Edith Collishaw

Edith Collishaw (Wolfenden), 88, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, December 1, 2023, at Bedford Nursing and Rehabilitation Center with her son Michael and daughter-in-law Elena at her side.

Edith was born on September 9, 1935, in Franklin, NH, to Charles Wolfenden and Vera (Gilmore) Wolfenden. Edith grew up in Concord, NH, until her parents moved to Boston, MA, to serve in the Christian Science Church. She graduated from Newton High School in 1953 and worked as a telephone operator in Harwich, MA. She returned to Concord to work as a seamstress at Pleasant View Nursing Home, where she met her first husband.

While married, Edith lived in Durham, NH, Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH, and Mahomet, IL, where she raised her sons and devoted her free time to several theatre groups as an actress, set and costume designer. She became a local celebrity in Louisville when she designed the costume and starred as the mermaid in the local King Fish Restaurant commercial. 

Edith lived in Beaufort, SC, and Dighton, MA, to help raise her grandchildren. While in Dighton, Edith was proud of her work at the local senior center, as her devotion to caring and helping others started at a very young age when her parents owned a nursing home in Concord. She was baptized and an active member of the West Dighton Christian Church. 

Edith moved to Amherst, NH, in 2012 with Michael when she could no longer live independently. In 2014, she moved to Manchester, NH, with Michael and Elena, where she lovingly welcomed their blended family. Edith became a resident of BNRC in 2020, quickly made friends, and, along with her family, always appreciated the kindness, love, and care she received. 

Edith's fondest memories included traveling with her father to England post-WWII to visit his family and the two years she spent in Sardinia, Italy, caring for her grandchildren while their parents served in the military. 

Edith was an avid reader and loved to cook, quilt, and sew. She had an extensive recipe collection and was best known for sharing an assortment of homemade cookies, most notably almond crescent, with friends and family during the holidays. She always greeted you with a smile, enjoyed a good laugh, and had a matter-of-fact way of telling you "how it is." When speaking to her, she listened intently and knew how to make you feel like you were her only priority. Yellow was her favorite color because it was "bright and cheery," which was the essence she brought to those around her. 

Edith is survived by her children, Charles Collishaw and his wife, Mary of Caribou, ME, and Michael Collishaw and his wife, Elena of Auburn, NH. She leaves behind two grandchildren, Kathleen Collishaw and Ian Collishaw; step-grandchildren, Samantha Chouinard, Miceala Boie, Kerry Henault, and Stephan Chouinard; and her former spouse and his wife, Anslie and Naomi Collishaw of Nashua, NH.  

SERVICES: A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, December 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM at the Cremation Society of NH, 243 Hanover Street, in Manchester. A Celebration of Life will follow at 11:00 AM in the funeral home chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Animal Rescue League of NH, as Edith loved her Siamese cat, who accompanied her for over 17 years.

Cremation Society of NH is assisting the family with arrangements. To view an online memorial, leave a message of condolence, or for more information please go to https://csnh.com/