Muhammad Saeed passed away Feb. 21, 2016. He was born Oct. 22, 1942. He acquired his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geology from University of Karachi, in Pakistan, in 1963 and 1965. 

He initially joined M / S Binnie & Partners Consultants UK as junior geologist in 1965 and continued until 1968. From 1969 to 1972, he worked with TAMS ( Tippets, Abbet, McCarthy & Straton) International consultants as junior geologist. He deputed from WAPDA (Water & Power Development Authority) to Frontier Works Organization as chief geologist in 1973 and continued until 1995. He acquired experience in tunneling; surface and sub surface controlled blasting; and soil mechanics.

He joined Biafo Industries Ltd. (Manufacturers of Tovex Water Gel commercial explosives) as manager of technical services in 1996 and became an active and important member of the technical services department providing technical services to company's clients all over Pakistan in cement, quarry sites, tunneling and mass surface blasting industries. He was a very hard working and honest professional and continued contributing tremendously in the uplift and progress of his company. After retirement from company at age 60, he joined Frontier Works Organization again as consultant from 2004 and worked until 2013. He also continued his service to Biafo Industries as Consultant Technical Services from 2013 until his passing. He was active and practically involved in tunnel job up to very last day of life.

His sudden death left a huge gap of expertise especially at mining and blasting sector. He has served on various international projects like the Malakand tunnel, Lowari tunnel, Simli dam Islamabad, Lakh Pass tunnel, slope stabilization of Motorway M2 at Kallar Kahar Salt range, Atta Abad lake spillway handling and Bridge demolition of Sher Shah Karachi projects. He was a known a blasting specialist in the country as well as abroad. 

He will be remembered and missed as a competent professional by his company as well as all his colleagues.

Carl B. Thomas, 91, of Spofford and Treasure Island, Fla., passed away March 29, 2016, after a sudden illness.

He was born in Tupper Lake, N.Y., Dec. 25, 1924, son of George and Mary (Provost) Thomas. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served in the Pacific for four years during World War II, before his honorable discharge in 1946.

He married Betty L. Burowski on Nov. 16, 1947, in a ceremony in Plattsburg, N.Y.

He worked for Hemlock Construction as a blasting foreman for 20 years. In 1971, with the support and help of his wife, he started his own drilling and blasting company, Carl B Thomas Construction Corp. and subsequently D & L Thomas Equipment Corp., Thomas Instruments and North American Track of Charlestown, S.C. He was known all over New England for his expertise in the blasting industry.

He was a longtime member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers and the New England Chapter of the Society of Explosives Engineers.

Mr. Thomas enjoyed walking the flea markets and was a collector of many things. While in Florida, he enjoyed fishing on his boat and in Spofford, his garden. He was a kind, generous and a well-respected businessman.

Survivors include his sons, David Thomas and his wife, Linda, of Spofford and Chris Thomas and his wife, Donna, of Keene; his daughter, Lynn Thomas and her fiancé, Stephen Dillingham, of Spofford; two sisters, Emaline Bruculere and Betty Nuzzo; two brothers, Kenneth Thomas and Byron Thomas; five grandchildren, Eric, Jennifer, Mathew, Jason and Jonathan; and 10 great-grandchildren.

His wife of 65 years, Betty L. Thomas, and a son, Jeffrey Thomas, died earlier.

A mass of Christian burial will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Keene. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Fletcher Funeral Home, 33 Marlboro St., Keene (www.fletcherfuneralhome.com).

Memorial donations may be made in Carl B. Thomas’ name to Joan’s Pantry, P.O. Box 48, Spofford 03462.

Richard (Dick) Washburn, age 73, passed away suddenly Monday, March 21 at the Fawcett Memorial Hospital in Port Charlotte, Fla. He was predeceased by his parents Harold and Louise Washburn and his son Christopher. Dick will be sadly missed by his best friend and wife of 44 years, Frances Ann (Bain) Washburn, by his sisters-in-law: Sue Bain, Judy (Richard) Bulmer and nephews Michael and Johnathan Heckbert and by his legion of friends and extended family throughout Canada and the U.S.

He retired in 2007 from a successful career in the commercial explosives industry and was the president of Patriot Explosives Inc, of Kingston, N.H. After his retirement he moved to Florida, where he enjoyed many warm winters and developed many even warmer friendships. Summers were spent in a lovely cottage on the shore in New Brunswick, Canada. His big loves were history, politics, golf and the outdoors. Those are the facts of Dick’s life, but they fail to capture the essence of the man. Dick was outgoing, friendly, honest and open. He could always be relied upon to help a friend in need and to do the right thing. It could be said of Dick, if it could be said of any man, that this was a really good guy.

