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2000s

1990s

Kimberly M. Bonin, Class of 1997 "Kimberly M. Bonin, 25, of 33 Wesleyan St., died Friday, June 13, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident on Interstate 290. "She leaves her parents, Wayne F. and Debra M. (Martin) Bonin; a sister, Tiffany R. Bonin of Shrewsbury; her maternal grandmother, Rose (Silvestri) Martin of Shrewsbury. She was born in Worcester, graduated from Shrewsbury High school and had lived in Shrewsbury more than 15 years. "Miss Bonin was manager of the Victoria's Secret store in Natick, and previously worked in the store in Auburn. At one time she worked for the 5th Ave. Store Corp. "Funeral services and burial will be private. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, 51 Diauto Dr., Randolph, MA 02368. Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St., is directing arrangements." — Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Kimberly A. (Boule) Fenner, Class of 1992 "Worcester—Kimberly A. (Boule) Fenner, 29, of Worcester died Friday, February 27, 2004 at UMass Memorial Medical Center – University Campus. She leaves her husband, Scott Fenner; her parents, Robert and Ann (Takala) Boule of Shrewsbury; a sister, Kristen Boule Miller, wife of Grant Miller of CT; her maternal grandparents, David and Frances Takala of Yarmouth Port; her niece and Goddaughter, Gabrielle Miller; and her Godfather, George Laska. "She was born in Worcester. She graduated from Assumption College and received her Master’s Degree in Library Science from Cambridge College. She was a teacher in the Worcester Public Schools, worked in the central administration grants office, and was a Media Specialist at the A.L.L. School. "The funeral service will be held at 11a.m., Wednesday, March 3, at Greendale Peoples Church, 25 Francis Street. Burial will follow in Hope Cemetery. Calling hours will be held from 5–8p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln Street. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Society for Adult Congenital Cardiac Disease, c/o Dr. Richard Liberthson, 8 Hawthorne Place, Room 110, Boston, MA 02114."

1980s
Cindy Lou Warren Henderson, Class of 1983
"Cindy Lou (Warren) Henderson, 36, of 114 Holden St., formerly of Holland, a comptroller, died Wednesday, Feb. 6, in UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus, Worcester.

"She leaves a son, Kyle J. Henderson of Shrewsbury; a daughter, Amanda L. Henderson of Shrewsbury; her parents, Francis and Dorothy A. (Lang) Warren of Shrewsbury; a brother, Robert A. Warren Sr. of Shrewsbury; two sisters, Bonnie J. Goodney of Shrewsbury and Sharon A. Brennon of Greenville, N.H.; her maternal grandmother, Evelyn (Anderson) Lang-Rivard of Shrewsbury; her former husband, George B. Henderson Jr. of Leicester; nieces and nephews. She was born in Worcester and lived in Shrewsbury, spending 11 years in Holland before returning to Shrewsbury four years ago. She graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 1983.

"Mrs. Henderson was a comptroller for Pure Encapsulations in Sudbury the past two years. Previously, she worked 14 years for Chiswick Trading Inc., Sudbury. She was a former member of North American Family Camping Association.

"The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, in Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, 648 Main St. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery. Calling hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8, in the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to Henderson Children Fund, c/o Shrewsbury Municipal Employees Credit Union, 615 Main St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545."

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

1970s
Thomas Simpson French, MD, Class of 1979
BARNARD, VT - Thomas Simpson French, MD was taken by the Lord on September  8, 2005. Thomas had battled ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) for a number of  years only to have his heart give out in the end. Thomas was born on June  15th, 1961 in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Herbert S., Jr. and  Marian (South) French.

Thomas graduated from Shrewsbury (MA) High School, Bowdoin College, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Medical College of Richmond, Virginia. He was a summa cum laude and Phi Beta Cappa. Thomas practiced plastic surgery at and was an assistant professor for the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA.

Thomas was enthusiastic about music, playing the piano, performing in light opera, and was part of the music and art community. Thomas authored  a chapter in the book "Who's Right (Whose Right?): Seeking
Answers and Dignity in the Debate Over the Right to Die", written with his eyes using a special computer. The title of the chapter, Mind Games, is also the name of a recently released documentary film about Tom and his family which premiered in Woodstock, Vermont, only hours after his death.

