Hope Westcott Burnett, 96, resident of Peterborough, NH, former longtime resident of Milford, died peacefully on Friday, March 1, 2024, at the RiverMead Retirement Community in Peterborough, NH.

She was born on October 16, 1927, in Rehoboth, MA, a daughter of the late Kenneth and Madelin (Goff) Westcott.

Hope was raised and educated in Rehoboth and graduated from Dighton High School Class of 1946. She went on to be the first in her family to attend college, graduating from UMASS Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950.

That same year she married her high school sweetheart, Archie C. Burnett III, and together made their home first in Rehoboth, MA and later in Milford, NH, raising their family of 4 children and running their business, Milford Ford. In addition to raising her 4 kids, Hope took care of the household, the cooking, and their gardens.

She studied at The Rhode Island School of Design and enjoyed painting, furniture restoration, chair seat caning, and stenciling. As active members of the West Dighton Congregational Church, Hope and Archie worked tirelessly with friends and family members on Church holidays, Church events such as Clam Bakes, Harvest Suppers, Easter Breakfasts, as well as orchestrating the yearly Christmas Bazaar for many years – which drew shoppers from near and far and was praised in the Providence Journal. An avid gardener, Hope also arranged the Sunday and holiday flowers for the church altar.

She enjoyed gardening, skiing, tennis, and spending many summers up on Lockes Island on Lake Winnipesaukee with her 4 kids, and later at their cottage on Cape Cod. She was a good friend and tennis partner to many at Hampshire Hills, and always had an encouraging and kind word for all.

Throughout their marriage, Hope and Archie traveled a great deal, going on fabulous trips around the world that Archie won through his Ford dealership. In later years they spent the month of February each year in St. Maarten, enjoying the beaches and the warm sea air.

In addition to her parents, Hope was predeceased by her husband, Archie, her grandson Andrew, and her siblings, Howard, Kenneth, and Judith.

Survivors include her children, Candace Burnett of New York, NY, Sherry Young and her husband Gary of Concord, NH, Jeffrey Burnett and his wife Nicole of Kittery, ME, Bonnie Burnett and her partner, Eric Matson of Sharon, NH, her sister, Lois Johnson of Rehoboth, MA, and six grandchildren (Cooper, Garrett, Julia, Val, Lani, and Jared) and 10 great-grandchildren (Sophie, David, Wilde, Winnie, Maddie, Hazel, Bay, Tenny, Wes and Malcolm). We will all so miss Mom/Grandma/Great-Grandma’s warm smile and kind words. But she’d be the first to say she had a long and wonderful life.

SERVICES: In accordance with her wishes, services will be held privately. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

Arrangements are in the care of the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH 03055. To share a memory or offer a condolence please visit www.smith-heald.com for more information.