Three local libraries are about to receive nearly $400,000 in combined donations from a Henniker woman who died last year.

In her will, Ann Soderstrom, who was 78 when she died last August, divided her estate three ways between the Penacook branch of the Concord Public Library, Hillsboro's Fuller Public Library and the Tucker Free Library in Henniker. The Penacook and Hillsboro facilities will each receive about $95,000, while the Henniker library will collect nearly $190,000.

Patty Osgood, chairwoman of the board of trustees at the Tucker Free Library, said yesterday that Soderstrom was a frequent library patron, visiting at least once a week while her health still allowed it. When she became ill, Osgood said the library delivered books to Soderstrom's home.

"She was a very good friend to our library," Osgood said, adding that Soderstrom's gift was the largest given to the library in at least a decade. "She loved libraries."

Because the donation is an amount over $5,000, the trustees must hold a public hearing and vote to accept it. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6, Osgood said, and if the gift is approved, the trustees will then decide what to do with the money.

"The trustees haven't had a chance to have thoughtful discussion on what it might be used for," she said. "I don't think there's a library around that couldn't use such a generous gift."

Neighbors and friends described Soderstrom as a very private person who loved painting portraits and sewing. She grew up in the Penacook area, then moved to Canada for a period of time to build sailboats. She was married and has a daughter who lives in Canada, but the two weren't on speaking terms when Soderstrom died, friends said.

"She didn't talk about her own life very much, and if you asked her anything, you didn't get very far," said friend Mary Ann Douglas, 83. "She didn't want any publicity of any kind. She didn't even want an obit in the paper."

Soderstrom moved from Canada to her parents' Henniker home in the mid-1970s, Douglas recalled. All three were avid readers and frequently visited each of the libraries Soderstrom left money to.

"I think they maybe used all the books that all those libraries had to offer," Douglas said.

Betsy Davis, who lived down the street from Soderstrom, described her neighbor as a creative soul with a rigid taste in fashion and decor. She made her own dresses, hats and pantsuits, Davis remembered, and any requests from her family would be tailored exactly to Soderstrom's liking.

Years after Davis and her family moved in across the street, they painted their white colonial house and barn to a shade of mulberry, she said.

"Ann was so angry. She stormed down to tell us how ugly it was and complained for months that we had ruined an old New England house," Davis said while laughing. "The artist in her was so hugely offended by the color of our house."

Patricia Immen, director of the Concord Public Library, said while she didn't know Soderstrom personally, the library was very grateful for its gift. The Penacook branch was nearly shut down this year due to budget cuts, and this money will be placed in a trust account for future use.

"There are no plans now to use those funds, but they will certainly be a wonderful resource in the future for improvements at the Penacook library," Immen said. "As we move forward, we'll have to see in what ways this gift could be used."

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