A service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held 11 a.m. April 12 at the Burnt Store Presbyterian Church, 11330 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda, Fl 33955. Burial will take place in Ellisburg, N.Y. at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2016. Memorial donations may be made to the Harry Chapin Food Bank 3760 Fowler St, Fort Myers, FL 33901 — harrychapinfoodbank.org; or the charity of your choice.

Dennis Bingham passed away Friday, March 18, 2016. A remembrance will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. Memorial services will be held at Southcrest Baptist Church at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, 2016, with Dr. David Wilson officiating. Graveside services and interment will follow at 2 p.m. at the Spur Cemetery in Spur, Texas. A tribute of Dennis' life may be found at www.memorialdesigners.net, where you may leave memories and expressions of sympathy for his family. 

Dennis was born July 25, 1931, in Spur, Texas, to the late A.N. Abb Bingham and Evelyn (Bennett) Bingham. He graduated from Spur High School in 1948. He married Ramonda McMillan Feb. 20, 1952, in Lubbock. Dennis graduated from Texas Tech in 1956 following 45 months in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict, serving in a psychological warfare wing. He was a member of College Club and later Kappa Sigma Fraternity. After graduation, he worked at Texas Tech Ex-Student Association for a year. He then entered into sales in 1957 and spent the next 50 plus years working for Dyno Nobel, Inc., one of the largest industrial explosive manufacturers and service companies in the world. 

Dennis retired and continued as an industry sales manager, pipeline construction sales and technical advisor covering both Canada and all of the U.S. until retiring in 2009. He was given an Honorary Canadian Citizenship award in 1996 by the Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada. In 2008, he was given an Honorary Lifetime membership by the Pipeline Contractors Association of America. He served on the Buckner Foundation Development Council which also serves the Lubbock Buckner Children and Family Services. He and his wife Ramonda were honored by the Buckner International Foundation in 2008 being awarded the Philanthropist of the Year award at their annual Founders Day Dinner in Dallas, Texas. 

One of the awards he received and was so proud of was being named the Outstanding Ex-Student of Spur High School on the anniversary year of the class of 1948 at their 60th year Spur Homecoming in 2008. He was a member of Southcrest Baptist Church, Lifetime member of the American Legion and a member of the former Knife and Fork Club of Lubbock. 

Survivors include his wife, Ramonda; one daughter, Glenda Vargas of Lubbock; and a son, Dean, of Monroe, Wash.; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He is also survived by a host of cousins and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Lubbock Buckner Children and Family Services, 129 Brentwood Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79416-1601 or Spur Senior Citizens, 304 Burlington, Spur, Texas 79370.

Clarke "Mason" Reiter, 78, passed away at his home in Olympia, Wash., on Monday, Dec. 28, 2015.

Mason was born on Oct. 7, 1937, in Seattle, Wash., to Raymond and Florence (Beiswanger) Reiter. He moved with his family to the Skagit Valley in early 1946. He was part of the Sedro-Woolley class of 1955, but left his junior year to join the Air Force.

During his time in the Air Force he was based in St. Louis and met his first wife, Lorraine Ensley (Burg) and they had three wonderful children together: Nicholas, Annette and Stacy. Mason was very proud of all his children and their wonderful families. The loss of his son Nick in 1976 always weighed heavy on his mind through the years.

Mason worked much of his early life in construction including spending time working on the Alaska Pipeline and with the laborers union. He was a business agent for Laborers Union Local 901 in Mount Vernon for several years in the 1980s. He started his next career as a safety inspector for the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries in 1986. He was the lead safety inspector when the new Husky stadium at the University of Washington collapsed and later in his career he became the Explosive Technical Specialist at L & I, helping keep Washington citizens and workers safe.

Mason married his wife, Shari, in 1989. They enjoyed traveling together on road trips and to visit family and friends around country and in Europe. They have two French bulldogs, Maddie and Mo, that have lit up his life and made him laugh every day.

Mason was preceded in death by his parents, Florence and Raymond and son, Nicholas. He survived by his wife, Shari Purves-Reiter; his 2 daughters, Annette Medford (Ron) of Concrete and Stacy Moody of Burlington; his sister, Merrylee Reiter-Wheelhouse (Roger) of Mount Vernon; five grandchildren, Bobby Jo (Medford) Drysdale, Heidi (Medford) Aldridge, Nicolas Mason Reiter, Dallas Ann Moody and Dalton Moody; eight great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at the home of his granddaughter Heidi (Medford) Aldridge on Teak Lane in Clear Lake.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to your favorite charity, COPD research or the French bulldog rescue. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Lemley Chapel, Sedro-Woolley. Share memories of Mason and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com.