Robert W. Hein
Insurance Agency Owner
PETERSHAM - Robert W. Hein, 77, of 247 North Main St., Petersham, died, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003, in Heywood Hospital, Gardner. He was born in Worcester on July 16, 1926, the son of Willard E. and Pauline (Sorensen) Hein. He grew up in Worcester and attended schools in Worcester.
He was a veteran of World War II serving in the United States Army Air Corps. After his return from the service Mr. Hein graduated from Lawrence Academy in Groton, MA.
Mr. Hein was a Life Insurance Agent for the Paul Revere Life Insurance Company for many years. He purchased the Courtland B. Fitch Insurance Agency in Athol and operated it for 20 years retiring in 1993.
Mr. Hein was a member of the First Congregational Church of Paxton, where he served as moderator for several years. He was a member and past president of the Athol Exchange Club. He served on the Paxton School Committee and was chairman of the Wachusett School Committee. He served on the Finance Committee in Petersham for several years.
A resident of Petersham for 28 years he was an avid golfer.
He leaves his wife of 55 years, Jane R. (Beers) Hein; a son Donald R. Hein and his wife Denise of Westboro; a brother; Richard C. Hein of Bedford, NH; one niece and one nephew. He was predeceased by two daughters, Linda J. (Hein) White who died in 1984 and Janice M. (Hein) Wiles who died in 1991.
A memorial service will be held Monday, Oct. 20, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church of Paxton, 1 Church St., Paxton. Burial will be private in East Street Cemetery, Petersham.
Calling Hours will be held Sunday, October 19, 2003 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Fiske Funeral Home 1356 Main St., Athol.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in his memory to the Gardner Visiting Nursing Association - Hospice Program 34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA 01440.
Fiske Funeral Home 1356 Main St., Athol is directing arrangements.
Sheila L. Howe
WORCESTER - Sheila L. (Bergeron) Howe, 57, of 120 Ararat St., died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003 in UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus.
L. Paul Clark
WORCESTER - L. Paul Clark, 81, of 132 Farrar Ave., died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003 at Marlboro Hospital.
Kady Vandeurs
GREENFIELD - Kady Vandeurs, 76, of 54 High St., died Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003, at home.
Michael A. Tatistcheff
ORANGE - Michael A. Tatistcheff, 62, of 15 Shingle Brook Rd., died Wednesday evening, Oct. 15, 2003, at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.
Arrangements are pending with Witty's Funeral Home in Orange.
Alexander J. Lute
WORCESTER - Alexander J. Lute, 86, formerly of 42 Lakeside Ave., and Cherry Valley, died Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2003 in the UMass Memorial healthcare - memorial Campus after an illness.
He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Marian Drown Lazette
Started Penny Drive
BINGHAM, MAINE - Marian Drown Lazette, 88, of 5 Meadow St., died Tuesday, Oct. 14 at a Bangor hospital following a brief illness.
She was born Marian Louise Kopper on Jan. 11, 1915, in Niskayuna, N.Y. the daughter of Gustave Ernst Robert and Mary Elizabeth (Benzing) (Rueger) Kopper. She was educated in Schenectady area public schools and attended Johnstown Business College, where she studied accounting.
In April 1939 she was wed to Charles A. Drown Jr., of Orange, and thereupon made her home in the Gardner - Athol area, where she resided until 1976 when she moved to Maine. She worked for the Minute Tapioca division of General Foods Corporation in Orange during World War II, and was subsequently employed for many years at Gardner State Hospital as an attendant, as well as serving as an interim staff supervisor at the hospital during the latter days of the war. She later worked as a cook and aide at nursing homes in the Gardner area, and served for some time as school librarian at the former Emeline Jewell Whitney Elementary School in South Ashburnham.
Marian's first husband, Charles, died in 1963. In 1967 she married Ernest F. Lazette Sr. of Fitchburg. He passed away in 1972.
In 1974 she moved from her long - time home in Ashburnham to the town of Royalston, where her son Douglas was serving as pastor of the First Congregational Church (and, later, the Second Congregational Church of South Royalston as well). At the end of 1976 she and Douglas made their new home in Bingham, where she remained until her passing.
She was a member of the Ladies’ Benevolent Society of Royalston and former president of the Congregational Church Circle of the First Congregational Church of Bingham, where her son serves as pastor. She was a former member of the Ladies’ Aid Society of People's Evangelical Congregational Church in South Ashburnham, the Good Will Club of Bingham, and the Century Club of Bingham. She also served for several years on the Missions Committee of the Congregational Christian Council of Maine, and was formerly financial secretary of the Bingham church. In 1996 she was recognized with the Community Service Award of Bingham Grange for her many contributions to the civic life of the community, most notably her annual “penny drive” for the Community Christmas Cheer fund, which enabled the purchase of toys for needy area children for Christmas.
