Gretchen D. Belknap, 87, formerly of Durham, N.H. and Cos Cob, CT died Nov. 3, 2018 at Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Waltham, Mass. after a period of failing health.
Gretchen was born Dec. 19, 1930 to the late Roger and Dorothy (Knapp) Dykema, and grew up in Riverside, CT. She married John H. (Jack) Belknap, also of Riverside, in 1952 and they raised their family in Cos Cob and summered for many years at Lake Tashmoo, Martha’s Vineyard.
Gretchen graduated from Greenwich High School and attended both Radcliffe and Bennington colleges focusing on music performance. Gretchen was an accomplished cellist, founding member and principal cellist for 25 years of the Greenwich Philharmonia (later the Greenwich Symphony), a member of the Greenwich Chamber Players, and she taught cello privately for five decades. After she and Jack relocated to Durham, N.H. in 1989, she lobbied for environmental issues with the League of Conservation Voters.
Her parents and her husband, Jack, predeceased Gretchen.
She leaves behind her children Peter (Jennifer Snodgrass) Belknap, Linda (John) Schier, and Sara (Peter Vielbig) Gordon; grandchildren Kate Schier-Potocki, Jesse Belknap, AJ Schier, Lilian Belknap, Abigail Belknap-Seidner, Maggie Schier and Sam Gordon; great-grandchildren Ellen Belknap, Finn Schier-Potocki and Clara Koenig; her brother, Scot (Martha) Dykema and several nephews and nieces.
The family thanks the steadfast and compassionate staff at Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their dedication to Gretchen’s care.
Memorial donations may be made to the Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 66 Newton Street, Waltham, MA 02453. Services will be private.
