Mildred French
Longtime Pre-School Teacher at Little Folks Daycare in East Boston
Funeral Services were held in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals for Mildred E. (LeGrow) French who passed away peacefully at the age of 95 on October 24 after a short illness.
Born in Chelsea, the daughter of the late William and Ellen (Parsons) LeGrow, she grew up in Chelsea and lived in Revere since 1960. She leaves behind three daughters, Bonnie-Ellen Bryson of Revere, Robyn J. Vesce and her husband, Joseph of Chelsea and Allyson S. French of Revere, as well as five grandchildren: Julie-Ann Bryson Casavant (Brant) of Medford, Amy A. Bryson Carfagna (Chris) of Revere, Alex P. Cabral of Medford, Kyle W.L Speroni of Revere and Zachary C.T. Sperori of Revere. She was also the sister of the late William, Harold, Arthur, Ralph, Allan and Robert LeGrow, Dorothy King and Winnie LeGrow. She is survived by her sister Phyllis LeGrow of Saugus.
She was a skilled seamstress making clothes and unique Halloween costumes for each of her daughters. But it was her creativity and imagination that she utilized as a single parent to provide for her family, crafting all kinds of favors for parties, showers and weddings, along with various Christmas ornaments.
In 1975, she graduated from Wheelock College with an Associate Degree in childhood education and worked as a pre-schoolteacher at Little Folks Daycare in East Boston for many years. She was exceptional with children and created a rock garden with children in her neighborhood.
An avid reader, she enjoyed books about true crime and anything pertaining to US history. She also enjoyed participating in Walk Boston tours. But her passion was children’s’ books, especially pop-up books which she collected.
She worked at Bradlees’ in Chelsea until its closing and she began making lap-size afghans which she dubbed “French Toasties.†She made hundreds of these warm and colorful afghans which she donated to local rehab and nursing centers, most notably the Lighthouse in Revere.
Memorial remembrances may be made to a charity of your choice.
To send online condolences, please visit www.vertuccioandsmith.com
Michael Riordan
A Family Man, Through and Through
Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend Visiting Hours on Friday, November 4 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Rt. 107) Revere for Michael W. Riordan, 79, who died on Sunday, October 30 at the Massachusetts General
Hospital in Boston following a brief illness. He would have celebrated his 80th birthday on Christmas Eve. His funeral will be conducted from the funeral home on Saturday, November 5 at 10 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 250 Revere St. Revere at 11 a.m. Entombment will follow immediately in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett (Versailles Mausoleum).
Michael was born in Winthrop to his late parents, Thomas J. and Louise (Santarpio) Riordan. He was raised in Winthrop and educated at the Higgins Classical Institute in Charleston, ME.
Michael, married his sweetheart, Assunta “Susan†(Donisi) in 1969. The couple moved to Revere where they remained to begin their life and family together. He was a very proud father of his four sons. He was ever present as they were growing up and participated in all their extracurricular activities.
In 1986, Michael began Delta Management Associates, a collection agency that he started from a home office and grew successfully into a national 3rd party debt collection firm. In his spare time, he was an avid coin and stamp collector. He enjoyed the occasional trip to one of the local casinos where he could be found at a black jack table. He was a family man, through and through, and nothing brought him more happiness, pride and joy than his seven beautiful grandchildren.
The beloved husband of 53 years to Assunta “Susan†(Donisi) Riordan of Revere, he was the loving father of Thomas J. Riordan and his wife, Michelle of Georgetown, Atty. Michael A. Riordan and his wife, Atty. Kate Riordan of Methuen, Christopher A. Riordan and his wife, Holly of Georgetown and Atty. David M. Riordan of Danvers; cherished and adored papa of Emma, Kaitlyn, Charlotte, Grayson, Abigail, Michael and Madison and the dear cousin of Leonard Timpone and his wife, Janise and Frank Santarpio and his wife, Carol.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To send online condolences, please visit www.vertuccioandsmith.com
Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals.
Ruth Better
Loving Wife and Mother
Funeral Services were held privately in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, Revere for Ruth M. (Rourke) Better, 91, who died on Sunday, October 23 at the Mass General/Brigham Salem Hospital in Salem.
Interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
She was raised and educated in Chelsea, attended Our Lady of Grace Elementary School, St. Rose High School and graduated from Chelsea High School, Class of 1949. She married Robert Better, Sr. in 1951 and the couple remained in Chelsea, where they began their life together, raising their three children.
Ruth was a loving and dedicated wife and mother who also worked as a bookkeeper.
During her career as a bookkeeper, she worked for Union Oil in East Boston, the New England Casket Company and finally retired from Northeast Petroleum Corporation.
Ruth enjoyed her lake house in New Hampshire, spending time with her family and travelling with her friends.
She was born on May 9, 1931 to John J. and Mary (Berg) Rourke in Chelsea and was the sister of the late Anna E. Quinlan and the late Edward J. Rourke; beloved wife of the late Ret. Chelsea Deputy Fire Chief Robert Better Sr., loving mother of Ret. Chelsea Fire Chief Robert Better, Jr. and his wife, Diana of Marblehead, Gayle L. Jones of Cobbleskill, NY and Paula M. Kerrins and her husband, Atty. Michael P. Kerrins of Lynn; cherished grandmother of Lindsay Northrop and her husband, Bryan of Marblehead, Chelsea Fire Lt. Robert Better, Jr. and his wife, Christine of Medway, Marybeth Bartlett and her husband, Brian of Schenectady, NY, Sarah Cole and her husband, Sean of Latham, NY, Sophia M. Kerrins and Benjamin D. Kerrins, both of Lynn and the great grandmother of Jake, Sam, Jackson, Ryan, Connor, Lenox and Zadie. She is also lovingly survived by her dear brother-in-law, Richard (Red) Quinlan and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Remembrances may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd, Waltham, MA 02452.
To send online condolences, please visit www.vertuccioandsmith.com.
