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Caroline B. Wilkins
AYER - Caroline B. (Dodge) Wilkins, 98, of 400 Groton Road, died Wednesday (1-29-2003) at the Apple Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ayer. She leaves a daughter, Pauline F. Higgins of Athol.
She was born in Shirley, Aug. 15, 1904, the daughter of Henry and Martha (Scott) Dodge.
She lived in Shirley most of her life and attended schools there and for the past 15 years lived in Ayer.
Wilkins had worked at the former Lovell General Hospital at Fort Devens for five years during World War II, at the Bull Run Tea Room in Shirley several years during the 1920s and had done housekeeping for area families. She was also a former member of the Shirley Grange.
Besides her daughter of Athol, she leaves two sons, William P. Farnsworth, Jr. and Waldo C. Farnsworth, both of Shirley; two sisters, Margaret Frazier of Ayer, and Sylvia Cave of Fitchburg; eight grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be held at the convenience of the family in Shirley Village cemetery in the spring.
Higgins-O'Connor Funeral Home, 146 Main St., Athol, is in charge of arrangements.
Betty L. Pearson
GREENFIELD - Betty L. (Norton) Pearson, 67, of 10A Elm Terrace died Monday (3-31-2003) at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
Born in Starks, Maine, Dec. 1, 1935, she was the daughter of Mahlon and Bessie (Lamson) Norton. She graduated in 1953 from Newport (N.H.) High School and in 1996 earned her associates degree in early childhood education from Greenfield Community College.
Pearson served in the Air Force from 1953, until her honorable discharge in 1958. Upon returning home from the service, she settled in Skowhegan, Maine. In 1965, she moved to Greenfield.
She was a personal care attendant for approximately 20 years for area families.
She enjoyed reading, ceramics, puzzles and her grandchildren.
Survivors include three daughters, Elizabeth L. Murphy and her husband, Joseph, Melody M. Demo and her husband, Nicholas, and Melissa L. and her fiance, Kenneth ONeill, all of Greenfield; two brothers, Clarence Sam Norton of Fort Worth, Texas, and Mahlon R. Norton and his wife, Edith, of Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.; seven grandchildren, Shannon and Strider Murphy, Alicia Brown, Nicholas II and Matthew Demo, Jacob Blanchard and Molly ONeill, and a niece.
Calling hours at the Walker Funeral Home, 14 High St., will be Thursday evening from 6 to 8. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Oncology Unit, Franklin Medical Center, 164 High St., Greenfield, MA 01301.
Irene B. Mills
ORANGE - Irene B. (Labshere) Mills, 80, of 72 East Main St. died Sunday (3-30-2003) at home following an illness.
Born in Rutland, Vt., Sept. 1, 1922, she was the daughter of John and Mary (Duffy) Labshere. She grew up in the Rutland area and graduated in 1941 from Middle Granville High School, Granville, N.Y. She moved to the Athol-Orange area in 1941.
After moving to this area, she worked at the former First National Store, Fishmans Dept. Store, Ma Aldens Grill and Restaurant and Athol Memorial Hospital for 10 years. Prior to her retirement, she had been employed at the Sencil Co. for many years.
Mill was a member of St. Marys Church and its Womens Club.
She had participated in the Veterans Review Variety Show for the Athol Veterans Park. She enjoyed Mahar sporting events, especially those in which her family participated.
Her husband of 53 years, Howard E. Mills, died in 1994.
Survivors include two sons, John and Richard, both of Orange; three daughters, Dawn Ballard of Orange and Kathleen Stoddard and Joanne Walker, both of Athol; a brother, Michael Labshere of Orange; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be Wednesday from Wittys Funeral Home, 158 South Main St., followed by the Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Marys Church, 19 Congress St. Interment will follow in South Cemetery.
Calling hours at the funeral home are this evening from 6 to 8.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to Mahar Boosters Club, in care of Paul Riendeau, 38 Dexter St., Orange, MA 01364.
Edith M. Jerome
ASHFIELD - Edith M. (Graves) Jerome, 86, formerly of 369 Main St., died Wednesday (4-2-2003) at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Center in Hadley.
Born in Ashfield, Oct. 6, 1916, she was the daughter of Harry F. and Ethel L. (Elmer) Graves. She attended grammar school in Ashfield and was a graduate of the former Sanderson Academy.
Prior to retiring in 1973, she was a cafeteria manager for six years at Mohawk Trail Regional High School in Buckland. Previously she was cafeteria manager at Sanderson Academy. She had also been a cook for the Ashfield House, and worked at other schools and summer camps in the area including waitress work at Bills Restaurant in Greenfield.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Ashfield.
In earlier years, she was a member of the Ashfield Grange.
She enjoyed working with the local Girl Scout troop, plus golf and square dancing.
Her husband, Charles H. Jerome, died in 1969.
Survivors include two sons, Charles T. and his wife, Anne, of Richfield Springs, N.Y., and Alan R. and his wife, Shirley, of Newbern, N.C.; two daughters, Deanne L. Samson and her husband, Neil, of Leeds and Janine A. Graves and her husband, Don, of Greenfield; a sister, Shirley Hulett of Largo, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-granddaughters.
Graveside services will be held April 19 at 11 a.m. at Plain cemetery with the Rev. Mark New, pastor of the First Congregational Church, officiating.
