Obituaries

Related: Death Notices

*Index*
Jose Farina	Alice M. Grenier
Leonard C. Houlker Jr.	Pauline L. Grady
Alphonse J. Krukonis	Loretta A. Edwards
Ethel Medeiros	Joan M. Woodcock

Jose Farina

NEW BEDFORD -- Jose Farina, 68, died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, at St. Luke's Hospital after a brief illness. He was the husband of Irene (Pastoriza) Farina and son of the late Jose and Elvira (Grana) Farina.

Born in Bueu Pontevedra, Spain, Mr. Farina lived in New Bedford for 33 years and was a communicant of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church.

Mr. Farina was formerly employed by various boats as a fisherman.

He was a member of the Fisherman's Union, the Portuguese American Athletic Club and the Club Recordacoes de Portugal.

Survivors include his widow; two sons, Juan Farina and Agustin Farina, both of New Bedford; a daughter, Margarita Farina of Spain; two sisters, Carmen Ruibal of Spain and Maria Victoria Martinez of Brazil; four grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. today in Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church.

Arrangements are by the Boulevard Funeral Home, 223 Ashley Blvd.

Alice M. Grenier

NEW BEDFORD -- Alice M. (Soares) Grenier, 74, died after a long illness Monday, Sept. 2, 1998, at Hathaway Manor Extended Care Facility. She was the widow of Joseph R. Grenier, and daughter of the late Frank L. and Mary (Mello) Soares.

Born in New Bedford, Mrs. Grenier was a lifelong city resident and a parishioner of Holy Name Church. Until her retirement, she worked for seven years as a cafeteria cashier for the New Bedford public school system.

Mrs. Grenier also volunteered at the former Lakeville State School, working with handicapped children, and she knitted bonnets for newborns at St. Luke's Hospital.

Until she fell ill, she was for many years treasurer of the North End Community Center.

Survivors include two daughters, Linda Norcross of East Freetown and Frances Torres of Manchester, N.H.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; an uncle; an aunt; and several cousins.

Her funeral Mass will be at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Church of the Holy Name.

Arrangements are by the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main St., Fairhaven.

Leonard C. Houlker Jr.

FALL RIVER -- Leonard C. Houlker Jr., 38, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, at Charlton Memorial Hospital. He was the husband of Dawn (Rounds) Houlker and son of Virginia (Castro) Houlker and the late Leonard C. Houlker Sr.

Born in Fall River, he lived most of his life in the city and was a 1977 graduate of BMC Durfee High School and a 1982 graduate of Bridgewater State College. He attended the University of Iowa and completed his studies in England.

Mr. Houlker was a science teacher, athletic director, and wrestling and football coach at Southeastern Regional Technical High School in Easton. He was very active in sports, helping to form a rugby club at Bridgewater State College, and he coached football at Wareham High School from 1992 to 1995, the year the team won the Super Bowl.

Mr. Houlker also was an avid gardener.

Besides his widow and mother, Mr. Houlker is survived by a daughter, Surrey R. Houlker of Fall River; a godfather, George Houlker of Tiverton, R.I.; a godmother, Ruth Cody of Portsmouth, R.I.; and several aunts and uncles.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Birchcrest Home of Waring-Sullivan & Ashton-Coughlin-Driscoll, 189 Gardners Neck Road, Swansea, which is handling the arrangements.

Pauline L. Grady

NEW BEDFORD -- Pauline L. (Dessert) Grady, 76, of Fairhaven, died Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998, at the Sacred Heart Nursing Home. She was the companion of the late Hector "Hank" Morin and daughter of the late Wilfred and Melina (Thibodeau) Dessert.

Born in Goodyear, Conn., she moved to New Bedford in 1934 and moved to Fairhaven in 1957.

She was a stitcher for Justin Clothing in New Bedford for many years until she retired in 1963, and had also been a waitress at Cordeiro's Portuguese Restaurant in New Bedford.

