Brockton High School Class of 1960 Class Reunion Photos

Complete Passings List

Nick Camillone reported that our classmate . . . Joyce A. (Conefrey) Nelson, age 70, of West Bridgewater, formerly of Brockton, died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012, at Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital after a brief illness. Joyce was born and raised in Brockton, a daughter of the late Robert T. and Helen T. (MaDan) Conefrey, and lived most of her life in Brockton before moving to West Bridgewater. A 1960 graduate of Brockton High School, Joyce had been an investment banker for many years at Investors Bank & Trust in Boston and retired in 2002. Joyce had been a resident of Matfield Woods for the past 10 years and had been a very active member of its community. She was crazy about bingo and animals, especially her dogs. Joyce will be remembered as a vibrant and giving woman full of life who was loyal to a fault. Her true joy in life was her family especially spending time with her grandchildren.

Joyce is survived by her children, Kimberly P. Boreham of Brockton and Tom Nelson and his wife Heather of Norton. She leaves four grandchildren, Daniel and Kristen Boreham of Canton and Scott and Tyler Nelson of Norton. She was the sister of Helen Tootie Whiting and her husband Warren Goober of Berkley and Robert T. Conefrey Jr. and his wife Miriam of Easton. She was the longtime companion of Richard F. Adams of West Bridgewater; and the aunt of several nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be held in the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont St. (Rte. 123), Brockton, Friday 4-8 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Joyces name to Old Colony Hospice, One Credit Union Way, Randolph, MA 02368, or the American Cancer Society , 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. For condolences and directions, please visit www.conleyfuneralhome.com or on Facebook at Conley Funeral & Cremation Service.

NOTE!! Judy Donohue sent us an email indicating that Noreen's memorial service will be Saturday November 3rd at the old St Edward's Church in Montello at 9am.

Judy Donohue reported that our classmate Noreen C. (Cronin) Hansen of Fremont, California passed away on October 7, 2012 after a prolonged battle with a rare brain disease. Noreen was born on December 15, 1942 to the late John F. Cronin and Eleanor F. Cronin in Brockton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Brockton High School in 1960 and finished nursing school at Quincy City Hospital in 1963. Noreen completed her Bachelor of Science in Health from Chapman College in 1984.

Noreen moved to California in 1967 and had a 30-year career as an operating room nurse in the Fremont area. Along with her career as a nurse and homemaker Noreen was a committed volunteer for various organizations including Holy Spirit Church, League of Women Voters, and local homeless and abused women shelters. Noreen was known and loved for her sunny personality, sense of humor, and generous nature. Noreen was a true Irish Lass. She will be sorely missed.

Noreen is survived by her husband of 43 years Richard W. Hansen, Children; son Tim Hansen and daughter-in-law Cheryl , son Shawn Hansen and daughter-in-law Kim, grandchildren; Jack, Samantha, Kaylin, Ashlyn, sisters; Kathleen Troll, Sheila Giardina, and Colleen Cronin, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held on Friday, October 12, from 5-8pm with a Vigil at 7pm at Fremont Chapel of the Roses, 1940 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 13, 9:30am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 37588 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536. A private burial will be held at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward, CA.

Donations may be made to the Brain Support Network, P.O. Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026. Please make checks payable to "Brain Support Network" and post-dated 11/15/12.

Sad News: When I checked my email this morning, I received an email from Michelle (Benoit) Pearce, daughter of our classmate Kenneth Benoit, informing me that her father had passed away last night October 1st.. I found this very touching since the email was a reply to one I sent to our classmates regarding our October Mini-Reunion and it was sent within hours of Ken's passing. We as a class must be doing something right. I will post the obituary as soon as it becomes available. I'm sure our prayers are with the Benoit family.
Kerry

P.S. I just received this from Ken's daughter, Michelle: "My dad was very proud of his class. I believe his services are Thursday and Friday. It will be at Sullivan funeral home in Hanover on route 58, Funeral will be at Our lady of the Lake in Halifax on Friday. I requested Thursday services 5 to 8 for visiting hours".

