Obituaries
Donna Lee Chase
DARTMOUTH -- Donna Lee Chase, 44, of Cross Roads, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997, at her home after a lengthy illness.
She was the wife of Daniel Chase, and was a homemaker.
Born in New Bedford to the late Donald Lee and Alice (Arruda) Wagner, she had been a New Bedford resident until moving to North Dartmouth seven years ago.
Besides her widower, survivors include a daughter, Danielle Chase of North Dartmouth; two sisters, Linda Chase and Karen Cleveland, both of Fairhaven; a brother, Wayne Modine of Corning, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.
Her funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, from the Fairlawn Mortuary, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven. It will be followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m., in St. Joseph's Church, Spring St., Fairhaven. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven.
Gloria Raymond, 102
NEW BEDFORD -- Gloria Raymond, 102, died Thursday, Oct. 9, 1997, at Sacred Heart Home.
She was the widow of the late John E. Raymond, and had been a resident of New Bedford for most her life.
Born in Fall River, she was the daughter of the late Pierre and Philomine (Levesque) Emond.
She was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church.
She is survived by a nephew, Eddie L. Raymond of New Bedford; and a niece, Irene Rousseau of Fall River.
A funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in St. Joseph's Church, Acushnet Avenue. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Brooklawn Funeral Home, 15 Irvington Court, New Bedford.
John C. Telles, Jr.
NEW BEDFORD -- John C. Telles, Jr., 59, died unexpectedly at home Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1997. He was the son of the late John C. and Genevieve (Aguiar) Telles Sr.
Born in New Bedford, he moved to Boston where he owned and operated his own barber shop, before returning to New Bedford in 1992.
He had been barber for the former Massachusetts governors Edward J. King and John A. Volpe.
He is survived by two daughters, Jennifer Telles and Christina Telles both of Arlington; a godchild, Karin Pisiewski of Everett; several cousins; four nephews; and a niece. He was also the brother of the late Dr. Norman C. Telles and Lillian Jenkins.
Graveside services will be held at Rural Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25. Arrangements are by the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd.
Ulderic Florent
FAIRHAVEN -- Ulderic Florent, 78, of Fairhaven, died Thursday, Oct. 8, 1997, at Our Lady's Haven after a long illness.
Born in New Bedford to the late Ulderic and Rose (Raymond) Florent, he lived in this area all of his life, and made his living as a weaver in various textile mills. In 1994, Mr. Florent received the Citizen of Outstanding Services for the Friends of the Elderly Award. He was also a civil defense police officer from 1960 to 1968.
He was a communicant of St. Anthony's Church, and a member of the Eagles and the New Bedford Council on Aging. He was also a volunteer at many area churches, and at the Downtown Senior Center.
He is survived by two sons, Stephen Florent of Brockton and Dennis Florent of Fairhaven; two daughters, Janice Stephens and Theresa Mello, both of New Bedford; two sisters, Elizabeth Querim of New Bedford and Blanche LeBlanc of North Dartmouth; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Wilfred Florent, Joseph Florent and Dorothy Nolin.
A funeral mass will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, at St. Anthony's Church. Arrangements are by the Boulevard Funeral Home, 223 Ashley Blvd.
Evelyn A. Blouin-Mello
FALL RIVER -- Evelyn A. (Haslam) Blouin-Mello, 84, of Fisher Road, North Dartmouth, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997, at Charlton Memorial Hospital. She was the widow of Carlos C. Mello and daughter of the late Albert H. and Clara (Barrett) Haslam.
Mrs. Blouin-Mello was born in Lowell, and lived in North Dartmouth for the last 35 years.
She was a sales secretary for the Acushnet Co. in New Bedford, retiring in 1975.
She was a member of the Smith Mills Christian Congregational Church in Dartmouth and the Women Aglow Fellowship in New Bedford.
Survivors include two sons, Arthur F. Blouin of Las Vegas and Roger Blouin of Belpre, Ohio; a daughter, Claire Costa of North Dartmouth; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday from the Potter Funeral Home, 81 Reed Road, Westport, with burial in Beech Grove Cemetery, Westport.
Joseph 'Art' Mercier
MARION -- Joseph "Art" Mercier, 80, of East Freetown, died Friday, Oct. 10, 1997, at the Sippican Health Care Center, after a long illness.
He was the husband of Hazel J. (Church) Mercier of East Freetown, to whom he had been married 52 years.
Born in Lawrence to the late George and Ida (Poudrier) Mercier, he moved to East Freetown 38 years ago.
Mr. Mercier was a World War II U.S. Army veteran, who received the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with a Bronze Service Star, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the American Theater Campaign Ribbon. He had attained the rank of technical sergeant.
He was employed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Works District 6 in Taunton as a civil engineer until his retirement.
Mr. Mercier was a member of the East Freetown Congregational Christian Church, and was active in the Freetown Lions Club and the Freetown Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and also served on many town committees.
Besides his widow, survivors include two daughters, Barbara Pasquarello of East Freetown and Janet Estes of Maine; two sons, George A. Mercier and James Mercier both of East Freetown; a sister, Helen Healey of Lawrence; 10 grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Thomas Mercier, Beatrice Downing and twin sister Irene Holden.
