SHELBURNE, N.H. – John C. Gunther, 68, passed on at his and his wife, Peggy’s home on North Road, Shelburne, N.H., on Saturday, Oct. 18, surrounded by his family and friends. He fought a courageous, year-long battle with cancer.

John was born on July 31, 1940, in Bethel to Frances Ellen Bean Gunther and Hoyt W. Gunther. He grew up in Bethel, attending local schools, and graduated from Stephens High School in Rumford in 1958. Upon graduation, he started working for Oxford Paper Co. and during those years married Jacqueline Lambert. They had two beautiful daughters, Sherri Moore of Lovell, and Julie Kimball of Bethel. They have five grandchildren, Brandon, Dan and Travis Moore, Ryan Kimball and Andrea Gunther.

John worked in many paper mills and also for several construction companies in the Northeast over the years, and collected more friends than you could possibly imagine. It seems that everyone knew him. He snow machined, and had several different boats through out his life. He and his wife, Peg, loved to blue fish on the coast of Maine.

John had his own airplane and could relate many interesting tales about his flying experiences and so could those who flew with him. But his great love was motorcycling with his wife, his brother Howard, their friends, Darryl and Annie, plus so many other biking buddies. They have many happy excursions to remember. He got his first motorcycle as a teenager and has had one ever since.

He loved all animals and especially enjoyed horseback riding with his friends down in Florida and working with his good friends, “Doc” and Tom. John enjoyed the great outdoors and was very knowledgeable about wildlife. If John knew a friend needed help he was right there, but he would as readily help a stranger in need and by the time the problem was solved he had gained another friend. There wasn’t much he couldn’t fix or build. He had a way about him. He was larger than life and filled a room with his presence. He will be sadly missed, but now he’s off to enjoy new adventures.

Besides his wife, children and grandchildren, he is survived by his sister, Patricia Gunther Carter, and brother-in-law, Ted, and his brother, Howard Gunther; brothers-in-law, Lee Lepage, John Lepage and John’s wife, Joann; sister-in-law, Jeanne Etta, and husband Greg, and father-in-law, Lionel Lepage; two aunts, Jane Young and Ruth Bean of Bethel; and many fun-loving cousins.

His grandchildren, nieces and nephews will miss John’s teasing for he loved all the young people of his family and loved to tease. He’d also speak to them if he felt they needed some guidance, and that wasn’t always welcomed.

John is also survived by many close friends stretching from New England to Florida, and as far away as Las Vegas. Some of his closest friends are sitting at the Quick Stop in Gorham, N.H. He would want them and all who knew him to remember all the great times they’ve enjoyed, all the laughter, and to keep right on enjoying every minute of life for it’s made to enjoy and life is very precious. He’s said many times, “I’ve really lived my life and enjoyed it to the full!” He’d want us to do the same.