…a full and adventurous life; 86
NO. TEWKSBURY - Mrs. Jeanne Lagasse Gamache, age 86, a woman who led a full and adventurous life, died peacefully on Wednesday morning, May 13, at the Merrimac Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. Her devoted nurse and daughter-in-law, Sharon, was at her bedside when she passed after a year of struggles with declining health. She was the beloved wife of Arthur R. Gamache, with whom she had celebrated their sixty-first wedding anniversary this past September 7th, who is currently recovering from heart surgery at a local hospital.
Jeanne was born in Fall River, MA, on November 26, 1928, one of three daughters of the late Antonio and Eulalie (Dusault) Lagassse. She was raised in Fall River, lived throughout the East Coast and New York during her marriage, and settled in Tewksbury, Massachusetts in 1982.
Her early career was with the U.S. Government as a secretary to "Operation Deep Freeze", one of the earliest South Pole and Antarctic exploration and scientific expeditions. The team’s exploits and history are documented in the book “Antarctica, Firsthand Accounts of Exploration and Endurance” She remained active as a supporter of her son’s Boy Scout career, and developed a love for the fine arts. Along with being an accomplished artist in Oil, Acrylic, and Water Colors, she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art History from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, at the “still youthful” age of seventy. She was a member of several garden clubs during her life, and traveled throughout the Eastern seaboard to attend art shows and visit art museums.
Mrs. Gamache and her husband were devout members of St. Robert Bellarmine Church in Andover.
She leaves her son and daughter-in-law, David and Sharon (Campbell) Gamache of Hillsborough, NH; two beloved grandsons, Joshua and Kyle; a sister, Olivette “Ollie” Booth of Ft. Myers, FL; a sister-in-law, Sr. Cecile Gamache, pm, in residence at the Presentation of Mary Convent in Manchester, NH; and was predeceased by her sister, Lorraine “Lori” Lagasse.
BE SURE TO CHECK ARRANGEMENTS SUNDAY EVENING. ARRANGEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO MR. GAMACHE'S HEALTH CONDITION.
PLEASE NOTE 1 DAY POSTPONEMENT TO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
Visiting hours Wednesday, May 20, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. Her funeral will begin Thursday, May 21, at 9:45 a.m. from the funeral home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. in St. Robert Bellarmine Church, 198 Hagget’s Pond Rd., Andover. Burial will be in St. Mary cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Merrimack Valley Hospice House, 360 North Avenue, Haverhill, MA 01830, are encouraged. tewksburyfuneralhome.com