Francis James Paciello, born Feb. 4, 1944, in an elevator at Doctor’s Hospital in Worcester, has died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Fran was the son of Louis R. Paciello and Ida (Giuliano) Paciello. He grew up in the Lincoln Street neighborhood of Worcester, with friends too numerous to count. He was a mischievous boy, and loved sports. Although temporarily sidelined by polio, it never kept him down. He went on to play many sports, and football was his main passion. After graduating from Commerce High School, he went to work in construction. Years later he spent a short time in the restaurant business. It was in 1982 that Fran had an opportunity to move to Martha’s Vineyard. With hard work and determination, he created a wonderful life for his family.

Retiring in 2010, he and his wife traveled around the country, and eventually found their winter home in Satellite Beach, Fla. Fran spent many years drag racing nostalgic drag cars in the Northeast, and loved a good cruise around in one of his hot rods. Although he had a passion for football and drag racing, his greatest love was his family. He could always be found with a cold beer in his hand and a smile on his face watching his grandkids playing in his pool, tossing a ball around, or riding horses.

Fran is survived by the love of his life and wife of 51 years, Barbara (Daigle), his children Rachel (Paciello) and Jim Neville, Louis and Lyra Paciello. and his grandchildren, of whom he was most proud, and would often say they made his heart soar like a hawk: Lilly, Julia, Louis, Leo, and Rosalie Neville, and Vinny and Frankie Paciello. He is also survived by his baby sister, Lisa (John) Reece and many loving nieces and nephews. Fran was predeceased by his parents, his sister, Marie (“Chic”) Walden and her husband Leo, and his brother, Angelo (“Butch”) Paciello.

A celebration of Fran’s life will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made in Fran’s name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, 79 Beach Rd., Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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A memorial service for Davin A. Tackabury is planned for Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1 pm, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center. Davin’s parents, Kathleen and Wayne Tackabury, have set up a scholarship fund in his name: the Davin A. Tackabury Scholarship Fund, to benefit students studying the arts. In lieu of flowers, Davin’s parents ask that you help them keep his memory alive by considering a donation.

Checks made out to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, with “Davin A. Tackabury Scholarship Fund” in the memo line, may be sent to M.V. Public Schools, c/o Marylee Schroeder, 4 Pine St., Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

A complete obituary will follow in a future edition of The Times.

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Christine (Anderson) Pachico Fisher went to join her beloved husband, Donald McIntosh Fisher, in eternity on August 27, 2019.

Christine was born in 1929, the youngest daughter of Christine (Anderson) Pachico and William Pachico, late of Vineyard Haven.
Recent deaths in the family mean that family members will be arriving from Iowa, Nebraska, California, and other places too numerous to mention.
Interment will be on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 11 am in a graveside ceremony at Lambert’s Cove Cemetery, with a reception to follow at 64 Old Lambert’s Cove Road.

Arrangements are under the care of Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Oak Bluffs.

Please visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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Albert A. Sequeira Sr., 93, a longtime resident of Berkley, died peacefully at Blue Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center in Stoughton on Monday, August 12, 2019. He was the husband of Sharal (Colby) Sequeira.
Son of Fernando and Flora (DeBettencourt) Sequira, he was born and raised in Oak Bluffs. Al was a World War II Veteran, serving with the merchant marines. He was a resident of Berkley for over 20 years. Al was a carpenter with the local carpenter’s union on Cape Cod. He enjoyed traveling, walking, reading, and working on his trucks and cars. He also loved his dog and cats. He was a longtime communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Taunton.
Al was the father of Albert A. Sequeira Jr. of Dudley, Robert Sequeira and Marie Neilsen, both of Edgartown, Flora Frost, Laura Sequeira, Edith Sequeira, and David Sequeira, all of North Carolina, James Sequeira of Virginia, Allen Sequeira of Maine, and the late Leila Sequeira. He was the brother of William Sequeira, Arthur King, and Nelson King. He is survived by 20 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A graveside service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 10 am in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Oak Bluffs, officiated by the Rev. Michael Nagle. Donations in Albert’s memory may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Donation Processing, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014.