Here is Ken's obituary:
Kenneth R. Benoit, 70 a 39 year resident of Halifax died October 1 after a long illness. Born in Brockton, he was the son of the late Arthur and Alice (Willow) Benoit. He attended Indiana Tech in Ft. Wayne, IN and Harvard University. Kenneth retired from Amray Company as Vice President of Sales. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam Era. Ken is survived by his wife Margaret L. (Lown) Benoit, his sons Michael K. Benoit of Plymouth, Christopher A. Benoit of Marshfield and his daughter Michelle M. Pearce of Bridgewater and five grandchildren. He also is survived by his sister Audrey Benoit of Canton and was predeceased by his brother George Benoit. Visiting hours in the Sullivan Funeral Home, 551 Washington St., Rte 53 in HANOVER on Thursday from 5-8PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 9:00AM in Our Lady of the Lake Church, 580 Monponsett St., Rte 58 in Halifax. Interment in the Veteran's National Cemetery in Bourne

John Stanley Sinkiewicz, 69, of Plymouth, died unexpectedly, at his home, on September 24, 2012.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts on November 23, 1942, he was raised by his parents John S. Sinkiewicz and Gertrude (Mosnicka) and was a graduate of Brockton High school, Class of 1960. John attended Wentworth Institute, Boston and graduated with an Associates Degree in Electrical Engineering. He subsequently attended Northeastern University, Boston and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1972. He spent many years within the Aerospace industry, both at Draper Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge and Avco Systems Division (now Textron Systems) in Wilmington. John later became a small business owner and entrepreneur, owning and operating an auto repair business, restaurant, and consulting in the international aerospace/inertial guidance field. An avid boater and fisherman, he enjoyed his time

on the open water and traveling with his fiance whenever the opportunity afforded him. He is survived by his two sons: Daniel Sinkiewicz and his wife Marie of Taunton and Brian Sinkiewicz of Boston; fiance Donna McMenamin of Plymouth and former wife Kathleen Sinkiewicz (Sullivan) of Norton. Also survived by granddaughter Mia Sinkiewicz of Taunton and sisters Edna Anderson of Hingham, Shirley Dalton of Saint Augustine, Florida and Mary Helen Davis of Archer, Florida and uncle to several nieces and nephews. John was the brother of the late Barbara Holt and Robert Sinkiewicz. All are welcome to calling hours Friday from 4-8 p.m. at Waitt Funeral Home, 850 N. Main Street, Brockton. Funeral Saturday at 9 a.m. in Waitt Funeral Chapel at Waitt Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Brockton H.S. Scholarship Fund, 470 Forest Ave., Brockton MA 02301. Visit www.waittfuneralhome.com or call 508-583-7272.

WALSH, LUCILLE (CERCE),

70, of Pettis Dr, a retired manager for Burger King, passed away Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the West Shore Health Center. Born in Brockton, MA, she was the daughter of the late Pasquale and Angelina (Umbrianna) Cerce. Lucille was the beloved mother of Shiri-Ann Walsh; devoted Nana of Joshua D. Walsh and sister of Bartholomew A. and Vincent Cerce. Her funeral service will be held Tuesday, July 3, 2012 at 10 AM in the Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Chapel, 2435 Warwick Ave., Warwick. Visitation Tuesday 9-10 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Beacon Hospice, 239 Legris Ave, West Warwick, RI 02893 will be appreciated. Information and condolences, visit TheQuinnFuneralHome.com.

April 16, 2012: Judy Donohue just learned that our classmate:
Vivian Vulso, 68, passed away June 4, 2010, at Kindred Hospital in St. Petersburg. Born to James E. Vulso and Elizabeth I. Palladino in Boston, MA, Vivian graduated from Brockton High School in 1960. After graduation, she attended drama school and was employed as an office worker. In her workplace cafeteria, she met the artist G. Von Trier, soon to be recognized for his painting Birch Trees, Path and Country Lane. They would be companions for the next 30 years.

