James W. Maben of Brookline, NH, passed away peacefully at his home on March 23, 2022, surrounded by his loved ones. The world has lost a great man.

Jim was born on April 19, 1935 in the Catskill Mountains of New York, to Helen and Winfield Maben, where he spent a blissful childhood on their dairy farm in Windham, NY. After graduating from WAJ Central School in Windham, he went on to study Electrical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree. He was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.

His outstanding engineering career began at Bendix Radio, in Baltimore where he worked on the ARC-45 used in the Korean War. After that, he came to New Hampshire to work for Sanders Associates until he retired. The high points of his career were working on the YF-22 and the Raptor’s EW radio at Sander’s Lockheed. He was awarded the Engineering Fellowship for his excellent work.

In his spare time, Jim was an outdoorsman. He enjoyed camping and hiking, woodworking, gardening, as well as hunting and fishing. He was an NRA Instructor for over 25 years. Papa was the smartest man that we ever knew. He always had an answer, or a sage question that would help you find your own answer. He loved to share his wonderful stories of growing up on the farm, about the trials and tribulations of farm life, about the simple pleasures, and about what hard work was really like.

Jim was married 65 years to the love of his life, and high school sweetheart, Suzanne G. Maben, who recently passed away in November, 2021. He was predeceased by his parents, Helen and Winfield Maben of Windham, NY, his granddaughter, Amber Lea Carter of Brookline, NH, and his brother, Charles Maben of Oneonta, NY.

Jim is survived by his sister, Mary Snyder of Aiken, South Carolina, as well as his three loving daughters: Deborah Calkin and her partner, Dan Sullivan of Antrim, Pamela Blais and her husband, Dan Blais of Francestown, NH, and Bonnie Partridge of Peterborough, NH. Papa leaves behind six adoring grandchildren: Tyler Calkin of Wilton, NH, Abbey Reville and her partner, Rick Williams of Brookline, NH, Cody Partridge of Mason, NH, Max Calkin of Brooklyn, NY, Dylan Maben and his wife, Maggie Maben of Antrim, NH, and Sawyer Partridge of Peterborough, NH, as well as great-grandchildren: Ryder, Ayla, Xandria, Cooper, and several nieces and nephews.

There will be no calling hours and services will be private. The family requests that memorial donations in his memory be made to Home Health and Hospice Care of Merrimack, NH. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com