Howard Tredennick Oedel

HEBRON --- Howard T. Oedel, 103, passed away on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, peacefully at his home in Hebron, New Hampshire.

Born in 1921 in Roslindale, Massachusetts, and raised in Wellesley, Howard earned a BA from Harvard in 1943. The day after graduation, he married Carolyn Townsend, his friend since fifth grade, and within weeks he was deployed as Lieutenant JG on the USS Massachusetts. The battleship engaged in the battles of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa and the final bombardment of Japan.

Howard earned the MA in Teaching from Harvard in 1947 and the PhD in American history from Boston University in 1960; his dissertation on colonial Portsmouth, New Hampshire, remains a vital resource. He taught at Southern Connecticut State University for twenty years, received the Distinguished Teacher Award from the State, and led the historical society of Cheshire, where he resided. Upon retirement, he moved to the 1782 farmhouse in Hebron that had been the family’s country home for decades.

Howard’s deep interest in history generated many lifelong pursuits, including photography, national and worldwide travel, and collecting antiques. He made a particular study of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, whose integrity and humanity fascinated him. Howard joined the Lincoln Group of Boston in 1952 and amassed a significant collection of Lincoln materials. In 1957 he cofounded the New Hampshire Antiques Dealers Association and organized the first of its annual shows; exhibiting at every show through 2011 and continued to deal in antiques beyond his centennial year. He also cofounded the Hebron Historical Society in 1982 and served as president and board member for many years.

Howard welcomed each day with purpose and good cheer. He cherished social interactions; he had the storyteller’s curiosity and gift of gab, an infectious sense of humor, and an enthusiasm for passing encounters. He was a generous person, committed to helping those in need. The natural beauty of New Hampshire captivated him even as a child, when his father introduced him to the hiking and skiing adventures in the White Mountains that he enjoyed throughout his active life. He maintained large vegetable, berry, and flower gardens, fruit trees, and a challenging ski slope on his property.

Howard was predeceased by Carolyn, his wife of 61 years. He is survived by his brother, Herbert of North Andover, Massachusetts; his daughter, Elyn (George) Pardee of Clearwater, Florida; his son, William (Penney) Oedel of Leverett, Massachusetts; four grandchildren, Nicholas Pardee of Mansfield, Ohio, William Pardee of Jacksonville, Florida, Elizabeth Oedel of Deerfield, Massachusetts, and Andrew Oedel of Hadley, Massachusetts; and his great-granddaughter Lucia Oedel of Hadley.

A memorial service will be held at the Union Congregational Church in Hebron on Saturday, June 21, at 11:00, followed by military honors and a reception.

Arrangements are under the care of Mayhew Funeral Homes and Crematorium. To sign the online book of memories, please go to mayhewfuneralhomes.com.