Celia Mallard Dempsey, 91, formerly longtime of Ipswich, passed away in her Bridgewater New Hampshire home surrounded by family on Friday, October 24, 2014 after a full and rich life. She left this life on her own terms and welcomed heaven to see those gone before her, especially her husband Robert M. Dempsey with whom she shared forty-seven years of marriage prior to his death in 1992. She will be best remembered for her sense of humor, sassy attitude and quick wit, which she maintained until the end.

Born on August 7, 1923 in Ipswich, Celia was the middle daughter of the late Frank and Mildred (Sharp) Mallard. She was a dedicated American service woman, serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Stationed at the Boston Naval Shipyard, she worked in the Communications Center. It was during this time that she met and married the Marine of her dreams. Despite receiving notification from the Department of Defense in 1945 that her husband was killed in action on Okinawa, they both actually managed to survive the Great War and after were together able to build a life in Ipswich, where Celia thrived in making a home for her husband and children.  In 1973 the couple retired to Alexandria New Hampshire where Celia loved spending time with her family, doing anything from fishing to gardening, sledding to croquet, snow shoeing to stacking wood, camping and playing a good game of cards.

A true matriarch, Celia’s greatest joy in life came from her family; she was a loving daughter, mother, sister, aunt, our Manya, grandmother, and great-grandmother.  She is survived by her daughters Susanne Dempsey Morrow of Essex and Patricia Dempsey of Danbury NH, and her sons William Dempsey and his wife Rita of Gahanna Ohio and Gary Dempsey and his wife Charlotte of Huntsville Alabama.  She is also survived by twelve grandchildren and their families, Michelle Morrow Curreri, Heather (Morrow) Jermyn, Danielle (Morrow) Dort, Rayna Dempsey, Robert Dempsey, Stephen Dempsey, Bryan Dempsey, Sean Dempsey, Bruce Dempsey, Matthew Dempsey, Katherine Ingwersen Farnsworth, and Kristian Ingwersen, and leaves behind twenty great-grandchildren.  In addition, she leaves four nieces and nephews, David Comeau, Diane Witherspoon and Donna McKay and their families of Massachusetts and Robert Cox of Alabama. She was predeceased by two of her children, C. Ann Dempsey Ingwersen in 2006 and Frank Dempsey in 2014, and by her two sisters, Virginia Irene Mallard and Louise Mallard Comeau, both of Ipswich.  

Her children thank her for her hard work at raising them and the entire family extends their gratitude for the love that never wavered.  Celia will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Her funeral will be held 10 am Wednesday October 29 in the Ascension Memorial Church, 31 County Street, Ipswich, followed by interment in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery, Ipswich. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours will be Tuesday 6 to 8 pm in the Whittier Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Celia’s memory to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, 54 Portsmouth Street, Concord NH 03301.