Edwin A. Carlson
HOLDEN - Edwin A. Carlson, 76, of 4 Heather Road, South Harwich, formerly of Holden, died August 4, 2002 at home.
He leaves his wife of 24 years, Dorothy A. (Fantasia) Carlson; a stepson, Stephen Corio of Worcester; a stepdaughter, Linda Mendez of Charlton; a brother, Leonard Carlson of Holden; four stepgrandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces. A brother, Stanley Carlson, predeceased him. His first wife, Rita (Gendreau) Carlson, died in 1976. He was born in Worcester, son of Carl and Anna (Carlson) Carlson, and lived in Holden before moving here 20 years ago. He attended schools in Oxford, and was a member of the Merchant Marine during World War II.
Mr. Carlson was a truck driver in the yard department at Norton Co., Worcester, for 34 years, retiring in 1984.
The funeral service was held August 7 from Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St., Worcester, with a Mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Worcester. Burial was in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. Donations may be made to a charity.
Stephen L. Drawbridge
HOLDEN - Stephen L. Drawbridge, 55, of Reservoir St., died Sunday, July 28, 2002 in Beth Israel/Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, after a two-month battle with melanoma.
He leaves his wife of 30 years, Elaine (Harrington) Drawbridge; three sons, Yaran L. Drawbridge of Jacksonville, N.C., Nathan S. and Tanner A. Drawbridge, both of Holden; two daughters, Dara C. and Teagan D. Drawbridge, both of Holden; his stepmother, Arlene (Fouracre) Johnson-Drawbridge of Holden; two brothers, James N. Drawbridge Jr. of Holden and Neil A. Drawbridge of Vashon, Wash.; four stepsisters, Krystal Johnson Nola of Olney, Md., Karen Johnson of Hubbardston, Kathy Johnson-Sherborn of Burlington and Kimberly Jumonville of Holden; two stepbrothers, William Johnson of Albany, N.Y., and Erik Johnson of Nantucket; nephews and nieces. He was born in Holden, son of James N. and Dorothy (Staples) Drawbridge. He graduated from Wachusett Regional High School in 1965 and University of Connecticut in 1970. He was a member of the National Guard.
Since 1978, Mr. Drawbridge was a senior forester with the Ware River Watershed, designing the Watershed/Forest Management Plan.
He played hockey since childhood, including for Wachusett Regional High School and University of Connecticut and in several amateur leagues. He was named a Telegram & Gazette All-Star four times. He was one of the first people to be inducted into the Wachusett Regional High School Hall of Fame. He coached junior varsity hockey; was an assistant varsity coach at Wachusett Regional High School; and coached in the Wachusett Amateur Hockey League and the Laker Youth Hockey Association. Mr. Drawbridge was a member of White Oak Land Conservation and the Nimrod League of Holden. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
A memorial service was held August 4 at Ware River Watershed, Old Colebrook Road, Barre. Burial will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to Drawbridge Family Fund, c/o Bourgeois, Dresser & White, 4 Dix St., Worcester, MA 01609. Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St. (), is directing arrangements.
Catherine Erickson
PAXTON - Catherine E. (Hehir) Erickson, 86, of 1 Elizabeth Lane, died August 4, 2002 in UMass Memorial Medical Center-Memorial Campus, Worcester.
Her husband, Frank P. Erickson, died in 1992. She leaves a son, Paul M. Erickson of Charlestown; a daughter, Joyce E. Erickson of Paxton, with whom she lived; nephews and nieces. A brother, Mathew Hehir, predeceased her. She was born in Worcester, daughter of Mathew and Delia (Colleran) Hehir. She graduated from Commerce High School and Salters Secretarial School, both in Worcester.
Mrs. Erickson was an order writer with Brown Shoe Co., Worcester, retiring in 1983.
The funeral service will be private at the convenience of the family. Burial will be in Worcester County Memorial Paxton. There are no calling hours. Miles Park Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden, is directing arrangements. Donations may be made to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Patient Care Services, Catherine Erickson Fund, 125 Nashua St., Boston, MA 02114.
Sophie K. Grzyb
PRINCETON - Sophie K. (Steele) Grzyb, 67, of 26 George St., Leominster, formerly of Princeton and Fitchburg, died Sunday, July 28, 2002 in HealthAlliance Leominster Hospital.