Memorial services will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd.
Albert E. Leaver
DENNIS -- Albert E. Leaver, 79, of Harwich, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1997, at the Eagle Pond Rehabilitation and Living Center after a long illness. He was the husband of Audrey J. (Craig) Leaver of Harwich.
Born in New Bedford to the late Albert E. and Susannah (Harrison) Leaver, Mr. Leaver attended New Bedford High School and in 1948, he completed a course in aircraft and engine mechanics at the Allen School of Aeronautics in Hills Grove, R.I..
He was a World War II veteran, serving from June 1942 to December 1945 in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He flew with the 8th Emergency Rescue Squadron in the China, Burma and India theaters.
He was an instructor at the Allen School of Aeronautics from 1948 to 1952, after which he worked for the federal government as a supervisor of a metrology laboratory at the Watertown arsenal. He worked later as a quality assurance staff specialist. For his work there, he received a Distinguished Career Award for 30 years of service and also received many certificates for outstanding performance from the defense supply agency.
Mr. Leaver moved to Brockton in 1959, and retired to Harwich in 1978. He was a former member of the Cranberry Valley Golf course.
Besides his widow, he is survived by a son, David C. Leaver of Centerville; a daughter, Jean Edwards of South Yarmouth; two sisters, Mary Darwell of Middleboro and Annette Higgins of New Bedford; two grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be private, and burial will be in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
Elizabeth Borden, 96
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- Elizabeth C. (Crosby) Borden, 96, formerly of New Bedford, died Monday, Sept. 29, 1997, at the Helen Porter Nursing Home after a brief illness.
She was the widow of Milton L. Borden, and daughter of the late Charles E. and Susan A. (Taber) Crosby.
Mrs. Borden was born and educated in New Bedford, and lived most of her life there before moving to Vermont in 1992.
She was a former member of the American Association of Retired Persons and the Bayberry Senior Citizens.
Survivors include a son, Robert B. Borden of Rochester, Vt.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was the mother of the late Natalie Borden, and sister of the late Sybil Louise Northrop and Priscilla D. Hill.
Funeral services are private.
Gladys Pineau
GREENSBURG, Pa. -- Gladys (Broadhurst) Pineau, 88, of Pershing Square, died Thursday, Oct. 9, 1997, at the Westmoreland Regional Hospital. She was the widow of Henry E. Pineau.
The daughter of the late George Arthur and Anna Caroline Broadhurst, she was born and educated in Fall River, living there many years.
Before her retirement, she was supervisor of the proof room for the Fall River Herald News.
She was a communicant of St. Barbara Church in Pennsylvania, and attended Sts. Peter and Paul Church and Sacred Heart Church in Fall River. She was also a member of the typographical union.
Survivors include a daughter, Phyllis Ann Guay of Irwin, Pa.; a stepdaughter, Pauline Lynn
; five grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; a niece; and several grandnieces.
She was also the mother of the late Bradford Lee Daly, and the sister of the late Mrs. Fred R. (Marion) Dolan.
A funeral Mass will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. in St. Mary's Cathedral, Spring St., Fall River. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Fall River.
Arrangements are by Jeffrey E. Sullivan Funeral Home, 550 Locust St., Fall River.
Maria Arminda Martins
FALL RIVER -- Maria Arminda Martins, 75, of Penn Street, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997, at Charlton Memorial Hospital following a long illness. She was the widow of Duarte Manuel Martins.
Mrs. Martins was born in Agua Pau, Sao Miguel, Azores, the daughter of the late Manuel Estrela and Maria Tavares DeMelo. She moved from Sao Miguel to Fall River in 1966, and lived there 32 years.
She was a homemaker while raising her seven children, and was a communicant of Our Lady of the Angels Church and a former member of St. Anthony of Padua Church, both in Fall River.
Survivors include four sons, Joseph Martins, Armond Martins and Arthur Martins, all of Fall River, and Manuel G. Martins of St. George, Azores; three daughters, Carmen Ferraz, Fernanda Galvao and Alma Rodrigues, all of Fall River; two brothers, Luis Estrela and Jeremias Estrela, both of Fall River; a sister, Almerinda Camara of Somerset; 16 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at Our Lady of Angels Church, Dwelly Street. Burial to be in St. Patrick's Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Cherry Place Home of Waring-Ashton & Coughlin Sullivan-Driscoll, 178 Winter St.
Paula Lopes-Pires
NEW BEDFORD -- Word was received here today that Paula Lopes-Pires, 61, died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 1997, at a hospital near her home in Quarteira, Algarve, Portugal.
A homemaker, she was the wife of Alfredo Mendes do Santos.
Besides her widower, she is survived by two sons, Francisco Jose Pires do Santos of New Bedford and Carlos Pires do Santos of Portugal; a daughter, Anabella Pires do Santos of Portugal; brothers and sisters in Portugal; and five grandchildren.
Her funeral was held Thursday, Oct. 9, 1997, in Portugal.