William Frederick Moody

Wolfeboro, NH-- William Frederick Moody, 90, of Santis Way, died April 19, 2012 at Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro after a brief period of failing health. Mr. Moody was born in Taunton, MA, December 12, 1921, son of the late Frederick Leslie and Anna (Plumstead) Moody, and grew up in Exeter, NH, attending local schools, and Tilton Preparatory School. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire, and married Janet Swift of Wolfeboro, also a graduate of UNH, in 1949. He owned and operated Moody’s Store in Exeter, NH, for many years, retiring in1986 and moving with his wife to their summer home on Lake Wentworth. They spent winters in North Conway, Intervale, and Bethlehem, NH, so he could spend his free time skiing, a sport he had learned in his teens and pursued avidly until he was 87 years old. Bill taught for Hannes Schneider at his pioneering ski school at Mt. Cranmore in North Conway starting in 1942-43, and he cherished the many close friends he made during those early years of skiing history and throughout his long life. Bill and his wife were among the original lifetime pass holders at Wildcat Mountain, and for many years also skied regularly at Bretton Woods. He is fondly remembered by many Exeter area residents who purchased shoes and men’s and boy’s clothing at his store on Water Street, a business that was begun by his father. During his Exeter years, he was a member of the Exeter Country Club. In Wolfeboro, he was a member of the Kingswood Country Club and the Lake Wentworth Association. He took up sailing when his family was young, and owned a succession of catamarans which he occasionally skippered to victory in annual Lake Wentworth Association Regattas. Ever the athlete and outdoor enthusiast, he passed along to his children, by example and encouragement, the pure pleasure and satisfaction of making play as important a part of life as work. He was a devoted Red Sox and Patriots fan, but above all he cherished his family and the many happy times they shared at Lake Wentworth and on the ski slopes. He will be remembered for his kind and gentle nature, his sense of humor, and his fondness for ice cream and homemade desserts. Survivors include his wife Janet (Swift) Moody of Wolfeboro; son Fred and his wife Betty Jean Moody of Easton, NH; and two daughters, Carol and her husband Steve Bush of Mirror Lake, NH; and Maggie Stier of Wolfeboro, NH. He also leaves a sister, Olive Robinson of Durham, NH; grandchildren Sam Moody, Polly and Jon Bush, and Sophie and Hannah Stier; one great grandson; and several nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. The Baker-Gagne Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Wolfeboro is assisting the family with the arrangements.