Thomas enjoyed skiing, sailing, swimming, and diving. Most of all, he enjoyed being a husband and a father.

He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline S. French and his daughter Lauren S. French of Barnard, VT, two brothers, Herbert S. French, III of Boylston, MA, David C. French of New Hampton, NH, a sister, Susan C. F.
Hull of So. Royalton, VT, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Thomas is also survived by two dedicated caregivers, Daniel E. Bruce and  Gene A. Strout.

We will mourn not too long, but rejoice forever that he was.

A memorial service was held on Saturday Sept. 17, 2005 at 12:00 noon at the First Congregational Church of Woodstock (VT).

Gifts, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Lauren French Scholarship Fund by check to Wachovia Securities, Attn. Scott Finlay, Two International Place, 20th floor, Boston, MA 02110. Donations towards the distribution of Tom's film can also be made to the ALS Association of Northern New England (ALSANNE), c/o Longshot Productions, PO Box 875, Barnard, VT 05031.

Arrangements are under direction of the Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock, Vermont.

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Lynda M. (Lunt) Grosso-Vernon, Class of 1977
"Lynda M. (Lunt) Grosso-Vernon, 42, of 6 North Main St., North Grafton, died Wednesday, May 29, at home.

"She leaves two daughters, Christine M. Grosso of Shrewsbury and Shannon E. Vernon of Sutton; her mother, Kathleen T. (McPhail) Lunt of Shrewsbury; two brothers, Leonard Lunt of Biloxi, Miss., and James Lunt of Shrewsbury; her former husband, Steven B. Vernon of Sutton; nieces and nephews. Her first husband, Thomas J. Grosso, died in 1985. She was born in Worcester, daughter of George L. Lunt. She graduated from Shrewsbury High School, and attended Westfield State College.

"Ms. Grosso-Vernon was a substitute teacher at Shrewsbury Children's Center. She was a member of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Shrewsbury and the Lupus Foundation-Central Massachusetts Group. She enjoyed music and working with children.

"A funeral service will be held at 10a.m. Saturday, June 1, in Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 30 Planation St., Worcester. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetary, Shrewsbury. Calling hours are 5 to 8p.m. Friday, May 31, in the funerall home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lupus Foundation, 40 Speen Street, Framingham, MA  01701; or to Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 34 Prospect St., Shrewsbury, MA  01545."

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Donna Heglmeier Bowen, Class of 1976
"Early Riser, Super Mom
Dec. 12, 2001

"Upbeat. Dependable. Brightly energetic. A lover of children, both her own and others'. Donna Bowen, 42, who was killed in the Sept. 11 jetliner crash at the Pentagon, made it her business to be the very model of the modern working mother.

"Born in Omaha, Bowen grew up a Red Sox fan in the Boston area, where she attended Graham Junior College before moving with her husband of 11 years, Eugene, to Waldorf, MD. For the past 23 years, she worked as a communications representative for Verizon and its predecessor, C&P telephone. In the final three years of her life, she was a contractor to the Pentagon, where she worked with Army accountants. "She loved working on billing problems," said Eugene Bowen.

"Bowen will likely be most vividly remembered as a woman who dedicated her life to children; she spent as much time with them as possible. She rose at 4:15, kissed her sleepy husband and made it to work by 5 every morning so that, at the end of a full workday, she had time to spend with her three children — Alexandra, 10; Eugene Jr., 8, and Anastasia, 6. On Wednesdays, Verizon let her off work early so she could volunteer in her children's classrooms at Berry Elementary in Waldorf, helping children or teachers with projects and offering rides to other children when their parents couldn't.

"All three Bowen children are involved in Scouting, and their mother headed a Girl Scout troop in Waldorf for four years. She also taught catechism at her family's place of worship, Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Waldorf.

"Most of all, she looked forward to the day when she could work with children full-time. Seven years short of retirement at Verizon, she aspired to get her own teaching certificate and have her own class of third-graders. Principal David Trudnak of Berry Elementary, who worked often with Bowen, remembers her as a woman who was there to help any child in need — and as "a very, very nice person."