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Elinor A. (Abbott) Stewart, 93, of Arlington, Va., and West Tisbury died on Sept. 1, 2019, at her residence on Martha’s Vineyard. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert B. Stewart. 

A graveside service will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will appear at that time.

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A memorial service for Robert F. Jewett, husband of Peggy Jewett, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, at 10 am at Grace Episcopal Church in Vineyard Haven, with a reception to follow. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dr. Helen Shih’s Shine 360 Fund, Mass. General Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114, or shine360addiction.com, or to St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Office of Institutional Advancement, 1712 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105.

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Alfred Eric Street died peacefully in his sleep on August 15, 2019, at Casa São Bartolomeu, in Estoril, Portugal, after an eight-year battle with the neurodegenerative disease Lewy body dementia. He was 78 years old.

Alfred was a professional classical guitarist. Born in Antibes, France, on August 31, 1940, he was the son of French pianist Olga de Catalano and playwright and actor Jean Street, also known in the theater as Jean Marsan. Fred spent the first five years of his life living in the countryside with his grandparents, away from the threat of Nazi bombings on the port of his hometown. After the war he enjoyed sailing and spearfishing in the Mediterranean. He attended several Jesuit boarding schools. At 15 he discovered his calling when given his first classical guitar. His earliest musical influences were Django Reinhardt, the Beatles, and Andres Segovia. In the early 1960s he accompanied well-known French folk singer Hugues Aufray as part of his Skiffle Group, but soon grew weary of the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. It was then that he began his own study of classical guitar with Alexander Lagoya and Ida Presti. 

In 1965 he married Margot Barnes, who introduced him to Martha’s Vineyard, which, with his affinity for the sea, was to become his second home. Together they had three sons. He toured extensively in the U.S. in the 1970s, giving solo concerts to eager audiences. He was also a teacher at both the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, where he resided during the winter, and the New England Conservatory. After the loss of his father, he moved back to France, and taught at the Orly Conservatory outside Paris. He met his second wife, Marie-Cécile Antonelli, in 1986 in France and had two children. In the late 1980s he formed the Trio Gershwin with a pianist and cellist, and again toured the U.S. and Europe, playing original arrangements and transcriptions of Gershwin music to packed houses.

He was a gifted musician capable of interpreting different genres with equal sensitivity and skill. On any given day in summer, you could hear his guitar calling out, warm and inviting, from his studio on William Street in Vineyard Haven. His classical repertoire included works by Sor, Albéniz, Bach, and Villa-Lobos. In jJazz, he played the classic repertoire. He recorded several studio albums during his career.

He was a playful and loving family man, and all who knew him were touched by his natural elegance and sense of humor.

Fred enjoyed building projects, and designed and helped build two homes for his family on the Vineyard. He had a strong enthusiasm for science, and especially looked up to the astrophysicist Hubert Reeves. He was an avid sailor, bicycler, snorkeler, and player of Ping-Pong and chess. He loved the game of tennis, and saw to it that all his children had the opportunity to play. He was also an amateur cinematographer, and enjoyed projecting his Super 8 films on family movie nights. 

Fred leaves behind a sister, Caroline Goyet de Catalano. He also leaves his wife Marie-Cécile and their two children, Jonathan and Elina Street. He leaves three sons with former wife Margot, Marc Street and his partner Meredith Slayton, and their son Liam; his daughter Katrina and granddaughter Althea; Marin Street and his wife Dana, their daughter Mira and son Rowan; Erick Street and his wife Laura, and their daughters Lily and Clara.

A memorial service will be held on Sept. 28 in his native Antibes, France, and on the Vineyard next summer. 