Following his death in 1993, Ms. Vulso came to live in St. Pete Beach, where she worked in retail and pursued her life long interests in health and nutrition, reading mysteries and writing fairy tales. Her illness was the result of a genetically influenced disease. She was a loving, kind and generous person who will be greatly missed by all of her friends and family. She is survived by her sisters Valerie Orlando and Virginia Golden; three nieces and two nephews; five grandnieces and nephews, and by her companion William Kuhn.

We are again saddened by the passing of another classmate this week, Bob Richards, 69, a longtime editor at The Enterprise who also worked for Stonehill College’s communication and sports departments, died on Wednesday morning March 7th after a period of failing health. He was a graduate of Brockton High School, Class of 1960. A funeral Mass for Richards will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 17, in the Chapel of Mary on the Stonehill campus. For more details click HERE for a Patriot Ledger story written by Maria Papadopoulos.

March 7, 2012 - Our Classmate Meredith Lays Spencer, 69, of Middleborough, MA, formerly of Brockton, MA, passed away on March 5, 2012 at Brockton Hospital after a period of failing health. Born in Brockton, MA she was the daughter of the late Roger and Alice (Ek) Lays of Brockton. She leaves her husband John Jack Spencer of Middleborough, her brother and sister-in-law Richard and Karen Leighs, of Marlboro, MA; a nephew Michael Leighs of Los Angeles, CA and a niece Stephanie Leighs of Waltham, MA. Meredith devoted her entire 37 year career as a teacher in the Brockton Public Schools, starting in 1964 at the Ashland School and ending in 2001 at the Whitman School where she herself attended elementary school. She earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Bridgewater State College.

For most of her career, she taught primary grades. Switching gears in mid-career she spent 10 years as a certified music specialist before returning to the regular classroom. Meredith was known as a gifted vocalist and sang in a number of choral groups throughout her life. She was a long time member of the Jubilate Chorale of Southeastern Massachusetts and has been a soloist at First Baptist Church of Brockton and at a number of other churches in the area. She was a life long member of the First Baptist Church of Brockton. She and her husband moved to the retirement community at Oak Point in Middleborough in 2002 where they have continued to live active lives. She was recently honored for 20 years of service as a volunteer with Old Colony Hospice.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 10 a.m. in the First Baptist Church (corner of Forest and Bouve Avenues). Visitation will take place on Friday, March 9, 2012 from 3 - 6 p.m. in the Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home, 647 Main St., Brockton, MA. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Brockton, 10 Bouve Ave, Brockton, MA 02301 Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home 647 Main Street Brockton, MA 508-586-4391.

We are saddened to learn of the passing of our classmate, John C. Cahill:

John C. Cahill Jr., 69, of Ocala, formerly of Hanson, Mass., died Jan. 17, 2012, after a brief illness. Husband of the late Rita (King) Cahill, who died in 2001, John is survived by his son, Sean B. Cahill and his wife Carol of Hanover, Mass.; and his daughter, Eileen C. Whitman of Plymouth, Mass. He was grandfather to Samantha, Meghan, Robert, Abigail, Thomas, Michael and the late Joseph Whitman. He also leaves many nieces and nephews. John enjoyed golf, playing cards but especially being a very good billiard player. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph the Worker Church, 1 Maquan St., Rte. 14, in Hanson. Interment in Calvary Cemetery in Brockton, Mass. Visiting hours are omitted. In lieu of flowers, donations in Johns memory may be made to St. Anthony Shrine, c/o The Wellness Center, 100 Arch St., Boston, MA 02110. For our online guest book, please visit SullivanFuneralHomes.com. Sullivan Funeral Home 781-878-0920, 781-293-2020 Family Owned & Operated Since 1897.