She was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church, Fairhaven, and a former member of their prayer group. She was a former member of the Acushnet Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors include a son, Donald A. Grady of Smithfield, Va.; three sisters, Rita Genereux of New Bedford, Priscilla Vardo of Florida and Yvette Galipeau of Billerica; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

She was also the sister of the late Irene Rock, Antoinette Boisclaire, Florence Lagesse, Roland Dessert, Alfred Dessert and Wilfred Dessert.

A memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Joseph's Church.

Arrangements are by the Fairlawn Mortuary of Sullivan-Waring, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven.

Alphonse J. Krukonis

WAREHAM -- Alphonse J. Krukonis, 88, formerly of Brockton, died at home Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998.

Born in Brockton, he was the son of the late Anthony and Rachael (Zeleski) Krukonis.

Mr. Krukonis worked for the Lucy Shoe Co. for more than 30 years. He enjoyed fishing.

Survivors include two daughters, Noreen Kilbridge of Bridgewater and Kathleen Bird of Wareham; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

He was the brother of the late Vincent Krukonis and Peter Krukonis.

A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday in St. Casimir's Church, Brockton.

Arrangements are by the Prophett Funeral Home, 98 Bedford St., Bridgewater.

Loretta A. Edwards

BOSTON -- Loretta A. (Padduck) Edwards, 61, of Spruce Street, Wareham, died Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998, at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a long illness. She was the wife of Fred T. Edwards and daughter of the late Leo and Genevieve (Simaski) Padduck.

Born in Norwood, she lived in Wareham for 39 years and was the director of the Wareham Housing Authority for many years until she retired.

Survivors include her widower; three sons, Michael T. Edwards of New Bedford, John D. Edwards of Rochester and Joseph P. Edwards of Wareham; a daughter, Patricia Ann Bazinet of Wareham; and nine grandchildren.

She was the mother of the late Robert F. Edwards and sister of the late Leon Padduck.

Arrangements are by the Stott, Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Highway (Route 28), Wareham.

Ethel Medeiros

NEW BEDFORD -- Ethel Medeiros, 76, died Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998, at St. Luke's Hospital after a brief illness. She was the daughter of the late Frank and Mary (Gonsalves) Medeiros.

She was a lifelong New Bedford resident and a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church.

She was employed in private homes as a housekeeper until she retired.

Survivors include her dear friend, Dorothy Teixeira of South Dartmouth; two cousins, Angelina Duarte and Evelyn Duarte of North Dighton; and several godchildren.

Arrangements are by the Aubertine Funeral Home, 129 Allen St.

Joan M. Woodcock

VENICE, Fla. -- Joan M. (Waite) Woodcock, 72, formerly of the New Bedford, Mass., area, died at home Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1998. She was the wife of Dr. Harold W. Woodcock and daughter of the late Bertram E. and Agnes Maud (Wood) Waite.

She was born in Grand Mere, Quebec, and had lived in Massachusetts in South Dartmouth, Mattapoisett and Fairhaven before moving to Venice 12 years ago.

She attended Grace Episcopal Church in New Bedford and St. Gabriel's Church in Venice.

She was a graduate of the Laurentide School in Grand Mere and received her registered nursing degree from the Royal Victoria Hospital of McGill University in Montreal.

Mrs. Woodcock was a member of the Country Club of New Bedford, the Venice Golf and Country Club, and the Colonial Club of Fairhaven. She loved skiing, sailing and all outdoor sports.

She made the first gift of land to the Mattapoisett Land Trust: several acres of land on Long Plain Road, including a small pond with a cabin.

Survivors include her widower; two sons, H. William H. Woodcock of Braintree, Mass., and Kinder Waite Woodcock of South Dartmouth; three daughters, Elizabeth Joan Flaherty of Mattapoisett, Deborah Ann Cortes of Fort Myers, Fla., and Pamela Forst of Port Charlotte, Fla.; a brother, John B.G. Waite of Shaw Island, Nova Scotia; a sister, Kathleen M. Currie of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Grace Episcopal Church, County Street, New Bedford.

Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford.