JOANNE R. ELDRIDGE
December 17, 1961 ~ December 15, 2020 (Age 58)

WINCHENDON - Joanne R. (Duval) Eldridge, 58, of Winchendon died peacefully Tuesday evening, December 15, 2020 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center, University Campus, Worcester.

She was born in Winchendon on December 17, 1961, daughter of the late Lawrence J. and Elizabeth Ann (Tenney) Duval and was a resident of Winchendon for most of her life.

Joanne was a graduate of Murdock High School and had worked in local factories as well as cleaning houses in the local area. She was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox, Bruins and New England Patriots and enjoyed country music and animals.

Her husband, John Wayne Eldridge, died in 2009. She leaves a daughter, Amanda Duval and a grandson Liam Lambert; two brothers, Wayne S. Duval and David K. Duval and his wife, Laurie; two sisters, Nada Girouard and her husband Raymond and Dale K. Lucier and her husband Richard, all of Winchendon; two stepchildren and their children and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at a later date.

Stone-Ladeau Funeral Home, 343 Central Street, Winchendon is directing arrangements.

JACQUES A. BOUCHARD
April 20, 1949 ~ November 24, 2020 (Age 71)

WINCHENDON - Jacques A. Bouchard, 71, formerly of 105 Ipswich Drive, died Tuesday, November 24, 2020 in Heywood Hospital, Gardner.

He was born in New Brunswick, Canada on April 20, 1949, son of Ronald Bouchard of Baldwinville and the late Alvine (Martin) Bouchard and graduated from Gardner High School. Following graduation, he proudly served his country as a member of the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

Jacques was a railroad worker for many years and also worked many years for his father’s floor covering business. He was an avid outdoorsman, who loved the woods and outdoors.

In addition to his father, he leaves two children, Harmony Hill and grandsons Jaxson and Levi and Justin Bouchard of Colorado; his sisters and brothers, Jacqueline Callan and her husband Donovan of VT, Roger Bouchard of Leominster, Rachel Pikkarainen and her husband David of Ashburnham, Christine Gemborys and her husband Bruce of Gardner and Carl Bouchard and his wife Christine of Gardner; a daughter-in-law Debbie Duteau and granddaughters Maddisyn and Briahna, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and one great great nephew.

Funeral services will be held at a later date and will be announced by Stone-Ladeau Funeral Home, 343 Central Street, Winchendon.

Burial, with military honors, will be in Massachusetts Veterans' Memorial Cemetery.

LOUISE M. FLAGG
November 30, 1946 ~ December 22, 2020 (Age 74)

GARDNER - Louise M. (Drouin) Flagg, 74, of 104 Church Street, formerly of Winchendon, died peacefully Tuesday morning, December 22, 2020, with her family at her side, in Heywood Hospital, Gardner.

She was born in Winchendon on November 30, 1946, daughter of the late Armand and Irene C. (Paradis) Drouin and lived in Winchendon for most of her life. Louise was a 1964 graduate of Murdock High School.

Louise worked for many years as a bank teller in both Winchendon and Westminster. She later worked as an assistant purchaser for Ranor, then as a secretary for RAN Engineering and last worked at P&S Pallets in Hubbardston. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Winchendon and greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and collecting angels.

She leaves three sons from her first marriage to Allison T. Flagg; Michael Flagg and his wife, Andrea of Woodstock, GA, Scott Flagg and his wife Tracy of Winchendon and Christopher Flagg and his fiancée Michelle of Hilton Head Island, SC; six grandchildren, Raymond, Mark, Bradley, Kaleigh, Jackson and Taylor and a brother Norman Drouin of Falmouth. Louise was predeceased by her longtime companion, Daniel Rahaim of Westminster, whose children, Julia, Phillip and Keith, were special to her.

Calling hours, funeral mass and burial will be held Saturday, May 8, 2021 and will be announced by Stone-Ladeau Funeral Home, 343 Central Street, Winchendon.

Memorial donations may be made to Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association, 1787 Sutter Parkway Powell, OH 43065-8806

RUTH C. WESTON
July 12, 1925 ~ December 13, 2020 (Age 95)

After nine and a half memorable innings, Ruth C. Weston, 95, crossed over into the Field of Dreams on Sunday, December 13, 2020, surrounded by family at her home in Granby.

