Paula O. (O’Neill) Abraham

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt and friend;

Paula O. (O’Neill) Abraham, 75, of Lowell, a retired Lowell school teacher, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday afternoon, March 3, 2020 at her home.

She was the beloved wife for over 55 years of Richard J. “Dick” Abraham, who survives her.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, July 10, 1944, Paula was the daughter of the late John J. and the late Helen V. (Harrigan) O’Neill. Paula had been a long time communicant of both St. Patrick and the Immaculate Conception Churches of Lowell.

She attended Lowell schools and was a graduate of Lowell High School in the Class of 1962. Later, Paula continued her education at Middlesex Community College and then matriculated to and graduated from Rivier University in Nashua, NH, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, with a Minor in Special Education.

Prior to her retirement, Paula was a school teacher for the City of Lowell School Department of Special Education at the Bailey International School. Previously she served as a paraprofessional at the Lincoln School.

For several years, Paula was a member of the Board of Trustees of Middlesex Community College.

Paula was very proud of her Irish heritage. She was a former Chairperson for Irish Cultural Week in Lowell, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernian's Auxiliary and a coordinator for Wider Horizons, where for 20 years, she along with Molly Sheehy served as hosts to college students from the north and south of Ireland. She also served as a volunteer for the Greater Lowell Folk Festival.

Paula was extremely proud to be  a member of “The Girls”, a group of her closest friends! She very much enjoyed her weekends away with “The Girls” whether it be to the Cape or another place where they enjoyed spending time together.

Mostly, Paula enjoyed those times she shared with her family and especially with her grandchildren.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her daughter Lyndabeth Abraham and Timothy Downes of Lowell; her son Richard J. “Rick” Abraham and his wife Sharon (Couilliard) of Lowell; Four grandchildren Kathryn E. Abraham and her companion Nicholas Leary of Lowell, John R. Abraham of Somerville, Thomas R. Abraham and his companion Alexa McGuire of Lowell, and Sarah M. Abraham of Lowell.

Paula is also survived by her brother-in-law John F. Abraham and his wife Mary of Chelmsford, MA; her brother-in-law Robert  W. Abraham of Concord, MA; her brother-in-law Thomas J. Abraham and his wife Glenda of Virginia Beach,VA; her sister-in-law Priscilla “DeeDee” O’Neill of Pelham, NH; as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was also the sister of the late John J. “Jack” O’Neill, Jr.. Paula was also pre-deceased by her sister-in-law Adele and her husband Louis Mansur; by her brother-in-law James and his wife Cecelia (Salem) Abraham; by her sister-in-law Louise and her husband Fredrick Wilkey; by her sister-in-law Kristin (Roymans) Abraham; Paula was also pre-deceased by her niece Deborah (Abraham) Lind; and her nephew John F. Abraham, Jr..

Friends may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. at Fletcher from 2 to 6 P.M. Sunday, Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass to be celebrated Monday morning at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH at 11 o’clock. Committal Services will be private. E-condolences at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to The John F. Abraham, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Mailing address: Friends of Lowell High School, P.O. Box 1264, Lowell, MA 01853. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.      

Phyllis M. (Kennedy) McWilliams, R.N.

Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend;

Phyllis M. (Kennedy) McWilliams, 94, of Lowell and formerly of Singer Island, FL, passed away Saturday evening February 29, 2020 after a brief illness.

She was the beloved wife for 59 years to the late John J. McWilliams, a longtime Lowell Police Officer who died in 2009.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, November 12, 1925, the daughter of the late Joseph and the late Bertha (Clark) Kennedy, she grew up in Pelham, NH. Phyllis graduated from Lowell High School with the Class of 1943 and went on to graduate as a Registered Nurse from the former St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1947.

A member of the United States Nurse Cadet’s Corp during World War II (1944 to 1947), Phyllis often spoke of meeting her husband John in 1947 at a dance at the former Lakeview Ballroom in Dracut.

Prior to her retirement in 1992, Phyllis worked for many years as a School Nurse in the City of Lowell Public Schools and at the Lowell Health Department as a Public Health Nurse. She also worked as a School Nurse at the Greater Lowell Vocational School and the Lowell General Detoxification Center.

In her early career she was a Private Duty Nurse at the former St. John’s Hospital (nka Lowell General – Saints Campus) and at Lowell General Hospital. Phyllis was a longtime member of St. John’s Nurses Alumnae Association.

Phyllis always had an amazing amount of energy and will be remembered for her ability to juggle a family of seven children while working tirelessly as a nurse and homemaker. By her loving example, she instilled in her children her many character traits of working hard, saving hard and getting things done.

She treasured the time she spent with her family – especially her beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren at the many birthday parties, cookouts and holiday gatherings. Phyllis will be most remembered for her nurturing, kind and caring ways and her love of family and friends.

