Kenneth Richard Nielsen, formerly of Lynnfield and recently of Brightview Senior Living in Wakefield, passed away peacefully 22 minutes before midnight on January 3, just a week short of his 88^th  birthday.

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1931, Kenneth was the son of Julius and Hazel Nielsen. Proud of his Danish ancestry, he often retold how his grandfather immigrated by ship from Denmark in the late 19th century. Kenneth came to New England in 1950 at the outbreak of the Korean War to serve as a Hospital Corpsman with the United States Navy. There he met Joan Inez Harrison, with whom he fell in love and married in 1951.

He began working at Boston’s Anderson Power Products in 1951 and enrolled at Boston University where he took evening classes, earning a degree in 1957. He stayed with Andersons for the full extent of his professional career which spanned more than four decades. This work would provide him the opportunity to return to live in the Midwest for a few years in the late 1950s and early 60s, and to travel throughout the United States and then to Europe, Asia, and Africa as high voltage technology evolved and the company expanded globally.

Kenneth and Joan and their young family returned to Massachusetts and settled in Lynnfield in 1963, living first on Landers Road and then moving in 1974 to Apple Hill Lane. Their four children, Kenny, Heidi, Peter, and Brent, all grew up in Lynnfield and graduated from Lynnfield High School. In addition to being a steady and dependable provider for his children, Kenneth spent much of his life as a loving caregiver to Joan, who fell ill with Guillain-Barre syndrome in 1972 and faced ongoing health challenges and served as an independent living activist until she passed in 2010.

His family will remember him doing every job he possibly could without ever hiring help, from changing the brakes and mufflers on the cars and doing electrical, plumbing, and carpentry work, to managing his finances, and doing his own taxes. He was a thrifty penny pincher to the end. They will also remember him for the squash and apple pies he ritualistically baked for the holidays (with exceedingly generous amounts of cinnamon), and for being eager to go strawberry and raspberry picking every summer.

Ken embraced the outdoors in his free time and seemed to make gardening, shoveling snow, and raking leaves into pure recreation. He regularly took his young family camping in the lakes region of New Hampshire and instilled in them a passion for returning to the woods and the thrill of an evening campfire.

Over the years, he became increasingly committed to the practice of walking and guided his children and grandchildren through the neighborhoods within Chestnut, Lowell, and Main Streets in Lynnfield and the trails of the wooded wetlands of the Beaver Brook Recreation Area.

He kept himself involved in the Lynnfield-Wakefield United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, and the Northshore Community Theater. He was always up for a game of bocce out on the lawn or cribbage at the kitchen table and was up early nearly every Saturday morning for coffee at the kitchen table with his lifelong friend Bud Graves. Winding his cuckoo clock and serving waffles with ice cream in the morning to his grandchildren became dependable entertainment on family visits to Apple Hill.

Kenneth is survived by his children and their spouses, Kenneth R. Nielsen II and Alice Nielsen of Reading; Heidi and David McGlauflin of North Reading, Peter and Alison Nielsen of Peaks Island, Maine; and Brent and Arose Nielsen of Belchertown. He is also survived by grandchildren Jennifer, Nicholas, Izabel, Noah, Sienna, and Anders Nielsen, and Johanna, Robert, and Brielly McGlauflin. His great grandchildren thus far include Elle, Savannah, Ayla, Julia, Levi, and Sean.

His three generations of offspring plan a private celebration of his life. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Joan Nielsen Fund of the Disability Resource Center may be made in support of the family’s commitment to the Fund’s mission of inclusion and independence for everyone.

Arrangements are by Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Alfred  Lee  Lisby -87, of North Reading and formerly of Missouri, died Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at the E. N. Rogers Memorial Veteran’s Hospital in Bedford. He was the beloved husband of the late Jean M. (Baldwin) Lisby.

Born in Wakanda, Missouri on January 12, 1931. He was the son of the late Elbert F. and Pearl (Pearman) Lisby. Al was a U.S. Navy Veteran of the Korean War, serving from from 1948 to 1953, he served aboard the U.S.S. Wright CVL-49 and was a Fireman and Engineman. He was an Ironworker and a member of the Local 7 Union for 37 years. Al has been a resident of North Reading since 1960 and was a member of the North Reading Gun Club.   He taught his children to be hard working responsible individuals. Al loved Deer hunting, Ham Radios, mechanics and tinkering.

Family members include his loving sons, Kenneth C. Lisby of Ramona, CA and Ronald S. Lisby of Windham, NH; daughters, Cheryl (Lisby) McRae of Reading and Caroline (Lisby) LaCourse of Leominster; grandchildren, Joshua and Sean McRae of Reading and Amber Lee Fellows of Melrose.

His funeral will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Thursday, January 3 at 7:00 PM. Calling hours will be held prior to the service from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM. Interment will be held in Wildwood Cemetery in Wilmington on Friday, January 4 at 11:00 AM. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Joan A. (Flaherty) Pelland – 86, of Reading, died peacefully at home surrounded by loved one’s on Monday, December 24, 2018. She was the loving wife of the late Maurice Pelland.

