Ursula (Carbin) Dehne, of Northumberland, N.H., passed quietly on the morning of Dec.14, 2025.
She was born August 6, 1942, the daughter of Wilhelm and Anni Crass of Bayreuth, Germany. As a young child at the close of World War II, her mother and siblings sheltered in the Bavarian forest to escape the fighting. After the war, her family of seven shared a single home in Coburg with three other families, an experience that shaped her resilience, warmth, and lifelong sense of community.
As a teenager, Ursula met American GI Rick Carbin, who was stationed in West Germany. After a brief and joyful courtship, she joined him in New Jersey, where they welcomed two children in 1962 and 1963. In 1972, the family moved to Barnard, where Ursula quickly became an active and beloved part of the community. She was involved with the Barnard Progressive Club and worked at several local shops in Woodstock before opening her own store at the Bridgewater Mill Mall.
An accomplished and deeply creative fiber artist, Ursula was best known for her work under the name “Wool by Ursula.” Working primarily in wool, she designed and sewed distinctive sweaters and garments made from blanket wool and washed wool, blending traditional materials with innovative design. Her work was widely admired and earned awards at regional craft shows from Maryland to Vermont. Creativity was not simply a vocation for Ursula, but a way of life, and she took great joy in making beautiful, functional clothing that reflected care, craftsmanship, and imagination.
Later, while living in Lancaster, N.H. with her second husband, Curt, Ursula raised sheep and continued her creative work. She was also a cherished presence in the lives of local children, serving as a trusted and loving nanny. Following Curt’s passing, Ursula remained surrounded by close friends, neighbors, and family. In 2016, she married Dieter Dehne, with whom she made her home in Northumberland, N.H.
Ursula was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Gerhard and Helmut, and her grandson Owen. She is survived by her husband Dieter; sisters Gisela and Karin, her son Gregory and his wife Lisa; her daughter Deborah; her grandchildren Morriah and her husband Bryan, Jonathan and his wife Grace, and Christopher and his wife Sylvia; her great-grandson Cassius; and her beloved tuxedo cat, Rudy.
The family is deeply appreciative of the nursing staff at Weeks Memorial Hospital, in Lancaster, N.H.
Donations in Ursula’s memory may be made to the Weathervane Theatre (weathervanenh.org/support).
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 101 Norway Street, Berlin, N.H. There will be no calling hours. The Bryant Funeral Home of Berlin is in charge of arrangements. Memories may be shared in the online guestbook at bryantfuneralhome.net.
