MEMORIAL MASS ANNOUNCED JULY 11, 2021
George P. Duquette, 96 of Worcester died on Friday, April 17, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Memorial Mass to honor his life will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 17,2021 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 1290 Grafton St. Military honors will follow at Notre Dame Cemetery.
GEORGE'S ORIGINAL OBITUARY NOTICE
WORCESTER___George Philip Duquette, 96, of Worcester died Friday, the 17th of April, 2020 surrounded by his loving and devoted family. George is survived by his six children, DonnaLee Duquette and her husband Bruce Ela of Lunenburg; Janine Spillane of Auburn; Linda Verstein and her husband Howard of Warrenville, Illinois; Philip Duquette of Hertford, North Carolina; Cheryl Harvey and her husband Michael of Magnolia, Texas and Mary Grant and her husband Bill of Uxbridge. He had 17 Grandchildren and 33 Great Grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother Paul E Duquette and his wife Joan. George was predeceased by Bella T (Dalbec) Duquette, his wife of 70 years, a brother, Eugene Duquette and two sisters, Claire Duquette and Lorraine Lemieux.
George was born in Worcester Massachusetts to George F. and Leona V. (Chevalier) Duquette on July 21, 1923. He attended Saint Joseph’s Elementary School and Commerce High School. After Graduating high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served for the duration of WWII. While serving in the Navy, George was educated at The University of Missouri. After returning to Worcester at the end of the war, he began several successful businesses. Among them were Duquette’s Home Builders and Duquette’s Service Station on Grafton Hill which is still in operation today. He was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
After retirement, George spent three decades performing volunteer work. During his time with The American Red Cross Society he responded to more than 300 fires and floods around the United States. With The Better Business Bureau, as a court certified arbitrator, he settled many cases. George also served in many leadership positions in the following organizations: The Knights of Columbus, The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars and The Disabled American Veterans. George and Bella spent 20 warm winters in Zephyr Hills Florida. For the last several years, he spent nearly every morning having coffee with the local retiree “Think Tank” at the McDonald’s Restaurant on Grafton Street. George was usually joined there by his good friends, Philip Brunell and Francis Sena.
DIRSA-MORN FUNERAL HOME, 298 Grafton Street has care of the service arrangements.