Lillian M. Maijala
ATHOL - A committial service for Lillian M. (Palmer) Maijala, 92, who died March 2, 2003 at the Baldwinville Nursing Home, will be held on Monday, June 9, 2003 at 10 a.m. in Silver Lake Cemetery (below the terrace), with Pastor Stephanie Sermuksnis of the Orange and South Athol United Methodist Churches officiating.
Witty's Funeral Home, Orange, is directing the arrangements.
Henry B. Reed
ATHOL - Henry B. Reed, 80, of 31 Freedom St., formerly of Clinton, a World War II veteran, died Sunday, June 1, 2003 in the Westridge Care Center in Marlboro.
William H. Thompson
GARDNER - William H. Thompson, 96, formerly of 90 Ridgewood Lane, a retired furniture worker, died Monday, June 2, 2003 in the Applewood Home for Elders, Athol, after a brief illness.
Henry M. Goyette
Funeral Director
GARDNER - Henry M. Goyette, 82, of 170 Blanchard St., formerly of 142 Nichols St., and Orange, a prominent local funeral director for over 50 years, died Saturday morning, May 31, 2003, in the Heywood Hospital after an illness.
He was born in Gardner on Aug. 4, 1920, son of the late Leo F. and Armelina E. (Gingras) Goyette and lived in both Orange and Winchendon before moving to Gardner in 1973.
Henry was inducted into the United States Army on Dec. 16, 1942. He served as a radio operator and sharpshooter in both the Rhineland and in Central Europe. Following his discharge in 1946, Henry decided to become a funeral director. He graduated from the New England Institute of Sanitary Science and Embalming and was hired by Ernest P. Fletcher and the Fletcher Funeral Home of Winchendon. For many years, Henry worked along side Mr. Fletcher in Winchendon and Beatrice G. Lamoureux at the Lamoureux Funeral Home in Gardner.
In 1973, Henry moved into the apartment over the Lamoureux Funeral Home on Nichols Street where he could be more available to help Mrs. Lamoureux. He remained there, running the business for 25 years prior to his retirement. After Lamoureux Funeral Home moved to its present location on Central Street, Henry moved to Blanchard Street where he had remained ever since.
Henry was a devout catholic all of his life. He was a longtime communicant of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Gardner and in recent years attended St. Mary's Church in Orange with his sister.
Henry was not just a gentleman - he was a gentle man. He will be remembered and respected for the care he gave to the families of Gardner and Winchendon for nearly fifty years. He was devoted to his community and gave of himself so generously through his life memberships in the Ovila Case Post 905 Veterans of Foreign Wars of Gardner, the Eugene M. Connor Post 193 American Legion of Winchendon, the Disabled American Veterans and the Gardner Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the AARP and at one time was very active with the former Toy Town Players - a local theater group.
Professionally, he was a member of both the National Funeral Directors Association and the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association. As active as Henry was, he will be most remembered for his love of Bingo. Until recent years, he could be seen at Bingo almost every night. He was lucky at Bingo too. In fact, Henry was lucky at almost everything he did. Within the last 15 years, he was fortunate to have won a trip to the Bahamas, a new corvette, a washing machine and dryer and $10,000 on a scratch ticket.
Henry leaves two sisters, R. Pauline Terroy of Athol and Eleanor M. Sheerinof Howard Beach, N.Y.; and many nephews, nieces and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral from the Lamoureux - Fletcher Community Funeral Home, 105 Central St., Gardner, on Wednesday, June 4, followed by a Funeral Mass in Holy Rosary Church at 10 a.m. A calling hour will be held at the funeral home from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery, Gardner.
Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society of Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols St., Gardner. For directions to the funeral home or to sign the online guest book, visit www.fletcherfuneralhomes.com.
Morton C. Woodbury
Woodbury Services
ORANGE - Graveside services for Morton C. Woodbury, 78, of Chipley, Fla., formerly of Orange, who died Jan. 31, 2003 in Chipley, will be held Saturday, June 7, 2003 at 10 a.m. in the South Cemetery, Orange. Family members will officiate at the service.
Further information is available at www.wittyfuneralhome.com.
Matthews And Lincoln
Committal Services
WARWICK - Committal services were held on Saturday, June 7, 2003 in Warwick Center Cemetery for Rosemary H. (Bezio) Matthews, 72, of 147 Hastings Heights Rd., Warwick, who died on Dec.18, 2002; Ralph T. Matthews Sr., 96, formerly of 200 East River St., Orange, who died March 17, 2003; Esther L. (Matthews) Lincoln, 94, of 8 Winchester Rd., Warwick, who died April 1, 2003; Arlington W. Matthews, 83, of Woodburn St., Keene, N.H., who died April 23, 2003 and his wife Valentina (Kilanski) Matthews, 76, who died on April 26, 2003.
