... WWII Disabled Veteran, Mass. Social Worker; 88
TEWKSBURY - Alfred J. Therrien, age 88, of Tewksbury, formerly of Lawrence, passed away on November 13, 2011. He was surrounded by his family, who was the center of his life. Alfred was born and raised in Lawrence, MA where he lived until moving to Tewksbury in 1991. He is survived by his caring wife of 58 years, Aline (Tellier) Therrien. He is also survived by ten loving grandchildren, who he adored immensely: Sean Spencer, Richard Crowley, Dan Spencer (his wife Andrea and their daughter Kate), Elizabeth Crowley, Ben Spencer, Kara Crowley, Marc Crowley, Monica Johnson, Sarah Spencer, and Adam Johnson, along with their parents Michele and Tom Spencer of Woodbury, MN, Colette and Rick Crowley of Andover, MA , and, Andree and Todd Johnson of Tewksbury, MA, with whom he lived.
He was predeceased by his parents Gaudias and Antoinette (Demers) Therrien and three sisters, Alice Rossignol, Delia Roy, and Florida LaLiberty.
Alfred served in the US Army, 166th Combat Engineers during WWII and was severely wounded in France in September 1944, sacrificing his vision in service of our country. Despite this visual impairment, he went on to college (University of St. Thomas in MN in 1951), married and raised a family of four daughters, one of whom, Denise, predeceased him in 1958. He went on to work for many years as a social worker for the Commonwealth of MA. He previously worked for the Catholic Guild for the Blind and Family Services.
Alfred was a founding member of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) and over the years was active in various civic organizations in Lawrence, especially the Knights of Columbus and Richelieu Club. He was greatly influenced after his war injuries by the late Father Thomas Carroll, who pioneered services and counseling for newly blinded and returning soldiers. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Alfred's name to the Carroll Center for the Blind, 770 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02458 (www.carroll.org/) or to the restoration fund at Immaculate Conception Church, 144 east merrimack St., Lowell, MA 01852.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated, Thursday, Nov. 17, in the Immaculate Conception Church, Lowell, MA Burial with Army Honors was at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Lawrence.