She was widely noted by many area people, friends and family for her superb cooking, which was her favorite pastime. She also enjoyed traveling, and went on trips all around New England and the Maritimes with her son and with friends.
Marian leaves her son, the Rev. Douglas W. Drown, of Bingham; a stepson, Ernest F. Lazette Jr. and his wife Mary of Ashby; a brother, Frank R. Kopper of Rotterdam, N.Y.; four sisters - in - law, Eileen Kopper of Colonie, N.Y., Dorothy Kopper of Fort Wayne, Ind., Dorothy Pettie of Orlando, Fla., and Shirley (Mrs. Leo J.) Barrett of Westminster; many nieces, nephews, step grandchildren and step - great - grandchildren, as well as many good friends whom she loved and who loved her. She was predeceased by six brothers, George, Carl, Raymond, Herbert, Paul and Donald Kopper.
A committal service will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at South Cemetery in Orange, with the Rev. Mark E. Rustin of North Deering Congregational Church in Portland officiating.
A memorial service in celebration of Marian's life will be held at the First Congregational Church of Bingham on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. Those planning to attend are asked to bring rolled pennies for the Community Christmas Cheer Drive if they wish to do so.
Memorial donations may be made to the Parsonage fund of the First Congregational Church of Bingham, P.O. Box 114, Bingham, ME 04920.
Blanche G. Frawley
Enjoyed Books, Birds
ATHOL - Blanche (Gendron) Frawley, 89, of 594 Cottage St., died Friday Oct. 10, 2003, in Athol Memorial Hospital.
She was born in Winchendon on March 20, 1914, the daughter of Frederick L. and Cora (Roy) Gendron. She grew up in Winchendon and graduated from Murdock High School in 1932.
She enjoyed reading and loved animals especially birds and taking care of stray cats.
She leaves a daughter, Julia M. Brandon of Hollywood, FL; a sister, Gloria Ludlum of Marblehead, MA; a brother, Fred L. Gendron, Jr. of Rye, NY; four grandchildren, Sune Brandon of Hollywood, FL, James Brandon of Miami, FL; David Brandon of Jacksonville, FL; Melissa Frawley of Gardner; a great granddaughter, Michelle Brandon of Miami; a nephew Pierre Gendron of Waco, TX; and several nephews and nieces.
She was predeceased by her husband, James J. Frawley, who died in 1980, by a son, James J. Frawley, Jr. who died in 1992; her friend Stanley Brasdis who died in 1995; two brothers, A. Wallace Gendron and Fred L. Gendron; and a sister, Juliet Munson.
A graveside service will be held Friday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. in Silver Lake Cemetery.
There are no calling hours.
The Fiske Funeral Home is directing arrangements.
Alden A. Leonard
Hob Grinder, Veteran
ORANGE - Alden A. Leonard, 82, of 50 Red Brook Lane, died on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2003 at the Quabbin Valley Healthcare in Athol.
Born in Newport, Vt. on Nov. 15, 1920, he was a son of William and Carrie (Facteau) Leonard and grew up in Vermont, attending schools there. He moved to the area during his late teens.
He was married to Ethel M. (James) on Nov. 10, 1941 and she died in the year 1950.
During World War II, he enlisted in the United States Army on Feb. 12, 1942 and was a decontaminating equipment operator. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 29, 1945.
A hob grinder at the former Union - Butterfield Division of Litton Industries in Athol, he retired in 1981 after working there for 25 years. He previously had worked at the former Mears Wooden Heel Shop from 1938 to 1941 in Erving before it became part of the Usher Plant for Erving Paper Mills.
An avid outdoorsman, he especially enjoyed hunting and fishing, as well as playing cards and reading. He was also a Past Commander of Damon Spooner Post VFW in Orange.
Survivors include his sons, Alden A. Leonard Jr. of California, James Leonard of Orange, John Leonard of Millington Tenn., and Wayne Leonard of Wendell; a step son, William McLaren of Orange; daughters, Lynne Mitchell and Barbara McLaren, both of Orange; a brother, Morris Leonard of North Carolina; a sister, Hazel Currier of Newport, Vt.; 13 grandchildren; many great grandchildren; and many nephews and nieces as well as his former second wife, Viola (Downing).
Memorial services will be held at a later date and time to be announced.
Witty's Funeral Home is directing the arrangements.
