Marian Desautels, Family Meant Everything to Her
Marian Desautels (Duncan) passed away peacefully at her home at Lasell Village in Newton on February 6th, 2002. She was 100 years old and will be remembered for her deep devotion to her family and for the kindness she showed to all who knew her.
Marian was born in Boston, MA and raised in Dorchester by parents who had emigrated from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. She graduated from Dorchester High School for Girls, followed by the School of Domestic Science. Marian then spent more than a decade at American Airlines where her customer service duties included a manual check-in process that placed passengers and baggage strategically to balance the plane safely.
Marian met her future husband of 63 years, Ray Desautels, at Dorchester Temple Baptist Church where they both were active as teenagers. Their first date – a Boston University hockey game – came somewhat later, after Ray’s discharge from the US Army following World War II. They married in the 1950’s and moved to Hingham, where they raised three children and lived for almost 50 years. In 2001, Marian and Ray moved to Lasell Village where they were active in community life and established a new set of lasting friendships. Reflecting upon their relationship many years later, Marian and Ray agreed that commitment, truthfulness and meeting one another halfway were at the heart of their strong, loving marriage.
Marian was known for her baking prowess, delighting her children and their friends with endless batches of freshly baked cookies, custards, muffins, cakes and pies. Some of her most cherished times were those spent around the table with family and friends, enjoying a delicious meal and great conversation. In recent years, her children Ray and Denise allowed Marian to sit back as they took to her kitchen to prepare countless family meals for holidays, birthdays and special celebrations.
Marian’s devotion to all her children and watching them evolve into successful adults was her greatest pleasure. She had an especially close relationship with her younger daughter, Marianne, who was born with Down’s Syndrome. For many years their favorite time of day was enjoying afternoon tea, homemade cookies and one another’s company. Marian made sure Marianne was fully engaged in the family and neighborhood life, and reveled in seeing her flourish as an adult at New England Village.
Marian never forgot her Dorchester roots. Her lifelong friendship with Kay Kiley lasted well over 90 years, with weekly phone calls and occasional get-togethers for lobster rolls. Until Covid became a factor one of the highlights of Marian’s year was attending the annual Ashmont Hill Yard Sale in her childhood neighborhood. Marian loved speaking with current homeowners about the neighborhood’s history, regaling them with period-specific information about their homes and the previous residents. To no one’s surprise, Marian struck up a friendship with Bob MacEachern whose family had purchased her childhood home from her mother in the 1950s. Bob’s reflection that “Marian was one of the true good ones; such a life force and intellect” was shared by countless others who knew Marian throughout her 100 years.
Marian leaves her loving children, Denise and Raymond, Jr., whose lives have been greatly influenced by her constant examples of devotion, kindness and grace. She was predeceased by her husband, Ray and their beloved daughter Marianne, her brothers William and David Duncan, and her sister Pearl Donnan.
Interment will be private at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester and there will be on online Celebration of Life in March. Please consider donations in Marian’s memory to New England Village, 664 School Street, Pembroke, MA 02359.