In Memoriam

To live in the hearts of those left behind is to live forever.

We honor the lives of the following classmates who are now deceased. We cherish their memory and the valuable contributions they made to their families and community.

Robichaud, Roland L. (1959)

Hull, Lawrence (1965)

Viewig, Judith (1973) Judith Elaine Vieweg – died Townsend MA 9 September, 1973

Arnold, Lynwood (1979) Lynwood Arnold – died East Brookfield, MA 5 July, 1979

Albro, Betty (1986) Elizabeth (Albro) Goguen - died Leominster, MA 14 November 1986

Taavitsainen, Phyllis (1986) 

Wuth, Betty (1989) Betty (Wuth) Cormier - died in Hartford, Connecticut on 28 August 1989.

Gastonguay, Paul (1989) Paul Emile Gastonguay - died in Spring Green, Wisconsin on 16 November 1989

Caswell, Judith E. (1992) Judith E. (Caswell) Rhoades, 49 - died Templeton MA 29 September 1992

Clarkson, Robert (1993) Robert E. Clarkson, Sr., 51 – Robert E. Clarkson died Fitchburg, MA 4 July, 1993

Pierce, Richard (1994)

Bernard, Carol (1995) Carol Bernard Smith, 53 - died Fort Myers FL 15 October, 1995

Bourgeois, James V. (1995) James V. Bourgeois, 53 – died Gardner MA December 8, 1995

Smith, Peter (1996) Peter J. Smith, 54 – died 13 December 1996

Waterman, Carol (1998) Carol (Waterman) Girouard, 55 - died in Gardner on 1 March 1998

Goguen, Bruce (1998) Bruce R. Goguen, 55 - died Fitchburg MA 12 September 1998

Fisher, Jerilyn (1999) Jerilyn C. Niemela, 56 - died 26 Jan 1999 Templeton, MA

Pouliot, Donald (2000) Donald R. Pouliot, 57 – died Templeton, MA 21 May, 2000

Pakkila, Eric (2001) Armas Erick Pakkila Jr. 58, – died Leominster 2 February, 2001

Barton, Albert E. (2002) Albert E. Barton, 59 – died Gardner 3 May, 2002

2003

Frances L. (Cassano) Diskin – died Chelmsford MA 25 August, 2003

LeClair, Lucille T. (2003) Lucille T. (Leclair) Beeching, 60 - died in Lacey, Washington on 16 May 2003

Gerard, Ron. (2003) Ron Gerard died in Madrid, Spain on 17 December 2003

2005

Marien, Joseph J. (2005) Joseph J. Marien – died Westminster, MA 14 March, 2005

Prentiss, David (2005) Arthur David Prentiss (aka Mark Hanson) – died Paisley, FL, 4 November 2005

2006

Lucas, Mary (2006) Mary Lucas Liptrap, 64 – died Gardner MA, 21 February, 2006

Richardson, Gerald (2006) Gerald D. Richardson, Jr., 65 – died Gardner, MA 5 May 2006

Marilyn Ann (Parnanen) Hamel, 64 – died Westminster on 12 July 2006

Prime, Pamela (2006) Pamela (Prime) Miller died in Bloomsburg, PA on 25 July, 2006

2007

Beauregard, David R. Sr. (2007), of Brunswick, ME age 65 died 6 June 2007, in Portland, ME

Rivers, William H. (2007) Bill Rivers, age 64, died on 28 June 2007, in Leverett, MA.

Tkaczyk, Jeanne F. (2007) Jeanne F. (Tkaczyk) Gajdukow, age 64, of Jay ME died on Wednesday October 3, 2007 in Farmington, ME.

Johnson, Ernest M. (2007) Ernest Johnson died on 5 July 2007 in East Hampton, NY

2008

Kathryn Schreiner (2008). Kathryn Schreiner McCarthy died on May 8, 2008 in Ayer, MA

LeClair, Gerald L. (2008) Gerald L. “Jerry” LeClair died on August 23 2008 in Fitchburg, MA.