There are no calling hours.
Memorial contributions are suggested to either the Ashfield Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 535, or to Hilltown Churches Food Pantry, P.O. Box 161, both in Ashfield, MA 01330.
Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home in Shelburne Falls/Greenfield is in charge of arrangements.
Michael S. Heselton
BELLAIRE BLUFFS, Fla. - Michael S. Heselton, 45, of Bellaire Bluffs died March 18 at home.
Born in Reading, Mass., Feb. 3, 1958, he was the son of James and Grace Heselton. He attended Reading schools and recently took classes at Tampa Tech in computer technology.
Heselton had worked in Dunedin for the County Wastewater Treatment Plant before leaving to care for his elderly parents.
He enjoyed working around his home and on his computers. He was close to starting up a business using computers.
Survivors include two brothers, Jack of South Deerfield, Mass., and Jim of Bedford, N.H., two nieces, a nephew and three grandnieces.
Services with be private and at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to either the Catholic Social Services, or to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, both of Pinellas County, Fla.
Cremation was handled by National Cremation Society of Clearwater.
Donald J. Grogan
BOSTON - Donald J. Grogan, 63, of 503 Columbus Ave. died Friday (4-4-2003) at the West Roxbury Veterans Hospital.
Born in Montague City, March 19, 1940, he was the son of Donald L. and Catherine (Daly) Grogan. He was a 1958 graduate of Greenfield High School.
Grogan served in the Army from September 1960, until is honorable discharge in 1966. He was attached to the 507th Transportation Group in Fort Eustis, Va. After separation from the Army, he lived in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Northampton and Boston in 1996.
Grogan was employed with the First National Stores, Veterans Association of Greenfield and the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Leeds. He was a medical assistant with the VA Medical Center of Greenfield and Northampton for approximately 20 years.
He enjoyed restoring old furniture, classical music and the beach.
Besides his father of Greenfield, he leaves four brothers, Timothy and his wife, Joanne, of Gill, Patrick and his wife, Claire, of North Adams, Kevin and his wife, Heather, of Maine and Daniel and his wife, Thamy, of Longmeadow; four sisters, Mary Markley and her husband, David, of Greenfield, Noreen A. and Kathleen P., both of Greenfield, and Margaret E. Palmeri of Shelburne, and several nieces and nephews.
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.
There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the charity of the donors choice or Beacon Hospice of Boston, 529 Main St., Suite 101, Boston, MA 02129.
Walker Funeral Home, Greenfield, is in charge of arrangements.
Maria Grossman
CAMBRIDGE - Maria (Schweinburg) Grossman, 83, of 66 Sherman St., died Monday (3-31-2003) at the Cadbury Commons Nursing Home.
Born in Vienna, Austria, on June 12, 1919, she was the daughter of Fritz and Ada (Geiringer) Schweinburg. She was a graduate of Gymnasium High School in Vienna in 1937. She came to the United States in 1940 settling in Cambridge, moving to Belmont in 1953 and Conway in 1986 and returned to Cambridge a few years ago. She graduated from Smith College with a major in classics in 1942. She received a grad letter from Harvard University in 1944 with a masters degree in history and from Simmons College in Boston with a major in library science in 1956. In 1960 she received a doctorate in history from Harvard University. She was Magna Cum Laude at Smith College.
For 30 years she worked as a librarian with the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge. She was a member of the American Society for Church History in Chicago, Ill.
Survivors include one son, John P. of San Francisco, Calif.; two daughters, Carol E. of Conway and Barbara S. Stone of Waukegan, Ill.; one sister, Elizabeth Jaksy of New York City, N. Y. and two grandchildren.
She was the widow of Walter Grossman who died in May 1992.
Services will be private and at the convenience of the family.
There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Woolman Hill, Keets Road, Deerfield, MA 01342.
Walker Funeral Home, 14 High St., Greenfield is in charge of arrangements.
Theodore R. Sak
GREENFIELD - Theodore R. Sak, 44, of 83 Thayer Road, died Saturday (3-29-2003) at the Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
He was born in Greenfield on March 17, 1959, the son of Edward and Shirley (Sikoski) Sak.
He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1977 and had been a lifelong resident of Greenfield.
He was employed at the Frontier Regional School as a building maintenance assistant for many years.
Previoulsy he was employed by Northfield Mount Hermon School.
He served in the Marines with the 1135th Division from 1977 to 1980, serving in Okinawa and Japan.
He then served in the Marine Reserves and also in the Navy Reserves at Westover Air Force Base.
He successfully completed an electrician apprenticeship program at Gateway Community College in Phoenix, Ariz., and also completed a welding program at Greenfield Community College.
He was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in Greenfield and was a member of the National Rifle Association.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and playing sports.
He was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan.
Besides his mother of Greenfield, he leaves two brothers, Michael E. of Greenfield and Edward P. of Glendale, Calif.; a sister Francine of Orange and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church with the Rev. Stanley J. Aksamit, pastor, officiating.
A calling hour will be held Friday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Kostanski Funeral Home, 220 Federal St.
Burial will be at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lupus Foundation of America Inc., New York Southern Tier Chapter, 19 Chenango St., Suite 410, Binghamton, N.Y. 13901-2900.