Born in Boston, MA on May 5, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Flaherty. She was a homemaker and a loving mother and grandmother. Joan has been a resident of Reading for over 50 years. She was an active member of St. Theresa’s Parish in North Reading for the past ten years.

Family members include her loving sons, Stephen, Mark and David Pelland; daughters, Mary Tortolano and her husband Mark Tortolano and Joan M. Pelland; her sister, Mary T. Pagliarulo; seven grandchildren, Lauren Tortolano-Naranjo, Nicole Tortolano, Stephen, Katherine, Neve, Paige and Quentin Pelland.

Her funeral will be held from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Saturday December 29 at 8:45 AM, followed by a 10:00 AM Funeral Mass at St. Theresa Parish, 63 Winter Street (Rt. 62), North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Friday, December 28 from 4 to 7 PM. Burial will be in Charles Lawn Cemetery in Reading. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to: American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Holly  Jean  Wade – 29, of North Reading,  passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on December 22, 2018. Holly will always be remembered by her family as a strong, independent, young woman with a fiery and sassy spirit. Her proudest moment will always be the birth of her new daughter, Gianna.

She was the best “auntie” and “sistah” ever. Holly loves cooking, doing makeup and being surrounded by her family.

Holly leaves behind many loved ones which include her daughter, Gianna, her parents, Baxter “John” Wade and Joddie Wade; her brothers, Baxter Wade, Jr., Nicholas and his wife, Jen, Jesse Wade, Tyler Wade and his wife Leigha, her always “sistah” Jillian and her husband, Joshua Burke and her Aunt Patricia. Holly will be deeply missed by her nephews Logan, Nicholas, Conner, Colin and her special niece and makeup partner, Ava. Holly also leaves behind Jefferson Ferreira, the father of her child. Holly is also survived by many loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends aplenty.

Calling hours will be held at Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading, MA 01864 on Saturday, December 29 from 2:00 to 5:30 pm, followed by a short service from 5:30 to 6:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Norman M. Baxter – Longtime North Reading, MA resident and 50 year employee of HP Hood & Sons.

Born on October 29, 1930 in Somerville, MA, where he was a graduate of the Class of 1948. Son of the late Melbourne R. & Ada P. (Whooten) Baxter, and is survived by his wife of 60 plus years, Caroline M. (Downey) Baxter, 6 children: Glenn N. Baxter and his wife Patti of Melrose MA, Gail A. Middleton and her husband Bruce of Pembroke NH, Gary K. Baxter and his wife Donna of No. Reading, MA, Gay L. Luoto and her husband Rick of Hampstead NH, Genell R. Pike and her husband Robert of Bolton Landing, NY, Grant W. Baxter and his wife Sharon of No. Reading, MA, 13 Grandchildren, and 5 Great Grandchildren.

Norman served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. Norman was a 44-year resident of North Reading before moving to Hampstead, NH. He was a member of the Union Congregational Church where in the early days he served as President of the Mens and the Couple’s Clubs. He was an adviser to the youth group for two years and chaperoned memorable youth trips to Washington D.C. Norman was elected in the 1950’s as a Fence Viewer for North Reading, serving 2 years. He was an honorary 50 year member of the NR Masonic Lodge AF&AM, serving 15 years as secretary. He was also a member of the Mt Carmel Chapter of Eastern Star. He served as Chairman of Most Worshipful Fred K. Bauer’s reception when he became Grand Master of Mason for MA. HP Hood employed him for 50 years both active and retired. He began as a driver, then attended the management training program while managing a chain of Penguin Ice Cream stores until he was promoted to the Hood Personnel Department. He served as the President of the Hood Mutual Benefit Assoc. 1974 – 1975, Director of the HP Hood Federal Credit Union for over 20 years as well as being the past president of the NE Assoc. of Suggestion Systems, and then Human Resource Manager at HP Hood until he retired in 1987.

Norman didn’t know the meaning of the word retire and continued working another 18 years for HP Hood as a college recruiter, Quarter Century Club functions, as well as serving on the Charles H. Hood fund board of directors for four years. He worked as a part-time sales person for Meltzer Furniture in NR and as a Maître-d, part-time at the Kernwood Restaurant in Lynnfield, MA. After surviving and recovering from a brain aneurysm at age 70, you could see him in later years taking care of Ipswich River Park, NR during the early morning hours always in his shorts, until the first snowfall. He drove for Liberty Chevrolet parts department for many years into his 80’s. He and his wife enjoyed a summer home in Kennebunkport, ME for many years while raising their family. After retirement they wintered in Venice, FL as well as traveling to Canada a few times a year. He was a hardworking, devoted husband father and grandfather always there to lend a hand washing a car or two or three! He will be remembered for his work ethic, his love for family, landscaping, chopping firewood, driving, and loved cars, old and new. He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the North Reading Masonic Lodge A.F. & A. M or Constellation Health Services of MA & NH. A Memorial Service  has been arranged for January 5, 2019 at 11 a.m. at the Union Congregational Church, Haverhill Street, North Reading, MA. Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading.  www.croswellfuneralhome.com