— Jonathan Pitts (The Baltimore Sun)
More on Donna Heglmeier Bowen from the Baltimore Sun

John J. Morrissey, Class of 1976
John died on June 30, 1995, as a result of a car accident. After graduation from Shrewsbury High, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Boston College in 1980 and a Law Degree from Villanova University School of Law in 1984. He is survived by his parents Walter J. and Natalie A. Morrissey, his brother Walter J. Morrissey, Jr., and his sister Andrea (Morrissey) Marsh and her husband Michael, all of Naples, FL.

John was a member of the Bar Associations of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He was an attorney at Reiff, Morrissey, Pressman and Bily, in Philadelphia and resided in Yardley, PA when he passed away. His parents have established a Memorial Scholarship at Villanova in his memory. Donations may be made to: Class of 1984 John J. Morrissey Scholarship Fund and mailed to Villanova University School of Law, 299 North Spring Mill Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania  19085-1597.

Helen Jackles O'Connor, Class of 1971
Helen L. (Jackles) O'Connor, 49, died on February 22, at home after an illness. She leaves her husband, John J. O'Connor; a son, James R. O'Connor; a daughter, Rebecca F. O'Connor, all of Shrewbury; her mother, Frances M. Jackles of West Yarmouth; two brothers, John E. Jackles of Worcester and Charles R. Jackles of West Yarmouth; three sisters, Joan F. Ferraro of Leicester, Nancy A. Jackles of Grafton, and Jane M. Dolan of Leominster; nephews and nieces. Helen was a personal care assistant and worked 30 years at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Donations made be made to O'Connor Children's Fund, c/o Westboro Bank, 19 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury, MA  01545.

Michael Mangan, Class of 1971
Michael Mangan, 51, died June 6 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus, Worcester, after an illness. He leaves his parents, Kenneth and Priscilla (Nelson) Mangan, with whom he lived; two brothers, Kenneth Mangan Jr. of Shrewsbury and Mark Mangan of Worcester; four sisters, Laura Levins of Shrewsbury, Patricia Mangan of Worcester, Maureen McHugh of Peabody, and Kelly Sampson of Holden; nieces and nephews. He was born in Worcester, was raised in Shrewsbury, and lived in Europe, Asia, and Hawaii. He worked as a construction laborer for many years. Memorial donations may be made to the UMASS Memorial Foundation Hospice Program, P.O. Box 2795, Worcester, MA 01613-9938.

Paula Rourke, Class of 1970
Paula was stricken ill and passed away on Friday, April 7, 2000, at home. She leaves her parents, Edmund and Pauline (Dumas) Rourke and a sister, Jacqueline Rourke, all of Worcester; four brothers, Michael Rourke of Shrewsbury, James and Christopher Rourke of Worcester, and Daniel Rourke of Buzzards Bay. A brother, William Rourke, passed away in 1988.

Paula was the founder and long-time coach of the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Special Needs Program. She was twice named Massachusetts Special Olympics Coach of the Year. In 1995, she was named Coach of the Year by the World Games, and in 1998, she was inducted into the Massachusetts Special Olympics Hall of Fame. Paula was named Citizen of the Year by the Italian American Victory Club, the Adelphi Council Knights of Columbus, and the Friends of the Retarded in Worcester.

Memorial donations may be made to the Shrewsbury Parks and Recreation Department Special Needs Program, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

1960s
Jeanne Tetrault, Class of 1960
Jeanne Tetrault, 59, died January 5, 2004, of metastatic melanoma. She was born December 10, 1944 in St. Petersburg, Florida, daughter of Edgar and Irene (Anderson) Tetrault. She was a 1962 graduate of Shrewsbury High School in Massachusetts, educated at Vassar College, and lived over 30 years of her life in Mendocino County and the Berkeley area, California.

Jeanne was a woman of diverse accomplishments, many of them reflecting her love of country life and of carpentry and design. While farming in Albion, California she founded Country Women magazine (in 1975) and co-authored the book Country Women, A Handbook for the New Farmer (Doubleday, 1976). In 1980, she moved to Berkeley, where she joined Seven Sisters Construction Company. Known to many of her friends as JT, she worked as an independent contractor and designer of unique homes (one built outside of Paris, France) for over twenty years. During that time, she edited a comprehensive anthology of women-built projects, A Woman’s Carpentry Book (Doubleday, 1980) and founded “Tradeswomen Magazine” (in 1980). After obtaining her building inspector’s permit in 1999, Jeanne became a building inspector at the Contra Costa Building Department in Martinez, where she worked in the neighborhood preservation program. She volunteered some of that same knowledge as a house captain for Rebuilding Together. She continued to write throughout these years. In an ongoing project, she conducted interviews at animal shelters that had “no-kill” policies. (This project is now out for publishers’ consideration.) Presently, she was finishing a manuscript of short stories and working on a novel. Jeanne served on the Boards of the Milo Animal Rescue Shelter and Spinsters/Aunt Lute Book Company. She is listed in the 2002-2003 Who’s Who of American Women and 2004 Who’s Who in the World.

