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FERNANDE LEMAR
Fernande "Fern" (Bessette) Lemar, 81, formerly of Riverside Drive, Pawcatuck, and late of Elm Street, Westerly, died June 13, 2004, at home in Westerly. She was the widow of the late Roland Lemar.
She was born in Montreal, Canada, daughter of the late O'Leary and Eva (Savary) Bessette. She had been employed for over 20 years as an assembler for the Connecticut Casting Company, retiring in 1988. She has been employed as an assembler at Douglas Randall prior to her employment at Connecticut Casting. She was a former member of the 50 Plus club, and a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
She is survived by her three children, Roland J. Lemar Jr. of Ledyard, Kathy E. Davis of Pawcatuck, and Christine Clemmons of Ovett, Miss.; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Calling hours are omitted. A graveside funeral service will be held Monday, June 21, at 11 a.m. in River Bend Cemetery with interment to follow.
The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations in her memory be made to Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 169 George St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.
DOUGLAS A. MORRIS
Douglas A. Morris, 75, of Dunn's Corners Road in Westerly, died on Thursday morning, June 17, 2004, at The Westerly Hospital.
He leaves his wife of 11 years, Martha E. (Smith) Morris of Westerly; two sons, Douglas Morris Jr. of Worcester, Mass., and Lloyd Morris of Brockton, Mass.; two daughters, Luann Modes of Brockton and Lynn Flannery of Massachusetts; two step-children, Dorien Josselyn of Bridgewater, Mass., and Connie Mahan of Worcester; a brother, Lloyd Morris of Melothian, Va.; 11 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Mr. Morris was born in Quincy, Mass., on Feb. 17, 1929, the son of the late John and Ella (Sortliss) Morris. He was a truck driver for 38 years, last working for Wilmington Trucking, before retiring in 1991. He enjoyed playing the lottery and was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox.
A memorial service for Mr. Morris will be held on Sunday, June 27, at 2 p.m. at the Elm Tree Inn, 98 West Broad St., Stonington. There are no calling hours. Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home, 64 Friendship St., Westerly, is in charge of funeral arrangements.
MARGERY E. PIERSON
Margery E. Pierson, 86, of Ministerial Road, Wakefield, died Thursday, June 17, 2004, at her residence. She was the wife of the late David T. Pierson.
Born in Pawcatuck, she was a daughter of the late Richard J. and Emily (Crandall) Smith.
She was a past member of the Perryville Grange and The Perryville Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years.
She loved arts and ceramics and taught ceramics for many years. She also enjoyed quilting and gardening and was an avid Red Sox fan.
She is survived by four sons, David Pierson, Jr. and Neil Pierson, both of Wakefield, Joseph Pierson of North Kingstown, and Stephen Pierson of Peace Dale; five daughters, Marcia Harvey and Sylvia Whaley, both of Wakefield, Linda Coble, Janice Hannaford and Brenda Key, all of Live Oak, Fla.; two brothers, Richard Smith of Wakefield and Arthur Smith of Peace Dale; two sisters, Lucy Cornell and Martha Elaine Morris, both of Westerly; 27 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was the mother of the late Kenneth Pierson and Gail Duncan; and sister of the late Doris Pierson.
Visiting hours are Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. A funeral service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in The Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield. Burial will follow in New Fernwood Cemetery, Kingston.
Memorial donations may be made to: Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 169 George St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.
JAMES DICKEY THORNTON JR.
James Dickey Thornton Jr. son of the late James Dickey Thornton Sr. and Gladys Taber Thornton, died on Sunday, June 20, 2004, in Charleston, S.C., of heart failure and complications following a recent surgery.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Dorothy Sue Hay Thornton of Charleston; a daughter, Sue Hay Thornton and her husband, Adrian J. Chanler of Charleston; a son, James Dickey Thornton III and his wife, Joan C. Thornton of Windsor, Conn.; and two grandchildren, Anne M. Thornton and Sarah K. Thornton of Windsor. He is also survived by a brother, William B. Thornton and his wife, Sandra T. Thornton of Charleston and a sister, Joanne T. Baldwin and her husband, Lawrence M. Baldwin of Stonington.
