Robert N. Oxford, Jr.

Robert Newell Oxford Jr. "Bob" (88), who resided in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts during his lifetime, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at the N.H. Veterans Home in Tilton, New Hampshire after a long illness. He is survived by his sister, Carolyn Schneider of Andover, MA, and his three children, Robert E. Oxford, Douglas W. Oxford, and Allison O. Monbleau along with their respective spouses; Jill Oxford, Linda Oxford, and Ron Monbleau. Other family include grandson Mark Monbleau (with his spouse April Monbleau and their two children; Andrew and William), grandson Brandon Monbleau (with his wife Ninoshka Monbleau and their three children; Kairi, Carielea, and Sara), granddaughter Katherine Monbleau, granddaughter Heather Oxford, and grandson Michael Oxford. As the son of Robert N. Oxford Sr. and Margaret Danskin Oxford, Bob grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts (Class of 1949), attended Hebron Academy, and then graduated from Dartmouth College in 1954 with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Thayer School of Engineering. Bob then served as a Lieutenant in the Army as an instructor in the Ordinance School at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. While serving in the military, Bob met and married Allison Lea Bailey of Worcester, Massachusetts. Upon leaving the service, Bob lived in Wayland, Massachusetts working at Raytheon where he worked as a contracts administrator negotiating government contracts. In 1969 Bob and his family moved to Milford, NH. In 1974, after retiring from Raytheon, Bob joined his wife in ownership of "Impressions Pottery by Oxford" making handcrafted wildflower pottery, the basic technique of which they learned from Bill Vinton of Lovell, Maine. They continued enhancing the process with their unique style and innovative techniques. Their one-of-a-kind earthenware pottery was sold primarily from their retail shop and studio in Milford, New Hampshire, what was then known as "Kezar Lake Handcrafts", as well as many craft shows throughout New England and the Northeast. As the son-in-law of Albert "Al" and Elizabeth Allison Bailey "Lea", Bob enjoyed many years of spending time at their camp on Rattlesnake Island on Kezar Lake in Lovell, Maine, eventually becoming the owner of that camp upon the passing of his mother-in-law (Elizabeth Bailey), and his wife (Allison Bailey Oxford) in 1990. Bob loved Lovell and Kezar Lake from the moment he laid eyes on them. He and his family spent yearly vacations and many weekends each summer on the island, even braving the winter weather a couple of times to come up to the camp. You could often see him fishing from the Boston Whaler, or his white Old Town canoe, in the Upper Bay. In his later years, he became quite a bass fisherman. He was able to come up one last time this past summer, sit on the front porch, and enjoy some time with his family. After the passing of his wife Allison in 1990, and retiring from the pottery business in 2000, he moved from Milford, New Hampshire to the Locke Lake community in Center Barnstead, NH where, also on a lake, he enjoyed fishing canoeing, frequent visits from his family, and trips to the family summer home in North Lovell, Maine. In 2011, Bob moved to Florida to live with daughter Allison and her family where he enjoyed spending time participating in family activities. In 2015, due to failing health, Bob moved back to New Hampshire and lived with his son and daughter-in-law (Rob and Jill) and enjoyed travelling with them to various National Parks. Eventually Bob moved into Golden Crest Senior Community (assisted living) and ultimately transitioned to the NH Veterans Home. The family will be holding a graveside service at the North Lovell, Maine cemetery at a later date. If you would like to remember Bob with a donation, the family suggests donating, in Bob's memory, to the NHVH Resident Benefit Fund c/o NH Veterans Home, 139 Winter Street, Tilton, NH 03276. Additional information about donating can be found at: https://www.nh.gov/veterans/support

Robert N. Oxford, Jr.

December 4, 2019