Donna M. Janowicz

Beloved Sister and Dear Friend

Donna M. Janowicz, 75, a lifelong Lowell resident, peacefully died Friday evening, January 26, at Lowell General Hospital.

Born in Lowell on July 12, 1948, she was a daughter of the late Ned and Barbara (Coury) Abodeely. She attended Lowell Schools graduating from Lowell High School, Class of 1966.  She then graduated from Northern Essex Community College with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts.  Donna received her Masters Degree in Special Needs Education from Leslie College.

For many years, Donna was a Special Needs teacher in the Lowell School System teaching at both the Laurel Lee Therapeutic Day School and the Shaughnessy Elementary School. She also was the recording secretary for the Lowell United Teachers Union.

Donna had many interests and hobbies in her life including shopping, fashion, the beach, her cats, ice skating, dining out, and cooking.

She is survived by a sister, Robin Bancewicz and her husband Steve of Hampton, NH; a brother, Ned Abodeely and his wife Marian of Nashua, NH; many nieces, nephews and cousins and a dear friend, Stella Mc Auliffe and her husband Robert of Lowell.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. E-condolences at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to Nevins Farm, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA, 01844 or the Salem Animal Rescue League, 4 Sarl Drive, Salem, NH, 03079. Arrangements by the O’Donnell Funeral Home, Lowell, MA (978-458-8768).

Marcia Kelleher

Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend;

Marcia (Kostka) Kelleher, age 90, died on Monday January 22, 2024, at D’Youville Senior Care in Lowell.

She is now reunited in Heaven with her dearly beloved late husband, John F. Kelleher.

Born August 30, 1933, she was the daughter of John P. Kostka and Stephanie (Miga) Kostka.  A life-long resident of Lowell, Marcia was a proud graduate of St. Michael School and Lowell High School, Class of 1951, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.

After high school graduation, Marcia was employed as a secretary at Courier Citizen in Lowell.  Following her marriage to Jack Kelleher in 1954, Marcia was a devoted wife and mother.  She showed unconditional love to her seven children.  When her children were grown, Marcia and her husband were the owners and operators of a printing business, Jay Graphics Inc., located in Dracut, MA.

Throughout her life, Marcia enjoyed many activities.  In her younger years, she loved to go out dancing. She played the piano while her husband sang.  She liked to travel - whether it was a longer trip to Bermuda or Ireland or Disney World - or a day trip to the ocean or Vermont.  Marcia was an avid reader and enjoyed word puzzles of all kinds.  Most of all, she delighted in spending time with her family.

Marcia lived a faith-filled life.  She was a parishioner of The Immaculate Conception Church in Lowell, participating in the Prayer Group for several years.  Marcia was kind, caring and friendly toward everyone she met.

Marcia is survived by her seven children. Five daughters Rosemary K. Nunnally and her husband Bill of Pembroke NH, Anne K. Hayes and her husband Ian of Beverly, Katherine M. Howe and her husband Tom of Tyngsboro, Paula J. Kelleher, and Patty Moriarty and her husband Dan of Lowell; two sons John F. Kelleher Jr. and his wife Wendy of Orange and William H. Kelleher (Marcia’s constant companion and caregiver).  She is also survived by nine dearly loved grandchildren Dylan Kelleher, Ethan (Molly) Kelleher, Bill Nunnally, Meaghan (John) Bowler, Danny Moriarty, Sarah Cassella, Stephen Cassella, Abigail Howe, and Jessica Hayes (Andrés).  Marcia also leaves five loving great-grandchildren: Amelia, Jack, Olivia, Milo and Lucia.  She is survived by her sister Patricia A. Kostka and many nieces and nephews.

Marcia was the sister of the late John Kostka, Virginia Martin, Alan Kostka and Stephen Kostka and sister-in-law of the late James and Dot Kelleher and Beaven and Kathy Roche.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass to be celebrated on Saturday January 27, 2024, at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH at 11 o’clock followed by her burial in St. Patrick Cemetery in Lowell. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to The Immaculate Conception St. Vincent de Paul Society, 3 Fayette St. , Lowell, MA 01854. Arrangements by the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME – LOWELL – MA - (978) 458-8768.

Rita A. (Guthrie) Ramalho

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

Rita A. (Guthrie) Ramalho, 86, of Lowell, Massachusetts, a member of a well-known Lowell family, passed away on Tuesday January 16, 2024, at Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, MA after a courageous battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.  Rita grew up in Lowell surrounded by her large family, she had 10 siblings and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.  She met the love of her life, the late James Ramalho, when she was in high school, and they married shortly after graduation.  James (Jimmy) meant the world to her, and they would have been married 66 years February 15th.

Born in Lowell, MA, December 11, 1937, the daughter of the late Joseph and the late Rita (Mullen) Guthrie, she attended Lowell Schools and was a graduate of Keith Hall.

