Robert  J.  “Bob”  MacDonald – 84, of North Reading and formerly of Malden, died Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.

Born in Cambridge, MA on October 23, 1934, he was the son of the late Charles and Edna (Litchfield) MacDonald. Bob was raised in Malden and was a graduate of Malden Vocational School.

Bob worked as a carpenter for A & A Windows in Malden for many years. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 51 years.

Family members include his loving wife of 62 years, Nancy (Monahan) MacDonald; his daughters, Cheryl Gauthier, Ruth Bernard and Susan Warren; his brother, Donald MacDonald; 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

His funeral will be held at the Trinity Evangelical Church, 105 Haverhill Street, North Reading on Monday, September 23 at 10:00 AM. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, September 22 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Gail  I. (Fudge) Nelson – 76, of Nashua, NH, formerly of North Reading and Lynnfield, died on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at Langdon Place in Nashua, NH. She was the beloved wife of 53 years to the late Allan R. Nelson.

Born in St. Johnsbury, VT on December 5, 1942. She was the daughter of the late George and Madeline (Rash) Fudge.  Gail was a graduate of Lynnfield High School and Vesper George Art School in Boston. She was also awarded a Scholarship to Mass Art School Summer Program in Boston.

Gail was a secretary for the Sagamore Fuel Company, Inc. in Lynn. She was a former resident of North Reading for 55 years. She was a member of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church for many years, she also taught Vacation Bible School and was a Den Mother in Cub Scouts.

Family members include her loving sons, Russell W. Nelson and his fiancé Pamela Lee of Nashua, NH and Craig R. Nelson and his wife Ivy of Revere; grandchildren, Theo and Sarah Nelson; her sisters in-law, Janice A. Nelson and Norma L. Jones and her husband James; her nephews, Jimmy Jones and the late Jason Jones, all of Peabody.

Her funeral service will be held on Friday, September 20 at Noon at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 235 Park Street, North Reading. Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 19 from 7 to 9 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Peabody. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the MSPCA, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Maria J. Nicosia- 09/03/2019- age 70

Alice  M.  (Tarbox) Nickerson – 91, of North Reading, died Friday, September 13, 2019 at Hathorne Hill Genesis Healthcare in Danvers.

Born on September 11, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Theodore and Laura (Hamilton) Tarbox. Alice was a “true townie” and a lifelong resident of North Reading. She attended the L.D. Batchelder School and was a graduate of Reading High School, Class of 1946.

Alice worked as a Switchboard operator for New England Telephone and Transitron in Wakefield and worked in sales for the Abbott Shoe Company in North Reading for over 30 years. Alice was one of North Reading’s first telephone operators in the Conron house, when telephones came into town, her families phone number was 7.

Alice always put others before herself, she was very giving and expected nothing in return. She loved her family, all her grandchildren and great grandchildren had a unique and special bond with her. Alice was a person of strong conviction and instilled a positive work ethic in her children and grandchildren, teaching them to be kind and compassionate.

She was an avid sports fan. Her favorite players being YA Tittle and Ted Williams, also the Bruins in the 1960’s to 1980’s. Alice was very active in North Reading sports, she was the Past President of the North Reading Little League in the 60’s. She loved attending her children’s and grandchildren’s in sporting, dance and cheering. She loved traveling to Europe to watch her grandsons play hockey.

She loved to bake, especially apple pies, she won the North Reading Apple Festival Apple Pie Contest, two years in a row. She enjoyed knitting, making mittens and hats for the kids and Christmas stockings for new family members.

Family members include her loving son, Paul Jones and his wife Joanne of New York; her daughter, Leslie Ann (Jones)Rogers and her husband Carl of North Reading; brothers, Harold V. (Joe) Tarbox of Maryland, the late Theodore Tarbox, Jr. and Robert W. Tarbox; 6 grandchildren, Kurt and Eric Jones, Jenelle (Jones) Braga, Meaghan (Rogers) Misuraca, F. Carl Rogers, III and Kristen (Rogers) Legro; 9 great grandchildren, Nathaniel, Norah and Riley Jones, Preston and Kailey Braga Gabriella, Gavin and Grayson Misuraca and Colin Legro.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday, September 19 at 11:00 AM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 18 from 4 to 7 PM. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to the MSPCA, 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844. The family would like to thank Care Dimensions and Hathorne Hill for their wonderful care.

www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Arthur A. Pickett, Jr. –  76, of North Reading passed away at Lahey Hospital on September 13, 2019 after a courageous battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Born in Malden on April 1, 1943, he was originally from Everett, MA, the son of the late Arthur A. Pickett, Sr. and Alice F. (Finegan) Pickett.

Arthur is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Hazel (Wallace) and his children: Susan Potenza and her husband Mark of New Hampshire, Kate Mahoney and her husband Sean and Arthur Pickett and his wife Kris, all of North Reading.  He was an especially proud Gumpy to Abigail, Michael, Arthur and William. He was also loved by his sister Alice Doherty, his Brother-in-Law Richard Wallace and his wife Elsie, and several nieces and nephews.

He was a graduate of Everett High School, Class of 1961 and Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering.  Having spent his career in the heating and air conditioning industry, Arthur founded Royal Air Systems, Inc. in 1980. He enjoyed working with so many dedicated employees over the years and was especially proud that he left Royal Air in very capable hands upon retirement. Over the years, he was active in several groups including the Northeast ACCA, The North Reading Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and was a member of the Union Congregational Church of North Reading.

He enjoyed spending summers at Lake Winnipesaukee in his youth and later on Sebago Lake where he built his cottage (and a tree house) with the help of friends and family. He liked the fishing more than the catching, so he could spend more time on the boat and was always willing to drive the kids to the sandbar for a swim.   He also enjoyed the years he spent with his family horseback riding.  He was the best “Horse-Show Dad”, getting up early mornings to drive the trailer to lessons and shows.   He loved trail riding at Bradley Palmer with Richard.  He and Hazel enjoyed traveling, but above all he loved time spent with his family.

Arthur was quietly generous and will be remembered as fair, loyal and loving. His Funeral will be held on Wednesday, September 18 at 10 AM at the Union Congreagational Church, 148 Haverhill Street, North Reading.  Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 17 from 4 to 8 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading.  Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading.  Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice.  www.croswellfuneralhome.com