Pacific Internment in Emeryville, CA, was in charge of arrangements.

1950s


1940s
Jean Wallsten Moore, Class of 1949
Jean Wallsten Moore died of pancreatic cancer on May 15, 2004.

Irving James "Jim" Donahue Jr., Class of 1940 "Irving James “Jim” Donahue, Jr., 81, of Shrewsbury, died Monday, December 1, 2003, at UMass Memorial Medical Center – Memorial Campus. He was chairman of Donahue Industries and with his wife gave generously to local organizations and schools. "He leaves his wife of 57 years, Barbara May Grant Donahue; two daughters, Susan E. (Donahue) Falzoi, wife of Thomas A. Falzoi of Shrewsbury, Judith L. Donahue of Shrewsbury; and three grandchildren, Laurie K. Falzoi of Brookline, Debra S. Falzoi of Worcester and Curtis J. Falzoi of Los Angeles. Mr. Donahue was born in Shrewsbury, son of Irving James Donahue and Ethel (Larson) Donahue, and lived here his entire life.

"Mr. Donahue graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 1940 and from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1944. He served in the Navy in World War II , after being commissioned at the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated from Harvard Business School in 1948.

"Mr. Donahue's involvement in the community predates his work as head of Donahue Industries. He was a selectmen from 1953 to 1968. He helped bring Selectman-Town Manager and Representative Town Meeting form of government to Shrewsbury in 1954. He served on the Shrewsbury Finance Committee for nine years. He was a former chairman of the board of Worcester Memorial Hospital, a former trustee of WPI, past director of the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce, past chairman of the Lake Quinsigamond Commission, past president of the Central Massachusetts Employers Association, past trustee of the Consumers Savings Bank, past director of the Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns and past director of the Massachusetts Association of Finance Committees.
Mr. Donahue started three companies: Donahue Industries in Shrewsbury in 1956, Donahue International in Delaware in 1967, and I.J.D. Inc. in Shrewsbury 1974. His daughter, Judith L. Donahue, is president of Donahue Industries and I.J.D. Inc.

"Mr. Donahue may be best remembered for his and his wife’s generosity. They donated more than $900,000 to build, on Lake Quinsigamond, the largest rowing center in the USA. They made many other contributions, some of which included scholarships at WPI, a fund for the First Congregational Church, a heart pump for Memorial Hospital, rowing equipment for Shrewsbury High School, St. John's High School, and WPI, an "RUOK" computer for Shrewsbury Senior citizens, a hovercraft for the Shrewsbury Police Department, improvements at Edgemere Park, a fund for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, a hearing aid system for Foothills Theatre, the Shrewsbury Historical Society Museum, town beautification, and a room dedicated to his father at the new Worcester Vocational School.

"Mr. Donahue belonged to the Matthew John Whittall Lodge AF & AM, the First Congregational Church and the Shrewsbury Historical Society. He was a past member of the Chief Executive’s Club, the Shrewsbury Rotary Club, and the Ray Stone Post of the American Legion. He received the man of the year award from the Shrewsbury Lions Club, in addition to numerous awards from WPI. He was recently inducted into the Shrewsbury High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Other past and present affiliations included the Harvard Business School Club, the Bohemians, the Mechanics Hall Association, the Sturbridge Village Association, the Worcester Art Museum, the Worcester Club, the Worcester Country Club and the Worcester Science Center.

"Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Barbara and Irving James Donahue, Jr. Scholarship Fund, c/o University Relations, WPI, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609 or the Donahue Rowing Center, c/o Angela Snell, Parks & Recreation Department, Shrewsbury Municipal Building, 100 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury, MA 01545."