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Gerald Antone Maciel, better known to his friends and school bus kids as “Kaboobie,” passed peacefully away at home on August 21, 2019, with his wife and stepson by his side. He was 85 years old.

Jerry was born on July 20, 1934, in Oak Bluffs, the only child of Antone F. Maciel Jr. and Medora Barriault Maciel. He graduated from the Tisbury School. He had many jobs during his life, but the one he loved most was school bus driver — he loved the kids, and they loved him back. He as a janitor at the high school, prepared the field for football season, worked the games, took the teams to off-Island games and on field trips.

When he retired from the high school in June 1998, he drove a bus for the Vineyard Transit Authority for 12 years, until at age 75, Alzheimer’s ended his bus driving. He made his last stop at home, to be taken care of by his wife Alma and his stepson Randy until his last breath was taken on August 21. 

Jerry is survived by his wife of 21 years, Alma Bettencourt; four children, Michael Maciel of Falmouth, Donnie Maciel of Edgartown, Rena Maciel Ludzow and Randy Maciel, both of Florida; five stepchildren, Teri Brown, Randy Francis, and Becky Ackerley, all of Edgartown, David Bettencourt of Oak Bluffs, and Missy McQuade of Berlin, N.H.; 13 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Jerry will be buried sometime in the future, in the new Westside Cemetery in Edgartown. Donations in Jerry’s memory can be made to the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod – Martha’s Vineyard, 255 Independence Drive, Hyannis, MA 02601, or to the charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements were made by Chapman, Cole and Gleason funeral home in Oak Bluffs.

After 10 long years, you can now rest in peace.

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Evamae L. Magee, 93, of Oak Bluffs, passed away peacefully on Nov. 20, 2018, with her loving family by her side.

She was born to Milton Look and Eva Sampson Look in Brockton, on August 6, 1925.

In 1927, Evamae was brought to her beloved Island by her grandfather, Thomas F. Look, to live and be raised on his most beloved Island. 

Thomas’ Vineyard ancestry dates back to the American Revolutionary War. His great-great-grandfather, Thomas M. Look, was one of the first up-Island landowners, as well as one of the first mill owners.

Some of Evamae’s fondest memories were those of summers, when the family would move from their winter home in the Highlands (East Chop) to their houseboat, the Pelican, which was moored in the O.B. Harbor.

Days were spent jumping over the side every morning, and swimming to the little sandy beach that once ran the length of the harbor, going into town to get the mail, or a quick breakfast to bring back for the family, then spending the afternoons rowing her dinghy to the E.C.B.C., for picnics and fun with friends.

She attended the Oak Bluffs School, in a class with just seven students, and graduated in 1943.

Evamae met her husband Keiver while they both were working on Circuit Avenue, she as a waitress, and he as a bartender. Keiver had just returned from serving in the RCAF in WWII, flying Spitfires in many missions. They were married on Sept. 8, 1947, and went on to have six children.

In her later years, after Keiver passed away and the kids were grown, Evamae was still very active, and loved to work in her garden, and as an avid birdwatcher, she took great care of all the birds that frequented her many feeders and treats in the yard.

Evamae was also very passionate about cats, and adopted three during those later years, and she always made sure the shelter was given her donations on a monthly basis.

Evamae was predeceased by her three sons, Brian T. Magee of Key West, Fla., Jeffery A.Magee of San Francisco, and Paul K. Magee of Los Angeles. She is survived by her daughters, Julie Chandler and husband John of Oak Bluffs, Jennifer Wilcox and husband Mark of Providence, R.I.; and her son Keiver L. Magee Jr.; by her five grandchildren, Curtis Chandler and his wife Abigail, Tnisha Chandler and partner Stan McMullen, Molly Magee, Owen Silver, and Corrina Magee. And Evamae’s brightest days in the last few years were those when she was visited by her four great-grandchildren, Kaya and Abel (Tnisha), and Johnnie and Adeline Mae Chandler (Curtis).

