Joseph "Joe" Omer Boucher

Joseph “Joe” Omer Boucher of Pembroke, New Hampshire passed away peacefully after a sudden illness on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at the age of 76.

Joe was born on Friday, September 24, 1948 to the late Robert Boucher and Pauline (Vallieres) Boucher of Merrimac, Massachusetts. Joe had two younger brothers growing up, his brother Leon and his brother Arnold. The Boucher homestead on Nichols Street was a farm, which Joe would remember fondly. He spoke of troublesome goats, stealing salt licks from horses, and relaxing with Cows in the barn. Maybe most significantly he would recall his beloved Dalmation “Miss Chris”, who was well behaved, shared Joe’s bed, and enjoyed running alongside Joe as he rode his bike.

In the early days of the United States’ direct involvement in the Vietnam War, Joe decided to enlist in the United States Navy in 1965. During his service he spent time in places such as San Francisco, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Tokyo, the Philippines, and Vietnam, among others. He performed culinary duties at his base in California before being assigned to his ship. The bulk of his active service was aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64) where he worked as a Boatswain’s Mate. In Vietnam he was a Small Boat Operator and performed dangerous missions in places such as (but not limited to) Da Nang and the Mekong River Delta. At some point during his duty in Da Nang, Joe was injured on his leg by a phosphorus grenade and wore that scar, in addition to others, for the rest of his life. Joe’s fondest memories from his time in South East Asia were of the Philippines, where his ship was stationed. He made friends and even found love during that time, which were positives in an otherwise tragic period of his life. Though Joe seemed mostly proud of his military service, he didn’t talk much about his grimmer experiences, choosing to instead spare others from the horrors he witnessed.

Later in life, from about 1999 to 2009 Joe volunteered with his sons, his good friend Steve Singlar (of Hewlett Packard), and many veterans and volunteers on the United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum known as the USS Salem (CA-139). “The Salem” to this day is an operating museum on a Navy Heavy Cruiser docked in Quincy, Massachusetts. He helped with all manner of things and used his lifelong experience to restore, paint, and clean anything and everything to help the Navy relic be a better place for people to witness and learn about Navy history.

Plum Island was a special place for Joe throughout his life. He would bike there from home as a kid with friends, and for a time, the family had property there that they would visit often. Joe would dig for clams and surfcast, or just enjoy the tidepools and the water. Even after Joe grew up he would go back and see the island again from time to time. Plum island was such a significant place for Joe he decided to ask his wife Karen to marry him there.

Joe met Karen when he started working for Western Electric in the 1970s and Karen’s mom, Helen, was even their supervisor. When Western Electric was closed, all three were able to continue working together at Hewlett Packard. Early on in their relationship they’d enjoy drive-in movies, yard sales, and trips to the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They married and had two sons, Bryan in 1981 and Bryce in 1984. They moved to Pembroke, New Hampshire to a newly built house in 1987 where Joe would live for the rest of his life. Karen Ann (Gordon) Boucher unfortunately passed away in 1995 from a sudden and unexpected illness. After this tragic event, Joe made it his life’s work to do anything and everything for his two sons. He encouraged their interests and did his best to fill the large space Karen left behind. Joe never remarried, and it appears he never considered courting anyone else. Karen was the love of Joe’s life.

Joe was able to retire from his job at Hewlett Packard (now Phillips) of Andover, Massachusetts after working there for 37 years. He spent the last 12 years of his life enjoying his house, maintaining the property, and caring for his cats. He’d take occasional trips to the ocean or the mountains, each just a short drive away from his home. Joe continued to collect coins (as he did his whole life), barter in junk and antiques at flea markets and yard sales, and cultivate plants and flowers in his yard. The animals around his house were always kept fat and happy, and he enjoyed every bird, chipmunk, and squirrel that stopped by. He always continued to support and encourage his family, and friends closest to him.

Joe was a strong yet soft spoken man - a “live and let live” kinda guy. He loved his family, he loved his friends, and he loved his cats. He soaked in the beauty of the world around him, especially the mountains and the ocean of the places he grew up and lived. Joe’s life was filled with hurt and loss but he somehow still managed to be the kindest and most loving person you could meet.

Joe is survived by his son Bryan Joseph Boucher and his wife Emily, and his son Bryce Ian Boucher and his partner (and friend of Joe) Katie; his brothers, Leon Boucher and his wife Diane, and Arnold Boucher and his wife Barbara; his nephews, Kyle Boucher and his wife Sarah and their son Quincy, Garrett Boucher and his partner Katie, Peter Gordon, and Jacob Gordon and his partner Leilani, along with his brother-in-law, Jim Gordon and his wife Hilary.

A Graveside Service will be held for Joe on Friday, June 6, 2025 at 11 A.M. at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 892 Hilldale Avenue, Haverhill, Massachusetts, near where he grew up, and will be laid to eternal rest next to his beloved wife, Karen. Arrangements were made by Paul C. Rogers Family Funeral Home, 36 West Main Street, Merrimac, MA 01860.