Carole McGee Merrifield

EXETER, N.H. – Carole McGee Merrifield of Exeter, N.H., formerly of Lexington, Mass., beloved wife of John F. Merrifield, died Nov. 22, 2025. Born April 25, 1936, in Auburn, Carole was the daughter of the late Frederick R. and Ora Bridgham McGee, and was predeceased by her sister, Lois McGee Gutmann. She is survived by stepdaughter, Martha Merrifield Martin and her husband Wes, of Sedgwick, and stepson, Benjamin Merrifield and his wife Sarah, of Olympia, Wash. She is also survived by grandchildren Luke Martin and wife Nina, Matthew Martin and fiancé Hanna, Anna and George Merrifield, great granddaughter Andie Martin, and niece Cynthia G. Morgan. Carole was a graduate of New England Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Boston College, and was certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Nursing. Carole’s career spanned over three decades, including Shriner’s Burn Center, Mass Mental Health, Emerson Hospital, Marlboro Hospital, and Tufts Health. In retirement, Carole and John traveled to Italy, Greece, London, Oaxaca, Paris, as well as embarking upon several white-water canoe trips. She was a Plant conservation volunteer for the New England Wildflower Society. She and her husband John spent many happy years in Maine, in Liberty on Cargill Pond, and in Jackson, tending the Merrifield Tree Farm. Carole’s interests also included gardening, wildflowers, birding, and photography. A memorial service will be held at River Woods in Exeter, N.H., in January, 2026 at the Great Room at Riverwoods at Exeter, 7 Riverwoods Dr., Exeter, N.H., on Jan. 6, 2026 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Carole’s memory may be made to the New England Wildflower Society (Native Plant Trust), 180 Hemenway Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/support or River Woods at Exeter, F/B/O The Benevolent Fund, 7 Riverwoods Dr. Exeter, NH 03833 at https://riverwoodsnh.org/twenty-years-of-charitable-fundraising-at-riverwoods-exeter/.