Groton, VT Harold Bruce Puffer, 71, of Little Italy Road, died, September 23, 2008, at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. He was born in Woodsville, NH on July 7, 1937, a son of Lorimer and Alice (Welch) Puffer. Harold graduated from Groton High School, Class of 1955. He married Janet Helen Benzie on June 13, 1959. He served with the Vermont National guard for several years and graduated from the Vermont Military Academy in 1970. He started with the Modern Woodmen Agency in 1969 as a sales representative. In 1976 with his two brothers Gordon and Gene they established Puffer Brother s Broadcasting and WYKR Radio in Wells River. He returned to Modern Woodmen in 1979 and became Agency Manager for Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont Modern Woodmen of America from 1981 to 2001. Harold was the former Fire Chief of Groton, Groton Civil Defense Coordinator and recently served on the Planning Commission. He was also a former Trustee of Cottage Hospital and Director of Caledonia Home Health. He enjoyed carving, building ponds, and Sunday dinner with the family. His love for the Lord made him the encourager he was. Harold was proud of his Groton roots, Where a small town is like a large family. In the passing of Harold, Groton feels the loss of one more respected and helpful citizen. Harold was predeceased by a son Mark Stevenson Puffer, on October 9, 1965 Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Janet Helen (Benzie) Puffer of Groton; three sons Nathan Puffer and wife Merry (Kinder) of Groton, David Puffer and wife Maria (Trombley) of Mount Pleasant, SC, and Matthew Puffer and wife Tracy (Emerson) of Groton; 6 granddaughters; 2 grandsons; two brother, Gordon Puffer and wife Maureen of Mildenhall, England and Eugene Puffer and wife Clara of Monroe, NH, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Calling hours will be on Sunday, September 28th, from 3 to 5 PM at Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch Street, Woodsville, NH. The funeral service will be on Monday, September 29th, at 1 PM in the Groton United Methodist Church, with Pastor Candace Ricker and Pastor Dennis Walton, of the First Baptist Church of Groton. Burial will follow in the Groton Village Cemetery (New Section), with Rev. Barbara Dwyer officiating. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Groton United Methodist Church, Scott Memorial Highway, Groton, VT 05046, The First Baptist Church of Groton, PO Box 128, Groton, VT, 05046, Groton Historical Society, C/O Diane Kriess, Groton, VT, 05046 or Groton Food Shelf, C/O Linda Nunn, Groton, VT, 05046.