Obituaries

Recent Obituaries

Alice J. (Walsh) Twohig

Alice J. (Walsh) Twohig

May 2, 2026

Alice Josephine (Walsh) Twohig, 91, of Stoneham, passed away peacefully at Winchester Hospital on May 2, 2026, surrounded by the family she loved so dearly.

A lifelong resident of Stoneham, Alice was born to Edmund J. and Alice C. (Crosby) Walsh and graduated from Stoneham High School, where she was voted “Most Efficient” in the Class of 1952. This superlative was...

Lillian Florence Johnson

Lillian Florence Johnson

Apr 30, 2026

Lillian Florence Johnson of Littleton and Chelmsford, Massachusetts passed away on the morning of April 30, 2026. Born May 22, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Otto and Marie Jorgensen. She was predeceased by her husband Richard in 1971, her parents, brother Henry Jorgensen and his wife Nellie. Also predeceased by her in-laws John and Nora Johnson, Carlyle...

Joanne E. Welch

Joanne E. Welch

Apr 26, 2026

Joanne E. Welch (1935–2026)

"Grief is the price we pay for love” Queen Elizabeth II

Joanne Elizabeth Welch, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on April 26, 2026, leaving a void her family cannot fill.

Born in Malden, Massachusetts in 1935 to James and Elizabeth Flanders, Joanne was a proud graduate of Malden High School, Class of 1953. Later in life, she...

Deborah Acton

Deborah Acton

Apr 25, 2026

Deborah J. Acton, age 71, of Leominster, formerly of Pepperell, MA passed away April 25, 2026 after a brief illness.

Deborah worked for Mass General Hospital for 21 years and prided herself on her extensive medical vocabulary and spelling. Deborah was a "Badass" single mother of two girls Tiffany and Rebecca who she loved and cherished deeply. Deborah loved hard and...

Dolores "Jennie" Funaiole

Dolores "Jennie" Funaiole

Apr 15, 2026

Dolores G. (Jennie) Simonds Funaiole, 88 years, of Townsend, MA, passed on April 15th at home.

Jennie grew up in Fitchburg, MA, and attended St. Joseph school. She married Albert Funaiole in 1956 and became a lifelong member of St. John's parish. She spent years as an Ecumenical Minister within the church.

Jennie had a passion for crocheting and provided blankets to...

Wendy A. Dugas

Wendy A. Dugas

Apr 15, 2026

Wendy Dugas (Haskins Whyte)

Born September 12, 1941, in Malden, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on April 15, 2026.

Wendy was the beloved daughter of the late John and Doris Whyte.

She spent much of her life near the water—a place that brought her great joy. From her early years by the lake to later life with her late husband, Robert Dugas, in Alton...

Dana K. Carpenter

Dana K. Carpenter

Apr 14, 2026

Our favorite artist, Dana Keith Carpenter, joined the leader of the band, Parker Carpenter, on April 14, 2026. He expressed his love through his drawings, paintings, and woodwork. His work is not in any museum we’re aware of, but can be viewed in the homes of loved ones all throughout the USA. It is in the watercolor landscapes tucked into...

Reita Colard

Reita Colard

Apr 13, 2026

Reita Colard, age 82, of Pepperell, passed away on April 13, 2026, with her family by her side. Born on July 1, 1944, in Lowell, Massachusetts, Reita lived a life defined by devotion, resilience, and a deep, unwavering love for the people she held close. 

She is survived by her son, James Colard, and his husband, Christopher Morrison, of Pepperell; her...

Jane Hodgman Carrubba

Jane Hodgman Carrubba

Apr 10, 2026

Jane Hodgman Carrubba, 83, a long-time resident of Pepperell, MA and later Hollis, NH passed away peacefully on April 10, 2026, with family by her side at the Community Hospice House in Merrimack, NH.

Jane was born to the late Richard and Virginia Hodgman and grew up in the Arlington/Reading, MA area. She moved to Pepperell, MA in 1972, where she...

Toru Mike Yamanishi

Toru Mike Yamanishi

Apr 5, 2026

Toru Mike Yamanishi, 58, of Pepperell, passed away peacefully on April 5, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Mike was born in Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, and grew up in Japan, attending Canadian Academy where he met lifelong friends. He later moved to the United States when he began college. He graduated from Butler University with a degree in Chemistry and Computer Science, then...

