New Castle, NH – Elaine “Mac” Macmann Willoughby, of New Castle, died Monday, November 12, 2012 at the Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Born in Lexington, Massachusetts, on March 22, 1926, she was the daughter of Walter Thorne and Mabel (Wishart) Macmann.

She received her B.S. from Wheelock College and her M.S. and Ph.D from Teachers College of Columbia University.

Mac grew up in New England, lived for many years in Oberlin, OH where her husband taught flute at Oberlin College, and later moved to New Castle, NH.

She loved children and enjoyed writing many children’s books in addition to teaching other aspiring children’s teachers over the years. Her passions included gardening and traveling to England with her husband, Bob, where they created many fond memories and made many life-long friends. She was an active supporter of charities and wrote “The Story of Strawberry Banke” that sold for many years at the Strawberry Banke Museum with all profits going to the museum.

Survivors include her husband, Robert Hugh Willoughby; son, John Willoughby and his wife Bonnie of Stow, MA; and her grandchildren, Courtney, Chelsea, and Colin Willoughby.

Services: Visiting hours will be held Friday November 16, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the J. Verne Wood Funeral Home-Buckminster Chapel, 84 Broad Street, Portsmouth. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 10:00 AM in the New Castle Congregational Church, 65 Main Street, New Castle, http://www.newcastlecongregationalchurchnh.org.  

Donations may be made in her memory to the American Red Cross, PO Box 97089, Washington, DC 20090-7089 www.RedCross.org/Charity_Donation.

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