Gordon Dickinson Estabrook

Rindge
 GORDON DICKINSON ESTABROOK, 93, formerly of Wellington Road in Rindge, died peacefully Sunday August 3, 2008 at RiverMead Health Center in Peterborough, following a period of declining health.
He was born April 4, 1915 in St. Johnsbury VT, son of the late Frederick Alanson and Florence Marcia (Dickinson) Estabrook.
He graduated in 1932 from North Hampton (MA) High School, in 1933 from Northfield (MA) Mount Hermon School and in 1938 from Colgate University, Hamilton, NY with a major in Psychology.
 
In December of 1941 he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for the next twenty-two years, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel. He served in the European Theater, stationed in Northern Italy.
 Mr. Estabrook was the first to devise a system to modify FM radios, installed in aircraft, to permit air to ground communications for General George Pattens tanks. He was stationed at Wiesbaden during the occupation of Germany and participated with radio aids to navigation during the Berlin Airlift.
During his tours of duty, he had been stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia as well as in Maine, South Dakota, New York, Florida, California, Texas, North Carolina, Alabama and Canada.
 He was a member of American Legion Post #220.
 
Upon retiring from the military in 1963 he returned to school and earned his Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1965.
He joined the faculty at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge NH where he later became Academic Dean and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1975.
He then taught computer technicians at Mt. Wachusett Community College in Gardner and also at Digital Corp from 1975 until 1980.
He continued teaching part time at Conant High School in Jaffrey, ConVal Regional High School in Peterborough and at Murdock High School in Winchendon MA.
 
Mr. Estabrook was a member of the Lake Monomonock Sailing Association, the National Ski Patrol and also the Mt. Monadnock Rescue Team. He was a volunteer driver for senior citizens in the Monadnock area, enabling them to make doctors appointments well as grocery shopping.
 
He played the snare drum for the Temple Band and together with his wife, had marched down Constitution Avenue in Washington DC, on the Fourth of July in 1983 and again in 1993.
 
His wife of sixty years Alma Boyden Estabrook died January 7, 2002.
 
Family members include two daughters, Donna B. Estabrook of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Marcia L. Estabrook of Dedham MA; three sons George F. Estabrook of Ann Arbor, Gordon D. Estabrook Jr of Sharon NH and Carl B. Estabrook of Thetford, VT; seven grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Jaffrey-Rindge Memorial Ambulance, P.O. Box 107, Jaffrey NH 03452 or to the Monadnock Humane Society, P.O. Box 678 West Swanzey NH 03469 or to the Salvation Army, 15 Roxbury Plaza, Keene NH 03431.

As per his requests, there will be no calling hours.

A private memorial gathering is planned and burial with full military honors, will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA  at a later date.