Susan V. (Parath) Farrar
Worcester — Susan V. (Parath) Farrar, 54, succumbed peacefully to a strenuous and ongoing four-year battle with breast cancer on Saturday, December 18, 2004, in the Hospice Residence on Coes Pond.
She leaves her husband, Daniel P. Farrar, Sr.; 2 stepsons, Daniel P. Farrar, Jr. of Oxford and Christopher R. Farrar of Worcester; 3 grandchildren, Erik, Brianna, and Zachary; and a cousin, William Hillerstrom, of Shrewsbury. She was born in Worcester, daughter of Carl and Linnea V. (Hillerstrom) Parath. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Susan enjoyed trips to Foxwoods, playing the lottery, walks on the beach, and the company of her two cats, Sara and Vicky.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 22, at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St. Burial will be in All Faiths Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home will be held from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 21. Memorial donations in her name may be made to VNA Care Network, Coes Pond, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, MA 01608-1280.
Ruth F. (Durgin) Johnson
Boylston — Ruth F. (Durgin) Johnson, 76, died Wednesday, December 8, 2004, at UMass University Campus. Her husband of 48 years, Robert C. Johnson, Sr., died in 1994. She leaves 5 sons, Robert C. Johnson, Jr., Eric W. Johnson, and Paul P. Johnson, all of Boylston, Jeffrey A. Johnson of Orlando, FL, and George A. Johnson of Rutland; 3 daughters, Susan R. Forbes and Carol A. Goulet, both of Boylston, and Ellen K. Schremser of Dudley; 3 sisters, Dorothy Parker of Boylston, Kathleen Westall of Oxford, and Sandra Handfield of Seekonk; 23 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. A brother, Donald Durgin, and a sister, Joan Lee, predeceased her.
She was born in Worcester, daughter of George D. and Muriel (Smith) Durgin. Ruth was a housewife and caregiver of children for over 50 years. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Boylston.
Funeral services will be Saturday, December 11, 2004 at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Boylston. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery. Calling hours will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St., Worcester. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Memorial Fund, First Congregational Church of Boylston, Church Street, Boylston, MA 01505.
Marjorie (Greer) Anderson
Shrewsbury -- Marjorie (Greer) Anderson, 92, formerly of Monadnock Dr., died Monday, December 13, 2004, in Holden Nursing Home.
Marjorie was born in Worcester, daughter of David and Amy (Williams) Greer, Sr., and was a Worcester resident until 1952, when she moved to Shrewsbury. A brother, David Greer, Jr., died in 1973. Marjorie graduated from Commerce High School in 1929 and worked as a secretary for two Worcester concerns until she married in 1940. She then worked for The Central Massachusetts Chapter of the American Red Cross as an administrative assistant for 30 years, retiring in 1975. She was a member of St. Michael’s-on-the-Heights Church.
At Marjorie’s request, funeral services were private. Burial was in All Faiths Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Michael’s-on-the-Heights Church, 340 Burncoat St., Worcester, MA 01605, or to a charity of donor’s choice.
John B. Molloy
Worcester — John B. Molloy, 83, died Saturday, December 18, 2004, in UMass Memorial Medical Center, Memorial Campus. His wife, Marjorie (Firmes) Molloy, died in 2002. He leaves a cousin and his wife, John and Naomi Giles of Dallas, TX. He also leaves several brothers- and sisters-in-law, including Anne and Richard Firmes of Shrewsbury, who along with his good friend, Sharon Leyden, were his caregivers for several years.
John was born in Llano, TX, son of Marjorie Molloy. He was a Boy Scout and attained the rank of Eagle. John served with the Army in Europe during WWII. He was a graduate of Texas A&M, and had a Master of Economics from the University of Illinois. He was an accountant in Chicago and California for many years before moving to Worcester 18 years ago.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 23, at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St. Burial will be in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton.
Amy D. (Bird) Taylor
Petersburg, IL—Amy D. (Bird) Taylor, 88, of Petersburg, IL, formerly of Worcester, died Tuesday, December 14, 2004, in Regency Nursing Home of Springfield, IL. Her husband, Halstead Taylor, died in 2000.
She leaves her son and daughter-in-law, Norman and Brenda Taylor of Petersburg, IL; a brother, Lorion Bird of Millbury, MA; a grandson and his wife, Dr. Timothy and Jill Taylor of Arizona; a great-granddaughter, Brooke Taylor; and several nephews. She was preceded in death by 3 sisters.
She was born in Worcester, MA, daughter of Alexander and Ella (Connor) Bird. Mrs. Taylor was an LPN until her retirement in 1966. She was a member of Cathedral of St. Paul, Springfield, IL.
The funeral will be held Friday, December 17, at 10:00 a.m. in St. John’s Episcopal Church, 166 Holden St., Worcester. Burial will be in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. There are no calling hours. Please omit flowers. Donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Memorial Fund, 166 Holden St., Worcester, MA 01606; or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 36 Cameron Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140.
Alice H. (Rochette) Goodwin
WEST BOYLSTON -- Alice H. (Rochette) Goodwin, 80, died Thursday, December 23, 2004 at Umass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus.
Her Husband of 52 years, William C. Goodwin, died in 1997. She leaves her children, William D. Goodwin and Paul E. Goodwin both of Yuma, AZ; Christine M. Heywosz of Wareham; Marianne C. Goodwin of W. Brookfield; Catherine L. Holmes of W. Boylston; and Donna J. Carr of E. Brookfield; 3 sisters, Irene Perro of Worcester, Anna White of Milford, CT, and Violet Lajoie of Leicester; 18 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren. A daughter, Sandra C. Goodwin, and 3 brothers, Edmond, Albert, and Armand predeceased her.
Alice was born in Worcester, daughter of Rosario and Minnie (Frappier) Rochette and graduated from Commerce High School. Alice and her husband were both WWII veterans serving in the U.S. Navy. She also was a long-time member of The Auxiliary Fleet Reserve Association and she was a foster mother for the City of Worcester for 10 years.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, December 30, at The First Congregational Church of West Boylston. Burial will be in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. There are no calling hours. Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St. is directing arrangements.
Nevart Rose (Baljian) Gara Garabedian
WORCESTER -- Mrs. Nevart Rose Gara Garabedian (Baljian), died, Thursday, December 23, 2004. She was born in Providence, Rhode Island the daughter of Nishan Baljian and Sara Satenig Baljian (Karaghusian). Nevart Rose is survived by her husband of 40 years, Jean-Albert Gara Garabedian; a nephew, Rev. Antranig Baljian; a niece, Barbara Baljian; and a great niece and nephew.
Nevart Rose was a painter and poet. She holds degrees in Fine Arts and Painting from Yale University and Assumption College, and in Special Studies from the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. As a teacher she served on the faculty of the Mary C. Wheeler School, Honolulu Academy of Arts, as chargee in the Educational Division of the Worcester Art Museum, and by appointment as civilian director of the U.S. Army Arts and Crafts (Frankfurt) Germany. She served for many years as a staff artist for the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, and as Senior Teacher of Painting in the old South High School building, Worcester, MA. She retired from teaching in 1978. Mrs. Baljian-Gara was the author and publisher of six books of poetry.
Private Funeral Services will be held Tuesday 11:00 a..m in Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 87 Salisbury St., Worcester. Burial will be in Hope Cemetery. There are no calling hours. The family has entrusted Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln St. to handle arrangements.