Her husband, Walter J. Grzyb, died in 2000. She leaves three sons, Philip S. Grzyb of Princeton, Stephen L. Grzyb of Fitchburg and Walter F. Grzyb of Lovell, Me.; a daughter, Lara C. Grzyb of Leominster; a sister, Cynthia Haelsen of Foster, R.I.; six grandchildren; nieces and nephews. She was born in Upton, daughter of Francis and Sophie (Scholl) Steele. She graduated from Northbridge High School and Chelsea Nursing School.
Mrs. Grzyb worked for Fairlawn Nursing Home, retiring in 2000. She was a baseball fan.
The funeral service was held at 11 a.m., August 1, in Miles-Sterling Funeral Home, 100 Worcester Road, Sterling. Burial will be at the family’s convenience in Lakeview Cemetery, Upton. Memorial donations may be made to Jimmy Fund, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115.
James B. Hayes Jr.
STERLING - James B. Hayes Jr., 54, of 1 Ashton Lane, was stricken ill at home and died Tuesday, July 30, 2002 in Clinton Hospital. He leaves his wife of 34 years, Christine P. (Pelc) Hayes; a son James B. Hayes III of Sterling; his mother, Frankie (Shoemaker) Hayes of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; a brother, Michael D. Hayes of Marlton, N.J.; a sister, Kim Marie Ginfrida of Fort Lauderdale; nephews and nieces.
He was born in Statesville, N.C., son of the late James B. Hayes Jr., and was raised in Woodbridge, N.J. He lived several years in Worcester and 11 years in Sterling. He graduated from Cameron University in Lawton, Okla.
Mr. Hayes served 25 years in the Army, retiring in 1993 as a lieutenant colonel. He was a veteran of the Vietnam and Gulf wars. Until the time of his death, he was deputy director and chief financial officer of administration for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents. He enjoyed gardening.
The funeral was held August 3 from Miles-Sterling Funeral Home, 100 Worcester Road (), with a Mass in St. Richard of Chichester Church, 4 Bridge St. Burial was in Hillside Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Sterling EMS, P.O. Box 597, Sterling, MA 01564.
Peter R. MacDonald
STERLING - - Peter R. MacDonald, 54, of 84 Clinton Road, died Monday, August 5, 2002 in St. Vincent Hospital at Worcester Medical Center after an illness.
He leaves his wife, Paula J. (McIntosh) MacDonald; two daughters, Cynthia I. Plouffe and Janice M. MacDonald, both of Sterling; his mother, Dorothy E. (O'Neil) MacDonald of Worcester; three stepdaughters, Ginger F. Woodside of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., Brenda M. Woodside of Worcester and Laura A. Woodside of Somerville; three brothers, Bruce E. and Paul R. MacDonald, both of Worcester, and Philip R. MacDonald of Spencer; nephews and nieces. A sister, Moira J. MacDonald, predeceased him. He was born in Medford, son of Roderick J. MacDonald, was raised in Dunstable, and lived in Worcester, Princeton, and 17 years here. He was a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War.
Mr. MacDonald was a truck driver for Baldarelli Brothers in West Boylston for 10 years. He enjoyed camping and canoeing.
The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 8, in Miles-Sterling Funeral Home, 100 Worcester Road. Burial will be private in Central Cemetery, Dunstable. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.
Mary M. Majewski
HOLDEN - Mary M. (Katspsak) Majewski, 85, of 324 Chapel St., died Sunday, August 4, 2002 in UMass Memorial Medical Center-Memorial Campus, Worcester, after a brief illness.
She leaves two sons, Paul D. Majewski of Shrewsbury and Robert J. Majewski of York, Maine; three daughters, Nancy J. Rogers of Melrose, Mary J. Dunn of Leominster and Carol E. Rogers of Holden; a sister, Cecilia Desroches of Hartford; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; several nephews and nieces.
She was born in Worcester, daughter of Francis and Mary (Slaga) Katspsak, and lived 80 years in Holden. She was a retired textile worker. She was a member of St. George's Church in Worcester and enjoyed gardening and sewing.