Keresey, Janice (2008) Janice (Keresey) Caron died on September 23, 2008 in Nantucket, MA

Lariviere, Blair. (2008). Blair J. Lariviere died on Thursday, December 18, 2008 in Worcester, MA

2009

Lavigne, Carolyn M. (2009) Carolyn M. (Lavigne) Fournier, age 66, died on February 1, 2009 in Winchendon, MA

Marien, Pamela A. (2009) Pamela A. (Marien) Schultz, age 66, died on Friday, October 16, 2009 in Westminster, MA

2010

Blacquiere, Laurie J. (2010) Laurie J. Blacquiere, age 67, died on January 27, 2010 at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA

 

Stellato, Joseph S. (2010) Joseph SAlvatore Stellato, age 69, died on February 24, 2010 in Houston, TX

Lupien, Francis X. (2010) Francis X. Lupien, age 67, died on Monday March 8, 2010 in North Port, FL

2011

Chapman, Eric J. (2011) Eric J. Chapman, age 68, died on Thursday, April 7, 2011 in Lincolnshire, IL

Touchette, Richard E. (2011) Richard E. Touchette, age 69, died on August 12, 2011 in Gardner, MA.

Racette, Raymond C. (2011) Raymond C. Racette, age 70, died on Saturday, October 1, 2011 in Phillipston, MA

 

2012

 

LeBlanc, Ernest A. (2012) Ernest A. LeBlanc, age 70, died on September 19, 2012 in Bedford, MA.

Rathburn, Elizabeth (2012) Elizabeth "Betty" (Hill) Rathburn, age 71, died on 30 October, 2012 in Fitchburg MA.

 

Last Updated on November 11, 2012

Bill Farnsworth - A Career in the Navy

                                             William Farnsworth – U.S. Navy, 1965-1985.

Bill graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD in 1965.  He served in various positions on two different destroyers, a replenishment ship, and the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga.  Bill was Commanding Officer of the USS Valor (MSO-472), a 177 foot wooden minesweeper, in Charleston, South Carolina, one of his most unique and special posts.   While stationed on ships, he made three separate,  6-8 month deployments to Vietnam.   Bill traveled to the Mediterranean, the northern Pacific Ocean, and Northern Europe.  He served a one year unaccompanied tour in Vietnam, 1969-70. Shore assignments included serving as Chief of Naval Technical Training in Memphis, TN, Commander Task Force 63 in the Mediterranean, teaching navigation to midshipmen and working with incoming plebes and then serving as Company Officer in charge of 1/36^th of the Brigade of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, followed by duties at the Naval Station in Mayport, FL.  Other assignments were based in Newport, RI, San Diego, CA, Monterey, CA, Pearl Harbor, HI, and Naples, Italy.  Awards include 3 Navy Commendation Medals with Combat “V”, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.  Lieutenant Commander Bill Farnsworth retired from service in the U.S. Navy in 1985.

In 1986 Bill began a second career as Director of Safety and Security with St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Florida.  He was active in the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, serving on the Board of Directors for ten years and was twice elected President.  He assisted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in teaching hospitals how to protect newborn and infants from being abducted.

In 2008, Bill retired from St. Vincent’s and says that now he plays golf as much as he can, enjoys his grandchildren, and stays very active in the Cursillo movement of the Catholic Church. In looking back over his “two jobs” and 47 year marriage to Pat Broker (the couple moved 19 times in 20 years), Bill acknowledges that living in Hawaii and Naples, Italy were especially enjoyable as the couple were able to pursue their mutual interests in SCUBA diving and travel, but that both Pat and Bill regard their shore days at the U.S. Naval Academy as “the best.”

Editor’s Note: “Getting in” to a service academy requires personal grit and determination in addition to rigorous academic and physical preparation.  Bill is quick to credit his parents for their support in helping him to achieve his goals.

 

Remembering Joseph S. Stellato

GHS Class of 1960 classmate Joseph S. Stellato was born on May 26, 1941 and died on February 24, 2010 in Seabrook, TX.  Joe was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Viet Nam and retired with the rank of Captain.  He is buried in the Houston National Cemetery in Houston, TX.