A graveside service for Evamae will be held on Sept. 24, at 4 pm at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs, officiated by the Rev. Cathlin Baker. In lieu of flowers, donations in Evamae’s name can be sent to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539.

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John J. Lynch, 78, of Edgartown died on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was the husband of Carolyn (Beane) Lynch, and father of Nancy Lynch and Susie Muller.

His memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, in St. Elizabeth’s Church, Main St., Edgartown, at 11 am, and burial of his remains will follow in the New Westside Cemetery, Robinson Road, Edgartown.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of John Lynch to Edgartown Patrolman’s Association, 72 Pease’s Point Way South, P.O. Box 1118, Edgartown, MA 02539-1118.

A complete obituary will be updated. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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A celebration of life honoring Louis Goodwin (“Jim”), who was called home on Dec. 3, 2018, will be held at the Portuguese-American Club on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, from 11 am to 2 pm. All are welcome. Please bring your thoughts, prayers, and fondest memories of Jim. 

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John J. Lynch, 78, of Edgartown and Naples, Fla., died on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019.
A graduate of Boston College (’65), he served as the first assistant clerk magistrate in Boston’s Suffolk Superior Court for over 40 years.

He loved the Red Sox, and sitting on the porch at Morning Glory Farm with a cup of coffee with his best friends, our mom and Charlie. He adored the antique cars in the Edgartown Fourth of July Parade and fresh corn in August. He relished giving treats to his grand-dogs, Kona and Buckles, and would often cook special meals just for them. Saturdays always included Irish music on WROL’s “Irish Hit Parade.” (Just ask our neighbors.)
The Vineyard was part of my dad’s soul, and his legacy. After building our family’s house in 1978, he did everything possible to spend as much time on the Island as possible. Its only rival was the warm sunshine of Naples, where he enjoyed reading the Vineyard Gazette and the Boston Globe by the pool, and meeting friends in Venetian Village. One of his final acts of kindness was a donation to the Edgartown Patrolman’s Association. The irony is not lost that these are the very same extraordinary people who worked tirelessly to save him, along with other first responders. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Edgartown Patrolman’s Association, 72 Pease’s Point Way South, P.O. Box 1118, Edgartown, MA 02539-1118. He would really love that.
He was the loving husband of Carolyn (Beane) Lynch for 53 years; and the proud father of Nancy of Fairfield, Conn., and Susie and her husband Jeff Muller of Reading. He was “Grampy” to Ellie, Grant, William, and Jack. Son of the late Helena (Houlihan) and John Lynch from Kenmare and Kilgarven, County Kerry, Ireland; brother to Brendan Francis and his wife Rita of Scituate. 

John’s funeral service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 11 am at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Edgartown. To our off-island friends, please give your dog an extra treat or listen to an Irish song in his memory — that’s what our dad would want. Up Kerry!
Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home, Edgartown Road, Oak Bluffs. Visit ccgfuneralhome.com for online guestbook and information.

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It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Peggy Jean Laroche. Peggy was born on Sept. 10, 1945, and passed away peacefully on Sept. 7, 2019, after a short illness, surrounded by her family. 

Born in Oak Bluffs on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard, she graduated from Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School and Katharine Gibbs School of Boston. Peggy was raised in the Hamilton area, and moved to New Hampshire in the mid-1960s, where she raised her family, led her sons’ Scout troop, volunteered at Hampton Falls Baptist Church, and retired from Foilmark of Newburyport.
She was the wife of Ronald Laroche; mother to Lawrence M. Douglas III (Amber) and Matthew J. Douglas (Denise); and sister of William Poehler (Eileen), Dean Poehler, and Eric Poehler (Kathy). The joys of her life were her grandchildren, Joshua, Taylor, Kami, Emma, Jesse, Jared, and Jack, and great-grandchildren Adalyn, Alexa, and Azariah, plus several nieces and nephews. 

