Roger Holton
NORTHFIELD - Roger "Tom" Holton, 75, of 740 Mount Hermon Station Rd., died Wednesday at Franklin Medical Center Greenfield.
He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Salamonie in the Pacific Theater.
Edwina E. Stephenson
BALDWINVILLE - Edwina E. "Winnie" Stephenson, 78, of Bridge Street, died Saturday morning, May 24, 2003, in the Heywood Hospital in Gardner.
Ronald D. Smith
HOLDEN - Ronald D. Smith, 64, of 496 Shrewsbury St., a business owner and operator, died Friday, May 23, 2003 in the UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus, Worcester.
Donald F. Sears Sr.
TEMPLETON - Donald F. Sears Sr., 68, of 6 Meadow Lane, a retired automobile mechanic, died Tuesday, May 27, in the Leo P. Lachance Center, Gardner, after an illness.
Violet A. Morris
KEENE, N.H. - Violet A. Morris, 86, of 33 Sparrow St., died Saturday, May 24, 2003, at her home following a period of failing health.
Robert Livingston
Former U.S. Marine
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Robert Livingston, age 68, of Port St. Lucie, died on Saturday, May 24, 2003 at the Hospice of Martin and St. Lucie, Inc.
Mr. Livingston served his country during the Korean Conflict in the United States Marine Corps. He was a member of the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife, Carole; four sons, Dennis Livingston of Port St. Lucie, Robert Livingston Jr. of Port St. Lucie, Keith Livingston (wife, Laura) of Andrews, N.C,, and Scott Livingston of Orange, Mass.; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, June 1 at the Forest Hills Funeral Home in Palm City, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Martin and St. Lucie, Inc., or to the American Diabetes Association.
Floyd R. Fifield, Sr.
Paper Mill Retiree
ORANGE - Floyd R. Fifield, Sr., 74, of 419 East River St., died Tuesday evening, May 27, 2003, at the Leo P. LaChance Center, Gardner, following an illness. His family was at his side.
Born on Dec. 8, 1928 in Plattsburgh, N.Y., he was a son of Martin and Myrtle (Edgely) Fifield and grew up in New York.
He married Catherine (Shaw) on March 27, 1950 and the couple enjoyed 53 years of marriage together. In 1951, he and his wife moved to Orange and had been residents ever since.
Previously employed at the Leavitt Machine Company in Orange, he later went to work at the Erving Paper Mill in Erving and retired from there after more than 35 years. An avid Yankees fan, Floyd also enjoyed going to car shows and flea markets.
Besides his wife, Catherine, survivors include sons, Floyd R. Fifield Jr. Of Athol and William Fifield and his wife Rose of Orange; three grandchildren; two great grandchildren; three step grandchildren; two step great grandchildren; sisters, Grace Garney of Delevan, N.Y. and Evelyn Kimball of Tonawanda, N.Y. He was predeceased by a daughter, Susan Moulton who died in 1999 and a daughter in law, Colleen Fifield who died in 2000, as well as 15 siblings.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, June 7, at Witty's Funeral Home at 11 a.m. with Pastor Stephanie Sermuksnis of the Orange United Methodist Church officiating.
A calling hour will be held prior to the service from 10 to 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Gardner VNA, 34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA 01440 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, GA 30368 - 2454.
Gloria M. Douglas
TURNERS FALLS - Gloria M. (Bacigalupo) Douglas, 70, of 16 Morris Ave., formerly of Orange, died on Saturday, May 24, 2003 at home following a period of declining health.
Maxine (Elliott) Wilcox
Was Teacher In Royalston
ROYALSTON - Maxine (Elliott) Wilcox, 91, of 10 South Royalston Rd., died Sunday, May 24, 2003 at the Palm Manor Nursing Home in Chelmsford.
She was born in Orange, on June 27, 1911, the daughter of Frederick W. and Frances M. (Hartlan) Elliott. She graduated from the former Petersham High School and from Framingham Normal School where she received her teaching certificate at age nineteen.
