assistant Resident in Surgery at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT for six months in 1951, before being called once again to active duty for the Korean War. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a surgeon from 1951 to 1953.
After being discharged as a Captain, he retired from military service and opened a solo Family and Surgical Practice in in 1953 in Waterbury, CT. He continued his Surgical Preceptorship from 1953 to 1955. In 1956, Dr. Preston became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He remained at Waterbury Hospital serving as both Family Practitioner and Associate Attending Surgeon from 1953 to 1969, then as Attending Surgeon from 1969 to 1986. He was also a member of the General Surgery staff at St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury and was the Staff Doctor at Scovill Manufacturing Company, before retiring in 1986.
Nick and Marian resided in Watertown, Connecticut, building their first home there in 1955 and raising three children, Russell, Nicholas and Margot. They spent winter vacations skiing in Vermont and summer vacations at the Thousand Islands, Gananoque, Ontario. In retirement, Nick and Marian continued to spend five months of the year at their island home in Canada and the winter months in Watertown, until Marian's death in 1999.
In 2007, Nick moved to Harvest Hill in Lebanon, NH, close to his daughter Margot and son-in-law Dick. Nick was an avid reader with special interest in Russian literature, philosophy, historical biographies and the Civil War. He also read widely in Poetry and memorized and wrote many poems which he joyfully shared. His special love of music was shared through his beautiful singing voice. He never lost his interest in medicine and volunteered for work in Honduras in 2000. He will be remembered for his warmth, good humor, and his generous and loving spirit.
He is survived by his three children, Russell Preston of Danbury, CT, Nicholas Preston and his wife Susan of Campton, NH, and Margot Lewin and her husband Richard of Hanover, NH, and by his three grandchildren, Cynthia Preston, Wesley Preston and Timothy Preston, and five great-grandchildren.
There will be a Christian Rite of Burial at St. Thomas Church in Hanover, NH on Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 2 o'clock.
There will also be a celebration of his life held in the Dwinell Room at Harvest Hill, Lebanon, NH on Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 2 o'clock.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Harvest Hill and the Hughes Unit for their loving care.
"Words live on - as do deeds, intention, smiles, good will, humor and happiness."