Services will be held in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church of Hampton Falls, 3 Lincoln Ave., Hampton Falls, N.H., on Oct. 5, 2019, at 11 am, followed by a celebration of her life and memories at Fellowship Hall, next to the sanctuary. The family would like to thank her care team from St. Joseph Hospice for the wonderful care given to Peggy, and the support of the family. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity Peggy donated to monthly: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to St. Joseph Hospice Foundation, 17732 Highland Rd., Suite G, Box 241, Baton Rouge, LA 70810. Arrangements are in the care of Church Funeral Services, St. Amant, at 225-644-9683.

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Aanya Adler Friess (“Anne”), 92, died peacefully in her home in Albuquerque, N.M,. on Sept. 5, 2019. Born in New York City to Ruth Adler Friess and Horace Friess in 1926, Aanya made New Mexico her primary home for 60 years. She also remained deeply connected to a home and lifelong friends on Martha’s Vineyard. As a child, she attended Fieldston School, part of the Society for Ethical Culture founded by her grandfather, Felix Adler. She received a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. in dance history from the University of New Mexico.

Aanya was a professional dancer, dance historian, published poet, and community activist. She worked her entire life to promote peace, justice, and environmental sanity. She was a founding member of the Corrales Community School, and the Children’s Resource Center in New Mexico. She was a longtime active member and supporter of Albuquerque’s Center for Peace and Justice.

Those who loved Aanya recognized her intellectual, yet feisty, authority-questioning nature. Her greatest joy was people — her family and many friends. She is survived by her children: Elena Kirschner and partner Les Hutchison of Flagstaff, Ariz.; Joel Kirschner and his wife Elizabeth, and their son, Richie, of Albuquerque; and William Kirschner and his wife, Kate Leone, and their daughter Lucy of Washington, D.C. In addition she is survived by former husband Richard Kirschner, his wife Mary, and their son Jonathan.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice. A celebration of her life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque.

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On August 17, 2019, Will Luckey, gifted musician and longtime Islander, died at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital after succumbing to a rare and aggressive form of cancer. He was 68. Luckey was perhaps best known on the Island as a piano, guitar, and voice teacher for students of all ages, but he had a particular gift for bringing out music in young people.

Luckey was the son of Marine General Robert and Cary Walker Luckey, and he took great pride in his ancestry. His grandfather, Meriwether L. Walker, was governor of the Panama Canal Zone in 1924. His great-grandfather, Asa B. Carey, at one time served as an assistant to Kit Carson on the Western frontier, and later bought the Mill House on Vineyard Haven Harbor, which was sold to Lillian Hellman in the 1940s.

Luckey moved to the Vineyard in 1963, and attended the West Tisbury and Vineyard Haven schools before finishing high school at Westminster School in Connecticut. 

Luckey showed an early aptitude for music, and played at local Vineyard venues like the Moon-Cusser Coffee House and the Chilmark Community Center while he was in his teens.

Following high school, in 1971 Luckey went to Colorado College, but gave up school to help form a band, Magic Music, which developed an enthusiastic following with University of Colorado students in Boulder. The band, which lived in school buses up in the canyons of Colorado, was asked to open for and tour with Cat Stevens, a very popular act at the time, but they were told after playing their first set that they were fired, because “they were too good.”

For Luckey and the band, what followed was several years of touring and near brushes with national fame, but in 1976, Magic Music disbanded, and Luckey eventually made his way back to the Vineyard. On the Island he continued to perform, playing with Alex Taylor’s band, Luckey Strikes, among others, and worked as a roofer to make ends meet. But in 1991, something occurred that would change his life. 

He fell off a ladder, and smashed both his elbows, his left wrist, and all of his ribs. He thought he’d never play guitar again. Instead, he chose to pursue a degree in music from Berklee College of Music, specializing in piano, which in turn would launch his career in teaching — and add some stability to his life with his wife Diane (“Cub”) Luckey and their young son, Ben.

