1930
Gretchen
2018
Gretchen D. Belknap
December 19, 1930 — November 3, 2018
Waltham, Mass. – Gretchen D. Belknap, 87, formerly of Durham, New Hampshire and Cos Cob, Connecticut died November 3, 2018 at Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Waltham, Massachusetts after a period of failing health.
Gretchen was born December 19, 1930 to the late Roger and Dorothy (Knapp) Dykema, and grew up in Riverside, Connecticut. She married John H. (Jack) Belknap, also of Riverside, in 1952 and they raised their family in Cos Cob, Connecticut and summered for many years at Lake Tashmoo, Martha's Vineyard.
Gretchen graduated from Greenwich High School and attended both Radcliffe and Bennington colleges focusing on music performance. Gretchen was an accomplished cellist, founding member and principal cellist for twenty-five years of the Greenwich Philharmonia (later the Greenwich Symphony), a member of the Greenwich Chamber Players, and she taught cello privately for five decades. After she and Jack relocated to Durham, New Hampshire in 1989, she lobbied for environmental issues with the League of Conservation Voters.
Her parents and her husband, Jack, predeceased Gretchen.
She leaves behind her children Peter (Jennifer Snodgrass) Belknap, Linda (John) Schier, and Sara (Peter Vielbig) Gordon; grandchildren Kate Schier-Potocki, Jesse Belknap, AJ Schier, Lilian Belknap, Abigail Belknap-Seidner, Maggie Schier and Sam Gordon, great-grandchildren Ellen Belknap, Finn Schier-Potocki and Clara Koenig; her brother, Scot (Martha) Dykema and several nephews and nieces.
The family thanks the steadfast and compassionate staff at MaristHill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their dedication to Gretchen's care.
Memorial donations may be made to the Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 66 Newton Street, Waltham, MA 02453.
Services will be private.
Gretchen was born December 19, 1930 to the late Roger and Dorothy (Knapp) Dykema, and grew up in Riverside, Connecticut. She married John H. (Jack) Belknap, also of Riverside, in 1952 and they raised their family in Cos Cob, Connecticut and summered for many years at Lake Tashmoo, Martha's Vineyard.
Gretchen graduated from Greenwich High School and attended both Radcliffe and Bennington colleges focusing on music performance. Gretchen was an accomplished cellist, founding member and principal cellist for twenty-five years of the Greenwich Philharmonia (later the Greenwich Symphony), a member of the Greenwich Chamber Players, and she taught cello privately for five decades. After she and Jack relocated to Durham, New Hampshire in 1989, she lobbied for environmental issues with the League of Conservation Voters.
Her parents and her husband, Jack, predeceased Gretchen.
She leaves behind her children Peter (Jennifer Snodgrass) Belknap, Linda (John) Schier, and Sara (Peter Vielbig) Gordon; grandchildren Kate Schier-Potocki, Jesse Belknap, AJ Schier, Lilian Belknap, Abigail Belknap-Seidner, Maggie Schier and Sam Gordon, great-grandchildren Ellen Belknap, Finn Schier-Potocki and Clara Koenig; her brother, Scot (Martha) Dykema and several nephews and nieces.
The family thanks the steadfast and compassionate staff at MaristHill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their dedication to Gretchen's care.
Memorial donations may be made to the Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 66 Newton Street, Waltham, MA 02453.
Services will be private.
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