Born in Medford, MA on July 12, 1925, daughter of the late Frederic C. and Gladys E. (Johnson) Sidney, she was raised in Winchendon and Ashburnham, Massachusetts. As a girl she stayed up late studying science, began a lifelong hobby of playing piano, and helped at home where her mother ran a youth hostel. The family moved to the Elmwood section of West Hartford and Ruth graduated from Hall High School, Class of 1941, at age 15.

After high school, Ruth continued her education at Hillyer College and received high honors in engineering. She was the beloved wife of the late Barrett L. Weston for 33 years. After raising her family, Ruth took a position at The Hartford Insurance Company in Windsor and Simsbury.

Throughout her life, Ruth loved to learn and kept a library of varied reference books. She read the newspaper and did the crossword daily, learned how to drive at 54, and had recently taken to surfing the internet. She loved a challenge and would enter contests of mental agility, even winning a car in a word game in 1959. She had a standing date with Alex Trebek on weeknights. An avid sports fan, Ruth always rooted for her favorite teams, the Boston Red Sox and the UConn Men's and Women's Basketball teams and loved to watch PGA golf. In her spare time she enjoyed duckpin bowling and listening to A Prairie Home Companion. She inherited an interest in dog shows from her father and looked forward to watching the Westminster KC dog show each year. To broaden her perspective, Ruth watched TV news broadcasts on multiple channels, read biographies, and attended the theater.

A proud American citizen, she knew her history and never took for granted her right to vote, not surprising for someone whose first memory was seeing Paul Revere ride past her window (a reenactor in a parade). Ruth especially loved shoveling snow and doing yard work but always looked forward to vacations with her children, especially to Charlestown, RI. The consummate New Englander, she was self-sufficient and followed a "make do and mend" philosophy, practicing economy in most everything. Yet she was lavish with her support of many causes, from local to global. She generously shared her wry sense of humor and especially loved a good pun, which is basically an economical joke.

Though she pursued many interests, it was Ruth's ideals, not her actions that carried her gracefully through so many changes in the world. She was steady but not immovable, inquisitive rather than critical, and amused more often than irritated. She was at peace with solitude but loved nothing more than to spend time with family, her joy and her life's work.

She leaves six children, Bruce (Polly) Weston of Hamden, Karen (Tony) Gazzillo of Kinnelon, NJ, Barry (Barbara) Weston of Roanoke, VA, Terry (Rick) Roach of Bristol, Sue (Rich) Smith of Burlington, and Tom (Jan) Weston of Coventry and Homosassa, FL; a brother, Robert (Janice) Sidney of Marshfield, MA; three daughters-in-law, Shirley Weston of Windsor Locks, Isolde Weston of Kefenrod, Germany, and Linda Weston of Torrington; a sister-in-law, Claire Sidney of Towanda, PA, and several nieces and nephews. She was grandmother to 22, great-grandmother to 23, and great-great-grandmother to six. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by three sons, Daniel, David, and Robert Weston; two brothers, Laurence and Frederic Sidney; and a sister, Charmian Sidney.

Funeral services will be private. Burial will be in Granby Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Salmon Brook Historical Society, 208 Salmon Brook St., Granby, CT 06035 or to the Granby Community Fund, P.O. Box 94, Granby, CT 06035. Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home has care of the arrangements. For online condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.

BETTY ZAMPARELLI
February 6, 1925 ~ December 19, 2020 (Age 95)

Betty Zamparelli, 95, of Scarborough, Me and formerly of Medford, Ma. passed away on Saturday, December 19, 2020, at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine.

Born on February 6, 1925, in Winchendon, Massachusetts, the daughter of Beatrice and Arthur Doane, Betty was the kindest, most easy going person youd ever meet. A proud graduate of Jackson College for Women which would later be integrated into Tufts University. Betty taught elementary 3rd-grade school at Osgood Elementary school.

In college, she would meet the love of her life, John Zamparelli. Together they raised a family in Medford, Massachusetts. During their lives together Betty taught and raised her three children while also supporting Johns highly successful legal and political career. It was Betty who organized the political gatherings and fundraisers at their home. Any Democratic candidate in Massachusetts for major office made the Zamparelli home a must-stop on their way to elected office.