Luckey’s Magic Music days would remain a distant memory were it not for an old University of Colorado student who remembered the band, wanted to track them down, and had the wherewithal to film the whole process. His name was Lee Aronsohn, the co-creator of “Two and a Half Men,” and he produced a documentary of the band, its music, and their amazing journey called “Forty Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie.” It’s available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, YouTube, and On Demand. 

“Will was so much fun,” said Cub, “no matter what you did he made it a fantastic time. He always wanted people around him to feel good.” 

“He made people happy because he was so giving of himself,” Will’s daughter Anna said, “He gave so much energy out to everyone, I really won the lottery when I got him as my dad.”

“He was all about music, the sea, and freedom,” Will’s son Ben said. The music was his life, and the sea was his release. He was never happier than when he was out in his boat with his family fishing for stripers off West Chop, or clamming in Tashmoo. 

“He loved anything to do with the water,” Anna said. Will’s advice to her was, “Make sure you teach your kids to fish and clam and skip rocks.”

Will’s other great passion was cooking and eating. “I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who food meant more to,” said Will’s daughter Carey. “I’m going to miss those morning breakfasts and a hug.” 

Cub said that Will’s favorite color was wood. “He had this obsession with wood, the color, the touch, the warmth it provided — we were all used to hearing, ‘Hey, while you’re out there, why don’t you bring in a little firewood?’”

He was a father figure to a lot of kids, said Cub. “My friends could be a little, shall we say — ‘mischievous,’” said Ben, “and Will loved them and they loved him.” When Will died, they all came over to stack wood in his honor.

Luckey is survived by his wife, Diane Luckey; his sister, Laura Luckey; his children, Ben, Anna, and Carey; his grandchildren Emerson and Isla; and his daughter-in-law Angie.

There will be a party commemorating Will’s life on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Tisbury Water Works, 400 West Spring St., Vineyard Haven, from 3 until 7 pm. Magic Music will be on hand to play. Guests are invited to bring finger food to share — “carry in, carry out.” 

A scholarship has been set up in Will’s honor at MVRHS. Checks made payable to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School may be sent to M.V. Public Schools, c/o Marylee Schroeder, 4 Pine St., Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Please include “Will Luckey Memorial Scholarship Fund” in the memo line of the check.

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A memorial celebration for Francis J. Paciello will be held on Sunday, Sept. 22 from 1 to 5 pm at the family home at 50 Red Pony Rd. in West Tisbury. Memorial donations may be made in Fran’s name to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.

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The Lucas family is saddened to announce the passing of Robert P. Lucas Jr. on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019.

Bob was born on Martha’s Vineyard in 1962. He graduated from Upper Cape Vocational High School in Bourne in the class of 1981, and obtained his master electrician license at the age of 19. He was gifted in all aspects of his trade, and later branched out into large-scale generator work. 

Bob was helpful and kind to his parents, and to anyone who was down on their luck. Martha’s Vineyard was a big part of his life, and he always spoke of his love of the Island and the lifelong friends he made there. In the last year of his life, he developed a strong spiritual connection.

Bob will be remembered for his quick wit, love of animals and all things electrical, and his caring spirit.

Bob is survived by his parents, Robert P. Lucas Sr. of Middleboro and Mary Lucas of Marion; his sister, Betsy Babbitt, her husband Ben, and their son Barry, all of Orlando, Fla.; his brother, Daniel Lucas, his wife Jennifer, and their daughter Charlotte, all of Wareham; his dear friend, Carol Rhoads of Marion; and his devoted kitty, Zooey.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to CARE Acushnet, a cat and dog shelter. Please send checks to Carol Rhoads, 8 Lady Slipper Lane, Marion, MA 02738.

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Louis Finkelstein, 98, of Boynton Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sept. 2, 2019. Both his sons, David and Martin, were with him when he died in his sleep, as well as his companion Renee Link.

