Elsie Howard
Member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, homemaker and family caregiver
Elsie M. (Gill) Howard passed away Friday morning, December 11 at the Rosewood Nursing and Rehab in Peabody. She was 101 years old.
Born, raised and a lifelong resident of Chelsea, the daughter of the late John and Jesse (Higgins) Gill, Elsie was a homemaker and family caregiver. She was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea, St. Luke’s Women’s Guild and an avid bingo player who enjoyed numerous years with her family.
She was pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Richard J. Howard and the beloved mother of Ruth J. Hall of Florida and the late Richard J. Howard, Jr. and Thomas J. Howard; sister of the late Thomas Gill, Mildred and Louise Gill, Ruth Griffin and Flora Casey; mother-in-law of Gail Howard of West Newbury and the late Dianne Howard and T. Bob Hall. She is also lovingly survived by six grandchildren: James, Richard, Christine, Lynne, Donna and Laurie and was pre-deceased by one granddaughter, the late Deborah Hall. She is also lovingly survived by 10 great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were by the Carafa Family Funeral Home, Chelsea. Interment was in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.
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Lawrence Sullivan
Served Three Terms as a Chelsea Alderman and was head of the
Chelsea School Traffic Department
Lawrence F. Sullivan of Melrose, formerly of Chelsea, died shortly after noon on December 11 at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was 84 years old.
Born and raised in Revere, after returning from active service in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict, he met his future wife, Doris. Shortly after their marriage, they took up residence in Chelsea where they lived for almost 50 years until moving to Melrose seven years ago. He was with the Boston Gas Company for over 40 years, until retiring in 1995 as customer service supervisor.
In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Larry was elected to the Chelsea Board of Aldermen, a position he was elected to for three terms. Devoted to his family and friends, he always enjoyed camping with his family. As a person always available for his helping nature and love of people, he served on the Board of Directors for the Mass Gas and Electric Credit Union as well as the Chelsea Senior Center. He was a member of the Princemen Chorus as well as the Irish Club and, even in his retirement, he continued his involvement with the City of Chelsea as head of the Chelsea School Traffic Department.
He was the devoted husband for 61 years to Doris M. (Arsenault); beloved father of Donna Sullivan-Keohane and her late husband, Kevin of Wakefield, William “Sully” Sullivan of Melrose and Debbie Sullivan of Everett; brother of Edna McCauley of Melrose, Ellen Thornton of Lynn, Florence Twomey of Norwood, Carol Mendez of Georgetown and the late Elizabeth Pentony, Claire McKenna, Margaret Nickerson, John, Martin, William, Edward, Leo, Leonard, Raymond and James Sullivan; cherished grandfather of Ryan Keohane and his wife, Lauren of Framingham and Christopher Keohane and his companion, Christine Bossalini of Melrose. He is also lovingly survived by his great grandchildren, Leo and Nolan Keohane as well as by many nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Smith Funeral Home, Chelsea. Committal Services were private. Expressions of sympathy in Larry’s name may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Clinic, 1 Joslin Place, Suite 745, Boston, MA 02115. To send a message of condolence to Larry’s family, please visit www.smithfuneralhomes.com
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Virginia Strasser
Retired home health aide
Virginia E. (Haskell) Strasser of Wakefield, formerly of Chelsea, passed away on December 10 at the Greenwood Nursing and Care Center in Wakefield where she was receiving supportive care. She was 93 years old.
Prior to retirement, she worked as a home health aide for Intercity Homemaker Service of Malden.
Born in Stoneham to the late William and Isabelle (Kelley) Haskell, she was the devoted wife of the late Frederick J. Strasser and the late Henry A. Rufo, Sr.; beloved mother of Kathleen Rufo of Newbury, Henry A. Rufo, Jr. of Los Angeles, California, Annmarie Noble of South Bend, Indiana, Stephen Strasser of Wakefield and the late William Strasser and the sister of the late Phyllis Sombo and Leslie Haskell.
Funeral arrangements were by the Smith Funeral Home, Chelsea. Committal Services were private.To send a message of condolence to Virginia’s family, please visit www.smithfuneralhomes.com