Born May 6, 1921, in Providence, Mr. Thornton moved with his family to Rock Hill, S.C., in 1929, where he was a graduate of the Winthrop Training School Class of 1938. He graduated from the Citadel in 1942 and entered the United States Army as a second lieutenant in the 12th Combat Engineer Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division. He was released from the Army in 1945 as a captain. He entered the University of South Carolina School of Law and graduated in 1948, becoming a member of the South Carolina Bar and Rhode Island Bar.
Mr. Thornton was in the private practice of law in Westerly until the Korean Conflict, when he was recalled to active duty to serve at Fort Belvoir, Va. He was discharged from the Army in 1952 and returned to Westerly to practice law with Judge John Ferguson until the judge's retirement in 1958. He continued the practice of law, being joined in partnership by his brother, William B. Thornton, until his retirement in 1990, specializing in real estate, estate planning, probate and tax law.
An active member of the local business and legal community, Mr. Thornton acted as Town Solicitor from 1956 to 1959, and served as clerk and solicitor of the Watch Hill Fire District, and solicitor of the Dunn's Corners Fire District, Quonochontaug Central Beach, and Shady Harbor Fire Districts. He enjoyed a long-standing business relationship with The Washington Trust Company, and served over 30 years on its board of directors. He also served on the boards of directors of numerous local business and charitable organizations, including The Westerly Hospital, the Westerly Public Library, the Westerly-Pawcatuck YMCA, the American Red Cross, and the Central Baptist Church. He was also involved in local social organizations including the Lions Club, the Franklin Lodge of Masons, and the Watch Hill Yacht Club, where he served on its race committee, and as secretary of its board of directors.
A former president of the Washington County Bar Association, he also served as a member of the house of delegates of the Rhode Island Bar Association and probate committee. He received many professional designations including being named a Fellow of the Rhode Island Bar Association and a Fellow of the American College of Probate Counsel.
He was a member of the Central Baptist Church of Westerly, First Scots Presbyterian Church in Charleston, and was an active member of the Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community in Charleston. He was also an avid photographer and sailing enthusiast.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, June 24, at 11 a.m. at First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, Charleston. Another memorial service will be held later this summer at the Watch Hill Chapel.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Westerly Public Library or the American Heart Association of SC, 409 King Street, Suite #300, Charleston, SC 29403.
Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., 232 Calhoun St., Charleston, SC 29401.
EMMA B. DUTTON
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 26, at 11 a.m. in the garden of the Dunn's Corners Community Church Presbyterian, 221 Post Road, Westerly, for Emma B. Dutton of Brunswick, Maine.
Emma was born in Enfield, Conn., on Oct. 12, 1909, and passed away on Feb. 13, 2004, in Freeport, Maine, of complications of a stroke.
She is missed by her three daughters, Lillian Arnold of Wimberley, Texas, Nancy Penhallow of Charlestown, and Ellen Reid of Topsham, Maine; 12 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in Emma's name made to the Dunn's Corners Church would be kindly appreciated.
L. STEELE RILEY
L. Steele Riley, 88, of 59 Ninigret Ave., Charlestown, died Saturday, July 17, 2004, at her home. She was the beloved wife of the late John A. "Jack" Riley.
Mrs. Riley was born in Newington, Conn., on Feb. 8, 1916, the daughter of the late Charles and Lila (Stoddard) Sherwood.
Steele was a member of the King's Daughters and a former member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was an avid golfer and won several championships at the Winnapaug Golf Club in Westerly and the Elm Ridge Country Club in Stonington.
Mrs. Riley lived in Newington and Pittsford, N.Y., for many years before retiring to her beloved Quonochontaug and Florida.
She was a communicant of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Charlestown.
Mrs. Riley will be sadly missed by her three children, Martha DiFlorio and her husband Fred of Fairport, N.Y., Joan R. Sherwood of Charlestown, and Charles S. Riley and his wife Barbara of Burke, Va. She also leaves her grandchildren, Mark, Daniel and Andrew Miller and Kimberly Bryson; and her great-grandchildren, Robert, Mathew, Spencer, Preston and Jacob Miller, Ian Poisson and Keillia Bryson.
Funeral services will be private. Burial will be in Newington Central Cemetery, Newington. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main St., Westerly.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Meals on Wheels, 4890 B. Old Post Road, Charlestown, RI 02813 or to the American Cancer Society, 222 Richmond St., Providence, RI 02903.
