Edward C. Stead

North Hampton - Edward Charles Stead, 75, of North Hampton, died peacefully after a lengthy illness on Friday, June 9, 2017 at Clipper Harbor in Portsmouth. He was born in Lynn, MA on November 19, 1941 a son of the late Prince E. Stead and Bertha (Midgley) Pote. Raised in Lynn, he graduated from Lynn Classical High School with the Class of 1959 and went on to proudly serve in the U.S. Navy for three years. He had a lifetime love of avionics, making it his career with the establishment and propriety of Stead Aviation at Manchester Airport from 1970 until his retirement in 1997. He was a member of various organizations such as Quiet Birdmen Club of NH, Aviation Museum of NH, Classic Jet Aircraft Association, AERO Club of New England, Yankee Chapter Pontiac Club. He was one of the founders of the Quiet Birdmen Club of Manchester, NH and helped to organize the N.E. Escadrille Airshows at the Manchester Airport. Ed or Ned to his family was a talented aircraft and automobile mechanic, restoring military aircraft and a collection of classic American cars to his own meticulous degree. He was a carpenter and electrician, building two homes for his family during his “spare time” away from his business. Ned was a lover of military history and most likely watched every WWII documentary known to man, in spite of being foretold that the ending was always the same. In his later years, he became a model train enthusiast and was a member of the Bristol S Gauge Model Train Club. He is survived by his loving wife Roberta Messina Nicholson Stead of North Hampton; son Douglas E. Stead of Manchester; daughter Heather E. Driscoll and her husband John P. Driscoll Jr. of Lynnfield, MA; sister Darlene Ferragamo of Milford; aunt Evelyn Stead McAloon of Mashpee, MA; sister-in-law Patty Stead of FL; three sons by marriage, Thomas Nicholson and his wife Jen of San Jose, CA, John Nicholson and his wife Donna of Pembroke and Philip Nicholson and his companion Jenny Leary of Wilmot; grandchildren Sarah Nicholson, J.J. Driscoll, Danielle Smith, Taylor Smith, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his brother Robert Stead of Florida. Visiting hours will be held from 5 to 8 PM on Monday, June 12, 2017 in the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. Services will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 in the Trinity Episcopal Church, 200 High Street, Hampton, NH 03842. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011 or Aviation Museum of NH, 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, NH 03053. Please visit www.RemickGendron.com to view Ned’s memorial website, sign his tribute wall or for directions.

Edward C. Stead

November 19, 1941 - June 9, 2017