Michael A. Deschenes

NASHUA, NH - Michael, age 55, spiritual name River Waters, was born in Nashua, NH to Margaret and Andrew Deschenes. He attended Nashua Catholic Schools K-9th grade, and graduated from Nashua High School in 1984. He then attended New Hampton School as a post-graduate. Afterward, he attended Ithaca College, where he earned a BA in Philosophy in 1990. He received a MA in English at Rivier College in 1993. He also attended the Schools of Life, Love, Poverty, Poetry, Community and People.

Michael was a member of Nashua, Milford, and Concord Unitarian Universalist churches. He was employed by many Southern NH school districts. He worked as a lead residential counselor at Crotched Mountain School. Most recently, he was employed in the office of Rhymes and Irving Oil.

Michael resided in the Monadnock region, the home of his heart, from 2005 – 2018. The natural environment and communities resonated with him. He enjoyed outdoor activities like nature photography, hiking, swimming, kayaking, walking in the rain, gardening, mediation and yoga. He also enjoyed Kirtan devotional yogic chanting. He practiced Hatha, Kripalu and Kundalini yoga in Milford, Nashua and Peterborough. He enjoyed reading on many topics: news, poetry, philosophy, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, historical fiction, and literature. He enjoyed art in all its forms: visual, sculptural, literary, musical, movement, photography, film and architecture. He also enjoyed the history of world art and aesthetics.

Michael played basketball at Nashua High School, New Hampton School, and Ithaca College.

He voted with the heart, head, people and the Earth's health in mind. He enjoyed a good sunrise at Plum Island beach and finding a new swimming pond. He was a strong advocate for reading and libraries versus television. He was a seeker of the light within himself and others as seen through the photo lens and human eye --- Unitarian Universalist, Buddhist, and Yogi.

He was diagnosed with colon cancer in February of 2019 and chose quality of life over an altered being caused by more chemotherapy. After his diagnosis, he enjoyed 27 months of functional life, working at home during the pandemic for Irving Oil and Propane as a customer service representative.

Michael was predeceased by his father, Andrew “Dutch” Deschenes and his sister Christine Deschenes. He is survived by his mother, Margaret and his sisters Lori (Terry Gerlich), Susan (Fred Dyke) and Cathy (Stu Waddell), nephews Andrew and Daniel Waddell, nieces Katie Gerlich and Mary Gerlich Blake (James Blake), and great-niece Luna Nova Gerlich Blake as well as those along the way who became tribe mates.

Celebration of Michael’s Life will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Driscoll Funeral Home, Haverhill, MA. For guestbook, visit www.driscollcares.com

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