Prior to her retirement, Rita worked as an Inspector for Raytheon Corporation for over 23 years in the South Lowell plant where she had many close friends.  She enjoyed meeting with her group of retired co-workers regularly for coffee and lunch. Rita was also known for talking on the phone for hours! She especially liked to do this with her friends and her sister Joan!  When she was healthy, she liked to stay active. She loved to bowl, do arts and crafts, especially ceramics, take long walks on the boulevard and was an active member of the Red Hat Society in Chelmsford. She also volunteered at the polls for every local election.  She was an avid reader of all types of magazines which she collected and loved to clip out articles and send them to her children and grandchildren.  Spending her entire life in Lowell, she liked to keep up with what was going on in the city, so she read the Lowell Sun every day. She loved the ocean and with her late husband Jimmy, owned a vacation home for many years at Hampton Beach where she would enjoy walking and sitting on the beach at sunset.  She loved to spend time with her family, especially her grandchildren, and was overjoyed this year to become a great-grandmother in July and December.  She was an active parishioner at Sacred Heart Church until 2004 and most recently a member of St. Rita’s Parish.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra J. Saltamartini and her partner, Bill Siff of East Hampstead, New Hampshire; two sons Michael J. Ramalho and his wife Catherine of Pelham, NH, and Stephen P. Ramalho and his wife Donna of Dracut, MA; five grandchildren Kara Saltamartini Dean and her husband Christopher of Philadelphia, PA,  Lauren Saltamartini Popp and her husband Stephen of Philadelphia, PA, Julie Saltamartini and her partner Collin Travers of Devens, MA, Nicholas J. Ramalho of Pelham, NH, and Ashley A. Ramalho and her partner Hunter Pelletier of Pelham, NH; two great-granddaughters Emily Dean and Arielle Popp; five siblings Joan Hart of Lowell, MA, Daniel Guthrie of North Hampton, NH, Richard Guthrie and his wife Brenda of Lowell, MA, John Guthrie and his wife Debbie of Groton, MA, Thomas Guthrie and his wife Kim of Orlando Florida; She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

She was the sister of the late Joseph Guthrie, Mary Stevens, Helene Reed, Roger Guthrie, and Robert Guthrie.

Relatives and friends will be received for a Memorial Visitation at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. in Lowell on Saturday morning January 20, 2024, from 9:30 to 12:00 P.M. Funeral Service to immediately follow in the Funeral Home. Burial will be held privately for the family. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing to, may make contributions in her memory to the COPD Foundation at copdfoundation.org or the American Cancer Society, 3 Speen St., Suite 250, Framingham, MA 01701. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.

Joan F. (McDermott) Griffin

Beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister;

Joan F. (McDermott) Griffin, 86, of Exeter, New Hampshire, but formerly of Rye, New Hampshire, passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at Riverwoods- Exeter Assisted Living in Exeter, NH.
She was the loving wife of the late Warren D. Griffin.
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, April 27, 1937, the daughter of the late Henry and the late Emily (McNamara) McDermott, she attended Lowell Schools and was a graduate of Lowell High School.
For Joan, it was all about family, and she cherished her time with them, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Joan spent her life making others the focus. She took up healthy cooking and daily exercise in devotion to ensuring Warren remained in good health after having a major heart attack at a young age. She taught us how to be engaged in our community and church by being the ever-ready volunteer, but never in the spotlight. She had impeccable taste in her clothes and was always dressed in the latest fashions, a trait that continues to live through the ages in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And although she was never looking to be the center of attention, she would like you to have noticed the perfect outfit that she put together for the occasion.
Joan was very talented and creative. She loved the holidays where those talents were showcased. Her home was always festively decorated with her many hand-made creations. In fact, there’s a good possibility that she was the originator of the popular “kissing ball”, because she hung pine filled baskets with sparkling white lights and a big red bow across the front porch of Andover Street.  It was even in a Boston magazine one year! Vacations were a special part of her life. Starting with summers at Hampton Beach; winters in the White Mountains; a home in Florida with many trips to Disney; trips to Ireland and fun family cruises.
To the outside world, Joan was quiet and reserved. But she had a hidden humor of one-liners that she would share if you were the lucky one sitting next her.   Her home had an open door to friends and family, no matter the time of day or night. If the doorbell rang, you could be sure to be greeted with a gentle smile, a seat at the table and a warm cup of tea.
She is survived by a daughter: Mary Jo (Griffin) Flood and her husband Edward “Ned” of Lowell, MA; two sons John T. Griffin and his wife Alison of Portsmouth, NH, and Daniel P. Griffin and his wife Joanne of Titusville, Florida; five grandchildren Caitlin Campopiano and her husband William of Chelmsford, MA, Colleen Ferry of Chelmsford, MA, Stephanie Jacques and her husband Chistopher of Dracut, MA, Griffin Tavallai and his fiancé Brianna Woods of Merrimack, NH, and Grace Griffin of Portsmouth, NH; five great-grandchildren Liam, Colin, Vivian, Olivia, and Austin; a brother Henry McDermott and his wife Judy of North Andover, MA; a sister Joyce Saboliauskas of Chelmsford, MA; a sister-in-law Mary Ellen Fennessy-McDermott of Rye, NH; she is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.She was the mother of the late William “Billy” Griffin and the sister of the late Carol Smith and the late William McDermott.

Relatives and friends may attend her Visitation at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH in Lowell on Friday January 19, 2024, from 9:30 until 10:45 A.M. followed by her Funeral Mass to be celebrated at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH in Lowell at 11:00 A.M. Burial to follow at St. Mary Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com.  Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to Hospice Compassus 1 Bedford Farm Drive Suite 2 D, Bedford, NH, 03110.  Arrangements by the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME – LOWELL – MA- (978)-458-8768.