Cynthia C. Ebert

Cynthia C. Ebert

Apr 1, 2026

Cynthia C. Ebert passed away on April 1, 2026 at her home in Clinton, Massachusetts. She was 76 years old.

She was born in Oak Park, Illinois on July 30, 1949, the second of three daughters to Joseph M. and Regina C. Scannell. The family resided in Illinois and New Jersey before moving in 1958 to Massachusetts, where Cynthia’s parents had...

John Curtis Bruner

John Curtis Bruner

Mar 31, 2026

John Curtis Bruner died peacefully on March 31, 2026, with a full head of thick, black hair, surrounded by love, music and his family. A graduate of the Groton High School class of ‘73, John went on to complete his Bachelor of Arts in Music at Lowell State, followed by an MBA at Rivier University. He was many things in...

Margaret Mary Bell

Margaret Mary Bell

Mar 12, 2026

Margaret Mary Bell (Wildes) lived her life with heart, grit, and deep love for her family—never quietly, always fully.

Born on September 27, 1933, in New York, New York, Margaret later settled in Pepperell, Massachusetts, where she grew up, graduated from Pepperell High School, and built the life that would define her.

As a teenager, she worked at a local donut shop...

Ralph J. Hulslander, III

Ralph J. Hulslander, III

Mar 7, 2026

Ralph J. Hulslander III, 76, of Pepperell, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, in the comfort of his home and in the care of his loving family. A member of the Chelmsford High School Class of 1967, Ralph entered the US Navy after graduation. Following discharge from the Navy, Ralph worked to earn his Journeyman and Master electrician licenses,...

Robert Milton Rich

Robert Milton Rich

Feb 25, 2026

Robert Milton Rich, age 92, passed away peacefully at Ayer Valley Rehab and Nursing on February 25, 2026 after a long illness. He was born February 16, 1934, in Lynn, Massachusetts, son of the late Milton and Christine (Smith) Rich.

Robert grew up in Swampscott where he attended the local schools and was a graduate of Swampscott High School. Following graduation,...

Marie M. St. Laurent

Marie M. St. Laurent

Feb 22, 2026

Marie M. St. Laurent (Guilmette) 93, of Pepperell, passed away Sunday, February 22, 2026 peacefully in her sleep with her husband of 70 years by her side, after several years of declining health. While we are sad to say goodbye, we are grateful, that thanks to the amazing, unwavering care and commitment of her loving husband Bernie, she was able...

Kathryn Ann (Haapola) Whittier

Kathryn Ann (Haapola) Whittier

Feb 19, 2026

Kathryn Ann (Haapola) Whittier, age 81, of Pepperell, died unexpectedly at her home on February 19, 2026. She was born in Fitchburg on April 20, 1944, the only daughter of Olavi and May G. (Wennberg) Happola.

Raised in Fitchburg, she attended the local schools and graduated from Fitchburg High School. She went on to work at NEBS as a secretary for...

Robin (Farmer) Reading

Robin (Farmer) Reading

Feb 13, 2026

Robin (Farmer) Reading, 62, of Pepperell, MA, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 13, after a long and difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Robin was born in Lowell in 1964 to George and Dorothy “Dotty” (Pellerin) Farmer. She attended North Middlesex Regional High School before studying at Wellesley College. After graduating, Robin worked at the Renaissance Bedford Hotel while getting her...

Debra Dee (Douglas) Straight

Debra Dee (Douglas) Straight

Feb 8, 2026

Debra Dee (Douglas) Straight passed away peacefully on February 8, 2026, in her family home in Pepperell, MA, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born in Plattsburgh, NY, on July 16, 1957, the daughter of Thomas and Ava (Tuttle) Douglas.

Debbie lived a life full of dedication and service. She built a respected career working for Manning’s Law firm in...

Lydia Falco

Lydia Falco

Feb 5, 2026

Lydia Falco, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on February 5, 2026, at her home, surrounded by loved ones, after a courageous 22-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was born in New York City to Walter and Valentina Mantyka, where she spent her early years and developed the strength, resilience, and unmistakable spirit that stayed with her throughout her...