She started her teaching career in a two room school house in Royalston and she later taught school at the Raymond School in Royalston and from 1955 until 1973 taught at the Riverbend School in Athol until her retirement. Following her retirement she worked as a kindergarten aide in the Royalston schools for twelve years. She had also worked with her husband in his service station business in Royalston.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church, served as deaconess for 45 years, was Sunday School superintendent for 25 years, and a member of the Ladies Benevolent Society. She was a longtime member of the Royalston Grange, Royalston Historical Society, was a trustee of the Royalston Academy and served on the scholarship committee of the Academy. She was the leader of the first Girl Scout Troop in Royalston.
Her husband of 30 years, Kenneth Wilcox, died in 1971. She leaves two daughters; Linda MacPhail of Westford, Mary Elder of Paris, Maine; a brother, Frederick Elliott of Barre; a sister, Beverly Price of Waban; four grandchildren, Richard Elder of Edgecomb, Maine, Steven Elder of North Yarmouth, Maine, Sarah Gosselin of Winchester and Duncan MacPhail of Westford; six great grandchildren, Hannah and Gretchen Elder, both of Edgecomb, Maine, Alexis and Kendra Elder of North Yarmouth, Maine, John Elliott Gosselin and Oliver Kenneth Gosselin, both of Winchester. Two brothers; Wayne and Exton Elliott predeceased her.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 29, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church on the Common, Royalston, with the Rev. Dr. Virginia E. Asel, pastor, officiating.
Burial will be in Lawrence Brook Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Wednesday, May 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Higgins - O'Connor Funeral Home, 146 Main St., Athol.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to: First Congregational Church "Steeple Fund" on the Common, Royalston, MA 01368 or the Athol High School Scholarship Association, P.O. Box 338, Athol, MA 01331.
Joan Catherine (Barber) Labonte
ATHOL - Funeral services for Joan Catherine (Barber) Labonte, 64, of 51 Winter St., were held Saturday, May 24, 2003, in the Fiske Funeral Home. Rev.Mark Bariloni Pastor of the Athol - Orange Baptist Church officiated.
Burial was in Highland Cemetery. The bearers were Randy Coffin, Jr., Joshua Mundell, Kanin Graton, Lance Mallett, Mike Cunningham and David Beth.
Francis J. Hart III
Developed Newspaper For Salvation Army
ATHOL - Francis (Frank) Joseph Hart III, formerly of Athol, died in the St. Francis Hospital, San Francisco, Calif., on May 10, 2003.
Born in New York City, on July 28, l937, Frank attended school here in Athol and New York City. He was the oldest of four children of Eunice and Francis Hart. He is survived by two sisters and one brother; Patricia (Hart) Kelty of St. Petersburg, Fla., Theresa Larson and Richard Trudeau of Sacramento, Calif.
Frank worked with the Salvation Army in San Francisco for many years. He developed and printed a newspaper for the Salvation Army.
He also worked with the homeless, finding help for many people in obtaining housing and meals. Retired the last several years because of health he was contemplating a move to St. Petersburg, Fla.
He was married twice and is survived by six children; Kathleen (Hart) LeDoux of Worcestor, Richard Hart of Leominister, Rodger and Francis Joseph Hart IV, of Athol, and Amy and Eunice Hart of Auburn, Maine. One daughter, Patricia Ann, preceeded him in death. He left seven grandchildren, and was preceeded in death by one grandson, Rodger Matthew Hart of Athol.
Frank also left five stepchildren Donald (Pete) Mundel l of Athol, Gloria Kilton of Auburn, Maine, Millie Moores of Lubek, Maine,
Donna Barrett of Machais, Maine and Diane Dennison of Whiting, Maine; 14 step grandchilren and two step great grandchildren.
Frank was cremated and a memorial service is planned for July 28, 2003 at the Wallis Sands State Beach in New Hampshire.