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

1930s

Louie Moroz "Alojzy A. "Louie" Moroz, 83, of 66 Brantwood Road, Worcester, formerly a life long resident of Shrewsbury, died Tuesday, January 20, 2004 in Saint Vincent Hospital after an illness. "His wife, Eleanor R. (Lucente) Moroz passed away in 1962. He leaves 5 children, Judith A. Daly of Dennis, Diane M. Pusac of Phoenix, AZ, Robert A. Moroz of Shrewsbury, William C. Moroz of Waco, TX and Eleanor R. Dussault of Worcester; also survived by 9 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. "Mr. Moroz was born in Worcester, son of the late Anthony and Josephine (Kondracki) Moroz and had lived in Shrewsbury all of his life before moving to Worcester 3 months ago. He graduated from Shrewsbury High School, where he was a member of the first crew team. After graduation he then attended Worcester Academy and Worcester Tech.

"Mr. Moroz had been employed for 20 years as a custodian for the Town of Shrewsbury. During those 20 years he had worked in the Town Hall and the Shrewsbury Schools before he retired in 1985.
He was a member and shop steward for AFSCME Local #1708 Union. Mr. Moroz was also a successful 20 year member of A.A. and an avid pitch and cribbage player.

"Mr. Moroz's funeral will be held on Friday, January 23, 2004 at 10:30 A.M. in the Britton-Shrewsbury Funeral Home, 648 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Burial will take place in Mountain View Cemetery, Shrewsbury. A calling hour will be held on Friday from 9:30-10:30 prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society, Mass Division, 30 Speen St. Framingham, MA 01701."

— Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Gene Larabee, Class of 1938
Eugene Larabee, 82, died on January 11 in Mt. Vernon, NY. Gene received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from WPI in 1942, and a S.M. in aeronautics in 1948. He began teaching at MIT in 1946 and reitred in 1982. Known as "Mr. Propeller" in the human-powered aircraft community, Professor Larabee specialized in propeller and windmill design and made key original contributions to the science and technology of aircraft and road vehicles. He was also known for his designs for research apparatus. He leaves his wife, Christine; a son, Paul, of Brookline; and a daugher, Rose, of Mt. Vernon.

Claire Riopel Kimball, Class of 1930
Claire Kimball,, 90, died August 18 in her home. Her husband, Philip Kimball, died in 1971. She leaves three sons, Robert Kimball of Northboro; Jeffrey Kimball of Stratham, NH; and James Kimball of LaPlata, MD; her sister, Mary E. Kimball; and 8 grandchildren. Claire was vice president of her high school class and was a member of the basketball and field hockey teams. She was Secretary of the College at Quinsigamond Community College from 1963 until her retirement in 1977. Previously, she worked as a secretary for the Shrewsbury School Department and as an office manager of a Worcester brokerage firm. Memorial contributions can be made to the Mercy Centre, 25 West Chester St., Worcester, MA 01605.


1920s
Barbara Thayer White, Class of 1928
Barbara Thayer White was the first woman underwriter at Paul Revere Insurance Co.. She left three children who graduated from SHS: Nancy Thayer Grant '47, Allan R. Thayer '48, and Joan Thayer Hodge '49.

Gertrude Cook Woodbury, Class of 1926
Gertrude Woodbury, 95, died June 24 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center, Worcester. her husband, Vernon P. Woodbury, died in 1973. She leaves a sister, Florence E. Church of Shrewsbury, and nieces and nephews. She was born in SHrewsbury, daughter of Maurice and Carrie (Harrington) Cook and lived here all her life. She graduated from Major Beal High School and Framingham State College. Mrs. Woodbury was treasurer and part owner of the family business , H.A. Cook and Son, for 62 years, retiring in 1993. She previously was a dietitian at Beth Israel Hospital, Boston. She was a member of the First Congregational Church, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Worcester Section Green Mountain Club, Shrewsbury Historical Society, Worcester Framingham Club, and Massachusetts State Grange. She climbed mountains in New England, New York, and California and earned membership into the Appalachian Four Thousand Footer Club for having climbed all 67 mountain peaks in New England with elevations of 4,000 feet or higher. She also enjoyed canoeing, travel, and gardening. Donations may be made to King's Daughters Memorial Flower Fund, c/o First Congregational Church, 19 Church Road, Shrewsbury, MA 01545; or to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, P.O. Box 598, Boylston, MA 01505.

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