We will post more information about Joe as we learn it.  In the meantime, classmates who remember Joe are welcome to leave comments about him.  He lived at 13 Washington Street in Gardner.

Saluting Mr. Joseph Aveni

GHS Classmates who attended Gardner Junior High School on Waterford Street in 1956, or attended Westminster Junior High School in 1957, may remember Mr. Joseph Aveni as Grade 8 Homeroom teacher, Grade 8 Science teacher, or Westminster School Principal.  What many may not have known, or forgotten, is that Joseph F. Aveni served aboard a B-24 bomber crew as radio-operator/gunner in World War II.  Mr. Aveni flew 44 missions in the China-Burma-India theater as part of the famed Flying Tigers.  He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and other decorations.  He served as Principal of the Westminster Elementary School for 28 years.

The photo above was published in the Images of America series, Westminster, compiled by the Westminster Historical Society (2001), page 104.  Betty Aveni provided the photo.

If you have a special memory of Mr. Aveni, we encourage you to add a comment to this post.

Editor's Note: The plane used by the Flying Tigers was the P-40 - a single engine fighter capable of carrying 1500 pounds of bombs.  These were attached to one of three locations - one on each wing and one directly beneath the cockpit. The munitions came in three sizes: 250, 500, and 1000 pound bombs. 

Night at the Casino Royal

The picture above was shared by Laura (Davis) Larocque.  It was taken during the GHS Washington Trip, in 1960, on a visit to The Casino Royal at 14th and H Street, Northwest, "Washington's Smartest Cabaret featuring top entertainment from Broadway and Hollywood."

Girls seated at table (left side, front to back) are Laura Davis, Brenda Nyman, Carol Pardee, Kay Schreiner, Yvonne Savaria.

Girls seated at table (right side, front to back) ar Charleen Surette, Carol Tobia, Anita Roach, Alice Teles, Sylvia Tisdale,

Boys standing (left to right) James Eacmen, Tom Ryan, Vincent Maillet, Brendan Dunn, Leonard Slomski, Larry Hull, Roger Kinnear, and Donald Niemela.

Some of the performers who headlined Casino shows during that era included Johnnie Ray, Pearl Bailey, Vaughan Monroe, Ella Fitzgerald, Guy Mitchell,  the Four Aces, and Nat King Cole.

Do you have a photo from your high school days that you would like to share with others?  Thanks again to Laura and David Laroque for their thoughtfulness.  We hope you have made a successful move to your new home!

Classmates Visit Florida

GHS Classmate Chuck Fuller sent this photo of Vincent Maillet, Barbara Reed Fuller, Charleen Surrette Bernard, and Robert Bernard on a recent trip to Florida.  Thanks, Chuck!

If you have a photo or story you would like to share with other GHS Class of 1960 classmates, please  send photo and a brief write-up to dfleming373@gmail.com .

Helen Dearborn Whittier

Helen Dearborn Whitter was born on 18 April, 1899, the daughter of Clara Eldora Whittier and William L. Whittier, in Deerfield, New Hampshire, Rockingham County.  She died in Gardner on 9 December, 1980.  Many GHS classmates will remember her not-so-nice nickname, "The Swamp Lady" or recall that during the 1950's she taught biology and was advisor to the Biology Club.  Few of our generation may remember the leadership roles she played as President of the Gardner Teachers Association in the 1940's or the other science subjects she taught during her tenure in Gardner.  Miss Whittier also documented local field trips in biology and earth science, including studies of glacial landforms in Gardner, for which she developed carefully mimeographed maps, drawings and handouts to assist students and townspeople in understanding the local landscape.  From 1966 to 1976 Miss Whittier led Great Books Discussion Groups in Gardner.  She lived in an apartment at 26 Central Street (now demolished) near the Woodland Spa (also gone).

If you have a special memory of Miss Whittier, please use the comment feature on this blog page to add your thoughts about one of Gardner High School's finest teachers.