The funeral Mass was held August 7 in St. George's Church, Worcester. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery. Donations may be made to St. George's Parish Fund, 40 Brattle St., Worcester, MA 01606 or VNA Care Hospice Inc., 120 Thomas St., Worcester, MA 01608. Caswell-King Funeral Home, 1147 Main St., directed arrangements.
Charles McCarthy Jr.
STERLING - Charles J. McCarthy Jr., 57, of 43 Birch Drive and Yarmouth, died Saturday, August 3, 2002 in Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, after a long illness.
He leaves his wife of 34 years, Valerie A. (Kasprzak) McCarthy; his parents, Charles J. and Dorothy T. (Osadchuk) McCarthy of Worcester; a son, Charles J. McCarthy III of San Diego; a daughter, Bridget M. Hyotte of Eliot, Maine; a brother, Michael McCarthy of Worcester; a sister, Kathleen M. McCarthy of Mashpee; a niece and nephews. He was born in Worcester and lived in Sterling for many years. He graduated in 1967 from Worcester State College, and in 1971 from Fitchburg State College with a master's degree in education.
Mr. McCarthy was an elementary and intermediate teacher in Worcester public schools before becoming an assistant principal at Union Hill School. He then was principal of Boylston Elementary School, and was recently a consulting school psychologist in the Athol public schools. He also taught in summer programs at Elm Park School, Worcester; Hillside School, Marlboro; and Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable.
He received many awards, among them the 1994 Jacob Hiatt Administrators Training Scholarship at the Harvard University Principals Institute, the 1989 United Way of Central Massachusetts Achievement Award, and the 1987 Massachusetts Department of Education Horace Mann Teacher, Worcester Public Schools. He was an Alliance for Education Grant recipient in 1992.
He served on the Governor's Educational Reform Committee for two years, and was a member of many organizations including the New England Elementary Schools Principals' Association, the Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, the Worcester Public Schools Projects Fair Committee, the Lions Club of Boylston, and the Massachusetts Teacher's Association and its board of directors. He had been school representative and vice president for the Educational Association of Worcester, and a member and chairman of Political Action for Concerned Educators. He was a member of the Central Mass. Board of Football Officials and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports.
The funeral will be held Thursday, August 8, from Callahan Brothers Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester (), with a Mass at 10:30 a.m. in St. John's Church, 40 Temple St., Worcester. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Donations may be made to MGH Transplant Gift Fund, c/o Dr. A. Benedict Cosimi, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114.
Lee F. Merlin Sr.
HOLDEN - Lee F. Merlin Sr., 67, of 735 Mason Road, in the Jefferson section of Holden, died Friday, August 2, in UMass Memorial Medical Center-University Campus after an illness.
He leaves his wife of 45 years, Virginia K. (Glode) Merlin; two sons, Lee F. Merlin Jr. of Holden and Jeffrey D. Merlin of Jefferson; a daughter, Cheryl A. Pease of Jefferson; a brother, Stuart Merlin of Pinellas Park, Fla.; three sisters, Clarie Van Koynenburg and Donna Muse, both of Nashua, N.H. and Sandra Gilbert of Millbury; a granddaughter; nephews and nieces.
He was born in Boston, son of Walter E. Appt and Dorothy Merlin, and lived most of his life in Holden. He graduated from Wachusett Regional High School and Worcester Junior College.
Mr. Merlin worked at New England Electric Power Service for 38 years, retiring in 1993 as manager of the electrical design department. He later worked at Power Line Models Co., Hopkinton, as a senior electrical designer.
He was a past president of Holden Youth Football Association, and was one of the founders of Pop Warner Football here. His involvement in Masonic organizations included being past master of the Rufus Putnam Lodge of Masons in Rutland, past district deputy grand master of the Brookfield 21st Masonic District, a member of the York Rite Bodies of Worcester, Worcester County Commandry, Worcester County Past Master's Association, Aleppo Temple Shrine in Wilmington and the Worcester County Shrine Club. He served on the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts Educational and the Grand Masters County Fair committees. He was a past master of the Sixth Lodge of Instruction in Worcester, and a member of the Electric Hirams at New England Power Service Co.
Funeral services were held August 6 in Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St. Burial was in Union Cemetery, Bellingham. Contributions may be made to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104.