Pastor Dan Dibble of Trinitarian Congregational Church, Warwick, and Rev. Vance E. Frank officiated. A color guard, honor guard, and firing squad from the Orange American Legion Post 172 provided honors to both Arlington and Valentina Matthews who were both Veterans of World War Two. Members of American Legion Post 172 taking part in the services were: Steve Rowe, Commander; John "Spider" Smith, Chaplin; Leo Barber, Sgt. at Arms; Ed Bezio, Adjuctant; Ray Fournier, Robert Rosatti, Bill Baccagalupo, Richard Meunier, and Clyde Ball.
Richard and Dana Tandy performed "Taps."
Witty's Funeral Home, Orange, directed the arrangements.
Matthews - Lincoln
Services On June 7
WARWICK - Committal services for members of the Matthews and Lincoln family will be held Saturday, June 7, 2003 in Center Cemetery, Warwick.
The first service for Rosemary H. (Bezio) Matthews, 72, of 147 Hastings Heights Rd., Warwick, who died in her home Dec. 18, 2002 will begin at 10 a.m. followed immediately by services for the other family members who died during the past winter months.
The second service will be for Ralph T. Matthews, Sr., 96, formerly of 200 East River St., Orange, who died March 17, 2003 in Harborside Applewood Heatlhcare, Winchester, NH.
A third service will be for Esther L. (Matthews) Lincoln, 94, of 8 Winchester Rd., Warwick, who died April 1, 2003 in Anchorage Nursing Home, Shelburne.
A concluding ceremony of military honors will be held for Arlington W. Matthews, 83 of Woodburn St., Keene, NH, formerly of Winchester, NH., who died at Cheshire Medical Center, April 23, 2003 and his wife, Valentina (Kilanski) Matthews, 76, who died in her Woodburn St., Keene, NH. home, April 26, 2003. They both were United States Army Veterans of World War Two. American Legion Post 172, of Orange, will conduct this ceremony. Rev. Vance E. Frank of Orange and Pastor Daniel Dibble of Trinitarian Congregational Church, Warwick, will officiate at the services.
Directions and further information is available at www.wittyfuneralhome.com.
Marguerite C. Calvi
Homemaker
ORANGE - Marguerite C. (Cowan) Calvi, 89, formerly of 519 East River St., died early Saturday morning, May 31, 2003 at the Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol.
Born on June 25, 1913 in Westbrook, Maine, she was a daughter of Edward W. And Anna (Carlberg) Cowan. She grew up in Maine and moved to Athol in 1934 where she lived for 20 years and then moved to Orange.
She was married to Edward W. Calvi who died in 1989.
A homemaker, she enjoyed reading and solving crossword puzzles.
Survivors include a son, Larry W. Forbus of Keene, N.H.; a grandson, Mark Forbus of Somerset; granddaughters, Christine Younie of Harrisville, N.H. and Karen Sonmez of Derry, N.H.; and six great grandchildren.
Services at Silver Lake Cemetery will be held at the convience of the family.
Witty's Funeral Home of Orange, is directing the arrangements.
Dorothy G. (Lowe) Cleveland
WENDELL - A Memorial celebration of the life of Dorothy G. (Lowe) Cleveland, 61, of 426 Jennison Rd., who died March 27, 2003 in her home, will be held on Sunday, June 8 at 1 p.m. in Stone's Meadow, 475 New Salem Rd., Wendell.
Witty's Funeral Home, Orange, is directing the arrangements. For directions, please call (978) 544 - 5438, or you may refer to directions at www.wittyfuneralhome.com.
Maxine (Elliott) Wilcox
ROYALSTON - Funeral services for Maxine (Elliott) Wilcox, 91, of 10 South Royalston Road were held Thursday, May 29, 2003 at the First Congregational Church in Royalston.
The Rev. Dr. Virginia E. Asel, pastor officated, and the organist was Wayne Newton.
Former pastor Rev. James Willis shared memories of Maxine and also sang and played the guitar. Mr. John Divoll shared poems and readings.
Burial followed in Lawrence Brook Cemetery and the bearers were: John Gosselin, Duncan MacPhail, Steven Elder, Richard Elder, John Divoll and Andrew West. Higgins - O'Connor Funeral Home directed arrangements.
