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.

Antonio C. “Tony”  Ochoa II

Beloved husband, father, and grandfather;

Antonio C. “Tony” Ochoa II., 86, of Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully on Tuesday January 2, 2024, at Life Care Center of Merrimack Valley in Billerica, Massachusetts, after his 10-year struggle with Alzheimer's.

He was the beloved husband for 57 years of Raquel (Martinez) Ochoa, of Houston, TX, who survives him.

Born in Bexar County, TX, July 18, 1937, the son of the late Antonio C. and the late Elvira (Contreras) Ochoa, he was a graduate of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, TX, majoring in physics and with a minor in math.

Tony II proudly served his country while stationed at Dover Air Force Base during the Vietnam War, where he maintained and repaired combat aircraft. But in addition to these necessary technical duties, Tony II was the chief projectionist at Dover AFB, where he entertained countless military personnel and their families with movies that defined the era.

Tony II's remarkable life is defined by his sharp wit, his adoration for friends and family, his brilliant scientific mind, and his passion for cinema. While stationed at Dover Air Force Base during the Vietnam War, Tony II maintained and repaired combat aircraft. But in addition to these necessary technical duties, he was the chief projectionist at Dover AFB, where he entertained countless military personnel and their families with movies that defined the era. As a film-loving father, Tony II hosted weekly movie nights on his 16mm projector in the living room of his family home, which brought immense joy to his wife, son, daughter, and friends. His enthusiasm for film went hand-in-hand with his love of music and his immense LP collection, which included hundreds of soundtracks and film scores from all his favorite movies, including "Star Wars," "Grease," "Barbarella," "The Glenn Miller Story," "The Man with the Golden Arm," "Mr. Lucky," "A Hard Day's Night," "Xanadu," "Camelot," "My Fair Lady," "The Sound of Music," "2001 A Space Odyssey," and dozens of other classic and cult titles. He and his family were forever speaking in movie quotes, as true cinephiles often do. Other heartfelt family memories with Tony II include annual summer stays in New Orleans filling up on beignets and muffalettas, a cross country caravan to the Pacific Northwest, and unforgettable trips to Great Britain and scenic California. Tony II was a bonafide foodie, and relished tasting regional and traditional dishes wherever work and family travels took him.

Tony II's natural gift for the sciences enabled him to graduate from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, with a major in physics and a minor in math. He enjoyed a fascinating career as a Field Service Engineer with General Electric and Hitachi where he spent decades building, maintaining, and repairing X-ray, MRI, and CT-Scan machines for hospitals in Houston, Texas, and surrounding cities. Watching Tony II build a mighty CT-Scanner from the ground up -- from thousands of wires, electronic boards, motors, and switches -- was the highlight of his son and daughter's childhood. His daughter, Suzzanne, still recalls giving an elementary school presentation on CT-Scan, X-ray technology, and the wonder of magnetic imaging after marveling at one of her father's medical equipment installations.

Other cherished family memories of our beloved Tony II include watching him shine his cowboy boots and polish his LP collection; feasting on his delectable home-cooked BBQ brisket and pork chops; his insatiable appetite for Blue Bell Ice Cream; Tuesday night horror flicks at the local drive-in and late night weekends at science fiction conventions; years of amusement park rides at AstroWorld and football games at the Astrodome; picnics and live stage performances at Theater Under the Stars (TUTS); summers on the water at Galveston Island; and beloved visits to the Houston Public Library and the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Though Tony II worked incredibly long hours around the clock for most of his career, he still found time to enjoy the large and small moments that culminated in a life of wonder, laughter, and curiosity.

Besides his wife, Tony II is survived by a daughter, Suzzanne D. Cromwell, her husband Brett L. Cromwell, and grandson Emory S. Cromwell, of Lowell, MA. He is also survived by loving members of his extended family in Texas.

He was the father of the late Antonio “Tony” C. Ochoa III, who passed away unexpectedly on June 29, 2023, at the young age of 53. Lovingly nicknamed "Toby" by his family, Tony Ochoa III was a devoted son and caregiver to his father and shared so many of his dad's loves and strengths.

Mrs. Raquel M. Ochoa and the Cromwell Family extend sincerest gratitude to the staff and caregivers at Life Care Center of Merrimack Valley and the hospice care team at New England Hospice.

Relatives and friends are invited to his Memorial Visitation at the O'DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. in LOWELL, MA on Thursday, January 18, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. We ask that visitors kindly omit flowers. Burial will be held privately for the family. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com.  Contributions in his memory to the Houston Museum of Natural Science Annual Fund (in memory of Antonio "Tony" C. Ochoa II) at https://www.hmns.org.  Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.

Evangelos “Evan” Bubanas

Beloved husband, father, “Papou”, brother, uncle, in-law, and friend;

Evangelos “Evan” Bubanas, 76, of Lowell, Massachusetts, passed away on Sunday January 7, 2024, at Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, MA surrounded by his loving family, after an 11 month courageous battle with grade IV Glioblastoma. Evan was the loving husband for over 39  years of Rosemary (Nangle) Bubanas of Lowell, MA, who survives him.

Born in Lowell, MA, July 2, 1947, the son of the late John and the late Peggy (Themeles) Bubanas, he attended the Lowell schools and was a graduate of Lowell High School in the class of 1965. He received his Associate's degree in Business from Northern Essex Community College.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Evan proudly served his country as a Sergeant in the United States Air Force from 1968-1972. Serving in Thailand and Korea in the DMZ zone during the taking of the Pueblo.

Prior to his retirement, Evan worked at the US Postal Service for 42 years as a postal carrier in Billerica, MA.

Evan was a longtime member at Long Meadow Golf Club. He was also a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers, and the VFW in Billerica, MA. Evan enjoyed music, games of chance, good conversation, and giving nicknames to people that stuck for life. He had a quick wit and a great sense of humor.  He had a knack for making people feel at ease and comfortable in his presence.

However, Evan's greatest joy was to spend time with his family.

Besides his wife, Evan is survived by a daughter: Rosie Sheehan and her husband John of Lowell, MA; a son John “JB” Bubanas and his wife Melissa of North Reading, MA; five grandchildren Brogan, Aidan, and Madigan Sheehan, Brooks, and Benjamin Bubanas; a brother Harry Bubanas and his wife Jien of Salinas, California; a sister Marina Stilwell and her husband Sam of Thompson, Connecticut; many beloved nieces and nephews; an aunt Thelma Themeles of Dracut, MA; a godson Matthew Raras of SanDiego, California; he is also survived by his in-laws Bernie Nangle and his wife Diane of Haverhill, MA, Philip Nangle and his wife Elaine, Marylou Marcotte and her husband Gary, Katie Witts and her husband Mike, Ann Donovan and her husband Brian, and Tommy McKiernan and his wife Betty Marie all of Lowell, MA.

He was the brother of the late Terry Bubanas and the brother-in-law of the late Bobby and Carol Nangle.

Friends and Family are invited to attend his Committal Services on Saturday January 13, 2024, at ST. MARY CEMETERY (Near the Chapel) in TEWKSBURY, MA, at 10:30 A.M. E-condolences/directions are available at http://www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Kindly omit flowers. Those wishing may make contributions in his memory to the Kristy Williams Memorial Foundation, 206 Rogers Street, Unit 1, Lowell, MA, 01852 or to St. Jude’s Hospital P.O. Box 1000, Dept 142, Memphis, TN, 38101. Arrangements by the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME – LOWELL – MA (978) 458-8768.