By Jodi Wolfe
Staff Writer

With receptionist Henriette Girard retired, the Allenstown Municipal Building is missing its swear jar.

RETIRED – Henriette Girard was surprised with a retirement party on Jan. 26 despite a snowstorm that day. She was the receptionist for the Allenstown selectmen and for Town Administrator David Jodoin, and held other town jobs over the years. (Jodi Wolfe Photo)

Girard, who doesn’t like swearing, made a list of inappropriate words and had employees put in a quarter for committing the verbal offense.

“Well, it worked pretty well. Some even paid in advance!” she said. “I think I benefited from some of that money when I retired! It was fun.” It taught other employees a good message, she said.

“Henriette always acted like the motherly figure,” said Town Administrator David Jodoin, who said he first knew Girard as a citizen who spoke her mind at meetings.

Jodoin said he will not miss the swear jar.

Girard, a great-grandmother of one, was born and raised in Allenstown and has been involved in town issues for a long time. Her father, Ernest A. Raymond, served as a selectman. Her sister, Evelyn Guilbeault, currently sits on the school board. Girard began her professional life at Pembroke Academy where she taught in the business department for 22 years.

“I enjoyed teaching very much as it kept me in contact with the youths of the surrounding towns, and I tried to give my students what they would need to survive in the working force,” she said.

She eventually became head of the business department and then decided to leave for personal reasons, she said.

“Once I left teaching, I wanted to continue helping people, and a friend at the (Suncook Bank) informed me they were looking for a receptionist, so I applied and got the job.”

Girard helped many of the bank’s customers with her ability to speak French.

She worked there for 13 years until she was let go due to downsizing.

From there, she moved on to the Allenstown Municipal Building, working as a receptionist for the police station downstairs.

Girard said she enjoyed the challenging work of the police department and she learned a lot.

“The one thing I did not like was the fact that we were in the dark all the time,” she said. “There are no windows in the station, except the door as you come in. I am a sunshine person, and minded not seeing the sun every day.”

Girard moved upstairs to the sunshine when she was asked to take over as secretary to the selectmen and Jodoin.

Her position involved a variety of tasks including transcribing meeting minutes, selling yard sale permits and dump stickers, and serving as deputy tax collector.

“I have enjoyed this job so much that I hated to leave, and that is why it took me so long to decide on retiring,” she said.

Girard said she has always loved working with people and she will continue to do that in her retirement.

“Except for the town clerk, the employees are young enough to be my children,” she said. “I think they regarded me as the mother image because we had a wonderful relationship and I do miss them already, but I can always find an excuse to go and see them.”

Meanwhile Girard said she has her duties as Allenstown School District treasurer, singing in her church’s choir and her membership at Concord’s Centennial Senior Center to keep her busy.

“She’s worked hard her whole life. Now it’s time for her to enjoy it,” Selectman Sandra McKenney said.

The town will certainly miss Girard, said McKenney.

“She takes a lot of people under her wing,” said McKenney, who said that Girard has been like a mother to her.

Ed Cyr, Allenstown’s town clerk for the last 30 years, said he will miss the camaraderie with Girard, whom he grew up with. During work, the two used to sing French folklore ditties as well as English songs, he said.

“Of course she had a good singing voice,” Cyr said. “I don’t.”

However, he will not miss Girard’s position as the supply sergeant, he said.

“We had to have a reason we wanted something,” he said about placing supply orders with Girard.

Girard was often the brunt of many jokes, but knew how to give them back, said Jodoin.

“One day I had her convinced that she was an hour late. I changed all the clocks in the office,” he said. “She looked at her watch and it was the right time but I convinced her that she needed a new battery.

Girard caught onto the joke when she saw Cyr’s watch with the correct time.

She got Jodoin back by stealing the letters off the exterior sign announcing her retirement and mailing Jodoin the letters spelling out his name.

“You always knew where you stood with Henriette,” said Jodoin, who worked for Girard for about nine years. “She said nothing behind anyone’s back. She was always up front with everything.”

Girard was nice and accommodating when working with residents coming into the municipal building, said Cyr.

“She not only knew people, she knew their people,” he said.

McKenney said that while she misses seeing Girard at the town offices, she is able to visit with Girard every Monday after selectmen’s meetings. Girard has volunteered to continue transcribing the minutes of the selectmen’s meetings.

“She’s always willing to help,” said McKenney. “She’s done volunteer work her whole life. She’s a very giving person.”

Girard’s position has not been filled, said Jodoin. Currently the rest of the staff is picking up where she left off.