On Sunday, friends and family of Augusta Petrone, a local benefactor of the arts, active participant in Republican politics and one of the founders of Lionheart Classical Academy, gathered to celebrate her life in a memorial service at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey.
Petrone, 88, of Dublin, died in her home on Aug. 1, surrounded by family. A former teacher, she traveled the world with other husband, Maj. Joseph C. Petrone, who served in France, Texas, South Korea, at the Paris Embassy and as former President Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
The couple moved to Dublin in 1976, and was involved in musical and political events, including many hosted at their home.
Petrone’s sister, Mitzi Perdue, said that when something had gone right, she and her sister, along with their brother, would comment that their parents were “up there, flapping their wings.”
“I bet she’s looking down, and she’s flapping her wings. We’re giving her the sendoff she would have dreamed of,” Perdue said.
The service was attended by current Gov. Kelly Ayotte, and her predecessor, former Gov. Chris Sununu, who both spoke about the support she had given them and her dedication to the region and the state.
“And if you think about the impact that she made on New Hampshire and the country, I would say that few had the impact she did on our state,” said Ayotte. “Her strength, her tenacity, her graciousness, and it was said earlier, but is so true, her patriotism — to see the love that she had for our great country, she truly was one of a kind.”
Ayotte said she met Petrone 15 years ago, when she was running for her first political office.
“She had such an amazing attitude that made you feel that you could do anything when you met her. Whether you were a presidential candidate or a local volunteer, Augusta welcomed you with an unmistakable warmth that made you feel valued. She had a true gift for making you feel important, because she felt that you were important, regardless of what you did or what your position was,” Ayotte said.
Sununu pointed to the last line of Petrone’s obituary, which, rather than encourage donations to a favorite charity, suggested that in lieu of flowers, friends donate “at some level to their favorite U.S. political party.”
“I love that. I’ve never heard of anything like that,” Sununu said.
Knowing Petrone, he added, he saw a bigger message in the instruction. He said that despite politics often being divisive, Petrone wanted people to give their best to the causes they believed in.
“What she’s saying is embrace it. Be the better version of it. Love it, get involved. If you believe in something, make it better. If you believe in something, charge forward,” Sununu said.
Park Theatre Executive Director Steve Jackson said Petrone supported the theater when it was still an idea, and since its opening four years ago, had supported by regularly attending events of all kinds.
Jackson’s wife, Lisa Bostnar, also spoke about Petrone as a friend.
“There’s nothing that I can tell you that you don’t already know about Augusta,” Bostnar said. “I’m sure that, like me, from the first time you met her, you were struck by her charm, her wit, her grace, that wicked sparkle in her eye, that easy laughter and, oh, that smile.”
Leo Plante, one of the founders of Lionheart Classical Academy along with Petrone, said he’d never seen her so happy as when she was interacting with the students, who he said called her “Madame Sparkle.” The nickname was so ingrained that when the school dedicated a plaque to Petrone, it included the moniker along with her name.
Mike Waller, from the Center for Security Policy, said that was a fitting name.
“Madame Sparkle treated everyone as if they were the most-important person in the world,” Waller said. “The love that she showed for her town, her community and her state, she had for America, and for citizens she would never, ever know.”
Even in her last days, Waller said, Petrone was looking for ways to help bolster her country, and gathered a group of policy makers, military veterans and engineers at her home to discuss vulnerabilities to the country’s electrical grid. Five days after she died, the National Council of State Legislators passed a resolution to call on the president and Congress to work with states to secure the grid.
“She knew it wasn’t for her sake she was doing it, because she knew she wouldn’t be here. So, she did it for us,” Waller said.
Rick MacMillan spoke of meeting Petrone 12 years ago, when he was trying to raise funds for the Raylynmor Opera. Despite her husband passing around that time, MacMillan said, Petrone stuck to her commitment and helped the opera put on its summer fete, which has become a major fundraising source.
“About a dozen days ago, Augusta and I were on the back porch of her house, enjoying the sunset,” MacMillan said. “We both sat there, and said ‘How blessed we are.’ Augusta took nothing for granted.”