Age would never stop Betty. She lived life to the fullest. Right up to her last day, she was reading another mystery, cooking dinner, washing the dishes, and having a glass of champagne with her daughter and friends. Betty loved being with her family and even becoming a Mainer.

Betty is survived by her daughter-in-law, Pannawadee and son John of Lynn, Mass., daughter Lisa, of Saco, Me., son-in-law Mike, daughter Laurie, and grandchild Hope Marcello of Scarborough, Maine; brother David, and late Louise Medway, Mass, late brother Arthur and Marilyn Doane of Marlborough, Mass, late brother Jay and late Margie Doane, of Syracuse, NY, late sister Dorothy Foster and Grayson Foster Mathews VA, and sister Beverly Putnam Charlotte North Carolina.

There will be a funeral mass with Covid-19 safety measures at St. Christophers Parish Church, in York, Maine, Monday, December 28th at 11 am.

LIANE LESLIE OSBORNE
December 16, 2020 (Age 76)

Liane Leslie Osborne, 76, a longtime resident of Framingham and most recently Boylston, died peacefully at home Wednesday morning, December 16, 2020 following a lengthy illness.

Born in Northampton, MA, she was the daughter of the late John Milton & Margaret (McPherson) Leslie. Liane was raised and educated in So. Glastonbury, CT, and moved to the Framingham area with her three boys in 1965. In 1966 she met her husband, the love of her life Douglas Osborne, and they raised their blended family of five sons.

She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Framingham, where her love of children shown through as a teacher of Sunday School. Family was her priority especially her husband Douglas E., her sons, Donald Bartley & his fiancee Lauren Brownell of So. Burlington, VT, John Bartley of Windsor Locks, CT, and Jeffrey Bartley of Winchendon, MA, her step sons, Douglas Osborne Jr. & his wife Marybeth of Framingham, and Kenneth Osborne and his wife Kristin of Grafton, her grandchildren, Joseph and Emily Osborne, and Olivia and Kenton Osborne, her siblings, Jack Leslie & wife Nancy of FL, Bruce Leslie of CT, Janine Leslie of CT, Margaret Vitali & husband Tom of CT, Jim Leslie & wife Catherine of OH, and Many nieces and nephews.

Considering current health restrictions, Lianes family and friends will honor and remember her life with private services. There will be a memorial service and interment in the Spring, date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in her name to: First United Methodist Church, 360 Water St., Framingham, MA 01701 Arrangements by the McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home of Framingham. For online tributes or to share a memory with her family, please kindly visit www.mccarthyfh.com.

AURORE E. "ORA" PARADISE
July 22, 1918 ~ December 19, 2020 (Age 102)

WINCHENDON - Aurore E. "Ora" (Launier) Paradise, 102, formerly of 163 Pleasant Street, died peacefully Saturday morning, December 19, 2020 in Quabbin Valley Healthcare, Athol.

She was born in Worcester on July 22, 1918, daughter of the late Arthur M. and Henrietta (Casavant) Launier and lived in Winchendon for most of her life.

Ora had worked at Atlas Fireworks and had worked as a waitress and at one time, operated the former Sunset Dairy Bar. She later worked in the Murdock High School cafeteria and as a cook at the former Winchendon Hospital.

Ora had twice been named Senior Citizen of the Year for the Town of Winchendon. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and was active for many years with its Christmas Bazaar and Strawberry Festival. She was also a member of VFW Auxiliary and Winchendon Golden Agers.

Her husband of 36 years, Lionel J. Paradise Sr, died in 1983. She leaves two sons, Louis A. Paradise and his wife Maureen of Orange and Lionel J. Paradise Jr of NH; one granddaughter Cheyenne O’Brien and two great granddaughters, Khloe and Kylie and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Ora was preceded in death by a son, Richard G. Paradise and her many siblings, William Launier, Hector Launier, Richard Launier, Arthur Launier, Bella R. Girouard, Dora Bernard, George Launier, Joseph Launier, Viola Begonis and Anna Launier.

Due to the corona virus pandemic, funeral services and burial will be held and will be announced at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to Care Central VNA and Hospice, 34 Pearly Lane, Gardner, MA 01440 or to Sterling Animal Shelter, 17 Laurelwood Rd, Sterling, MA 01564.

Stone-Ladeau Funeral Home, 343 Central Street, Winchendon is directing arrangements.