Anita Maria Conant

Hampton Falls - Anita Maria Conant, 64, of Hampton Falls, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep after a short illness. She was born in Keene, NH on April 15, 1958, to Phyllis M. Suleski (Lyman) and Daniel C. Suleski and grew up in Downingtown, PA. She married James E. Conant, of Winchester, NH, on October 7, 1978. Together they lovingly raised three children, Todd, Sean, and Ashley. Anita was always a hard worker, even as a young employee at Pepperidge Farm. In the late 1980s she began a career at the USPS and worked her way up the ranks to become Postmaster of Newcastle, NH. She had a wicked sense of humor and a love of sun-bathing. She wasn’t a fan of camping, but she enjoyed many trips with Jim to the beaches (and bars) of Mexico, Key West, Barbados, and Aruba. Her favorite food was Mexican, Indian, and anything with squash. She made the best cheesecakes and she always enjoyed listening to music, especially Whitney Houston, Patsy Cline, and Glen Campbell. Although not musical herself, she once landed a radio appearance by way of another talent. In 2005 Anita was in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down, unable to speak and requiring a ventilator to breath. It was a heavy cross to bear, and she did it with dignity and a certain kind of grace that is hard to comprehend. She never gave up, or in, and she carried that cross through incredible trial and tribulation for nearly 18 years. Despite her injury, Anita learned a new system for communication, and she continued to live a fun and fulfilling life which included motorhome trips to Clearwater, many Phillies spring training games, lunch at Paula Deen’s restaurant in Savannah, Penn State football games, college bowl games in Orlando, NASA space shuttle launches, visiting family in Pennsylvania, bringing her 86-year-old Mom to her first game at Fenway, and many lunches and dinners with friends and family. Anita had the sweetest smile and the longest legs, and she will be remembered as a dedicated and loving mother, wife, daughter, sister, and grandmother. She will also be remembered for her generous (and often anonymous) local and national philanthropy. She is survived by her husband, Jim; a son, Todd; a son, Sean, and his fiancé, Logan; a daughter, Ashley, and her husband, Tom; grandchildren Tristan, Ellie, and Owen; her mother, Phyllis; four sisters, Gloria, Sheila, Cindy, and Donna; many cousins, nieces, and nephews; and a dear family friend, Mrs Billie. She was predeceased by her father, Daniel; beloved pet dogs Robbie, Sandy, and Buster; and acquaintances Paul Sheldon and PFC William Santiago. A public (informal) celebration of life will take place Saturday, December 17, from 1-5pm, at the First Baptist Church in Hampton Falls. A private burial will follow, at Oak Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Anita’s family kindly requests donations be made to the Hampton Falls Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., 3 Drinkwater Road, Hampton Falls, NH 03844 whose volunteers compassionately assisted Anita over the years.

Anita Maria Conant

April 15, 1958 - December 8, 2022