John Louis Nordlund 1940 – 2022 PENACOOK, N.H. – John Louis Nordlund, 81, of Penacook, N.H., passed away on Jan. 16, 2022, peacefully, surrounded by his family. He was born on Dec. 1, 1940, the son of Ida Christine (Kramvic) Nordlund and Raymond Victor Nordlund (first and middle name transposed because that’s how he liked it). Known as “Johnny” (naughty, daring and lots of fun), he grew up in the quaint seaside village of Sebasco. He loved to tell people he grew up on lobster because back then it was poor man’s food (in fact it was his last meal). His mother was head housekeeper at his beloved Sebasco Lodge and his father was a carpenter, teaching him to build a house from the ground up. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse in Phippsburg (where he threw a handful of bullets in the wood stove), and graduated from Morse High School in 1960. He was a proud member of the Bath “Cadets” Drum and Bugle Corps. He then enjoyed city life in Boston, attending RETS Electronic School, earning a degree as an electronics technician. John married Donna Lee (Gagner) Nordlund on Sept. 25, 1966 (despite his attempt to miss it due to a car accident when he went home for his bachelor party), and they moved to Billerica, Mass. There they were blessed with two children, Christine Lee Nordlund and Shawn Carey Nordlund. They enjoyed square dancing and neighborhood parties. In 1971 they moved the family to Amherst, N.H., where he was a volunteer EMT and founding member of the town’s rescue squad (where he was known as “Jake the Snake”). He once orchestrated the rescue of a truck driver whose log truck collapsed and was buried under logs; the man survived! He worked for Sanders, Honeywell, and Autologic, to name a few. John loved life and was grateful for every day that “he woke up on the right side of the ground again!” His sense of humor and fun were boundless. His eye for a pretty woman was still evident when he flirted with his nurses and grandson’s girlfriend during his last days. He loved riding his BSA motorcycle, fishing (going to Moosehead Lake, canoeing to a camping spot, and fishing for days; fishing anywhere with his seven grandsons), and tinkering in his shop (where he had every tool you could want and was constantly creating gifts and troubleshooting new inventions). He loved telling people his name was John Henry Kadiddlehopper (Donna’s just like, tell them your real name!) He had the most generous nature, going above and beyond to help anyone he met; we can’t tell you how many times he stopped to help stranded motorists and came to the aid of his family and their friends who were stuck four-wheeling or any such way. He was predeceased by his parents, Ida and Ray; his in-laws, Loretta (Plourde) and Egino Muti; his grandson, Sam Tyler Sheils; his stepmother, Emma Nordlund; and his stepbrother and wife Victor and Elizabeth Wallace. He is survived by his wife, Donna Nordlund of Penacook,N.H.; his daughter, Christine Nordlund of Hillsboro, N.H., his son, Shawn Nordlund and wife Flora (Midtdal) Nordlund of Putney, Vt.; his grandson, Zachary Slater Nordlund of North Sandwich, N.H., his grandson, Justin Michael Sheils of Manchester, N.H., his grandson, Luke James Sheils of Henniker, N.H.; his grandsons Quincy John Sheils and Louis Lanoue Nordlund of Hillsboro, N.H.; his grandsons Darien Augustus Nordlund and Casey Adler Nordlund of Putney, Vt.; his sister-in-law and husband, Deborah (Muti) and William Picariello; and many nieces, nephews; grand-nieces and grand-nephews. All who knew him are invited to a celebration of his life in the spring, where we will dance to country music and send him off the way he wanted! In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to your favorite charity; spread the love, just like he always did.

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