He was born in Poland, and his mother brought him, his brother, and two sisters to New York in 1927. His father had come a year earlier, and established a live poultry market in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They lived nearby, then later moved to Brooklyn.

He served in the Army during WWII, and was stationed in the Philippines and New Guinea. When he returned in 1946, he opened a butcher shop on 9th Avenue and 42nd St. in Manhattan. He and his wife Shirlee later moved to Fresh Meadows in Queens, N.Y.

He would later return to the Philippines, establishing a food-importing business. His nickname was “Filipino Lou” on 9th Avenue, and at that time he created a 9th Avenue Street Fair, mostly food, that closed the street for six blocks. He had a close relationship with President Estrada of the Philippines that was cemented when Estrada was a mayor, and Lou sent food to his town during a devastating flood.

The most important thing in his life was family. His wife Shirlee and his two sons, David and Martin, were the center of his life. On his day off on Sunday, it was always the visits to his parents and Shirlee’s parents in Brooklyn. Then years later on Sundays, to the baseball batting cages with his sons, and Deli Masters corned beef for lunch. 

His wife Shirlee passed away in 1977, and two years later he moved to Boynton Beach, Fla. In 2002 he met Renee Link, and they lived together until his death. They shared a beautiful relationship, and lived in the community of Bayan Springs. 

His son David moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1973 with his wife Molly and baby Ellie. Lou and Shirlee would visit at least twice a year. He became a good tennis player quickly, learning from his handball days at Brighton Beach in Brooklyn. His son Marty and he had some good matches with Stan Hart and a partner, and they usually left the court with smiles.

He led by example. He gave his boys strong values to live by — the values of family, education, friendship, and the wonderful country we live in.

He is survived by his loving companion, Renee Link; his sons David and Martin, his loving daughters-in-law Molly Finkelstein and Julie Austin; his grandchildren, Ellie Wise and husband Steve, and Alex Finkelstein and his wife Amy; and his great-grandchildren, Anna Wise, Henry Wise, Emma Finkelstein, Lily Wise, and Andrew Finkelstein.

He will be missed.

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Gail A. (Parsons) Finan, 73, of Ayer, formerly of Leominster and Martha’s Vineyard, died Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at Rose Monahan Hospice House, Worcester. 

Mrs. Finan was born in Salem on Jan. 4, 1946, a daughter of Ralph Parsons and Dorothy (Toomey) Spofford, and resided on Martha’s Vineyard and in Leominster before moving to Ayer 30 years ago. She was a 1963 graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and continued her education at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill. 

Mrs. Finan worked as an administrative assistant at Fidelity Investments in Boston before retiring in 2014. Prior to that she had worked at Digital Equipment Corp., Compaq, and Hewlett-Packard. She was a talented painter, specializing in acrylics, and for 15 years volunteered at the Pan-Mass Challenge bike-a-thon.
She leaves her husband of 38 years, William H. Finan; her son and daughter-in-law, David R. and Kathleen Baker of Holyoke; her daughter, Julie Ann Baker of Nashua, N.H.; her brother, Steven Spofford of Marietta, Ga.; two sisters, June Ayres of Plastow, N.H., and Dorothy Henry of Butler, Mo. She also leaves nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her son, Paul Harrington Baker, and her stepfather, Donald Spofford. 

Funeral services will be held at 11 am Friday, Sept. 20, at the Anderson Funeral Home, 25 Fitchburg Rd. (Route 2A), Ayer. For additional information, or to leave an online condolence, please visit their website at andersonfuneral.com. Calling hours are 4 to 7 pm Thursday at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pan-Mass Challenge at pmc.org/wf0011.

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A memorial funeral service for John J. Lynch will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 11 am at St. Elizabeth’s Church, Main Street in Edgartown. Burial will follow in the New Westside Cemetery in Edgartown.

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