Bette Jean Lessard

Hampton - Bette Jean (Fogg) Lessard, 74, of Hampton, passed away January 23, 2024, at Portsmouth Hospital after suffering a stroke. Bette, known as Bette Boop or "Boopa" by family and friends, is the daughter of the late Carroll M and Shirley E (Prince) Fogg and was born in Manchester, NH on March 6, 1949. She spent her childhood in the Fogg/Moulton home on Atlantic Avenue in North Hampton, NH and at the family camp in Ossipee, where she loved to water ski. She was active in the Congregational Church and Girl Scouts, was also a counselor at Camp Farnsworth, and was an excellent bowler, winning the NH Amateur Championship. After graduating from Winnacunnet High School, she worked her way up from telephone operator to supervisor of the WATS system for New England Telephone, retiring after 30 years of dedicated service. She married John "Jack" Lessard in 1988 and after retiring from NET worked with him to operate and eventually own Scott Pontiac in Hampton, where they were well known for taking extraordinarily good care of their customers. They also worked together on multiple real estate projects to support their charitable endeavors. Bette also worked hand in hand with Jack, known only as the "Teddy Bear Man", to donate thousands of teddy bears to children in hospitals in Boston, at Dartmouth in Lebanon, NH, and to any family with a need. She also supported and worked with Jack in a myriad of other charitable endeavors. The two of them were extremely generous and quietly helped many more people than will ever be known. Bette was very thoughtful and kind to all the children of several generations of her extended family and to the many friends she and Jack shared. She never forgot any of them and always remembered birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, holidays and special occasions. This was just a reflection of the dedicated, giving and caring couple she and Jack were. They were devoted to one another and did a tremendous amount of good together. Bette's dedicated care of Jack to allow him to stay in their home as long as possible was absolutely awesome. That's just who she was. In addition to her parents, Bette was predeceased by her husband of 32 years, John “Jack” Lessard. Surviving family members include her brother, Woodbury Fogg and his wife, Christine, of Belmont, NH; her stepdaughter, Kathleen 'Patty' Leary and grandchildren Christopher Leary and Abbygail Ritondale of Vermont; her niece, Betsy Casano and husband, Peter, of Morristown, NJ; her nephews, David Fogg of Enfield, NH, William Fogg and wife Paula of Ashland, NH, Russell Fogg and wife Sara of Franklin, NH; and many grand nieces and nephews. She will also be greatly missed by a number of really close friends, including 'Chuckie' Marsden, a trusted friend and neighbor who was like family to her and Jack, as well as by all who knew and loved her. We are all deeply appreciative of the compassionate care both Bette and Jack received from the dedicated staff of Benchmark at Rye. They could not have been in a better place. Visiting hours will be held from 5-7 PM on Monday, January 29th, 2024 at Remick and Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton, NH. Memorial Services will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, January 30th at the United Church of Christ, 295 Atlantic Avenue, North Hampton, NH, with burial to follow at High Street Cemetery in Hampton. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to the Salvation Army by clicking here. We encourage people to add a note for the contribution to go to the Hampton chapter in her name so it will be more likely the contributions help those in the Hampton area or to Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD) by clicking here or by check payable to CHaD/D-HH, with Bette's name on the memo line, and sent to Medical & Healthcare Advancement, Attn: Gift Recording, One Medical Center Drive, HB7070, Lebanon, NH 03756.

Bette Jean Lessard

March 6, 1949 - January 23, 2024