Donald G. Desmarais

Donald G. Desmarais, 62, of Barrington died peacefully Monday, December 3rd following a brave and hard-fought battle with cancer. As it was every day of his life, his wife was by his side and he was surrounded by the love of his family.

Don was born in Manchester on March 31st, 1950, the first child of the late Gerard and Rita (Philibert) Desmarais. He attended Ste. Marie High School and graduated from St. Anselm College, Class of '72, earning a B.A. in Biology. Following graduation Don began his career as a Certified Dental Technician, a career which spanned 40 years. He worked at H&O Dental Lab, Cook Dental Studio and Profile Dental Arts before opening the doors of Teamwork Dental Studio in 2000 with his wife, Beverly.

Don lived his life with intense passion. He had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and answers and a unique ability to see both the beauty as well as the science in all things. This ability was apparent in all of his pursuits from art, music and cooking to birding and gardening. Don began drawing at a very early age, sparking an intimate, life-long love affair with art through a variety of mediums. He studied under his friend and mentor, Jeanne Lachance owner of Studio 216, he was an instructor and figure model at The New Hampshire Institute of Art, his work hung at the Currier Museum of Art numerous times and he most recently became a juried member of East Colony Fine Art in Manchester. Don was never one to pass up a fantastic meal, a bad joke, a deep conversation or an opportunity to say "I love you."

Don is survived by his wife of 16 years, Bev (Boston) Desmarais; daughter Leah McKenna and her husband, Michael; daughter Mandy Desmarais; son Sam Desmarais; step-daughter Rebecca Lesmerises; sister Pauline Patten and her husband, Dave; brother Ray Desmarais; brother Paul Desmarais and his wife, Julie; 5 grandchildren, Kylie, KC, Bella, Byron and Cameron; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members and beloved friends.

An open house style memorial gathering and time of remembrance will be held Sunday, December 9th 12-4pm at East Colony Fine Art, 55 South Commercial Street in Manchester.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Don's memory be made to the Currier Museum of Art online at www.currier.org or to NH FAPA, PO Box 3572, Concord, NH 03301 for the purpose of supplying NH foster and adoptive children with an introduction to art through the purchase and distribution of art supplies.