Phyllis is survived by her six children Marlene A. Browne of Singer Island, FL, John McWilliams, Jr. and his wife Carol Kelly of Lowell, Gary McWilliams and his wife Lenora of Houston, TX, Brian McWilliams and his wife Marjorie of Kingston, MA, Alan McWilliams and his wife Paula of Saratoga Springs, NY and Robert McWilliams and his wife Deborah of Wilbraham, MA; her 14 cherished grandchildren Erin Spencer, Kristen Chan, David Browne, and the McWilliam’s including Ian, Tyler, Julia, Jane, Tara, Ana, Emily, Gary, Stephen, Mai and Mya; six great grandchildren Simone, Colin, Declan, Leo, Savannah and Claire.

She was also the mother of the late David G. McWilliams and the sister of the late Dorothy Litchfield, Warren, Roger, Stuart and Raymond Kennedy.

Friend may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. at Fletcher from 4 to 7 P.M. Wednesday March 4, 2020. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass to be celebrated Thursday morning at HOLY FAMILY PARISH – ST. MARIES 75 Chamberlain St. in Lowell at 10 o’clock followed by her burial in St. Patrick Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.  

Kathleen Durham

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

Kathleen Durham, 99, of Lowell passed away on Thursday morning February 20, 2020 at Belvidere Healthcare surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Macon, Georgia, June 5, 1920, a daughter of the late Sidel and the late Myra (Williams) Durham, she was raised in North Carolina.

After moving up to Lowell, she was self-employed as a maid for many years.

She is survived by four daughters Patsy Choate, Dorothy Hardin, Edon Hartford and Germaine Stokes all of Lowell, 35 grandchildren, many great grandchildren. And a very dear and special friend Nick Duclos.

She was also the mother of mother of the late Lucille Choate, the late Joseph Durham, the late Carol Durham and the late Harold Durham.

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation at the New England Pentecostal Ministries Church, 955 Bridge St., Pelham, NH, on Thursday February 27, 2020 from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. followed by her Funeral Service at the church from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Committal Services will be private The family will be accepting flowers in her honor at the Church. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.      

Carole (Handley) Aubut

Longtime Dracut resident;

Carole (Handley) Aubut, 88, of Dracut passed away suddenly but peacefully on Monday, February 24, 2020, surrounded by her loving family.

She was pre-deceased by Raymond J. Aubut, her devoted husband of almost 65 years who left us on June 11, 2016.  They resided in Dracut for over 50 years where they raised their three daughters and also resided in Naples, FL & Lowell, MA.

Born in Lowell Massachusetts on January 15, 1932, a daughter of the late Alfred F. and Gladys M. (Greene) Handley, she was a 1950 graduate of Dracut High School.

She was the older of 2 daughters. Her dear younger sister Viola (Handley) Anderson sadly pre-deceased her on December 21, 2019.

She was a loving mother, wife, daughter, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt and friend to so many.

Carole & Ray did almost everything as a couple. Ray being a square dance caller and teacher, Carole danced and assisted in teaching square dancing for close to 40 years. She and Ray became members of the Town Travelers Square Dance Club in 1967 and soon were involved as dance leaders and club president. They were involved with New England Square and Round Dance Conventions, Tri-State Callers Association, New England Council of Caller Association (NECCA) where she was the only female NECCA specialist, CALLERLAB, and the Square Dance Foundation of New England, Inc. Together they were part of Slips N’Clutches, Skirts & Flirts, Calico Steppers and Alpine Squares. They were proud recipients of the Yankee Clipper award & were inducted into the Square Dance Hall of Fame.

Carole & Ray together published the New England Square Dance Caller Magazine for 12 years. She was particularly proud of her column “Carole’s Corner”.

They also loved bowling with the Alpine Bowling League of Lowell and she and Ray were members of the Longmeadow and Vesper Country Clubs. Carole was a Girl Scout leader for 15 years and an Avon lady for 10 years.

It was her pleasure to create greeting cards on her computer for anyone who was ailing, celebrating a birthday, an anniversary or just to let someone know she was thinking of them. She had many life-long friends.

Besides her husband Ray, whom she missed every minute of every day, she was survived by her three daughters Nancy (Aubut) Lafontaine and her husband Lee of Winter Springs FL, Betty Aubut of Asheville, NC and Peggy (Aubut)(D’Addario)(Patenaude) Osbaldeston and her husband Joe of Amesbury, Ma; 5 grandchildren Paul Lafontaine and his wife Carrie of Oviedo, FL, Janet (Lafontaine) Plummer and her husband Steven of Oviedo, FL, Stephen D’Addario of Andover, MA, Justin D’Addario of Methuen, MA and Deven D’Addario of Celebration, FL. She is also survived by 4 great grandchildren whom she adored: Danica & Alaina Plummer and Reid & Elin Lafontaine. In addition, she is survived by her brother-in-law Donald Anderson of Dracut, Nephew Donald Anderson Jr and his wife Antonette of Salem, NH, Niece Carole Ann (Anderson) Roberts of Dracut, MA and Sharon O’Brien and her husband Jim of Virginia, great-nieces Kaitlyn Roberts, Stephanie Anderson and great nephew Michael Anderson.

Friends may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. in Lowell from 4 to 7 P.M. Thursday. Her Funeral Service will take place Friday morning at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME at 10 o’clock followed by her Committal Prayers at St. Patrick Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN., 38101. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.