Melvin Gorham Sr., 77
Melvin H. Gorham Sr., 77, of 172 West St., Clinton, formerly of
Lancaster, a veteran of World War II, died Friday, April 27, 2001 in Clinton
Hospital after an illness.
He leaves his wife of 53 years, Leonora M. (Barry) Gorham; five
sons, Robert E., John F., and James W. Gorham, all of Clinton, Melvin
H. Gorham Jr. of Bolton, and Barry E. Gorham of Winchendon; a
daughter, Patricia L. Gorham of Clinton; two brothers, Albert Gorham
of Orange County, Calif. and Herbert Gorham of Clinton; three
sisters, Dorothy Howard of Saugus, Hazel Crossman and Evelyn
Silveira, both of Lancaster; 11 grandchildren; seven greatgrandchildren;
nephews and nieces.
He was born in Clinton, son of Milton and Grace (Bond) Gorham, and
was a Coast Guard veteran of World War II. Mr. Gorham worked for the
Metropolitan District Commission Water Division at the Clinton Dam
Plant for 39 years, retiring in 1992.
He previously worked at the Blackstone Plush Mill and Bob’s Turkey
Farm in Lancaster.
The graveside service was held Saturday, May 5, in Bellevue
Cemetery, Harvard. Donations may be made to Lancaster Veterans Memorial
Fund, Chester Locke, P.O. Box 211, Lancaster, MA 01523.
Mary H. Brousseau, 88
Mary H. (Nosek) Brousseau, 88, of 15 Mill St., Marion,
formerly of 34 Grove St., Clinton, a retired secretary and a former
insurance agent, died Wednesday, May 2, 2001 in Sippican Healthcare
Center, Marion, after an illness.
Her husband, Henry Brousseau, died in 1968. She leaves two
sons, Henry S. Brousseau of North Easton and James F. Brousseau
of Westport, formerly of Southboro; a daughter, Barbara E.
O'Donnell of Ann Arbor, Mich.; 14 grandchildren; five greatgrandchildren;
nephews and nieces. A brother, Stanley Nosek of Clinton, predeceased her.
She was born in Clinton, daughter of Teofil and Anna (Szulkowski)
Nosek, and lived most of her life in Clinton before moving to
Marion in 1997. She attended Clinton schools.
Mrs. Brousseau was among the first female licensed insurance
agents in Massachusetts, and worked 23 years for Boston Mutual
Life Insurance Co. She then was secretary to the guidance director
of Clinton High School for 15 years before retiring. For several
years, she was a volunteer nurse’s aide at Clinton Hospital
and at the Army hospital at Fort Devens.
She was a member of Our Lady of Jasna Gora Church.
The memorial Mass was Monday, May 7, in Our Lady of Jasna Gora Church.
Burial was in St. John’s Cemetery, Lancaster.
Memorial donations may be made to New England Hemophilia Association,
180 Rustcraft Road No. 101, Dedham, MA 02026. Robert
J. McNally Funeral Home, 304 Church St., is directing arrangements.
Dianne J. Sivert, 43
Dianne J. (Town) Sivert, 43, of 104 Beech St., Clinton, a student,
died Friday, May 4, 2001 in Clinton Hospital after being stricken ill
at home.
She leaves her husband of 27 years, Perry G. Sivert; two sons,
Jeffrey D. and Thomas W. Sivert, both of Clinton; her mother,
Theresa (Taft) Town of Troy, N.H.; a brother, David Town of Keene,
N.H. and her twin brother, Daniel Town of Troy, N.H.; a sister, Lee
Ann Lambert of Jaffrey, N.H.; and nieces and nephews. Born in
Keene, daughter of Louis Town, she graduated from Monadnock
Regional High School, Swanzey, N.H. She lived 27 years in Clinton.
Mrs. Sivert was pursuing a degree in childhood education at
Becker College, Worcester. Previously, she worked at Clinton Hospital,
and operated a day care center in her home for 13 years. She
was a deaconess and former Sunday school superintendent at the
German Congregational Church.
She worked at the Guild of St. Agnes Day Care, Worcester. She
enjoyed dolls and other collectibles.
The funeral service was held Monday, May 7, in the German
Congregational Church. Burial was in Reservoir Pines Cemetery,
Route 110. Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer
Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.
Maureen F. Backiel, 62
Maureen F. Backiel, 62, of 17 Wellington Drive, Hudson, died
Sunday, July 22, 2001 at home after an illness.
She leaves her husband, Peter Backiel; her mother, Mary Petrosek
of Foxboro; three sons, Peter Backiel Jr. and Paul Backiel, both of
Clinton, and Mark Backiel of Hudson; a sister, Sandra Esmond of
Foxboro; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren. She was born
in Northampton, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Kulessa) Petrosek, and
graduated from Northampton High School in 1956. She also graduated
from the Cooley Dickinson Hospital School of Nursing.
