New London, NH – Maureen Teresa (Herlihy) Strachan, 84, of New London, New Hampshire, died peacefully on November 5, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born on January 9, 1942, in White Plains, New York, to Jack and Mary (Dennis) Herlihy.
Maureen grew up in Irvington, New York, and graduated from Irvington High School. The first in her family to go on to higher education, she trained at the Central Islip School of Nursing on Long Island, then headed west to Santa Monica, California, where she worked as an intensive care nurse. When she returned to New York, she joined White Plains Hospital as an RN and was involved in opening the hospital’s first cardiac care unit, where she then worked. She married Matthew J. Strachan, and after some years in Pleasantville, New York, they settled in Bedford, New York, where they raised their children and spent summers on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire. She was proud of raising strong, independent children. She was deeply involved with the Mental Health Association of Westchester County, and she made sure her own children knew there was no shame in seeking help for their mental health. She also helped found the Northern Westchester Shelter in Pleasantville, a refuge for women escaping domestic violence that continues today as Hope’s Door in Hawthorne, New York. Though Maureen and Matthew went their separate ways, they remained good friends until his death.
Once her children were older, she went back to work in home health care with Olsten Kimberly QualityCare, where she worked her way up through the ranks to become district manager of sales for the East Coast, an accomplishment she was very proud of. Around the same time, she earned a bachelor of science degree from Iona College and went on to graduate studies toward a master’s degree.
After many years in the home health care industry, Maureen moved to New London, drawn by her love of Lake Sunapee, and worked at Lake Sunapee Region VNA & Hospice for several years before retiring. In retirement she threw herself into community life. She served as president of the New London Historical Society and as president of the New London Democratic Committee. An avid gardener, she was a member of the New London Garden Club, and she volunteered at the St. Andrew’s thrift shop. She was also an avid reader. A lifelong Democrat and a proud member of the Ladies Left of Center (LLOC), she followed politics closely and made sure to hear this year’s election results before she took her leave.
She is survived by her daughter Jay (Janet) Lee of Madison, Wisconsin; her son Robert Strachan of the world; her daughter Meghan Hall (Chris) of Bedford, New York; her daughter Elizabeth Strachan of Barrington, New Hampshire; her grandchildren Matthew and Kipp Hall of Bedford, New York, and Audrey Lee of Madison, Wisconsin; her great-granddaughter Zoey Katherine Feliz-Hall of Bedford, New York; her sister Patricia Wood of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; her lifelong friends Eileen Hannema and Bev Fortner; and many loving friends in New London, New Hampshire, and extended family throughout the world.
She was predeceased by her husband, Matthew Strachan; her daughter, Kate Strachan; her parents, Jack and Mary Herlihy; her brother, John Herlihy; and her sister, Lurana Noiseux.
A funeral service will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 52 Gould Road, New London, New Hampshire, on Friday, November 20, 2026, at 2 p.m., with a reception to follow at her home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the New London Democratic Committee (newlondondemocrats.com), St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church (standrewsnl.org), or the New London Historical Society (newlondonhistoricalsociety.org).
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