Wakefield Obituaries

Published in the August 23, 2016 edition.

WESTWOOD — Fred T. Willett of Westwood died on Aug. 20.
Fred graduated from Boston College in 1949. He held advanced degrees in Education, Business Administration and Computer Science.
He was retired from the Research Division of the Gillette Co. Upon retirement he was on the faculty of…

Published in the August 22, 2016 edition.

MALDEN — Margaret B. “Peggy” Hanley of Malden died on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Margaret was raised and educated in Malden. She is a graduate of Boston University. For over 20 years, she worked as an admitting clerk at the Malden Hospital.

An avid, lifelong Red Sox fan, Peggy…

Published in the August 22, 2016 edition.

STONEHAM — George L. Austin, 89, of Stoneham and formerly of Wakefield, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Aug. 17 in Melrose.

Mr. Austin was born in Mattawamkeag, Maine on Nov. 15, 1926 and was the son of the late Bertrand and Julia B. (McDonough) Austin. Raised…

Published in the August 19, 2016 edition

WAKEFIELD — Michael A. Blais, 38, a lifelong Wakefield resident, died Tuesday, Aug. 16.

Born in Boston on Jan. 21, 1978, he was the son of Edmond J. Jr. and Gail E. (Strong) Blais of Naples, Fla.

Michael was a graduate of Wakefield Memorial High School, Class of…

Published in the August 19, 2016 edition

WAKEFIELD — Mary E. “Bunny” Vandewalle, 89, of Wakefield died Wednesday, Aug. 17 in Wakefield.

She was born in Wakefield on Sept. 1, 1926 and was the daughter of the late John and Ellen (Hourihan) Hurton.

A lifelong Wakefield resident, she graduated from Wakefield High School, Class of…

Retired Wakefield firefighter

Published in the August 17, 2016 edition

BEVERLY — Raymond H. Pitts, 73, of Beverly, formerly of Wakefield and Melrose, died Monday, Aug. 15, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers.

He was a retired firefighter for Wakefield Fire Department.

Born in Melrose on April 23, 1943, he was the son…

Wakefield man served in Korean War

Published in the August 17, 2016 edition

WAKEFIELD — Alfred J. Manfra, 87, of Wakefield passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at the EN Rodgers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford.

Born in Boston on Jan. 29, 1929, he was the son of the late Jeremiah and Rose (Bertucelli) Manfra…

Published in the August 17, 2016 edition

WAKEFIELD — Barbara L. Rosewell, 99, of Wakefield died Monday, June 27, at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital.

Born in Dorchester on Oct. 9, 1916, she was the daughter of the late William L. and Emily G. (Martin) Patterson.

Barbara was raised in Lowell and was a graduate of Lowell…

Published in the August 16, 2016 edition

PEABODY — Noel J. Foster, 95, of Peabody died at his home on Saturday, Aug. 13.
Born in Boston, May 5, 1921, he was the son of the late Noel C. and Annie (Dias) Foster.
Noel was a graduate of Arlington High School. He served in the U.S…

Lived in Wakefield for years

Published in the August 15, 2016 edition

TEWKSBURY — Rosanne “Lovey” Brawley, 81, of Tewksbury, formerly of Wakefield, passed away Aug. 10 after a brief illness.
She was the wife of the late Charles Richard Brawley with whom she had shared 53 years of marriage.
Born in Everett, she was…

Published in the August 12, 2016 edition.

WAKEFIELD — Rosario J. Ventura, 92, a lifelong resident of Wakefield died Sunday, Aug. 6 at the Bear Hill Nursing Center.
Born in Wakefield, Aug. 2, 1924, he was the son of the late Joseph and Grace (Accolla) Ventura.
Rosario was a graduate of Wakefield High School Class…

Published in the August 11, 2016 edition.

WAKEFIELD — Michael J. Gagnon, 57, of Wakefield, died at Tufts Medical Center in Boston on Aug. 10.

Michael was born in Melrose, raised in Wakefield and was a graduate of the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School in Wakefield, Class of 1976.

He was a very hard worker…