Mrs. Backiel was a nurse at McClain Hospital in Belmont, and
worked at Elder Care Home Services.
She was later associate director of nursing at Middlesex Hospital.
She was a member of Holy Name of Jesus Church in South Deerfield.
The funeral service will be held at 9:10 a.m. Wednesday, July
25, from Wrisley Funeral Home, 90 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield, with
a Mass at 10 a.m. in Holy Name of Jesus Church. Burial will be in the
parish cemetery.
Lillian R. Dodge, 74
Lillian R. (Florin) Dodge, 74, of 1163 Main St., Lancaster, died
Saturday, July 21, 2001 at home after a brief illness.
She leaves her husband of 48 years, Charles E. Dodge Jr.; four
daughters, Marsha A. Dodge of Quincy, Patricia Dodge and Pamela
Ming, both of Clinton, and Lesley Glennon of Townsend; two brothers,
William Praino of Texas and Al Praino of Lynn; a sister, Gloria Bobik
of Acton; three grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. She
was born in Chelsea, daughter of Joseph and Celia (Brichta) Florin,
and lived in Concord and Lancaster most of her life. She graduated from
Newton High School.
Mrs. Dodge was a sales representative for Sears & Roebuck Co.
in Leominster for 12 years, retiring 13 years ago.
She was an avid bingo player.
Funeral services and burial will be private and at the convenience
of the family. There are no calling hours. Donations may be
made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA
01701. Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home, 176 Water St., Clinton, is
directing arrangements.
Bruno D. Mercier, 53
Bruno D. Mercier, 53, of 7 Pineview Road, Sterling, died Friday,
July 20, 2001 in St. Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center, after a
long battle with cancer.
He leaves his wife of 28 years, Linda (Shipley) Mercier; a daughter,
Nicole Mercier of Worcester; a son, Christian Mercier of Sterling; two
brothers, Fernand Mercier of Quebec, and Laval Mercier of Auburn;
two sisters, Solange Chiaravalloti of Sterling, and Claudette Quinn of
Clinton; 19 nieces and nephews; 15 great-nieces and great-nephews. He
was born in Sherbrooke, Canada, son of Gedeon and Athala Mercier,
and moved to the Clinton area in 1961. He lived 23 years in Sterling.
Before retiring due to illness, Mr. Mercier was for many years a
construction supervisor for R. Bates & Sons.
He was past president and secretary of the Clinton Lions Club
and Zone Chairman. He was a former soccer coach for the Sterling
Youth Soccer Association League and a Cub Scout Pack Leader. He
enjoyed fishing and traveling. He was known as everyone’s handyman
and mechanic.
The funeral service was held Monday, July 23, from the Philbin -
Comeau Funeral Home, 76 Water St., Clinton, with a Mass in St.
Richard’s of Chichester, 4 Bridge St. Burial was in Hill Side Cemetery.
Donations may be made to Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, 02115, or Massachusetts Lions Eye
Research, PO Box 6050, New Bedford, MA 02742.
Beatrice J. Parsons, 71
Beatrice J. (Roberts) Sargent Parsons, 71, of 1 Oak Haven St.,
Saco, Maine, formerly of Lancaster, a retired home health aide, died
Thursday, July 19, 2001 in Southern Maine Medical Center, Biddeford,
after an illness.
She leaves her husband of 12 years, Donald Parsons; two sons,
Charles G. Sargent of Lancaster and Robert P. Sargent of Boscawen, N.
H.; a daughter, Betty E. Houle of Athol, Mass.; a brother, Andrew
Roberts of Bunker Hill, W.Va.; two sisters, Laura Walker of Lincoln, R.
I., and Christine Cushing of South Lancaster; seven grandchildren,
including Lancaster Times sportswriter Chuck Sargent; and several
nieces and nephews. A brother, Robert Roberts, predeceased her.
Her first husband, Charles G. Sargent Sr., died in 1978. She was born
in Stamford, Conn., daughter of Andrew and Grace (Deicke) Roberts,
and lived most of her life in Lancaster before moving to Saco in
1989. She graduated from Lancaster High School.
In Clinton, Mrs. Parsons worked at Van Brode Milling Co.
for 10 years, and later worked at Nypro Inc. for 10 years. She was
also a self-employed home health aide in the Clinton area before retiring.
She was a member of Seventhday Adventist Village Church, Lancaster.
The funeral service was held Monday, July 23, in the Seventhday
Adventist Village Church, 75 Sawyer St., Lancaster. Burial was
in Eastwood Cemetery, Lancaster.
